Well,haven't blogged forever,must be the right time.      Just back from an awesome trip to :Israel and Jordan! The trip was for 2 weeks, starting on Dec. 27th through Sat. Jan.10th.However,we got stuck in Chicago...not because of weather,but because they decided to take so long in Jordan letting us go. We went through many times of being xrayed and 2 times of being frisked.Not my idea of fun! We really got to experience what it is like to visit a military state!!
we had a military guard appointed to ride on the bus with us!But,still we got to see many sites spoken of in O.T.We saw Mt.Nebo(where Moses got to look across to Promised Land),also the site where Elijah was taken up in the chariot,also the site where Jesus was baptised(very near where Elijah went up)!We also saw the caves where Lot and his daughters lived,visited the Dead Sea(where Sodom and Gomorroh are believed to have been).We also saw some old Crusader forts....so much was strategically laid out.The highest hill, or the one that protected the roads(therefore allowing them to charge taxes,leviees,etc.)seemed to be where the various leaders wanted their men to be.     In Israel,we saw Bethlehem,the Church of the Nativity.In Jerusalem,we saw the Mount of Olives,Gethsemane,the garden tomb(Gordon's),Cliupa's house,the dungeon where Jesus probably spent the night,we walked through old Jerusalem following the way Jesus walked.We saw Herod's palace,the western wall(called Wailing wall by some),the Temple Mount(called Dome of the Rock by ssome),we saw the Golden Gate,the Damascus Gate,the Dung Gate.We saw the caves where the Quamran scrolls were found (mostly Isiah and the rules of the religious group that had written them down)We saw the ritual bathes they had,etc.We saw one of the decapolus cities and also in Jordan saw 2 more.They are very similar:long covred walkway w/ columns supporting the cover.small shops along the way(rather like a mall today).Also,they had at least one place for plays another for hippodrome(chariot races),and a smaller one for business meetings(the accustics were awesome).We saw some old ruins of churches:old mozaic tile floors(beautiful),places to sit,place for baptism.We got to go with a group from :Mary Hardin Baylor University(the old woman's version of Baylor).Some Baptist ministers and their wives came along and a Dr.interested in archaeology(who had been asked to write the commentary on Romans for the NIV)and his wife.Lots of information crammed into head,lots of revalation,awesome experience!
Nativity

Well,It's really too early to blog....just got back from breakfast....that is my morning hike across the campus.It really is so green here this  year!  We went to IHOP last night.It really was great to soak up God's praises.We got permission to fill out all the prayer requests,since we had come so far.Bruce came with me and we both filled out request forms.This year,we got more together.....listed the healings on a seperate form from salvations and other prayers on other forms.....worked well.We prayed a bit also for the staff of LW,etc.I had a real sense of preparing the way in prayer for the group coming up right after us!   Praise the Lord!!   Lord,protect me from the lies and judgement that want to flow so naturally.    Thank you that I'm your child.             Is it selfish to ask for prayers for yourself?      No,because I need prayer!                      I had some tears coming up last night,praise the Lord!Because,I haven't been able to cry for so long!!!      I was praying at IHOP ,asking God to help me to grieve again,so that I can really enjoy life!!When,we got back to the room, I heard a song on the Christian radio station here about a mother asking if her prayers were getting through to God.A lady called in to say,she had had a bad report about her son,they had prayed as a family,soaking prayers,and now he is fine,this was  the song that had helped her so much in the hospital!!!I was happy for her and sad for the death of our son so long ago!!!    You have to realize,our son died 28 years ago!!!      Many times, life doesn't go according to our plans! ....BUT God has promised that all things will work together for our good....I daily choose to believe that!So.my life isn't just a bunch of jumbled accidents,or incidents,but they are all of use to God in his ultimate scheme/no plan of things!   I KNOW that God is restoring our life,because I get to see it!!!Wow!!Children are talking to us more,wanting to go on trips with us again!Able to be civilized more and more!!!    Then,I look around me at the promises that are coming to pass,people that I know,are getting the things God has promised to them!wow!!Families are praying for each other,strangers gave me prayer requests to take to IHOP! God is very much in charge of the details of our lives!!!!!!!        

Saturday,well,here it is a new day! I've called the plumber, as the toilet needs new inerds!Bruce went outside and cut down a lot of  unwanted shrubs,vines,etc.I planted all the seeds we had saved:bunches of avocadoes,and 2 peach seeds!Then,I cleaned the Ac filters.....Bruce went to the hardware store to buy some more neon light bulbs for house and garage.He also got me some more sewing needles! I have been mending,one of my favorite things to do,it seems to settle me down somehow.Bruce had to go back to store,as I didn't tell him we had two bulbs upstairs in the bathroom.We had some discussion about my not thinking.Mia  culpa! What else can i say,I was on another wave length.....does anyone else have trouble getting on the same page as their spouse??Would like any helpful suggestions(not anything like divorce or suicide,please).So,we're beginning to pack for the road trip to Kansas City,I'm taking prayer requests,as I'll be going to IHOP(International  house of Prayer) on some days.This is the annual KFest(a gathering of some of the original apple user group.They have classes and demonstrations and give aways and sales.....more fun,because our house gets cleaner by the trip!When we leave,we will be so laden down,we'll look like a band of gypsies!  I like to go because it's an opportunity to touch base with people that I never would otherwise.(not because I'm anti-social,but because they are from miles away in other states....also have different interests).However,last year i discovered that one of the men there makes some awesome Celtic knot earrings.I had him try to teach me...actually i made a few pair because of his excellent tools that he has designed for just such a purpose).So,I'll try some more this year! I still have to pack my clothes for the week.Please pray for traveling mercies for us and for rain for Kansas City!