Ellen's Random Thoughts

Spiritual Lessons from lawn mowing

2009-08-31T13:48:00.002-04:00

I know that y’all know that I am a bit challenged when it comes to cooking and basically, anything that has to do with a kitchen. But I used to pride myself on the fact that I was good with mechanical stuff. Well, not any more. There is an old saying that pride goes before the fall. I must admit, the riding mower at the parsonage took my pride away a couple of weeks ago. You see, it was like this. The grass was as high as an elephant’s eye. The men of the church had been sweethearts mowing the lawn for me, but it was time for me to stand on my own two feet and take care of that which the congregation had entrusted me with. So off I go out to the shed to start the mower. Now I know that Danny Hill had just tuned up the mower. I just had to figure out how to start it. There was a little knob that you were supposed to turn to start it. Sounds easier than it was. You see I always thought that a choke was a wrestling hold, and a throttle was something your mom threatened to do to you when she was mad at you. So, when I couldn’t get the mower to start, and I called Danny Hill on the cell phone for help, hearing him say adjust the choke and the throttle was of no help what so ever. Poor Danny is probably thinking that crazy preacher girl is going to kill herself on the mower. I’m thinking, I should stop before I cut something off that I need. Lesson #1 – when you don’t know what you are doing, call an expert. He will verify that you don’t know what you are doing.

Danny talked me through getting the mower started (via the cell phone), and I know he had to be laughing his head off, trying to tell me what to do with each thingajobber to make it start, but it roared to life and I said, “Ok Danny, I got it now.” I was off to the races. It is a wonder that the neighbors didn’t bring out lawn chairs to watch the free entertainment. I did mention the grass was as high as an elephant’s eye didn’t I? Super efficient Ellen decides to set the mower at the lowest setting. Cut it way back and then I might not have to cut it so often. It seemed logical. Unfortunately, this was a bit much for the mower to handle. I was leaving enough grass behind me in piles that we really needed a hay baler to pick it up. Meanwhile, the mower was making this screeching sound that I just tried to ignore. It’s old. My knees screech every time I bend them, but they still work. I found I was paying too much attention to the screeching sound and should have been watching the terrain more. Actually, I should have walked the lot before I mowed it. I would have known then that while the grass seemed all the same height, by the power lines there was actually a bit of a ditch. A rapidly falling 1 foot deep and wide ditch. Just enough to get the mower stuck in and almost flipped over. You guessed it. I got stuck in the ditch. I found myself singing “Deep and Wide” for no particular reason, other than it was better than crying. There is a strange joy that you get when you finally get out of a ditch. It’s was a victory celebration that occurred after I constantly switched gears and the mower limped out of the ditch. Not something you want to do everyday, but a victory none the less. Lesson #2 – Before you start a job, always walk the terrain and look out for ditches and vole moles that will turn your ankles and ruin your day. No matter how much you think you know the ground because you have been there before, still walk it and look for surprises.

I celebrated not having to call a tow truck, and not being on the front page of the Eastern Wake news ("Preacher stuck in ditch - news at 11). Soon I was back to cutting the lawn. Then, this wonderful red truck drives up, with the driver shaking his head and trying not to laugh. Danny said “Preacher Girl you’re a mess.” OK, maybe I was, but…. What kind of way is that to start a conversation? He said he wanted to make sure I didn’t kill myself on “that thing” before he went to the beach for the weekend. Frankly, I appreciated his concern. At least someone would have found me pinned under the mower if I had flipped it in the ditch. I think Danny also wanted a laugh. But that’s just a hunch. So he said, “Preacher Girl, let me watch you drive that thing.”

I thought “I’m going to show him. I’ve got the hang of this.” I cranked it into 4th gear, lowered the cutting blade, sat up proudly, and drove. The mower goes really, really fast in 4th, and starts off like a bucking bronco. I almost lost my hat and my seat when it kicked into gear. Danny was just shaking his head as I went roaring by and on the next lap, he stopped me and said “Slow down!” I admit that confused me. The only thing fun about mowing the lawn was the speed! Danny’s next words were Lesson #3 – You have to slow down if you are going to cut the grass right, and you can’t cut it all at once.

Danny was right. Slow down. Cut it over and over until you get it to the right length. I think my grass mowing adventure applies to more than grass mowing. When in doubt, talk to an expert. Know the terrain before you start moving in high speed. Slow and easy is better than fast.
Psalm 86:15 says “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” God seems slow, but is consistent. God doesn’t cut us off at the roots and leave the scraps on the ground to be baled. God is the expert to talk to, and directs us to other experts. God wants to direct us around the terrain that God sends us to minister to. God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. God cares if I get stuck in a ditch and has numerous ways for me to get out of the ditch. God has a sense of humor, and often sends experts with a sense of humor to bail us out of trouble. Grass can grow back, damaged lawns can be fixed. God helps us grow and helps us fix the stuff we damage. Thanks be to God.

The least among us

2009-08-05T13:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday when Maggie and I were taking our early morning walk (ok it’s her walk, I’m just along to supervise) we encountered a visitor. It was a little white with grey blotches dog who obviously had been living on the streets for a while. A neighbor pointed him out to me as he came running towards us. Since rabies is widespread in this part of the country, I’m not near as friendly to strays as I was when I was a child. However, I still must generate a “I’m a soft touch, come play with me” aura because every stray cat and dog in the world seems to come see me. The neighbor said that she had been leaving water out, but it was obvious that the poor pup was just skin and bones. Yet, he was friendly and wanted to meet me, sniff Maggie, and he followed us all the way home to the parsonage. By this time, my heart is melting. However, I’m not going to let a flea ridden dog into the parsonage, as the fleas would take over in a matter of minutes. I had a doctor’s appointment to get to. What to do?? Fortunately I had a couple of extra bowls and filled one with water and one with food and put it out for the dog.

Talk about appreciative! He even showed me his belly. He walked into the garage and curled up. He tried to stop the car from leaving the garage. This was not good. The little guy was going to get run over by the soft touch preacher girl. It took some work, but I got him out of the way and went off to my full day of appointments. However, I couldn’t get the little guy out of my mind. As the day progressed, I was picking out names for him. I even was picturing him all cleaned up, brushed, and ready for a new home. I even knew another preacher girl in Cary the home that would love Rocky (yes, I thought the little guy needed a tough name that indicated what a survivor he was) as well as a loving home in the Bent Tree subdivision in Ocean Isle that would love a lap dog. I made up my mind that if he was still on the deck when I got home, he was going to the vet to see if he had a chip embedded in him. If not, I was going to get him his shots, shaved, and bring him home temporarily at least with Maggie and me. He was already neutered.

I was disappointed. Rocky was not home when I got home that evening. He was not there this morning either. Did I miss my chance to save a little one or was I just called to offer a cup of water and a bowl of food to a creature in distress? I guess I will never know. I do know that the thought of a new friend for Maggie and me, and the knowledge of several homes that would benefit from the unconditional love of a dog brought me comfort.

All this about a stray dog. Oh that we would love and think about the stray, homeless people as much as I thought about that dog. Unconditional love – that’s the calling of a Christian. I have a lot to learn. Thanks be to God for teaching me through a dog.

Settling In

2009-07-23T15:20:00.001-04:00

Settling in. Those are two wonderful words to describe the last month of my life. July 25th I will have been in Wendell for exactly one month. One can tell a lot about a church by the way it welcomes its new pastor. I was blessed to have my adopted moms from Seaside help pack me up, and my sisters at Wendell to unpack me. If it wasn’t for those wonderful church members, I would still be living out of my suitcase, the dog would be sick from my anxiety, and I would be a mess. Not that I’m not a mess, but that’s a different story. How exactly does one settle in? Many would say it is the unpacking and decorating that gets one settled. I think they are wrong. For me, I am settled when I feel I am loved. I can live out of boxes forever. I am very unsettled without friends. The move has been a blessing because I carry my friends from Sunset Beach in my heart, in my cell phone, and in my email address book The move has been a blessing as I have reconnected with the people who supported my call to ministry from IBM, Cary, and Wendell. I am blessed. My prayers for my ministry here are simple. I want to receive God’s wisdom so I know how to lead Wendell where God wants. On moving day, the church bought 17 acres to build on in the future. That’s a lot of land. That’s a sign of God moving in the congregation. So as I settle in, part of my call is to help lead a congregation to move out in mission and ministry in this location and in a new location in the future. That’s exciting and unsettling. Perhaps as I attempt to settle in, God is telling me that a Christian should never be too settled. Is it possible that the more we settle in, the harder it is to respond to God’s call to be flexible and go where God sends us? What do you think? Does God call us to get settled in?

Twittering in church??? Give me a break

2009-05-04T16:39:00.002-04:00

I read on the Ruach mailing list today about pastors that encourage their parishioners to twitter in church. Thirty years ago someone would have thought that was dirty. Today, we know twitter to be a social networking tool. It lets you keep in touch with what your friends are doing via short messages. It's like the status line on facebook. As geeky and computer trendy as I am, I must admit that communicating via twitter in church is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. I guess I am officially an old fogie now. Suffice it to say that when I am preaching, I would like your attention to the words I have prayed and obsessed over for weeks in advance. Yes, I would love your feedback, but wait until after the sermon when you have had time to digest what I said, and God has had some time to work on your heart. Twittering during church is as distracting as texting while driving.

Maybe I need to put my sermons up on the blog each week and let discussions happen there, but please, please don't do it during the church service!

Grace and Peace,
Ellen
PS Here is what Curtis Honeycutt has to say on the matter: http://justwallpaper.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/4-reasons-to-stop-twittering-in-church/

The value of girlfriends

2009-03-25T11:06:00.001-04:00

It was an unusual Saturday night. I went out. I never do that on Saturday night. Saturday nights are spent making sure everything is ready for Sunday, and trying to just rest up. But I wasn’t preaching on Sunday and this was a Sunday school class party to celebrate Karen’s birthday. Since I never get to attend Sunday School, this sounded like the party to attend! As I pulled up to Carol’s house, Karen pulled up and parked in front of me. She got out of her house, and something looked wrong. She was in a trenchcoat with a scarf on her head and curlers in her hair. Bedroom slippers adorned her feet. Something was up. Either I was overdressed or Karen had lost her mind. We walked into Carol’s together, and everyone celebrated her arrival. Karen looked around and saw she was the only one in her nightie. It seems the Sunday School class had told her this was a girls night out, slumber party style. It was a good laugh and Karen is a great sport. I started to think about the power of girlfriends. We all have the emails that talk about how girlfriends are with us for our whole lives, and how thankful we should be for those friends. They have a way of making us laugh when we are down, crying with us, and then fixing our makeup when the boo hoo is over. They can hug us, and kick us when we need a good swift kick. Girlfriends and God have a lot in common. God helps us to laugh at ourselves (like when we are so nervous at a new church our dress is on inside out), created the tear ducts that allow flowing tears to heal us, and inspires us to live the life of discipleship. God will never leave us. I’m glad God created girlfriends, and that I learned never to trust Dina about how to dress for a party. Blogspot is giving me grief about uploading photos. Stay tuned.
God bless,
Ellen

Why Ash Wednesday?

2009-02-13T14:49:00.002-05:00

Finally -- a question in my anonymous questions envelope outside of my office! Thank you Anonymous! The question is "When did the placing of Ashes on Ash Wednesday start? I never went to a church that had it until Seaside? Where is it in the Bible?

These are all great questions. As a lifelong United Methodist, I don't remember going to Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, or Good Friday services until I was in high school. Those were things my Roman Catholic friends and family did. Sometimes I felt a little bit jealous, but that is a subject for another entry. Ash Wednesday does not appear in the Bible as such. It has come through centuries of church tradition. First, let's look at the use of ashes in the bible. Jeremiah 6:26 tells the people to repent and roll in ashes, symbolic of their repentance. Isaiah 58:5 says that sackcloth and ashes really don't cut it when it comes to repentance, but his very mentioning of the practice indicates that it was a common practice for Jews. The prophet Daniel (9:3) fasted, wore sackcloth and ashes when trying to convince God to rescue Israel. Finally, the king of Nineveh was so convicted by Jonah's preaching that he repented and sat in ashes. So ashes have been associated with repentance for a long time. Jesus mentions the use of ashes with respect to repentance in Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13
The earliest reference to Ash Wednesday that I know of is from the year 960. Prior to that time, the church had a ritual that involved ashes for the Order of Penitents. Those who had really messed up confessed their sins to the bishop or his representative, and then assigned penance that had to be performed over a set time period. When they completed their assignment, the bishop would pray a prayer of absolution in public over them. However, for the time period between the confession and absolution, the penitents sat in a designated area of the church, and wore special clothes that indicated their status. Over time, the Order of the Penitents disappeared (can you imagine me telling a parishioner that they messed up and had to sit in the corner?), and the Lent rituals appeared.
The church season of Lent became a time to acknowledge our sins, and repent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The book of worship says it best so I'll quote (p 321) " The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and Christian worship, and the Imposition of Ashes can be a powerful nonverbal and experiential way of participating in the call to repentance and reconciliation. ... It is traditional to save the palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday service and burn them ahead of time to produce the ashes for this service." I like to remember the funeral liturgy where we say ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The ashes are a sign of our mortality.
With the Protestant reformation, many of the Roman Catholic liturgies were discarded. basically, we threw out the baby with the bath water. Over time, with intense theological reflection, the seasons of the Christian year, and these symbolic acts in the seasons help us to remember the gospel story, confess our sins, and accept God's forgiveness. The pastor may say as they put the ashes on your forehead "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return" or "Repent and believe the gospel." I prefer the later saying.
I hope this answered your question. Keep those questions coming!
Ellen

First post to a new blog

2009-01-07T21:22:00.000-05:00

I've spent the last hour trying to get control of my old blog (www.ellenmcc.blogspot.com). It seems like I am in a circular loop. The old blog was established under an old email id which is no longer available to me. So, blogspot keeps trying to send email to a dead mailbox. Someday I'll recapture my Holy Land blog to put out here. In the meantime, here we go again. I wonder if God feels this way sometimes. We get close to God as youth, and then forget to talk for a while. We come back to God, and have difficulty getting the communication started and often do not know where to go for help. Thanks be to God that God reaches out to us, versus google help, which doesn't seem to be letting me ask any questions right now!

january 11, 200x

2008-01-11T11:14:00.000-05:00

After getting all of out stuff packed up, we headed off to St. Anne's. We entered through the Lion's Gate, aka Sheep Gate or Mary's gate. St Anne's was built by the Crusaders to celebrate Anne, the mother of Mary. It is built next to the pools of Siloam. Jerusalem is 12 feet higher now than it was in Jesus' time, but the pools have been excavated all the way down. St. Anne's has awesome acoustic's. We sang Amazing Grace and Swing Low. We sounded light an angelic chorus - really. The sound reverberated off the walls and the spirit of the Lord was definitely in that place!
Today is friday and we heard the call to prayer. We saw more soldiers in Jerusalem today, as everyone was heading to the mosque to worship.
Bethany is in the West Bank so while it was a couple of miles away, we had to go miles out of the way to get around the way and into Bethany. Bethany means house of the poor. Bethany is a very poor town. We saw chickens waiting to be slaughtered, skinned goats with the tails attached hanging on a meet hook, and an emaciated horse. The eyes of the people were distrustful as we passed by.
Four Homes of Mercy helps those with severe mental retardation or brain injuries. They take care of them. People on the tour donated clothing to them and we got to hear more about their work on the West Bank.
The church in Bethany was pretty, but our visit was overshadowed by the local iman broadcasting his sermon. While I was listening to him, there was so much anger in his voice that it saddened me. We heard Anne sing and then the story of mary and martha. Bethany was Jesus' stopping over place between Jericho and Jerusalem. I thought my shopping was done and all packed away. In a little store next to the church, they had clergy stoles with the Jerusalem cross on it. I couldn't resist. Call it a faith purchase, as I can't wear it until ordination, which is years away.
We had a picnic lunch at Hebrew University. one side of the mountain is the Judean desert. On the other side is Jerusalem. That brought geography into focus some!
Next it was on to En Karem, the childhood home of John the Baptist. It was a pretty church and we listened to Tracy tell the story of the angel Gabriel telling Zechariah that he was going to be a father, and Mary that she was going to be a mother. Someone pointed out that Mary's pregnancy brought her disgrace, but Elizabeth's pregnancy brought her grace. Cool thought.
On the way back to the bus we found out that Karen accidentally flashed a sniper while she was standing at her hotel window this morning. She just doesn't seem the type :)
When I tried blowing the shofar, the smell of the shofar reminded me of the smell of a cows hoof that Maggie had chewed up. Joanne cracked me up when she said "Well it is a natural product!"
Communion at the Garden Tomb was awesome. Peg and Rogerlene, being ordained clergy led the service which had most of us near tears. Sue played the recorder as we sang and communed, while Roxanne sang. We had little communion cups made of olive wood holding the juice. I will always look at that cup and remember not only the Spirit of Christ in Jerusalem, but also the sisterhood that was formed there. Awesome, awesome, awesome. For those in Wendell, our time at the Garden Tomb was as cold as last Easter's Sunrise Service in the town square.
We're off to dinner and then the airport, so this will be the last installment about my Holy Land trip. Thanks to all who prayed for me and my travels. Shalom y'all.
Ellen

January 10th,2008 part 3

2008-01-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

This afternoon was spent in the desert by the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is 32% salt and full of rich minerals. Nothing can live in it. The main source of water is the Jordan River and flash floods. There is a dam upstream that keeps good water from running into the Dead Sea, so the level of the Dead Sea is dropping by 5ft a year. It is 50miles long and 11 miles wide, with Jordan being on the other side from Israel. Sodom and Gommorah are south of the Dead Sea.
Massada was built by King Herod who had a bit of a paranoia problem. He was hated by Cleopatra, who kept asking Marc Anthony for Herod's land as presents. Massada was one of Herod's palaces built on top of a mountain overlooking the Dead Sea.
In 66 AD the Jewish revolt happened. They took Massada from the Romans. In 72 AD a legion of Roman soldiers went to take Massada back. There were 967 men with their families there and the Roman siege lasted 7 months. The Romans started building a ramp up to the fortress, and the Jews started rolling big boulders down the ramp killing the Romans. Think 10 pin bowling and you have the idea. So the Romans brought Jewish slaves from Jerusalem to finish building the ramp, knowing that the Jews on Massada would not kill their brothers. It became obvious that the Jews were going to lose eventually. So each man killed his family and then drew lots on who would kill each other, with the last man killing himself. This was all recorded by Josephus and archaeologists used Josephus' writings to guide them in their work.
Today, Israeli soldiers take the oath of duty with a bible in one hand and a rifle in the other on top of Massada. Just like we say "Remember the Alamo" the jews say "Massada will never fall again."
Daylight was fading and we still hadn't made it into the Dead Sea. It is winter here, so I just went wading. The water is supposed to be good for your skin.
We listen to a speaker from Women in Black last night. They are Israeli and Palestine women working for peace. It was impressive, and we were all exhausted. We cannot go to the Temple mount tomorrow because it is a Muslim Holy day. I guess that will have to wait until next time.
Shalom,
Ellen

January 10th, 2008 part 2

2008-01-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

Traffic to Bethany was nuts. Everything was closed off for the Presidential motorcade. We also heard that all passes from the Palestian territories to Jerusalem had been revoked for security reasons. That means that a log of people will be missing their jobs today. We never made it to Bethany because of the traffic.
We passed by the second wailing wall today -- the IRS building ! On another note, we heard that President Bish asked to speak to the Kisnet (kind of like our Congress) but was refused. They said the last time a bush spoke to them, they ended up wandered in the desert for 40years. Such are the jokes of a tour guide. I did hear a new song -- it was the Lord's Prayer sung to Olde Aung syne (apologies for spelling). It was done by Cliff Richard and I am going to be hunting for it. The first part would be cool for a contemporary worship service.
Shalom,
Ellen

January 10th, 2008 part 1

2008-01-10T01:39:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of additions from last night. The orthodox Jews here are paid to be professional Jews by the nation of Israel. They must keep 613 laws every day. It is a difficult life.
Yesterday we had an interesting experience. The shop keeper in Bethlehem was a christian and he came on the bus to pray the Lord's Prayer -- in Aramaic (the language of Jesus). He is a member of the Syrian church, which still speaks Aramaic. It was awesome, sobering, and praise worthy. Since they live in Bethlehem, they are not allowed in Israel.
There is a lot of politics going on today with President Bush here. A group of us walked to an Irish pub last night. All the sidewalks were full of cops. Probably the safest time in the world to be walking on the streets of Jerusalem. There are sharp shooters on the roofs around us. Yet, the police were nice and friendly.
Today we are going to Bethany, the Dead Sea, and Massada. It is rainy, cold, and foggy in Jerusalem. The desert will be better!
Shalom,
Ellen

January 9, 2008 -- part 2

2008-01-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

Today we started at the Mount of Olives. The rain from yesterday stopped and we walked the Palm Sunday road together. It is steep, but the view of Jerusalem is incredible. I heard a new version of what happened during Jesus' time during Yom Kippur that sheds some light on my understanding of Jesus' last words. Our guide told us that when one goat is sacrificed in the Temple, the scape goat is not only driven into the wilderness, it is taken to the desert and driven until the goat drops dead. People are following the goat into the desert and when the goat dies, they waved flags to couriers who waved flags until the signal eventually got back to Jerusalem. At this point a rope is tied around the high priest (to pull him out of the Holy of Holies-just in case something severe happened in there) and when the high priest came out of the Holy of Holies, he would lift his hands and shout "It is finished." The people's sins were forgiven. The part about the goat being driven until it died and the flag waving were all new to me.
It was easy to understand how Jesus wept over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. He had a perfect view of Jerusalem and the Temple from that spot. I did go for a short camel ride here, and unfortunately, there may be pictures to prove it. The camel was a bit testy, but nicer than the last one I rode at the state fair. That isn't saying much :) Bev is one of the more animated people in our group and the last to ride the camel. She wanted to kick him some so he would go faster, and went to whisper to the owner about it. He whispered back to her, please zip your fly! Her ride was just as slow as the rest of us, but I still tear up with laughter at the thought.
We stopped at the Jewish cemetery on the way down the Palm Sunday route. This is an expensive cemetery. The Messiah is supposed to arrive at the Mt of Olives and the dead there rise first. So people are buying graves in order to be the first ones raised from the dead. Many if the tombs had stones on them. Instead of buying flowers and leaving them, people leave stones which last forever. Often they buy "tear" bottles as well. Those who are grieving collect their tears in a bottle and bury their grief so to speak.
The Eastern Gate is clearly visible from the Mt of Olives. The Messiah is supposed to return through the Eastern Gate. We heard a story about how Salaman the Magnificent (not sure of the spelling) arranged a great festival and procession in honor of himself to go through the gate. The night before. The big event he had a dream in which God told him not to do it. The dream scared him so much that he not only cancelled the event, he permanently shut the gate. The archaeologist James Fleming bribed someone to let him get close (there is a Muslim cemetery outside of this gate now) to take some pictures. He was standing on a tomb taking pictures of the current gate (also closed permanently) when the tomb collapsed and he fell in. OK, that ranks up with snakes as being one of life's worst moments. Anyway, he pulled out his flashlight and looked around, and discovered the Eastern Gate built by Solomon, and got pictures of it. They are the only pictures in existence, since archaeological expeditions of cemeteries is strictly forbidden. War would definitely break out! Apparently Dr. Fleming speaks at Lake Junaluska every spring and Fall. I want to go out and hear him talk.
As we worshiped along the path, we should Hosanna as if it were Palm Sunday. That was definitely nicer than shouting crucify him as we did the day before. It became my prayer that my life would be filled with many, many, many more Hosannas than crucify him! One funny thing happened when Debby got stuck in the bathroom at the Tear Drop church. The door became jammed. That's the kind of luck that I normally get.
The Sanctuary of Gethsemane is beautiful. Gethsemane means "olive press" and this mountain has always been filled with olive trees. In Jesus' time, they would bring the olives to the base of the mountain where they would be pressed and the oil taken into the city through the Eastern Gate. There are 3 trees there over 2000 yrs old. The Vatican harvests the oil each year and has it sent to Rome.
Inside the church (Sanctuary of Gethsemane or "Church of all nations") the windows are intentionally dark to give the illusion of evening in the garden. The altar area is really cool, in that the altar is built with a large olive wood cup as it's base. You will have to see it to believe it. The cup of course reminds us of Jesus praying that God would take the cup from him, but that Jesus wanted God's will, not his own. There is a large rock on the floor in front of the altar to remind us of Jesus' agony as he prayed in the garden. While the church is beautiful, it is hard to imagine a joyous Easter in that setting. I got to see Dr. Warden again today walking the Palm Sunday route. He is a blessing. I got to pray today where Jesus prayed, and walk today where Jesus walked. My prayer was simple -- that I will always be willing to accept the cup that God hands me.
I haven't mentioned much about the retail opportunities. There are many, but no time to take advantage of them. This is pure agony for some. When we got back to the bus from Gethsemane, there were so local peddlers there with boxes of pashima's. It was like a feeding frenzy. Shopping with our group is a contact sport. I found out today that Patty found her prayer list for the Wailing wall on her shopping bag. Apparently she stuck her shopping list into the wall. No wonder we had so many vendors and beggars following us today.
I forgot to mention yesterday that I finally found love. Seriously, I had to come to the Holy Land to have a fella fall in love with me. The more merchandise I bought, the greater the love he professed. It was public and profound, however short lived, as others soon out spent me. Deep sigh :(
Off we went to Bethlehem, which is in Palestinian territory. Israel is in the process of building a huge wall around the country to stop the homicide bombers. People can no longer freely move into Jerusalem. Unemployment is high (50%) and 70% live below the poverty line in Bethlehem. This is not just Muslims, but Christians as well. I have found the majority of people in Jerusalem as well as Bethlehem to be friendly and seeking peace. I pray that it will happen.
Bethlehem is a very busy, car exhaust filled city. The church of the Nativity is beautiful. In hearing the story again, interspersed with different verses of "O little town of Bethlehem" I felt like I was celebrating Christmas. It was very moving. Then we talked about how Mary and Joseph must have felt when they heard that Herod wanted to worship Jesus. Herod killed many of his children and his favorite wife out of jealousy. Mary and Joseph must have skipped town for Egypt right after they had Jesus dedicated in the Temple.
Well, it is past my bed time and my thumbs are tired of typing. Tomorrow is the Dead Sea and Massada.
Grace and Peace,
Ellen

January 9, 2008 - morning

2008-01-09T00:45:00.000-05:00

It has been suggested that my sunburned face is the result of an encounter with God at the Wailing Wall. However, no clouds were reported around my head or voices from heaven. This has been an amazing trip so far. We head out in a few minutes, hopefully in a direction opposite of the Presidential motorcade. This land is amazing, and deserves peace and justice for all. I hope our President can make that his legacy.
Shalom,
Ellen
PS - for those who have been trying to call me, the cell phone is usually off between 8AM and 8PM my time (yes, I really can turn the thing off and enjoy the vacation). That's between 1am and 1pm eastern standard time.

January 8 2008

2008-01-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

It looks like this post failed so I will try it again. Sorry if it appears twice!
This post will probably be shorter than the rest, if for no other reason than I am tired. We were walking in the rain in Old Jerusalem from 8am to 4pm today. The walking and weather were not conducive to journalling. We were up earlier than usual to beat the crowds to enter through the Jaffa gate and to walk the stations of the cross. The stations of the cross were developed in Europe after the Muslims took over Jerusalem and pilgrims could no longer come to visit the Holy City. Now that the city is a little more open, the same stations commemorating Jesus' suffering and death were created here to help pilgrims understand what was going on. We started at a church built on the supposed site where Jesus was condemned. Notice I said supposed because we are dealing with legends. Other than the Temple and the High Priest's house, there is a lot of room for speculation on the other sites. Most were established in the time of Constantine, then destroyed by various invaders, and then reestablished later. The church we started at early this morning was in the Muslim quarter. Our story telling there was powerful, as the group joined in with shouting "Crucify Him" with the storyteller. The sound bounced off the walls around us, and I couldn't join the shouting. It sent chills down my spine. I know, in some metaphorical way, we crucify Christ again and again in our disobedience, but I sure don't want to shout about it! At the end of our chapel time, Ann sang Via Delorosa acapella. It was incredible. I was not the only one choked up.
The stations of the cross ended at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to tradition this is where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Another tradition says that the burial was at another location. Getting there through the narrow, winding, stone streets of Jerusalem is like walking a lambrinyth in the middle of a busy city. There are 5 (I think) different groups of Christians operating out of this church which can cause a lot of confusion. As a matter of fact, ownership of the church caused enough confusion that in the 1800's, the keys of the church were given to a local Muslim family who is paid to come open the church each day! Literally, the keys have been handed down from generation to generation. There were pilgrims there from all over the world. Some knelt on the marble and sang Kyrie while holding lit candles. Others kissed the tomb. I did a lot of people watching, because frankly, this wasn't what I was expecting. Not that I knew what to expect, but this wasn't it. I think today we got the Eastern Orthodox experience and may see the western experience on another day.
One thing I should mention is that Jerusalem is slippery when wet. I mean real, real slippery. The limestone streets are polished smooth and it is a broken hip waiting to happen. Surprisingly, I wasn't the one who fell, and so far no broken bones. We were concerned about a concussion for one woman who fell down the stairs to the dungeon. Like I said, Jerusalem is slippery when wet, and the lighting isn't that great in most of the places we are climbing around.
After the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, we moved on towards the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. Unfortunately the Temple Mount was closed at the last minute but the Wall was packed! Women pray on one side and men on the other (there is a divider up with the men being allocated a whole lot more space than the women. The women's side was packed. The men's side was not. Go figure. I prayed the Wendell Circle of Concerns and the prayer list from Genesis at the wall, and left a few of my burdens there as well. Despite the cold, penetrating rain, I did not want to leave. I could have prayed there all day I think. It was easy to imagine Jesus skipping down the street there as a child on his way to the Temple. The site of the Temple was cool to look at, although we weren't allowed to climb around it like the other sites. The outer courtyard of the Gentiles and. The women's courtyard were visible. I could imagine Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers there. As I turned back from the courtyard, I looked up at the ancient wall of Jerusalem. Standing there was a soldier with a machine gun. Some things never change -- there are always soldiers on the walls!
The Dome of the Rock was beautiful, with the gold dome visible throughout Jerusalem.
How do you get sun burned in the rain? I don't know, but I managed to do it! I ran into Dr. Warden from Louisville Seminary today. He has retired from teaching (he taught some courses at Asbury) but is still supervising Doctoral students. He is greatly distressed at what has happened at Asbury with the leadership "transition" and yet confident (as I am) that all will work out ok. Before we left, he laid hands on me and prayed for my future ministry. It was a humbling and reassuring moment in a tiny store in the Hebrew quarter.
After the Wall, we went to the Upper Room, or at least a spot that might have been the Upper Room. In actuality, it is highly unlikely, but it was on top of King David's tomb so that makes it very convenient for tourists! King David's tomb on the other hand is a high probability of actually being the tomb since David is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims (who see David as a prophet). Once again the women were separated from the men to see and pray at the tomb. I don't see a lot of value in praying at a tomb, but then again, I have been brought up with a mind set of an empty tomb and the resurrection of the body!
We finally got to do a little bit of shopping. Prices are high and suitcase space is limited. This is a real dilemma, but I digress.
After the Wailing Wall, we went to Caiaphas' house. There is a church and a convent there. From there we could see Potter's field, and much of the modern city. Under the church were the cells that prisoners were kept on overnight, and probably were Jesus was held the night before the crucifixion. It was a real dungeon and you had to wonder why Jesus didn't die there in that damp, cold cave before he even got to the cross.
That's about it for today. I am learning how powerful story telling based on the scripture can be to our understanding of the scripture. This is a fun, caring group of diverse women. We have a judge, pathologist, pastors, choir director, and seminary professor to name a few. We have people from Texas to North Carolina to Baltimore (yes - Mt Vernon place UMC). And everyone gets along well.
Shalom,
Ellen

January 8, 2008

2008-01-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

This post will probably be shorter than the rest, if for no other reason than I am tired. We were walking in the rain in Old Jerusalem from 8am to 4pm today. The walking and weather were not conducive to journalling. We were up earlier than usual to beat the crowds to enter through the Jaffa gate and to walk the stations of the cross. The stations of the cross were developed in Europe after the Muslims took over Jerusalem and pilgrims could no longer come to visit the Holy City. Now that the city is a little more open, the same stations commemorating Jesus' suffering and death were created here to help pilgrims understand what was going on. We started at a church built on the supposed site where Jesus was condemned. Notice I said supposed because we are dealing with legends. Other than the Temple and the High Priest's house, there is a lot of room for speculation on the other sites. Most were established in the time of Constantine, then destroyed by various invaders, and then reestablished later. The church we started at early this morning was in the Muslim quarter. Our story telling there was powerful, as the group joined in with shouting "Crucify Him" with the storyteller. The sound bounced off the walls around us, and I couldn't join the shouting. It sent chills down my spine. I know, in some metaphorical way, we crucify Christ again and again in our disobedience, but I sure don't want to shout about it! At the end of our chapel time, Ann sang Via Delorosa acapella. It was incredible. I was not the only one choked up.
The stations of the cross ended at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to tradition this is where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Another tradition says that the burial was at another location. Getting there through the narrow, winding, stone streets of Jerusalem is like walking a lambrinyth in the middle of a busy city. There are 5 (I think) different groups of Christians operating out of this church which can cause a lot of confusion. As a matter of fact, ownership of the church caused enough confusion that in the 1800's, the keys of the church were given to a local Muslim family who is paid to come open the church each day! Literally, the keys have been handed down from generation to generation. There were pilgrims there from all over the world. Some knelt on the marble and sang Kyrie while holding lit candles. Others kissed the tomb. I did a lot of people watching, because frankly, this wasn't what I was expecting. Not that I knew what to expect, but this wasn't it. I think today we got the Eastern Orthodox experience and may see the western experience on another day.
One thing I should mention is that Jerusalem is slippery when wet. I mean real, real slippery. The limestone streets are polished smooth and it is a broken hip waiting to happen. Surprisingly, I wasn't the one who fell, and so far no broken bones. We were concerned about a concussion for one woman who fell down the stairs to the dungeon. Like I said, Jerusalem is slippery when wet, and the lighting isn't that great in most of the places we are climbing around.
After the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, we moved on towards the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. Unfortunately the Temple Mount was closed at the last minute but the Wall was packed! Women pray on one side and men on the other (there is a divider up with the men being allocated a whole lot more space than the women. The women's side was packed. The men's side was not. Go figure. I prayed the Wendell Circle of Concerns and the prayer list from Genesis at the wall, and left a few of my burdens there as well. Despite the cold, penetrating rain, I did not want to leave. I could have prayed there all day I think. It was easy to imagine Jesus skipping down the street there as a child on his way to the Temple. The site of the Temple was cool to look at, although we weren't allowed to climb around it like the other sites. The outer courtyard of the Gentiles and. The women's courtyard were visible. I could imagine Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers there. As I turned back from the courtyard, I looked up at the ancient wall of Jerusalem. Standing there was a soldier with a machine gun. Some things never change -- there are always soldiers on the walls!
The Dome of the Rock was beautiful, with the gold dome visible throughout Jerusalem.
How do you get sun burned in the rain? I don't know, but I managed to do it! I ran into Dr. Warden from Louisville Seminary today. He has retired from teaching (he taught some courses at Asbury) but is still supervising Doctoral students. He is greatly distressed at what has happened at Asbury with the leadership "transition" and yet confident (as I am) that all will work out ok. Before we left, he laid hands on me and prayed for my future ministry. It was a humbling and reassuring moment in a tiny store in the Hebrew quarter.
After the Wall, we went to the Upper Room, or at least a spot that might have been the Upper Room. In actuality, it is highly unlikely, but it was on top of King David's tomb so that makes it very convenient for tourists! King David's tomb on the other hand is a high probability of actually being the tomb since David is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims (who see David as a prophet). Once again the women were separated from the men to see and pray at the tomb. I don't see a lot of value in praying at a tomb, but then again, I have been brought up with a mind set of an empty tomb and the resurrection of the body!
We finally got to do a little bit of shopping. Prices are high and suitcase space is limited. This is a real dilemma, but I digress.
After the Wailing Wall, we went to Caiaphas' house. There is a church and a convent there. From there we could see Potter's field, and much of the modern city. Under the church were the cells that prisoners were kept on overnight, and probably were Jesus was held the night before the crucifixion. It was a real dungeon and you had to wonder why Jesus didn't die there in that damp, cold cave before he even got to the cross.
That's about it for today. I am learning how powerful story telling based on the scripture can be to our understanding of the scripture. This is a fun, caring group of diverse women. We have a judge, pathologist, pastors, choir director, and seminary professor to name a few. We have people from Texas to North Carolina to Baltimore (yes - Mt Vernon place UMC). And everyone gets along well. It is a big blessing that I do not take lightly.
Shalom,
Ellen

January 7 2008

2008-01-08T10:47:00.000-05:00

I think today is the day that exhaustion has hit all of us. We loaded up the bus to leave Tiberius and made our way to the Jezreel Valley. Jezreel means "God's planting." It is also the Valley or Armageddon. It is a beautiful and lush land. Apparently it was swamp land when the Israelite immigrants settled the area. So they planted euculyptus trees to dry the swamp. I sure wouldn't have thought of that. According to our guide, armies liked to fight on the flat ground of this valley, so that's why there were so many battles there. It was like a national OK Corral.
We spent time hiking and climbing around the Tel of Megiddo, which is at the foot of Mt. Carmel. A "Tel" is a man made mountain, where basically they kept building one city on the top of another. The top of the Tel is called a "har" which means har-Megiddo means top of Megiddo. Over time this transitioned to Armageddon.
As I look around at the mountains which are covered with rocks ans stones, I couldn't help but think about the devil's challenge to Jesus to call the angels to catch him "lest he dash his foot upon a stone." Well, there is no way he couldn't have been tripped by all the stones here on the ground. There is an old midrash (I think) story about how when God was creating the world, God gave one angel 10 rocks to spread around the world. The angel accidentally dropped 9 rocks on Israel, and used the remaining rocks for the rest of the world. Looking around, that legend is seeming plausible to me! The parable of the sower is more dramatic because of this too. Yet, despite the rocky ground, life emerges.
Megiddo was founded around 3000 BC by the Caananites. We saw the ruins of the Caananite temple where babies were sacrificed to their gods. Interesting that we just finished celebrating the birth of a baby whose voluntary sacrifice as an adult has saved the world from its sins.
The Egyptian Pharaoh's then conquered Megiddo, then Joshua came in and took it and assigned it to the tribe of Manasseh - think. Solomon fortified it and put a roof over the water supply - a small spring. King Ahab turned it into a military city in 850 BC and recognized the vulnerability of the water supply. So he dug a shaft down through pure rock, while a second team was digging a tunnel from the spring to the shaft. The two teams met perfectly and then blocked off access to the water supply from outside the spring. Their enemies could not only not see the water, they couldn't poison it as well. We climbed down the shaft (only 183 steps) and then went out via the tunnel. That climb is not for those who have problems with heights, but I didn't realize that until I was halfway there. I survived as did the rest of the group!
When the northern Kingdom fell in 722, the Syrians captured the Tel, then the Greeks got it, followed by the Hasmodeans and finally the Romans.
It was interesting to enter Megiddo through 3 gates - first the Caananite gate! Then Solomon's gate, and finally Ahab's gate. Gates were very visible and a part of the protection of the city in Jesus' day, and a metaphor that everyone could understand.
The stables at Megiddo showed something that the guide had alluded to before - most managers were carved out of stone, not made with wood. Stone is plentiful here, wood was not. Since the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948, there has been a significant effort to bring trees to the Holy Land, starting with 6 million of them to commemorate the Holocaust. Dad - if you are reading this, that means you need to make new managers for Bruce and I out of stone! ;)
Next we went to Mt. Carmel where Elijah defeated the 450 prophets of Baal. Today, there are Druze living around there. I had never heard of this religion before. They believe a smattering of Judaism, some Islam, and some Christianity. They believe in reincarnation and that the Messiah will be born of a man. That last comment sent our bus load of women roaring with comments I shouldn't put on a blog. On top of Mt. Carmel you can see the Mediterrian Sea on one side, and the Jezreel valley on the other.
Caesarea was next on the itinerary and the smell of the sea was wonderful. Caesarea was built by Herod in honor of Caesar Augustus. The harbor was big enough to compete with Alexandria. It was built to be a pagan city, even though Herod had converted to Judaism. It became a Christian city during the reign of Constantine, and then Muslim in 640AD. It was in Caesarea that Peter had the dream where all food was declared clean and he visited Cornelius and shared the gospel. The Christian church was finally open to all who believed. Paul was also imprisoned here and sailed out of Caesarea to Rome for trial. As we sat in the ancient ampitheatre (they let you touch just about everything here!) And told Bible stories, including one from the midrash, I was struck with the thought that the sounds of the water and the wind were probably the same as what Jesus heard 2000 years ago. It was a rather tranquil moment. Caesarea was a resort town in Jesus' time, and could be again if someone wanted to ruin it. I wonder how many powerful Romans heard the gospel because of the Christians imprisoned in the fortress there.
After a quick stop at an acquaduct, we drove onto Jerusalem. Our itinerary is changing since President Bush is coming to town on Tuesday and staying at the hotel across the street. Security is already all over the place.
I want to apologize for various spelling and grammar mistakes. I am using a blackberry and it is not conducive to touch typing.
Grace and Peace,
Ellen

January 6th, 2008

2008-01-06T15:26:00.000-05:00

Today we went to Cana of Galilee, Nazareth, Zippori, and Mt. Tabor. Today is also Epiphany, so we worshiped in Cana.
Cana was much larger in Jesus' time than it is today. The original town was destroyed by the Romans in 66AD because of the Jewish rebellion. The current town is believed to be near the ancient town, but the ruins of the ancient town have not been located. According to our guide, the busiest and most important day in an ancient orthodox Jewish wedding is the 3rd day. So to run out of wine on that day was almost catastrophic. We saw ancient stone jars recovered from other ruins that were used for ceremonial cleaning. In my mind prior to this trip, I thought of the jars being a couple of quarts. Boy was I wrong. The stone jars used to hold water for ritual cleansing could have held 50 gallons! I also found out that the jars used for cleansing are always stone. Clay jars become "unclean" quickly because they are made by human hands. Stone is made by God, and therefore does not become unclean over time. I need to check into this more, as it could bring some new understanding to the verse about Jesus being the living stone! As well as the potter and clay metaphor.
Worship at the church in Cana was awesome. I don't think the sisters knew what they were in for when they agreed to let us meet there. Our service was truly an ancient/future model of worship with old hymns ands praise choruses, the Shaker song Simple Gifts, and African American hymns as well. There was scripture reading, incense, story telling and liturgical dance. As our voices reverberated off the stone walls, it felt like the heavenly host was joining us. It certainly brought one nun running in fast and stopping as if she hit a wall when she saw us. One person read the book "The Twelve Gifts of Birth" by Charlene Constanzo. I have to get a copy of that book!!! We left the chapel singing "We are Marching," a South African hymn. Actually, I think we floated out. There was an incredulous look on the face of a nun I passed on the way out - not disapproving, but very surprised.
We went to Zipphori next. It is an ancient town built when the Hasmodeans were in power. It was the capital of Galilee until 20 AD. Given the proximity to Nazareth, it is possible that Joseph and Jesus worked as carpenters there when Jesus was a boy and a teenager. It is also thought that this was the home town of Mary's parent's (Jesus' grandparents). No one really knows that for sure. There were both Roman and Greek features in Zipphori, the most prominent of which was indoor running water and toilets in the rich Roman houses. In the 3rd century AD, the Sanhedrin were kicked out of Jerusalem and eventually settled on Zipphori to live. It was here that they wrote the misnah, which is basically a commentary on the Jewish scripture, in light of the destruction of the Temple and the end of animal sacrifices in Judaism. Jesus was probably exposed to a lot of different cultures in Zipphori, from Hellenized Jews to the Romans. He would have learned how to interact with all of these groups there.
We went to a Jewish restaurant for lunch that served pork! It was a very popular place. I got my first cheeseburger and fries ($13) since I left the states. It was delicious.
We then went to Mt. Tabor, which is where they think the Transfiguration took place. I seriously wondered if I was going to meet Jesus face to face on the way up, as there were lots of hair pin curves taken at break neck speed. Lots of prayers were said when it seemed like one van was only on 2 wheels. But all is well and it is just another aspect of the adventure. It was cold and windy on top. Seeing the steepness of the mountain, and the power of the wind, I wonder is Peter's request to build some lodging for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah may have been more practical in nature. They had to be dog tired and Peter may not have wanted to hike back down. One mis-step and he would have tumbled the rest of the way!
Tomorrow we see Mt Carmel, the valley of Armageddon, and Caesarea, finally arriving in Jerusalem.
FYI - I am taking the Wendell circle of concerns to pray over at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. If you need prayer and are not on that list, please email me at emccubbin@nc.rr.com so I can add it to the list.
Shalom,
Ellen

January 5th, part 2

2008-01-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

We spent the day touring the area of Capernum and the Sea of Galilee. We started out at the Mount of the Beautitudes, where it is believed that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Before this trip I would have been skeptical about the location, but having been here, it seems very plausible. The natural acoustics of that hillside means a speaker could be down on the shore and have 5-10,000 people hear them speak. Part of me just wanted to lay down like a child and roll from the top of the hill down. Common sense got rid of that thought. Rolling over some of the basalt rock would have been a guaranteed broken hip! We sat in a garden area near the Mount and recited the Beautitudes in a speaker response style and sang songs like "This little light of mine." As Tracy, our resident storyteller told the scripture stories, they came alive again.
The shoreline all around the Sea of Galilee is very rocky -- definitely not a place to stretch out and get a tan. A beautiful body of water like that in the states would be a vacation resort and filled with boats. I saw 3 boats on the whole lake.
We then went to the Church of the Heptagon or the Church of the loaves and fishes. This church dates back to 320AD and is thought to be on the site where Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fish. There are 2 stories in the gospels where this kind of multiplication took place - one with 5000 people and one with 4000 people. The one with 5000 people took place in Jewish territory and the one with 4000 people took place in Gentile territory. Jesus seemed to be more interested in feeding people spiritually and physically then he was in paying attention to their backgrounds. The mosaics in the church were pretty cool. We also had access to the Sea of Galilee in this location and got to put our feet in. This is a major drinking water source for all of Israel, so swimming is not allowed. If they had seen our feet, I suspect that wouldn't be allowed either!
Next we were off to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, where it is thought that Jesus asked Peter 3 times if Peter loved him. Someone in our group pointed out that Jesus demoted Peter from the respectable job of fisherman to shepherd which was not considered to be something a mother would aspire for her children. The church there is a favorite of the popes but it was closed to visitors. It was tiny and might not have been able to hold all 36 of us. We sat off in a side garden and listened to the story of Jesus and Peter. I could feel like the Lord was asking me the same question - "Ellen, do you love me?" and then the command to feed the sheep. It was a time of assurance, warmth, and peace. We all sat there for a while sharing some songs, and the silence. God was worshiped in Spirit and Truth that morning!
Our next stop was Capernum, which is in the process of being excavated and restored. My niece would love the archaeology and restoration projects here! The possible site of Peter's mother-in-laws house was identified and a church built over the site. Only God knows whether it is the real site or not. What was really interesting to me was the number of small rooms in the house. Apparently whenever a new family member needed a room, one was added on. It brings new meaning to the passage "in my Father's house there are many rooms." The church did have some beautiful wood sculptures that I hope my camera has captured. Also at Capernum were the ruins of the synagogue that Jesus grew up in, and read the scroll of Isaiah in, declaring the prophecy to be fulfilled. I worshiped today where Jesus worshiped. Jesus had been in that synagogue on the Sabbath, as I was there on the Sabbath today. It was just plain cool. We also got to see a 1st century olive press. They actually press the olives 4 times. The first time is the best oil, which is used in the Temple. We always need to give our first fruits to God! The oil from the second pressing is used to cooking. The oil from the 3rd pressing is used to light lamps, and the oil from the 4th pressing is used to make soap. One product of the land provided for 4 different needs.
Next came lunch. Given my upset stomach (much better now), I bypassed the local delicacy of the "Peter fish" and had chicken. About half of our group got the fish and I wish I had my camera out when it was delivered. The head, eyes, everything was still attached. One lady exclaimed "It's watching me!" We all roared and the whole place stopped to look at us. It was interesting that there were a lot of cats hanging out, esp on the roof of the restaurant. I pondered whether my "chicken" was really "Fluffy" and decided that some things were better off not pondered. It did taste like chicken.
We ended the day on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. This was a concern for many, as the stomach virus is going around the group, and none of us wanted to be known as the one who tossed their cookies where Jesus sailed! It's one thing to say that I walked where Jesus walked, but this would be taking it a bit further than necessary. Storms apparently come up quickly on this body of water. It is below sea level, and apparently the valleys leading to the sea create a wind tunnel effect that makes the storms dramatic. We didn't need to be afraid. It was a perfect day to be on the water. I was surprised by the landscape. It is very under-developed, with only Tiberius and Capernum being visible from the water. I think the sights of the mountains and the valleys and the shoreline were similar to what Jesus saw. Now it is easy to imagine a demoniac living in a cave in the valley of Gerasenes, and the pigs running down the fertile slope of the steep mountain into the sea. I could even see Doug there in overalls with a John Deer hat as a herdsman (inside joke to Wendell UMC). Our storyteller told a lot of bible stories about Jesus on the sea. I was able to imagine Peter climbing over the side to walk on the water. However, I followed Danny and Marjorie's advice and didn't try that maneuver (another inside joke). We did a lot of singing and there was even some liturgical dance. That shocked and possibly scared our captain. We could have stayed out all night.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the camaraderie of the group. We are from all over and are all ages. There is a free interchange of stories, thoughts, and hijinks. A supportive faith community has been created, and we are all having fun.
Shalom,
Ellen

saturady morning thouights

2008-01-05T01:28:00.000-05:00

Just a few notes about friday night. No one warned us that Sabbath night in Tiberas is like New York on New Year's eve. There was partying inside and outside the hotel all night long. No amount of Lunesta could fix that problem. Dinner was interesting as there were a lot of Jewish families celebrating the Sabbath meal together in the restaurant. It was a people watching opportunity. We were all getting jealous of their public tradition of worshipping God in public places. We have someone here who is good at writing liturgy who we have challenged to create us a liturgy that celebrates God as joyfully during our meal time.
Grace and peace,
Ellen

January 4 thoughts

2008-01-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

Thoughts on Friday Jan 4th
I don't think any of us slept well last night, despite being exhausted from the trip. Today was our longest day on the bus, driving from southern Israel to northern Israel, and crossing out/in/out of the Palestinian terriority. We started the day in Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world and well below sea level. It was warm and tropical in Jericho. I really liked the ancient ruins and with the modern city smak dab against the ruins, it was easy to imagine Rahab lowering the spies over the wall from the roof of her house. Given the size of the city, I found myself wondering how Rahab felt as she heard her friends and neigghbors being killed by the invading Jewish army. That could have haunted her for the rest of her life, but she did it to save her family. Our guide talked about her with a new name. Instead of "Rahab the Harlot", she became "Rahab the Redeemed." Interesting perspective that I need.to think about more.
The drive from Jericho to Beit Shean was incredible. The Jordan Valley was on our right, fertile and green. The Judean desert was on our left - dry, rocky, and almost white in color. I saw lots of caves and envisioned shepherds taking refuge in them to escape the heat. We saw shepherds with their sheep, working much like David did in his day. There were also goat herders - modern Bedouin we were told. As I watched the shepherds at work, I wondered if those were the fields where the angels first proclaimed Jesus' birth. Seeing the scenery and the culture sure made me understand why Jesus used the metaphors that he did. I wonder what are the metaphors and parables I should be using in telling the gospel story in North Carolina. What are the everyday obects and customs around me that can be utilized to show God's unconditonal love and the grace that God gives all who come?
The starkness of the desert valley really impressed me. There were no tumbleweeds, just rock. I wonder what it would have been like to be one of Jesus' disciples walking those hills and listening to the masters teaching. There sure weren't any distractions! The time spent walking and talking in that environment was considerable, conducive to lengthy deep disussions.
I see John the Baptists' words about Jesus in a little bit of a different light now. When John said "make the path's straight" for Jesus, it might have been a challenge to do a very difficult job. There is considerable rock cutting required to straighten out that area into a road.Was Isaiah thinking this too?
It was interesting to compare the fertile land of the Jordan Valley to the desert. There were more rocks and stone than you can possibly imagine. It had to be a backbreaking task to clear that for agriculture. Yet that is what the people had to do to survive.In the kibbutz they all pull together for the common good. That's a good modern metaphor.
Beit Shean was really cool. It is an ancient Roman city that is being excavated and partially restored. We listened to Bible stories in the ampithreatre, which has much better acoustics than my church when the sound system is working! I spent a lot of time walking the ruins and thinking about the people who had lived there. I climbed to the top of the "tell" overlooking the ruins. There was this lone dead tree standing which reminded me of Jesus Christ Superstar - the movie. It turns out that was there it was filmed! There were ruins of an ancient Christian church on the tell as well.
The next leg of our journey was to the Jordan River. I was surprised by the size of it. They should have called it the Jordan creek! It couldn't have been more than 30 ft. wide. As we were reaffirming our baptism, you could feel the holiness of the place. It was sprinkling rain as the water was being sprinkled in our direction with the reminder to remember our baptism and be grateful. I am so thankful for the loving family that raised me in the church and for my church family that it was overwhelming. As this was going on, white birds flew in and hovered above the tree tops over the water. No, it wasn't doves and no voice spoke from heaven, but there was a holy presence in that place. I seriously doubt that anything can top this!
We are now at the Sea of Galilee and hopefully the weather will clear up tomorrow. I know that Jesus can handle storms on that sea, but I would rather not be hanging over the side of the boat feeding the fishes.
Shalom,
E