Monday, August 27, 2012


I discovered that I have something in common with Samwise Gamgee, Frodo’s faithful companion through the entire adventure of “The Lord of the Rings.” In the final paragraph of the tumultuous trilogy, Sam’s wife, Rose, welcomes him home and sets his little baby, Eleanor, in his lap. From this position, Sam utters the final words of the entire three-book series: “Well, I’m back.”

I feel a kinship with Sam as I write to you. I have been on a four-month journey away from my church family and this blog. Now, at the close of my sabbatical adventure, I am once again settling down to my duties as pastor of Journey of Life Lutheran Church. With a deep breath, placing my hands on the keyboard, I think exactly what Sam thought: “Well, I’m back.”

The sabbatical was quite an adventure in ways both big and small, in both my observable life and my inner life. It was less than I thought it would be and more than I thought it would be. I look forward to sharing sabbatical reflections as this blog comes alive again.

It was a great journey and it’s great to be back! My whole family missed Journey of Life terribly. It’s good to be home.

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