I wrote this prayer November of 2013. With only a few edits, it feels relevant today. Perhaps you might enjoy it in this season. God of Welcome, You are the one who shows us the meaning of hospitality.You are the one who calls us and creates community.You are the one who gathers us around your table. … Continue reading A Prayer of Welcome for Thanksgiving
Author: Jim Zazzera
I find myself thinking about the past, wondering about the future, and doing my best to live in the present.
Unheard Voices
We started “traveling” again this month! That is not to say we haven’t been a few places outside the city of Sacramento during the pandemic. But vaccines, masks, and declining infection rates finally made us feel like we could take an extended trip. So along with our good friends Eileen and Stan we flew to … Continue reading Unheard Voices
Leaving…
When I travel, I mostly think about the excitement of arrival in a new place. But leaving is also a part of travel. Strike that—leaving is part of life. One way to leave… We leave a home of 40 years to move into an assisted living facility. We leave the circle of our parent’s care … Continue reading Leaving…
Nerds on Hikes (Or Were They?)
Last Wednesday was my birthday, and Lena and I did what we have started to do more often on special days and not-so-special days. Go for a hike. It was a great way to celebrate the day, to thank my body that it still works, that it can still hike 8.5 miles, that it can … Continue reading Nerds on Hikes (Or Were They?)
Boomerang Travel
Contrary to what you might think, “boomerang travel” is not a phrase to describe a trip to Australia. (I haven’t been to that country—though I would love to visit.) Boomerang travel is a phrase I am adapting from Kate Bowler—historian, theologian, and author of a memoir entitled, Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lies … Continue reading Boomerang Travel
When Was Your Last Great Conversation?
What do you remember most from your travels? When you tell people about the places you have been—near or far—what is it that you recount? Perhaps you are able to recite the height of the Eiffel Tower or the detail the age of the Pyramids at Giza, but it is more likely you will tell … Continue reading When Was Your Last Great Conversation?
Traveling Under the 26th Street Overpass
Every week I drive to Land Park from Rancho Cordova to take a morning walk with a good friend. Although there are many ways to travel there in my car, I like to get off the Route 50 Freeway at 26th Street, turn left at 26th, go to Broadway and turn right, then up to … Continue reading Traveling Under the 26th Street Overpass
Making Democracy Possible
This is a bit of a detour from talking about travel, but in light of the administration change and inauguration in the United States this week, there was something I wanted to share. At church our pastors have been preaching a series called "Tending the Heart." In it they are helping us think together about … Continue reading Making Democracy Possible
Home By Another Road – January 7th, 2021
Yesterday as I walked along the river I was reflecting on what I might write about next. I began to imagine a conversation about bridges. I love bridges. I’ve seen and enjoyed many. Travel from one side of a bridge to another often takes us from one world into another. Traverse the entry to the … Continue reading Home By Another Road – January 7th, 2021
Traveling in an Awakened Way
Though most of us have not travelled very far in a physical way this year, we have traveled. Our experiences, insights, and emotions have taken us places we could not have imagined. Painful places. Lonely places. Joyful places. Confusing places. How I have been traveling. One of my companions along the way this year has … Continue reading Traveling in an Awakened Way
Travel as a Spiritual Act 