It's Mother's Day, 5:50 a.m. The sun is just peeking at me on what seems to be a glorious day in the making. I caught a glimpse of a photo of my mom as I walked by the side table and realized just how much I miss this woman. There's not one particular memory that stands out, but several 'snapshots' buzzing through my mind this morning. She was not a perfect mother, nor was she a demonstrative type, but she was a special momma. Here's what is flashing through my mind's eye this morning:
Making sure we were sent to Sunday School every Sunday even if her and dad never went. This meant Saturday night baths and the sitting still in what seemed like forever, so she could twirl my hair around on her finger and fasten with a bobbi pin. Not just a few, but over the entire head! Yes, her children would always be presentable in church!
The apron. Growing up I cannot remember her without one on during the day. I think she got this from grandma who one day even forgot to take hers off when she went to church! Those pockets held untold oddities that she would pick up around the house and deposit in the correct place....things I'm sure us kids left lying about. It wiped up spills, kept her hands clean, protected her dress and gave me comfort. This multipurposed item represented the stay at home mom that she was during my formitive years. I have a few aprons even today.
The 'wait until your dad gets home' voice! Mom was a good 'yeller' but seldom carried through with her discipline. She left the dispensing of that to my Father. So if that was ever heard, it brought the fear of God to me....thank heaven I was a pretty 'perfect' child! Ya right!
Her laugh. Full bodied, light hearted, fun, accompanied by the ever present 'oh my stars alivin'' statement afterward. I always loved to hear her laugh. You see, even as a young child, I knew we were poor and that mom didn't have as much as my friends mom's did, so when I heard her laugh, it made me happy. Through the years, she never lost that laugh, that squinted twinkle in her eyes....thanks mom, for your laugh, I smile even now remembering it.
Her sewing talents. Oh my, this woman loved to sew! My sis and I were often seen in the same style dresses sewn with hands of love. Her, handsewn square dance dresses were beyond beautiful....they were works of art and people would often buy them when she was tired of the dress and moved on to making another. She gave me my love of sewing, a legacy that I still employ today
Her cooking. Now mind you, she was no gourmet cook, but momma could look in the fridge, pull out leftovers, put a pot on to boil and make the best soup or casserole in the land! She made dinners special with whatever there was too eat and made sure we were always gathered around the table. It had to be a real good reason if we were not home for supper! Every supper ended with dessert! Yes, momma could bake,...rarely were there store bought goodies for this family! Oh yes, I still have to have a small piece of sweet after I eat....another legacy! :)
Her gifts. Mom never forgot a birthday. With five children it was hard to provide, but darn if she didn't come up with a gift sweetly wrapped and full of expectation for us. Sometimes it was something we really needed, other times just a small fun gift. No matter, it always was accompanied by a birthday cake and lots of singing! As the years went by, she never forgot, and there in the mail would be her little offering of love. Sometimes as adults we would laugh at her attempts...I so regret that now. I realize now they were always given out of genuine caring....I am sorry momma...I love you!
I imagine I could go on and on and on, but I won't. Mother was not without her faults as none of us mom's are. I'm painfully aware of that today with my own children. But I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, that looking back I can enjoy the feelings of her love, warmth, giving and caring ways and hope that somehow she knows how much I loved her and still do. She passed down such a legacy to me that even now I stop to ask, "I wonder what mom would do." Isn't that the ultimate gift? Thank you mom, for giving me a life full of wonderment, of direction, of example. You were loved then and you are loved now. Until we meet again at the foot of the cross....I love you Momma, happy Mother's Day!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Loading my luggage...
Ok, yes, I'm old! Well, sorta old. Not so old in MY eyes, but perhaps in my grands eyes and even my own childrens eye's. Perhaps to them I've slipped over the edge. It's ok though, because the outward appearance has no idea what the inner appearance looks like...in other words, I still feel young!
Having said that, I went to a meeting this morning where a speaker had some interesting things to say about aging. I took away from it that as we walk this aging path, we need to load a piece of luggage that contains some vital life issues that will take us smoothly through this most crucial of times. When this aging process begins to get us down, we can then reach into our bag of goodies and begin to engage in an attitude adjustment. Let me see if I can list them along with a few thought provoking remarks, relevant or not!
Begin your journey by packing:
A Positive Attitude
Now this can be a good thing because if we begin to look at our circumstances (short timers, also known as sliding down the hill), we must look at it as the glass half full even if it really is half empty. Maybe if I tell myself enough times that being old isn't so darn bad I will truly begin to believe it! Positive thinking....I wonder if that's different from a positive attitude. Is one internal and the other external? Can we fake both? I digress...'on my honor I promise to pack a positive attitude.'
A Sense of Humor
Really???? Who wouldn't laugh at that reflection in the mirror! This one's easy, except I may be laughing through my tears! Are sagging boobs funny? How about drooping eyelids? Hey! Those age spots are hysterical aren't they? Still laughing? Well, let's add aching joints, age related barnacles, dry hair, back aches, swollen fingers, cabinet full of prescriptions, memory loss, and grandchildren that say 'grandma, you're old!' Yup, it's all pretty humorous isn't it! Am I still smiling? You bet! I've packed my sense of humor!
Purpose and Meaning
As far as I could ascertain from this guy, we should pick a purpose...any purpose...pick a meaning...any meaning, and run with it. Be it stamp collecting, saving cereal boxes, hoarding, ..well, you get the 'meaning.' I really agree with this though....if we don't have these two 'meaningful' things, our lives would pretty much be 'purposeless!' Here I am purging my house of all the things I've collected through the years and he's saying to have meaning and purpose we should start a collection! I'm still contemplating this logic! That's ok, I've placed purpose and meaning in my luggage and can pull it out any time to analyze.
A Spiritual Anchor
This one I definitely will pack with pleasure! I really don't even have to pack this one! My Anchor is my Lord and He has promised to never leave nor forsake me so He will go along for the ride and gently remind me that even though this last stage of life is difficult, I have a major transformation coming! In your face old age! He has bigger and better plans for me! Talk about an attitude changer and a good reason to keep that sense of humor aforementioned!
Moment of Truth
Now how do we pack our 'moment of truth?' This is the moment when we fully understand that life is fleeting, that we will all eventually die and there's not a darn thing we can do about it. We are all terminally ill. Ah yes, I get it! When we finally come to terms with this and settle in for the duration, it won't be such a arduous journey. It just is...deal with it. And that I will, for I know to Whom I owe my life and to where I will live again. Yes, my last breath here on earth will be followed by my next breath in heaven! Now that's a moment of truth I'm packing with care!
As I look at these five items to put in my luggage for this aging trip, I wonder which one will serve me best. I think there are two...my Spiritual Anchor is number one, and a sense of humor number two. Whoever said growing old is not for sissy's grasped the moment of truth for sure, but with a positive attitude I can go forth with purpose and meaning. I'm fully packed, closing the lid, fully aware that I can open it at any time and peruse his suggestions. Not saying I can strictly adhere to them, but it's surely a goal to strive for. Nothing humorous about that!
Having said that, I went to a meeting this morning where a speaker had some interesting things to say about aging. I took away from it that as we walk this aging path, we need to load a piece of luggage that contains some vital life issues that will take us smoothly through this most crucial of times. When this aging process begins to get us down, we can then reach into our bag of goodies and begin to engage in an attitude adjustment. Let me see if I can list them along with a few thought provoking remarks, relevant or not!
Begin your journey by packing:
A Positive Attitude
Now this can be a good thing because if we begin to look at our circumstances (short timers, also known as sliding down the hill), we must look at it as the glass half full even if it really is half empty. Maybe if I tell myself enough times that being old isn't so darn bad I will truly begin to believe it! Positive thinking....I wonder if that's different from a positive attitude. Is one internal and the other external? Can we fake both? I digress...'on my honor I promise to pack a positive attitude.'
A Sense of Humor
Really???? Who wouldn't laugh at that reflection in the mirror! This one's easy, except I may be laughing through my tears! Are sagging boobs funny? How about drooping eyelids? Hey! Those age spots are hysterical aren't they? Still laughing? Well, let's add aching joints, age related barnacles, dry hair, back aches, swollen fingers, cabinet full of prescriptions, memory loss, and grandchildren that say 'grandma, you're old!' Yup, it's all pretty humorous isn't it! Am I still smiling? You bet! I've packed my sense of humor!
Purpose and Meaning
As far as I could ascertain from this guy, we should pick a purpose...any purpose...pick a meaning...any meaning, and run with it. Be it stamp collecting, saving cereal boxes, hoarding, ..well, you get the 'meaning.' I really agree with this though....if we don't have these two 'meaningful' things, our lives would pretty much be 'purposeless!' Here I am purging my house of all the things I've collected through the years and he's saying to have meaning and purpose we should start a collection! I'm still contemplating this logic! That's ok, I've placed purpose and meaning in my luggage and can pull it out any time to analyze.
A Spiritual Anchor
This one I definitely will pack with pleasure! I really don't even have to pack this one! My Anchor is my Lord and He has promised to never leave nor forsake me so He will go along for the ride and gently remind me that even though this last stage of life is difficult, I have a major transformation coming! In your face old age! He has bigger and better plans for me! Talk about an attitude changer and a good reason to keep that sense of humor aforementioned!
Moment of Truth
Now how do we pack our 'moment of truth?' This is the moment when we fully understand that life is fleeting, that we will all eventually die and there's not a darn thing we can do about it. We are all terminally ill. Ah yes, I get it! When we finally come to terms with this and settle in for the duration, it won't be such a arduous journey. It just is...deal with it. And that I will, for I know to Whom I owe my life and to where I will live again. Yes, my last breath here on earth will be followed by my next breath in heaven! Now that's a moment of truth I'm packing with care!
As I look at these five items to put in my luggage for this aging trip, I wonder which one will serve me best. I think there are two...my Spiritual Anchor is number one, and a sense of humor number two. Whoever said growing old is not for sissy's grasped the moment of truth for sure, but with a positive attitude I can go forth with purpose and meaning. I'm fully packed, closing the lid, fully aware that I can open it at any time and peruse his suggestions. Not saying I can strictly adhere to them, but it's surely a goal to strive for. Nothing humorous about that!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Loosing importance?
I had a birthday last week. Not a 'big' one...but a disturbing one. As I confessed to someone, 'it feels as though I'm on the downhill slide now.' Digging my heels into the hillside won't stop the progression either! Oh, you say, consider the alternative! Well, believe me I have, and I am grateful to my heavenly Father who has chosen to give me an extended life with fairly good health, a loving family and dear friends. Life is just suddenly so 'real'...by that I mean, so fragile, so swift, with an unexplainable sense of urgency! What is this feeling of 'loosing importance?'
My children have wonderful lives full of all the things I once experienced. I look at them and see my past. I watch them going through the family issues, the ups and downs of raising kids, work schedules, sports schedules, responsibilities...yes...it is a season of responsibility and fatigue! Yet somehow it is the best part of life! Oh, I hope they are enjoying it because from my position, it is the most fleeting season and if they are wishing these years would hurry and get over, well, that would be regretable. Regret eats at the soul,...savoring each season of life fills it! It's tough for sure, but I wish I could infuse in them the importance of holding each moment tightly...having no regrets in the future, that they wished away the days and years.
My time raising kids was so different than today. Safe neighborhoods with caring people who watched over ours as if they were theirs, lots of outdoor time, very little TV, no computers or hand held games, sandlot baseball, less scheduled activities, boundaries that even the kids expected, (my folks would kill me 'if'..)! Yes, I could go on and on, but my main point is...."God bless the working mothers and fathers who not only have to regulate their time, but the time of their children!" Stress, tension, games that should be played just for the love of the game but have become a competition for who makes AAA or AA or A teams...and the parents who then have to render the perfect words to blanket the disappointment in their child. When did sports become so stressful for the kids, ...where did the joy of just playing go. Competition is good to a degree, but when it distorts a childs self-worth...well, it's just wrong! This is a mute point for a grandparent....I can only look, pray and trust that this will not influence negatively lives that should be delighting in life, friends and family! Again it is clear to me that I can stand by and watch, but have no input whatsoever....perhaps another reason for 'loosing that feeling of importance?' I had my time, they are having theirs....the circle of life I suppose.
There is an elderly lady who comes into my workplace several times a week, that has become a special person in my life. We chat about little things. I shared with her this 'loosing importance' feeling since donning this years birthday. Her words bathed me in warmth. "My dear, our importance just seems to wane, just remember that even though we are not included in much of our children and grandchildren's lives, we are still here to be an anchor for them...a place of safety, where they can come and rest when their lives become so harried they just need an hour or so of escape. Don't feel left out, enjoy what you can when you can, don't begrudge their activities without you....treasure the times you do have." She blesses my life. Her years are numbered as she's in her 80's, yet is living as fully as she can and loving life! Truly an example for me to emulate.
I'll pass through this feeling I'm sure....just a fleeting pity party. Birthdays are a time to reflect, give thanks to my God for blessing me with yet another year, and to give me a chance to look to the future. Yes, my heels may be dug in, trying to slow this process down, but He gives me my sense of identity and worth and therefore I am the most important person on earth! Loosing my identity? I think not! Bring on another year...with His precious daily presence, I can take it!
My children have wonderful lives full of all the things I once experienced. I look at them and see my past. I watch them going through the family issues, the ups and downs of raising kids, work schedules, sports schedules, responsibilities...yes...it is a season of responsibility and fatigue! Yet somehow it is the best part of life! Oh, I hope they are enjoying it because from my position, it is the most fleeting season and if they are wishing these years would hurry and get over, well, that would be regretable. Regret eats at the soul,...savoring each season of life fills it! It's tough for sure, but I wish I could infuse in them the importance of holding each moment tightly...having no regrets in the future, that they wished away the days and years.
My time raising kids was so different than today. Safe neighborhoods with caring people who watched over ours as if they were theirs, lots of outdoor time, very little TV, no computers or hand held games, sandlot baseball, less scheduled activities, boundaries that even the kids expected, (my folks would kill me 'if'..)! Yes, I could go on and on, but my main point is...."God bless the working mothers and fathers who not only have to regulate their time, but the time of their children!" Stress, tension, games that should be played just for the love of the game but have become a competition for who makes AAA or AA or A teams...and the parents who then have to render the perfect words to blanket the disappointment in their child. When did sports become so stressful for the kids, ...where did the joy of just playing go. Competition is good to a degree, but when it distorts a childs self-worth...well, it's just wrong! This is a mute point for a grandparent....I can only look, pray and trust that this will not influence negatively lives that should be delighting in life, friends and family! Again it is clear to me that I can stand by and watch, but have no input whatsoever....perhaps another reason for 'loosing that feeling of importance?' I had my time, they are having theirs....the circle of life I suppose.
There is an elderly lady who comes into my workplace several times a week, that has become a special person in my life. We chat about little things. I shared with her this 'loosing importance' feeling since donning this years birthday. Her words bathed me in warmth. "My dear, our importance just seems to wane, just remember that even though we are not included in much of our children and grandchildren's lives, we are still here to be an anchor for them...a place of safety, where they can come and rest when their lives become so harried they just need an hour or so of escape. Don't feel left out, enjoy what you can when you can, don't begrudge their activities without you....treasure the times you do have." She blesses my life. Her years are numbered as she's in her 80's, yet is living as fully as she can and loving life! Truly an example for me to emulate.
I'll pass through this feeling I'm sure....just a fleeting pity party. Birthdays are a time to reflect, give thanks to my God for blessing me with yet another year, and to give me a chance to look to the future. Yes, my heels may be dug in, trying to slow this process down, but He gives me my sense of identity and worth and therefore I am the most important person on earth! Loosing my identity? I think not! Bring on another year...with His precious daily presence, I can take it!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
BUMBLEBEE NEST SAGA CONTINUES...
Ah yes...Saturday dawned bright and beautiful for once this early April day. What to do, what to do??!! Of course! I shall tackle the project that has been interrupting my sleep cycle for several nights....'the bumblebee project!' Those beautiful costumed buzzers have been repeat visitors the last several summers, at first not causing a disturbance, in fact it was rather pleasant to see them lazily go too and fro from their under deck domicile. But then, wham-o..the great bumblebee fiasco hit us last summer, causing hysterical screaming and running about the yard like maniacs, swatting, spraying, using deck pillows as self-defense mechanisms....they turned psycho! Hence...my quest to exterminate the whole lot of them this spring before the invaders disturb yet another peaceful summers day.
This shouldn't take very long...take out a couple deck boards, remove nest, dump in some Sevin...replace boards, screw down...voila! Done! Or so I thought.
Let me begin with the board removal. Some wise guy drove the nails below the wood surface giving me no leverage to remove them (that would have been ME three summers ago)....trotting to the garage for the crowbar, I giddily invisioned a hasty flip of a board and on with my task. But NO! Not enough space to leverage the bar between the boards...now what? Think! Think! Ok,..screwdriver in hand, hammer in another I proceed to chip away around the nailhead, exposing it's shiny little hidden head.
Bam! Hammer hits hand.....how does one NOT jump up and start screaming expletives
while trying to maintain composure so the neighbor won't start peering out their window? Well, I didn't...I let 'er rip! Quick look...no blood...pain subsided...project continued. Damn nail! Fat widow woman struggles down to her knees to persist in defeating this enemy. Enter, pliers...wiggle, wiggle, turn, turn...up she comes! Crowbar inserted, leverage achieved...push, crack..BOARD BREAKS! Enter reciprocal saw....sawed off that part of the board! Take that! Removal of the next two much easier...but I used the saw to cut off just the part I needed...not a good idea...more later on that.
Off to Home Depot...loaded arms with weapons of war...back to base of operation in record time!
Dumped said ingredients into exposed territory below...NOTHING could survive those chemicals of warfare! Measured length of board I need to cut to cover hole....grab saw, commence to attack...saw blade flies across the yard landing where cat was sitting minutes earlier....darn..would have been my chance to get rid of that darn cat! Re-attach blade..finish sawing, place boards in position. So who cares if one end of the adjoining boards don't exactly fit flush and stand 1/2" higher than it should therefore causing future toe stubs? I'm tired of this warfare and yet I have one more crucial invasion...nail those suckers down! Enter drill and deck screws.
Using a nail to forge a hole before inserting screw, I pick up the instrument of war that I am not all that familiar with....insert screw, place drill bit in position, fire away....ZAP! Knothole! Now I know why I used nails last time...trotting off to the garage .........
Well, it may not be the most visually perfect job..but it's a job done! Next???
This shouldn't take very long...take out a couple deck boards, remove nest, dump in some Sevin...replace boards, screw down...voila! Done! Or so I thought.
Let me begin with the board removal. Some wise guy drove the nails below the wood surface giving me no leverage to remove them (that would have been ME three summers ago)....trotting to the garage for the crowbar, I giddily invisioned a hasty flip of a board and on with my task. But NO! Not enough space to leverage the bar between the boards...now what? Think! Think! Ok,..screwdriver in hand, hammer in another I proceed to chip away around the nailhead, exposing it's shiny little hidden head.
Bam! Hammer hits hand.....how does one NOT jump up and start screaming expletives
while trying to maintain composure so the neighbor won't start peering out their window? Well, I didn't...I let 'er rip! Quick look...no blood...pain subsided...project continued. Damn nail! Fat widow woman struggles down to her knees to persist in defeating this enemy. Enter, pliers...wiggle, wiggle, turn, turn...up she comes! Crowbar inserted, leverage achieved...push, crack..BOARD BREAKS! Enter reciprocal saw....sawed off that part of the board! Take that! Removal of the next two much easier...but I used the saw to cut off just the part I needed...not a good idea...more later on that.
Off to Home Depot...loaded arms with weapons of war...back to base of operation in record time!
Dumped said ingredients into exposed territory below...NOTHING could survive those chemicals of warfare! Measured length of board I need to cut to cover hole....grab saw, commence to attack...saw blade flies across the yard landing where cat was sitting minutes earlier....darn..would have been my chance to get rid of that darn cat! Re-attach blade..finish sawing, place boards in position. So who cares if one end of the adjoining boards don't exactly fit flush and stand 1/2" higher than it should therefore causing future toe stubs? I'm tired of this warfare and yet I have one more crucial invasion...nail those suckers down! Enter drill and deck screws.
Using a nail to forge a hole before inserting screw, I pick up the instrument of war that I am not all that familiar with....insert screw, place drill bit in position, fire away....ZAP! Knothole! Now I know why I used nails last time...trotting off to the garage .........
Well, it may not be the most visually perfect job..but it's a job done! Next???
Sunday, February 27, 2011
The "Lighter" side of Israel or...."One to many Falafels!"
Our trip to Israel was indeed amazing, mind boggling, interesting, tiring, frustrating, fun-filled, emotional, and on and on and on. Having said that, I can also sit back and laugh at some of the odd things that happened, or the surprising reactions I had at certain things. One cannot consume so much history, politics, food, and ruins before the amusement factor begins to take hold and the sometimes uncontrollable laughter takes over! I'm sure when Bev and I got hit by one of these phenomenon the people on our bus considered rolling us off at the next bus stop! My advice? NEVER try to hold in a good belly laugh! It hurts!
What can I say about Falafels? WOW! That first stop we made at the little roadside stand at first caused a few lifted eyebrows... "Really?.... We're stopping out in the middle of nowhere, eating food from a questionable trailer, with two rugged looking Jewish fellows dishing up an unknown product?....are you nuts? Everyone pack their Pepto Bismol?" Not to worry...these packages of savory vegetables and falafel balls hit the spot and were only the precursor for the many that would follow! Side benefit? Those little balls of whatever, with mixed spices gave relief to the one travelers curse that befalls us all! Hallelujah!
And then there were the salads. Oh boy, that first night we were in hog heaven with the variety, the savory tastes,...oh this is great! The next morning...what's that? Salads for breakfast? That's unique. About the 3rd or 4th days of breakfasts and dinners, we'd round the corner to the buffet line, catch sight of the abundant supply of salads and make a drastic left turn to the basic staples counter! Potatoes, chicken, fish, cooked veggie and the occasional beef bi-product. Ah, yes...a taste of home.
Not complaining though, but the sight of my front teeth growing longer and my ears growing higher gave me cause for concern. Probably better lay off the greens for awhile!
Let's talk desserts. Fruits, pastries, cakes, puddings, pies, breads, baklava, ice cream,...even if we hadn't spared a corner of our stomach for a taste of sweetness, we indulged anyhow! Altogether now....OVERINDULGENCE!??? After all we HAD packed our acid reducers! How bad could it be? Let me explain 'bad.' When your pajama bottoms are too big, yet the elastic cuts into your waist, when you have trouble bending over to pull the covers up because your stomach gets in the way, when you can't even burp and find relief, when one pillow doesn't relieve the pressure and three bends you forward to far so you can't breath...well,....that's better known as 'bad.'
After several days we reduced our intake to yogurt and granola with a piece of fruit for breakfast, ice cream bar and a coke for lunch, a taste of salad with a few veggies and a small cut of meat and just a couple pieces of dessert for dinner! (P.S....one must not wean oneself from desserts too rapidly!)
How about those hotels? Our first stop in TelAviv was amazing....beautiful ocean view rooms, gentle sound of waves rushing to shore, white beaches, truly felt like a tropical paradise. Ah, this is living! This was going to be a pleasurable tour with hotels like this! Off the next day to the West Bank town of Ariel...nice sounding place, even if we had to enter the territory in bullet proof buses! Bus pulls up to the hotel....did I say 'hotel?'....ah, did I hear someone say 'there's no room at the inn?'...no such luck! This someone's idea of a joke or what? From magnificent trappings to the local parred down motel in Podunk, Israel! Not to mention the armed soldiers parked outside our rooms! How about those styling linoleum floors??
Ok, ok..enough...our visit around the area was amazing and given the circumstances in which they live...well, this was great! How kind of some local people to invite groups of 6 into their homes during the evening....a little unnerving at first...out at night in an occupied territory, going into an unknown home, but it turned into a wonderful inside view of Sylvia's home and her generous offerings of tea, cookies, potato chips and coffee. And yes...we ate!
Just a few mishaps along the way. I melted my curling iron first day, caught my hair dryer on fire the second, discovered a toilet wouldn't flush another day, nearly choked on the room service Turkish coffee that left a half inch of sludge in the bottom of the cup, couldn't get my swimsuit to dry after a dip in the Dead Sea, locked our room key in the room several times, thought I left my journal back in the last hotel....found it in a luggage pocket I didn't remember was there! "I can't find my....." was the frantic cry almost every day! Of course it was tucked away in some remote spot in my luggage that I was certain I would remember next time I needed it! I chalked it up to an aging brain!
Did I mention the cats? Cats everywhere! Not housecats, but cats that had to fend for themselves...rodent hunting, incidious bird killers...quite a phenomenon. It caused quite a stir when we were at the Garden Tomb area and the pretty white doves were floating about looking so lovely and serene, when suddenly a feline became airborne, grasping the fluffy feathered innocent and that's all she wrote for that bird! Ah, the circle of life!
At a certain point towards the end of our tour, I began to think if I saw another falafel, salad or baklava I would urp! Didn't we see a McDonald's sign somewhere?? Why, yes we did! Off to the streets of Jerusalem we went....Steve, Elaine, Bev and I...winging our way through unknown territory...baffled by the lack of a good sign pointing us to our culinary destination. Finally in frustration I stopped a young man pushing a stroller fully thinking I would have to use sign language to ask him where the nearest McDonald's was, but much to my surprise he said...'half a block up, to the left, up the alley and there it is!' Praise the Lord we were heading for a Big Mac!
What can I say....heaven on a paper plate!
Our journey has ended, our memories safely tucked away, our lives enriched beyond measure. One more Falafel for the road?
What can I say about Falafels? WOW! That first stop we made at the little roadside stand at first caused a few lifted eyebrows... "Really?.... We're stopping out in the middle of nowhere, eating food from a questionable trailer, with two rugged looking Jewish fellows dishing up an unknown product?....are you nuts? Everyone pack their Pepto Bismol?" Not to worry...these packages of savory vegetables and falafel balls hit the spot and were only the precursor for the many that would follow! Side benefit? Those little balls of whatever, with mixed spices gave relief to the one travelers curse that befalls us all! Hallelujah!
And then there were the salads. Oh boy, that first night we were in hog heaven with the variety, the savory tastes,...oh this is great! The next morning...what's that? Salads for breakfast? That's unique. About the 3rd or 4th days of breakfasts and dinners, we'd round the corner to the buffet line, catch sight of the abundant supply of salads and make a drastic left turn to the basic staples counter! Potatoes, chicken, fish, cooked veggie and the occasional beef bi-product. Ah, yes...a taste of home.
Not complaining though, but the sight of my front teeth growing longer and my ears growing higher gave me cause for concern. Probably better lay off the greens for awhile!
Let's talk desserts. Fruits, pastries, cakes, puddings, pies, breads, baklava, ice cream,...even if we hadn't spared a corner of our stomach for a taste of sweetness, we indulged anyhow! Altogether now....OVERINDULGENCE!??? After all we HAD packed our acid reducers! How bad could it be? Let me explain 'bad.' When your pajama bottoms are too big, yet the elastic cuts into your waist, when you have trouble bending over to pull the covers up because your stomach gets in the way, when you can't even burp and find relief, when one pillow doesn't relieve the pressure and three bends you forward to far so you can't breath...well,....that's better known as 'bad.'
After several days we reduced our intake to yogurt and granola with a piece of fruit for breakfast, ice cream bar and a coke for lunch, a taste of salad with a few veggies and a small cut of meat and just a couple pieces of dessert for dinner! (P.S....one must not wean oneself from desserts too rapidly!)
How about those hotels? Our first stop in TelAviv was amazing....beautiful ocean view rooms, gentle sound of waves rushing to shore, white beaches, truly felt like a tropical paradise. Ah, this is living! This was going to be a pleasurable tour with hotels like this! Off the next day to the West Bank town of Ariel...nice sounding place, even if we had to enter the territory in bullet proof buses! Bus pulls up to the hotel....did I say 'hotel?'....ah, did I hear someone say 'there's no room at the inn?'...no such luck! This someone's idea of a joke or what? From magnificent trappings to the local parred down motel in Podunk, Israel! Not to mention the armed soldiers parked outside our rooms! How about those styling linoleum floors??
Ok, ok..enough...our visit around the area was amazing and given the circumstances in which they live...well, this was great! How kind of some local people to invite groups of 6 into their homes during the evening....a little unnerving at first...out at night in an occupied territory, going into an unknown home, but it turned into a wonderful inside view of Sylvia's home and her generous offerings of tea, cookies, potato chips and coffee. And yes...we ate!
Just a few mishaps along the way. I melted my curling iron first day, caught my hair dryer on fire the second, discovered a toilet wouldn't flush another day, nearly choked on the room service Turkish coffee that left a half inch of sludge in the bottom of the cup, couldn't get my swimsuit to dry after a dip in the Dead Sea, locked our room key in the room several times, thought I left my journal back in the last hotel....found it in a luggage pocket I didn't remember was there! "I can't find my....." was the frantic cry almost every day! Of course it was tucked away in some remote spot in my luggage that I was certain I would remember next time I needed it! I chalked it up to an aging brain!
Did I mention the cats? Cats everywhere! Not housecats, but cats that had to fend for themselves...rodent hunting, incidious bird killers...quite a phenomenon. It caused quite a stir when we were at the Garden Tomb area and the pretty white doves were floating about looking so lovely and serene, when suddenly a feline became airborne, grasping the fluffy feathered innocent and that's all she wrote for that bird! Ah, the circle of life!
At a certain point towards the end of our tour, I began to think if I saw another falafel, salad or baklava I would urp! Didn't we see a McDonald's sign somewhere?? Why, yes we did! Off to the streets of Jerusalem we went....Steve, Elaine, Bev and I...winging our way through unknown territory...baffled by the lack of a good sign pointing us to our culinary destination. Finally in frustration I stopped a young man pushing a stroller fully thinking I would have to use sign language to ask him where the nearest McDonald's was, but much to my surprise he said...'half a block up, to the left, up the alley and there it is!' Praise the Lord we were heading for a Big Mac!
What can I say....heaven on a paper plate!
Our journey has ended, our memories safely tucked away, our lives enriched beyond measure. One more Falafel for the road?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Israel...2011...My Trip
I went to Israel to walk where Jesus walked, I came home with the knowledge of God's promises to His Jewish people, their historical struggles, their coming home again to the land that God gave them. This tiny little speck of a nation, wanted by so many, misunderstood by those who do not believe in God's Word, is cherished by the Almighty and Israel will triumph! They have been scattered (dispersed) throughout the nations as other nations took hold of their land, but God promised the people's of Israel that they would regain the land once again and for all time. Isaiah 11:12 says "He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth." Isaiah 49:25 says "for I will contend with him who contend with you (Israel). And finally Isaiah 54: 10 & 17 "no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper." An observation based on Acts 17:26 states: God has determined the location for all nations beginning with Israel. If Israel is not rightly placed, other nations are out of order and there is disorder in the world. There will be no real peace in the world until the world is reconciled to Israel and Israel is properly reconciled both to its land and to God who gave them the land. In other words, whoever opposes or curses Israel or the Jewish people, regardless of the justification, God will oppose or curse, and whoever blesses Israel, God will bless. With all the opposing thoughts concerning the Palestinians vs. the Israelites, I came away with this answer: Rest easy Israel, God keeps His promises!
Having said all that I simply want to say "my brain over floweth with information. Sights, sounds, tastes, different cultures, landscapes, ruins, and so much more! I'm still having trouble processing everything! Our fantastic tour guide Jacob, who has been doing this for over 40 years, took our hands and led us through the most amazing places, both in words and actual experiences. He enabled us to go into places where the average tourist is not allowed....The West Bank,; Samaria, Judea, Bethlehem...bullet proof buses gave us a sense of protection, but the actual realization of why this was needed sent shivers through my body. It was always good to return to our 'regular' bus without the need of all that. While in the West Bank city of Ariel, we were privileged to be invited into private homes to discuss and ask any questions we might have....what an experience! The average tourist would never be able to do this...how blessed was I!!!
Our days were filled with luscious adventures! Rolling quietly along in our luxurious bus, we viewed Caesarea/Mt Carmel/Tiberias. We stopped at Makrakha where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal....viewed the Valley of Armageddon...where the final battle will take place, and then stopped at The Sea of Galilee. While placing my feet into it's chilly waters, I realized Jesus actually walked on these waters. So much of Jesus earthly ministries were right here around the Galilee...and here stood I. On a ride in a large boat through the silent waters, one could almost see our Lord walking toward our boat....the mind can imagine so many things!
Our visits to synagogues, ancient homes, ruins, began to run in to each other. Thank heaven I kept a journal! Hopefully I can match the pictures to the words! We gathered in a private area at the Mt. of Beatitudes and read the scripture; we placed our hands in the Jordan River, visited Capernaum, the home of Peter, listened with awe to the history Jacob relayed to us...'and on the right, and on the left'...one would be in Israel for months and months to take it all in! He wanted so badly for us to see all of 'his Israel.' He left us hungering for more!
What can I say about our trip to the Golan Heights? The rugged terrain makes it hard to believe battles were waged there, not only in our time, but in ancient times. We viewed the fortress where 9,000 people jumped over the walls rather than be taken hostage to their enemies! The Syrian fortresses are still there from the fairly recent war, and we walked about the bunkers, peered over the hillside to the Syrian landscape, taking note of the borders of Jordan and Lebanon also in view. Israel still fights to maintain it's precious borders, and I might add with a mighty military force. We observe their fighter jets making their constant flights over the borders to protect their ancient land.
Off to the Dead Sea! But first we make a long stop at a recently excavated site of a Roman City and the site where King Saul died. Imagine it! Another place where the Transfiguration took place, and the road to Damascus, the route of Saul of Tarsus(Paul)..does it never end? Places for heathen idol worship, places from obscure verses in the Bible, places I cannot remember nor fit into the tiny corners of my mind, but will stay in my heart forever! I wondered why the Dead Sea was an important part of our journey. It wasn't until I ventured into the water, sat down and bobbed around like a rubber duck, that it struck me. It took an element of trust to sit down in that water and yet when I did I was held up....isn't that what we need to do in our lives...have enough trust to sit in our Lord's lap and let Him hold us up during our trials, and to really feel with confidence His overwhelming presence. Well worth the trip I'd say!
Our last stop before we settled into Jerusalem was Masada...where the Jewish zealots lived atop the diamond shaped, God forsaken mountain where Herod had built himself a 'hideaway.' They tried to maintain their position but the Romans eventually broke through their high fortress,..but before they could the zealots killed each other which left no one for the Romans to take back as slaves....when they broke through the walls they were met with only silence and the distant chirping of birds. Rent the movie! It will be worth your time! Some of our people walked the steep trail to the top, taking about an hour, while I rode the tram! We then stopped at En Gedi..an oasis in this stark, rocky, mountainous country, where David hid in the caves from King Saul. It was our first taste of 'American' food (a turkey sandwich) in many days! Yum! A little way up the road was Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found....just rocky hillside with numerous caves. It truly was a God miracle that these precious pieces of the scripture were retrieved, to prove to the world that God's written Word was real.
Now on to Jerusalem! We will spend the next 5 days there, visiting such places as the Mt. of Olives, walked the Palm Sunday road to the Old City gate Jesus walked through, via Dolorosa, Gethsemane, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Pool of Siloam, the grave, the stone, Golgotha, the Southern steps where Jesus turned over the tables in disgust, the pool of Bethesda where the lame man was healed, excavations, stones from the first and second temples, on and on and on... I wish I could share it all with you, but I can't...you must make the journey on your own. It will change your life!
I must relate my most precious times however. Singing in chapels that rang our voices out as if we were a thousand angels, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, sitting quietly in the garden spot where Jesus was placed...it was so quiet, birds chirping, blue skies, a kiss of a breeze, a place to truly meditate and give praise for what He did for us. The day we drove down the hill to the Sea of Galilee seemed to touch my heart...I began to cry...I looked over at Bev and she was crying....in a busload of 46 people, only her and I were feeling this emotion....the Holy Spirit was speaking...my heart was responding. That's what Israel does to you....it's ancient walls, it's voice of history, it's people....God has blessed a nation with His handprint. I pray that some day you all will experience that 'walk about zion, counting her towers, considering her ramparts'....you will be blessed as I was.
Having said all that I simply want to say "my brain over floweth with information. Sights, sounds, tastes, different cultures, landscapes, ruins, and so much more! I'm still having trouble processing everything! Our fantastic tour guide Jacob, who has been doing this for over 40 years, took our hands and led us through the most amazing places, both in words and actual experiences. He enabled us to go into places where the average tourist is not allowed....The West Bank,; Samaria, Judea, Bethlehem...bullet proof buses gave us a sense of protection, but the actual realization of why this was needed sent shivers through my body. It was always good to return to our 'regular' bus without the need of all that. While in the West Bank city of Ariel, we were privileged to be invited into private homes to discuss and ask any questions we might have....what an experience! The average tourist would never be able to do this...how blessed was I!!!
Our days were filled with luscious adventures! Rolling quietly along in our luxurious bus, we viewed Caesarea/Mt Carmel/Tiberias. We stopped at Makrakha where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal....viewed the Valley of Armageddon...where the final battle will take place, and then stopped at The Sea of Galilee. While placing my feet into it's chilly waters, I realized Jesus actually walked on these waters. So much of Jesus earthly ministries were right here around the Galilee...and here stood I. On a ride in a large boat through the silent waters, one could almost see our Lord walking toward our boat....the mind can imagine so many things!
Our visits to synagogues, ancient homes, ruins, began to run in to each other. Thank heaven I kept a journal! Hopefully I can match the pictures to the words! We gathered in a private area at the Mt. of Beatitudes and read the scripture; we placed our hands in the Jordan River, visited Capernaum, the home of Peter, listened with awe to the history Jacob relayed to us...'and on the right, and on the left'...one would be in Israel for months and months to take it all in! He wanted so badly for us to see all of 'his Israel.' He left us hungering for more!
What can I say about our trip to the Golan Heights? The rugged terrain makes it hard to believe battles were waged there, not only in our time, but in ancient times. We viewed the fortress where 9,000 people jumped over the walls rather than be taken hostage to their enemies! The Syrian fortresses are still there from the fairly recent war, and we walked about the bunkers, peered over the hillside to the Syrian landscape, taking note of the borders of Jordan and Lebanon also in view. Israel still fights to maintain it's precious borders, and I might add with a mighty military force. We observe their fighter jets making their constant flights over the borders to protect their ancient land.
Off to the Dead Sea! But first we make a long stop at a recently excavated site of a Roman City and the site where King Saul died. Imagine it! Another place where the Transfiguration took place, and the road to Damascus, the route of Saul of Tarsus(Paul)..does it never end? Places for heathen idol worship, places from obscure verses in the Bible, places I cannot remember nor fit into the tiny corners of my mind, but will stay in my heart forever! I wondered why the Dead Sea was an important part of our journey. It wasn't until I ventured into the water, sat down and bobbed around like a rubber duck, that it struck me. It took an element of trust to sit down in that water and yet when I did I was held up....isn't that what we need to do in our lives...have enough trust to sit in our Lord's lap and let Him hold us up during our trials, and to really feel with confidence His overwhelming presence. Well worth the trip I'd say!
Our last stop before we settled into Jerusalem was Masada...where the Jewish zealots lived atop the diamond shaped, God forsaken mountain where Herod had built himself a 'hideaway.' They tried to maintain their position but the Romans eventually broke through their high fortress,..but before they could the zealots killed each other which left no one for the Romans to take back as slaves....when they broke through the walls they were met with only silence and the distant chirping of birds. Rent the movie! It will be worth your time! Some of our people walked the steep trail to the top, taking about an hour, while I rode the tram! We then stopped at En Gedi..an oasis in this stark, rocky, mountainous country, where David hid in the caves from King Saul. It was our first taste of 'American' food (a turkey sandwich) in many days! Yum! A little way up the road was Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found....just rocky hillside with numerous caves. It truly was a God miracle that these precious pieces of the scripture were retrieved, to prove to the world that God's written Word was real.
Now on to Jerusalem! We will spend the next 5 days there, visiting such places as the Mt. of Olives, walked the Palm Sunday road to the Old City gate Jesus walked through, via Dolorosa, Gethsemane, Temple Mount, Western Wall, Pool of Siloam, the grave, the stone, Golgotha, the Southern steps where Jesus turned over the tables in disgust, the pool of Bethesda where the lame man was healed, excavations, stones from the first and second temples, on and on and on... I wish I could share it all with you, but I can't...you must make the journey on your own. It will change your life!
I must relate my most precious times however. Singing in chapels that rang our voices out as if we were a thousand angels, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, sitting quietly in the garden spot where Jesus was placed...it was so quiet, birds chirping, blue skies, a kiss of a breeze, a place to truly meditate and give praise for what He did for us. The day we drove down the hill to the Sea of Galilee seemed to touch my heart...I began to cry...I looked over at Bev and she was crying....in a busload of 46 people, only her and I were feeling this emotion....the Holy Spirit was speaking...my heart was responding. That's what Israel does to you....it's ancient walls, it's voice of history, it's people....God has blessed a nation with His handprint. I pray that some day you all will experience that 'walk about zion, counting her towers, considering her ramparts'....you will be blessed as I was.
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