The time is getting shorter!  I cannot believe that in 8 days I will be flying to Tel Aviv!  I have delayed trying to think of this trip, and now I am living in a dream trying to complete the tasks here so I can leave with a full heart and all "jobs" completed.

Cleaning up the office, watering plants, getting Sunday's sermon prepared, children's sermon completed, and looking at the world through an infected eyelid...hoping all is well as I move from here in Southern California to the Midwest to The Middle East in less than a week. 

Christmas was great here!  Such beauty in all the services of the days...such hope and expectation...and saying good by to Kathy. 

Passport needs to come with me to church tomorrow so I can have a copy for my own records. 

Checking the list, not once or twice, but many times! 

Walking where Jesus walked...wow!

So, today Dr. Taylor sent us three emails regarding our trip.  The reality is that in 2 1/2 weeks, I'll be in Jordan!  We will be staying in Tiberius for several days.  How about I share with you our travel itinerary?
January 5 - leave from LAX to Columbus, OH.  Spend time with my sister, Judi Luginbill and her family
Wednesday,  January 7 - leave from Columbus to La Guardia, then on to Tel Aviv.
Thursday, January 8 - arrive in Tel Aviv, tour Jaffa
 Friday, January 9 - Caesarea, Haifa, Megiddo
Saturday, January 10 - Mount Tabor, Nazareth
Sunday, Jan. 11 - Sea of Galilee, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum
Monday, Jan 12 - Caesarea Philippi and Gamla, Upper Galilee
Tuesday, Jan 13 - Beit Shean, Beit Alpha, Baptismal site, Jericho
Wednesday, Jan 14 - Qumran, Ein Gedi and Masada, Dead Sea
Thursday, Jan 15 - Beersheba, Beit Guvrin
Friday, Jan 16 - Yad Vashem, Mt. of Olives, Upper Room
Saturday, Jan 17 - Walking tour of Old Jerusalem, Bethseda, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Israel Museum
Sunday, Jan 18 - Wailing Wall, Dome of the Rock courtyard, Worship at Redeemer Lutheran Church, meet with Bishop Younan.
Monday, Jan 19 - Ephrat, Hebron, Herodion
Tuesday, Jan 20 - Jerusalem Archaeological Park, Western Wall Tunnel, Church of the Nativity, Meet with Mitri Raheb
Wednesday, Jan 21 - Nablus, Jacob's well, Sabastya National Park, Mt. Gerizim
Thursday, Jan 22 - Warren's Shaft, Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah's Tunnel.
Friday, Jan 23, head back to Columbus. 

Wow!  What a great trip, huh?

I'm attempting to get used to blogging every day.  So....this morning I had a bit of a plumbing mess at home which put me behind all day!  So glad it could be resolved quick enough...but not without messiness.
Then, wrapping, boxing and shipping gifts to the family as well as getting a gift for the son in Texas that he can utilize every day - a gym membership.  But, another day of long lines at the post office - and how is it that they can't make ends meet?  This is their time of year according to the TV ad, right?
Actually, the local post office is wonderful!  They are so courteous and knowledgeable.  I appreciate them.
Soon, I'll be making cookies with the preschoolers.  Now, THAT will be fun.

I've finished working on Christmas Eve and it's pretty fun because one of the lines from Ann Weem's poems goes dance in the streets of Bethlehem  something I can't wait to do next month!

In three weeks I'll be walking the ground where Jesus walked!  I've been reading, planning, preparing and panicking as I get myself together to leave.  It's hard to believe that this dream, which has been mine for so many years, is finally coming true!  I will be trying to Blog every day to let you know what I've seen and experienced.  God is good!