…and an empty book
Ever since January 1st there has been a big block on my year planner labelled ‘sabbatical’. After seven years, some of them the most challenging I can ever remember, the time has come to take a break. From tomorrow, for the next quarter, I shall be away from my church duties. I shall not be idle during that time, but I shall be changing the pace. These three months give me an opportunity to escape the tyranny of the urgent over the important, and to reset the metronome of the soul.
Ever since I wrote The Disciple’s Way last year, I have been fascinated by the rise in popularity of pilgrimage and its impact upon the rhythm of the soul. In years gone by, as pilgrims criss-crossed Europe to some of the great pilgrimage sites, they were aware that each hard won mile echoed the steps they were taking on their way not just to a holy site, but towards heaven itself. The pace of the journey, necessarily slow, gave an opportunity to reflect on its purpose rather than simply to anticipate its end. The raucous voice of a sat-nav, declaring the time left until your destination, would not have been welcome even if it had been invented!
I am fortunate enough to work in a team ministry, and at last week’s team meeting, my two beloved colleagues presented me with the book below.
An open book…
As you can see, the book is pretty much empty. As it stands it is not a book about pilgrimage or mission or discipleship. Then again, it could be all of them. As my mother used to say when asked what was for pudding – wait and see.
In the next three months I am hoping to see all sorts of things on these pages, but what they might be I do not know…
