Jimmy - 2nd post

What an incredible experience this is..., thank you, Jesus!  Wow. Peaceful.  Restful. Connectedness. Awesome. Holy.  These are some of the words that me and my colleagues are using when we regroup to summarize our day.  Perhaps, the most insightful perspective (to me) that expresses the wonder of being here is what a minister said who co-pastors a church with his wife in Frankfort, Ky.  You know how we're regularly asking God to come into our experiences, our home, etc., he described this as God inviting us to His home!  People have been making pilgrimages to Jerusalem for thousands of years, before and after Jesus' ministry.  You might remember when Jesus' parents 'lost' Jesus when they were traveling back home to Nazareth after their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Our tour guides, leaders and the Cousins Foundation have wonderfully prepared us for this journey.  Included in our guide materials are anecdotal evidence and written experiences of those who have travelled many, many years before.  Over the centuries, this land has been fought over and controlled by different countries and pilgrims needed to take precautions when traveling.   In the 14th century, when the land was ruled by the Ottomans, a German Dominican who conducted tours negotiated rules & responsibilities to be followed by the captain and the pilgrims.   I've listed a few. Captain: * The captain shall be bound to provide the pilgrims with a sufficiency of good bread and biscuit, good wine and sweet water, freshly put onboard with meat, eggs, and other eatables of the same sort.  * The captain shall properly provide a galley with experienced mariners, and shall have on board a sufficient armament for defense of the galley from attacks of pirates and enemies.  Pilgrims:  * Let the pilgrim beware of chipping off fragments of the holy Sepulchre, and from the buildings at other places and spoiling the hewn stone.  * Should any woman beckon to a pilgrim or invite him by signs to enter a house, let him in no account do so, because the woman does this treacherously at the instigation of some man, in order that the Christian when he enters may be robbed, and perhaps slain.  Those who are not careful in these matters incur great danger.  * Let no Christian have money dealings with a Saracen except is such sort that he knows he cannot be cheated; for they strive to cheat us.   I am humbled when I think of the conveniences I'm experiencing on this pilgrimage.  Make no mistake, my sponsors are paying top dollar for this enriching experience and I am grateful.  Over the centuries people have risked life and limb to make this pilgrimage.   Some have died on the way.  I feel an obligation to honor my pilgrimage on behalf of those who never made it here and for those who want to come, but never will.  Our visits have taken us to many historic and holy sites.  I especially liked Capernaum ( Kefar Nahum..the village of Nahum...no one knows who this Nahum was).   This is where Jesus came when he left Nazareth and called  many of the Disciples, Peter, Matthew, James and John.  My favorites shrine is the place regarded as Peter's home.   I've told & heard the story of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law many times.  It was fascinating to see the actual remains of that home.  The terrain is very, very rocky and mountainous.  I believe Jesus had to have been physically fit to walk up and down these hills all the time.  Well, be blessed.  I am.   Jimmy