Back South

Tonight we're back in Swords with our friends Rory and Mindy McDonald. Yeah, we were supposed to have stayed with the Gasons, but here's the funny thing...

Once we planned to stay with the Gasons, I called the landlord of a house that we were going to rent for the week to cancel our arrangements with him. He had mentioned to me that the house was available for the time we needed and then they were going to do some minor renovation work on the property. So I looked on my computer (I use Skype to call overseas) looking back through my call history for his phone number, calculating what time and how long I would have talked to him and dialed the number.

When he answered, (I was calling from our computer in the airport) he was on a busy street and we had a hard time hearing each other, but I was sure that he had understood that we wouldn't be staying with them after all. He seemed okay that we had pulled out. In fact he said that he could then have family who were going to help do the renovating come early and start. No worries.

So today I called the Gasons and left a voice mail to tell them when they should expect us. Alex called a short time later and said, "Now, I'm really confused. I got a call a few days ago from a guy who said he was Gary Hodges and that he and his wife wouldn't be staying with us as planned. I thought it was kind of strange how you acted like you didn't know me, but then..."

So, come to find out, I hadn't called the landlord, but instead had been talking to Alex. So they now have their house torn up doing renovations. Yes -- both the landlord and the Gasons were planning to have renovations done after our stay with them. What are the chances?

So we're back staying in Rory and Mindy's "prophet room". They have been more than gracious and have given us a key and the freedom to stay with them whenever we like or need while we're in Dublin. Gotta love these guys.

We took a scenic route back here to Dublin and had a nice day together recovering from a busy weekend. We did, though, have a wonderful Sunday afternoon with the Porters in Belfast, taking a walk around a nearby lake and exploring an old fort and church.

Our time in the North seems to have opened up a few potential churches to work with. We may, in fact, before we leave next month, take another jaunt up to Belfast to meet with our new contacts there. We also didn't meet with William Olphert in Ballymena this morning. He just returned from Hong Kong yesterday and we wouldn't have had a lot of time at our disposal, so we decided to try and meet up later in our trip.

The next few days will find us connecting with a lot of people, setting up meetings, going to meetings and finishing plans for our workshops.

Check back shortly for pictures...

Nice Weekend

Well, we made it through all our rehearsals and the concert last night with New Irish Arts. We really never felt jet-lagged as we got a good night's rest Friday night.

It was quite an experience for us on several different levels. First, Beth and I hadn't sung with a formal choir for some time. Second, it had been at least as long since I had to sight read vocal music, so I was a bit rusty. Third, just singing with a group of 130 or so people and being the only non-Irish in the group was exciting. Fourth, I had much empathy for the director, as the whole event reminded me of the many times I was in charge of a large group of performers, coordinating them for dress rehearsal, with all of the challenges that holds.

The best part of the evening wasn't when we were singing fully with the orchestra and band, but instead it came at the end when the director told the "audience" (following a standing ovation) that we weren't there to "put on a good show", but to lift up the Name of the Lord. He then had all stand and we sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" a capella (without instruments). The place erupted in such wonderful 28-part harmony that it would have given me chills had it not been so stifling on the choir risers. I did have to stop singing a couple of times as my emotions welled up within.

We're having a wonderful time with our friends David and Pearl Porter and their kids Joshua, Jeremy and Carys. We met David in the Czech Republic in April at the Europe Worship Link Conference and it was he who invited us to come up to Belfast and join in the NIA choir for the day. We're very glad he did.

Tomorrow, we are hoping to meet up with William and Rebecca Olphert, who we met in January on our way through Balymena, just a bit north of Belfast. They are Calvary Chapel people with a church plant that they started.

Then it's back to Dublin to stay with our good friends Alex and Linda Gason for a few days and get some planning, meetings and phone calls done.

Arriving...

We're now in Dublin, ready to sleep. It was kind of rough getting here, as usual. It is so difficult to get good sleep in coach. We looked into redeeming Skymiles to upgrade to business/elite class, but it wasn't worth it. We can hang onto those miles to help fly Molly over for a visit once we actually move.

Tomorrow -- Belfast. Should be a very interesting day. We will be participating in the choir of New Irish Arts' "Ireland in Praise" tomorrow evening after rehearsing throughout the day. Looking forward to seeing what God has up His big sleeve for us.

One thing I love about the Atlanta airport: On Concourse E (international flights) they have a grand piano in the food court area, often manned by a pianist providing a nice atmosphere for weary and frazzled travellers.

I'll quit rambling and let you... no wait... let me get to bed.

Good night.

Three... Two... One...

Just a bit more than a week now before we set out on our next journey to Ireland. A year ago when we were preparing for our departure, we had what we refer to as "The Big Scary List". On that were things like: Pay for Molly's School, Buy Molly a Car, Buy new luggage, etc.

This time it's: Buy Shampoo, Download some TV shows and movies, etc.

Not nearly as daunting a list. But we're still going to be gone for almost 5 weeks!

So what's going to happen in that 5 weeks? Not much, really aside from:

Sept. 13-14 travel to Dublin, rent car
Sept. 14 drive to Belfast, stay with friends
Sept. 15 Go to all day rehearsal with New Irish Arts and sing in choir for that evening's "Ireland in Praise" worship concert
Sept. 16 go to church with friends
Sept. 17 meet with pastor and wife in Ballymena, north of Belfast, drive back to Dublin
Sept. 18-20 various meetings with friends and colleagues
Sept. 21 drive to Laragh (south of Dublin) to set up sound system for conference
Sept. 22 drive to Swords (north of Dublin) to conduct Worship Workshop at Swords Baptist Church
Sept. 23 go to church at New Life Community Church in west Dublin, have lunch and do workshop with band that afternoon
Sept. 24 breathe
Sept 25-27 various meetings with friends and colleagues, scope out potential areas of residence (for when we move)
Sept. 26 take train to Bray (south of Dublin) to meet with 2 new contacts
Sept. 28 drive to Cork
Sept. 29-30 various meetings with friends, colleagues and new contacts in and around Cork
Sept. 30 attend church somewhere
Oct. 1 do Worship Workshop at Grace Fellowship, Cork
Oct. 2 breathe
Oct. 3-4 Travel through Co. Kerry, meeting with several new contacts, ending up in Shannon
Oct. 4 do evening Worship Workshop with Jamzone youth band, Shannon
Oct. 5 do Worship Workshop at Abundant Life Church, Limerick
Oct. 6 do all-day, area-wide Worship Conference hosted by Abundant Life
Oct. 7 die... then breathe... then go to church in Ennis (maybe)
Oct. 8 drive back to Dublin
Oct. 9-12 various meetings with friends and colleagues
Oct. 13 do Worship Workshop at Trinity Church, Dublin
Oct. 14 go to church, prepare for journey back to US
Oct. 15 Fly back to FL

Boring, I know, but there you have it...

Weird

Okay, so in the last 24 hours I've heard the iconic disco intrumental "A Fifth of Beethoven" twice.

What's up with that?