Tag: camino

Where were you ?

October 20, 2025

Good evening,

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?

    Tell me, if you understand.
 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line across it?
 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels shouted for joy ? ”  JOB  38:4-7

The book of Job is a great study of humanity. Job’s life gets destroyed, and then three or four friends try to convince that it was all his fault. There are many conversations that go on for a long time throughout the book with three main characters, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar questioning Job.  A fourth man, Elihu, arrives later in the book. Then, the Almighty and Everlasting shows up and asks questions of Job, almost cynical or how do you read the above words. All these words are still difficult to answer. Science is not certainty but it is always discovering and learning new things. Science is as uncertain as faith. 

Have you ever had a group of people trying to change how you see faith ? How did you react ? Did you find it helpful or troubling ? The people that are trying to have you change your mind might have good intentions. I would like to change the mind of conservative evangelicals who have lost their faith by following Trump . I might be like Eliphaz, Bildad or Zofar.  A conversation would be good, but I am not very good at debate, so I might have someone else to help me to listen and offer a change.

Praying for the limited ceasefire to hold in Gaza, AMEN.

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Shirley and I are leading a Camino walk from Porto, Portugal to Santiago, Spain in April 2026. Please check the link below. We led a tour last September in Spain. Please consider joining us on a spiritual journey and a lovely walk. Share it with people that you might know as well.Fred

https://www.tourmagination.com/tours/from-porto-to-santiago-a-camino-journey-of-faith-reflection-2026?utm_source=fred_shirley

Walk at Your Own Pace. In Life

June 9, 2025

Good evening,

During our Camino experience last September, our guide told us to not walk together as a group. We were a group of thirteen of various ages and physical abilities. He told us this so that the fast walkers would not get frustrated by having to walk slower for the group. For the slower walkers, they would not feel bad if they felt they were slowing down the faster walkers. So walk at your own speed.

I retold this story to my spiritual director today. I shared with her that some days of retirement were good and others were challenging as I lived into this new life. It is not surprising that this would be my experience . Her advice to me was the same as our Spanish Camino guide, go at your own pace. Do not rush it. On our Camino walk we were encouraged to stop for coffee and lunch. There were many churches and chapels where we could rest.  It was not a race, but an experience. It was a good piece of advice for my journey on the Camino, and maybe for life in general 

“ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. ”   2 Timothy 4:7-8


The above Scripture, for me, is still in the present tense. Hopefully I am still fighting ( in a pacifist sense ) with life, and running a good race and am keeping my faith strong. Some days in the last few months have been difficult while others have been relaxing and  life giving. But that could be said about 40 years of my working  life as a pastor.  
Peace and strength for the journey of life and faith. Amen.

Gaza.

Fred

black and white shadows

crush humanity’s freedom

am I complicit ? MPL 2025