Here we are back on the Veranda with another guest gift of The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I just had to consult the big fat English dictionary to look up understanding and wisdom two of our seven gifts. In my normal sloppy thinking I could consider those the same or close in meaning but we have to go beyond that here today. And I was debating with myself which one of these two should be first.

So let’s do Understanding first and welcome to you today. I did have a little trouble separating you from your brother Wisdom. You seem closely related. Any thoughts on that to start out? Right, all the gifts are interlocked and function as a whole. Yes, we are starting to see that in a number of ways.

So, when we understand something we grasp the meaning or the significance of it, right? You like that word “grasp”? Yes, it is a process of grasping. That was almost too easy. and yes, grasping is very easy for us all to see.

What about teachings, for example parables, that are used to explain? They are sometimes more like riddles. Well, that’s true riddles have been used to teach also. Why make the understanding harder? Ah, the difficulty causes us to think in new ways. We have to think in a different way to solve the riddle or unlock the parable. It is the thinking in a new way that is as important as understanding the underlying principle. Right, OK.

What about the challenge of we ourselves trying to be understood? Yes, that is important also. Oh yea, there was a quote from Saint Francis about “it’s more important to try and understand then it is to be understood.” That’s close I think. Yes, that is about the importance of listening to the other guy instead of forcing our own point across. OK, interesting, understanding the two way street.

OK, time is up for today. Thanks for being here with us. Two way street loves, Felipé.

Hey, here we are again. We are not doing these gifts in any logical order, just in how they jump up at me. One is not more important than another just because we covered it first. And as we work our way through it is becoming apparent that the gifts are interlocking. One makes another easier or better. They are meant to be together as a group. Wasn’t there a film, The Magnificent Seven?

Fear of the Lord welcome to our humble scene. We have been interviewing your friends here at the Veranda for a few days and everything has been going well with that. I was just telling our audience how I was seeing how the gifts work together, one helping another or one complimenting another.

More and more this word fear is being translated as something like awe. Would you agree with that? Mostly you say. It wouldn’t be bad to realize that one is around something extremely powerful and dangerous when one is looking into the cone of an active volcano. Or that a storm at sea is nothing to trifle with. Yes, I see, there is a dangerous aspect.

It is hard for me at the moment to go beyond that, it was so powerful. Yes, fear is a natural reaction that we certainly all recognize. It leaves an impression. Yes, but God is so much more. Yes, right. So we can’t get stuck there, I see.

Yes, Julian of Norwich, had that vision of meeting God and He held in His hand what looked like a hazelnut. And that little finite object was everything that was or ever will be, in other words the whole of the universe. Yes, that is a powerful image that we can dwell on.

Well, with that we will have to sign off today. Folks are coming to walk and I am still in my jammies.

Hazelnut loves, Felipé.

As of now we have 30 folks who have RSVP’ed and I know of 10 more that are local mostly. So we are still counting. Fifty would be a nice round number for us.

This is a gathering of pilgrims and pilgrims are resourceful and flexible so that is how I am envisioning things. We don’t want to over plan this thing but a few things are becoming apparent.

Transportation: Uber to Fauntleroy Ferry Dock, West Seattle from Seattle International. We can pick you up on the island side. Or if you can afford a rental car please do that as we need a certain amount of vehicles. GPS on Vashon to our address: 24228 Wax Orchard Rd SW.

B and B’s: There are bunches on the island but need to make reservations.

Camping: We have lots of room for tents or RV’s. We will have a portapotty or two. We will have an outside kitchen for food prep.

Eating: We are going to be outside. Propane stove and bbq available. Fire pit available. We will have outside kitchen and tables and chairs. We will have paper plates and napkins and condiments. Food will be a potluck situation. Stores and restaurants on the island to pick things up. Will have ice chests. Need to figure out coffee. Food that we have from the island: sweetcorn, apple sauce, venison chili and blackberry jelly.

Activities: walking Phil’s Camino of course, some live music, setting up a few tours at various sites on Vashon. I am going to ask each Bureau Chief to have a little ten minute presentation and then there are other celebrities who will want to address us I am sure. There will be plenty of time for telling lies and tall tales.

Donation: I am asking a donation of $10 per day for your party/family or $5 if you are alone to cover expenses.

Helping Out: I am asking if you are coming for the four days if you would kindly act as a Hospitalero for one day during your stay. Things need to be accomplished and that seems a good way to make that happen.

Questions: caminoheads@icloud.com

Felipé.x

This morning Knowledge is going to be with us to share some thoughts. We are honored to have these amazing guests stop by in this series of interviews. Are you ready?

Knowledge you are one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit to mankind. How does that fit in with the deluge of information that we are experiencing in this the computer age? We walk, talk and sleep on data. Yes, that’s right, it seems overwhelming at times. Creation is huge, complex and expanding and all this data mirrors that. We are finding out more about creation that’s all, which is a good thing.

Yes, I see that but what is the difference between that and the knowledge which is the gift? Man needs the ability to sort through and come up with the ideas that knit that all together or to in other words come up the overarching truths, yes. That is the knowledge, OK.

And then it is secret knowledge and only certain people get to have it? That is what, far from the way it is? So, you are saying that it is more like it is hidden in plain sight. And the gift is the ability to see more clearly and to discover it for oneself, interesting.

Well, we have more to think and wonder about. Off I go to the city in a few moments, scan day.

Love in plain sight, Felipé.

Here is number two in our attempt to interview the characteristics of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are on the Veranda and everything is set up for our time together today. I chose Piety.

So Piety we don’t hear from you so much these days. Are you here from a long lost era? How do we link up here today? Yes, I could look you up in the big fat paper dictionary, of course. Well, I see words like religious but here, this I like, “the quality of being dutiful”. There that is a good start.

So, what is there about dutiful that is so much of a gift? It sounds like something else that I have to do, another chore. Wait, what are you saying, that I have been chosen? That is the gift that I have been chosen to do these duties? Well, OK, let me digest that a minute.

So, what other revelations do you have for us today? Ah, you wish that we would use the word “piety” more often. OK, but it seems so, so old fashioned. Well, yes, it could be high time for a revival, maybe so.

Is it hard to be the old fashioned one in the group when the others seem so much more modern? Yes, yes, you all have been working together for a long time now. And things go in and out of vogue or importance depending. In other eras you were looked at differently than today. So, it is just your turn to be old fashioned, I see, sort of a break.

OK, thanks for taking the time to be with us on the Veranda today. Any last thoughts? To do your duties with joy, that’s important. Right, I see that.

Thanks for sticking with me loves, Felipé.

Things are perfect out on the trail these days. Come by:

Mondays 0900-1000
Tuesdays 1600-1700 (tapas after)
Thursday’s 0900-1000
Sundays 1600-1700 (tapas after)

Felipé.x

What if? What if we sat with a character or characteristic named Fortitude, would we get to know him/her better? Would we, could we learn something new that would help us on our journey? And what better place than the Veranda out of the harsh glare of the noonday sun and the thundershower of the afternoon. A place where secrets are told and dreams hatched. Or sometimes nothing happens at all.

Well Fortitude, I chose you to be first of the eight because I think that I know a bit about you already. While I say that seriously it could be a joke too, in the sense that if life were a little easier than I wouldn’t have to know you so well! Yes, it is a bitter sweet thing that life proves to be such a rocky road. I put forth at this time that you provide the wherewithal to day after day travel this road.

I know things are usually more complicated or richer maybe than our standard definitions account for. What do you think we could add to our common meaning to make it more clear or flesh it out? Can we come up with something to help us understand it better? Yes, we are picking your brain.

Yes, it is not all stonework as in a fortress. Yes, it needs a certain amount of armor but it also needs to be somewhat nimble to maneuver, to be able to sidestep. It’s a balance, yes, I see.

It can’t be created overnight. I takes time to build and the ancestors are big helpers. They have done it all, the good, the bad and the ugly and still had the time and style to produce us. Yes, here we are, good point.

Yes, very good. How about one more? Right, it is not so much of a wall as it is a purity that permeates the whole starting at the center. It is resilient at all levels, not just at it perimeter.

Well, this has been great. We owe you a lot for your time and openness. Maybe we will see you again. Yes, come back anytime.

Well Caminoheads, that went awesome. Hope we learned something or reviewed some things that we already knew. Have to go, love with fortitude, Felipé.

A beautiful Mass today. Father David just manages to outdo himself week after week. Or maybe he was especially inspired this week for the Pentecost celebration. This commemorates the time fifty days after the Assention of Jesus when the Holy Spirit was sent to the Twelve Apostles. The guys were on fire with this injection of the Spirit.

And we are assured that the gifts available to them so long ago are still available to us newer followers. We got a hand out at church to take with us list the classic Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here they are:

KNOWLEDGE
FORTITUDE
UNDERSTANDING
PIETY
COUNSEL
WISDOM
FEAR OF THE LORD

There one for each day of the week if you like. Let’s see if one of those jumps out at us here today or tomorrow and we will talk about it.

Time to go for now. The corn needs more water before the weather turns warm this midweek. The best of everything to you. Looking for the fire loves, Felipé.

The sun is out and I have to get out in the corn. Maybe fertilize today. But first to be with you. Everything pretty much going along well where you are?

We had Bible Guys class this morning. I was in Orlando last weekend so I missed it but not a problem as there is nothing really to miss in a sense. You jump back in the flow of it and off you go. We had seven guys show up this morning. I think that we have twelve that come total but they are never there all at once. It always reminds me of the twelve apostles in that we are in some ways so alike and in other ways all so different. Again, a motley crew for Jesus.

We are supposed to be studying the Bible chapter by chapter but occasionally we fall into a conversational mode that leads us astray. We try and try to hold to the line but it was one of those days where every question spawns another. And that is what I am calling the flip side. We need the structure and discipline of the study but we also need to do whatever else comes out of that.

But ultimately it is all fun and I always miss it when I can’t make it for some reason. I remember when I was younger and I was talking to an older friend that said that he had been going to a class for nine years and I was amazed at that. But now I have been going for at least fifteen years to this one, time flies for me.

And here at Phil’s Camino we do a lot of flip side work as we walk and tapa along. We tend to talk out a lot of questions that come up in our lives. That is what I meant one time, “that we figure things out”. Somehow we manage to whittle out little building blocks that we can fit into our story to make sense of this or this. Nothing earthshaking but nonetheless vital in keeping things going in our journey. We seem to keep moving inspite of the standard obstacles.

This whole thing I realize is slightly on the vague side today but hmmm what to do? Maybe tomorrow things will be more in focus, that happens. The important thing is to get something done today even is it isn’t complete.

We have the Sheepdog Trials happening on Vashon this weekend and people come from hither and yon to watch. It is a crazy time when our population doubles. I’m going to hunker down at the ranch and wait for it to blow over.

Hither and yon loves, Felipé.

A few weeks ago I discovered that my tiny remembrance of walking in Spain had fallen off of my neck chain. I think that I described it as small than a dime. Well, I found the little silver shell on the carpet in the living room last night. I felt like throwing a party! See it really pays to cut down on vacuuming all the time.

In the corn news, it is supposed to rain today which we really need badly. I am managing to keep up with the weeds barely. And the deer are letting me know that they are still around.

If you are coming to the Veranda in August we were hoping that you could get your RSVP in by June 15th which is coming up. We need to have a certain amount of facilities and supplies on hand so we need some kind of rough headcount. I am expecting around fifty folks and that would be great if we could get that many.

I have a friend Sui who walks here as often as possible and lives and works in Seattle. She has connections with Taiwan. And there is a bishop there that is intent on coming to visit the ranch and walk with us. How about that? We haven’t had a bishop yet.

Just a few more minutes, maybe I can squeeze in one more news item. Our Catalina, Kate Barush, the Art Historian for the documentary is coming to the Veranda. We are assembling some heavy hitters.

Just saw an eagle soar by the window, a nice omen for our day loves, Felipé.