Here I am Saturday and I am trying to make myself pack for the Lourdes trip. I can do everything but it seems. Had Bible Guys this morning and we are working our way through the very first book, Genesis. We very seldom study Old Testament but I try and suggest it, love the stories. One of the chapters we read today was 32 which includes the story of Jacob wrestling with God.
This is how we learn about God, how He chooses to reveal Himself, these encounters with real people. There never is a list that says God is this and this and this. That would be real tidy. But tidy isn’t big on His priority list apparently. But we have these stories.
Every once in a while there is a story that I can relate to. I so related to this one today where Jacob spends a night wrestling with God and lives to tell the tale. He is injured in the process and always walks with a limp afterward as a reminder I guess, a badge or medal so to speak.
This is what I have done for an extended period now I am seeing, wrestling with God. I live to tell the tale but carry this cancer with me always as a reminder. The important part is done for me. Carrying the cancer afterward I have to remind myself is the reminder of this event, it’s my medal.
Working to prepare for this new adventure: pack, find passport, pray, wonder. Will take you with me, dusty love, Felipe.
Phil, you have been SUCH an inspiration to me for several years now! Wear your “scars” proudly as the medals attesting to your strength and bravery and faith as you face down this enemy of cancer. Watching you gives encouragement to others as we too have to face whatever “enemies” come our way! That sweet smile of yours conceals a spirit of “pee and vinegar” that I can only pray I will have when my day of facing my personal demons hits. God bless you and your family, Felipe! Buen Camino (or whatever the French version is!) as you journey to Lourdes!! Keep us in prayer to Our Lady, Phil. . . Jim
Thank you Jim for the well wishes. I am looking forward to this trip, it is so timely for me. Will be blogging from there hopefully so keep tuned in. Thanks for being with us. Felipe.
Querido Felipe and Dear Phil,
Yes… you are right, the scars are the signs of a great battle… but as your guru Richard Rohr says: if these battles wouldn’t have been imposed to us, we wouldn’t have taken them voluntarily and most certainly, we would still be in the confinement of our comfort zones, without discovering the world, and without relating to all others we related with and impacted along the journey. “Our gifts are not for us alone” John O’Donohue said, and already in the New Testament we were warned we are going to be judged by what we did with our Talents.
Fellow Pilgrim love as you journey to Lourdes.
Walking along you on this one too,
Cris
Cris ~ What a paragraph! Can you squeeze anything more in there? Gracias, that was very good. Am trying to get packed before the walk and tapas today as we will be partying hardy I have a feeling. Keep in touch. I am planning on blogging from Lourdes. Have to go, Felipe.x