Israel: Day One

Greetings from Israel y'all,

Well we are wrapping up day one and are pulling out from the Jordan River heading for our hotel in the city of Tiberias. The weather has been beautiful and that alone has made for a most incredible day. We started this morning boarding a boat on the Sea of Galilee. This is by far one of my favorite places in Israel. The wind was a little brisk and the boat gently rocked as we listened to scripture and a devotional. This is one of those places that is undoubtably authentic! This is where Jesus called the disciples, where he walked on water, where he calmed the sea, and it is a place you can still hear him calling today.

From the boat we disembarked at one of the Israeli Antiquities sites to see the Jesus Boat. This is an ancient boat discovered in 1986. It is a boat just like what Peter, James,  and John fished from. A cup of coffee and potty break and we were off to the Mount of Beattitudes. This is the site commemorating the Sermon on the Mount. From there we headed north, to the Gates of Hell, well to the place they believe that Jesus asked the disciples who he was and he named Peter the rock and told him the gates of hell would not prevail against the church that would be built upon him.

Having been that close to the gates of hell it was time for lunch, chicken schnitzel and a coke zero fills the belly and good company fills the heart. From there we headed to the slopes of Mt. Hermon which is one of the.possible locations of the Transfiguration. While I wasn't transfigured I was inspired to nap on the way to the Byzantine chapel ruins commemorating the site where Jesus cast the demons out of the demoniac and into the pigs. It was here that I heard the best news of all, there are still wild boars roaming there today, THERE IS BACON IN ISRAEL you just have to kill it and butcher it yourself! ;)

From the bacon site we headed to the Jordan River to have a time of remembering our baptism. The good news is that I have a bottle of Jordan River water for baptisms, the possible bad news...not enough for immersions. I was here on my last trip so I was more intrigued by the swarms of giant catfish than the site itself. Catfish are unclean to the Jews so they don't eat them so.they get bigger, and bigger.  I was hoping to upload photos for yall from my phone but The Google doesn't like my windows phone. From remembering we headed to the hotel for dinner and then a tour of one of the diamond centers. No I did not by an engagement ring, but I was tempted. So now we are back, I'm tired and thinking about bed. I pray all is well with each of you and CUMC. I've been praying for you at the holy sites, but I must confess that I have not missed the ice and snow. It is my goal to make a daily post for those of you who want to follow along.
Your brother in Christ,
Faron