{"id":16268,"date":"2012-10-01T02:00:34","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T09:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/six-month-countdown-begins\/"},"modified":"2013-03-15T13:44:00","modified_gmt":"2013-03-15T20:44:00","slug":"six-month-countdown-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/six-month-countdown-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Month Countdown Begins!"},"content":{"rendered":"

God willing, six months from today I will set out on my Camino. Where has the time gone?<\/p>\n

Most of the clothing and equipment I plan on taking has been purchased at this point, though there are still a lot of fiddly things to get – lightweight containers (stuff sacks), for example. <\/p>\n

I’m keeping track of some of the items on an Amazon wishlist. I wonder if the folks at Amazon ever thought their endless hours of technical development would be used for a “to do” list?<\/p>\n

The main challenge now is saving up my pennies. I’ve never been good with this. Throughout my life, I’ve scrimped and saved, and then there’s always some sort of event that wipes it all out. Given my chosen career, many time that’s been my own unemployment, but sometimes it’s been some catastrophe or unanticipated expense. Everything from divorce, to cars breaking down, to house repairs, to medical expenses, to the sudden inexplicable need for an attorney.<\/p>\n

And it doesn’t have to be a big expense, either. A small weekly expense can seriously cut into my best attempts to save. <\/p>\n

This time, however, I feel like God is looking out for me. I mean, He’s always<\/i> looking out for me, but this time it seems like He is helping in ways large and small.<\/p>\n

For example, I recently volunteered in my parish to join the RCIA <\/a>team. The classes are on Monday evenings. I’m very excited to be part of this, but it does create an additional expense.<\/p>\n

The church is located closer to the train station than to my home, so just in terms of time, it makes better sense to eat dinner at the station rather than to come home and head back out.<\/p>\n

It’s not a huge sum – last week I think I spent $14 – but that’s every week. It adds up. Between now and the Camino that works out to $336, and I can’t afford that.<\/p>\n

When I got to the train station this morning, I noticed a flyer for $5 Mondays<\/b>. A number of the eateries at the station are offering dinners – on Monday nights only – for five bucks.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, that expense has dropped by almost two-thirds to something a great deal more manageable.<\/p>\n

Now I can’t imagine that the restaurants are going to keep the deal going for six months, but I’m confident that something else will come along.<\/p>\n

God provides.<\/p>\n

I suppose another way to look at my inability to save is this: in every case where I (or someone in my family) had a sudden inexplicable need for cash, I had it. The fact that my savings were wiped out is immaterial; the money was there when it was needed.<\/p>\n

Not to say that it’s been particularly comfortable along the way. At times it’s been darn UN-comfortable. But it has been sufficient. <\/p>\n

Hopefully this time, I’m actually saving for what I think<\/i> I’m saving for. I think I am. I think that God is calling me to the Camino for a reason and that He’s helping make sure that I make it there.<\/p>\n

God provides.<\/p>\n

It’s a hard thing to trust for most of us, but I’m learning bit by bit.<\/p>\n

On this feast of Saint Th\u00e9r\u00e8se of Lisieux, let us all pray for that trust, the trust of a child for his Father.<\/p>\n

\n

\nO<\/span> God, who open your Kingdom
\nto those who are humble and to little ones,
\nlead us to follow trustingly in the little way of Saint Th\u00e9r\u00e8se,
\nso that through her intercession
\nwe may see your eternal glory revealed.
\nThrough our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
\nwho lives and reigns with you
\nin the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

God willing, six months from today I will set out on my Camino. Where has the time gone? Most of the clothing and equipment I plan on taking has been purchased at this point, though there are still a lot of fiddly things to get – lightweight containers (stuff sacks), for example. I’m keeping track of some of the items […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camino"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1aGBK-4eo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":109428,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/practical-pilgrimage-now-available\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":0},"title":"Practical Pilgrimage – Now Available!","author":"Thom","date":"06 February 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Practical Pilgrimage, is now available for purchase. Subtitled \"Useful Rules for Walking the Camino de Santiago\", it's a deeper exploration and expansion of a blog post that appeared back in 2023, Thom\u2019s Practical Rules for the Camino. Purchase on Amazon (affiliate link)Purchase from Powell's Books (preferred)Purchase at Barnes & Noble\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Practical-Pilgrimage-front-cover.jpg?fit=788%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Practical-Pilgrimage-front-cover.jpg?fit=788%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Practical-Pilgrimage-front-cover.jpg?fit=788%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Practical-Pilgrimage-front-cover.jpg?fit=788%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":31078,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/a-mysterious-benefactor\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":1},"title":"A Mysterious Benefactor","author":"Thom","date":"14 December 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Fifteen weeks to go! Some of you will have noticed a link to my Camino Amazon wishlist under the countdown. While I\u2019ve got all of the important equipment settled, there are a few odds and ends there. The other day, I received a package from Amazon. Now, I\u2019ve got a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"book","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/camino\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/book.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14440,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/you-never-know-who-you-might-meet-on-the-camino\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":2},"title":"You Never Know Who You Might Meet on the Camino","author":"Thom","date":"20 September 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"From the Catholic News Agency: Members of the Catholic clergy from around the United States hiked 100 miles of an ancient pilgrimage this summer, relying on God to give them strength to endure suffering along the way. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, Bishop James S. Wall of Gallup,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/camino\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Capture.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":104416,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/update-on-our-camino-plans\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":3},"title":"Update on our Camino Plans","author":"Thom","date":"11 February 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, it seems opportune to post an update on our Camino plans, or lack thereof. Back in 2018, we started making plans for a 2020 Camino. The basic idea is that I would start in Saint-Jean, and Francine would rent an apartment in Burgos\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_2462-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_2462-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_2462-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_2462-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_2462-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24805,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-rain-in-spain\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":4},"title":"The Rain in Spain","author":"Thom","date":"10 November 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As you can see, I\u2019ve added a countdown calendar to the blog on the left-hand side. Right now it stands at 20 weeks! Equipment testing continues, this time with an eye towards the weather. We tested our water-proof regime a few weeks ago on a hike round and round Snake\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/camino\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/ferrino-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":106200,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/our-virtual-camino-arrival-in-santiago\/","url_meta":{"origin":16268,"position":5},"title":"Our Virtual Camino: Arrival in “Santiago”","author":"Thom","date":"27 February 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Near the beginning of our virtual Camino, February 2020 my beautiful bride Francine and I finished walking our virtual Camino from Lourdes to Santiago, a distance of roughly 957km. You've heard of staycations? This was a staymino. It took us just over a year. At least I got one thing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Camino"","block_context":{"text":"Camino","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/camino\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2021-02-27-10.57.09-scaled.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2021-02-27-10.57.09-scaled.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2021-02-27-10.57.09-scaled.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2021-02-27-10.57.09-scaled.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16268"}],"version-history":[{"count":3851,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51847,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16268\/revisions\/51847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}