Psalm 54 - I've Got Nothing

Mar 26, 2025

(Yup - another “too long for email.” You know the drill…)

So, remember what I shared a few days ago about being amazed at how the Psalms have lined up with some of the things we’ve seen and experienced on our trip thus far? Well, today...not so much. Psalm 54 really doesn’t line up at all with our first day in Spain with our other study-abroad child. The Psalm is one calling for vindication against enemies...”The insolent have risen against me // the ruthless seek my life // they do not set God before them...He will repay my enemies for their evil // In your faithfulness, put an end to them.” Yeah - totally doesn’t line up with what we had in Barcelona on Monday. Yes there are a few lines I could totally take out of context and apply to our day - “The Lord is the upholder of my life” speaking to how our hearts were lifted when we met our son at the airport and then spent the day with him or we took in the beauty and uniqueness of this city. Another comes at the end about “giving thanks to God, for God is good.” But again, totally out of context...

So, today just a celebration of what we saw and experienced on Monday in Barcelona. We arrived around noon and got some last minute entries into the Park Güell which features Gaudi designs, had our first tapas in Spain, and simply enjoyed being with our son. But maybe the most beautiful moment was when our son struck up a conversation with a Spanish woman while at Park Güell. The two of them had a lengthy, fun, and beautiful conversation that Amy and I were able to pick up a bit of with our rough Spanish. But most of all it was a such a sense of parental pride to see our son just having this beautiful flowing conversation.

Here’s the other parts of the day. Some are more “artistic” but none more beautiful than the one above.

Our first glimpses of Barcelona and then La Sagrada Familia as we hiked up to one of the Miradors above the city. - just gives a sense of how enormous it is. Amazing. Along with what feels like a real-life water color looking out at the water.

After the hike we went back for our time at the Park Güell and...simply...wow

At one part of the Park, this man was playing and singing and was surrounded by these green and yellow birds. So cool. And yes we did put some money in his basket. :-)