Zibuir- Offer it Up, with love

25 April 2013

Buen Camino

Offer it up- with joy

I have precious internet time so let me update some news of where I´ve been

I left St Jean on a short, but preciptious climb up the Pyreenes. It was so steep and hard, but short. Stayed in Orisson at a charming chalet in the mts. Beautiful.

The next day for the most challenging of my entire life. It was a 3000 m climb up the Pyreenes with gale force winds on a 30-40 degree elevation. The wind was so strong that I could have layed down against the wind with my back pack and stayed levetated. So hard. It was a 22 km climb followed by an 8 km down. It completely cashed my quads. I made it to Rocessvalles. Lovely stay nestled in the mts.

Left today for Zubiri, an industrial town just beyond the foothills. The climb was tough at times for 14 km followed by a gorgeous walk through a forest. The trees where bursting with new leaves and the smell of  spring was escaping the new buds. Enchanting. Then we hit the long slow climb on a clay footpath strewn with rocks of all sizes and shapes. Everything from tennis ball size to basketball size. They were embedded in the mud and required utmost care not to slip on these scattered demons. The climb at this point was 20 km.  Some perigrinos have face planted from the slip and the the heavy pack that has thrust them face planted.
During so many times of, ¨how am I gonna make this¨ I quickly recalled that I was offering this all up for baby Liv and her needed liver transplant. ¨This is for you baby Liv.¨ And it made it all right.Being that it was the second day of öffering it all up,¨ I found myself infusion in
with the expression; ¨with joÿ.¨  I pictured her little face and the love of her parents praying their hearts out for her and said, ¨I can endure this sacrifice with joy for her.¨ It made the sacrifices so blessed because it was not something I was just trying to get through. I was offering it up, joyfully.

We had a couple in our group who was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary today.  I offered to renew their wedding vows in church here, but the parish priest would not stay after mass. ¨Voy al la called a my casa.¨ My caveman Spanish wouldn´t convince him how special it would be to do in the ornate little church and that I would do it all.  ¨No permite, deacono.¨ Not meant to be. We´´re planning a marriage renewal blessing at a church along the way for all married here (there are many!) to have a renewal of wedding vows along el camino de Santiago de Compestela..

That´s my penetrating message from our sweet Jesus today. I start walking, keep my chatty school girl stories going about all who need prayer, my family, da mayor, and so many I carry in my heart for specific things. Then we walk for kms and I just listen. And when I have settled my spirit enough, He whisper a little message to my day. Today it was two words, ¨with joy.¨

Serving someone sacrificially can be done, but doing it with a whole heart of love into it. Yea, without faking kindness just to get through it.  Making it a complete heart and soul love offering. The effort must reach heaven as a sweet fragrance.

Up comin:

Leave for Pamploma 22km- rain likely and 13Ç.  Time to get wet and muddy. On bruttal hill of a 500 m climb in a rain storm.  Hope to get to a unique Albrgue of Jesus and Marie. Strong advice to make an extra day in Pamploma, an old town of great interest to let my legs recover. My quads a jello for the steep down hikes on slippery we rock. Intense concentration needs.

Lots of love to all my dear ones.

Offer it up- with love, and maybe for precious 10 month old baby Liv.

Carinosamente,

DW