Four hours in Schiphol

View of Schiphol from the WC

What would you do during a four-hour layover in Amsterdam? So far I’ve smelled nearly every new woman’s fragrance at the perfume shop, and purchased the travel version of a beloved childhood game my father and I used to play together. I am hoping to pull him into a rematch while he’s here visiting next week – hopefully we can remember the rules of play – they're all in Dutch. Now I’m reclining in a leather lounge chair writing this entry.

I’ve spent the last five days with my team on retreat just outside Lisbon, Portugal, and am now (reluctantly) making my way back to Glasgow. I love traveling – the problem is that I fall in love with half the places I go, and hate leaving them. Lisbon is one such place. Aspects of it reminded me of California’s Central Valley, where I grew up - but that isn't why I loved it...



The view from a day excursion...



It was a good few days. Living in the city wears on me, and so getting away to such a beautiful place was a needed boost. Mostly overcast, a bit of light, tropical rain, but we had sunshine, and I’m returning with a bit of a burn/tan. All the places which normally burn first did so, which will fade to color, which will then, fade to nothingness by the time I am back in CA for a few weeks in June, where I hope the process will repeat itself. It is quite a sight to grow up in sunny California, knowing that for at least 4-5 months out of the year you'll have color to your skin. I wasn't surprised I burned straight off - normally do. But when you start with skin that is mainly translucent in color, well, you're just asking for it. But it was worth it.

Perhaps the most significant corporate moment of the retreat was an exercise JJ lead us in, in listening to God for one another. Each team member had an opportunity to share his/her heart, and after sharing, the rest of the team took a moment to pray, and ask God what He might have to say to that individual. After a time of listening, team members who had something to speak on behalf of the individual shared what they had heard. It was a powerful time of listening to God and speaking into one another’s lives. I came away encouraged that I was able to hear God speak on behalf of my teammates, and encouraged by their words for me. Those words will bear further thought, so I'll be processing a bit.

Being beneath loads of sunshine was also encouraging, if not a bit dangerous. Coming from the UK, and not being used to so much sunshine, a couple of our little ones suffered heat stroke, and I myself sought out shade on my single day of sight-seeing in Lisbon.
One annoyance was the “sunglass sellers” who worked the streets of Lisbon, offering tourists sunglasses – and when sunglasses were refused, their real product was offered – hash. They worked in groups, were quite persistent, and approached you on multiple occasions. This guy approached Megan, Jason and I three times – I firmly told him, “No, thank you – but I do like your shirt. Have a nice afternoon.”



He's wearing a blue gingham shirt, which I liked, I'll give him that.

The sun was good for my soul – and so were my quiet times with God, mostly outdoors. I made good use of the beach and our balcony! Get the sun while you can – a precious commodity.
One of my teammates shared that there was a noticeable difference in his daily life when he took time, each day, to give thanksgiving to God for something. This was a good reminder to me. A few years earlier, a friend challenged me to keep a “joy journal” – things I was joyful for in my life, and thus, thankful to God for. As I tried to settle in to sleep last night – knowing sleep would be fleeting, if at all before my 4:45am alarm – I gave thanks to God for the pain of my sunburned shoulders, because it meant I had been in the sun.

“Sun burn on my shoulders makes me happy.” Not quite what John Denver had in mind, heh? Three more hours to go – think I’ll find lunch and chocolate to share with Mom and Dad….