Back from Italy!

That long, long trip I wrote about in October is now in the past, but far from forgotten. That long time (13 days) passed very quickly!

I learned many things, one of which is that it is probably impossible to have a bad meal in Italy. I discovered hot chocolate (the kind I expected to drink, but happily ate with a spoon instead) thicker and darker than hot fudge sauce. In Rome,I was dumbstruck by the Colosseum and the Forum—but not too dumbstruck to ask lots of questions of our guide. I stood with just six other people in the Sistine Chapel, attempting to grasp the enormity of the project, awed by the strangeness of what was there, and overwhelmed by the incredible amount of ornamentation throughout the Vatican Museum. I struggled to keep back tears in the Jewish synagogue as our guide told us stories of centuries of persecution, and the desecration of the building by Nazis during World War II. I spent a night in a ninth-century castle, where the host served pineapple upside-down cake for breakfast, followed by cereal and fruit and a long conversation about United Methodist beliefs—he really wanted to know! I saw autumn in Tuscany, with mountainsides covered in gold and red, learning that Sally Watkins will drive a car over anything like a road to get where we want to go. I heard a priest chanting the mass in an old, old abbey in Sant Antimo, and dared to dip my fingertip into the holy water. I explored the infinite variety of shopping opportunities in Rome and Florence, and even bought a few things. You’ll see my new red stole from Rome on Pentecost Sunday next May! Perhaps most important, with my two traveling companions, Sally and Sue, I spent two evenings in Italian homes, invited by a driver and a guide.

The trip taught me what most of you already know—that it is good to look at and live in another part of the world occasionally; that it is important to take time to feed one’s soul. I experienced what I’m good at telling other people: that rest and play and discovery can bring us as close to God as does work—perhaps even closer. And I realized anew what a gift it is to share uninterrupted time with friends.

I’m very glad I made the trip; I’m very glad to be safely home. It was incredibly hard to be so far away at a time when there were significant losses among us, but that was a learning experience, too. Returning in time for our All Saints celebration helped. Standing in the Chapel and Sanctuary with those dear congregations, singing “For All the Saints,” hearing the names of the departed read, lighting candles for those we have loved—all reminded me of the power of the community of faith that is ours. I am blessed to be here with you, and so appreciate all your encouragement—in this travel adventure and in my ministry.

Off to Italy!

On Sunday, October 21, I will leave Austin for a long, long trip to Italy. Really long—twelve days! No, really, that’s a long, long trip for me. I think long and hard before embarking on a five-day trip for continuing education within the bounds of the United States. I am definitely a homebody.

I’m not sure exactly how this happened, but it’s happening. I will travel to Rome, Tuscany, and Florence with two of my dearest and longest-standing friends, Sally Watkins and Sue Bock. Since Sally is a travel agent and a specialist in Italy, and Sue is reading all the books Sally has assigned as pre-trip homework, I am assured of the best possible companionship. My most enjoyable preparation for the trip has been reading John Grisham’s new book about American football in Italy, Playing for Pizza. I don’t expect to see American football there, but I can’t wait to sample real Italian food made in Italy!

For a person born into a poor family in the depths of the Great Depression, this trip is a huge luxury. Is it really okay to spend the money and time this way? Should I stay home and give the money to the church or to the poor? Should I save it for a rainy day and my old age, which might come some time far in the future?

I have thought about this a lot—in fact, I think about this when making many small decisions about spending money. I know that everything I have comes from God, and that I have been hugely blessed to have come to a place in life that allows such discretionary spending. I find it amazingly wonderful that I have been so blessed, and agonizingly painful to remember that I have so much and so many have so little.

So…I live in some tension in this world of haves and have-nots. I know that I am not called to the life of an ascetic—take a look in my clothes closet or refrigerator, and that will be clear to anyone. But I know that I am called to be responsible to God for what I have…so along with my extra spending on this trip, I will do some extra giving to the church. I have listened with much interest and shared joy as friends who have traveled afar have described their journeys, and believe their travel has enriched their lives. So as I go, I will remember that God must surely be happy when we seek and explore new things, strange beauty, unfamiliar treasures, and the joy of friends.

I’ll be back to celebrate All-Saints worship with the saints of First Church, and I’ll probably be eager to tell you about my adventures. In the meantime, grace and peace to each of you!