BEYOND THE CLIFFS

DOVER IS A WONDERFUL ENGLISH TOWN NEAR THE WATER. I FOUND IT TO BE FILLED WITH INTERESTING STORIES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. THERE'S A PUB WHERE THE BEATLES STAYED WHEN THEY MISSED A FERRY TO FRANCE. IT'S ALSO, WHERE HUGH GRANT STAYED THE NIGHT WHEN HIS CAR BROKE DOWN. AROUND THE CORNER IS DICKENS RESTAURANT. SUPPOSEDLY CHARLES DICKENS SAT ON THEIR STEPS AND WROTE A FEW LINES OF "DAVID COPPERFIELD." DOWN THE STREET FROM THE PUB IS A HOUSE WHERE IAM FLEMING LIVED. ONE DAY A BUS DRIVER WITH ROUTE #7 PUT ACROSS THE DIRECTIONAL SCREEN "ROUTE 007." MR. FLEMING SAW THE BUS AND DECIDED TO INCLUDE "007" IN THE TITLE OF HIS NOVEL. FURTHER FROM THE PUB IS THE BEACH WITH SOME HOUSES. LOCAL TALK CLAIMS ENGLISH PLAYWRITE, NOEL COWARD, OWNED SOME HOUSES ALONG THE BEACH. HE WOULD INVITE SOME AMERICAN MOVIE STARS TO VISIT AND ENJOY THE SUN. ONE OF HIS VISITORS WAS KATHERINE HEPBURN. SHE ALWAYS DREW A CROWD FROM THE CITY, THEY LIKED TO WATCH HER ON THE BEACH. MR. COWARD GOT TIRED OF ALL THE ATTENTION AND SOLD THE BEACH HOUSES. AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST... THERE IS A PUB IN THE CENTER OF TOWN, NEAR THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING. SUPPOSEDLY MANY YEARS AGO, PRINCE ALBERT VISITTED THE PUB WHILE IN THE CITY. THE PUB WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1700'S BUT CHANGED ITS' NAME AFTER HIS VISIT. THE PUB IS NOW KNOWN AS "PRINCE ALBERT" IN HONOR OF HIS VISIT. OH - THE BEST PART! THIS PICTURE IS WHAT I SEE OUTSIDE MY HOTEL WINDOW. IT'S DOVER CASTLE. AT NIGHT THE GROUNDS ARE LIT UP TO MAKE THE CASTLE A MORE BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.*** THOUGH I AM IN THE WORLD, I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH THE WORLD. I PRAISE GOD FOR HAVING ME COME TO A WONDERFUL, ANTIQUATED TOWN WITH SUCH WORLDLY HISTORY. NO MATTER HOW INTERESTING THE STORIES MAY BE, THEY DON'T TAKE MY EYES OFF JESUS. THERE IS NOTHING MORE SPECIAL TO ME THAN JESUS CHRIST. I HAVE FOUND NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN JESUS DYING AT THE CROSS. NOR DO I EVER PLAN ON FINDING ANYTHNING MORE SPECIAL TO ME THAN THE WORK OF THE CROSS. NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WILL EVER CHANGE MY OPINION ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. THERE'S A SONG THAT COMES TO MIND. IT DISCUSSES PUTTING YOUR MIND ON CHRIST AND THE WORLDS' APPEAL VANISHES.*** TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS, LOOK FORTH IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE. AND THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM, IN THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY AND GRACE. (PUBLIC DOMAIN)