A new path... or the same path in a new light?

As Robby and I begin to get back into the flow of things here in Kentucky, I am still amazed how quickly things start falling into place as one begins to see more clearly the path God has for them.  Immanuel Baptist, here in Corbin, is going through "What on Earth am I here for?" by Rick Warren in our small groups.  And it make us both think deeply about just that, what journey-task does God have for us here on earth?


Robby and I know Dine Bikeyah and the Navajo are part of the journey-task, but how that is to play out, that is still the question.  But as spring of 2013 dawns over Kentucky, the Nickles have a journey of discovery before them...

~  Traveller Gal, out!

Seasons of Change...

"Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my Light..."  As seasons change, and the people we know change, are taken from us, or grow away from us, tis a joy to know Iosa1 is always with us.  And winds of change do keep blowing strongly through my life.  Yet that can be a good thing, as it give clarity, focus, and new experiences to the journey of life. I do not as of yet know exactly where this journey will take us for long, but I am so thankful for Iosa's Light as I have gone through my journeys.... not sure where I would be with out it, but not here that is for sure.

"High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art!"  It can be strange to think about what use to be important.  What is a treasure to me?  I only have a few earthly ones:  Robby, my doll - Beth - which I have had since I was 10, our two Navajo Rugs, and all our dear friends and family (most of these people we shall see in heaven, if not all before the end)...  But my greatest treasure is Iosa, I would chose Him above it all.

"Be Thou my soul's shelter!"  A shelter for the soul, a refuge in troubled times, that is what Iosa is!  More than that, He is the strong tower in which we wage our war against the spiritual darkness from within.  Outside of Him, we fall and are easily slain and devoried by the enemy (Satan), but in Iosa, His Light, and with Him as our Treasure, we can stand strong through it all.  I may not know where the journey is going beyond back to Dine Bikeyah, but I know with Iosa, we will journey on!

~ Traveller Gal, out!









1 (Iosa is Celtic for Jesus for those of you newer to my blog)

Reflections

As I sit here, with cool weather coming upon us, reflecting on these past 9 years since I started blogging back in February, 2003, I am struck by the journeys I have been on.  I have been looking at a few of the keepsakes that are here with me: the glass bottle with dirt from Dine Bikeyah, the doll called "Gypsy" that Robby got me as a gift, the cedarwood flute I am learning to play, and the few photos about the room with friends and places from the journey.   These past 9 years have brought many people into my life: Skot and Rachel, Lia McCoo, Ceicly, Aaron, Dino, Randi, Ernestine, and so many, many more than I can list (or spell all the names of... ~_^)  And of course, it brought me Robby, too!

One of the biggest surprises and blessings has been my little sister, Chissy, and her son (my nephew), Ethan, entering my life.  Chrissy was a surprise to me on so many levels.  First that she was in my life, after not being for 24 years.  Now, I am shocked that we have become best of friends, the "forever friends" that sisters should be.  Tis not a bad shock, but a joy I never dared dream would be mine.  What a blessing it is to have Chrissy and Travis back in my life again!


So many things have changed over the past 9 years, but these three remain the same: my love for Celtic Christianity, my desire to journey and travel for God, and the calling (now clear) to Dine Bikeyah.

"May Iosa's peace rest with you all, and may you each find your journey-tasks!  Blessings! Amen."

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Late Summer Rains...

With the rain from the remains of Hurricane Issac, we have been inside most of the time other than church for the past 3 days.  I love the rains, the fresh coolness, the wet dirt between my toes.  It always seems like a time of refreshing to me.  One joy of these past days, was discovering 2 nice farmer markets, one with free range brown speckled eggs for just $1.50... and an antique store with delightful items, which gets me reflecting on the our journey...



"The journey is the destination..." As I sit here tonight thinking of the journey, from my birth out in western Kansas, to my adoption and move to eastern Kansas, to the summer trips to Poteau, OK, to our family vacation to New England, to Mission: Mexico, to the family trip to Desert Southwest, to Mission: New Orleans, to the Journeys to Wisconsin, Michigan, Cincinnati, Knoxville, BABR, Chicago, Kentucky, Wichita, Flagstaff, Thoreau, and so many others, it really is true that the journey is the destination... "Thank you, Daddy, for this journey called life!  Amen!"

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Who or What is Traveller Gal?

I have been calling this blog and myself "Traveller Gal" for some time, but I have never really done a post as to who or what Traveller Gal is about, and how or why I see myself as a Traveller Gal.  The term "traveller" comes from the travelling Irish tinkers who from old pre-Patrick Celtic times traveled doing tin and other thin metal repairs.  Gal come from me being a female.  But why call myself "Traveller Gal"?  At an early age of 7, I was called as a missionary.  By the age of 16, I knew it was to the Dine' people (Navajo).  At the age of 20, I began calling myself "Traveller Gal", not because I lived out on the road, but because like the Irish/Celtic Christian Missionary of old, I knew I was to not be settled in the same way other friends would be.  A missionary's life is often uncertain, and it take a long time to become "settled" in your new homeland.

Then at 24 nearly 25, Robby became a part of my journey.  As we sat and talked and shared the depths of our hearts, we realized, God had placed the same journey-task before us.  What is a journey-task you might ask?  It is the Celtic Christian way of explaining one's life calling.  It is called a journey, because this life is a journey, just like Christ said "There are two paths", on the way to Heaven, or if not saved Hell.

It is called a task, because ones calling is never easy.  It takes a high level of commitment, determination, and skill to keep going.  Sometimes it might even seem as though you "back trail", in returning to a location you use to be.  But as my Celtic Christian forefathers always put it, "If you have returned to a location, then God has something new there for you to learn, be quiet and listen to His leading."  For this reason, I do not mind the stop in Kentucky because I know God has something good for us, and it is a stop on the journey-task to Dine Bikeyah, the place God has called us both.

Thus as you see, the term Traveller Gal has much less to do with just travelling the open road, though that is fun and always exciting, than it does with this calling, this journey-task set before me.  May God bless all your journeys, and may each of you find your journey-task in life, for God has one for each and every one of us!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Bardic Circle

Why is it that sometimes we get bumbed off course for a short time, only to find it again in the strangest places?  That was what happened to me at "Bardic Circle" this past week.  The Grovers were hosting, and this weeks theme was Native drum circle.   Aaron was there for it of course, as were many other of our traveller friends.   As we began to get started sharing music, songs, and stories, my heart began to cry.  These past weeks while we have been here at JPUSA I had tried to put Dine Bikeyah from my mind.  It hurt too much, but now I realize there is no way to put it out of my mind or my heart.  Tis in there too deep.  This past summer engraved too deeply that Dine Bikeyah and the Dine' are my journey-task.


What now?  We are here in Chicago for until at least next August or September, and after that I have even less clue where we shall journey.  God you have to be in this, because I have no clue what you are up to here.

~ Traveller Gal, out!