Day 3 - Israel

Part one...

I am not a writer... but write from my heart using my pix.

This day...

I was so EXCITED to be heading to Nazareth... seeing sites along the way. AND having Comedian Nazareth with us... well... WE LAUGHED all the way thru Israel!!

We started our trip with what Sharon said is their equivalent to our donuts =) I was so excited!!  She pulls it out of the bag and says...   here is the "ka-ka"  -  yes...   that is what she said!!  - OH MY GOODNESS! We started laughing so HARD!  AND there it began - we had "ka-ka" EVERYDAY!  To me it tasted more like a soft pretzel - but it was round like a donut =) 

We were on our way...

First stop - Tel Megiddo (Valley of Jezreel) My FIRST historic place to visit! 

I walked up the path and was in AWE of all I was seeing... I wanted to just stop and take pix of EVERYTHING! The ancient ruins... and knowing that people lived and worked there... layer upon layer... WOW! Here are a few pix up on the top... and then of the Valley where the Battle of Armageddon will happen... 

Where they stored the food... they went down one side and up the other!

Nazareth went over to the trees to get pix of the dates! They were so BEAUTIFUL!! I just LOVE the colors all around IN the desert!

the stables... 

The water ways... 

WAY WAY down...

I loved getting to see all the ruins and trees... and BLUE skies...

Next we were off to Caesarea Maritime...

AND on the way... we recognized McDonald's! HAHA!

The Theater...  this is still used today... it was BEAUTIFUL!

Nazareth... ON STAGE =) where he belongs!

The view from the stage...

UNDER the theater... one of the dressing rooms! I LOVED this!!

I HAD to get in the shot =)

The view BEHIND the theater... ON the Mediterranean Sea!

Then on over on the right... to the BEAUTIFUL palace area... on the right is where the chariot races were... 

The pool... it was HUGE!

CATCH!! =)

Mike getting water from the Mediterranean Sea... I HAD to ask if it was salt water! I did not remember my geography!! It is SALT water =)

AND me... with the sea...

Nazareth and Lisa acting out the story of the woman at the well =)

AND the walk to the other side... 

It was here... at this moment that my camera BROKE! It quit focusing and I did NOT know if any pix were being recorded... the LCD screen and menu buttons QUIT working =(

I was so HEART SICK... I had planned to get GREAT pix with all the memories to have with me forever... but, that was NOT going to happen... at least that was my attitude at THAT moment!  I prayed so hard... and held back my tears... and STOPPED... for a moment...

I realized in that moment... that I was still alive... NO one was hurt...

and that it was my camera that DIED! 

I did mourn for a moment... KNOWING God knew my heart.

I changed my attitude very QUICKLY because if I didn't I would MISS out on ISRAEL!

I wanted to SEE where Jesus walked... and lived... and not miss a moment!

so... I changed my heart and chose JOY in my crisis!

I am so GLAD I DID!

In writing this I thought I only had 3 real HEART moments with GOD... but I now realize there were more... because THIS one I did not count... but now I see...

It was the FIRST!

I got to put this verse INTO ACTION!

James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds...