Micro-Stories From My Travel Journal

Changing of the Guard

 On a recent overseas trip, two interesting truths occurred during the same week but on different continents. One truth was spoken and one was written. Here is what I noticed.

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    Jim and I had perfectly timed our arrival at Hellenic Parliament to watch the ceremonial changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece.

    The weather was perfect, and soon languages of the world began to gather around to form a large semi-circle. The Changing of the Guards in Athens takes place 24 hours a day, every hour on the hour. 

    The guard exchange would take place in 15 minutes, and I had my iPhone in a ready position. 

    

    "What a perfect spot," I heard the accent next to me.

    "Yes, look at us. Perfect timing for great photos. Where are you visiting from?" I asked.

    "We're here from Australia. What about you? The U.S. I'm guessing."

    "Correct. From Phoenix, Arizona."

    The crowed hushed. We turned to see fresh guards split the crowd into two sections and  march through them in perfect rhythmic step toward the two attending guards. The exchange had begun. Our conversation ended and our phone videos were humming. 

    The ceremony ended within ten minutes, and the semi-circle was abuzz with discussion. We resumed ours, too.

    "How long do you plan to stay in Greece?" I asked. 

    "Oh, for a few days then we will move on. We're on holiday in Europe for ten weeks."

    I almost swallowed my tongue! "Wow! Ten weeks?  We are visiting Spain and Greece but for only 31/2 weeks."

    "Well, good on you! We are from down under and it's long way to anywhere. When we leave there, our plans are to stay gone until the end."

    That's a long time...til the end.

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    Halfway around the world in the states, a 10-year boy had made a profession of faith. His Mom wrote, "The first prayer I ever prayed for him the moment I found out I was expecting was please let this child come to know Christ as a personal Savior and spend eternity with Him in Heaven."

    

    Both my Australian acquaintance and this Mom had something in common: plans that encompassed a journey til the end. 

    There was nothing wrong with the plans my Australian friend made, and there was everything right about the Mom's pleas for her son's destiny.

    

    As Believers, we are on a journey, too, "But our citizenship is in heaven..." after we accept Christ's intentional plan that safely secures our journey "til the end." 

    

    My Australian friend and I chatted for a while, and we even introduced our husbands. We discussed the places we had been and places we planned to go. We looked around and the crowd had dispersed. We exchanged God's speed for safe travels and parted our ways.

    We didn't think to ask their names, but that's often the case. When we stop to chat with someone along the way, we don't usually ask their names. They become a memory or a lesson learned. That's the beautiful experience that travel offers us. 

    Thanks for coming along today. 

    Keep Looking Up,

   

     J:m and L:nda