travel – Ponder Anew

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.

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

IT IS NOT AS IT SEEMS

Good morning, from Amman Jordan,

Yesterday we were at the Dead Sea, the Jordanian side.

The Sea loses a meter of depth every year. So, by 2025 it will be beyond recovery. It weird and fun to float on your back on the water. It burned any cuts you might have, and it was really salty to the tongue and it burned your eyes.

It is not mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus would have been close when he was in and around Jerusalem. It is a bit south of Jericho, so he would have been very close at that point. In the Old Testament the Salt Sea is mentioned with the story of Abram and Lot, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Remember Lot’s wife who looked back to the burning cities, and turned to salt. Ezekial mentioned that God would reverse the sea and make it into freshwater. That prophecy has not been fulfilled yet.
The sea is calm. No boats are allowed because they do not float. No engine noise. But, the calm is not real. Jordanians cannot go across the Sea to Israel, nor the other way around. Both Jordan and Israel are well armed. The West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, is just across the water. Occupied Gaza is not too far away. Damascus, Syria is only 170 kms away, but you can’t get there from here. And we cannot hear any of the bombs or gunfire. It seems peaceful here.
We cannot know or experience all of the world. We can only see what we see, but we know there is much more going on. This can be seen in the media, politics, geography and even in the church. What are you seeing today that is bringing you hope or anxiety ? Bring hope with what you see in your world, and be humble in all things you do not know.

For peace in Gaza to arrive. AMEN

Fred