London Calling

We had 4 great days in London. We only got lost about a dozen times, and just when we got the hang of the tube (the underground subway), it was time to leave! But that's ok...we saw all the great sights, walked through Hyde Park, took bus-top tours, and yes...we went on a walking tour of the famous Harry Potter film sites. What a time!

This is certainly the "vacation" portion of sabbatical: more traveling, adventuring, and touristing than praying and sabbathing, but it is tremendous family time...too much at times! We're sleeping, traveling, and eating in very tight quarters. But I've always believed that out of quantity of time come quality of time. We've had some beautiful moments laughing, eating yummy food, and creating new, lasting memories. I'm cherishing the time with our family. Each of us is so unique, have different tipping points, and our own sense of humor.

A few fun highlights were walking along the Thames, taking the London Eye on a beautiful night, walking through the National Gallery with Monet, Rembrandt and other amazing pieces of art, and riding bikes home at 12:30 am after seeing Pirates in 3-D. Such fun! Such memories!

We are now in Paris. After a few mishaps with Expedia's reservation abilities (how do you spell WE-LOST-CANCELLED-YOUR-RESERVATION-AND-DIDN'T-TELL-YOU-BUT-SENT-A-CONFIRMATION-EMAIL-ANYWAY-BUT-THE-NICE-LADY-AT-THE-HOTEL-FOUND-ANOTHER-HOTEL-WITH-A-ROOM-IN-PARIS?) Ah, Paris! Ah, adventure! Ah, sabbatical! What memories you will hold!

We're off in a motorhome tomorrow (with GPS) to see le Tour begin on Saturday. We're looking forward to it! Such fun!

Amazing Beauty

To be fair, I really did walk by the bus station 3 times in Edinburgh. If it was any closer, it would have reached out and bit me. We made the best of missing our bus by going to the castle in Edinburgh and having a great (albeit, overpriced) meal on the Royal Mile. Thanks Louisville Institute!

Once in the Highland village of Killin, we landed softly and warmly at the Old Smiddy, a Bed and Breakfast run by a wonderful man, Michael and his family. We got connected with him through another pastor in Chico who has spent time in the area on his sabbatical. What a gift to our family! We spent our days hiking, canoeing, eating great food compliments of Michael (I mean AMAZING food!), and even a little fishing for me! Yes!

The high point by far was when the sun finally came out one evening and we found ourselves reclining on the deck looking out at the deep green highland hills, playing Farkle (our favorite dice game), and being treated to a fabulous BBQ dinner by Michael and his staff. Great wine, great steaks, beautiful company, the best chips (fries) ever, followed by a sticky-toffee pudding to die for. We laughed, we prayed, we recounted the sabbatical thus far, and took lots and lots of pictures to remember the moment. Thank you, God! It was one of those moments when I felt that we were fully leaning into our sabbatical: full of meaning, rest, and joy.

My day of fishing met every expectation and hope I had. Again, my friend connected me with some local fly fishermen who took me up to a remote hill loch to fish for wild brown trout. A pristine loch of about a quarter mile round, the trout were jumping all over. They weren't big, but they were full of color and fight. We kept the fish and transplanted them into another loch up the hill. As Davey, an older, experienced guide said, "You know, Jim, you've gone down in a bit of posterity. Each time we fish the upper loch, we'll think of you." It was a joy.

We are off to London tomorrow, staying at my brother-in-law's flat and taking in the life of the city. We were given several insider tips from people we've met. Get this: if you go to Westminster Abby at 8:00 in the morning for morning services, you get in free! Bonus! We get to see where the royal wedding was and get our kids to church!

At the end of our time in England, we'll take the chunnel into France to catch the first 3 stages of le Tour. Can't wait!

Our sabbatical has been beautiful thus far! God has been faithful, allowing us time and places to rest and create new, life-long memories.

The Highlands from Julia's perspective

We spent some time in the Highlands of Scotland this week. The week started out stressful because we missed our bus. My dad passed the bus station three times with out noticing the big sign that said Bus Station. His excuse is that the sign was vertical rather than horizontal (and he says I'm a dork). It all worked out well because we got a bus for later that day. The week was full of hiking, canoeing, playing games, and eating amazing food. Michel, the owner of the bed and breakfast we stayed at, was so nice. He said I should come back in a few years and work at the bed and breakfast over the summer. I think it would be so much fun. We're off to London in two days. Barely enough time to wash all our dirty clothes and pack them again. Through this all I've still managed to read at least five books. I only have two left. I don't know if I will survive.

Julia

A Thin Place: Iona

Just yesterday, Emily and I arrived back in Edinburgh after spending a week on the tiny Isle of Iona in the Scottish Hebrides Islands. Iona is the seat of Christianity in the British Isles and the home of Celtic Spirituality.

While on Iona, we took place in a retreat called The Gathering Place, one of the several weeks offered by the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community throughout the world committed to Jesus Christ, with a special bent toward issues of peace and justice. Emily and I lived in community in the ancient Abbey along with about 40 other people from throughout Europe and North America (mostly Europe, though). We started and finished each day in worship in the Abbey Church, took part in other various discussions, and lived the rhythm of work and worship. We each had chores every day. Emily cleaned the common room for the community and I cleaned floors. We each helped set up, serve, and clean up after our daily dinner meals.

We were both a bit skeptical about living in such close proximity to so many strangers, and even more so about having to do "chores". But something told me that by the end of the week were were going to be very sad to say good-bye to Iona, and even more so to our new friends. I was so very right.

Each person we ate with, talked with, worked with, and worshiped with we learned were on their own pilgrimage, had their own story of what brought them to Iona. Many were grieving the loss of loved ones: mothers, husbands, and wives (fathers, too). Others were recovering from some illness or other kind of life change. Many were preparing for life changes. Several were ministers from various denominations throughout Europe and North America. Some were on sabbatical like me. All were eager to talk about faith, politics, world issues, and, as we discovered, their souls.

It was beautiful. Beautiful people. Beautiful setting. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

Emily and I spent the first few days sleeping far more than we anticipated. How tired we were from the past few months (and years, for that matter). After catching up on sleep, we took in the beauty of Iona, the times of creative worship, and enjoyed getting to know others.

One of the highlights for me was going to Staffa, a little island about an hour away by boat where we saw puffins and Fengel's Cave, a giant cave in the side of the Island. Staffa is a geological phenomenon, created hundreds of thousands of years ago by volcanic eruptions. I also enjoyed early morning walks on the Island, enjoying the solitude of this holy place where St. Colomba once prayed and led his band of monks as missionaries throughout the British Isles. I also enjoyed playing golf on the Macker, a wide-open area of the western side of the Island. Other than accidentally choosing left-handed clubs and having to play the entire round with a 3-iron and a putter, I enjoyed the breath-taking views of the ocean (think Pebble Beach with sheep and cow-patties everywhere!) and the conversation with Brian, a retired Methodist minister whom I think is the genuinely nicest person in the world (he and his wife took us to the pub later in the evening for a pint!)

Emily enjoyed the goodness of Iona: the rest, the food (all organic and super healthy!), the conversation, and of course, God. It was such a joy to watch her get to know some of the more elderly people in our community throughout the week. At one point I couldn't find her after a meal only to discover that she was lounging at one of the dining tables laughing and talking with several older women from England. She also endeared herself to an older gentleman who gave her the nick-name "cheeky monkey". I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I assume it's a term of endearment. Mostly, though, it was great to see Emily rest and engage in conversation and relationships in ways that makes her so attractive and beautiful!

I'm sure that Iona will bear gifts for each of us over time. I'm grateful that we spent time there early in our time away so that we can live out of the experiences there over the next several weeks. It has set the tone for our time here in Scotland, England, and France. Thank God for rest, reflection, relationships, and restoration!

Sabbatical Kicks in Another Gear

As I write this, I am sitting in my sister-in-law's beautiful home in Edinburgh, Scotland! We arrived this morning (which was really last night our time) with no serious hiccups. The airport fire department did actually surround our plane here upon arrival because they thought our landing gear was on fire, but that was merely precautionary. It was admittedly exciting to see all the fire trucks, though!

The past week has been full of ending the school year for the Coons Family. We celebrated Julia's 8th grade graduation last week where she was given awards for having a 4.0 throughout the year and the English Award for being the top English student this year. We are so proud of her and can't believe she's on to Chico High in the fall! The other kids also finished the school year, as did Emily. Not only did Em finish the teaching year, but also completed her coursework for her Special Education certification from Chico State. Now it is finally her turn to get some rest and have her sabbatical, too!

Prior to leaving town, we spent some great time with family and friends, celebrating birthdays, fishing and eating great food. Emily and I got away for a romantic getaway to the Diamond Hotel for a night to celebrate the end of her school year. What a great place right in the middle of downtown Chico! We felt miles away from reality, though we were only 3 miles from home.

So now sabbatical kicks into another gear as we begin the European leg of our time. We managed to bookend our time here in Europe with two important events: the much anticipated U2 concert on the way here and the even more anticipated final Harry Potter movie on the way home. You can't say we don't have our priorities straight!

U2 was...well...amazing as usual. I've seen them numerous times and they continue to feed my soul. There is always a point in their shows where the rock concert transforms into a worship service. That happened again Tuesday night as they played, "Where the Streets Have No Name." It's a song dreaming of the new heaven and earth, where there is "no sorrow, no shame..." As hands shot into the air, people were transported into that "thin place" where heaven and earth meet. What's so great is that I'm certain the majority of the concert-goers are unaware they are being ushered into the presence of the Almighty, yet there we were: 50,000 of us singing in one voice a prayer that Jesus taught, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." Chills ran up and down my spine as tears formed in the corners of my eyes. Emily, who was sitting across the stadium with some friends and Eliza Kate, sent me a text that simply said, "Wow."

Wow, indeed. I went to a U2 concert to see a band, but I got God instead.

I love sabbatical.

Now that we're in Scotland, we'll spend some time getting over our jet-lag and getting prepared for our week on the Isle of Iona. We will leave the kiddos here in Edinburgh with Emily's sister as Emily and I participate in a communal living experience at the Abbey on Iona, the center for Celtic Spirituality. We'll be there 5 days simply being and experiencing all that God has for us.

I'm finding it best to drop whatever agendas I have and simply stand open-handed before God with this gift of time we've been given. There is a kind of peace and openness that comes with going with the ebb and flow, with the rhythms of rest. Mostly, though, I am grateful for this time and for all the receipts I get to turn in that will be covered by the Louisville Institute! There is a sense of freedom in living that I have longed to know for the past 2 years. It is good to finally be here.

Until later,
Jim