The leaves coming out on the weeping willow tree. (photo P Volker)
Wow, see the stuff I have to follow? Just so you don’t miss the “rest of the story” check out Pilgrim Farmer John’s comment today giving us more. It is a very remarkable this saga. And PFJ could garner some sort of journalism award for this if he can continue to keep out of trouble.
Things slowly trudging toward Spring here. Life full of small town stuff, one thing after another in this neck of the woods. Speaking of woods last evening a branch fell off the cherry tree, the one up over the tapas table and crashed down on the house in the wind. It woke me up out of a sleep and My Rebecca rushed in thinking I had fallen out of bed. It turned out to be more noise than anything which I am so grateful for. Just an example of the thrills and chills around here.
Off to do the Thursday morning walk here. Jen and Jim and Kodi dog are coming maybe. Later I am going to try and get some work done. I’ve been on light duty for ages now.
My Rebecca found this wonderful report from Farmer John way before I got to read it. He is Mr Be at the Right Place at the Right Time. I am just going to put up his words here. Can’t do any better than this!
Hola, Felipe!
We’re having just the best of times on our vacation in the southwest. The Camino Convergence coalesced here in the Vortex of Arizona today. There had been a Camino hint here and there earlier in the day, and I had just sat down here at the keyboard to respond to your post today when Russ (husband of Cathy’s sister Bev, who you met in Dubuque) required my immediate departure to lunch. Timing, as they say, is everything, for just as we were walking into the Patagonia restaurant, a man was “saddling up” to leave with his substantial backpack. And, prominently displayed on the pack was his Camino Shell! Weeellllll, we all know that can’t be ignored! My “Buen Camino” was heartily returned, and the conversation took off like a rocket. “Hob”, A true gentleman in our age bracket, along with his wife, Deb, were about midway along on the Arizona Trail and had stopped in Patagonia for supplies. They have trod many of the variants of the Camino de Santiago, SEVENTEEN of them to be precise! That in itself was mind blowing, but as it turns out, that was just the wonderful start of the conversation.
He was informed twenty odd years ago that he had stage four cancer and should find a way to enjoy himself as he “got his affairs in order” for his predicted last six months of life. His doctor suggested that he should look into some “meaningful” journey, and, knowing his Catholic background, had mentioned The Camino de Santiago. What the Hell, he added, the Pilgrimage was begun by people in search of miracles 🙂 His first “Camino Family” drew into its folds a Polish Priest who left no church door unopened on their Way so that daily Masses were de rigueur. What a great story that is, eh Felipe?!! He has fully embraced your credo of “Just Keep on Walking”. They have walked both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail now. The Arizona Trail itself is nearly 800 miles. And, the Miracle did, in fact, happen, as his cancer has been stable and non-advancing since that first Camino. How wonderful is this thing we are all so Blessed to be a part of!!
It is getting harder and harder for me to be still waiting for my latest muscle pull to heal up. I am prone to coughing lately from my lung issues. I am doing better at controlling it but still am open to pulling a muscle in my rib cage. Have one now that I am trying to nurse along so it will knit together. But I grow impatient.
Fortunately I have a good book to work on that Catalina had sent a while back. And fortunately I can read again. During the height of the pandemic somehow reading wasn’t possible, too scattered. But now with my vaccinations I seem more able. Anyway it is a book about history, of course from Catalina, a novel about building a medieval cathedral. It’s entitled The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
But in the meantime the sky is blue and I would love to get out for a few minutes to get something done around the ranch. After lunch I will give it a try, gently. Have a walk later too and the birds need feeding.
Oh look, there is a woodpecker at the top of the power pole drumming away. That is a Springtime deal for sure. I don’t know if that is establishing territory or if it has to do with mating, I’ll have to ask him.
Burton Community Church, Burton Washington. (photo KJ Windmeyer)
It went well yesterday with the sermon. I’m not quite sure it was a sermon but maybe my version of one. But it went over great and I spent a long time afterward during what is known as “coffee hour” answering questions. A few of those folks my actually be called to walk the Camino in the future, who knows. Or a few will meet a pilgrim “fresh back” and realize why they are so crazy eyed and take the time to listen as they gush for hours.
There were two stories that were told of Camino people that two members of the congregation had met at some point in the past that had left an impression. This is interesting and important that we leave an impression. People will remember your testimony for years too.
One story that was told about a woman that had lost two members of her family, like her husband and her son, I don’t remember but two major loses. She was called to the Camino and went and it changed her life and she recovered and blossomed.
The other was told by this woman who had gone to teach massage in China. In the class was a Chinese woman who had walked the Camino twice. She was taking the class so she could go back and minister to pilgrims along the trail. Pretty cool.
So, I just wanted to report on yesterday. Off today to walk in a moment.
I have my sermon to do later this morning. And I am working with my memory to relate to as many of the audience members as possible beforehand. I know three quarters of the folks who will be there and there is not that many to start with. So it is not as daunting as it might sound.
Maybe I could challenge you to do this for your next meeting. Whether it is one person or forty. And whether it is one of your children or someone you barely know. Try to get them in sharp focus long beforehand.
Try to focus on them rather than on yourself or what you are going to say. Let the Holy Spirit put words in your mouth. That will happen!
So, I need to go and work on this very thing right now. Please excuse me for leaving early today. Miss you and hope to see you soon.
Burton Community Church, Burton Washington. (photo KJ Widmeyer)
Over the years I have developed a speaking style that works for me. When I started out the whole emphasis was on what am I going to say? To have everything strictly scripted so as not to forget anything. Now what works is almost the total opposite. Instead of placing all the time in preparation on the script I spend time on thinking about the audience. Who are they? What do they need? Why are they here? How do I get closer to them?
The folks at Burton Community Church wrestled me into sayin OK to coming and giving the sermon tomorrow at their Zoom service. They are very tiny a group and haven’t had a full time pastor for a while. So they are always looking for folks to fill in here and there. And I figured what the heck. I’ve done it a couple of times over the years.
So since I just got done with writing on the Pilgrim Beatitudes on the blog in February thought that I would give them an overview of that. Should be up to speed on that material and it is one of my favorite things. And they are not big on the dogmatic or the strict doctrine. They mostly want to be inspired for the upcoming week. I got that!
So I have to give that a tiny bit of preparation today. I got to get out and do some firewood work. The weather is a little iffy but I will work with it. Oh, and I think that it is time to order the bandanas for the Oasis. That will surely get it to happen!
I just happened to have heard that Cris CSABC broke free of her apartment and did a seven kilometer hike. She has been hardly outside for a year. Now look at her gallivanting around the countryside.
My Rebecca has a big breakout this morning also. She is a part of Catherine’s writing group and they are having their first in person meeting in a year. Things starting to open up here and there. People sticking their heads out of the bunker and looking around like Spring flowers.
I see Pilgrim Farmer John and Farmer Cathy escaped Iowa and made it down to Tulsa to see Ken and Tori. Saw a pic with Roni and her sister with them there. The Tulsa Thawout!
And tomorrow or the next day is the Vernal Equinox! The Spring equal day and night or the first day of the Spring season for us here. Oh boy!
Our St Patrick’s Day table in the late afternoon sun. (photo R Graves)
The dinner, yea, the dinner was a great occasion. It was just warm enough to eat out on the tapas table which is always a thrill in the Spring to finally do that. So, our corned beef brisket was super and disappeared except for a few crumbs. Catherine and Dana were here to celebrate St Patrick and also the first dinner party of the post pandemic season.
I know that post pandemic phrase may be a little premature but it is the very beginning. We have a lot of pandemic to go but we have a start. Getting vaccinated sure is a breakthrough in personal relaxation. And there will be more and more of that. We are having oxtail soup today that is the back end of the cow. About as back as you can get. So we are going stem to stern on the pandemic and on the beef menu.
We had some readings about St Patrick and St Brigid yesterday and some material on fairies. And we had some Guinness and Harp and a little Jameson. But the drinking was highly under control. The pandemic has done that, left us with a certain caution or fear of new freedom. I am falling short with my words but you get it. It will take a while to find our new place in all this.
Henriette had a blessing in the Comments that I will place here.
“As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction!“
I am so on the edge of my seat this morning. At Dr Gold’s waiting room trying to whittle out the blog here now. He has the results of yesterday’s scan, after nine weeks of immunotherapy. So I can’t wait to talk with him.
St Pat’s Day today! Got my green on. Catherine and Dana coming over for corned beef and cabbage later. This is our first dinner party in a year. What will we do? How will we act?
OK, just saw the doc. Nothing dramatic to report. Nothing much has changed so we will go another nine weeks to a scan. Stay the course, says the doc. He did give me a prescription that should help with my cough which has been bothersome. So, things about the same for now. Let’s just figure out a way to celebrate staying the course.
But my people here at the Institute are well. It is always fun to check in with everyone. One of the nurses waiting for Spain to open up so they can go do the Camino. So great! In the meantime come walk Phil’s Camino!
Hoping to find some stories about St Patrick and his feminine counterpart St Brigid to read at our dinner tonight. Always fun to learn something new or touch base with old saintly friends. Oh I know, I have a big book on the saints that the Padre Tom Hall gave me. Easy peasy.
Yesterday I had a great afternoon walk with Chris, Mike and David, siblings. They had Camino and Cancer experience so we had plenty to gab about. And it was 5:29 when they left and I finally got back in the house for a Zoom at 5:30. Action Central! That went great. It was a QandA with Catholic folks in California. At the end of the day I feel like this is what God is keeping me alive for, talking to these folks whether live or on Zoom. Very rewarding stuff.
OK, off in a few minutes to run for the ferry back to the Rock. Thanks for stopping by and keep up the good work!
