No Man is an Island . . . but sometimes you need to escape to one!

Living in community definitely proves John Donne's great statement to be true as well as poetic, but it has also helped me see how desperately I need time and space that's just reserved for me and God.

Last week, I traveled for six hours by coach to Barnstaple in the beautiful county of Devon. I went with six other fellow community volunteers and met up with David and Mary, the warden and his wife (they physcially leave Lee Abbey on April 15th, but there is some doubt as to whether they are still here in mind and spirit :)

We were met by Lee Abbey Devon's "Stephen" who is also the financial officer there (our financial officer is also named Stephen, so the two make for interesting counterparts) and he drove us to the coast near Lynton and Lynmouth to Lee Abbey Devon's estate.

We arrived in pitch black darkness with stormy rain and tempestuous winds. Stephen dropped us off directly at the front door of The Beach Chalet and I had absolutely no orientation or clue as to what was around us. We dried off, ate a delicous meal, prayed for God to bless us with good weather for our hike the next day, and slept soundly despite the whistling gales outside. I woke up at 6:30am (unheard of for me!) and opened my window to this absolutely breath-taking view!!!

I didn't realize how much I needed the 5 days away until I was there. I drank in the beautiful creation around us and the serenity of being in a place relatively little disturbed by man. The thing I appreciated most about the group I was with is that everyone else also seemed to just enjoy the peace. We could all be together in the house and yet still be alone in solitude. We didn't need to entertain ourselves or each other or constantly make noise, but let each other rest in God's presence and in the joy of silent communion. We just as easily sat quietly staring at the ocean as joined in a competitive game of Monopoly (British version, of course - Pall Mall instead of Park Place :)



God and I had several wonderful conversations that week about many interesting things, but the most impressing thing I took away with me this last week was the knowledge that I desperately need to make a quiet space in my life even at Lee Abbey to just be with and enjoy God away from other people. It doesn't mean that I need to physically be away from everyone, but I need to intentionally give God some quality time when I'm not singing, reading, intercessing, or complaining to him - just enjoying Himself for who He is.

Little ancedotes: I met the White Lady (queen of the Valley of the Rocks) with the picture to prove it. We traveled from the little town of Lynmouth to the little but more highly situated town of Lynton by way of a water railway (no fuel at all, the two little cars are attached to each other and they go up and down the cliff using water ballast). We found out that Dr. Watson consistently makes the most perfect soft-boiled eggs (the key is 4 minutes in boiling water, serve immediately!) AND knows several tricks for breaking into a locked house. None of the British people knew that Monopoly was originally an American game (they all thought it was native). Clotted cream (from Lynmouth) with strawberry preserves on scones is not only quintessentially British, but also absolutely delicious.