There is a group of four of us delivering lectures for the next two days on behalf of church leaders serving all over Northern Mexico. Most of the participants traveled via bus to get to this event. The school hosting the seminar provides breakfast and a homemade noon meal. (The food is great!!) This annual two day seminar is one of the rare opportunities for this group of people to have a continuing education experience. Staying in a hotel and enjoying the company of colleagues is not commonplace. Eating an evening meal at a relatively nice restaurant is something they rarely get to do.  The entire experience really is a big deal.  When I contrast this two day serminar with the privileges that I have, it shames me.

Next month I will spend four days in Little Rock lecturing at the regional training seminar hosted by the International Conference of Police Chaplains. During that same time period I will get to be a participant in some advanced critical incident response training specific to chaplains. When we are in Little Rock, we will stay at a nice hotel and enjoy a formal banquet one the evenings when we are there.

In July, I have plans to travel to Chicago to participate in the first of eight retreats over a 3 year period focusing on spiritual formation. It will be an amazing experience. I consider it a real privilege to participate in such a specialized and in-depth continuing education experience. I suppose the bottom line is: I have no reason to complain. I am so fortunate. I have privileges that few professionals in my field get to enjoy. I just hope that the things I am learning can be shared with others. And if I complain….well let’s just hope I am not that foolish.