Hibernia

The Romans never conquered Ireland.  Never even tried.  The combination of Celtic warriors and wet, wintry conditions meant that this small island on the edge of the Atlantic didn't fall favorably into the Roman cost/benefit analysis.  They did give the island the name Hibernia (literally - wintry).  This time of year (no surprise there) the name is appropriate.  Not because it's freezing cold, it really isn't here normally, but because Ireland's so far north, the daylight never seems to get too bright.  It seems as if its twilight all day long.

On December 21, the winter solstice, the sunrise in Dublin will be at 8:38 and the sun will set at 4:08.  More than two thirds of the day will be in darkness.  Though I prefer the long daylight we get in the summer, there's something about this time of year that brings on a strong sense of nostalgia.  Part of it is the Christmas season, but part of it has far more to do with the crisp cool air, the bare stripped tree branches, and the way that the fullness of day never quite seems to come.  These days take me back in time. - Shay   

A November to Remember

On our way to Baldoyle to meet the Karnes and some other friends, I leaned over and asked Juli, "Does it feel strange to have a child who's about to embark on her first trick-or-treating adventure?"  "Yeah, it does", she replied.  Last year's Halloween was remarkable as it was our first in Ireland.  Two years ago was interesting as Ashlyn was only 11 days old and we were still getting used to being first time parents.  And of course, we won't soon forget this one.  As far as the door to door action was concerned, Ashlyn was very polite and made sure to say thank you and bye bye when leaving each house. 

But Halloween aside, what's even more remarkable to me is that it's already November (in a 2 hours anyway).  This year has absolutely flown by and it will be 2012 before we know it.  But along the way, this should be an another November to remember.  We're starting an additional English class for immigrants this Wednesday (due to popular demand), we'll be heading to Germany for our annual church retreat in two and a half weeks, and of course we'll have our second Irish Thanksgiving soon after that.  Life is busy, but life is good. - Shay  

Re-creation

I find the sea, well, water in general and the ocean in particular so very powerful.  Looking out from the cliffs of Howth into the vast and seemingly endless body of water that is the Irish Sea, I'm reminded that God's creation is quite big and amazing and I by contrast am quite small and insignificant.  And yet, as Psalm 8 says, we humans are made just a little bit lower than the angels.  We're at the top of God's good, no, his very good creation.  So as much as I love the outdoors and the fantastic beauty of God's artistic design, how much more am I amazed by family, friends and neighbors!

Two years ago tomorrow Ashlyn breathed the breath of life for the first time.  Having Ashlyn has made me love humanity even more than before and hate some other things with a greater passion.  I hate war, crime, disease, accidents, and the general brokenness of this world far more than I did before Ashlyn arrived.  And as she gets older, I not only love her more and more, but I've found that I love other people more too as I'm reminded that everyone's some mother's or father's son or daughter.  Knowing that Ashlyn, like all people will have to live through and face the brokenness of God's good creation (and the brokenness of her own life and the lives of those who will live around her due to sin), I'm even more grateful that God has already begun to recreate this world in anticipation of the new creation in the age to come!  This is good news worth living and good news worth sharing. - Shay

Funeral for a Friend

After meeting our partners for prayer and planning this afternoon, I decided to let Juli drive while I pushed Ashlyn home in her stroller.  We stopped by a playground for a few minutes before popping into a shop on our walk from Baldoyle through Bayside, Kilbarrack, and then onto Raheny.  Rather than take the main road through Kilbarrack, I decided to stroll through the neighborhood streets near the gym where I coach a girls under 11 basketball team just in case any of the kids or their families were out and about. After crossing the long and winding footbridge over the Kilbarrack Dart station I spotted a guy I've ran into time and time again.

I walked up and gave him a customary Dublin greeting, "What's the story?"

"I'm going to a friend's funeral.  I'm just after waiting here for some mates."

"I'm sorry to hear that, was your friend young?", I replied.

"He was 30.  He was shot by some gangsters just up the road.  He had killed a lot of people himself.  One of those revenge things."

"So your friend was involved in criminal activities?", I asked.  "Drugs?"

"Yeah."

"So how's your battle going?  Are you still staying off the drugs?", I asked him.

Although I cannot remember this man's name, I had met him while watching a soccer match in the Raheny Inn about a year ago.  He had told me that he was trying to kick a heroin addiction and was only using cocaine and methadone at the time.  Baby steps.  I let him know about our church work in north Dublin and he was impressed that we had come over to do "charity", as he called it.  For the past several months I've chatted very briefly with him as his team comes in to play indoor soccer after we finish our under 11 basketball practice.

"It's going pretty well." he replied, "I play soccer over at the gym every week, but it's pretty hard because everybody's mixed up with drugs around here.  So, is your wife Irish?  Why are you over here again?"

"No, my wife's American.  We're here working with a church, remember.  We meet in homes to study the Bible, to pray, and to encourage each other to love our neighbors and love God."

"Oh yeah, right.  Hey, there's my mates.  I'll catch you later."

"Hey, take care, we'll talk again."

With that Ashlyn and I crossed the road and walked past the church were the funeral was being held.  A lot of people had gathered to pay their respects and I couldn't help but notice a significant Garda (police) presence.  When I got home I opened up my Evening Herald and on the fourth page was a follow up article regarding the man who had been killed.  You can read the original article here.  http://www.herald.ie/news/the-panda-shot-dead-in-gun-battle-2878621.html

Why does a 30 year old man get gunned down in the prime of his life?  Why would he have ordered the killing of many other people prior to his own death?  Money, power, drugs.  Why is drug trafficking so lucrative?  Why is there such a demand for illegal substances that do nothing but ruin lives?  People are searching for meaning, maybe even transcendence.  People are hurting and they're looking for someway to fill the void that only God can fill.

I look forward to running into "your man" (as the Irish would say) sometime soon.  I hope to take our conversation further.  I long to have the opportunity to share with him the hope that can only be found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ my Lord. - Shay

I've Died a Hundred Times

Back in June before Juli and Ashlyn went back to the States for a three week visit, the Smith family took a trip out west to county Mayo.  I wrote about the trip in an entry called Climbing Croagh Patrick.  What I didn't mention was that while driving out to Castlebar I had one of those surreal moments where I was reminded that on such narrow, wet, and winding roads it wouldn't take much of a mistake to end up in a field or bog or ditch.  I then remembered that countless times I've had such accidents in my dreams (not daydreams, mind you).  A phrase was lodged into my head..."In my dreams, I've died a hundred times."  I made a mental note as we drove along that it might be a good opening line for a poem.

Five days before Juli and Ashlyn arrived back to Dublin while I was at Camp Shamrock I took that first line and went ahead and wrote the poem.  I knew where it would begin, but I wasn't quite sure where it would end.  This is where it went.

In my dreams I've died a hundred times,
And each time I awake to find that I'm alive.
But one day I'll awake to discover,
That the death I died was real and life is over.
Will it be in some horrific car crash?
Or like Pompeii, will life freeze in volcanic ash?
Maybe I'll be taken by a terminal disease.
Or at the age of 99, I'll just drift away in ease.
Whether young or old, rich or poor, my life will have its ending.
But as I'm laid into the cold dark earth, is it the end or the beginning?

This question isn't the most pleasant to consider, but it's certainly worth considering.  I pray that we're living in such a way here in Dublin that those we're around feel the hope we have of resurrection life and desire to live it for themselves. - Shay

Moving House

 The Smith family has loved living near St. Anne's and the sea this past 13 months, but as of tonight, we'll be sleeping in a new (to us) house on the north side of Raheny.  We'll still be close to St. Anne's and the sea and we'll be able to continue to build on our friendships in the village.  It's 9:00 PM local time and I still have to finish cleaning our kitchen in our old apartment, so I better get to it! - Shay

Davis & Bailey "working hard" to figure out the cable

Craig & Shay fixing the bed

Scott & Denise in marriage therapy.

Thanks Merschon for all your help!

Camp Shamrock By the Numbers

2,789 - Feet from the Irish Sea to the top of Slieve Donard, the tallest mountain in Northern Ireland. 8 of us climbed it on Saturday.

41 - Campers, low for Shamrock, but all of 'em great lads!

22 - Campers from Northern Ireland.

19 - Campers from the Republic of Ireland.

14 - Campers from around Dublin.

9 - Days at spent at camp.

8 - Nights spent in a tent.

5 - Lads in my tent.

4 - Bible classes centered on the theme of "Agents for God".

1 - Baptism.

Bonus: 2 - Beautiful girls I'll be picking up at the Dublin airport in the morning! - Shay