Pilgrimage #1

March 28,2017 

Pilgrimage:Though many dictionaries give an ok definition and though Wikipedia is not a great academic or pastoral source, I find Wikipedia helpful as I ponder the current pilgrimage that I am on. In particular, I find it helpful to see the world’s common take on pilgrimage and how it compares. So here we go: 

 “A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone’s own beliefs.” 

I am truly and intentionally on a spiritual journey. I have disconnected from work and the everyday of Vegreville. There will be a measure of suffering, Penelope already smoked her mouth at McDonalds today and bled everywhere, but Lord may it be a time of spiritually looking at you that I and we may glorify you and find purpose and meaning in our steps. 

Typically a pilgrimage is to a shrine and in ways I have come to the mountains to see him in nature but I’m also going to see friends and the wonderful shrine known as Disney. It is a family journey and holiday after all. 

Like a lot of people, Nadine and I have dreamed about a west coast trip. The sound and smell of two giants crashing against one another is divine to me. The massive land and vast ocean constantly in love and war draw me in. This journey represents our life. I think that’s what makes it a pilgrimage after all. But we want to be so intentional about seeking the Lord in this time. Fairhaven is a great place to start. After an intense start to sabbatical, with international travel to see ministries, now it’s time to journey and step back. Let’s slow down the pace, 4 hour drives only and read, think, pray, ponder, play, explore, discover, struggle, argue, find and rest. 

My life constantly feels like a crossroads. I am in midst of a great journey yet sense large life choices are always in front of me, begging for a decision. Like a beggar on the side of the road, I constantly throw some change into his hat, never dealing with his poverty. That nagging appeal gets to me. Decisions never seem to get made. So I pilgrimage. This is my way of saying, “shut up life.” Of course I yell this with as much meekness as I can conjure and with upmost concern for life itself. 

I back away and slow down to hear and listen. Not to be internal, simply throwing change into that beggars hat. No, I stop and slow down to see God. Though a pilgrimage arrives at a destination, every pilgrim and his dog knows it is about the journey and it’s best to embrace that than be overcome by it to then shout, “that’s it?” at the finish. But the journey is not even going to climax at seeing my holy shrine. It is completely about seeing Him along the way. I want to let him show me what he wants to show me. It may be past or future. It may be the heart or the head. It may be family or friends or could even be death and life. 

As a pilgrim I simply choose to go. Of course I go with lots of planning (that I made my wife do). But I go in joy. I go ready for conversation with man and God. I go ready for encounters with nature and God. I go ready to experience and find. Who knows what he’ll show me. I had a sense God was excited for this journey. I hope so… because I am.