Complain and ye shall receive

A few weeks ago, I was grumbling that I wasn't getting a Christmas this year.  I've been away from home before on Christmas, but it is a strange feeling to live in a predominantly non-Christian country during the Christmas season. There are no lights, no Christmas music, no signs  or mention of the holiday season around the city; a strange contrast to the fact that I am living just a handful of miles away from where the Savior was born.  And even though I know I can focus on the true meaning of Christmas, I still missed the sentiment and the traditions of the season back home.
After a few days of self-pity, a few things started to happen.  An American family offered to let me borrow some Christmas lights, a friend gave me a Christmas music mix to play on my computer, I re-memorized Luke 2.  And then today I was walking home from the lab when I came across the most random object on the side of the road. I am still not quite sure what it is, if it is a baby pine tree cut down or a branch of a very large pine tree.  I paused, a little surprised and not sure what to do, looking around to see if it came from a tree close by.  Then I made up my mind - this was going to be my Christmas tree.  I alternately carried and dragged the tree home and set it up with my Christmas lights. It is perfect for my room, my little Christmas miracle. And I learned a very important lesson: ask and ye shall receive. Or every once in a while complain, and God will throw you a bone.

Mom's visit

Dad came to visit!

My dad came to visit! We did so much in 6 days, both he and I were exhausted at the end of it. We toured Jerusalem, drove up north to the Galilee and spent two days there, spent a morning at Masada by the Dead Sea, and half a day in Bethlehem.  

Highlights of the trip:

Eating Shabbat dinner with the Kovalskis in a sukkah

Hiking up the mountain to Masada and eating McDonalds soft serve ice cream afterwards

Swimming at night in the Sea of Galilee in a "no swim" zone

Capernaum and seeing ruins of the actual synagogue where Jesus often taught and performed miracles

Mount of Beatitudes, such a beautiful place overlooking the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught

View of Jezreel Valley

Sea of Galilee from Tiberias

Synagogue in Capernaum

Garden Tomb

art of Banksy in Bethlehem

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

Louai, our Bethlehem taxi driver

view of the city from the Jerusalem Center

View from the top of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City

David's Citadel

Cats everywhere!

Our tour guide Paul and the group on the Mount of Olives at the Jewish cemetery 

Garden of Gethsemane

Example of the many candle holders in churches

Orson Hyde memorial park where Jerusalem was dedicated for missionary work

in the Old City

Inside the church of the Holy Sepulcher, waiting in line to enter the alleged place of the tomb of Jesus

Ceasarea, Roman ruins by the ocean

At Megiddo, a Canaanite altar

going down in the water tunnel in Megiddo

Example of Canaanite worship and sacrifice in their "high places"

Church at Mt Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration

View from Mt Tabor

Capernaum

Sea of Galilee

Mount of Beatitudes church

Jordan River

little fish of the Jordan River

Old City walls

walls from the time of Christ (Herod built them)

stones from the wall thrown down by the Romans in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD

excavated steps in the time of Christ leading up to the temple 

snake path we hiked going up the side of the mountain to Masada

View of the Dead Sea from Masada

Aaron and dad

Cistern (water storage big hole in the ground) at Masada

Masada

Roman seige ramp, Masada

Olive Wood carvings

Inside Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem