Pastor Paul
My four plus years living in Plantsville afforded me the luxury of the Farmington Linear Trail (the old Farmington Valley railroad) where I could do my daily six-mile rapid walk. From my house I would walk in two minutes to the trail then go in either direction on paved and mostly flat surface. Other than the cyclists who rode way too fast and would come up from behind, and pass with no warning, it was a great place to get in my walking workout. My new locale, Branford, is not quite as accommodating.
When I leave my “sandwiched between I-95 and U.S. 1” Condo the path of least resistance is to turn left and head up the rolling terrain of Brushy Hill Road northward toward North Branford. After I initially go beyond the Cedar Street exit and entrance to I-95 the sidewalk is lots of uphill. It leads to past a school and a park (where I do four loops around the soccer/baseball fields), and then continue north hazarding one crosswalk where the sidewalk moves from west side to east. Once on the east side I continue north until – the sidewalk ends.
At that point a decision must be made: stop and turn around for the return trip or continue north at a point where the road has very little shoulder, gets curvy and hilly and is frequented by vehicles travelling a bit faster than the 30-mile speed limit. Turning around is safe, known and provides sure footing. Continuing on involves risk and challenge. Today I needed to get in slightly more than 1/10 of a mile to hit my three-mile mark. So, I decided to forge ahead. I discovered a side street, a beautiful bed of the largest marigolds, and was greeted by a friendly elderly woman sitting in the shade of her porch (recalling my earlier meditation about air conditioning!)
I also discovered that most of the walk is treacherous and perilous for walking. So, every day I will have to choose – safety and familiarity or plunging ahead into the risky, less familiar. Ah, choices!
As my short time here at North Guilford concludes and I set sight on the place where my sidewalk of fulltime ministry ended I wrestle with the challenge -- stay put or push onward.
Who knows what I will do but pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, my attentiveness to it, and the courage to take the correct steps.
Shalom
When I leave my “sandwiched between I-95 and U.S. 1” Condo the path of least resistance is to turn left and head up the rolling terrain of Brushy Hill Road northward toward North Branford. After I initially go beyond the Cedar Street exit and entrance to I-95 the sidewalk is lots of uphill. It leads to past a school and a park (where I do four loops around the soccer/baseball fields), and then continue north hazarding one crosswalk where the sidewalk moves from west side to east. Once on the east side I continue north until – the sidewalk ends.
At that point a decision must be made: stop and turn around for the return trip or continue north at a point where the road has very little shoulder, gets curvy and hilly and is frequented by vehicles travelling a bit faster than the 30-mile speed limit. Turning around is safe, known and provides sure footing. Continuing on involves risk and challenge. Today I needed to get in slightly more than 1/10 of a mile to hit my three-mile mark. So, I decided to forge ahead. I discovered a side street, a beautiful bed of the largest marigolds, and was greeted by a friendly elderly woman sitting in the shade of her porch (recalling my earlier meditation about air conditioning!)
I also discovered that most of the walk is treacherous and perilous for walking. So, every day I will have to choose – safety and familiarity or plunging ahead into the risky, less familiar. Ah, choices!
As my short time here at North Guilford concludes and I set sight on the place where my sidewalk of fulltime ministry ended I wrestle with the challenge -- stay put or push onward.
Who knows what I will do but pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, my attentiveness to it, and the courage to take the correct steps.
Shalom