Thursday January 21

I know I keep using the words amazing, awesome, incredible but i just can't seem to find any others that fit what i am feeling. today we left bethlehem to journey north to nazareth and galilee. it was sad to leave bethlehem and yet i am ready for a change of scenery and to see more of this land we call holy. after walking the soil that christ and his disciples walked so many centuries ago, i find myself more emotional with each step i take. i also find myself praying with each step i take on this journey of discovery of the land that jesus called home while he walked this earth.
we drove to the mediterranean sea to the site of caesarea, where we saw the crusader fortification, the roman amphitheater and aquaducts. i stood on the soft sand of the beach and let the sea wash over my feet and thought of paul, as he left from this spot to be taken to rome. it was a glorious day, a few rain clouds, but not enough to rain on us or dampen the mood of exhileration of standing with my bare feet in this beautiful sea and feeling it wash against my legs with each powerful surge.
we then journeyed to the valley of megiddo, one of solomon's chariot cities. can you imagine walking where king solomon may have walked? amazing. atop this hill, the hebrew word for hill is har, we could see the megiddo plain below, where the book of revelation says the last great battle for humanity will take place. har megiddo - armeggedon.
we arrived in nazareth and toured the church of the anunciation, where legend says that mary received the news from the angel that she was to bear the son of God. we received a private tour of a p0rtion underneath the church that has the ruins of what may have been mary's home, or the home of a nazareth resident from that period. this area is not open to the general public and is still undergoing excavation, but our tour guide knows the curator and was able to get us a private tour. unbelievable.
our hotel is very nice with wonderful hot showers. we were tired after such a long day and happy to pamper ourselves with a restful evening.
shalom,
jan