Monday - November 3, 2008

I am staying in Jerusalem today while the group drives to see the place where they found the dead sea scrolls, swim in the dead sea, and visit Masada. This is all in the Judean Desert. Me and deserts just don’t go together. I am just taking the day to make sure I know what I have taken pictures of and refresh myself. My quiet time this morning was singing Psalm 48:1-2 and then reading Jeremiah 31:31-40. Standing at my window which is wide open and praying for the city of our God and the nation of Israel. What a privilege. One day they will see and know that Jesus is Messiah. The city is shades of cream everywhere you look. Everything is built with a limestone called Jerusalem Stone. Only the roofs are kind of a terracotta color. I am going to try to upload lots of pics today since I have time. Hope you guys are all voting. Get out there!!!Love ya,Janet

Sunday - November 2, 2008

What a day! Best Sunday ever! We started the day with another awesome sunrise and gathering sea shells on the shore of Galilee. Remembering those times Jesus rose early in the morning to pray. We are waking up at 5am to pray and see the sun rising. You that know me know that I am comatose that early in the morning but here on Galilee you can’t help but be drawn to where Jesus feet walked. We packed and left Tiberias for Tabgha. This is the site where the fish and loaves were multiplied. All of the cities and places around the Sea of Galilee are like driving from Jones Creek to Sherwood Forest. I always thought it was further but as I have said before Israel is a very small country. We then went to a museum that housed a boat much like what Jesus would have used that they found in 1987. This was the place where we caught a boat and sailed across the Sea. When the boat started they raised the American Flag and we sang the National Anthem. It was so cool to stand and honor our Flag that has given us so much freedom that we take for granted. After we sat down music started and the song was “Shout to the Lord” I was so overcome. “I life your name on high” and “Oh, how I love Jesus”. We almost went to heaven right there. The sea was so calm. Our guide told us about the storms that come up so sudden like in the days of Jesus. He said that sometimes they have left from where we did and had to dock in a separate place because the waves were so high and choppy. We then stopped the boat and floated while we had our sermon. After church we went to the shore of the gadarenes where the demon possessed man was. Jesus freed him and the demons were cast in the pigs. Matt 8:28 There we ate St. Peter’s Fish. It looked kind of like a sea bass. It had the head on it. Debbie Adams ate the eye balls. Yuk! Off to Jerusalem but not before seeing Jericho from the bus. Because it is in the West Bank we could not go to it. We stopped at a gas station with bathrooms and Tony Collins got on a camel while we waited. Boy, those are really smelly and lots of flies. We went through New Jerusalem to Bethlehem before going to our hotel. Bethlehem is again like going to Denham Springs. Its more like a suburb. We had to go through border patrol because it is controlled by Palestinians. We had to change buses because our Jewish driver and guide could not go with us. The church of the Nativity was built over the site tradition says where Jesus was born. It is the oldest continuous church in the world being built in 540AD. Then back through the border and our Hotel. Tomorrow everyone is going to the Dead Sea and Masada. I am planning to stay in the hotel and maybe get a massage. It will be good to rest and spend time uploading some pictures for you to see. Those places are in the Judean desert. We saw it on the way in and let me tell you, it is the wilderness, much like Southern Utah. No trees, no water, no grass. Well, I am winding down and ending this day. Forgot to tell you yesterday when we were walking to Cana a man started chanting something as we walked by. We thought it was something in Hebrew. After hearing it a few times we finally realized he was shouting “McCain” “McCain” “McCain”. They know who is on Israel’s side.They are having an election also. Pray for them as you pray for America. Love you all. I wish so much you could be there. Janet