Back To Israel

We took over 1000 pictures when we were in Israel and Jordan. 

We've done our presentation for the Church, but I'm still finding it hard to sort through all the pictures! 

The experience was overwhelming and really made an impact on my life. 

It's nearly impossible to put it into just words and pictures.  I'll do my best...

We flew Portland, to LA, where Paul and I met up with our tour group.  Los Angelas to Chicago (O'Hare Aiport, I've been there a few times and didn't mind the layover since I knew how to get to stuff!)  Chicago to Amsterdam, Germany (German is such a harsh language and they are tough cookies!  I was glad to be just passing through.) Amsterdam to Tel Aviv where the pictures above were taken.  After such a long journey, we were so tired, and I was soooo bloated.  (Just thought you should know, ha!ha!)

Straight from the airport we went to Joppa and saw the The Call of Jonah.  We also visited the housetop of Peter's vision and where Peter raised the disciple, Tabitha, from the dead.

The above pictures don't really do it justice.  There were many narrow streets to wind our way through and I hadn't quite gotten the hang of being a photo-snappin' tourist yet.

We overnighted in Tel Aviv smack dab on the Mediterranean Sea.

The shore was covered in shells.

We awoke very early on our first day

so that we could steal away some time for ourselves and go exploring.

My Israel honey-love.

Caesarea (not to be confused with Caesara Philippi) 

 where Peter first took the message of the Gospel to the Gentiles.

We took many, many pictures here.  Too many to post!  Here we also saw Herod's 40 Acre harbor, big enough to accomodate 300 ships, much larger than the modern harbors of today. 

Philip the evangelist lived in Caesarea.

Paul sailed from Caesarea to his native Tarsus.

Herod the Great constructed this theater with a seating capacity of 3500.  According to Josephus, this is where the death of Herod Agrippa occurred, as recounted in Acts 12.

We visited many theaters on our trip.  My favorite thing to do was get up on the stage to hear the amazing acoustics.  I would yell  "Take them away!  Off with their heads!"  I did everything I could to have the full experience of Israel.  It was my own immersion program. Smile.

Above two pictures of the lengthy aqueducts that brought water

from the springs at the base of Mt. Carmel nearly 10 miles away.

So very amazing to touch and feel history!

Besides Jerusalem, this was my very most favorite place.  It was beautiful and we got to hike through to get to our destination.  There was an abundance of remains here of cities and places of worship from thousands of years ago, plus tons of old bunkers we crawled through from the 1967 War which were built in the same strategic locations that the Tribe of Dan had used in 1300 BC.

In the Middle East, the past and the present hold hands.

This was a replica of the four horned altar.  Paul and I are reaching for the horn. 

A criminal could cling to the horn of the altar in order to receive mercy from the law. 

I guess the short people didn't get much mercy.  I was having a very hard time to reach it,

but jumping and reaching, I could with the tips of my fingers.

I'm free in His Mercy!

Dinner tonight: Its and Bits Meat Pie, Cheesy Broccoli and homemade Banana Cake for dessert.