Mike McClenahan

Although we have enjoyed coffee all over the world, our love for drinking coffee began in Spain. We stand at the counter at La Mallorquina which has served pastries on the Puerta del Sol since 1894. "Dos cafés con leche." (I Iike the steamed milk at breakfast because it adds some nutrition to the meal.) He places the saucer, spoon, and sugar packet in front of us. The white cups and saucers add a respect and dignity to the drink versus paper cups and lids. "¿Algo más?" (The white jacketed man asks without making eye contact--he's very busy.) "Dos napolitanas con chocolate." (They are known for their napolitanas, and again, the dark chocolate is healthier than the crema.) He places a knife and fork before us and we love the clinking. There is such an effort in setting, clearing and cleaning real flatware and porcelain rather than tossing plastic and paper. Moments later he brings the pastries, then the cups with only espresso. He pours th...

Transportation in Madrid is social and patterned. Passing through turnstiles you commit to a way of being together: elderly priority seating, stroller and mom, squeeze but respect space, make room for oncomers, commuters in their own Kindle world and young teenagers in packs without supervision. Although public transportation can be confining, there is also freedom and adventure. We are on the metro to the Chamartin station to catch a train to Segovia. Twenty euro round trip ticket on the high speed Ave , and we arrive in thirty minutes. Thirty years ago I remember getting to the station with my backpack, looking up to the salidas board and deciding where to go. Today we bought tickets at a kiosk with a card and selected our return tonight at 9:30. Then I wrote in my journal and fotos with my camera, saving three months of film rolls in an X-ray bag; today I blog and sacar fotos on my phone. I love the time on the train for reflecting, talking, eating without worrying about renti...

We attach significance to spaces--memories and emotions that are very personal and can be very meaningful. Madrid is one of those spaces to me. I love the buildings and history, the metro and boulevards, the language, tapas, cañas, bocadillos , Retiro Park, cafe con leche, chocolate con churros and I actually like the ubiquitous cigarette smoke. I'm tempted to start smoking. We look for the same spots and still look for new adventures. "I" became "we" when my six week college experience five years later became Amy and my first international trip together and 16 years later became a sabbatical experience with ten year olds. Now we look at each other with the same "we love this" expression. In 1981 I saw a flyer posted in the Spanish department for a scholarship to El Centro de Estudios Hispánicos. I don't know why I was interested. I had just chosen my Spanish major that fall, mostly because you have to declare something and I had twenty adv...

Amy and I are flying to Madrid right now. It's my fourth time back and our third time together. The other times we planned out way in advance: study in college, leading a group trip and our four month sabbatical with ten year olds. But this time we bought the tickets just six weeks ago to mark a significant season for us. February 2 I celebrated my tenth anniversary as senior pastor of Solana Beach Presbyterian Church. February 10 we celebrated groundbreaking on the upper campus and moved into our fellowship hall for a ten month season of worship while our contractor completes a $12 million renovation to our seven acre campus. February 17 the leadership surprised Amy and me with cards and a gift that would allow us to do something special. Fix the cars, buy an appliance? No. Fly somewhere? Yes. Where? Madrid came out of our mouths at the same time. We booked on Delta for a ten day trip between a board meeting and preaching two days after we return. We are staying at a pensi...

Brendan and Rachel made it in time to start the ten o'clock Christmas Eve service by lighting the Christ Candle with Amy and me.  Brendan has been in other night-before-Christmas services as a child in the pageant and as a worship band leader. But this time he was my son, reading John 1 with a deep man's voice reading with his wife. I'm proud, grateful, happy and honored to introduce my family and share this service with them, as we did with Connor and Sherianne last year.  Christmas Eve is an odd night for pastors. We lead others in worship, singing familiar carols, listening to God's word, bringing a new twist to an old story, being a part of the church-family on this special night before they spend time with their families opening gifts and sharing a meal. Five services in the afternoon and evening don't allow for much my-family time on Christmas Eve. Don't get me wrong; there's no place I'd rather be this night. I'm filled with awe a...

Peace is not always the absence of conflict, but calm in the center of the storm. Peace is something Jesus promised and gave to his disciples in the midst of their fear, and in future conflict and persecution they would face (my peace I give you...) and Jesus was called to peace. These are the prophetic words of Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, speaking of Jesus' calling. To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Luke 1:76–79) Jesus is also our peace. Because of Jesus' death on the cross he obliterated the wall that separates us from God, and the wall that separates us from one another.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household… (Ephesians 2:14,19) Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He brin...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. I t always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) I think I've read, studied, preached, and memori zed this scripture more than any other because of weddings, pre marital coun seling and preachin g . It s or ig inal intent was not really me ant to be a "wedding passage" in a similar way that Psalm 23 (The Lord is my she pherd...) was not meant to be a "memorial serv i ce passage ." It's a passage about love demonstra ted within a church that wa s competitive, argumentative, arrogant, and struggling to distinguish Christian love from any other kind of love being talk ed about or e xperienced in first century Cor inth. In chapter 12 Paul writes to the churc...