October 16, 2012--Getting Excited!

With only 35 days to go until Gary & I leave for Israel, we are starting to gather supplies, make lists, devote time to reading and studying about what we are going to experience, and just plain GET EXCITED. I hope to share this journey with all of you.

Presently, I am reading a book written by Flauvius Josephus, born in A.D. 37, titled The Jewish Wars. I am only in Ch. 2, and there have already been so many rulers and battles that I'm not sure if I am going to be able to remember ANYTHING accurately about the history of the area. But, I am TRYING! Gary is reading an informative travel book we bought on Israel. He is finding some fascinating info about the places we are going to visit. Both of us are reading our Bibles and praying for what God has in store for us. Preparing our hearts for this trip is important to us!

Here is our basic itinerary:
Nov. 20     to Tel Aviv
         21     Tel Aviv to Tiberias (North on the Sea of Galilee)
         22     Mt. Carmel & Valley of Jezreel
                  Megiddo
                  Cana
                  Tiberias
         23     Chorazim
                  Dan
                  Caesarea Philippi
                  Golan Heights
                  Hatzar
                  Northern territory
         24     Sea of Galilee
                  Magdala (Mary's home)
                  Boat ride on the sea
                  Capernaum
                  Mt. of Beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount)
                  Yardenit Baptismal site (where the Jordan River meets the Sea of Galilee)
         25     Beth Shean --Scythopolis excavations
                  Harold (Gideon's Spring)
                  Qumrqn -- dead sea scrolls area,town Essene
                  Dead Sea
                  Judean Wilderness
                  Valley of the Shadow
                  Jerusalem
         26     Bethelem
                  Shrine of the Book Museum
                  Mt. of Olives
                  Chapel of Ascension
                  Garden of Gethsemane   (Kidron Valley)
                  Jerusalem
         27     Mt. Zion
                  Upper Room
                  King David's Tomb
                  House of Caiaphas
                  Pool of Siloam
         28     Old City of Jerusalem
                  Via Dolorosa
                  Pool of Bethesda
                  Cardo
                  Gordon's Calvary at Garden Tomb
   ** 29      Allenby Bridge (where we cross into Jordan)
                  Mt. Nebo
                  Petra
                  King's Highway
        30      Petra
                  Amman
 Dec. 1      Allenby Bridge
                  Jerusalem
          2     Back to USA!!!!

I know that was a lot to look at all at once, but I want to include some maps with this itinerary, as well. Then you should be able to check our progress as we comment on it. I'm not sure if I will be able to upload any sound bytes from our guide and teacher, Perry Stone, but I will try to include some pix if I have access to a computer at the hotel. (We're taking our Kindle Fire just in case there is Wi Fi in places where I can't get to a computer.)

Well, I guess I'll upload my maps tomorrow!
You can email me or let me know when you see me what you'd like me to describe for you. From some of the pix I've seen, this excursion should be AMAZING!!!