Unholy Land

Mask, Tanya photo 2009

"We're back from our Bible Lands Trip. I'm not going to call it 'Holy' Land any more. All over the world people fight over land. God even used one of the commandments to forbid it, but when you add the word 'Holy' to land, it raises the trouble level about 60%."

A couple of weeks ago I received the above e-note from Brother Joe--who had just returned from a trip to Israel.

When people ARE holy, the land they live in is holy.

Tomasito, 2009


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Walt Whitman' Words

(Tanya photo 2009)

One of America's greatest poets is not very popular now, but will probably be better known soon: I am speaking of Walt Whitman.

His long and full book: "Leaves of Grass"--his life work--has some strong and wonderful words and I would like to remind you of some.

He asks, for example:

"Who are you that wanted to be told only that which you knew before?"
and
"Who are you that wanted only a book to join you in your nonsense?"

He was looking for growth and change--and intelligence, not conformity.

Oh, good old Walt!

Tomasito, 2009


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San Ysabel Asistancia 2

Santa Yabel Asistancia Sanctuary (Tanya photo, 2009)

Odd how differently the towns developed from the missions of the old padres feel from the other towns and cities in California.

Of course they are older--but I think it is more than that.

They started for a different purpose than that of mere land development or good farm or ranch land or gold--they had a spiritual purpose--and I think that some residual effect lingers even after all these years--and perhaps even in the monster Los Angeles itself--which after all was built around Mission San Gabriel.

That spirit seems especially evident to me in such humble places as this little country church and cemetery.

Tomasito, 2009


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Santa Ysabel Asistencia

Santa Ysabel Asistencia (Tomasito photo)

We visited the Santa Ysabel Asistencia near Julian in north San Diego county a few days ago after a heavy rain.

This small church was founded in the time of the early missions of California--and, of course, the buildings have been rebuilt since the original adobe melted back into the earth long ago.

The church is in a beautiful country location--no town, no freeway, no tee-shirt shops--just a few cows, the small, intimate sanctuary and one or two other service buildings.

The cemetery is especially lovely to me--austere, but with the usual gay plastic flowers of a Mexican Catholic tierra santa--and, especially after the rain-- was a memento of eternity.

Tomasito, 2009


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Bloogging again

Upward trail, Lake Dixon Park, Escondido, CA. (Tanya photo, 2009)

It is good for pilgrim travelers in this world not to stay too long in any one place--no matter how good, or bad, the place.

We have moved far south in California to the smaller town of Escondido in the county of San Diego.

This is a new place for us with all the challenges of the new and different--but we know that change is good.

And it is especially nice to be back blogging with you again after a few days on the road.

We will write every day now--except on our days of rest.

Take care of yourSelves.

Tomasito, 2009


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