Off and running

Aloha

It has been an amazing trip already. The first day, arriving at 8am, allowed us to find our way and begin the experience. An introduction to some Spanish foods, and a small museum exhibit. Yesterday, day 2, allowed for a fuller experience. We spent considerable time enjoying art at 2 different museums. The first included remarkable work depicting scripture and other religious themes, as well as a variety of other pieces. The second was a large exhibit of The work of Salvador Dali, a personal favorite.

Last night we arrived at the train station to board an overnight train to Sairria where we will begin our walk. We got our first bad news when we learned we were not at the right station, despite having specifically asked where we needed to arrive (1 member the group in a fluent Spanish speaker and several are conversant.)

We made a mad dash (literally off and running) to the metro to arrive at the proper station about fifteen minutes late. Customer service at 10:45 pm was better than the service we’d received at the other station previously. We were able to exchange for new tickets, however this will put us a day short on the trail. There was no viable way to arrive earlier, and the tickets were directly exchangeable.

We were further blessed to find reasonable accommodations next to this train station. After checking in we regathered at the bar w a bottle of wine to reform a plan. Our walking days have just gotten more challenging, but we believe we are up to it. The plan for today is to visit some of the parks and a church that we didn’t have time to see yesterday.

We are in this together. We will make the most of all of it and I will keep posting as I’m able.

Traveling man

As many of you know, I’m heading out on a trip.  I gather annual (or thereabouts) with a clergy group; this year we head to Spain to walk the last part of the Camino trail.  This is a well known pilgrimage to Santiago.  There are many paths starting in various places, mostly Spain and France, from which pilgrims walk to Santiago.  A great spiritual endeavor for many generations.

Our rough itinerary looks like this:

May 19 – Paul flys out of Honolulu after church
May 20 – Paul arrives in Atlanta and meets most of the group there to fly over together
May 21 — Arrive in Madrid in AM, depart via train @ 10:30PM
May 22 – arrive in Sarria @ 6:50 AM walk to Portomarin, 22km (14mi)
May 23 — to Palas del Rel, 24km (15mi)
May 24 — to Arzua, 28km (17mi)
May 25 — to Lavacolla, 29km(18mi)
May 26 — to Santiago, 11km and Finish the Camino (7mi)
May 27 — Santiago
May 28 — Travel to Madrid via rail (depart 4:05 pm) arrive Madrid 9:48 PM

On May 29 most of my group flies home, but I’ll remain in Spain.  Sarah will join me that morning and we’ll vacation there until June 6.

I plan to post pictures and stories along the Way.

Supernatural

su·per·nat·u·ral

/ˌso͞opərˈnaCH(ə)rəl/

Adjective (of a manifestation or event) Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.

Noun: Manifestations or events considered to be of supernatural origin.

Predicable forces and laws govern the world.  The field of science has done much to describe and explain the natural order of our world.  Recent advances in the field have refined our understanding of our world considerably.  Sometimes these advances allow us to replace, or at least displace misinformation.  Yet, there are still mysteries.  The unexplainable.

The scriptures seem to be filled with stories that stretch the boundaries of the world, as we know it.  The creation story itself, the flood, the ten plagues . . . and that’s all in the beginning, the list continues.  Perhaps they were more spectacular without advanced scientific knowledge, or easier to accept on faith when much of the world was mysterious.  Today our balance of faith and knowledge must find a new balance.  Some try to explain these stories within the context of ordered creation.

I have heard the crossing of the Red Sea explained as a pre-tsunami retreat of the waters, which allowed Moses and the Israelites to cross while overwhelming the Egyptians as they followed.  I am not qualified to say whether or not this is a reasonable explanation.  While on the surface it could offer an explanation, it seems to challenge my belief more than God intervening on behalf of the people.

Perhaps scientific explanations are helpful to some.  Although I suspect each explanation will also leave some doubts regarding it’s feasibility.  I suspect that science will continue to challenge our faith.  Likewise, I know faith remains important to humanity and our understanding of the world.  While I am impressed, and even grateful for scientific advancement, it cannot quantify the human experience.

Often, the decisions we make are based in part on knowledge, but also on that which cannot be quantified.  How does it make us feel?  Big decisions and little decisions alike, we rely not only on facts, but on that which we cannot measure.  Indeed, decisions that we make that go against our intuition are most difficult to put behind us.

Our emotional responses, as well as our desire for explanations to life’s questions will be met by faith.  I am not advocating for blind following, or an end to questions.  Whether we believe that God has done miraculous things within the boundaries that God established in the creation of the world, or that God exceeds all normal boundaries, I hope we see how God responds to our needs and curiosities.

Discipline

I may have missed my mark on my Lenten disciplines.  I know that it’s not quite Holy Week and we have some time left, but I know that have not done everything I intended to do.

This year I planned on taking on several disciplines.  The most lofty of these goals was running.  While I’m generally pretty active, I don’t run much.  I don’t run because I don’t particularly enjoy it.  However, I know that when I do run I feel better physically (after, not during of course) and that I will enjoy other long-term benefits as well.

The goal started as my running every day.  I realized that this wasn’t realistic because of our family schedule, but I also wanted to push myself to do something difficult for Lent.  I was having a hard time putting appropriate numbers to it, yet I wasn’t willing to say “run more” as I saw that as a cop-out.

The first week of Lent passed.  I didn’t run.  Not even once.

The second week of Lent passed.  I didn’t run.  Not at all.

The third week of Lent wasn’t any better.

I was utterly failing at this Lenten commitment.  I was really glad I had taken on more than discipline, the fact that others were going better was my only solace at this failure.  Sure, I’ve failed at things before, failed at other disciplines – but never quite like this.

This week is different.  I decided to start using the elliptical trainer we bought months ago.  I’ve actually used it four times this week.  It has helped fit the type of exercise I was aiming for into our schedule, because I’ve been doing it while the kids work on homework.  They’re not left alone if I train at home and I can answer questions.

Perhaps for the first time, I’m grateful that Lent is as long as it is.  I may have completely failed at this part of my discipline for the majority of Lent, but the length of the season has allowed me to continue my pursuit until I’ve reached some success in too.

Attitude

“attitude is everything”  that’s what they say . . .

I had to have a heart-to-heart with one of my children this week.  I wasn’t really sure that it would even make much of a difference.  Theorizing with elementary aged children is often fruitless.

Mornings had grown to be increasingly difficult.  Nobody wanted to get up.  It was too cold, too early, too whatever.  Grumpiness had taken over the household and it was setting the stage for the whole day.

On Monday it was really bad, the attitude that is.  Worse than normal, I guess that’s what Monday’s are for?  As we rode the bikes to school I pointed out that school and our other obligations were not choices, we had to do them.  Getting up in the morning was not a choice, but we could choose what kind of attitude we would have about.

My God, am I turning into my father?  (transformation complete?)

Like I said, I doubted that it would really work – yet I believed it all the same.  I don’t always want to get up, but I have a choice about how I do so.

Something changed.  One of the kids has been up, dressed and smiling as I get out of bed the last two days.  Even more surprising was the apology for the prior attitude.  I know it’s Lent and all, but that deserves a Hallelujah!

Wandering in the Wilderness

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness . . .” Luke 4:1

Wandering in the wilderness is a reoccurring theme in the broader scriptural narrative.  In the beginning it seems as though the world is synonymous with wilderness, with the waters moving back to give way to the earth.  Abram is called into the wilderness to sacrifice his only son.  Joseph was abandoned in the wilderness and left to die.  Moses leads thousands of Israelites out of captivity and into the dessert wilderness.

Wilderness holds danger and mystery.  Sometimes wilderness leads us to new places as well.  In fact, many of the aforementioned stories lead our Biblical ancestors into better circumstances.

Our gospels tell us of Jesus being led into the wilderness following his baptism.  It is a time that Jesus prepares himself for ministry.  It is a time when we believe he is particularly close to God, in prayer and solitude.  We are told that he faces great temptations, yet perseveres as an example for us.

Perhaps we could all use some time in the wilderness.  Sometimes it is difficult to commune with God with the distractions of the world around us.  Even the wilderness has become more elusive as more things fill our earth and compete for our attention.  Do you have a place where you feel more able to pray?  A place where you feel close to God?  Maybe it’s a favorite chair in the back yard (where you can’t hear the phone), the beach, or even church!

Sometimes our “wilderness” isn’t a specific place at all.  Riding my bicycle has been one of the places I feel close to God.  Riding allows me to occupy my body and free my mind of chores and to-do lists.  While riding I often find myself praying, not just because of close encounters with larger vehicles, but because I’m not busy doing a bunch of other things.  I hope that you have a place like this for yourself.  If not, perhaps you can commit to seeking one out between now and Easter.

Even with “places” I can access regularly, I yearn for deeper wilderness experiences from time to time.  Full days at the beach, camping trips or generally getting away from our regular schedule can allow us to connect with God in more profound ways.  Perhaps your Lenten disciplines have helped you to deepen your connection already.

Good practices help us to cope with the busyness and recognize the things that distract us from God.  Often these challenges remain present, they are difficult if not impossible to remove.  The good news is that as we seek God, so God seeks us.  Be ready, to meet God, whether in the wilderness or around the next corner.

“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” – Edward Abbey

Returning to the wilderness – part 1

Dogsledding adventures.

Oh where to begin? Sarah and I enjoyed dogsledding while in Alaska. Lots of training runs a few short races. Last November our friends Wayne and Chris Curtis were visiting us in Hawaii and Wayne was telling us about this unusual race, Denali Doubles. Two musher (drag sled configuration is usually reserved for training or ceremonial events, not distance races) and 20 dog teams. They would race across the Denali Highway and back, a gravel road through the middle of the state that isn’t maintained in the winter months.

Wayne had wanted to run the race with Chris, but she wasn’t interested at this point. I wasn’t sure if the offer would be helpful or not, but I said I’d love to come run that kind of race. We talked it over some while they were in Hawaii. Wayne called after returning home to see if I was serious. It was on.

Day 1 – arriving
I flew out of Honolulu on Monday night, arriving in anchorage about 5:30am. We drove to Wasilla, home of Stormwatch kennels and had a bit of breakfast. Wayne and I loaded dogs in the dog truck and headed toward willow for a training run. Before long I was out on the trail with a ten dog team.

The first 10 minutes are always a little intense. The dogs are amped up. I hadn’t been on a sled in about 3 years, the transition from the parking lot was always a little dicey for me. Sure, I fell off the runners, but only momentarily. This was only suppose to be a short reintroduction anyway. Things were going great. It was beautiful out. The dogs were running great. We had a few big moose run across the trail in front of us, but the dogs held to the trail. What a great day for mushing.

About an hour and a half into the run it occurred to me that I may have taken a wrong turn. That was about how long we were due to be out and while we were running a loop the trail wasn’t familiar. Then the dogs accelerated and we were headed down a short, but steep hill. I was braking hard but lost control at the bottom. The sled tipped and as I set the snow hook the dogs dragged me several feet.

Once upright we drove away from the hill before we stopped so I could check the map. We were indeed off course. Turning a team around on the trail can be tricky, I’d never managed it very well but it seemed like the best option. It went far better than expected and we were on our way back.

Soon we met a snow machine groomer on the trail, he told me how to get back to our starting point, we were a few miles off. A few more confusing moments in the woods ensued, but we did find our way back and all enjoyed the run too. It wasn’t until we were half way back that I’d realized how badly I scrapped me arm in the crash. I was grateful that I’d hung on though.

Not bad for a first day back.

Day 2 – giving rides

Part of having a team of sled dogs, especially gorgeous Siberian huskies, is being asked to give sled dog rides to various groups. I’d helped one other time while we lived in Alaska.

We went to Chugiak trails to meet the group needing rides. Fresh snow that was still falling would add a small challenge, but also add to the beauty of the event. A 2 mile loop would be our track. Wayne and I would hardly see each other as we each gave half a dozen rides or so. Another musher friend came to help transitions in the turn around and loading and unloading of our passengers.

It was a fun morning of mushing, but it did seem the dogs got board with the short loop and started goofing off some toward the end. We spent the afternoon getting ready for the race. Even loading much of what we would need so we could head out the next morning.

Day 3 – the race begins.

Last minute items and the essential loading of the dogs and then we were on our way to Cantwell. The drive was pretty enough, still oddly familiar. Preparations continued after our arrival. We attended the race meeting for rule reviews and Q&A. Things were feeling pretty real.

Typically dog races begin with teams leaving in 2 minute increments. The time differential is offset during mandatory rest on distance races, or each team is timed separately in sprint (you don’t know who won until calculations are made in that case). It was decided that each team would start from their truck, rather than moving the teams to an official starting line as the additional distance was of little consequence and the challenge of moving teams of 20 dogs would be substantially challenging.

to be continued . . .