The Great adventure

Thoughts, Never Spoken Words

2019-10-23T15:20:00.001-07:00

Have you had a day where your thoughts never make it to words but feel like they should have been?

That was me today. It all started with a group that I’m doing a study with. It seemed my chuckles and comments which were light hearted were being misconstrued and there wasn’t space to clarified. I’ll be contacting that person to clarify my comments and perhaps ask for forgiveness because I don’t want my words or actions to cause any damage that may color our relationship from then on. As I want to cultivate this one not destroy the garden before it’s even had a chance to produce.

I’m a slow thinker (this doesn’t mean I’m slow it just means I take my time to mull over things to really get to the nitty gritty so to speak), which for most occasions there is never enough time or space given to allow my thoughts to germinate. (Unintended garden analogy going on here). At the same study group, this happened. The question was asked, “Where did you last see God show up when you didn't expect it?” Now this stated question isn’t verbatim and I hope you will understand soon enough where the thought was going. I was not the first to speak but wanted to be because I’ve had lots of instances where God had shown up in my life in a very real and tangible way and surprised me even, which for God, I really shouldn’t be. Anyway, once the first person spoke, I knew what instance I wanted to share. Being raise to wait for your turn or the right time to speak, I waited. But no opening occurred and I was left holding on to my thought. Which it’s almost like when your mom says not yet but soon all day and “it” never comes and tomorrow is now to late.

I will share with you my thought as I think it’s pretty amazing. I have always been told that wherever you are you should be a light. Now I know I’m not perfect so sometimes that light isn’t very bright and sometimes a poor light example. Hey we aren’t perfect! But this instance it was a moment that I know it was all God and I was a ready and willing vessel for his work. I was flying to a wedding. My husband and daughter were not with me so the seat next to me was not someone I knew. In the midst of the flight the person, a lady, asks for some tissues from a flight attendant. Right there and then I knew I needed to put down my book and talk to this lady. I asked her if she was ok and then proceeded to ask questions not concerning her tears so as to allow her space to either share or just help her to focus on something good. She relaxed to where she started to share what was weighing on her heart. And not being a forward person I knew I had to ask if she would let me pray for her, which she did and I shared in her tears while praying for her and her family. What a beautiful reminder to me that God knows our hearts and knows when the timing is right. As I’ve always wanted to share the gospel and or pray for someone on a plane but thought that only happens to evangelists such as pastors or traveling Christian speakers.

So the day is not done. I get home from work, as today my husband watches our daughter, and my mother-in-law also happens to be visiting. I asked her how my daughter was that day and asked if she behaved and didn’t throw a tantrum. My daughter is at an age where she’s trying to exert her will and independence and since she sees mom the most that’s when it shows. Anyway, my mother-in-law comments on how daddy and her didn’t give her the chance and knew not to throw a tantrum. At the time it felt like an attacking to my parenting, which I’m sure was not the case but in my head I heard, “Your daughter only throws crying fits and tantrums in front of you because you allow it.” And at the time of this comment I wanted to say, “ well she sees me more often and wants to exert her will more easily with the person she is most comfortable with.” But I didn’t as the thoughts weren’t so well formulated to where I wouldn’t make a complete mess of things and have to ask for forgiveness to repair any damage my words would have done. Again this was another relationship I want and need to cultivate as she is my husbands mother.

Moving on, my mothers birthday is at the end of October, and she likes something special to be done for her birthday as she’s never liked her Halloween birthday. Well, she has a weekend planned out and it seems the guest invitation list keeps growing but there’s one couple that I would love to see but never really get a chance to as they are “busy.” Well in the midst of a text conversation with my parents my dad suggests dropping a line to them to encourage the acceptance of the invitation. With all good intentions I did, with a text. Oye did I ever step into it with that text. And as a side note texts can always be misconstrued, so call. Although in this instance I probably wouldn’t have gotten a response on a call due to being”busy.”

Pet peeve here but stop telling people you are busy. Be specific and don’t always blame it on one source like the Job or your kids. The I’m busy card gets pulled way to much where the reality is that you might not want to make the time for the person as you already have people you prefer to hang out with. (Ok done with the soap box as it’s something I struggle with and trying to change because we should open ourselves to more than a select few friends.)

Anyway, I wake up in the middle of the night and have this urge to look at my phone. I have a response back from my text and I can tell that my text hit a sore spot and that what was in my head didn’t come out in the words I said. I know at that moment, even though it’s 11 some at night, I need to respond to this text. The response has to be apologetic as it’s a relationship I want to cultivate even if they are busy. I sent a response and I pray that it is received well in more than one way.

Once sent, I felt the urge to write my thoughts down as I know that I’m not the only person out there that has days like these, where their thoughts and words don’t come out how they intend and people, being sensitive creatures these days, take offense or just don’t pause long enough in their mental agenda to realize what was and wasn’t said.

As a call to those who are in a hurry in conversation, take time to pause-like a good silence in a song- it allows the conversation to breath and take on a nature that you never can expect.

Mountain Top

2013-09-02T23:24:00.000-07:00

This was no normal mountain top experience where it was this immense spiritual awakening. It was more God’s quite reminder to me on top of a mountain peak.

This weekend, because of it being Labor Day weekend, my family, some friends and my boyfriend went and camped near Fairy Lake. For many who live in the Bozeman Montana area, you will know that this is near the hike up to Sacajawea peak at 9650 feet.

Hiking up to Sacajawea peak was amazing especially seeing mountain goats in close proximity to my hiking party.

My boyfriend persuaded me to go south to the next peak, which I believe is Naya Nuki peak at 9581 feet. If someone knows otherwise please do not hesitate to correct me. If anyone knows me, edges and unsure footing give me the hebbie geebies, however, my fearless leader blazed a path that all I had to do was follow and look where I was stepping. This was good because I didn’t have time to think about my surroundings. It was well worth the work. The views were amazing!

What got me the most was on the way back. I was reflecting on how great God is, how amazing he is that he created this mountain range. It was at this moment I had two things running around in my head. The first was just a song tid-bit, “How great, how deep, how wide, is your love for us.”

The other was,

“The heavens declare the glory of God the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour fourth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4

There is more and I would encourage anyone to read the whole Psalm but here’s the point, how can we as humans ignore God and forget his greatness. The mountains declare who he is! The skies proclaim his work!

Camping

2013-08-18T18:17:00.001-07:00

After 3 years of hiatus from this blog, a camping trip this weekend brought it to the fore front of my mind.

I’ve been wanting for some time to share my thoughts, moments, and pictures in a different way other than Facebook. Facebook, in its own right is a good social network to keep in contact with friends, family, etc. However, it seems limiting when it comes to sharing deep thoughts or a maturing of character. It seems to me very shallow at times with one sentence blurbs and no back story. When I share my photo’s I like to share back story and thoughts that correspond to the picture and create dialogue that is encouraging and not belittling.

This weekend of camping brought thoughts and perspective to things that shouldn’t be left on the pages of my journal in and where they may be repeated once or twice before I forget them.

There is something about being outdoors with no cell service that brings your life into perspective. This camping trip was with my church and since my boyfriend was gone harvesting up in Big Sandy I had more time on my hands then I knew what to do with. But that time was well spent in the company of great people who’s fellowship I soaked in as much as I could. I realized that I needed this more than I knew. I needed to have fellowship with women who were continually and honestly seeking God’s plan for their life. Now this doesn’t mean that “God’s plan” was this big earth shattering idea but more the quiet of the morning. It was as one women stated, “I didn’t get mad at my son today,” which aptly describes my life as it is right now.

I cannot say that I am where I thought I was going to be after I graduated from College but it is where God has me. Showing me his perspective on who my boyfriend is and not who I think he should be, reminding me that he still uses me to work in people’s lives, and to continually be who he made me to be.

These thoughts, as easy as they are to write down are not so easy to walk in. They are a constant struggle that God leads and guides me through and where many times I stumble.

This renewed start to my blog, I hope, will not only be conversations with God and moments that I capture that are shared but, also a conversation with you, the reader. I do not have all the answers but I hope we can have a respectful dialogue. Who knows it may change both of us.

A reminder

2010-07-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Funny how God gives us reminders of what he did during a period of our lives that helped us understand God more.

We as a believes can sometimes get in this rut of knowing that God can do anything with our heads but not really believing it in our hearts. “I’ll pray for healing,” or “God will provide.” Sometimes we speak these phrases out of habit not really believing or understanding what was say. While I was Israel I very much was a Job, a person who sacrificed just in case his children had sinned without even knowing it. He feared the Lord but he didn’t fear the Lord. It was all head and no heart. Now don’t get me wrong we do need the head with the heart else we miss something but we shouldn’t have one without the other. While I was Israel God showed himself to me as a God who does give us strength, who provides, who prepares a place, who heals not just our physical but our spiritual bodies, who is what we need in all circumstances.

Today, that seemed to be the theme. I was talking to a family friend and the conversation came around to that same topic. Then later while I was singing during the house of prayer with a group that same theme came out while reading the scripture Jeremiah 31:35.

This is what the Lord says, who gives the sun as light for the day, who ordained the laws for the moon and stars to provide light for the night, who stirs up the sea until its waves roar – The Lord Almighty is his name:

Pretty powerful words. God can do all things because He did order the sun’s path for the day and the stars and the moon for the night. He created all things can he not provide, heal, protect, strengthen, and encourage us too?

Changed

2010-06-27T21:44:00.001-07:00

I don’t know if anyone is still reading this blog since I haven’t posted in quite some time. I made it back all in one piece and none of my luggage got lost. The first day I got back I went food shopping and it was the weirdest experience ever. People actually spoke my language and I could actually read the labels. : ) I have to re-adjust to a “new” culture again. After being immersed in the Israeli culture for three months, America is foreign to me. A place that I have lived for 26 years is foreign to me.

It’s not just the culture that gets me but my perspective has changed. You can’t take life for granted in a place where your life can be changed at any moment. There, the tension was so in your face that you could not ignore it even if you tried. Then living from day to day and letting the Lord lead me to wherever he wanted me to go, speak to whoever he wanted me to speak to, changed my perspective. Showing me that if we allow the Lord the SPACE to work in our lives he will and do it daily even by the minute or second. I had days where I did not know exactly where I was going to stay but knowing that I was to move on from where I was so that he could take me to where he wanted me to go. To say that I was relaxed and at peace, about trusting the Lord that he had prepared a place for me would be lying to you. I was stressed to say the least. However, when everything fell into place I knew that God was in it because there could be no other explanation.

Now that I am back home how do I then assimilate back into home culture or am I suppose to even assimilate back? How do I then apply what I learned and share it because I know that is what I am supposed to do? How then do I take steps to walk in the faith that the Lord showed me I should walk in?

Some of these questions may seem like no brainers to you guy’s but it is something that I am working on and trying to understand. God will show me one day at a time and that is really all that he is asking me to do. One day at a time.

Driven

2010-06-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard the cry’s for an update : ). So here is what I did, last week was full of movement. Sunday and Monday of last week I toured some more around Jerusalem with Yaron and some friends of my mothers. We walked the roofs of Jerusalem. I got pictures so that way you get a visual of what it looks like because to the residence of the old city it is just another road to them.

From Sunday to Tuesday I stayed at a hotel right inside Jaffa Gate called the “Imperial Hotel.” If you are looking for a five star hotel this is not the place but if you want a place in the old city that gives you the feel of what life is like in the old city this is the place for you. : ) I enjoyed being there with Jane, the group leader from the first tour that I joined. The business owner was amazing that maked up for any down side to the place.

Jane and I toured the old walls of Jerusalem on Tuesday and that was very interesting view. We figured with all of the political tension going on over the flotilla ships coming from Turkey it would not be wise to tour inside the old city. To show their support for the Turkish ships ALL of the Arab shops were closed for several days. Which in the end only hurts their business and then gives them time to over think the issue and have all these lies passed from one person to the next. With all of them starting to believe it which gets them all riled up and want to protest. Some of these protests have been people on top of the temple mount throwing stones on the people praying at the western wall. So walking inside the old city really wasn’t an option.

On that day I also, visited a friend of Michelle’s, my sister, who is studying in Jerusalem. Some interesting facts about the building complex that her school is formed in is that during the 67 war one of the buildings had a cable car that connected 2 Israeli encampments that were separated by Jordanian forces. This cable car would get food provisions or carry wounded soldiers from one camp to the next. Apparently the Jordanians didn’t even know that it existed. I’ll post the pictures to give you an idea of what it looked like.

Wednesday Jane and I rented a car and drove down to Arad which is 45minutes away from Ber Sheva and met up with Yaron and a smaller tour group and stayed at a Bedouin tent. That was a lot of fun because the Bedouin’s explained their culture through coffee. Bedouins are very hospitable and if they don’t want your company they will give you a full cup of coffee which means, “I am full of you so once you are done with your cup leave.” But if they wanted you to stay they would give you just a taste of coffee. There was apparently a retired tracker from the Israeli army who gave us a tutorial on tracking. Who knew that there was such a science to tracking from when insects roam the desert to dew falling. This tracker apparently said that they helped the Israeli army on border patrol by telling them that each day they should cover up yesterdays tracks so that if new once were made they could better differentiate between the two. If you want more on this I can talk to you when I get back. This was very interesting.

The following days I drove in the old city helping Yaron take a couple from New Zealand all over the old city. By Friday I was ready to be out of the underlying tension that Jerusalem has. We walked a bit in the old city and there was a lot of military presence and a lot of tension that it wore me out. Now don’t get me wrong everyone should visit Jerusalem for two reasons. One to see the history written in the stones of Jerusalem and the other to really understand what kind of tension the people of Israel go through from day to day from Jew to Gentile.

Friday afternoon we, meaning Yaron and the couple from New Zealand, drove to Haifa and had Shabbat dinner with Yaron’s family. That was a breath of fresh air. So I have been with Yaron and his family since then.

I’ll keep you better posted as to what happens this week ;).

Provision

2010-05-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

Now that I have a down day to reflect I realize that God has done so much for me while I have been here.

For the past week I joined in with a tour group that Yaron (friend of the family) was guiding. I was privileged to meet all these wonderful ladies and gents from Tennessee, Texas, and California. Just full of the joy of the Lord and fun loving group that really hadn’t met each other until the tour started and all of them from different denominations and walks of life. I knew that it was a God appointment when the first day I joined their tour they really adopted me as part of their group. See the reason I was able to join them is that when they didn’t have luggage I was able to ride their bus because there was space for me. However, Yaron and the group leader stipulated that when they had to pack the luggage I would have to find another mode of transportation. But the group accepted me so much that they asked the group leader if there was some way that I could come with them even with the entire luggage and from then on I was part of the group as if I had joined them from the beginning. They were such a blessing and a joy to be with. Hearing all of their life stories and ambitions was amazing and beautiful.

Then they really blessed me Saturday night and surprised me with a birthday cake. Unbeknownst to me they were stalling me from getting up from the dinner table but I had gotten up to get something and the lights went out. I turned to our table and Yaron is hollering for me to get back to the table. When I do I look over and the staff was bringing a cake with a sparkler in it for a candle. I was speechless and blessed that strangers would care about me that much to surprise me for my birthday. What a blessing.

While I was with them I saw so much: Tiberius, the Sea of Galilee, Masada, Ein Gede, up north where the tribe of Dan lived, Syrian border, and a northern Kibbutz, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Temple mount, Pools of Bethesda, St. Ann’s Cathedral, Via Dolorosa, Garden of Geseminy (not quite sure I spelled that right) and more.

St. Ann’s had beautiful acoustics and when we sang amazing grace other groups started singing and harmonizing and that was so beautiful. I was overwhelmed by how great our God is and that music can be such a unifying thing. Even if we don’t agree doctrinally music is the mediator.

That is just a few things that have happened in the last week. I hope you enjoyed and we shall see what the next week has to offer. I know that God has this trip pre-planned because I couldn’t have scheduled joining that tour ahead of time that was all God. I’ll keep you guy’s posted as best as I can about the next leg of my trip.

God's Faithfulness

2010-05-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks that I haven’t written in a while. Life has been crazy busy and now I have finished my work with the people I was working for. God has richly rewarded my hard work and diligence with a chance to tour Israel and get a better perspective of the land. I don’t want to be jaded by my one experience because Israel is a fountain of culture waiting to be discovered by foreigners. I know that God has this last leg of my journey all ready planned out all the way down to the people I’m suppose to meet, the places I’m suppose to go, and stay. All I have to do is just follow and trust him.

I am now up in Har Gilo which isn’t that far from Jerusalem with the same lady that I stayed with earlier in my trip in Israel. On the day of Shavuot (Pentecost/feast of weeks) I was dropped off by the people that I used to work for at Yad HaShmonah, where Nancy (friend of the family) was at. There was a big celebration happening and I got to see some dance, worship groups, and other things. It was nice to be still and just absorb everything. Sorry I don’t have any pictures of that.

Then today, went to a pedestrian street called Ben Yhuda, I believe that’s what it’s called. Please correct me if I’ve spelled it wrong. But its several city blocks long and just full of fun places. Although, if you go be careful of the shop keepers they may talk your ear off :). Also, today I want to this huge and I mean huge market place full of vegetables, fruit, spices, meat, textiles etc. It's more than a few blocks in stretches from one district of Jerusalem to another. I don’t know the particulars but I got a couple of pictures to give you a small idea of what it looks like.

A side note: Here is something that people should always keep in mind. If you are part of a ministry, leading a ministry or anything of that sort, always remember to thank the people that are volunteering for you. Also, encourage them and lead with love not just assumed authority. This actually applies to anything really for example if you own your own business and you have employees. If you want your employees to stay with you, there needs to be an atmosphere of love and equality. Now I’m not talking about being wishy washy but being a leader that sees people and not machines, who understand that people have limits but also sees the potential that they have.

Eilat on foot

2010-05-15T04:56:00.001-07:00

Fog

2010-05-08T03:33:00.000-07:00

This week has been full, full, full. We got everything that we could pack packed. Then near the end of the week we got the full scope of what was going to happen the next days. The people that I am volunteering for have to be out of the place they are currently living in by the 11th of May. They had not found a house and so they were moving into the apartment that the ladies and I are staying at. Then two of the ladies have to be moved out of the tower by a certain time. The tower is going to be more crowded than ever and I’m hoping I can stay someplace else while all this is happening.

A side note: Worship leaders have to work hard during a worship service so that others can enter into worship. What people don’t know is that while they are resting. Worship leaders are working and get tired after a service and must go to a quiet place. Don’t expect these leaders to go straight into work after doing a worship service. They must have a time to re-coop and guard themselves from whatever they enemy may bring at them. Why I am saying this is this week we had a morning worship service and it took a lot out of my. Nobody understood and just expected me to be able to get up and start running errands and doing stuff for the day. I then was hit hard with some spiritual battles. When I got to the place where we were packing, I was in a fog. When of the ladies was asking me questions and nothing was computing. At that point I pulled myself out to re-group. At the end of the day, one of the ladies wanted to take us out for ice cream and it was at this point that I had to tell them I couldn’t because I needed to re-group. They wanted to blame it on the packing. It was at this statement that I said that was not it. It was because I hadn’t had a chance to re-group after the worship service.

NOW that you have had an ear full realize that a worship leader needs lots of prayer and protection before, during, and after a worship service. They can prepare themselves but there are times that they can’t protect themselves and that is where they need God to be their rear guard.

A Grounded Tower

2010-05-03T23:38:00.000-07:00

This last week was rough on me physically, mentally, and spiritually and it wasn’t until now that I could take the time to write about it.

The thing about staying with the people that you are working with is that you have no space or separation from anything. You experience everything. Each others ups and downs and it makes for a rough week because you don’t have any just being days because someone is working through things. This can wear you down but it also forces you to find a quiet place and seek the Lord and have him rejuvenate you and strengthen you. During these times God showed me a few things. On Tuesday of last week, I went for a little walk to read and to be by myself and God. I went and visited a youth hostel that is run by believers and when I came it was so peaceful and welcoming. Then I had this thought, that we as believes not only have to be grounded in the lord but also spiritually minded. So in a picture we have to be both in a tower and on the ground. Not just one or the other but both, to be balanced.

The other thought is that this is the time for the counting of the “omer” which was done before Pentecost. Today is the 35th day of the Omer which means 15 more days before Pentecost. I anticipate what God will do on the day of Pentecost because here we are in a prayer tower seeking God’s face and like Acts 1:14 says, “These all devoted themselves single mindedly to prayer, along with some women…” Being in the prayer tower gives me an idea of what that must have been like. Like the prayer tower, I am sure that they didn’t all get along all the time but they worked it through and came together in unity and praised and prayed through the spiritual battle anticipating what the gift that God would give them. That anticipation must have been intense because for me it is building with each day I get closer to Pentecost. Because God is so big who knows what he will and can do.

The one gift that God gave me this last week was rain. Now I am sure it wasn’t just for me but it blessed me so much because rain in the desert is unheard of and Eilat is known to have 360 days of sun and now it’s reaching 330 days of sun because of the rain :)… Anyway I’ll leave you with the pictures of the week. You will see independence day fireworks and then the next is Israeli warships, Eilat, the moon, and then the rain clouds that we had on Saturday. May God bless you and keep you and may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

This weeks Happenings in picture form

2010-04-24T12:26:00.001-07:00

This weeks happenings

2010-04-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

This last week was full of activities. We have a new person called Beth helping with the packing, which takes a huge load off of my shoulders. Also, she has been helping get boxes and went dumpster diving for boxes. I have been very careful not to hurt myself doing that. Although, on Thursday I believe, I stubbed my toe on a stair and scraped off skin on the tip of my toe and broke my nail. Thank the Lord that Beth was a nurse so she took care of it and it is healing quite nicely. We have a couple more days before Dominique and Baruch come back which is a relief because I wasn’t sure we were going to finish packing by the 28 of April. They won’t come until the 3 of May so Praise the Lord!!

Also, this week it was rough spiritually. All of us at the tower experienced some heavy spiritual warfare and it got a little hairy for a little while but we are now at peace. Thank the Lord for that as well.

Also, be praying for the protection of Eilat. There were some reports that several rockets were shot towards Eilat. Nothing got hit in Eilat, just had one landed in the Gulf of Eilat and the Jordan boarder. God is seated on the throne and he is protecting Eilat and Israel so don’t be afraid.

That’s a quick summary of everything that has happened this week. I thank the Lord that he is my strength and encourager because I would have had more difficulties if I didn’t trust in him. I send my blessings and pray that the Lord blesses you this coming week.

The Pictures are from Tuesday where Beth and I went to the beach and on I believe Monday when we went dumpster diving and found cloths which we washed and lots of boxes. On Thursday, we found a lot of people looking for boxes so it seems that there is a lot of moving happening in Eilat. We really had to scrounge to get boxes that day.

Ruth

2010-04-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

I had a moment on Thursday that I realized that I was like Ruth in the Bible. How she gleaned barley from the field after everyone. Hers was a very lowly job and not glamorous. Thursday, I spent a good portion of it gleaning boxes for packing Dominique and Baruch’s house. This requires me to go up to people that do not necessarily speak English. It’s generally not the first time that they have seen me. Let me explain the scene to you. To find boxes is in the loading bay in the back of Grocery stores or Malls and these bays are not clean. Who knows what is compressed into the cement to where it is black which once had been a nice grey color. Fly’s are trying to find some “food” and usually bugging the tar out of me. You have workers going to the box compressor with their boxes of course and trying to get them to stop so that you can glean boxes is hard because they don’t usually speak English. You might have an older person who does. However, I have found the younger aged workers don’t know enough to ask them about boxes.

Not only was I gleaning boxes but I was all over the place getting newspaper, bubble wrap, and documents taken care of. Thank the Lord that I made it to Friday in one piece. I also think that everyone should have 5 day weeks with Monday being the first day. Here in Israel Sunday is the first day of the week and Saturday and Tuesday are my days off. I don’t get a long weekend. :( Oh well at least I get another day off.

So I had a picture of what Ruth must have felt in a strange country and only knowing one person. Well I think I know more than one person. But I don’t know the language, which I hope to change starting Sunday with Hebrew classes. Ruth did all her work by faith. By faith she said that Naomi’s people would be her people, Naomi’s God Ruth’s God, and to go to a different country and leave everything behind. The thing that gets me is that she went and gleaned barley day after day. That had to take a lot of strength, endurance, and humility. She had to because neither she nor her mother in-law had a source of income. However, God did provide and take care of them.

Pictures of the break

2010-04-10T02:07:00.000-07:00

The Break

2010-04-10T02:05:00.000-07:00

How should I start this? So much has happened this week I’m not quite sure how to start. Dominique and Baruch were heading up to Tel Aviv on Sunday through Tuesday. I joined them and they dropped me off in Jerusalem. Nancy Hook picked me up and I stayed with her and her husband Don Hook for the time I was there. They are friends of my parents and they are the couple in the picture eating. My timing wasn’t very good for taking it :).

On Sunday night I celebrated the last day of Passover at their home. Their home is more down to earth and not so crazy. It was nice to be in a more peaceful home :).
On Monday we went up to a Druz village. Sorry guy’s I got my names mixed up it wasn’t Bedouin but druz. There we looked at their weaving and ate yummy food. I can’t remember what I had but I took a picture of it. It started with a “w” something like waysalin or something like that. I believe it was lamb and it was very yummy.

We also went up to Haifa and visited Caroline who is the wife of Yaron who is a tour guide and is also friends with my parents. They have such a beautiful family and a wonderful story. I do the best that I can and if I’ve missed anything those who do know the story can put there two cents in.

Caroline had been asked to go on this tour in Israel and she really didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it until people asked her to pray about it. At that point she decided to go. While she was on the tour God was dealing with her heart. He said something to the point of, “you are angry at me because you are un-married.” She hadn’t thought about it like that and when God told he r this she said, “Yes you are right.” From there God worked on her heart and at a point of the tour a guide joined in. Now I am a little sketchy on this part but God says to her that’s the man that you are suppose to marry, that is the guide that joined the tour. On the same day God told the guide, Yaron, that this is the women (Caroline) that you are going to marry. On their first “date”, which was the last day of the tour, Yaron goes down on one knee and says, “You are the women that I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

I wish I could explain the rest but that is all that I have. They have two beautiful daughters that saw me and wouldn’t let me leave their sight. I got to read books to them and had them sitting on my lap. God’s children are precious…
Hearing Caroline’s story was amazing and showed just how God works. He can work in ANY time frame as long as we allow him to. God is a Jealous God and wants all of us not parts or pieces when it’s convenient for us. He takes his relationship with us serious and we should too. Set our own agenda aside and allow God to work in us. What do we have to lose? What, our pride, dignity, our self respect, looking silly or weird to the people around us. I mean we aren’t going to die just because we said, “Yes God change me, use me, take me in your hands and do as you will.” We may have to die to “self” but really WHAT do YOU have to lose. You have everything to gain. JOY, PEACE, LOVE, COMMUNITY, FAITH, CHARACTER, THE KNOWLEDGE that you don’t have to do anything alone anymore, God has your back and he will provide all things we just have to Trust him. To put our life in his hands and let him do what he will because he DOES have our best interests in mind. When we make him our refuge, our dwelling-place, No disaster will happen, no calamity will come near our tent; for he will order his angels to care for us and guard us wherever we go. (Psalms 91)

In the other photos are of the aqueducts’ of Caesarea and the Mediterranean sea and the view from Nancy and Don’s home looking at Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and an Arab village

The Blessing

2010-04-03T01:40:00.000-07:00

The most beautiful moment is seeing a grown man be chastised for how he blesses his wife and then change. Instead of an impersonal blessing he looks his wife in the eye’s and humbles himself before her and tells her how much of a blessing she is, that she is a Proverbs 31:10-31 women and meaning every word of it. That is what Friday night dinner is. It’s a time to set aside our own agenda, our worries of the week, and the problems that we are dealing with and get back to the basics. In reality we forget to do that. We pick up are cell phones and start running, forgetting that it’s the people in our lives that have encouraged us to take on the world, to go where we would never have gone before, to challenge those we would never have challenged, to speak into people’s lives where we would never have done so before. My being in Israel is all of that. If someone had told me when I was in High School that I was going to go to Israel as a volunteer I think I would have laughed in their face in unbelief. Just like when the Lord talked to Abraham and said that Sarah was going to have a child in her old age. Image, you are what 90 years old and God says you are going to have a child. How, small our scope of what God can do. When you read this take a moment and bless the people in your lives. Who knows what will come of it. :)

For what is happening in my neck of the wood:

I’m going up to Jerusalem for the end part of Passover, which ends on Tuesday. I will be leaving Sunday in the morning from Eilat. I will then be coming back on Tuesday evening. I am staying with Nancy Hook for 2 nights and going to a Bedouin tribe on Monday. Also, pray for hands. Dominique and Baruch have to move because their lease is up on the place that they are currently living in. Right now it’s on Philis and my hands to pack their house because they will be gone for conferences and other things during the five weeks before they have to be out. So pray for hands to help because there is no way we can do it alone.

Passover

2010-03-30T03:36:00.000-07:00

For those who do not know the Jewish culture Passover is the High Holiday for them. They take weeks to a month to clean out the house of any yeast and then the day of Passover they burn the yeast. Yesterday I got the full force of Passover in Jewish culture. From 11am to around 5 pm I was cleaning the house and cutting up vegetables with Philis for Dominique to put together and cook. Then at 5pm, Philis and I went and took showers and came back at 6:15 to do touch ups on dinner preparations. The actual Seder dinner started at 6:30 and it went to Midnight. The thing about people in Eilat is that they stay up late and get up late. So Midnight was no problem for Baruch and Dominique but for the rest of us we had it the wall after we had dinner at 9 ish. What we had for dinner was lamb that had been soaking over night in a bottle of wine, rosemary, garlic, vinegar, cilantro, and other things that I can’t remember. We had sweet potatoes with Dates, coleslaw, stir fly, a rice lentil concoction that had a special name but I don’t remember (majadra?), and leaf salad with mandarin oranges. For desert we had Dates stuffed with walnuts and coconut cookies. The pink stuff is horseradish sauce and the brown stuff is the charaset (apple, date, pecan, almond, cinnamon, grape juice or sweet wine mixture).
The pictures are of before we all sat down and the food that we ate. We had dinner at Baruch and Dominique’s home so you are seeing the main level with the living room with the patio in the back ground, dining area, and kitchen. Then I’m posting two videos that are traditional Passover meal songs.

Feet

2010-03-27T02:18:00.000-07:00

One of the things that doesn't really accure in Bozeman Montana is the dust storms that happen in Eilat. It really just looks like a beige haze. Well anyway, dust gets everywhere and it collects and makes everything dusty :) on a consistent bases. Well I have gotten in the habit of washing my feet before I go to bed and for me that's a balm of healing from a hard days work. Something so simple and yet refreshing. Almost everytime, I think Jesus did this to his desciples on passover. He stooped down and washed there dirty feet that probable had calises and probable sorse from walking long distances and probable swollen. And he knealed down and washed their foot...(John 13)

My work is like Jesus washing his disciples feet. And he did it to be an example for them so that they too would do that to their peers and the people they come in contact with. Jesus most likely had a better time of it than myself because he was without sin and I am very much a flawed person. But this service that Jesus did, is against human nature. We feel that we are entitled to certian things, like a good paying job, a house, clothing, food, a nice bed to sleep on etc. But God wants us to serve. Now that doesn't mean letting people run over you, boundaries are important, but having an attitude of serves changes your perspective and gives you a chance to learn from the people around you.

Thank you God for working on my pride. As much as it hurts I know that you have a plan and a purpose just as you had a plan and a purpose for washing your disciples feet.

Nanny Diaries

2010-03-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

So for all those who have never watched the movie. It is about a girl that just graduated from college and doesn't really know what she wants to be and has a job interview where she totally spaces out. Anyway she's in a park and catches a kid for a mother. The next thing she knows is taking job offers to be a nanny for these upper crust mothers from New York. She takes one of the jobs and thinks that its going to be a walk in the park but when she soon finds out that it is much more than she bargained for. But she autimatically connects with the kid and that is what keeps her going.

As I was think about what to write to day that is what popped into my head. I thought this would be a sinch and when I got here my eyes were opened and the realization of everything hit me hard. But looking at everything it may be doable instead of daunting. Who knows I might even become great friends with the daughter of the family I am working for. We shall see.

Any who pray for my health. I woke up and felt like a truck ran me over and I had a little bit a scratchy throat.

Yeast

2010-03-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to start with the mess that happened today. First and formost I am in a spiritual fight against some pretty strong spirits that seek to frustrate my purpose here in Eilat and turn me back home. AS MUCH as I entertained thoughts of leaving I knew I could't in good conscense. Let me try to explain.

Passover is a time of reflection it is a time to search inside and see what needs "cleaning" so to speak and remember all of what God has done on our behalf. He parted the red sea, provided food in the desert, healed the lame and the sick, gives strength to the weak, provides for those in need, he is our hope. It should never be so legalistic that you MUST clean out every crack or corner. That is what has become passover for this family but this is ONLY a reflection of the spiritual realm.

Through this God is sifting out the "yeast" in my life. Building Character - painful and heartwrentching But who am I - a tool in God's hands. AS much as I would like to throw the towel in and say for get you - I KNOW that with out God I will not survive.

Please Pray against the legalistic spirit that is predominate in their home and in there ministry as well as a controlling spirit. Pray for Peace, Rest, Strength and whatever the Lord Lays at your feet. In the end that's what I want for them.

Going in Circles

2010-03-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

For all those who have not had a chance to go over seas or drive overseas you have been spared. So, Eilat has no lights and all of there intersections have round abouts. I enjoy these very much especially if you've missed your turn and you have to go around and around to get back to where you want to go. However, it gets confusing when you have to remember "turns" and directions. Going in circles messess with my directional compase.
So, today was the first day that I drove in Eilat. I drove to Dominique's and Baruch's home with my roommate Philis. Where I cleaned there home and Philis took care of there bible program. Well when it was time for me to go I had hesitations of where I was going. Because, here everything looks the same except the round abouts which they pride themselves in there artistic creativity.(I will take a picture for you guy's sometime). Anywho to cut a long story short...I got lost. Big time! I went all over the side of Eilat that was closer to Egypt and probable went down a street the wrong way. Thank goodness no one was driving on it and I think I had a Israeli honk at me because of it. But about oooh say 20-30 minutes later with the help of Philis I found my way back again.
Round abouts, know where you are going and don't let them confuse you.

I think this blog is aptly titled. I feel very much like I am going in circles and it wasn't until I talked it through with one of my sisters that things became less - why the heck am I here. Well, most people get this, "I have come home," moment and that has not happened. It just feels like another place that I am visiting. My moment may come later or be different then other people. But I do know I have come for the daughter to be a friend. I may have the oportunity to take spoken hebrew classes while I am up here, which I think would help me get to know the people in this community. Because that I think is my real mission

Pray for grace and patence in working with age differences. Wisdom in sifting through everything that I am being told and protection from things that may want to confuse and divide me.

Shabbat Shalom!

2010-03-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

Friday was such a lovely day that I didn't get to write anything. But I did get to enjoy Eilot's lovely beach and hang out with Adi (Dominique's daughter) and her friends. I hadn't gotten my luggage and at that time I was really wanting to be in a skirt or anything but dark jeans. But I figured it out and rolled up my pants to dip my toes in the water. And OOooh it was so nice and warm.

So the pictures starting with the first to the last is the view from my balcony. It is the red sea and the border of Egpyt and Saudi Arabia that you are seeing in the first picture,which is me looking to the right on the balcony. The next three pictures is the Jordon border, looking towards the left. To give you a picture of where exactly I am located.

Then if these will post I'm posting some of the beach pictures. Adi is the girl looking away and her cousin is the one looking into the camera. The rest of the pics. Adi's cousin took, which are one of Adi's friends and one of his friends and then I think the beach is self explanitory ;). Adi's cousin is around 17 years old, almost the age of going into the military. She's hoping to get into photography for the military. Adi is 26 years old and going into elementary education. People in Israel get into college much later then American's which I think is smart because who do you know of knows what they want to study when they are 18 or 19.

Adi is a sweet Heart although she is an none believer. Everyone here would love for her to be but I think maybe going about it a little to zealously. I think there is a time and a place for everything but I have found with my walk that God does it more sutlely. In a way that when it is done I know that it was God. I hope that makes sense. I know what I want to say but sometimes it doesn't come out right. Also, be praying for her brother. He is in the hospital for psychological reasons and he needs to know that there is a Hope a way and a truth.

Would love to know what all of you guy's think. Shabbat Shalom!

Fish out of water

2010-03-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

While I was riding the bus from Jerusalem to Eilat that was the line that kept on going through my head. As I got to Eilat and met up with Philis she said that God was just testing me. Well isn't that a laugh :) The stretch of road that I was on passes through the desert so you can take that saying both ways.

But God has something up his sleeve and I can't wait to see what it is. I am finally have made it to my destination and I was welcomed into the group and that was encouraging and strengthening for the 3 days that I have been traveling. My body will be happy.

Also, as of yet I do not have my luggage I know its coming its just not here :)

God Bless.