Croatia Trip

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.   After two days and nights on the boat,  we finally set foot on land yesterday in the island of Korcula.  The first day we didn't have much wind, so we have been motoring most of the way, but yesterday we got our first sailing lesson, unfurling both the main sail and the gib, cruising up to 6.5 knots.  Miles and I were the crew,  tightening and loosening the ropes on the winch. After a long day at sea it was nice to moor in a little bay, where we went swimming, dove off the boat, etc. Frank mentioned that in French, sea sickness is called mal d'mar, and there's also Mal d'terre... land sickness.  The cure for Mal d'mar is to get on land. The cure for Mal d'terre is to get back in the boat. We dressed for dinner and took the dinghy to the beach side restaurant,  and Frank Gretchen and i shared a freshly caught sea bass, which was de boned for us at...

And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind... We arrived in Split, Croatia yesterday...Miles, Isaiah, Gretchen and myself.  Frank was to arrive today.  Our Uber driver carried us and our luggage to lodging for the night, and we had the evening to explore this historic city.   It was too dark to visit Diocletian's palace, but we were able to walk these streets and there were mock centurions marching through town. This would be our last night on land before or epic sail boat trip the next day. Frank had assured us that sailing would be relatively danger free unless the Croatian Bora wind would come, often fierce and unexpected.   As the morning came, we packed and headed to the marina, along the way we got news that Frank's flight was delayed and it was unlikely that he would make the connection in Germany to Croatia. By the time we arrived at the marina, we got the good news that Frank made...

My first trip abroad was to Norway and London in 1993.  My sister had just moved there.  I remember how it felt to see all these famous places that only existed in my mind now come into 3D life...now I was able to show my son some of the very same places.  Ever the historian, Miles knew much more than I about most of the sites. Our first stop was Tower of London. Then we walked a ways before hopping on the tube to  this place, and i got to say "Look, kids, Big Ben, Parliament!" Unfortunately, he didn't get the reference. From there we headed to the horse guards and Downing Street, meandered through Saint James Park and Buckingham Palace...then to Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus before taking the train back home.  Today we head to Croatia via Munich...not sure how much wifi we will have after today.  Will post when i can!

After three flights in successive days and a long road trip around Iceland, our bodies were tired, and in need of much rest.  I am reminded of the commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.  As a pastor who generally works on the Sabbath, i have had to get creative for the "rest" aspect of Sabbath ...Sunday afternoons have generally been a time for me to catch up on rest.  Thankfully my sister picked us up at London Gatwick airport and drove us to her home in Working, Surrey, where i could finally catch up on rest...and play with their dog, Milo! Later in the evening as the sun set, my brother-in-law, Frank took us for a walk through the golf course where there was this bench, a place of rest.  This particular bench carries the name, Clay Norum Block Cerveny, for their son who died three years ago.   There is little rest from the grief their family carries each day, only the brief moments when God's hope is able to break t...

Named for Icelandic poet, Hallgrimur Peturrson, this church was built over the course of forty years, completed in 1986 as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Iceland.  We were able to view the city of Reykjavik from atop the tower and heard the magnificent organ shortly after.   Our trip began with a visit to the Blue Lagoon  where we decompressed from a long flight, well two long flights in my case.   From there we headed to the Thingvellir National Park,  ate hot dogs at a famous stand in downtown Reykjavik  and journeyed to the Gillfoss Waterfall which was pretty spectacular.   After a long drive we found our B&B near the airport and crashed for the night.   Here's are the opening lines from Hymns of the Passion, the epic work of Hallgrimur Petursson, written between 1614-1674: Up, up, my soul, and all my flesh! Up, up, my heart, and sing afresh. My thou...

Arrived at JFK with some time to spare before our flight to Iceland, so i stopped by the old TWA terminal.  Of course TWA has long since gone out of business, but the terminal had been resurrected as a hotel!  Although the decor dates back to 1962, it   has new life and new energy for weary travelers like myself.  There's even a roller skating rink outside, and a pool on the roof! We are creatures of habit, and for many of us the familiar is safe, comfortable. And yet the Holy Spirit is always seeking to lead us the Church in new directions.  Isaiah 43:19 says "I am doing a new thing!" And Revelation 21:5 says "I am making everything new!"  It's been my experience that those new things are the joyful parts of ministry.  Soon i will be in a new country, and I will learn something new.  What new things is the Holy spirit awaiting to work in you? For more pictures go to pauleblock in IG.