Well Sent . . .Adios

My next post will, if all goes well, come from Madrid.  My walking buddy and I are flying separately so if we get to have lunch today or tomorrow, we'll get to hug goodbye after and in incredibly cool fashion say, "I'll see you in Madrid".

For now, I am trying to stay calm--I've been waking up at 5:30 every morning, either in a sweat from a dream of broken legs or a dog attack in the back country of Spain, or with excitement about all that is waiting for me on this great adventure.  This morning I woke up intensely aware of how much I love, and will miss waking up next to Ketl.  

Yet and all, I am well sent.  Sunday was quite the day.  The "Care Corps" a group of women who look after church members (cards on birthdays, anniversaries--even Rosh Hashanah cards for my family!!--Thank you Virginia) gave me a little gift, a tiny stuffed "Care Bear", to carry to Spain.  Afterwards, they asked about Ketl, and I was telling them that my usual Sunday routine is to get up, make coffee, and then prepare for church.  Ketl usually wakes up, I bring her coffee in bed, and she enjoys the next hour or two reading.  This past morning, she gave me a look and said, "Who will bring me coffee for the next 6 weeks?"  As I was telling the end of that little story, the pastor overheard.  In good pastoral style, he immediately volunteered to step into the breach.  He will be so very surprised having not heard the "in bed" part,  . . .as will Ketl in her nightgown! (Insert smiley emoticon face here!).

After worship on Sunday my church invoked God's, and offered their own, blessings.  About 30 of us gathered at the altar, prayed over, and laid hands on me.  Wow, I'm such a cry baby, I wept the entire time.  One of my good friends, said, "You know, you'll have to stop crying sometime.  You need to keep hydrated." 

I include here some pictures of the liturgy of sending at church.  They prayed over me, and we prayed over a stack of prayers that those who share my pilgrimage send with me to Spain.  There are 67 prayers, and more still coming in via email this very morning! Prayer requests from Texas, California, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Ontario; from cousins, family, great nephews, friends, very old friends, and a few from folks I don't even know.  What a blessing to be able to come close and hold hearts and hands.  As the Mishkan T'filah (the prayer book from my wife's synagogue) says as it describes the way out of the darkness of Egyptland and into the light of the Promised Land, "There is only one way to get there: by holding hands and marching together."

 

I am swallowing hard to keep the fears down, singing over and over again a verse from Wesley's "O, for a thousand tongues to sing": 

Jesus, the name that charms our fears
That bids our sorrows cease
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears
‘Tis life and health and peace

I am indeed, after a kiss from my wife and a hug from my daughter, well sent. 

I'll see you in Madrid.  Adios.