Unity through Repentance: The Journey to Wittenberg 2017
Chapter 11
God Does It
You’ve read Chapter 11, and you’re hungry for more? Don’t worry, we got you!
I had always assumed that it was impossible to produce decent food for humans on an airplane. Suddenly, the curtain was pushed back (literally), and I was ushered into a world of stainless steel silverware, bubbling champagne, and four-course dinners served on fine china.
I was flying business class!
I once got to fly first class, which because it was a 747 meant I went was in the upstairs section
I couldn't believe this guy just rolled over and went to sleep in first class - he slept through the whole flight. I didn't sleep at all, because I wanted to soak in the entire first class experience!
Champagne at 30,000 feet
Even the bathrooms have fresh roses!
Traveling for Athens Group
On my first business trip to Norway, I discovered the most beautiful place in the world—Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) above Lysefjord (the Light Fjord).
Cave opening onto the North Sea, Brufjells, Norway (2013)
The Preikestolen ... God's pulpit over the Light Fjord (Norway, 2009)
Kristiansand deepwater harbor after sunset (Norway, 2009)
My hotel in Rotterdam (2009)
Sunset, Netherlands (2013)
Rembrandt room, Mauritshuis, Netherlands (2015)
Dawn panorama, Berlin Hauptbahnhof (2015)
While on a business trip to Germany for Athens Group, I took this picture of Hanna at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. In 2017, I submitted it to National Geographic on a whim, and they immediately published it on their YourShot website, where it garnered hundreds of votes for top photo of the day, and dozens of comments from viewers touched by Hanna’s story.
George and Hanna in the Eiffel (Germany, 2010) - this photo ended up on the cover of Hanna's book, A Garland for Ashes
Fun selfie in front of a sculpture of wings, Changi Airport, Singapore, which is consistently voted the best airport in the world (2016)
Lunar New Year, Chinatown, Singapore (2015)
The Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, which is one of the unique buildings in the world ... and I got to stay there! (2015)
Every night the Marina Bay Sands Hotel puts on a light show that radiates out over the Singapore harbor (2015)
And here is the view during the light show from the top of the hotel, where an infinity pool looks out over the Singapore skyline ... easily the most amazing pool I've ever had the privilege of swimming in
Above Greenland on one of my trips back to Texas from Europe (2016)
Greenland glaciers from 30,000 feet (2016)
A funny story
My first overseas business trip as a newly-minted oil & gas consultant was to Kristiansand, Norway. Our travel agent had booked me into the Radisson Blu Caledonian, which apparently was the nicest hotel in town. When I checked in, the concierge asked me, “Smoking room … right?” “No,” I responded, “I requested non-smoking.” He confirmed that, poked around on the computer for a while, consulted a manager, then finally handed me my key. With a little smirk.
Well, when I got to my room, I found the only non-smoking room they had available was … the Honeymoon Suite! So I stayed there (with no Amy) for ten days. Every time I passed through the lobby, was it my imagination that the hotel staff were pointing at me, and snickering a little?
The Antioch Network Gathering
at AHOP, 2009
Small group, with George Miley on the far right, and Jayson & Sandi across from him (2009)
Dan Davis speaking at the 2009 Antioch Gathering at AHOP
Meal during an Antioch Network gathering at AHOP, when our son Noah (white T-shirt) had just started dating Kara MacDonald (next to him) - they are now married, and live in Turkey (2009)
George Miley teaching at AHOP during the Antioch Network gathering (2009)
Worship during the Antioch Network gathering in Austin (2009)
Antioch Network gathering at AHOP (2009)
Other AHOP Memories, 2009-2010
Steve Hawthorne teaching the AHOP youth (2008)
Playing games with the AHOP youth (2008)
Young AHOP leaders (from left to right: Felipe &the Leigh Adams, John Murray, Matt & Moriah Lacour) with Gary Cockroft, a special guest teacher for one of our youth programs (2008)
Fr. Peter Hocken with Thomas & Amy on his first trip to Austin (2010)
Fr. Peter shows off slides of his Hainburg house during a visit to AHOP - our friend Duane Grobman, in the very front of the picture, happend to be in town and met Fr. Peter. Duane would end up playing a significant role in Wittenberg 2017 (2010)
A very typical Fr. Peter look (Austin, 2010)