Camino Diary, Day 31

Today was our last Wednesday on the Camino. I still can’t believe that’s true. Our albergue had heavy curtains to keep out the morning sun. We could have slept in. But someone decided to get up early and go to the bathroom – without turning their alarm off. After 20 minutes of buzzing, we were

Camino Diary, Day 30

There were several things I didn’t take into account as I planned for the Camino. One of those things was fixed schedule I had created by having flights one day after arriving in Santiago that I would need to make in order to meet my wife in Ireland. That fixed schedule meant that I couldn’t

Weaponizing Ordination

I’ve come to have a low sacramental view of ordination. I say “low sacramental” because I see it much the same as I see our practice of communion (or the Lord’s supper or the Eucharist). I think these are “graces” from God and I feel they are more than merely symbolic practices but I have

Camino Diary, Day 29

We were out of our albergue and walking by 7:30 a.m. Breakfast service was running slow so we decided to get going and make due with the bars and water we had for the day’s walk. It was a misty morning but we never put on our rain gear. A few people were stopping and

You Can’t Argue With Success

I’m listening to the Christianity Today podcast, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” Specifically, it’s the story of a Seattle based mega-church and it’s most prominent pastor, Mark Driscoll – how it started, how it grew, how it established a network of campuses/churches and then dissolved…or spontaneously combusted into a dumpster fire. As I’m

Camino Diary, Day 28

Early to rise, early to walk… Getting nearer the end of our Camino. Today was the beginning of the end. We are in the final 100km of our journey and while that figure sounded way too long on day one, it now sounds way too short. I’ve lost weight. I’m sleeping well. I feel better

Camino Diary, Day 27

We were up early in Triacastela. It was a short night but we were ready to get on our way again…after we stopped for first breakfast before leaving town. The day started in early morning light and fog. The sun came out and then disappeared again and played hide and seek with us all the

Lead Like Jesus not like Caesar

If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, then his way of being describes what good shepherding looks like. Let’s sit with that for just another second. If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, then his way of being describes what good shepherding looks like. If Jesus is our king, then his way of being describes what authority

Camino Diary, Day 26

A short walk in the rain landed us in Triacastela for the night. We chose this spot as the place we would begin our final walk to Santiago. Where we would begin our last 100 kilometers of this journey. It’s hard to believe we are this close to the end. As much as I have

Camino Diary, Day 25

Today, according to the guidebook, we’ve crossed over the last of our “mountain tops” and it’s all downhill from here. I can see elevation ahead so I suppose it’s all relative but we won’t return to this same elevation again on the Camino. This morning was a classic Camino morning. A British pilgrim in the