Field Trip

Welcome Blogosphere. While my wife has diligently updated this site over the past few months, she kindly asked me to take over for a day. As most of you who have been following our week already know, this trip has not been short on surprises and trials. I've witnessed my wife endure utter emptiness and discouragement thousands of miles away from any glimmer of familiarity. We've been broken together, not sure quite what was the point of such unfortunate circumstances. We've contemplated going back, leaving after these three weeks; we've cried out in frustration and poured our share of tears together. While none of this has been settling or comforting, we have been comforted, and we have been granted peace--even joy. At the end of one of the harder weeks of my (our) life, it is only because of God's grace that I can utter such things. He is supremely and immutably good. His goodness is not compromised, nor can it fail. We have seen Him work, not just through physical means, but spiritually. He has renewed our understanding and belief in His perpetual sovereignty and goodness. Let me elaborate:

On the very night of Cathy's infamous fall, the last member of the dig team arrived in Ashkelon. This young woman, Nicki, happened to be the second of Cathy's roommates. Not even 24 hours after her arrival, it became ever clear that God was still fully in control of all that had been troubling us. Nicki immediately reached through, in ways that were simply outside of my abilities, to Cathy's hurting heart. She instantly began offering help, going well out of her way to accommodate, and make special efforts to encourage Cathy. While she has done these things since day one, her sacrifice today is quite noteworthy. On our field trip (which was breathtaking!) to Masada, Qumran, and the Dead Sea (see pictures below), she selflessly offered to stay back with Cathy at each site, due to the amount of walking, difficult terrain, and uphill climbing involved with each. So, while I was furiously scurrying to get all the pictures and site info I could, Cathy was forced to stay back. Knowing this, and because Nicki had already seen most of it before, she offered to come along and just chill with Cathy while everyone else ventured out. She didn't have to come. She certainly didn't have to stay back with Cathy. But she did. I say this not just to show how great Nicki has been (truly, we've both had a wonderful time getting to know her), but to show you God's benevolence. That is what a friend does--that is how a Christian acts. Her humble example of Christlikeness toward Cathy and I has re-affirmed the divine grace and sovereignty ever around us. While things could have been much worse for us, it hasn't always been easy to look at it that way. But, alas, our hearts are full. Cathy is healing, albeit very slowly. She finally got her hands on a pair of crutches. And we have been so encouraged through the Christlike servitude of a newfound friend. Thank you for your prayers. Be encouraged, friends, at God's work in our lives.

Now, to what I was originally going to say (this is why I don't blog), we did in fact have a field trip today. We left early this morning for Masada, Herod the Great's astonishing fortress in the midst of the Judean wilderness (Seriously, it's barren). It's also the same fortress where hundreds of Jews, who had fled from the Roman forces in the 60's C.E., escaped to with their families. After 7-8 years of hiding out at this locale, the Romans, after torching Jerusalem, finally made it to Masada to finish the job. This is where the Jews infamously chose 10 men to kill the remainder, 1 to kill the 10, and another to fall on his own sword rather than surrender to the Romans. The place was absolutely wicked, and I can't really even begin to explain it on here.From there we went to Ein Gedi, the oasis adjacent to the Dead Sea, also in the wilderness. This is where David fled from King Saul, snuck up behind him, cut off a part of his robe, and then came out to him to say, "what are you doing chasing me? If I wanted to kill you, I would have!" If this isn't ringing a bell, check out 1 Sam. 23-24 tonight. At Ein Gedi, I carried Cathy down to the beach, where she camped out with Nicki while I went to float in a big vat of vegetable oil, I mean the Dead Sea. Seriously, the stuff was like grease...but it sure did make you buoyant. Quite an experience. would never do it again. Finally, we went North to Qumran, where we were able to witness the ancient remains of an ascetic community of priests who inscribed one of the largest, and certainly the oldest, extant cache of OT manuscripts. We even were able to check out one particular cave which housed over 500 manuscripts alone dating to the 2nd-1st cent. B.C.E. Pretty darn cool. Like Masada, pics can be found below. This basically sums up our day. We passed through Jerusalem on the way back, only driving through--but this was more than enough to whet our appetite for more time there. Chills going down my spine...as we went through Zion. wow. Tonight, for dinner we were so excited for hamburgers, but once they touched our palettes, we realized they were nothing more than some sort of veggie/turkey burger. Man, I am craving a Culver's butterburger, a bag of cheese curds and a custard. Goodnight all.

The Synagogue atop Masada, where a hundred Jewish men met to cast lots, choosing 10 to murder the remainder of the people, 1 to kill the last 9, and the last to take his own life. This all occurred the eve before the Roman forces breached Masada's walls, where the Jews had been living after fleeing over seven years beforehand. This synagogue is where the decision was made to die, rather than surrender and submit to the Roman crown.

Cathy and her white, pasty husband at Ein Gedi.

Masada (King Herod the Great's wilderness residence which looks over the Dead Sea) from up top

Ancient Caldarium (basically a sauna, heated through the ceramic tiles) at Masada

Another view from atop Masada

A Ritual Bath (for purification purposes) at Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found). the DSS are certainly one of the most important set of OT manuscripts ever found.

Cave 4 out of a handful of known caves where scrolls were found at Qumran. The scrolls were initially found by a local bedouin youth throwing rocks into the caves, when he noticed some pottery and leather straps. This 'chance' find led to one of the greatest biblical discoveries ever.