A Day of Rest - sorta

Friday - February 15, 2019

Cape Grace Hotel

Cape Town, South Africa

As I wrote the date and location (I'm writing this a week later calendar-wise) it still seems like a dream that I’m here.

Today (last Friday calendar time) I woke up late, threw open the doors onto the french balcony and just took in the beauty of God’s creation. I would be doing that a lot on this trip. I don’t know what I expected (Laurence of Arabia perhaps?) but South Africa as it exists is certainly not it. Outside my window is the Cape Town Marina, with condos (I suppose,) Signal Hill, and Table Mountain as a backdrop. As the day progressed I did what I love to do the most...observe. It is fascinating how little I perceive on first glance, and what emerges as I take repeated looks...there’s something to be learned here spiritually??? Today it was boats in the harbor and details on the mountain.

Cape Town has a tradition that is decades old. There are two cannons on Signal Hill (the hill in the photo) and precisely at 12 noon (not 12:00:01 - precisely)12 noon) one of the cannons is fired with a huge roar you can hear all over town (even to the airport 25 minutes away) with a great cloud of smoke. This was how the ships’ captains set their chronometers and the smoke was essential to accuracy, because by the time the sound reached the harbor or beyond several seconds would have elapsed. It has little significance in today’s world of GPS, etc. but it is still faithfully observed.

I spent the day mostly sleeping on and off, and in between naps reviewing my presentation for the retreat. My son, Hill, asked me in a text if I’d made 100 yet...referring to how many times I’d gone over the material. I said (truthfully?? tongue-in-cheek??) sometime last week. Since I haven’t made a presentation in at least 15 years (can’t remember when the last one would be) could it be I’m “somewhat uptight” about this one.

I have six one-hour presentations plus a workshop to share with 15 people of whom I know only two. The rest are missionaries with incredible bios and ministries, including two seminary professors! Me? Up-tight?? Nuuuuuuu!

This hotel is phenomenal. It is extremely extravagant of me to be staying here, especially since I’ll be spending five days with people who have essentially dedicated their lives to living in poverty, but somehow I’m at peace about it. I suppose one can convince one’s-self of anything, but I hope I’m reading it right that God’s okay with it.

Back to the hotel. It sits on the quay between a working harbor with a dry dock, a marina, and a large shopping complex. From my window I can only see the marina side.

EPILOGUE

This is the only hotel I can remember staying in my 81 years (yeah, I know...my memory’s not too good of the first dozen...well, maybe the last dozen too) where virtually every staff member calls me by name. I exit the elevator and every porter, the concierge, the desk clerks, the wait staff...everyone...greets me by name. I was beginning to feel almost paranoid! Do I stand out that much as being out of place?? Then I realized they were doing it with almost all the guests. As nearly as I can tell, the hotel has about 80 rooms or so. Obviously it’s incredible staff training, but I can’t help but ponder the spiritual lesson here, too.

One of the center points of my presentation is that every individual is absolutely unique and deeply loved by God, who calls us by name and carves us on the palm of his hand. Somehow I know God isn't finished with teaching me about this yet. (More about this in the retreat portion of the blog.)

Pictures: Cape Grace Hotel, wine tasting