Jezreel Valley & Galilee

So a packed day with an early start and a quick stop at Mount Carmel, the place where Elijah had a showdown with the prophets of Baal. Then to Megiddo. We went to Nazareth and climbed the hill of the precipice and on to Cana...where Jesus turned the water into wine...his first miracle and the launch of his public ministry. The day concludes with a perfect cup of coffee with a perfect sunset across the Sea of Galilee as I reflect on a perfect day.

The Last Few Days...

I know it has been a while. I started writing this a few days ago, so some of the things are old, but anyway...

Goodbyes are never fun.  When you make awesome new friends, you just don’t want to say goodbye.  I am so thankful for my new friends at Kaplan Hospital and I do hope that this will not be the last conversation that we have.  This is Ulga, she was married 5 years ago to Alex and they have 2 gorgeous blond blond children.  Ulga moved to Rehovot from Russia when she was 15 years old and loves living in Israel.   As trust was established, she became very interested in talking more openly about my faith and beliefs.  She is a dear friend and I will miss her!  May our friendship continue beyond geography.

For Shabbat this evening one of the hospital staff made us dinner.  Amazing!!  She must have been cooking for days!  We sat outside where she had strung up lights from the trees and the weather was perfect….it was like being in the movies. 

Tonight we will be singing in the Shabbat  service.  We will sing 3 Hebrew and 3 English songs….kinda looking forward to that! 

WE have been walking through Philippians for our daily devotions.  We are almost finished with chapter 1 and it’s all about joy.   

“Deep seeded contentment and happiness, not based on circumstances but based on Gods ability to control all things to make them turn out for his glory and my good.”

Joy.  I am really and sincerely happy in my circumstances right now, but my JOY rests in the knowledge that God is using my current circumstances for his good and glory.  Pretty cool.

The last few days have been full of farewells.  Several dinners with the hospital staff, with the local church Kehilah (congregation), with our host family.  This is Jack and Judy - our hosts in Rehovot.  Love these people!  Will miss them!

We are on our way to 10 days of touring....walking where Jesus walked!  While I am sad to be leaving my new friends, I am excited for the next few days.