Two weeks ago I was in Israel on a tour I'd dreamed of for years and planned for starting last February. I went before this operation because I knew my rehab would require up to several months. For sure I would be minimal weight bearing for several weeks and then, depending on how fast I healed, it would be months before I could travel extensively. My doctor had a baby in June and we couldn't schedule me before then. Which meant travel in November, surgery in December.
We left for Israel on November 20th, returned home on the 30th. That gave me a full 8 days in country. We "marched" everywhere! Well, maybe we didn''t march but we walked. A lot. We spent the first three days in the Galilee--northern Israel. It is green and hilly and quite beautiful and really my favorite part of the country. We traveled to Caeserea on the Coast where we started the tour in an ancient Roman out-door theater. Just as we began with "Holy, Holy. Holy" the heavens opened up and it POURED! What a way to start a trip! Fortunately I had my Columbia Sportswear rainjacket so was dry from the top of my head to my hips!
We thought we might be dry in the tunnels but found that the rain was coming down so hard that they were flooding! It made for instant bonding!

We spent the rest of that day drying off in Acco/Akre and Cana and then back to Tiberius to our hotel and supper. Our days were often long--we usually stopped for lunch for about an hour (falafel!) midway through and had worship and supper at about 6:30. Remember, Israel is above the Equator so they, too, are anticipating winter complete with early sundowns. That affected Sabbeth time.

My favorite spot was Ceasarea Philippi (see above left), the spot where Jesus asks who folks say he is, then asks Peter who he says Jesus is. It is a beautiful spot on a cliffside which had been used for altars to a variety of Hellenistic gods and goddesses. I could picture Jesus and Peter and James and John strolling in the cool of the glades, a waterfall which is one source of the Jordon. They were there to relax and in this beautiful place Peter makes his confession of faith. It affirmed my faith: I stood there and said the same thing: You, Lord, are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
That's about all I can do these days, affirm the Jesus is Lord and that He knows what is best for me. Tomorrow I go to the doctor to see how this ankle is healing. It feels fine so I expect the best. Of course, tomorrow we may have so much snow that I can't keep the appointment! We'll see!