Roman Roads & Celtic Ruins
Flexibility is the key word for all interns. It’s been proven true many times over during this month. Every day holds something new. Sometimes it’s a delight, sometimes it can be frustrating; but all in all if we hold our ‘plans’ loosely rather than clinging to our "rights" we find we are better able to live with the somewhat unpredictable rhythm of our life here.
Yesterday was a delight. Milta & Theresa (visiting BIM missionaries in Europe) made their first stop in Spain with the Towner family and us.
Despite the swollen rainclouds blustering in from the Atlantic, we still braved a little exploration along the coast. Jim and Martha seem to know all kinds of little hide-aways we’d never
even know to look for!
Walking downhill in my trusty Birkenstocks I find myself whispering prayers for all our safety…we are walking down a hall of history. The Celts originally inhabited this land (a millenia before Christ was born). We walked down the old Roman road for 200 feet until the landscape opened up to the ocean. Five/six foot waves lumbered in, curling up and foaming white as they crashed onto the shore. I realized then I had never smelled the ocean before until that moment.
About 500 feet ahead a rocky point jutted up and stood out against the ocean crags and floral mosses. Low round walls formed what was clearly a small village. We were looking out at Baroña, one of the many Celtic ruins still standing along the coast of NW Spain. The wind was blowing so gustily and the rain so imminent that we did not venture further forward, but explored the rocky coast.
The raw power of nature is undeniable when you stand at the edge of land and sea. The vastness of the ocean opens up before you and you become aware of how very small and fragile you are. Standing there feeling the forces of nature, of Celtic pagan beliefs, I found myself thinking how ‘natural’ it would seem to think of nature itself as being "god". The power of nature is terribly magnificently. I felt sadness then as I thought of all those who have, who are, who yet may be led astray by this snare to venerate the creation and miss the Creator. I suppose is that is
why my skin crawls when non-personal descriptions of God are thrown around…universe, force, power…God has revealed Godself as PERSONAL. INTIMATE. Jesus was a Rabbi and he spoke to and of God in a term so personal that it offended the Pharisees: Abba. The Jewish kids I used to babysit in Ottawa called thier papa "Abba"…but the 3 year old could only manage "baba"
Abba….pappa…daddy…worshipping the planets doesn’t even come close to the depth of relationship the Creator of those planets desires for each of us.
( If you are curious about this relationship feel free to email us…)
Hasta luego,
Until the next time,
Tara