Jimmy's First Day

I still pinch myself at this incredible trip of a lifetime!  I am blessed far beyond my deserving (in this trip, as in everything else in my life).   Since this is my first blog, I'm excited about what I'll say first. Ha! My plane flight was very good. From Louisville to Newark and then from Newark to Tel Aviv.  The Tel Aviv ride was expectedly long, but unexpectedly uncomfortable.  The plane was incredibly huge...biggest plane I've ever flown in.    Because it's designed for this type of trans-Atlantic travel, I assumed they made sure every seat was spacious for long journey's such as this.  It was a 777 Boeing jet with three sets of three seats in each row in the area for the  "common people".  I was crammed in a middle seat, in a set of three on the right side of the plane.  For the 10 & 1/2 hour flight I got some sleep...about an hour of uncomfortable sleep on three occasions.  My intention is not to gripe at all, but to let you know and to remind myself of what I'll be looking forward to on my "12" hour flight back home (that flight will be longer because we'll be flying against the wind).   I did enjoy the comfort of having nearly 200 movies and television shows available to me on a screen on the back of a chair in front of me.  In addition, there were video games and music I could enjoy.  Of course, the regular first class and business first class flew in luxurious seats that could stretch out in what looked like a cradles.  Who wants to bet I'm finding myself in an upgraded seat on my way back? The Israeli airport is very beautiful.  Aside from the airport instructions and commercial advertisement written in Hebrew, it looked like any major American airport.  Our bus tour guide later told us that this airport is the only international airport in Israel.  This is due to the region in Palestine being very mountainous, but Tel Aviv is the flattest land available in Israel.   Also, security has a lot to do with it to...one way in, one way out.  After landing, securing luggage and converting some currency, I moved through the customs security gate and boarded our tour bus along with my group.  We took our 3-hour bus ride through Palestine to the Pilgerhaus Tabgha hotel and drove by many sites that we'll cme back to later during our tour.  In future blogs I'll write more about my site visits.  When we got to the hotel it was dark. I spent most of Friday in the air and on a bus.  Upon arriving, the first impression that got my attention was the smell of the sea.   My hotel is literally beside the  Sea of Galilee and I can look out my patio door and view it. Jesus spent a lot of time around this sea.  It's a very modern hotel and the people are very kind and attentive.  There is a 7-hour time difference between my home and Israel. It will take me a couple of days to adjust. I'm starting this blog report at 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning and it's 8:00 p.m. Friday where my daughter, April and her team are  playing a basketball game in a prestigious tournament, the Louisville Invitational Tournament.   Some people know that I have some significant food allergies and I need to be especially careful here.  I forgot my Benadryl at home so I'll have to employ an additional level of scrutiny on my food selections.  Dinner looked and tasted delicious.  With my meal, I ordered a bottle of Sprite ($12 shekels...less than $4 U.S. dollars).  As I took my first swig of the soda, I thought it tasted weird.  Although it had a good 'fizz', it might have been old and settled.  A member of my group told me that it was a kosher Sprite.  He explained that it will taste kind of like syrup because it's made with real sugar and other ingredients unlike the artificial stuff we consume in the U.S.  Ok, really?! Well, off to bed soon.  I've checked in with family and they know I'm good. I look forward to encountering the sense of holiness in this historic and storied land.  It's very exciting.  Coming to the hotel earlier today, as we passed by Mt. Meggido (or Armageddon...I'll explain later).  I remember reading that this is where OT Israel's King Josiah was killed in battle many centuries ago.  Over time, I suspect EVERY inch of this land has seen the death of someone, by one way or another.  It is, indeed, hallowed ground.  I pray that the God of tender Mercy and unquenchable Grace will bless me to be revived.  Jimmy