We need to catch up....
It's been a few days, so this may take awhile.
It all began around 9:00am Thursday morning when we arrived to a nature preserve somewhere in Galilee (I'm not quite sure where because it seems that every time I get on the bus it has a soothing effect and makes me fall asleep.) We were going to plant a tree! The Jewish people really have a heart for rebuilding and replanting in Israel since it says in Amos "I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit." Amos 9:14. Israel is now the country that has the most trees planted in the world. We were taken out into a field, read this verse, and were given a choice of an Oak tree, Carob tree, or an Olive tree. I really wanted an olive tree, but there was only one and a girl snatched it before I could get there. But my second choice was a Carob tree, which I got! A Carob tree is native to Israel and is quite amazing. They call it the tree of life because as they grow, they produce this fruit that is green, and when it's ripe turns a dark brown/blackish color. This tree is mentioned several times in the Bible. When you eat the pods off of the tree, they taste like chocolate and has all the necessities to survive on that alone if one was starving, especially in the desert. The way they grow in harsh elements is amazing! They were already starting to grow in a pot, so we kind of just transferred them into the ground. Ryan, Alexis, Katie, Kara-Leigh and I all took our trees and planted them next to each other. We figured when we came back to Jerusalem with our kids, we would pick which ever one was still alive and say "That's the tree your mom planted!" After that, we hopped on the bus and went to the Knesset, which is the Israeli Parliament building. I have not had good lunch with flip flops here seeing as one pair had already broke and now, another is gone. If you really knew me, you would know that I cannot live with out certain things and one of them is flip flops (another is Dr. Pepper and thank GOD for "Super24" store, which I'm pretty sure is the only store in Israel that sells it!) We were walking into the Knesset past the crazy security and I trip over a rock (imagine that) and my flip flop breaks. I'm so worried about my shoe that I am walking through the metal detector with all kinds of jewelery on and it keeps beeping and through broken English the men are telling me to go back 3 or 4 times. It was quite the ordeal. One of the security women fixed my shoe as much as possible and it lasted until the way home from dinner, in which I had to wrap a hair tie around my shoe. I bet you will never say you went barefoot through the Knesset though!
After the Knesset, we drove to a look out right about the TRUE Old City (The City of David) and it was then that I finally understood what the city looked like in the time of Jesus. We walked down a few steps in a church and ended up in an old cave that was Caiaphas's' house- one of the High Priests in Jesus' time. The tour guide was explaining to us that there are very few places that they can say absolutely sure that Jesus was in an exact spot- but this was one of them. We walked down to a room that was an old water cistern that had a hole in the roof of it. We were told that this was the place Jesus was taken to the night he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was lowered by his arms through the hole in the roof and was left here over night. Being in there was so overwhelming... the dark room with the cold corners. I could only imagine what Jesus was thinking as he was sitting there alone after he just prayed "Father, if you could, take this cup from me." We walked out of the cave and on to a set of white steps that was right outside of the house. On either side of the steps were the ruins of the High Priests' house including Annas. I sat on the steps and looked out on to the City of David and the current Old City and Jerusalem and while I heard the guide saying "These steps were the very steps Jesus took to the Upper Room, dragged up to Caiaphas's' house, to Annas' house, and down to go to Pontius Pilate. They have not been touched, rebuilt, or fixed since that time." I sat there in awe and reverence of everything I just heard. To step out of being a tourist for a moment, to step out of problems and worldliness... these were the last and first steps of eternity. We will soon be no longer burdened by sin and sacrifice and will step into an eternity with the Father. Out of everything I've seen in Jerusalem, this has surpassed everything. To sit there for 30 minutes realizing that from those steps I can see where the temple used to be, the Garden of Gethsemane, the City of David, and the hill Christ was crucified on. Jesus could see his fate on one step.
Friday, before Shabbat, we had a man from the International church come to lecture. He was a Japanese-American-Israeli. Quite a few nationalities in one man! He spoke about Israel and the Jewish people along with his testimony and why he was called here. It was awesome just to hear people speak who have such a passion for the Israel and the Jewish people that they would dedicate their lives to live in Israel. Israel is a beautiful place to live, but you must realize that to live here, you are sacrificing much of what we call "freedom" in America. The way you dress, speak, act, and which days you do things suddenly change. I pray God blesses all those who are have a passion for the Jewish people and have given their life in hopes they the Jews will find new life.
Saturday was shabbat. Praise God for Shabbat!! It might be my favorite day of the week. This week was a true shabbat. We did NOTHING!! I woke up and had lunch and then went on the roof to take a nap. After 3 weeks it is still amazing to me that I can fall asleep to the view of the temple mount and Dome of the Rock.
Today is Sunday and we are taking it a bit slower this week. We walked to the East Gate of the wall today and then up to the Mount of Olives. Now, when I say we walked up the Mount of Olives, I don't mean it was a stroll in the park, this mountain might be the steepest, longest road I have ever walked up in my life. They did not warn us that we would be doing this today, which made it even worse!!! It was so crazy. I wish I had pictures, but I was too focused on breathing than snappin a shot! Good news is, I'm going to be in great shape when I get home- Actually, I wish I could say that would be true, but with all the Gelato, Falafel, and Twix, I think I might be coming home the same. :-/ When we got up to the top, we realized that our new tour guide brought us to the same place we had been a few days before, but that time we took a bus... I think I will opt out for the bus next time. We walked back down and went to the Garden of Gethsemane. That was an amazing place. I am a little disappointed by how commercialized they make many of the sites, but to see Olive trees that were over 2,000 years old was completely unexplainable. The twisted and deformed shape almost screams of the agony of Christ. Lunch was falafel again today- I think I'm in love. We have made friends with the Jewish people down the street that run the falafel place and he hooks us up when we come in. It's a beautiful thing. We were asking him what a falafel actually is (since all we know is it's a fried ball and the inside is green) and it turns out that the majority of it is crushed up chic peas! They use chic peas for everything here! He was telling us that Pesach (or passover) starts in 3 days and they will be closed for 7 days. By the time they open again, we will be back in America... This hurts my heart. Yes, because I DO love falafels, but also because we have really become friends with these people. I will truly miss them. We went to a church service tonight the a sketchy building on Jaffa St. It kind of reminded me of the medical hatch (for all you LOST fans out there haha). We walked in and immediately I felt like I was back in America. There were lights and curtains and a loud worship band... it was good, but it just made me think of the drastic change that had just happened just by walking into a building. I did miss Shemen Sasson this week, which is the Messianic Jewish church we have been attending here. You would think because everything has to be translated it would be annoying, but God really has his hand on that congregation. We have become pretty good at the Hebrew songs too, so that makes it a little easier! If you want to check out their website it's http://shemensasson.com/ The pastor of the church, Calev Myers, is also a lawyer that helps Messianic Jews come back to Israel since the Israeli government denies them citizenship because they said they have "turned away." The messages that we have heard have been awesome and the way I feel the church was called to be. They are very theologically sound and very encouraging.
I can honestly say that I am not coming back to America the same.
It's been a few days, so this may take awhile.
It all began around 9:00am Thursday morning when we arrived to a nature preserve somewhere in Galilee (I'm not quite sure where because it seems that every time I get on the bus it has a soothing effect and makes me fall asleep.) We were going to plant a tree! The Jewish people really have a heart for rebuilding and replanting in Israel since it says in Amos "I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit." Amos 9:14. Israel is now the country that has the most trees planted in the world. We were taken out into a field, read this verse, and were given a choice of an Oak tree, Carob tree, or an Olive tree. I really wanted an olive tree, but there was only one and a girl snatched it before I could get there. But my second choice was a Carob tree, which I got! A Carob tree is native to Israel and is quite amazing. They call it the tree of life because as they grow, they produce this fruit that is green, and when it's ripe turns a dark brown/blackish color. This tree is mentioned several times in the Bible. When you eat the pods off of the tree, they taste like chocolate and has all the necessities to survive on that alone if one was starving, especially in the desert. The way they grow in harsh elements is amazing! They were already starting to grow in a pot, so we kind of just transferred them into the ground. Ryan, Alexis, Katie, Kara-Leigh and I all took our trees and planted them next to each other. We figured when we came back to Jerusalem with our kids, we would pick which ever one was still alive and say "That's the tree your mom planted!" After that, we hopped on the bus and went to the Knesset, which is the Israeli Parliament building. I have not had good lunch with flip flops here seeing as one pair had already broke and now, another is gone. If you really knew me, you would know that I cannot live with out certain things and one of them is flip flops (another is Dr. Pepper and thank GOD for "Super24" store, which I'm pretty sure is the only store in Israel that sells it!) We were walking into the Knesset past the crazy security and I trip over a rock (imagine that) and my flip flop breaks. I'm so worried about my shoe that I am walking through the metal detector with all kinds of jewelery on and it keeps beeping and through broken English the men are telling me to go back 3 or 4 times. It was quite the ordeal. One of the security women fixed my shoe as much as possible and it lasted until the way home from dinner, in which I had to wrap a hair tie around my shoe. I bet you will never say you went barefoot through the Knesset though!
After the Knesset, we drove to a look out right about the TRUE Old City (The City of David) and it was then that I finally understood what the city looked like in the time of Jesus. We walked down a few steps in a church and ended up in an old cave that was Caiaphas's' house- one of the High Priests in Jesus' time. The tour guide was explaining to us that there are very few places that they can say absolutely sure that Jesus was in an exact spot- but this was one of them. We walked down to a room that was an old water cistern that had a hole in the roof of it. We were told that this was the place Jesus was taken to the night he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was lowered by his arms through the hole in the roof and was left here over night. Being in there was so overwhelming... the dark room with the cold corners. I could only imagine what Jesus was thinking as he was sitting there alone after he just prayed "Father, if you could, take this cup from me." We walked out of the cave and on to a set of white steps that was right outside of the house. On either side of the steps were the ruins of the High Priests' house including Annas. I sat on the steps and looked out on to the City of David and the current Old City and Jerusalem and while I heard the guide saying "These steps were the very steps Jesus took to the Upper Room, dragged up to Caiaphas's' house, to Annas' house, and down to go to Pontius Pilate. They have not been touched, rebuilt, or fixed since that time." I sat there in awe and reverence of everything I just heard. To step out of being a tourist for a moment, to step out of problems and worldliness... these were the last and first steps of eternity. We will soon be no longer burdened by sin and sacrifice and will step into an eternity with the Father. Out of everything I've seen in Jerusalem, this has surpassed everything. To sit there for 30 minutes realizing that from those steps I can see where the temple used to be, the Garden of Gethsemane, the City of David, and the hill Christ was crucified on. Jesus could see his fate on one step.
Friday, before Shabbat, we had a man from the International church come to lecture. He was a Japanese-American-Israeli. Quite a few nationalities in one man! He spoke about Israel and the Jewish people along with his testimony and why he was called here. It was awesome just to hear people speak who have such a passion for the Israel and the Jewish people that they would dedicate their lives to live in Israel. Israel is a beautiful place to live, but you must realize that to live here, you are sacrificing much of what we call "freedom" in America. The way you dress, speak, act, and which days you do things suddenly change. I pray God blesses all those who are have a passion for the Jewish people and have given their life in hopes they the Jews will find new life.
Saturday was shabbat. Praise God for Shabbat!! It might be my favorite day of the week. This week was a true shabbat. We did NOTHING!! I woke up and had lunch and then went on the roof to take a nap. After 3 weeks it is still amazing to me that I can fall asleep to the view of the temple mount and Dome of the Rock.
Today is Sunday and we are taking it a bit slower this week. We walked to the East Gate of the wall today and then up to the Mount of Olives. Now, when I say we walked up the Mount of Olives, I don't mean it was a stroll in the park, this mountain might be the steepest, longest road I have ever walked up in my life. They did not warn us that we would be doing this today, which made it even worse!!! It was so crazy. I wish I had pictures, but I was too focused on breathing than snappin a shot! Good news is, I'm going to be in great shape when I get home- Actually, I wish I could say that would be true, but with all the Gelato, Falafel, and Twix, I think I might be coming home the same. :-/ When we got up to the top, we realized that our new tour guide brought us to the same place we had been a few days before, but that time we took a bus... I think I will opt out for the bus next time. We walked back down and went to the Garden of Gethsemane. That was an amazing place. I am a little disappointed by how commercialized they make many of the sites, but to see Olive trees that were over 2,000 years old was completely unexplainable. The twisted and deformed shape almost screams of the agony of Christ. Lunch was falafel again today- I think I'm in love. We have made friends with the Jewish people down the street that run the falafel place and he hooks us up when we come in. It's a beautiful thing. We were asking him what a falafel actually is (since all we know is it's a fried ball and the inside is green) and it turns out that the majority of it is crushed up chic peas! They use chic peas for everything here! He was telling us that Pesach (or passover) starts in 3 days and they will be closed for 7 days. By the time they open again, we will be back in America... This hurts my heart. Yes, because I DO love falafels, but also because we have really become friends with these people. I will truly miss them. We went to a church service tonight the a sketchy building on Jaffa St. It kind of reminded me of the medical hatch (for all you LOST fans out there haha). We walked in and immediately I felt like I was back in America. There were lights and curtains and a loud worship band... it was good, but it just made me think of the drastic change that had just happened just by walking into a building. I did miss Shemen Sasson this week, which is the Messianic Jewish church we have been attending here. You would think because everything has to be translated it would be annoying, but God really has his hand on that congregation. We have become pretty good at the Hebrew songs too, so that makes it a little easier! If you want to check out their website it's http://shemensasson.com/ The pastor of the church, Calev Myers, is also a lawyer that helps Messianic Jews come back to Israel since the Israeli government denies them citizenship because they said they have "turned away." The messages that we have heard have been awesome and the way I feel the church was called to be. They are very theologically sound and very encouraging.
I can honestly say that I am not coming back to America the same.
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