The best sight-seeing, the kind that needs no camera

Yes, there’s Big Ben. Crown Jewels. Tower of London.

The Glasgow Cathedral was breath-taking (pictured above).

But by far the best sight-seeing we’ve done has been seeing the fingerprints of God on the lives of His people.

We knew this would be. Before we came I prayed that God would give us more than experiences but that He would give us encounters. Encounters with Him and encounters with people.  But in every conversation about our trip it seemed to focus on the sights. What would we see, where would we tour, what attractions of London would we make sure and not miss. But right away on this trip God reminded us very clearly that the most spectacular sight we’d see would be His people.

He reminded us in a funny way.

At 30,000 feet above sea level, somewhere over the Atlantic ocean, we looked at each other and realized,

“We forgot the camera.”

Yes, laugh if you will. We traveled to Europe and left our camera sitting on the kitchen counter, because we’d been taking video of our kids right before we left for the airport. So we shrugged our shoulders and decided we better just live every moment. We better just enter in to every moment and live it.

So that’s what we’re doing.

After sleeping in until 10am on Monday (we had been running nonstop since we left the US on Thursday), we then sat for hours with our missionary friends Scotty & Monica Burns over breakfast. Hearing stories, testimonies, amazing tales of God’s hand on their church-planting work in Glasgow. I had tears in my eyes, amazed all over again at the greatness of our God. Knowing that God brought me here, across the Atlantic ocean to build my faith. Just to remind me how big He is.

Then we came out to Renfrew to stay with different missionary friends, Brian & Shauna Luse, and were floored all over again, in a completely different way, of seeing God’s hand and grace all over their lives. After their children (five of them who were deilghtful and won my heart) were in bed, we too sat up for hours, laughing, sharing, built up in our faith and amazed at our great God who works in Renfrew, Scotland and West Linn, Oregon all at the same time.

Then we came to London and it continued.

Yesterday we slated the entire day for touring Oxford University, then found out that our Business Pastor’s two daughters and sons-in-law would be there as well, two of whom we’d never met. We wound up spending the entire day with them and their three kids, touring this historic and stunning campus, climbing towers and hiking miles and meandoring along CS Lewis’ contemplative path and even going to their home to share dinner together. Again, an entire day spent with these people we didn’t even know turned out remarkable. Amazing “small world” connections (turns out we lived in the same dorms at the same time in college!), beautiful shared moments, laughter, generosity, kindness. Miles spent holding their children’s hands down narrow cobblestone roads.  Even a bit carrying their newborn daughter in a front-pack. Fellowship and enouragment. Joy and generosity.

You can’t capture that with a camera.

Yes, we took a few pictures with their cameras and we’ll print them at home and tuck away so we can reminisce down the road, but those kind of encounters cannot be contained in a picture. It made me ask myself,

How often have I tried to capture something instead of just living it?

You know me, I’m all for memorial stones, for remembering, for looking back. What I mean, though, is maybe we’re so quick to document it (or tweet it or post it to facebook) that the encounter is premature. Not even fully experienced, or encountered.

Of course it’s a beautiful balance, right? The art and skill living. Many times our experiences are what enable encounters to happen. And our documenting and capturing things can actually enhance the moment, sometimes. But I’m thankful for the chance to just live this time in Europe and focus on the most spectacular sight of all –– God’s beauty shown through the life of His people.

You likely have the same spectacular sights …

Right where you are.

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Thanks for reading, friends. And thank you for your prayers … it’s been a glorious time.