Beautiful North Carolina

I arrived at my host's home on Friday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. and got settled in. The picture is the home of Gene and Carol Yeazell which in seven years has hosted (according to Gene) over 600 guests! It is a beautiful home and a beautiful area. 

This morning and early afternoon I was given a tour of the area of Gene and Carol to help get a feel for the "lay of the land." Later this afternoon then I loaded up my bicycle and drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway (only about 15 minutes from the Yeazell's home). I rode 14 mountainous miles- and I was done for the day. That was on top of a short hike earlier today to a waterfall (see picture) in the DuPont Forest. 

The rest of this evening is being devoted to reading and journaling. Tomorrow I preach at His Way COB. They worship at 3:00 p.m. and I've been "forewarned" to expect worship to last 2 1/2 hours. That' OK with me! I'll share some pictures of that tomorrow.

Some really good news- my sister Lori and her partner Steph are visiting in Ohio with my mother and stepfather this weekend. When I spoke with Lori last evening via the phone she confirmed what I've been hearing in my mother's voice in my phone calls- since my mother has been taken off a number of medications she has vastly improved. Lori said she looks 20 years younger. Praise God! 

Heading South!

Well, a few days at home have flown by and now I'm prepared to leave early tomorrow morning, Friday, 5/29/09, for Hendersonville, NC where I'll be living for the next 3 1/2 weeks with Gene and Carol Yeazell (sister of Judy Mellinger). While there I'll be reading, reflecting, journaling, praying, and serving in ministry with His Way COB the intercultural fellowship that Gene and Carol have continued to support and give solid leadership to. Pastors are Raul and Lydia Gonzalez who used to be in ministry in Atlantic Northeast District. I'm excited about worshiping and serving with this congregation. 

I'll be preaching on Sunday, May 31. I'll be facilitating a youth workshop for around 25 youth on Friday-Saturday, June 5-6. I'll be preaching again on Sunday, June 14, and I'll be leading a married couples workshop for about 20 couples on Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. 

I'll be heading back for home on Sunday, June 21, following worship. 

Bev begins working part-time for Smoker and Associates on Monday, June 1. She'll be working on Monday and Tuesday's while at the same time maintaining her part-time job with the Atlantic Northeast District. Keep us in your prayers as we are apart for this time. 

Salaam and Shalom!

Transition Time

We've been home from Israel now for three days (counting Sunday) and I feel like I'm back to the right time zone, finally! Sunday, yesterday and today has been a time of catching up on some things around home and making some additional plans for the next part: my trip to be involved with His Way COB in Hendersonville, NC from May 29-June 21. 

I've also spent some listening to Bill Longenecker's sermon of May 3 and Valentina Satvedi's sermon of May 17. What a solid word from both of God's children delivered to God's people! I'm eager to listen to Bill's sermon of May 10, Sheri Weavers sermon of May 24, and Valentina's after it has been preached on May 31. God is blessing the Florin congregation in my absence with some inspired messengers! 

I'll be preaching my very first Sunday with His Way on May 31 and I covet your prayers as I preach to this multicultural congregation on Pentecost Sunday. What an opportunity to preach on Acts 2:1-21 with such an emphasis on so many different peoples and languages coming together as the Holy Spirit came with power! 

The Wailing Wall is the Holy City is divided for men/women only. The picture above is one I took of several men gathered around a scroll and praying at the Wall. 

The other picture is daughter Erin and Evan who this coming Friday, May 29 will be 5 weeks old. He is doing very well!

A call to prayer

If you're not already aware I call your attention to a "call to prayer and fasting" from current Annual Conference Moderator, David Shumate and his Virlina District colleague, Joan Daggett. This call to prayer and fasting is for the COB and the world at large. Citing Nehemiah 1:4 Moderator Shumate says that there is nothing more important than a season of prayer and fasting for the people of God as they seek God's wisdom and guidance for the church as it engages in kingdom proclamation and service. 

This season of prayer and fasting is for a one week period, May 24-31. Bev and I have begun this discipline with others from across the denomination and invite you to join in. Simply go to www.brethren.org and follow the link. Feel free to let me know you've joined in by replying to the blog as "anonymous" and give your name as the end of the blog. "Anonymous" allows you to reply without needing to sign up for blogger and securing a password. 

Salaam and Shalom!

Home safe and sound!

On the left is our Israeli guide, Raouf and on the right our bus driver, Mohammed. Two wonderful and very gracious men. We were blessed to have their guidance and become their friends!

The nine of us made it back to the USA safely today, Sunday, May 24. We arrived JFK International Airport, 6:00 a.m. after a long 12 hour flight all night. We cleared passport control and customs and were the Landis Luxury Coaches van with our driver, Bob, at 7:30 a.m. and were in the Florin COB parking lot at 11:00 a.m. 

We've been reading the mail from the past week, went to the grocery for some necessary items, checked emails, made several phone calls to family, ate some supper and we'll soon be heading to bed for some needed sleep. 

If you're wondering from the last blogs picture of Bev and me in our Dead Sea mud, we did clean up rather nicely and in fact look about 20 years younger! Not really, but it was a nice thought anyway! 

It was a great trip and Bev and I or any of the other 7 pilgrims on this spiritual journey to Israel will be more than happy to share our story (and our pictures of course)!

I'll be around Mount Joy until Friday, May 29 when I'll leave early for Hendersonville, N.C. early in the morning for my planned visit of 3 1/2  weeks. I'll be preaching on Sunday, May 31 at His Way COB and covet your prayers for my preaching and my being engaged with this part of the Christ body while worshipping and working with them! 

Salaam and Shalom!

The end is near!

Today is our final day. We are sitting right now in our hotel lobby waiting for our dinner celebration. After dinner we will ride the bus with our driver, Mohammed, to Ben Gurion Airport at 8:00 p.m. Our flight leaves at midnight Israeli time and we are due back to JFK Airport at 6:30 a.m. EST. 

It has been another amazing day with a visit to Masada the zealot stronghold where finally 950 plus Jews were killed by one another before the final zealot fell on his own sword. They would rather die than be taken and enslaved by the Romans. Two women and three children were spared by their son/husband/father and when found by the Romans were released because of heroism the zealots showed. 

After Masada we went to Qumran the site of the Dead Sea scrolls. This too was an amazing place and has been well preserved. 

Our last visit of the day and the trip was the opportunity to visit a public beach on the Dead Sea and the chance to float and slather oneself with the mud (it cleanses your pores actually and makes your skin feel silky smooth afterwards). 

This truly has been the trip of a lifetime and while I'm ready to come home I would hope I could return again. Bev wholeheartedly agrees. We've enjoyed ourselves immensely and have been blessed. Praise be to God for all his blessings!

Salaam, Shalom, Peace! 

Down to one more day in Israel

Today was a lighter day in that we had the afternoon free to do what we wanted. Four of us decided to go back to the Old City where we walked the ramparts (portion of the top of the wall around the Old City- see picture) and where we did some shopping (basically haggling and bartering for some souvenirs and gifts) and ate a delightful lunch of hummus, falafel, salad, dill pickles and pita bread. The food here in Israel has been wonderful and have tried many different dishes. 

This morning we went to the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the national Israeli Holocaust Museum. All three experiences were amazing and very touching. After having visited the Washington DC Holocaust Museum, now this one, and all the advocacy I try to do for Darfur I continue to be appalled that genocide, injustice and inhumane practices continue to this day. As God's people we need to be raising our voices in protest and action!

Tomorrow we travel from Jerusalem to the area of Qumran where we will visit one of the caves that provided the Dead Sea Scrolls; then on to Masada; and lastly ending with a visit to the Dead Sea and a swim. We return to Jerusalem to get cleaned up and have our final celebration dinner with our group, our guide and our driver. They have been a blessing to us all week. 

Thanks be to God for this amazing land and people!

Israel and only two days left

Today was another very full day that was spent in Jerusalem and most of the time in the Old City. We began after going through security to visit the West Wall (aka, the Wailing Wall). You pray at the wall separated by gender and it was a very interesting experience being there with people from around the world including Orthodox Jews, Christians of varying stripes, and less orthodox Jews. 

After the wailing wall we then had to go through another security gate to enter the Old City. Our first destination was the Dome of the Rock which is controlled by the Muslims. We were able to see it and buy picture postcards of what it looks like on the inside as non-Muslims are not allowed to enter. 

We then visited a number of church sites in the city built over "holy locations": the site of the pools of Bethsaida and the Church of Saint Catherine where Bev sang solo, "We are the Body of Christ," and brought tears to many eyes especially her own; the Church of the Holy Sephlecure where it is promoted that Jesus was crucified; and many of the points along the way of the Via Delorosa (The Way of the Cross).

We then left the Old City and went next to the church that has been built over the site where it is believed Jesus was brought before the high priest, Caiaphas, and held in a tomb like prison before being handed over to the Romans for scourging and crucifixion.

Our next to last stop for today was the Israeli Museum where we were treated to a model of the City of Jerusalem that included three different times it was built/rebuilt; the museum also included the opportunity to see portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

Our last stop for today was the Garden Tomb where is is believed Jesus was laid following his crucifixion in the spot donated by Joseph of Arimathea. This visit concluded with our having communion led by Bill Longenecker.

Our guide Raouf, a Christian who is Aramaic by birth is proving to the be one the best guides possible. He is very well studied and knowledgeable. 

More tomorrow. Salaam and Shalom!

Israel update

Our group arrived in Israel safely on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. Israeli time. I had not had good internet access until now. So let me catch you up as briefly as I can with all the information and sensory overload we are experiencing. 

Thus far we have traveled to and visited some/all of the following: Caesarea Maritime where we explored the ruins of Herod the Great's theater, hippodrome, palace, and harbor; Mount Carmel,s the site of the Prophet Elijah's showdown with the prophets of Baal and which overlooks the Kishon valley and here we also visited a Carmelite church; Har Meggido (think Armageddon) where we visited this excavated tel where 25 civilizations where built, destroyed, and rebuilt; Nazareth and the mountain overlook where the crowds attempted to push Jesus off the mountain after his words as recorded in Luke 4; visited the church of the Annunciation and the church of Cana (wedding feast miracle); Plain of Miggdol, place of Mary Magadalene; Church of the Beatitudes, a beautiful site overlooking the sea of Galilee; Baniass (think Jesus talking to Peter and telling him that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church; drove the Golan Heights where we could see easily into Syria; crossed over the Jordan river as flows into the Sea of Galilee; visited the church site built over the ruins of Peter's mother-in-laws home; Church of Multiplication, celebrating the feeding of the 5,000; took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (where we also had an anointing for healing for 4 persons in our group); Beth-Shean an excavated site that has Egyptian, Roman and Israelite ruins; Jericho and entered into Palestinian controlled territory (checkpoint where we had to show our passports); Bethlehem where we saw the Shepherd's Field and the Church of the Nativity.

We are now in Jerusalem and staying the same hotel for 4 nights and traveling out daily from here for the rest of our tour which ends on Saturday. Stay tuned!

Preparing to leave for Israel

It was good to return home to PA ever so briefly to prepare for our Israel departure this afternoon. Bev and I along with 7 others are being delivered to JFK airport by Landis Luxury Coaches and fly Delta airlines for 12 hours and 5,666 miles non-stop from JFK to Tel-Aviv, Israel and Ben-Gurion airport. 

We spent the day yesterday doing laundry, getting packed, catching up on bill-paying, yard-work, banking, etc. Though the congregation has contracted with Wolgemuth Landscaping to mow the parsonage lawn while mowing the church property during my Sabbath Rest, our gracious neighbor, Dave Gerberich has been mowing our lawn each time he mows his own. I have a great crop of rye growing and going to seed where my usual vegetable garden is located. I actually had to pull some out yesterday to open up our raspberry bushes, rhubarb, and our compost container. It feels really strange not vegetable gardening this spring but it would have been inconceivable to try and pull that off as much as I/we are traveling. 

I'm hoping that Valentina Satvedi (May 17) and Sherri Weaver (May 24) provide the same caliber of preaching that Phill Carlos Archbold and Bill Longenecker have provided in the first four Sunday's of preaching during my Sabbath rest. My thanks to the congregation for providing Lisa Breneman with such a nice surprise for Administrative Assistant day a few weeks ago. 

Back in PA (briefly!)

Bev and I arrived back home in Mount Joy, PA on 5/14/09 at 4:20 p.m. We had a very nice visit and overnight stay with my father and step-mother, Norman and Loretta Anspaugh yesterday and this morning before we left for home. We were also able to visit our good friend Linda (House) Crane and her husband, Dan at their business in Parklayne (near New Carlisle, OH), "Hot Dogs Plus" where we enjoyed not only a very nice visit but also some good sandwiches and delicious ice cream. It was a real blessing to see Linda looking so well and doing so good. Dan has been a real gift to her. 

My father and stepmother are doing very well. My father actually let me drive his new dump truck last evening before we went to see Linda and Dan. It handled really nice and it's still a shock to know he's driving a Ford F-550 after driving General Motors all his life!

We've unpacked and gone through almost a months worth of mail and started doing laundry. Tomorrow is getting everything together and packing for our Israel trip. We leave Florin COB on 5/16/09 at 1:00 p.m. with Landis Luxury Coaches transporting 9 of us to JFK for our Delta airlines flight to Israel which leaves at 7:55 p.m. After driving over 1900 miles in almost 4 weeks I'm ready to let someone else drive and fly for the next leg of my Sabbath rest! 

Salaam and Shalom!

Moving on

Bev and I have had a wonderful time visiting family in the Eaton/New Lebanon, OH area from last Friday through today. Tomorrow morning we are  having breakfast with our good friends, Mark and Sara Bowman in Brookville, OH then on to visit and spend the night with my father and stepmother, Norman and Loretta Anspaugh. While visiting with them tomorrow we're also going to visit a dear friend Linda Crane and her husband who own/run a gourmet hot-dog and ice cream shop near my parents home in New Carlisle. It will be good to see my parents and our good friend all in one visit!

We've spent a good deal of time visiting with Bev's family and we've also been able to make some positive steps forward in making sure that my mother and step-father are being well cared for. It was a plus to have my sister Lori from New Jersey here in Ohio at the same time as our visit. 

Lastly (for now) I just had to share this picture of big brother Trevor holding his new baby brother Evan! 

Once we arrive back home in Mount Joy Thursday evening we'll be sorting mail, doing some banking, getting haircuts, doing laundry, repacking or bags, and leaving for Israel on Saturday afternoon with Kathy Wenger, Nancy Dehmey, Donna Swords, Bill and Peggy Longenecker and two other travelers who are friends of Kathy and Nancy. We're growing increasingly excited about this opportunity to visit such an important and historical land. 

A Great Mothers Day!

This morning after an early morning bicycle ride, Bev and I worshiped at our home church, Eversole COB, with Bev's mother and aunt. A great worship experience and fellowship as we reconnected with many family members and friends.

We spent the remainder of the day today at Bev's sisters home with all of her children and their families. We had a wonderful meal and it was a great day of catching up with each other and reminiscing. 

Unfortunately, my mother was not up to a family meeting today and so we are hoping to have that meeting on Monday morning. 

I trust all of you had a wonderful Sabbath day and if you were celebrating Mother's Day that you were as blessed as we were this day!  

Ohio News

Bev and I left Evansville, IN on Friday, May 8 at 2:30 p.m. EST and arrived in Eaton, OH at 8:30 p.m. EST. The drive took about an hour longer than usual because of three things: 1) Torrential rainfall for the first 3 hours of the trip, 2) I felt adventurous and Bev agreed and we took US 127 off of I-71 south of Cincinnati and followed it north through northern KY, up through Cincy and to Eaton, 3) I had to stop at a United Dairy Farmers and have a peanut butter milkshake made with chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk- they don't get any better than that! :) 

This morning my three sibling I met for about 2 1/2 hours for conversation and lunch regarding our planned family meeting tomorrow with our mother and stepfather. We had a good conversation and are anticipating the same tomorrow as we attempt to provide support and guidance for our mother and stepfather who are encountering some significant changes to their health and ability to provide care one for the other. 

We'll be worshiping at our home church tomorrow morning with Bev's mother, then to Bev's sister's for dinner with family and then later in the day our family meeting as described above. 

Ohio Bound!

We are on the move this afternoon, leaving Newburgh/Evansville, IN after 2 plus weeks with Erin and her family (Evan is two weeks old today!) and heading for Ohio to spend a few days with extended family before heading back to Mount Joy, PA and our trip to Israel. 

We've thoroughly enjoyed this extended time of visiting with both daughters and their families between KY and IN. We've worshiped with both in their respective faith communities, seen some sites of interest, bicycled, read, slept in, and spoiling the grandsons as best we can. We'll be bunking with Bev's mother while in OH while visiting with as much extended family as we can. Saturday, May 9, is my planned meeting time with my siblings to discuss our ongoing caregiving for our mother and step-father, Marian and Don Woolery. We'll be with them on Sunday, May 10, Mother's Day and hopefully having a conversation that will help them to know that we are on the journey with them as they move through this later stage of adult life and development. Bev and I will see my father and step-mother, Norman and Loretta Anspaugh on way back to PA on Wednesday/Thursday, May 13-14. 

A portion of my reading as noted in an earlier blog is "For the Journey," the writings of Howard Thurman. Yesterdays reading "Keep Alive the Dream in the Heart" had a few notable quotes I share with you for your reflection and application:

"As long as a man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living... Men cannot continue long to live if the dream in the heart has perished... Where there is not dream, the life becomes a swamp, a dreary dead place, deep within, a man's heart begins to rot... The dream is quiet persistence in the heart that enables a man to ride out the storms of his churning experiences... Keep alive the dream; for as long as a man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living."

The masculine language is that of Thurman's era and yet applies to male/female alike. How is your dream?

One more day with all the boys!

Kirsten and her boys didn't leave until after dinner this evening to return home to Wilmore so we had the entire day basically to be together. 

In the morning we went to a local Newburgh community park where the boys played hard on some wonderful play equipment. As you can see from the one picture the grandsons weren't the only ones enjoying themselves!

After lunch we Kirsten, Gavin, Adam, Isaac, Bev and I all went to a local historical site, "Angel Mounds," an archaeological dig and reconstruction of Native American, "Mississippian Mounds," from between 1200-1450 C.E. with 11 different mounds and reconstructed buildings on 450 acres. The interpretive center where you begin your tour was very informative and instructive and served as a "field trip" for Gavin and Adam who are being home-schooled by their mother, who put them through the paces! The other picture is of the boys sitting in a dugout canoe in the center.

This quote was on the final wall as we were leaving the interpretive center, "Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you for your children. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." (Ancient Indian Proverb) We will all do well to pay heed! 

Hurray! All our grandsons together!

This afternoon daughter Kirsten and her boys arrived at daughter Erin's for an overnight stay. Thus, we have all five grandsons in one location. It is chaotic and fun! After dinner this evening we all went "down to the river to play" (as opposed to "pray") and did what boys around water like to do, throw rocks in the water! At one point we were throwing big rocks into the water to create a big splash and after Jeremy lifted on rock to throw we discovered what you see above (two babies)- but we didn't move any more big rocks after that! 

Then before bed tonight we able to get our first picture of all five boys together. I hope you blog followers aren't getting too tired of all my pictures and grandson stuff- but doggone it, I'm just one fairly proud grandpa! 

Sabbath Day

This morning Bev and I attended Christian Fellowship Church with our daughter and family. They've attended at CFC now about 6 years and are actively involved in a small group on Sunday evenings. Their church family and small group family have been excellent for their Christian growth and becoming more fully formed followers of Jesus Christ. CFC has a Saturday evening service and 2 Sunday a.m. services and I'm guessing they average between 2-3,000 a weekend in worship. 

Today was the third in a message series on "Beginnings" and "A New Marriage- Part 3." Senior Pastor David Niednagel spoke today three key skills necessary for healthy relationships and marriage: 1) To treat all people as created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), 2) To allow my spouse to be my "helper" (Genesis 2:18-23), and 3) To be united with the kind of love that will hold it all together (Genesis 2:24) which includes eros, phileo, and agape. The conclusion asked, "How do I know when I have the right kind of love to be married?" Answer: 1) When I treat others with respect, value, and dignity, 2) Receive correction (from my spouse/others) as God attempting to complete what is lacking in me, 3) Keep commitments and put the needs of others before my own. Good message with some solid teaching. 

We've basically practice Sabbath today and rested and enjoyed each others company. Trevor and I just finished playing together in his bounce house (see picture) and the other picture is of Evan on Saturday, May 2. Don't want to brag, but golly those two boys are mighty cute! 

Bev is thoroughly enjoying her role as grandmother (changing dirty diapers included!). We may be heading back to KY on Wednesday before traveling to OH on Friday. We were going to OH from here, but Kirsten's boys have all been sick with the stomach virus I contracted at their house earlier in our trip. They had hoped to come here this coming week to see their new nephew, cousin, but they may have to wait now. 

News from Newburgh

The weather here goes from warm to cool, sun to rain, and back again. Yet, I've still been able to get some more yardwork done. Today, I was able to spread 4 yards of mulch and get all that done for the family. 

Evan James went to the doctor this morning on his one-week birthday and he had gained 5 ounces and is looking so good the doctor doesn't need to see him for two months. He's sleeping at night for 4-5 hours at a time and is eating very well between nursing and formula. Big brother Trevor is adjusting very well to his little brother and has become his Pa-Pa's buddy. Does my heart good! 

Amazingly we've been away today now for two weeks already- at this rate the Sabbath rest will be gone in a hurry! 

I've listened to the first (April 19) of Phill Carlos Archbold's sermon's preached at Florin. It was an excellently prepared and delivered message that for me "hit the bulls eye" on multicultural ministry. I'd be open to hearing some reflections on this blog from those of you who heard his message and what your take is. I'll post my thoughts on #2 after I've had a chance to listen.