British Quaintness

Am I an anomally in this country? Do I stand out as different from the rest of the population? I've noticed something about English people that doesn't make me so proud to be one.

I heard on TV the other day that a British couple have spent the last 22years living in a Travelodge Hotel next to a lorry park. They do no cleaning, cooking or washing and spend their days watching the lorries come and go. This lifestyle in and of itself isn't so bad. It has it's advantages but to me it is just another symptom of a plague embedded in our nation.

I call it British Quaintness. All we want to do is build for ourselves a quaint life, with a quaint home and quaint existance. And trust me when I say that by Quaint I'm not talking about a good thing. I first noticed it when I came back from travelling around the world. I spent time in many cultures with many different people, but when I got back the first thing I noticed was just how small everything is in this country! We have small houses and small country villages, we don't have much space here so we all cramp in nice and cosy together... It's not like Canada or Australia where you have to drive at least a whole day to get to another place!! This is a small country, but I'm not just talking about our Great and Beautiful Landmass.

We have small vision. We have small lives that seek out nothing but a quaint, cosy existance in a Travelodge Hotel and lorries for company. I pray everyday that I would have a BIG LIFE!! Not Big in terms of material things or Big in influence or wealth, but just Big in what ever I end up doing. We as Christians need to claim this lifestyle for ourselves (read my post 'Missing the point...? for a more Biblical breakdown) and I rejoice as I continue to meet more and more Christians across the country who want the same thing.

I've realised that the only way to have a Big life is to meet with my Big God. If I have God in my life everyday then by default my life is going to be Big! It's just going to happen... Please, please let's seek out the symptoms of Quaintness in our lives and give them to God and watch them become massive!