by Greg | Feb 8, 2010 | Blog Posts
I suppose keeping a blog already hints that one has to have a pretty inflated ego to think that others may be interested in what I am writing. It seems I am only adding to that suspicion by offering a list of books that I read last year by further assuming you may be interested. Nonetheless it is part of my job as a pastor to read and any reader likes to share with others good books as well as not so good books. I have finally finished my list from last year and post it for you to mull over. I confess up front, not every book I read was, in my limited opinion, a good book. Some books listed, like “Walden” I have re-read (and in that particular case, I have re-read “Walden” many times. Some books are new releases, like “South of Broad” (which I did not particularly care for. I am not sure what is going on with Pat Conroy) and others are old classics, such as “The Wilderness World of John Muir.” I will be happy to dialogue with anyone interested concerning any of the books listed. Non-Fiction Unpacking Boxes, by Donald Hall Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflection on Mortality, by Pauline W. Chen The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, by Tenzin Gyatso Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig The Book of Dead Philosophers, by Simon Critchley Brother to a Dragonfly, by Will Campbell Walden, Henry David Thoreau The Wilderness World of John Muir, by John Muir and Edwin Way Teale 1776, David McCullough...
by Greg | Jan 13, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today was our “free” day and I believe everyone spent their time well. I cannot speak for the others but I spend the day primarily by myself wandering the streets of Jerusalem. particularly in the Old City, people watching, visiting the Dome of the Rock, and revisiting several places that I wanted to learn more about. By the time we all returned (or most of us anyway!) for supper, everyone was chattering excitedly about their adventures. Tonight it is pack up and prrepare for our flight home – and it is a doozy! Wake up call is at 1AM, coffee and danishes at 1:45, and leave our hotel no later than 2:30. We fly from Tel Aviv to Vienna, change plans and fly to Dulles, change planes again and arrive into Atlanta by 11:37pm. I hope to be home by 3 AM Friday morning. As long as we all arrive safe I will be happy -tired, but happy. This will be my last blog entry for our Holy Land Wanderings. Thank you all for reading and sharing in our great pilgrimage. this has been extrordinarily special to share this place and journey with so many from our church. I am blessed indeed. See you Sunday! (I will try to find my ties)...
by Greg | Jan 12, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today most in the group are realizing that touring the Holy Land is tiring. Nontheless all hands were on deck for breakfast at 6:30 and on the bus by 8. We drove for about an hour south of Jerusalem and along the way to our destination passed by the famous excavations of Qumran, the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the most significant archeological finds pertaining to scripture to date. We made our way to the remains of Masada, the fortress built by Herod the Great.It was quite a massive building project. It was the site of the Jewish revolt which ended in mass suicide when the Romans broke through approximately 73 AD. The surrounding arid and dry land is a striking contrast to the verdant green we experienced just a few short days ago. Our next stop was a real treat as we entered into one of the world’s oldest cities – Jericho. First, as we did when entering Bethlehem, we had to change buses, since Jericho is controlled by Palestinians. It is more like a small town than a city, with a population of about 20,000. The roads, houses, and people are quite poor by our standards, yet the markets were busy. We had a good lunch of traditionally fare and at the top of the restuarant there was a great view of the Mount of Temptation, the traditional location of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness as he was tempted by Satan. Beneath the shadows of the Mount of Temptation several found the...
by Greg | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today is a good day to let the pictures tell the story, so I have included photographs from the last couple of days. A view from our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee on the morning of our departure for Bethlehem. One of the border guards as we were entering Bethlehem. This was an “impromptu” worship service in a shepherd’s cave in Bethlehem. Jeff Badke blending in with the palestinians in Bethlehem. That night several of us went shopping and I tried on some new crocs – they didn’t quite fit. Milton Martin was entering into talks with John McCain. That is why he is not in the picture. I was making sure I was not going to have to negotiate for Milton’s release. Keith and Carla singing a duet while worshipping at the Mount of Olives. Standing on the Mount of Olives with Jerusalem behind us. Part of our group eating in a recommended local restaurant that caters to Arabs. Hummus, falafel and all the fixins’! Last falafel! A highpoint for many – a visit and prayers at the Western Wall. It is getting late tonight so I will plan to post more pictures later. We look forward to sharing with you more about our fatastic pilgrimage. Peace be with...
by Greg | Jan 10, 2010 | Blog Posts
Saturday Our day began with the usual wake-up call at 6 except for I barely needed it. While I have enjoyed two good nights of rest, last night was not one of them. I do not travel well when it comes to sleep. It may have been a case of delayed jet lag, excitemment about the coming day, missing my family or general concerns with ensuring a smooth tour for the group, but it was certainly a long sleepless night. After breakfast we loaded the bus and departed Galilee for good, heading south with Jerusalem as our ultimate destination. Our guide, Nadar, is outstanding. He is a Syrian Orthodox and full of good humor and important knowledge. Should I return to Israel for another church tour I would like to retain his services for another time. His favorite line as we depart the bus for each site is: “Chop, chop; shake a leg; let’s get going!” Our drive was about 2 1/2 hours which was largely below sea level as we journied down the Jordan Valley. The geography changed dramatically from vibrant green hills and rich vegetation to stark, arid land. The wilderness, or desert as it can be translated in the Bible is a rough and rugged environment. Yet it was out of this same wilderness that Moses was called, Israel was led and fed and John the Baptist preached. The desert was where Jesus was tempted and so is a place of holy happenings and wanderings. We made one pit stop at an interesting roadside convenience store/toursit attraction. Along with bathroom breaks, others took advantage of new...
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