Pics from Israel

Here are some highlights from the trip...if you want to see the whole album, head to facebook.

Jerusalem University College from across the Hinnom valley

Luthren Church of the Redeemer

Old City Walls

Jaffe Gate

Gamla - archaeological site from the 1st century...this was a town destroyed by the Romans in 67AD before they headed to destroy the temple in Jerusalem in 70AD

Me and Adria....my host and tour guide and friend!

Looking out to the sea of Galilee from Gamla...it's to the left but hard to see since it's hazy

Lots of eagles and vultures at Gamla...it was amazing how close they got to us

Still at Gamla - it's technically in the Golan heights region of Israel

The longest waterfall in Israel is up at Gamla

Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount

Temple Mount courtyard....only a small fraction of it

Church of the Holy Sepulchre - site where Jesus was crucified and buried

My hotel in Madrid....a long layover!

I'm....

in Madrid, sitting in my hotel room, probably needing to go to sleep but the most amazing and intriguing street performer is singing outside my room. What a day...

Inauguration...how the heck do you spell that?

So, my ex-patriot friends and I watched the inauguration events streaming live on CNN from across the Atlantic, here in Jerusalem. It was interesting to get their perspective as people who have either not been back to America in almost two years, or have only come home for short visits during the holidays. One point from them...it's amazing what we have done to popularize politics with pop-culture icons, etc. What's also amazing, is that we could even watch the events from many, many miles away. On that note, I hope you all took notice of the benediction. The end of the benediction was full of interesting language choices given the audience. In other words, I didn't like it but can't rant about it on here just in case I want to be the president one day!! :) Besides, he mixed why too much politics with faith...oh man, so much can be said.

In better news, Obama had a nice address and I'm hiking in the Galilee tomorrow!! Can't wait for that...time for bed!!

Lai-la tov (Hebrew for Goodnight)

Highlights and a language lesson

After a great day at St. Andrew's church for worship in the morning, and an afternoon at the "Tower of David Museum" I was ready for today's agenda. We hit up the "Burnt House Museum" and the "Wohl Archaeological Museum". My friend Adria accompanied me on today's endeavors since she just returned back to Jerusalem yesterday. The "Burnt House Museum" is a small archaeological site of a house that has evidence of the Roman destruction of the upper city of Jerusalem in 70ad. It was a house of a high priest during the Roman occupation of Israel given it's location in the upper city and the kinds of materials they found in the house. Very cool!

The "Wohl Archaeological Museum" is a site of 4 to 6 houses from the upper city, the houses of the rich and famous, during the second temple era. Basically, they were the houses of the rich Sadducees during the time of Christ. There were great mosaics and lots of households items found at the sites that are now on display. It was interesting to see the perfume bottles given the story of the woman who broke the bottle over Jesus, using up her precious item in worship. The bottles were very, very small and refuted any ideas I ever had about the bottle mentioned in scripture. I always thought that since she spent so much money on it, there would be more to it. Not the case. Yet, given these bottles were only recovered at the rich palaces you can imagine the luxury of the item and its small size indicating the rarity of such a purchase.

Last but certainly not least, a few more highlights from interactions with people in Jerusalem:
An Arab guy, a little shady, told me that I was "in good condition" the other day...funny.
On another note, if you ever want a little ego boost, come to Jerusalem with blue eyes and blond hair. One of my friends Arab friends told me, "your eyes are like the ocean, you could just fall in, and the deeper you go, the more you find....you could just keep going deeper and deeper"....also funny.

Anyhow, that's it for today. I do love being in this land and I'm not sure why I enjoy it so much. As they would say in Hebrew:
baruk hashem - praise the name
cola kavote - all the glory

Next time I'll have pictures

Made it to Jerusalem!

After a long day of flying I made it to Jerusalem last night! The ride in the Sherut (shuttle taxi) was a little harrowing as the driver assumed the roads of Jerusalem were more like NASCAR. However, he managed to deliver everyone safely.

The most interesting part of my travels so far this time around was my little "run-in" with the security at the Barcelona airport. Upon arrival, the Israeli airline I was taking took every precaution as I must have looked strange traveling to Israel by myself these days. Anyhow, I was taken by car to a secluded room in the bowels of the airport to be questioned and to have all of my belongings taken out of the suitcase and put through the scanner. And, when I say ALL I mean ALL of my stuff....including my shampoo and toothbrush! They had me turning on and demonstrating the use of every electronic and telling them over and over again that I study the Christian Bible and am still interested in Torah. The security scan took so long that I almost missed my flight and they said I could either be re-routed through Europe or go get on the plane and have my stuff shipped later. I liked neither option and they heard about that. :) So, it turned out they were able to finish quickly and drive me to the stairs of the plane, checking my laptop in a box under the plane. My driver called me Cinderella as I got to the plane, which was a nice touch after I had be frisked and questioned for quite some time.

Anyhow, I am counting my blessings that I arrived safely and with all of my stuff alongside. It's been interesting getting re-acquainted with the city again. I wandered around the Old City today for a few hours and was reminded of the memories of my time here last year. It is amazing to me that any place can have a sense of home or comfortability after you have spent time there. I'm surprised at how comfortable or "normal" it feels to be here even though it definitely isn't home. It is good to be back and to explore again, even thought the newness of Jerusalem is no longer there. I'm looking forward to Shabbat dinner with other students from my time here as we gather for dinner.

Israel/Palestine

For those that keep up with this blog...many of you may be wondering how I feel about the current violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip right now after I spent a semester living there. Well, a good friend of mine, who is still living there, said it well on her blog:

http://seaofadria.wordpress.com/

On Wednesday I'm headed back to Jerusalem to visit friends and check out a few things I missed seeing during my time there. I'll be there for about ten days and return on the 25th of January with a quick overnight stay in Madrid. On that note, if you feel so compelled, I would appreciate prayers for safety. Not just for my travel but for those civilians suffering from the violence on both sides of the fight. I trust that God is sovereign and in control of this conflict, and even of my travels. I am not anxious to travel there in any way and will be in Jerusalem the whole time. I am looking forward to a visit with some dear friends and can't wait to be back in a place that I love so much! I hope and pray you are all having a wonderful new year!!

Sorry bout that

Sorry about such a long post, especially after such a long time not writing anything on here....oh well! Hope you enjoy!

Moses

Life is difficult when you care about it. Yesterday I had the privilege of having coffee with two of my favorite staff from the summer camp I worked at. They are both sophomores at state schools, one in Boston and the other in Washington DC. It was great to catch up and hear what was going on for them. In the process they shared frustrations on living a Christian life around those that find is easy to live however they desire. As I too find the journey difficult from time to time, as I observe others live what may seem lives of ease. In talking with the girls, we discussed living lives of obedience pushing ourselves to not compromise in areas we see others compromise around us. In doing so, although it can be difficult and lonely, one can breath in the freedom that is offered knowing who we are living for.
We thought of Moses. What if he had been totally obedient to God's call and got to finally enter the promise land. I wonder what that would have been like for him to enter into a place that had be sought after by him and this obstinate people (Israel) for so long. They wandered around for 40 years, in a small region, and were so eager for the land God promised. Moses led such a difficult people around in circles for 40 years because of their disobedience, as he remained obedient. Moses blew it in the end and was not able to enter into this land he had lived his live for in leading Israel. It's a sacrifice to care about how you live your life or what you are living your life for, but in the end, the blessing and freedom experienced in God is worth it. (Photo: Mt. Nebo - entrance into the Promise Land)

Mostly, today, I think caring about life and caring about people is the hardest. Let me offer some song lyrics from a Christian artist that prove to be encouraging. I look to the Lord for freedom and peace.

One Of These Days
Jill Paquette

It's been so long, said it's been too long
Can't remember when I've felt so known
You're so warm; shelter me from the storm
And the fears that are just so cold
They're telling me things get messy when you care
Things are messy everywhere
And don't I know it, don't I show it
Every time I look away
'cause what can I do what can I say
To help myself
Or to help anybody else?
You meet me in my need
You bring new life to me
And you go beyond what I feel
Your life brought more than freedom
Your love brought time just what I needed
To see I needed You
One of these days it will be easier to mean what I say
If I remember each and every day
That this world is not my home and I never walk alone
And before time began my days were known by You

You meet me in my need
You bring new life to me
And you go beyond what I feel
Your life brought more than freedom
Your love brought time just what I needed
To see I needed You
One of these days it will be easier to mean what I say
If I remember each and every day
That this world is not my home and I never walk alone
And before time began my days were known by You