What If? -Claire Rinck

“What if” questions always have caused me to second guess the choices that I make. Though I have had many “what if’s” pop into my head about the journey that lies ahead, I realize that all worrying does is cause pimples, headaches, and stress. I hope this experience will allow us to become more aware of our surroundings and God’s presence in the world throughout the week.

While at tonight’s pilgrimage dinner, hosted by Tim Black,not only did we enjoy lots of fried chicken, pork, and salad,we also went over important information for Saturday’s journey. Later the leaders shared what they hope we will be able to do while in Croatia. What I took away from tonight was that in order to fully become immersed in the culture and life of Croatia, we must leave any and all stress behind. Tonight’s discussion brings me back to one of my favorite quotes, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift, that is why they call it the present”-Kung Fu Panda. This quote reminds us that we can’t fix the past and we can’t see tomorrow but we can enjoy today by living in the moment. Often our lives are so busy and we miss things. While on this pilgrimage I hope to be able to live in the moment and slow down just enough to watch the wonderful world and people God has created.  Over the next day and a half my goal is to not only complete packing but to spend time with the people I love and leaving my “Atlanta life” in a good place before I embark on my spiritual experience in Croatia.

I can’t wait to see all the wonderful memories we will make in Croatia. See you Saturday, at the airport!