Much has happened

The past 10 days or so have been very full. I haven't posted much because either I have not been near a computer or I have been busy with various things.
St Gregory's Abbey is as one of my readers noted a holy place. Upon arriving I could feel just how much I had gotten caught up in rushing about, as much in my head as actual activity. Praying with the brothers helped slow me down a bit. I also ran into at the monastery one of the professors at North Park Theological seminary. We had not been in much contact since my graduation and it was good to see him. He was finishing up a retreat as I was beginning mine.

Upon ariving back from the St Gregory's I had to jump back into the flow of things, there was Reconciler stuff of course, but also finishing up the icons I have been painting. I was also preparing for the wedding I officiated this past weekend. So much of last week is a little bit of a blur, with writing the homily for the wedding, and making sure any last minute details were taken care of on my part for the wedding, working on the icons (I was able to finish one of the two). I flew out of Chicago at 8 in the morning on Friday heading to California for Bear and Kristi's wedding.

the flight was fine and arrived on time in Oakland but then there was some problems with availability of cars at the car rental place, and then what could have been an hour and a half drive to Healdsburg, in Sonoma county,where the wedding was, took a little over three hours due to construction and late Friday afternoon traffic. So that meant I did not see where the wedding was to be held until Saturday, the day of the wedding.

The only complication was that I realized once I arrived that I did not have paten and chalice nor linens for communion. So I spent Saturday morning shopping in Healdsburg for items that could serve those purposes in the midst of a festival celebrating the towns 150th aneversary. But it all worked out the wedding went more smoothly than the others I have officiated at. No unforeseen last minute complications. The reception was fun and the food was some of the best food I have had, and possibly the best food I have had at a wedding reception.
Sunday I was able to meet my parents and sister at a Covenant church in the area, and had an early lunch and then drove back to Oakland for a late afternoon flight and I arrived home a little after midnight last night.

I have been in some very beautiful places the past several days. And also have experienced many things that have given me much food for thought. So, I have thoughts and reflections on most of what happened in the last 10 to 12 days, we'll see how much makes its way into blog posts.