Planes, Trains, Buses and Ferries...Scotland Trip Day One

After four hours of sleep my alarm woke me up at 4:15 AM on Tuesday, 30 of July, 2013.  Juli and Ashlyn graciously took me to the airport and after a quick kiss, hug, and goodbye to both of them I was queuing in the security line and then sipping my first cup of coffee as I waited for the call to board the plane to Edinburgh.  The Edinburgh airport is a few miles outside the city centre, so about an hour after landing, I was wandering the streets of this historic burgh.  I've been to the Scottish capital on a couple of other occasions, so I found a cool coffee shop and sipped another caffeine infused beverage while reading the latest soccer transfer news from the local papers.  I then took a stroll up the Royal Mile before descending into the shopping district of Princess Street.  I bought a couple of discount books and then made my way to Waverly Station to catch my train to the Highlands.

After a quick change of trains at Glasgow Queen Street and another 3 hour journey through mountains, hills, rivers, and lochs, I arrived in Oban with only 30 minutes to kill before my ferry journey.  I quickly booked my ticket and then boarded the ferry for the 45 minute crossing.  I was able to get some great video of the sea, mountains, inlets, castles, light houses, and the like as we made our way to Craignure on the Isle of Mull.  Once there I hustled over to the bus to Tobermory and bought a return ticket.  The bus quickly departed and 45 minutes later we were on the north side of the island in the picturesque village.  After waking up at 4:15, 13 hours later and I was at my destination.  The village of Tobermory was the film location in a BBC children's program called "Balamory".  Ashlyn has watched this show on occasion, so I made sure to get lots of video of the village to share with her.  I made my way to the hostel (I later learned that I could have stayed in a B&B for the same price - I am officially done with youth hostels!), dropped my backpack on my bunk, and then set out to explore the area and get myself some dinner.

On the north end of the village I located a fish restaurant that seemed to have been written up positively in quite a few travel and food magazines and since the prices listed seemed reasonable, I popped in to eat some fresh, locally sourced catch.  However, I was told that the place was all booked up for the evening, so I disappointingly made my way back to a fish & chips van that was parked by the pier.  The line was long but the wait was worth it as I enjoyed the best fish & chips I've had in years.  The British do fish & chips better than anywhere else in the world!

By 8:00 pm I was making my way up the steep hill to the AnTobar arts and community hall for the gig.  As I arrived inside the venue I noticed the dreaded sign saying "sold out".  I hadn't actually booked my tickets yet because there was no online link to do it.  You were to simply call the centre and reserve a place over the phone.  I had assumed there would be plenty of tickets available when I arrived.  I sheepishly walked up to the desk and the friendly lady behind the counter inquired if I had a reservation.  "No, I'm afraid I don't", I responded pathetically.  "How many are there of you?", she asked.  "Just one.", I said, hopefully.  "Well, we had one cancellation, so if you'd like to take that, it's yours."  I of course jumped on the offer and I went ahead and reserved my place for the following evening on Iona.  That was a good move, because I found out the next day that the Iona gig also sold out.  Before heading into the room for the music, an English lady named Christy who had witnessed my denial at the restaurant earlier asked me if I was able to find a place to eat.  I confirmed that I had enjoyed some fish & chips and we had a wee chat for a few minutes.  I discovered that she was from Bury St. Edmunds, the town where my grandfather had been stationed during World War Two.  She was in town for a whale/dolphin watching expedition and had decided to check out the concert, though she had never previously heard of Roddy Woomble.

We were soon ushered into a small little room and the hundred or so of us in attendance were gifted a wonderful set of contemporary folk music by the four musicians and Roddy's lead vocals.  The band took a half hour break and we were all able to stretch our legs enjoy some refreshments.  I walked outside and witnessed an amazing sunset over the harbor with the sky colored pink, blue, and purple, highlighted with a few stray clouds.  As I enjoyed the view, Roddy popped out to near where I was standing and had a seat at a picnic table.  I extended a handshake and had a seat across from him and we chatted for 15 or 20 minutes about music and life and a little bit about ourselves.  He was impressed that I had traveled all the way up from Dublin for the gigs and he introduced me to the bass player, Gavin Fox, who had previously played with him in Idlewild and is a native Dubliner.  Gavin and I chatted about Dublin and discovered that we only live a couple of miles a part and frequent many of the same city haunts.  Before long it was time to head back in for the 2nd set.  It was equally as good and after saying goodbye to Christy and a couple of the other nice people I had met, I wandered outside and found a nice quiet place to phone Juli and tell her about my day.  I eventually went back to the hostel and did my best to sleep in a room with 5 other strangers who I had never met and never would meet.  But for 6 hours one Tuesday, we all slept just a few feet from each other.  I hope that was my last night in a hostel, if not forever, at least for many, many years. - Shay 

Wandering the Woomble Way

Around the turn of the century I bought a record that has remained one of my favorites of the 2000s and led me to a new long-lasting love, musically speaking of course.  The title of the album was "100 Broken Windows" by an indie rock outfit called Idlewild.  I loved the sticker on the outside of the cd case.  It said something like, "Introducing Scotland's indie shredders".  After a few listens I was hooked.  Since that time, I have bought all of their releases and have seen the band play live in Texas on 5 different occasions.  In 2007, the band's lead singer, Roddy Woomble released his first solo album of contemporary folk music.  He's since released 2 other solo albums and a collaborative record with Kris Drever and John McCusker.  The band isn't making music together presently, but Roddy has found his niche as a folk singer, and though I doubt he's become filthy rich from his endeavors, he's able to make a living making music, which can't be all that bad.

A couple of years ago, Juli and I caught his Dublin gig at the Workman's club on the Liffey Quays.  At that time I thought to myself that I would love to get over to Scotland sometime and see Roddy perform on his native soil.  Since Juli's had the chance to take a short trip to Barcelona with some friends and a trip to Belgium with her sister, I played my hand and secured a birthday trip over to Scotland to wander the Woomble way.  I'll be flying to Edinburgh this week, traveling by train to Oban in the Highlands, and then taking a ferry over to the Isles of Mull and Iona for a couple of Roddy's gigs.  Since I've only previously been in the Lowlands and never to either the Highlands or the Islands, I'm looking forward to the experience.  I'll be keeping a journal and I'll update the blog when I get back.  Hopefully there will be some interesting stories to tell.  In the meantime, here's a poem I wrote about Scotland the last time I visited in 2007 and a few youtube clips of Roddy and Idlewild.

Scotland 

A land of mountains and moors, crashing waves against the craggy shores.
A place of mystery and mystique, even the mundane is unique.
The Highlands and the heather, tartan fleece, a kilt, a sporran, a feather.
City landscapes and city lights, a pint in a pub, mountain peak sights.
Dreams of nights and dreams of days, tribal traditions and Celtic ways.
Pipes serenade, folk music swirls, Welcome to Scotland, the best small country in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaPNJnGN8Qs 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyWrIYGKPI4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N5wLZNEl_Q 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jRMxYGACvA 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--2PISNjP-I 

Enjoy! - Shay  

A Little Bit of Longing

Three years and two days ago, Juli, Ashlyn, and I landed in Dublin, Ireland.  Our village of Raheeny has certainly become home for us, but in most places in the world in general, and Ireland in particular, if you have no long term ties to the place, you're a "blow-in", not a local.  We knew that would be the case when we arrived three years ago and we know that will be the story as long as we live here.  We're okay with being resident aliens.  It's not a new experience for us.  Juli and I met in England while working for a church over a decade ago.  We love the adventure living in a new land provides.  We don't mind being "outsiders".  We're used to all the usual questions - you just answer them and get on with it.

Our experience isn't new to the people of God.  From early on, God has always called his people to be longing, looking, searching for something more than the status quo.  Because of the resurrection of Christ we are living "between the times" - we are living in the overlap of two ages.  The Kingdom has both come and is still coming.  It leaves us all with a little bit of longing.  Reflecting on our three years in Ireland and on life in general I recently penned the following.

A Little Bit of Longing

Abraham longed for a country – a land that he could call his home.

He was looking for a city - a place with foundations from not to roam.

But in longing he was left; left to ramble on; ramble on and not to find.

From a distance he glimpsed the promise, but he met it only in his mind.

I’ve felt feelings of transcendence; longing for something beyond this time and place.

Because living in the here and now is never easy, it’s always easier to escape.

If home is where your heart is, you should be sure that your heart has a home.

If you’re disconnected from your feelings, your mind and body will always roam.

I’m certain that eternity has both a time and a place – both a time and a space.

It isn’t just forever, or never, nor is it simply a never ending race.

And though God has placed eternity deep within the home of our hearts,

Within our minds we fail to grasp it – left with nothing more than stops and starts.

And on this earth, this globe, this round ball, spinning round and round.

We’re not just travelling round in circles; we’re headed for higher ground.

A renewed city, a renewed country, renewed heavens, and a renewed earth –

From the shell of the old creation, a transformed creation will come to birth.

Though I hope for that bright future – new roots, new soil, and a new home.

I’m left in limbo at the moment, content to be here, yet longing still to roam. 

So living here and living now - living - and yet never quite belonging. 

This cross-cultured existence will always leave me with a little bit of longing.

 - Shay 

The Garden of Eden of the North Atlantic

As the sun rose over Lambay Island in the Irish sea at 5:00 this morning, I was on my way to the airport to pick up my oldest sister, Tammy, her husband, and two teenage kids.  Only my brother-in-law, Philip, has been to Ireland before.  Ten years ago Juli and I helped organize an Irish tour for the Lubbock Christian University choir that he directs.  It is always a privilege to share this amazing city and amazing country with friends and family from back home.

Although I feel perfectly at ease in Dublin, I am constantly made aware that I'm not a local - people are always asking about my accent and where in the States I come from.  Ashlyn is beginning to pick up a bit of an Irish accent, but even she speaks a little differently than her classmates at preschool.  In a sense she's tri-lingual - some of her words sound Irish, some sound Oklahoman (thanks to Juli), and some sound English (thanks to British cartoons, like Peppa Pig). 

So the next week as the Smith family shares the best that the Irish have to offer with the Camp family, I'll have several opportunities to explain that though I may not be a local, I'm not a tourist either.  Along the way we hope to take in the Dublin coast, http://www.howthismagic.com/, http://visitwicklow.ie/activities/the-cliff-walk-bray/, a castle or two http://ardgillanskerries.com/, the Aran Islands,  http://www.aranislands.ie/, the Cliffs of Moher, http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/, the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/ , Glendalough, http://www.glendalough.ie/, the Giant's Causeway and the Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway/, http://www.explorethemournes.com/mountains.html, and the fair city of Dublin itself, http://www.visitdublin.com/.  Amidst all of that we'll be involved in worship with brothers and sisters in Christ and Bible studies with any and all who come along.  As a bonus, the weather is meant to be fantastic over the next few days.

So, for any of our friends and family back in the States, feel free to pop over sometime.  We'd love to share the garden of Eden of the North Atlantic with you too! - Shay

Finding our Place in the Story

There’s a cliché that states that “those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it.”  Many clichés become clichés because they are true, and so it is with this one.  When we fail to grasp how we have arrived where we are, we will be less prepared to deal with the events over the next horizon.  However, when we have some semblance of where we’ve been, we will be better prepared to get to the place we’re going.

Referring to Israel’s history and its importance for the church, the apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”   In fact, a helpful way of understanding the entire Bible is to see it as one big story – God’s story.  From Genesis 1:1 – Revelation 22:21 we see one unified, it not diverse narrative.  From creation to new creation is the story of God and his people.  

The Biblical scholar, NT Wright, sees the Bible as a 5 act drama which is still unfolding.  It began with the creation in Genesis 1-2 and then the next act of un-creation in Genesis 3-11.  At Genesis 12, God calls Abraham which flows into the third act, the people of Israel.  The gospels are the climax and 4th act of the narrative.  We are still living in act 5, the church.  In a sense we have a glimpse of the curtain call (the beginning of a new drama, perhaps), but we are presently living between the times in the midst of the fifth act.  We know where the plot has been and where it is going, so it is up to us to play our parts faithfully and remain true to the story.  Church history is the record of the story up to our day. 

All history is messy and church history in particular is quite messy.  However, just as the early church was instructed by Israel’s history (which was also quite messy), we should learn from those who have gone before us.  We will discover villains to be sure, but we will also learn about heroes of the faith and be further reminded that we are all standing on the shoulders of giants.  As we study the Bible and the continuation of that narrative, may God bless us with his Spirit as we find our place in the story.

The Least

I've been reflecting on Luke chapter 9 the past few days.  Verses 46-48 have really stood out to me.

"An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest.  But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.'"

The disciples were not that different from us.  They had all of the foibles and shortcomings that humans have struggled with from the dawn of creation until now.  So it shouldn't surprise us that they, like us, at times were extremely short and narrow sighted and exceedingly  prideful and selfish.  They weren't subtle either - they came right out into the open with their argument, each putting forth their case for greatness.  But Jesus was having none of this.  As he had been trying to get into their heads for most of his ministry, Jesus was bringing in a Kingdom that was utterly different from the the kingdoms of this world.  In the ancient world, it was preferred for children to be seen and not heard.  They, like women, were second class citizens at best.  Although they may not have been actively scorned or marginalized, they would have simply been ignored by most people who had any pretensions to importance.  So it's within this cultural backdrop that Jesus invites a little child to have a seat of importance, right next to the creator of the cosmos.  Jesus' words must have stung, "If you think you are important, if you think the Kingdom of God is primarily about you, then you've got it all wrong.  Look at this little child, she's not jockeying for position, she's not climbing over the backs of her friends to advance her own agenda, she's not looking for glory or honor, she's simply enjoying the life that her God has freely given her.  When you begin to embrace her way of living, you'll be on your way to embracing my Kingdom way of life and discipleship and the final destination for that way of living is eternal life with God the Father himself.  This child may be small in your eyes, but she's the one sitting next to the King."

 We might be a bit more subtle in our designs for greatness, but if we're honest, in a number of obvious, and less obvious ways, we can identify with the disciples.  We might not come right out and boast about our awesomeness, but how often do we find ourselves wrestling with envy and resentment?  We might not always want to be the greatest, but how often do we desire to be the least?  In fact, I've seen within myself that though I have enjoyed feelings of superiority at times, the more deceitful enemy I've battled has been the desire to avoid feelings of inferiority.  I may not have to be the best, but I don't want anyone else to be the best either, and I certainly don't want to be the least.  Shouldn't we all be equal?  The reality is that God so loved the world that he was willing to humble himself, enter into humanity, and in a sense, to take humanity back into himself through the incarnation of his Son.  He didn't just come as a King, but as a servant King.  He didn't just come as Lord, but as a loving Lord, a giving Lord, a forgiving Lord.  The irony is that the one who is truly the greatest, became like the least, so that we, who truly are the least (yet harboring delusions of grandeur) might become all that we were created to be.  Although I acknowledge this truth intellectually, it's a far harder concept to embrace emotionally, socially, and practically.  But by God's grace, may we all begin to embrace it just a little bit more. - Shay

Sitting Down, Face to Face, Around a Table

Yesterday, I found myself sitting down, face to face, around a table four different times.  The first time I was teaching conversational English to several Spanish students, a couple of Poles, a Romanian, a Brazilian, and a Korean.  Although the proficiency in English varies greatly from student to student at these Thursday morning classes, more times than not, genuine connections are made from person to person.  We discover that our shared humanity more than compensates for our differing backgrounds, cultures, and countries. 

A little while later I was sitting at our dining table with two good friends and my best friend, Juli.  This wasn't just a casual conversation.  It was born out of a shared passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christian community.  At the end of our 3 hour discussion, we had all grown closer together and closer to Christ. 

The third conversation occurred about an hour later in the city centre.  We are beginning to study Paul's letter to the Romans at our Thursday evening Dublin Coffee Shop Bible Studies.  Last night we were meant to read the entire letter but didn't quite manage all of the chapters as we constantly paused from the reading to discuss what we had just read. Four Irish-persons and a graciously received American were sitting down, face to face, around a table full of empty coffee mugs and pastry plates discussing how the gospel so relevantly interacts with real life.  A lady who joined us for the first time mentioned that she is excited to begin to study the Bible as it is something she's never really explored.  Biblical exploration is best done in the context of community, so I think she's found a great platform from which to begin.

Later in the evening, a couple more of my friends joined me around the table at a local watering hole.  Although we never opened our Bibles (scripture was quoted & probably misquoted throughout the evening), the entire conversation from first to last was centered on how Easter shapes and molds our lives - how it makes all the difference.  One of my friends remarked that we should all be prepared to throw away our traditions and world-views if that's what Jesus calls for.  That's what the original disciples had to do.  Words worth considering.

There's something powerful about sitting down, face to face, around a table.  Connections are made, relationships are deepened, and life is enriched.  I can't think of a better way for faith to be shared and received.  Can you? - Shay