I L.O.V.E. Spring

This is the time of year our babies were born.
Both our kids were married in April . . . 

It's the season that the dullness of winter and drab of rainy days turns into bright sunny days alive with color.

It's about new life -- baby birds, young animals, trees budding and perennials popping through the soil.

This time of year brings back memories of our trip to Israel 18 years ago . . .  it was triggered by a blog I was reading with posts of the blogger's recent trip to the Holy Land.

We left Tulsa on Bethany's 18th birthday with a group of 40 from our Church.  (This momma had a hard time missing her special day.)

We landed in Greece - the weekend after our Easter to their yearly passion celebration--so tired from jet lag -we could hardly keep our eyes open.

T at the Corinthian Canal

The next morning on to Mars Hill in Athens where the apostle Paul spoke those words from Acts 17.
One of our own was able to give the whole address.

We visited the ruins of the Parthenon.

Boarding our ship and landing in Santorini - I will always remember the blue of the ocean and the rooftops of the seaside cottages dotting the hillside.

From there to  Jerusalem . . . Bethlehem. . . Jericho. . . Masada. . . , the garden of the Beautitudes, Capernaeum where we Jesus healed so many and we prayed over our loved ones who were sick.
We walked the Villa de Rosa where Jesus carried and stumbled with the cross.

. . . and visited the garden tomb.
It was all so much to take in --- sometimes I found myself in overload with the visual images of what we'd always read about and never thought we would see.

Four days of all of Israel and as we left the area to board our ship -- I found myself feeling like I was leaving home.

Some day we will be home -- we'll be in the moment with Jesus FOREVER - not looking at memorials or artifacts of thousands of years before -- BUT FACE TO FACE.

That seems so long ago -- so much has happened in those 18 years -- three parents have joined Jesus -- kids graduated college -- married --- started their own families.  T and I have weathered health issues -- transitioned in ministry -- but Jesus is still on His Throne and HE knows the future and every one of our days are orchestrated by Him.  This doesn't make me sad -- it makes me trust and have peace.