Galilee

Galilee

In order: Paul's home built over by a modern church. Jesus probably spent a lot of time here. The church on the Mount of Transfiguration. A mosaic floor piece. A newer white synagogue built on remnants of the darker synagogue at which Jesus definitely preached.

The Sea of Galilee

the Sea of Galilee, an ancient boat from the time of Jesus, an old war machine at a war site between Israel and Syria, and our view of the Sea of Galilee from our kibbutz's beach.

the Church on the Mount of Beatitudes

our Galilean home!

Huntsy: you've GOT to try the mustard seeds! EAT the mustard seed!

my favorite: scripture reading in a hammock on the beach

Caesarea Phillipi where Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah

view from the top of the mount of beatitudes

Us on the top of the mountain home to Nimrod's Castle but not really.

on our way home- the Mediterranean Sea again!

Marcie, Me, and Sarah. Our fellow tenants in the kibbutz.

A legitimate ancient Roman aqueduct at Caesaria. 

Another part of the Jordan River- where born again Christians get baptized.

Galilee was one of my favorite two weeks in the Middle East. I love its serenity and its spirit. We alternated days going to class and going on field trips. It was the ultimate experience to study Christs' Galilean ministry as I sat on the banks of the Sea of Galilee and go to the synagogues and sites where he actually taught and spent time with the disciples. 

My life.

So I'll be doing a Galilee post soon, considering it's been the best time I've had yet. But it will take too long and I'm too stressed. So....here's a few pictures describing my life right now.

I got an easter card from 7-year old Catherine. It made me cry. It's fine. So ready to see her again!

 Everything is in Hebrew. Even websites. SO going to miss this. 

Meet Jared and Margaret Ludlow, aka the Rowdys. One is my teacher and emails me about papers. The other one is my cookie dough provider and emails me about cookie dough. The subjects of their emails are evidence of this. The one from Sister Rowdy has no text- just a subject. cookie dough now

we have a lot of papers to write....this is usually what my screen looks like. 

So as you can see, in order to procrastinate writing papers even further, I cry about my sister's adorable notes, make dookie dough, listen to music, and.....GO TO HUNGER GAMES!!!!! Even though I look like I'm on drugs in this picture, I'm still proud of it because it's taken with two Israeli van-fulls of my favorite people.

xoxo m

Pre-Galilee Outing~

The day before we left for Galilee, we went on a super productive excursion into the Old City to do a few of the things we haven’t been able to get in yet. Such as, get chocolate rugalach, a Jewish pastry that is actually straight from Heaven.

We also went to the Dormitian Abbey, a church of the traditional burial site of Mary, Christ’s mother.

Then we went to the Dome of the Rock....again. I love the Dome of the Rock "like a middle-aged woman loves Diet Coke" -Ethan Carnahan

this little gem would NOT smile.

Then we went to the Western Wall, which we’ve been to before. But it was my first time when it wasn’t super full and we got to sit and write down a prayer and put it in the wall.

Then we went and did the Ramparts walk, which is a walk on top of the Old City walls around the perimeter of the Old City. It was soo amazing and I loved getting a different view of it. We would just pause and look out onto it and I was just over come with love for this place. I had a dream last night that we were already gone and in the airport and I woke up crying. AH! I don’t want to leave!

no, I did not get electricuted. it was just a little windy.
Marcie, Sare, and Carrie my best friends!

the Old City walls view of the Jerusalem Center. My home sweeeeeet home.

I love this country so much. Galilee here I come!

xoxo m

Jerusalem Marathon!

So obviously I didn’t run the marathon. Considering I’ve run a total of TWO times since I got here in January, I thought I did pretty well finishing in a little over an hour for a 10K, which is a little over 6 miles. Pathetic, yet still proud. No shame.

before: a warm up run,  my girls, and me with my SWEET shirt and number.

I’m SO glad I did it. We ran through rain, sun, sleet, and hail. As in, there was one point when I was running down a hill and there was ice hitting the back of my bare neck and the wind was pushing me down hill. It was the most exhilarating feeling to run through the Old City and the streets of this city I have come to love so much! I also loved running with these people- there were locals, my fellow students, and people from around the world who came just to run in this race. It’s the 2^nd time they’ve done the Jerusalem Marathon and I have a feeling it will definitely not be the last. I can see it becoming very popular. They did a good job with it. My favorite part: running next to a few Jews on our way UP to the Old City. So- “aliyah” means ascent. There were aliyahs in the history of Judaism, when they came in waves to Israel after the diaspora, and the term is also used when individual Jews come “up” to Jerusalem as a pilgrimage. These Jewish boys were running next to me and as we ascended the hill up to the Old City (a very holy place for them, and me…) they were yelling “Aliyah! Aliyah!”

the dang hill....one of many. this was my favorite though- running along the walls and into the Old City!

local cheering helped, too. that's Hebrew. Yes, I can read it and no, I don't know what it means.

the J.Rowdys before and after.

court and I after the race in the JC. shoes. we found an american flag amongst all the others. felt homesick to see it!

our wonderful best friends came to support us!

I love Jeru.

xoxo ~ m

Bethlehem

Oh little town of Bethlehem....

We first went to the Herodian which was Herod’s summer palace. There was a shepherd there with his sheep and we also found a spine on the ground and said “we found Herod…”

Right above Herod’s palace was a synagogue where Christ most likely went. Brother Jackson lectured. Love that guy.

 

Then we went to the Church of the Nativity and sang in a small cave-like thing under the church. It’s where I felt the spirit the most, because it lacked all of the elaborate ornamentation and was more similar to what I pictured Christ being born in, rather than the weird thing they think is the spot. Papa Huntsy read the first half of the Luke 2 account of Christ’s birth, up to the end of the manger scene.

Then we went to shepherds field, where we had a devotional, sang Christmas hymns, and read the rest of Luke 2, starting with the shepherds abiding in the field. 

We had personal time to reflect and watch the sun set on the Bethlehem shepherd's field. It was amazing to be sitting in the field and picture the star, the shepherds, and the place that shares air space with the spot Jesus Christ was born into a mortal body and started to fulfill the prophecies and live His life for us. 

xoxo

m