Back where I started from

Just over a week ago, I began this blog and today I'm ending it.  Wednesday was a long day of travel.  I got up at 3:30 Oslo time (10:30pm Tuesday night New York time) and walked to the train station to take the 4:45 express train to the airport.  Oslo has the most efficient airport in Europe so it was a breeze to check in and get through security.  My flight to Amsterdam was on time and uneventful.  Breakfast was coffee and a salami sandwich.   Unlike Oslo, Schiphol airport in Amsterdam is a huge hub.  Passing through Immigration was simple then on to my flight.  Security was a nightmare.  At the time we were due to fly, there were still over 60 people waiting to be checked.  We left 40 minutes late but made up the time in the air.  My seat mate was a young woman who is a yoga instructor in out west.  She felt that she had encountered a malignant spirit when she was 3 and that it has "stuck" with her for over 25 years.  Note that I was not wearing any sign that I am a priest.  Sigh.  I had looked forward to a peaceful, sleep-filled flight.  Instead I gave an 8 hour counseling session but refused to exorcise her on the plane.  I think I helped to to see some possible paths that will set her free.  Is this the cost of discipleship?  maybe.

We arrived at JFK at 1pm, right on time and immigrations and customs was uneventful.  I had a three hour layover before my flight to Rochester, so I wrote our weekly church newsletter and sent it out.  Of course I realized this morning that I hadn't attached the newsletter to the email so I sent it out again.

When I got on my flight to Rochester and was stowing my coat and backpack, I heard a voice saying "Hey, that seat is taken!"  It was my acupuncturist, Molly, and her husband, on their way home from a week in Barcelona.   The flight in the small plane was really bumpy because of fierce winds.    We got into Rochester around 6pm.  I drove the hour home feeling relieved that 19 hours of travel was over.

I slept well and rose at 5.  I feel reflective again today and have had hours of email and texts already this morning, some with new friends from Norway.

So, that's it.  Thanks for traveling with me, even if virtually.  We'll have to do it again!