sabbatical 2019 - Melrose

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Yesterday we left Iona - Ferry, bus, Ferry, train, taxi - to return to Edinborough where we met up with Jeremy and Ben and families! We walked a mile and 1/2 to dinner and had yet another amazing meal. Spent a little time reminiscing about my dad and giving thanks that Jeremy's family and Becky and I were with him in May. We have also commented on the blessing it is to witness the full cycle of life - 2 weeks before he died he heard that a third grandchild was in the womb (of Rachael - Ben's wife). So as he passes on, yet another member of the next generation continues to be born and raised up.

This morning we needed 2 taxis to get all our luggage and us to the train station. And as we enter the station we hear bagpipes!!! What a crazy blessing! A new rail line was being inaugurated with pomp and circumstance during which a bagpipe rock band played - quite fun! And we ended the day with bagpipes in Melrose, Scotland, where we are now to start our pilgrimage walk to Linidsfarne tomorrow. The bagpipes were the Melrose city pipe band, 12 players - ages 12 - 50,, practicing in a dirt parking lot next to the restaurant where we were eating outside. Cool!!! We had some rich conversation about how to be pilgrims on this upcoming journey - paying attention to each others needs, paying attention to "now", not the destination, setting aside time for prayer and reflection, sensing how meandering feels, rather than clocking time. Tomorrow will be a great test 7.5 miles including over a 2500 ft mountain.

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