Travelogues

       One of things that my husband and I like to do is post pictures of places we visit. It's like a travelogue. More often than not it will be the picture of some exquisite meal we have indulged in. It is our practice to eat breakfast like a pauper and eat local food like a king. We try, we have fun. It's all a journey.

        The story of Paul today is all about his journey to Rome. It's quite a little travelogue. I noted that he is quite aware of the winds being for or against them during certain portions of the trip. Paul is making note of different stops precipitated by the changing winds and different ships he is on. Not a great read but one that reminds us of our own journeys. If not real travels, what is our life journey like?

            Have you ever take the time to look back at your life to see how your life journey went? What changes in course have there been? What unexpected 'destinations' have you experienced? And perhaps the most important reflection and realization is, where are you headed? Closer to God? Further from God? All great questions and great things to think about from time to time.

             I know that if you had asked me at age 11 or even 20 where my life would be at age 60, I could not have even grasped the magnificence of life but perhaps more importantly, that I would be married, legally and sacramentally, to another man!  One constant in my life has been my devotion to God and my intense desire to be in relationship with my Creator. Other than that, I try to be open to the journey, listening, cooperating, living and loving. I am not as concerned with the path as some might be as long as God is with me. Certainly there have been some horrific things in my life but so long as God is with me, I sail forward in God's care.

         How is your life's journey?

   

Acts 26:24-27:8

 While he was making this defence, Festus exclaimed, ‘You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!’ But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?’ Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.’

 Then the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those who had been seated with them; and as they were leaving, they said to one another, ‘This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.’ Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor.’

When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.