Like a Dream, Too Good to be True

One of the most transformitive books I've read is Eugene Peterson's, "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction." It's one of his first books and a very thought-provoking look at Psalms 120 - 134.  Peterson aims to help us learn - using these Psalms - to become dependable disciples in a society that seems to be consumed with instant gratification. I took the title of his chapter on Psalm 126, "We Laughed, We Sang" for this blog.

Now, you need to know a couple of things before we start: I have never blogged before. I haven't because I don't really think I have a lot of wise or witty things to say, and wise and witty are two important qualities of the blogs I like to read. However, and you need to know this too, I decided to do this blog because Susan and I are about to leave for a long-anticipated sabbatical trip to Italy. Our trip, which has been provided by the North Atlanta elders (and the generosity of one  family in particular), is on the occasion of our completion of 20 years of ministry with this church family. We are thrilled to have this wonderful privilege and so appreciative for this opportunity.

We have often longed to travel to Italy - I, because of fond memories of the sights and sounds and people I met when I spent the summer of 1973 traveling around the country with Project Italy, and Susan, because of her unquenchable love of art and architecture (and wine).  We are leaving home in a few days and will arrive in Milan and begin a 17-day tour of Northern Italy - places like Cinque Terre, Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Sienna, Venice, Ferrara, Assisi, and Rome.  We have bought plane tickets, read travel books, watched Rick Steves, downloaded Rick Steves, reserved hotels and apartments and rental cars, purchased a voltage converter, stopped the mail, gone to the bank, changed our phones to international settings, laid out clothes, downloaded maps and currency converters and translation aids, and, and - what are we forgetting???

So - as we are almost ready for our trip (we leave on October 12) I am drawn again to the first phrases of Psalm 126: "It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles. We laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune." Truly, we are richly blessed!!

My plan is to try to write about our experiences and perspectives daily. I doubt I will stick to the plan. I hope to include some pictures along the way. If you see places that are familiar because you've been there, I hope this blog will stir pleasant memories. If you see scenes you've never seen, I hope you will be transported there through our friendship. Most of all, I hope you will rejoice with us in our good fortune and that somehow we will be able to use this means to say thank you to those who provided this blessing, and to all of the North Atlanta family, past and present, that we have been privileged to share life with for the last 20 years!

In the words of the psalmist, "God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people."