To Home

I don't mean to rub this in everyone's face, but it'll probably come off that way (great way to preface a blog I know). I am done with official class work for this semester and now have 4.5 days all to myself! I think there is some built up resentment around campus for the luck that has fallen on me, but that's okay I do a good job of keeping peace with people. What I really want to say is now I get to decompress and enjoy the city for what it is. I get to write postcards, take pictures, and buy those souvenirs I keep passing by.

I'm at a weird place right now. It's 70 degrees or so outside and I am wearing shorts while listening to Christmas music....something is very bizarre here, but yet I feel almost at home. Paradox? I attribute this confusion to my Midwest weather mindset. There really is something to be said for the change of seasons. I enjoy the sun and will definitely miss it when I get off that plane in Chicago in two weeks, but a change of pace won't be dreaded. I really am ready mentally to come home, and am thankful for all the learning I have done here in Israel.

Before I cam here I was asked by a friend what it was that I really wanted to learn while being here. I answered that I wanted to grasp the living culture that is here today in Israel, and show that this place isn't just a bunch of old things that have expired in their utility (there was a little editing so this was not a direct quote from my conversation in August). I can say that I don't fully comprehend the present situation in Israel, but in the same breath I can claim to know it better than I did or would have had I not come. I have gotten to walk some of the geographic features that were present during the time of David. I can walk to the City of David (which is in fact outside the Old City's walls). I have walked the distance from Herod's palace to the supposed place of Gethsemane and it's surprisingly short and hilly.

I've seen things most only read about back home, but for what purpose? To take a picture of me in front of it? I've done that. Maybe to touch it and describe it? I plan on doing that too. How does my walking in a place like Petra change your or my understanding of history? Can it? I believe it can. In the States I would have read maybe one page of a textbook concering Petra (the inhabitants left no written record) and probably seen a few cool pictures, but nothing more. I could have seen it on a map and understood Petra's seclusion, but never fully. The place is carved out of a canyon! I use Petra as just an example of my wanderings, because it is currently the most difficult one for me to explain. If I had never walked there I would probably never would have been concerned about this culture, and its connections to the Bible. That's right this place is connected to individuals in the Bible, but you'll have to ask me about that personally. I know I have said this before, but I want you to be ready to drill me about everywhere I have been when I get back. I told you I am mentally ready to come home (I went over my notes), but are you ready for me (okay that was slightly narcissistic)? I want to use this knowledge to teach and preach and the best time to do that is now! I may not have a satisfactory answer to each question, but every question will be appreciated and continue learning both for you and me. I cannot wait!

See you soon!

He is

Ahhh I write this knowing that most of you back in the Sates have sat down or on your way to sitting down for an amazing meal hopefully shared with friends and/or family. I can say that for a fleeting moment I envy you. The smells, noise, and especially tastes of Thanksgiving are truly something to bring about the opportunity for joy to take over. For some of you your holiday clan has changed a bit. Maybe you married, engaged, moved, or lost a family member. To all of you I say blessings. To those of you not in the place you usually are for this holiday I say I sit with you. Sometimes we can only long for home and nothing more. To those of you who feel out of place I say blessings.

Blessings are simple. Blessings are companionship, fulfillment, time, mercy, grace, love, and on and on. Blessings are simple. Sometimes I forget my blessings and turn them into an entitlement. I act as though I deserve these blessings, because I am ME.

I work hard, I am entitled to fulfillment. I am a social being and thus am entitled to companionship. I sacrifice my time and therefore am entitled to more of it, as if I am some sort of alchemist. There are days where I catch myself in this type of self-entitlement mood. Then I am convicted.

I came into this world with nothing. Even my name is a blessing from my parents. Still even with my ME attitude blessings are given that I can not claim only receive. You see the difference about being entitled to something and being blessed to receive something is minute in definition, but has serious implications. Entitlement is to be seen as the absolute owner of that thing. Receiving a blessing is to be given something that you have no claim on and actually the one giving it to you is entitled to the whatever it is they are blessing you with. I have almost fully convinced myself that I have nothing entitled to me, but I cannot fully understand what that implicates. I can say I have been blessed beyond my own observation.

I am thankful for each and every one of my family members.

I am thankful for friends that have laughed, cried, walked, ran, hiked, grew-up, and sat in silence with.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be a student and each and every class I have sat in good or bad.

I am thankful for the struggles I have faced and the consequences of those.

I am thankful for the time I have been blessed with, and pray I have more, because I feel like I am just getting started.

Most of all I am thankful for the truth of it all that is Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving and may you be blessed by the all encompassing love of Christ!

We were Meant to be Stirred Regularly

A case for familiarity.

The past five days I have spent my time with my mom, and I loved it.

She kept telling me how I was so accustom to things here that I probably didn't notice them like she was. It's true I noticed the palm trees a lot more in August and September. The weather doesn't seem to change here either. I have become familiar with this place. I can usually find my way to places with just a map and a landmark (of course I have my moments.....mom can attest to that). I am used to seeing the transitions from the Muslim, Jewish, Chrisitian, and Armenian quarter in the Old City (some of you may not even know what I am talking about). I have a new familiar vocabulary using words like Sherut, Mosad, checkpoint, falaffle, Ultra-Orthodox, Messianic, Wye Agreement, and Shekel. I still have my touristy moments, but some of that magical aura that is tourist has worn off to give me a bit of a better focus on what Jerusalem is. I can say that like any big city Jerusalem has its issues. We just like to see this place as one of meaning as well we should.

I have to remind myself daily that this is the place where my Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross, buried in a tomb, and rose from the dead for the payment of the sins of me and you. You would think that Jerusalem of all place would make this very easy to do. Early on I can say that I was reminded simply by the church bells of Dormition Abbey (right behind my school), but now that is familiar and I face this challenge unaided. What I really need is time to reflect on everything I have seen done, passed on the street, and heard. I want to articulate all of this, but the familiarity of it all almost makes it mundane. The paradox is what I am most familiar with, home, brings out all of these new connections and observations to the forefront of my mind. This was made apparent when my mom came to visit me for a short period.

Spending my time in a foreign country and having to build new relationships as I went through that transition more or less destroyed my sense of familiarity. I mean yes there were some foods, smells, and even interests that remained throughout this semester, but there is something to be said for continuing a conversation with someone you know so well. My mom can say simple sentences that to any eve dropper would ignore, but I understand and can reply in the same way. She can ask me simple questions that I had when I first came and I can usually answer them or know enough to say it requires more time than what I have had with it so far.

What I want to say is I realize that familiarity (spelled it right the first try!) is built up in my life so that I can become unfamiliar and then explain the difference. Familiarity should not translate to stagnation though.

Blessings!

Preparations

An apology is necessary for being silent for over two weeks now. I would like to thank you for your patience.

These past weeks have been very strange. I have gradually gotten busier but some of my classes are now over. If you can explain the logic in that please enlighten me, because I am at a loss. Anyways enough of that pity party.

What has really been on my mind is how in the world I am going to put what I have seen into words for those of you curious enough to ask me about it all. I don't want to overwhelm you to the point where your curiosity becomes regret nor do I want to speak in a way that does not inspire more curiosity. Does that illustrate my plight enough for you? An analogy I was given yesterday by a professor was "Vince, it is like trying to describe colors to a blind man." Ugh why does that have to sound so impossible! There is merit to this analogy though, because I can say from my experience the black ink of the scriptures become more alive when read in their place. This is not to say one cannot understand or meet part of our awesome God where ever you are. I would never say that God is limited to a place. Instead the connections to be made between verses become much more organic in this little region. Stories become relevant to the entire narrative. Stories like Sihon the King of Medaba and his refusal to let Moses and the Israelites pas through his territory begin to connect to other stories like Nahum and his coming to Elisha for healing of his leprosy. My fragmented understanding of the scriptures begins to become more holistic when these connections are made.

So here is my goal; to actually answer your questions in a relevant manner. There are so many questions you could have and I am not going to claim expertise in all things Holy Land, but I want to begin putting color to your understanding of the black and white scriptures. I want you to ask me about the current situation in Israel and the West Bank and in the next moment ask me about the Mount of Olives. I want to put my notes and maps to use so ask me to bust them out and explain myself. I'll even let you read my day to day account of my time here, but I cannot promise that is going to do much for you on its own.

I have another story to tell you. I met a man here at school who has probably built the reputation on campus as an oddball of sorts. He's one to ask the archaeology professor where the Ark of the Covenant is, but I still learned something from him. He has been to the land a handful of times now and comes to study here not simply for personal enrichment. He comes as a pilgrim. Instead of him passing through this place the place passes through him. Does that make sense (if not have me explain that one too). I can say I have learned to be more like a pilgrim and there is something to be said for that.

Some of you may discredit what I say as just an emotional reaction to my knowing I will soon be coming home. To you I say please don't judge what I have written until you have actually met me when I get back. If I have not changed then you can ignore what I have written. If I have changed in your eyes though maybe something really does happen to some one who comes here. It is not for everyone but I know this semester has been good for me. I have made lifelong connections and for that alone I am thankful. I pray your experiences are just as enriching.

Blessings!