Thinking about God while keeping my feet (& wheels) on the ground!
Couple Days in McKinney, TX
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Yesterday (6/18) after a very long and HOT ride (100°) to the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas. Yes, I cheated a bit. It would have taken 7 hours to “go around” on back roads away from the interstate (and possibly avoid some heat). But, I had plans and needed to arrive in McKinney, TX by dinner time so I took I-35 North 🤷♂️. I finally arrived in McKinney at 5:30 p.m. to stay with a long time friend, Susan Bastian. Susan and I met in California when we were camping next to each other in the summer of 1983. She was with the Gibbons family (Beth Gibbons Tripp to appear later in this story!) Susan attended Johnson & Whales Culinary Institute in Charleston, SC when I was at the Citadel. I was the “guinea pig” and sampled her new culinary creations. We lost touch, but reconnected on social media several years ago. She’s been a great friend for a long time. We went out for a special dinner when I arrived (she’s a foodie and a chef, so good food is what she does!). Today, (6/19) we went to German Night at her father’s retirement home restaurant.
Susan invited me to stay 2 nights so that I could catch up with another friend, Mark Monroe, today. He and his wife have 3 daughters who all live within the surrounding Dallas area. Mark and I attended Frederick Military Academy together. He graduated the year before me and was Battalion Commander (cadet COL) his senior year. Mark was one of my great friends in High School. We even spent spring break together in Houston, TX after his family moved there from Chesapeake, VA. Over the years, Mark has tried to introduce me to all things “Texas.” This time it was a Brisket Lunch today (6/19)!
One of the main intents of this sabbatical was to reconnect and renew the meaningful relationships in my life. As an extrovert, my connections to others are what recharges my batteries. Often, with my regular responsibilities, I don’t have time to tend important relationships. This sabbatical afforded me the time to make these important connections.
Jesus emphasized the importance of connection with others and with God. He modeled this through his interactions and relationships with his closest followers (the disciples), his teachings, and his actions. Jesus built strong relationships and practiced love and compassion as he actively engaged the world around him. Therefore, experiencing the fullness of human relationships is one of the most Christ-like things we can do. I am blessed to have so many folks from throughout my life that still mean something to me.
Challenge to St. James and Self: Think about the 5 most important relationships in your life (beyond your spouse, children, grandchildren, etc.). Think about why they made your list and what you learned by having them in your life.
Cibolo, TX to McKinney, TX
Ride: 291 Miles
Reading: Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro
(I haven’t informed an opinion yet. I’m only a chapter into the read)
I made it to Goose Creek State Park campground to meet up with my mom and dad in order to celebrate his 79th birthday. My dad’s sister (my aunt Hope) and my cousin Rob were here camping also. My sister, Angel, and her husband, Jason, drove down from their house near Raleigh. Today was a beautiful ride day! I started off by attending worship at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury, NC. It was an Episcopal “standard” spoken Rite I service at 8 a.m. I call the 8 a.m. service one of the only sacred cows that the Episcopal Church has left. You can change the world, but don’t mess with the 8 a.m. service! I don’t care if you have 4 people there! (Just kidding!). I arrived at Goose Creek SP at about 3:45 p.m. in time to gather with the family to celebrate dad’s birthday. It was pretty cool to have me and my sister there with him as well as his sister. I spoke yesterday of the importance of family connections. It’s pretty amazing how when you’re back together as a group, regardless o...
We are less than a week out from Ken and I beginning our trek northbound on the Appalachian Trail. I think I have packed, repacked, shaken down, and prepped about 3 dozen times. We've been talking back and forth, getting excited about our journey, talking about food and gear and bears and trees (personal joke). I'm not sure I have many concerns. I am thankful that Ken will be with me. He has always felt like the older brother that I never had. We plan to go slow, listen to our bodies, savor the experience, and enjoy the trip. We have both wanted to do this for a long time, but I'm not sure we ever expressed it to one another. It was just brought up in a conversation about a year ago, so we said, "let's do this!" "Going for it" is something that I have always done in life. If you read the 2017 Sabbatical entries in this blog, you will see that I love adventure. The journey then was epic, and this one, though shorter, will be just as epic. I hope you ...
And not a drop to drink… My grandfather’s favorite poem was the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and used that line quite a bit. Well, there is water everywhere, especially when you are headed down the coast of Florida. I stayed in a hotel last night. Mostly to recuperate from the rain the day before. When I woke up this morning, it had just finished raining. I uncovered and wiped down the bike and looked at the weather report. The report showed possibility of rain on the route, but the radar didn’t show anything but minor blips, so I risked it. I decided not to cover everything or put on a rain suit (man, those things are warm). It ended up being a beautiful day. Hot and humid (93°), but beautiful. It only got hazy toward the end of the day. One of the relaxing joys that I find while riding is what I see and experience vs. what I might see from a car. Relaxed, but hyper-aware and “safe” (for the worriers). I took in the sights today. The last time I was this way was 2015, and I took A...
May 4, 2022 We spent the day in Dahlonega, GA. Woke up VERY SORE with heavy legs. I had to shuffle to the other room. At breakfast, we met up with a man that was Ken's age who had spent the last year preparing, backpacking trips, and practicing and who had also come off the trail for similar reasons. He was having issues with heat exhaustion and extreme cramping. I didn't remember a fun fact until our shuttle driver yesterday reminded me. An old Army Ranger saying goes, "Sassafrass will kick your ass!" It refers to Sassafrass Mountian, which is the assent that we didn't make yesterday before calling for a shuttle. On the other side, the Army Ranger School is at the bottom of Sassafrass Mountain. Now, it all makes sense. 😦 We have spent the day walking around Dahlonega, trying to work the soreness out of our muscles. Ken took his pack to the Wilderness store in Dahlonega to have the woman evaluate his gear. Mostly he was in good shape. We could have both shaved a...
Today (7/24) I rode from Coos Bay, OR to Seaside, OR. Talk about a cold ride! This one was really cool with the cross winds and overcast. I don't think I saw the sun but twice. I tend to take more pictures when the sun is out, so the bulk of the pictures from today include sunshine. The ride up Hwy 101 and the coast of Oregon was great, even though it was cold and overcast. At one time, I felt wet from all the sea spray. So, not every day has been the bliss of sunshine! Hmmm... it reminds me of life. While the good days definitely outnumber the bad, I've had my share of clouds. I think that the clouds are what help us appreciate the sunshine. It's the gloomy pieces that make the bright pieces so much more enjoyable. Church life is not any different. Church is a messy place sometimes. It isn't all sunshine and daffodils. Sometimes there can be real challenge and real hardship for the community, but if the community is living for Christ, then it is possible to get thr...
Yesterday morning (6/16) I headed for Livingston, TX! I left Metairie, LA and traveled west… Around Houston, TX! The trip was wet from Baton Rouge, LA to Livingston. I was soaked! It was also warm, and riding in a rain suit makes it that much warmer! 🥵 Today (6/17) I arrived in Cibolo, TX. I hung out with Kathy Robinson and her daughters Megan and Bridgett. I knew the Robinson family from my time in Maryland. After Kathy’s husband, Mark, died, they moved to Texas to be near family. The past several years, I’ve watched the girls grow up from afar. It was a treat to go to lunch with Kathy’s mom and dad and then be with them. We watched Bridget play volleyball. It was nice to catch up with all of them. Ministry is a difficult vocation. What makes it meaningful is the lives that you get to be part of along the way. To be with folks during their highs and lows, sharing their joys and sorrows, helping them engage their faith to help them navigate life is why I’m a priest. Life is difficult,...
This past week I’ve been riding the historic Route 66. From Santa Rosa, New Mexico, I crossed into the top of Texas (7/16), then to the middle of Oklahoma (7/17), into the corner of Kansas (7/18). In Texas, I had lunch again at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, TX. I ate there in 2017 when I was west bound. The place is full of nostalgia and signs. They are dedicated to keeping the memory of the mother road alive. The “Midpoint” is exactly 1139 miles in and equidistant between Santa Monica and Chicago. In Oklahoma, I crossed myself in Oklahoma City and was invited to spend the evening with the Fankhouser’s again on my way through. The scenery changes quickly on Route 66. Different towns offer different levels of preservation or dilapidation, depending on the circumstances. The landscape goes from high dessert to rolling hills, to flat prairie. Lots of agriculture and small towns. The Americana of yesteryear lurks in the shadows of neon gardens and museums. The “old road” is barely pass...
Comments
Post a Comment