Hello from Galilee!!
It was our second day in the Sea of Galilee. The day started out wonderful. We had planned to get up early to see the son rise however,that didn't happen. Derik and Ryan got up and saw that it was too cloudy, so they went to bed. I slept like a rock that I think that I wouldn't have woken up even if they did decided to do it. We have been going such long hours that every night I sleep the entire night through without even awaking! A nice suprise for the night was that Krista and I had little ant visitors who really wanted to sleep with us. We spent about 5 minutes defumigating our beds with our hands. Krista had it worse though, the ant kept coming back to here bed mine left after a couple of brushes. It is the memories like this.....
In the morning we decided to take is easy and enjoy the Sea. So, we got up for breakfast and then after that I went back to bed for a couple of hours and I am not sure what the others did. But, after that I took my Bible down to the water front and read some scripture as I let the water splash against my feet. I could see Tiberias across the water! I read from various passages about the Galiean area. The Bible takes on a whole new meaning when you can read it in the places it took place!! But, something that I really enjoyed reading from was from Hosea 6:6. And it says that man enjoys "sacrific more than mercy". I read this while I sat in the church, as different tour groups came through. I watched as they brought with themselves their different traditions. And it made me think about the amount of times we as humans choose to do outward things rather than just be with God. The chapter begins by saying that our faithfulness is like the morning dew that fades away. All God asks is for us to believe (have faith in Him) and love him and yet we as humans try to do so many outward things. There were so many different traditions each group of people brought in. And there are so many traditions that I even come before God with. But, I have to ask myself...do we really need to when all he asks for is Faith!! And Faith is merily believing in what is yet unseen. Faith seems so much more simpliar, but takes more trust. It is funny how we often choose the traditions. They for some reason seems more safe and easier. But it is not what God asks!
In the afternoon we took the car into Nazareth and saw the place that is supposedly were Gabriel came to Mary and told of Jesus! It was really neat, however, every site we go to see these things has a church built around it!! Even when we went up to Mt. Tabor, where Jesus met Elijah and Moses, there was a church built over the traditional site. I wish there would be one place didn't have a church on top of it! It would be neat to see it in its pure form.
In the evening we went back into Tiberius and had dinner on the water front again. That was beautiful, however, we had someone avertising american rap music really loud behind us. It made and interesting evening.
Well, that is it for tonight, I am on my way back to Tabgha were I will sleep long and well. love ya All!