Another "In-Between time"

Now that I have been home for three weeks, I am anticipating my return to full-time ministry on Sunday, August 16. The re-entry into home life has been smooth, though I don't think I have accomplished as much as I had hoped. I am slowly learning some of the tasks associated with Adobe Creative Suites 3. I have made progress in reviewing, editing, and deleting some of the 2,600 photos I took throughout our travels. Re-organizing them into useable folders is a time-intensive task that will eventually get done!

This is an "in-between time," when I am not actively involved at church, but am more than ready to jump back into the life of the church, leading worship, casting new visions for our future as God's people, and sharing in lives throughout the community. I am preparing the "first" worship experience - and I do want to make our worship more experiential - for the morning of the 16th. It will be focused on journeys of the soul that God's people have been called to live out. Think about Noah, Moses, and even Jesus.



I'm working on a series of messages that will begin on August 23rd tying our faith into the return to school of so many. "Back to the Basics: The ABC's of Faith" will focus on Awe, Bridge Building, Community, Doubt, Enthusiasm and Faith. I hope our members will bring their friends to hear these messages of hope and experience the power of fellowship.

In this "in-between time" I cannot help but be reminded that next Thursday, August 13th is the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Charley's destructive path over Punta Gorda and Florida. Our city has flourished in the half decade that has passed. There has been what some have called "urban renewal by natural disaster,' resulting in beautiful new hotels downtown, a new marina and new restaurants, a major community park with amenities, new schools, professional buildings, "new urbanism" structures downtown - and remarkable public/private partnerships that have made all this happen. This week Punta Gorda will host ambassadors and other high ranking emmisaries from several countries to re-introduce them to the revitalized commuity and the area. I have been invited to be part of the final program with the dignitaries on Thursday. It will be an honor, and a somber reminder of how far we have come. Then on Saturday the 15th there will be a celebration "Xtreme Makeover" highlighting the good things that have happened. (http://www.pgmakeover.com/) I will be posting some "before and after" pictures between now and then, I'm sure.

In all these things I am continually reminded that "God is good - all the time!"

Photo Highlights

The view of the Kandersteg Valley from Frutigen, Switzerland




The Reformed Church in Diemtigen, Switzerland - home of my ancestors




Catholic Church in Kandersteg, Switzerland


Oescheninsee - (Lake Oeschenin) in Kandersteg, Switzerland


Grosmunster Kirche in Zurich



Chapel Bridge in Luzern, Switzerland





View in Montalcino from Cafe Fischeteria



Rapallo, Italy harbor at night



A view of Monterosso al Mare from the Cinque Terre trail

More photos to be posted in the near future

A Journey for the Sole

There were times that Chris and I agreed that we should have worn a pedometer to keep track of the miles (kilometers) that we walked during the sabbatical and vacation travels. We know how many frequent flier miles we earned, but the "foot" distance will remain a guess-timate - and like good fishermen - will grow with every re-telling!

Let the photo be the story-teller in this regard. These were new Skechers when I started, chosen for the soft underfooting and the "nubbies" on the sole to absorb the pounding of trail and cobblestones. Other than a comfortable pair of casual dress shoes that were worn with khakis when we went out for dinner, these were the only shoes I wore for six weeks of exploration. As you can see those important "nubbies" have been completely worn down on the outside of each sole. Each step - the 187 steps up the tower of Grosmunster Church in Zurich for a panoramic view of the city, the 4 kilometers down and up from our hotel to Lake Como, the romantic Spanish Steps in Rome, or the steep steps on the Great Wall in China - shaved a little off of the soles of my shoes, but added something new to my own soul.

Since returning home, the two questions I am continually asked are: "Did you have a good trip?" and "What was the best part?" The answer to the first is "Absolutely fabulous" and the second is always, "I could never pick a single person, place, experience or lesson." In fact, this was such a varied trip that it would be like asking me, "Which of your children or grandchildren, do you like the most?"

Each location had its particular attraction, some more mesmerizing than others. Some experiences enjoyed for what they represented more than what I saw. I truly believe that I was destined to visit Switzerland, and felt completely at home there. There was a unity that I felt with the land and the people. And I enjoyed the experience of northern Italy, and want to return someday to visit Milan, Florence, the Piedmont, and Venice. We fell in love with Tuscany, its hilltowns, history, people and their sense of community - and the food and wine! We long to return there. Rome is really the Eternal City and it grabs the eye and the heart at each turn.

China surprised us. The people were more open, more animated, more engaging than either of us expected. The country is big, and diverse, the cities are enormous (32 cities with population of more than 10 milion souls). The economy is massive, the poverty is apparent, the change is inevitable, the future is unpredictable. The history impresses, the traffic oppresses, the difference between the needy and the wealthy depresses. But I am so glad that we experienced the touristy things as well as caught a glimpse of real Chinese life as we visited cities, towns and villages.

My soul is alive because of our travels, even though the poor soles of my shoes may be relegated to the back reaches of my closet, never again to enjoy the Cinque Terre trail, or the steep streeets of Montepulciano! As the hymn says, "It is well with my soul!"

Home Sweet Home

We arrived home from our 11 day vacation trip in China at 2 am on Monday morning. Our travels have ended, but my sabbatical leave continues through August 15. Though this is a blog about my sabbatical experiences, I will highlight our time in China in an entry in the next couple of days. In the Rome airport as we awaited our flight to Beijing, I told a young man heading home to Pyongyang, Korea that I was going to China " to look, listen, and learn." And we did.

The remainder of my sabbatical learning will involve working with graphic design, visual arts, worship planning, and some personal re-entry into the culture of our community. It is amazing how, in six weeks of living and experiencing other cultures, I began to adopt and adapt parts of all of them. Even more than before, I can now think globally and act locally!

It is good to be home with our family, dogs, and familiar surroundings, but I will never be the same!