The Greatest Sacrifice

We went to Israel in 2023 and got to see the Garden of Gethsemane. The same garden where Jesus prayed the night He was betrayed.

And we saw the steps they took Him up, to get up to Caiaphas' house, after He was arrested in the garden.

He was illegally tried, then beaten, and crucified. On the third day the women went to the tomb and found the stone had been rolled away. And an angel said to them, "He is not here. He has risen!" Mark 16:6

This is where they believe Jesus was laid after He died.  

This weekend we remember Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. He died for our sins, so we can be reconciled to God. God is holy and our sins: our lies, our greed, our pride separate us from God. So Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice - once and for all.

We also celebrate His resurrection. He overcame death so those who follow Him will live forever. He allows each one of us to choose: eternity with Him or eternity without Him. He doesn't force anyone to choose Him, but His desire is that everyone spends eternity with Him. 

After Jesus' sacrifice, we can now boldly enter the presence of God. He welcomes us into relationship with Him, now and forever! What a great and glorious God!

Christ is risen! And following Him is the path to eternal life! Hallelujah!

 

Happy Easter!

What Do They Eat?

 Hi everyone,

 

I'm spending 2-3 hours a day on the Israel book but I have just a couple more pages to fill and I'll be done. Then proofreading and hitting that Submit button! Of course, then comes the really hard part... waiting for it to come in the mail!

Meanwhile, we're going to work, doing laundry, grocery shopping and just living life. Beth cleans the preschool at our church but when they're out for the summer, I have to find other things for her to do. This week she disinfected the seats in the sanctuary and cleaned the sinks in some of the bathrooms. She's glad to be doing something different.

Remember the Junkos? The birds who build a nest in the wreath on our porch every year? well every December I switch it with a Christmas wreath. Hanging it back up this year I noticed there is a little hook in the back, so I've been hanging it upside down all these years. Not that you can really tell. Supposedly, this is right side up -

This spring the Junkos showed up and mom and dad were hanging around the porch but I never saw the nest. Until one day I noticed it in the back, near the top!

I guess that's where their scent was from years past (or however birds remember where their nests were) and built it as close to that as possible! I've been so afraid that it was going to fall off but it never did, thank goodness. And now those little babies have flown the coop. Next year I'm going to turn that wreath back around!

I planted all kinds of purple and white pansies this year. Five pots full in the front yard and they were really looking nice.

Then the bunnies appeared. And the pansies disappeared...

 

I think next year I'll plant Geraniums. Do rabbits eat Geraniums?

Jet Lag, Thorns, and a Warning!

 I'm sorry I haven't been posting - or reading - lately. I finally began feeling a little normal yesterday, had my first 'normal' night sleep Tuesday night. I was talking with a friend at work today and they heard it could take one day for every hour difference. I pulled out my phone to look at the calendar and yep, Tuesday was day 10! It's been crazy, and I didn't expect how hard it would be to get over jet lag. Have you ever struggled with it?

 

Work has been so busy since we got home. Plus trying to get caught up at home. The laundry, the yard work...

 

And, we leave early Saturday for New Jersey. We're going to see Diana, Peter and Adelaide for a few days. In fact, I didn't even put the suitcases away. I did laundry from Israel, and put a lot of the clothes right back in the suitcase! 

 

A local private high school is having their graduation in our Sanctuary tomorrow. We've spent weeks planning with the principal, various admin, Senior advisors... tomorrow morning is the rehearsal! It's finally here!

 

Sorry, this post seems to be so random, I feel like I'm just rambling. I'm creating a book on Snapfish of our Israel trip and it's been fun to re-live the memories. I'll leave you with a few of my favorite photos -

 

 Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee

 

 

The kind of tree they believe was used to make the crown of thorns. 

The thorns look a little flimsy but they're not. Trust me.

 An oil painting in Magdala, Mary Magdelene's home town

The woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of His garment

The floor of this room is from the first century

 

 We went to the Jordan river, very close to the area where Jesus was baptized by John

In fact, the other side of the river IS Jordan

Our phones kept pinging, "Welcome to Jordan! Warning! Xfinity does NOT serve Jordan."
 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See you in a week or two. 

Donkeys, The Sea, and Fire

 We flew out at 2:20pm PST on May 15th and after a 4 hour layover in Frankfurt Germany, we landed in Tel Aviv at 7:30pm on May 16th (Tel Aviv time.) By the time all 94 of us arrived at the meeting place in the airport, went through security, loaded onto the busses and drove the 30 minutes to the hotel, it was 10:00pm. The amazing hotel served us a delicious dinner and we fell into bed around midnight.

 

We had to be up and on the busses at 7:30 in the morning. And that began nine days of the most incredible journey!  

 

Our first stop was Caesarea National Park, right on the Mediterranean Sea. We saw the remains of Herod's palace and the harbor he had built. We visited 46 sites in our 10 days on the ground. It was a whirlwind trip but one we will never forget.

 

 

 We also went to Mt Carmel, where Elijah confronted King Ahab, then he prayed and God rained down fire on the altar and it consumed the wood, the altar and the water around it.

 

We visited a Jewish village where we got to put on robes like they wore, pick and grind wheat, some rode donkeys, (Chuck and I didn't) and just experience what life would have been like back then.

 

Incredible experiences for our first day!

 

I'll Be Back!

In less than 24 hours we'll be in the air, on our way to Israel! This is my first international flight, never been on a jumbo jet before. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm headed to bed soon but don't know how much I'll actually sleep.

 

Please take care of yourselves and I'll write when I get back!

 

I took this in May of last year coming home from San Diego

 

Double Prizes, Right on Schedule, and Future Vacation

 Beth bought some clothes on-line a few weeks ago. I sat with her at the computer as she picked out overalls and dresses and pants... she clicked on Submit and we waited for all those fun packages to arrive!

 

Chuck was doing the bills and noticed she was charged twice. There were two identical orders. I don't know how that happened but she was thrilled to get four pairs of overalls, and two pink dresses... Her original overalls broke in the dryer. The metal clasp that hooks the bib to the strap broke. One clasp broke the first time she dried them and the second one broke the second time she put them in the dryer. So this time she washed them and then hung them in the laundry room to dry. Smart girl.

 

 I had an eye appointment this week. It's been close to 10 years since I got my last pair of glasses. Beth and I went a few years ago but our prescriptions hadn't changed at all so we decided to wait to get new glasses. But mine are so scratched I'm just ready for a new pair.

 

 

My prescription still hasn't changed much. With my glasses on I see 20/20 out of my left eye and 20/25 out of my right. He also told me I have a cataract, but it's small. He said it's right on schedule - they start growing in your 60's and by your early 70's you usually have surgery to remove them. I'm glad it's 'normal' but I prefer not having it all! 😊 

 

I don't think I've told you yet that Chuck and I are going to Israel! We're going on a tour with a large group from our church. I'm so excited! My old suitcase broke a while back so I need to buy a new one, our passports are up-to-date, we've started gathering things we'll need like water socks, electric socket adapters... It's still a month away but I can hardly stand it!!