Sabbath Road

“We make the road by walking...” This phrase, the theme of Brian McLaren’s closing reflection at the upcoming Wild Goose Festival is stuck in my head.  I find myself pondering it from so many different perspectives: the road Anna and I have walked for the past 25 years; the road I have walked in ministry for the past 22 years; the road I have walked for the past 8 years as Chaplain in a prison; and the road I and other have  embarked upon in the provision of Chaplaincy services through Kairos Pneuma Chaplaincy Inc. (KPC Inc.)  “We make the road by walking...”  There are so many truths in that short sentence! We.  We make the road together.  Not “I”, not “you”, but we.  We together make the road.  I imagine a group of people sometimes following one or the other, sometimes walking two abreast, occasionally three or more abreast as they seek to find their way... and other times they trust in the one at the front and the path becomes well tramped...

It was to be a short day.  It was to be a direct ride to Winnipeg.  But plans change... The day began slowly for a change.  Some emails to Calgary seeking tires.  A conversation with Anna and another conversation with Mom via Skype, another cup of coffee and it was 7:30 AM.  The day was getting old! I started loading the bike and as I did Ray from Indiana came over and struck up a conversation.  We had a short conversation about government and law makers and when he found out what I did it seemed as if I was "one of them" and that kind of closed off the conversation for him... but a few minutes later Ernie came along. Ernie is from the Twin Cities area and as we talked the conversation shifted to what I did.  I handed him my card and he said, "You must see all kinds..."  I replied that yes, I do, but that I try to see them all as I would hope someone would see me - a human being with the potential to change. He was quiet for a mo...

Departing from Laval this morning at 6AM I knew I was in for an interesting day... the chain was making some funny noises.  I stopped and investigated only to find that there was a string of three links that seemed to be seized.  I applied a healthy dose of chain lube and that seemed to fix the problem... temporarily I know!!  I was moving again, east toward Joyceville Ontario. The welcome to Ontario sign came quickly and before too long I was looking for gas as I puttered along the 1,000 Islands Parkway. What a beautiful corner of the world.  I know I could never afford to live here, but it would be a wonderful place to visit again and just sit, and watch the boats go by.  After a little scenic detour (I was lost) I made my way to Pittsburg Institution for my scheduled visit with the Chaplain there and a meeting with an inmate who had once been at Springhill.  A.S. was so pleased to see me!  We chatted for more than an hour and he brought me up to...

Yesterday was the first official day of my sabbatical.  The morning was one of contrasts.  For me there was no rushing out the door to the prison.  However, Anna was stressed and rushing to get away to be with her mom to offer support as she waited for a procedure, the boys were writing their first exams of the week, Barb and Jerry Wittstock’s (friends of ours visiting from Alberta) were packing to return home and I had no plans... well... I had lots of plans but they were washed away with the rain! Anna got away.  The boys got off to school.  Barn and Jerry were gone.  And I was alone.  I read.  I did some mapping.  I read some more... and I spent some time reflecting on the pictures above the Justin shot over the weekend (the sun did shine for two days). “The grass withers... and the dandelions are scattered...”  My paraphrase of Isaiah 40.   A wise person once said to me about ministry, “Put your hand in a bucket of wat...