This is a question that has been around for years. And, of course, Cherry would say just Google it man, right? Is this like boxing as in the sport? I need some help on this one from you guys that drive on the wrong side of the road. Oh, now I’ll get an answer.

No but seriously, I think that we have turned a corner or shifted gears so to speak with or blog with our group, we the ragged apostles (heard that recently). Laura’s “Don’t Worry” was so extremely awesome that it pushed us over the top or at least made evident something that has been in the mist, in the fog. We just have so much talent, and good will, and savvy, and playfulness, and universality hanging around here that it is starting to get scary, it is reaching a critical mass.

The blog gone through stages of birth, getting up and running, of reporting, of reflecting, of gathering. And now what? Can we work with whatever is going on here? Can we blow on these embers and get a fire going? We got a new year coming, what can we do to make the most of it?!?!

St. James is Afoot, Love you guys, Felipe.

Cherry just sent this in and here you are:

I kind of missed Christmas yesterday. I left London at 22:30 on Christmas Eve to fly home. My trip took just under 24 hours in total. But because of the time difference, I arrived in hot sunny Brisvegas, Australia at 8:30 this Boxing Day morning. I had just one 3 hour layover in Southern China but they don’t do Christmas in China. So it just felt like a normal day there.

However, it was wonderful to be greeted by my mum this morning at the airport after nearly 10 months on the road. It was well worth the missing of Christmas Day just to see my mum, hug my sister and to have a whole wardrobe rather than just a backpack of clothes.

I hadn’t lost the Christmas spirit either. I’ve been singing my Merry Christmas song for the last couple of days. It is rather simple. The lyrics are just: “Have a Merry Merry Christmas! Merry Merry Chris … Christmas”. And you just sing that to the tune of Happy Talk from the South Pacific musical. Feel free to sing along too, it’s catchy.

I hope your Christmas Day was full of great food, great company and great joy. I truly wish you all a very merry Christmas and lots of love for the coming New Year.

Cherry, Brisbane.

Merry Christmas to you and yours! With you, Love, Felipe.

I’m not really blogging but this is TOO GOOD.  This is just what we need at this point in time.  This is from Laura in Barcelona. This was made by Laura’s people.  Look for her toward the end (third from the left in the seven people with the pinky purple top).

Would someone please follow me around and play this in the background for the rest of my days.  Thank you Laura and Merry Christmas to Barcelona!

Isn’t this the coolest dinosaur cake that you have ever seen?

IMG_0425

I’m not really here but had to show you.  Love, Felipe.

“There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood.  They had set night watches over their sheep.  Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them.  They were terrified.  The angel said, “Don’t be afraid.  I am here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide.  A Savior has been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.  This is what you are to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”  Luke 2. 8-12  from The Message.

We have be off to be off to Seattle early this AM for my hospital stuff and to met up with Captain Phil.  Remember he hiked down to the church to find my lucky red hat that I had left.  The Captain’s wife is Rebecca’s oldest friend around here.  So we we will make a day of it with a visit there after the hospital.  And then I have to get a Skype in with Gracie somewhere.  Need her smiles on a regular basis and I am behind.

So, tomorrow will be my last blog for a break for the week of Christmas.  It will be the longest that I have been away from you since June.  Time flies when we’re having fun.  So, please if you want to add something to this great trekking discussion please do.  Email it to me at  [email protected]  .  We would love to have your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, prayers, rememberances or whatever’s.  Just keep it short and juicy, 500 words max.  Come on Lucia, Angela, Todd, Father Cesar we need you.

i just want to repeat a few lines from the blog post a few days ago which we need to remember: Then I wanted to report on what Sister Joyce said in answer to my question about how do we prepare for .Christmas. She laughed when I had my little notebook out to try and capture her thoughts but I was on the job for you. Here is what she said in paraphrased form: “If we can find the HUMILITY we will enjoy the SIMPLICITY that will put us closer to the MYSTERY.” Nice.

You guys are the best, Love, Felipe.

It’s the start of a line from a Blues song by Nina Simone which I have been playing lately.  The whole line goes ” do you shiver from your head down to your liver?”  Funky little line but it points to some thing that we should get.  We can get brain shivers pretty easy with all the information that we can access these days.  But what about those rare really important things that speak to our inner being?  Let’s be on the lookout.

Last night due to Rebecca’s and mine individual schedules conflicting we didn’t get to have our normal dilly dally at 1700 and then dinner.  So I got back here at 2100 and built some tapas and broke open some red wine thinking that she would be back soon.  So I got that set up and I light a small candle for Amita, our friend on the Camino.  And I got a larger candle recently for the Lady of Guadalupe with the image of Mother Mary on it and I got it light up.  That all looked so bright that I turned off the electric lights.

I said my rosary and started to contemplate on Mother Mary.  She is one reason that I was drawn to converting to the Roman Church two years ago.  I was looking to find comfort.  It seemed like my whole life comfort was in short supply.  So last night I had this session with Mother Mary with tapas at Dilly Dally that shook me to my liver.   It didn’t take long, it didn’t cost much, all I had to do was figure how to invite her in.   Yea, that’s my report.

Love as always,  Felipe.

It seems to me that it would be a good idea for me to take a break from the blog, a Christmas break.  I got too much to do and so do you.  Maybe I’ll do the 19th and then take a week off.

And it is not that I don’t like being with you all.  It’s just that I am really trying to shoot for simplicity as Sister Joyce recommends.  Simplicity so we can get closer to the mystery, remember?

OK, have to go, Christmasy loves, Felipe.

Yesterday I went to two Christmas events, a pageant and a concert and in between saw Sister Joyce.  Actually, Rebecca,went with me to see SJ.  I picked up some new insights on the pilgrimage toward Christmas.

First, we were singing carols at the pageant and I had to write down the second line of “We Three Kings”  which was very Caminoy: fields and fountain, moor and mountain.  Nice.

Then at the concert last night we listened to some great music.  And one of our new friends, Jasper, sang In the preformance and not only sang but SANG!  Wow.  Sometimes people can just blow you away unexpectedly.  Nice.

Then I wanted to report on what Sister Joyce said in answer to my question about how do we prepare for .Christmas.  She laughed when I had my little notebook out to try and capture her thoughts but I was on the job for you.  Here is what she said in paraphrased form: “If we can find the HUMILITY we will enjoy the SIMPLICITY that will put us closer to the MYSTERY.”   Nice.

OK, it all continues.  Take time for the important things, love, Felipe.