12 years with the Lord

  
Today marks 12 years since my oldest child, Brady, went to be with the Lord.  He was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 10 and had a four year battle before leaving this earth and his disease behind at age 14.  Though we prayed fervently that he would be cured and remain with us, God had bigger and better plans for him.  For those of you whose loved ones have gone to be with the Lord, you know the deep seated joy of knowing that they are with Christ in heaven, safe and secure for all eternity.  That is the blessing and reality that I live with daily, and it is so comforting.

James 4:14 describes our life here on earth as this:  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  Sometimes it seems that life is long but we must remember this truth.   It will be over before we know.   Even if we live to old age, it will come before we know it.  I am thankful that today I can celebrate that I am 12 years closer to heaven and seeing Brady.  How my heart longs for that reunion.

Rich pulled up this audio this morning as we rejoiced over our son's heavenly home once again.    It is from his baptism at our church at age 13.  It was precious to once again hear his voice and remember his sweet testimony of faith.  

Below is a photo I keep on my desk.  It's one of my favorites of my boys together.  He had such sparkly blue eyes and a great laugh.  Today I remember once again my sweet boy and the mark he left on my heart.  I am so thankful God gave him to me, if only for a short time.  

Celebrating Brady's 10th anniversary in Heaven - Guest post by Rich

Last photo of Rich and Brady, New Year's Day 2004

Today is the ten year anniversary of our son Brady’s home going. I am privileged not only to guest blog for the e-Wife (my-Wife) but also to recount our son’s story and provide a bit of a summary of what his life and death has meant to us and others over the last decade.

In the early morning of January 5, 2004, our son went to be with the Lord at age 14 after succumbing to the effect of a four-year battle with medulloblastoma brain cancer. He had previously put his faith and trust in Jesus, his Lord and Savior, having also been baptized at age 13. So Heaven is now his home and where we will meet again and enjoy eternal life together, having had a life cut short here on earth.

Karen and I are privileged for the gift of God that Brady was, and accept all that happened through his illness as God’s good and perfect will. We are satisfied with all that happened. We are also privileged to have a child that has made an impact on so many people.

I’d like to start with reprinting, if you will, the text of the eulogy that I presented at Brady’s memorial held on January 12, 2004. The week leading up to that day, and the day itself, was so amazing and so precious to our family. We were so touched and blessed during that time by the huge outpouring of not only the hundreds and hundreds of people who showed up, but of their genuine love and concern. We had already been blessed all those four years by so many. That day was also for those who came to the memorial since many of them had invested a personal concern. We literally had friends fly in from across the country to be there. One such was Mark MacKenzie, a US Marine who befriended Brady as his wife was also receiving treatment at the City of Hope. Mark flew in all the way from his base in Florida to present to us an Honorary Marine Certificate for Brady. I have also carried these past ten years a card that Mark gave us stating the USMC core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. It has reminded me not only of Brady, but of that day, and, I must say, that it truly stands as the greatest day of my life. 

So here is the text of that day. Please see after this additional thoughts and memories of Brady and what the Lord did and continues to do through his life.

Eulogy

"A few months ago when it became fairly evident that Brady wouldn’t be with us too much longer our family began listening to our pastor’s recorded series on Heaven. Although he didn’t know it at the time, I wanted to give Brady an audio brochure of the place he would spend eternity. We didn’t quite get to finish the series but I’m sure he now knows the ending.

“I wanted to ell you a bit about my son. But before I do we wanted to extend our thanks to all who came along side of Brady and us over the years. I would like to start with Brady’s medical team at the City of Hope Hospital. His oncologist Dr. Michael Jensen, and his nurses Debbie Toomey and Karla Wilson (Nurse Practitioner) have not only provided the best care available on this planet, but have truly become family to us. Their genuine personal concern for Brady is one of our greatest blessings. Karla was extra special, and was with us the night Brady passed away helping him overcome the greatest pain he had over his four years. Brady spent many days at the City of Hope and the entire medical staff has become great friends to us. We are completely satisfied with the care we received at the City of Hope and are so grateful to the Lord that he used that facility and these people to prolong Brady’s life.

“I also wanted to say a special thanks to all of the blood and platelet donors, who, by their service, kept Brady alive. They all have a yellow ribbon on and I would like them to stand to receive the honor they are due. I know many more of you wanted to give as well. And many of you helped us in other waysm such as caring for Drew and Emma.

“Thanks also to our families and the ways they tangibly were able to meet our needs especially Karen’s parents Wanda and Steve – the only ones other than Karen trusted Brady with.

“Just by the very nature of what we were dealing with in caring for Brady there wasn’t much of a hands-on way that you all could help. But we do know that many of you prayed to our Lord. To you all I want to give an encouragement. The main reason we pray is to give God Glory. One of the marvelous guarantees Jesus gave us was, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” That amazing promise had a reason, and it was not merely for the benefit of those who asked.  Rather, Jesus said it was “that the Father may be Glorified in the Son.” The reason we pray is so that God can display His glory. That is why we know we receive from Him what is best for us and what glorifies Him most. Please know that in the answers to your prayers God has shown His glory.

“We all, as a church, have just started this year a scripture memory program and the first verse of the year really speaks to Brady’s life. Psalm 103 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems you life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;” It is truth that the Lord has blessed us in answer to your prayers regarding Brady. Look at all the benefits He gave Brady right out of this passage; forgiveness of sin when Brady placed his trust in Jesus, freedom from all sickness and death in Heaven, abundant mercy and everything he ever truly needed. If you ever prayed that Brady would be healed, please know that now he is. If you ever prayed that Brady would be comforted, please know he experienced God’s grace, mercy, and lovingkindness daily.

“In the summer of 1999 Brady began experiencing seizures in his sleep. As a part of the diagnosis for what was later determined to be partial/benign epilepsy, he underwent a routine CAT-scan. I was from this scan in November of that year that cancer was discovered in his brain completely separate from the seizures. By God’s providence we were able to begin what was to be a four-year treatment. Immediate surgery to remove the tumor was followed by over a year and a half of radiation and chemo-therapy. At the end of that time, Brady actually went into remission for about a year. However, tumors were again spotted along his spinal cord and into his brain. This began another two years of treatments that included high-dose chemotherapy and experimental intrathical chemotherapy in Washington State. He later embarked on various deferent chemotherapies and experimental drugs. The toll of all of this treatment was very hard on Brady’s body. He had part of his lung removed to treat a bout of pneumonia. In the end he became platelet and blood-transfusion dependent. His boy became too weak for any additional treatment and there were no more medical options to save his life. For some time it became very evident to us that any pain of losing Brady was overcome by the pain of seeing his body suffer more and the joy of knowing he would be with his God in heaven.

“I will say that never once did Brady complain about his trial, nor was he angry, bitter or express self-pity. He trusted in his parents and his God. He came to accept his cancer as his lot. A friend of mine said that Brady had a heart of a lion. I like that because it gives a picture of the great quality that the Lord gave Brady – that of courage. Those of you who know Brady and the trials that he went through can appreciate the definition of courage and how it describes Brady:  mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty; Courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty; the synonym Mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience; the synonym Spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one’s own or keep up one’s morale when opposed or threatened; two more, Resolution and Tenacity stresses firm determination to achieve one’s ends and implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.

“During his struggle my boy had a strength and resiliency that is a model to me. I am proud of my son for how he handled himself through his trial.

“Well, Brady truly was wonderful to be around. He delighted us with his smarts, maturity, and incredible sense of humor. He was very independent. He had many interests in spited of his limitations. In fact he often times said he didn’t have enough time to do all he wanted. 
He was always productive and kept himself occupied. Some of his interests and favorites were:

• ·         Jeopardy. He would often time come up with the answers to the most obscure Final Jeopardy questions. I remember one time he got the answer to who was the first baby girl colonist born in America. How did he know this? Because...
• ·         He loved to read. He read everything from “Star Wars” to “Battle for the Beginning.” From the “Lord of the Rings” to the Lord of the universe. He knew a lot because he read a lot. He especially loved history, and read the Business and Sports section of the L.A. Times every day with breakfast.
• ·         He followed sports. Peyton Manning and the Colts were his favorite. And so far they haven’t been disappointing. Whenever Peyton was falling behind, Brady put on his rally Peyton Manning jersey to cheer them on. This year it’s guaranteed to be either Peyton in the Super Bowl or at least another Brady (Tom Brady the Patriots QB, that is!)
• ·         Drew and Emma loved their brother. Brady praised Emma’s homemade cookies and Drew and him spent endless times rapping about sports at bedtime in their bunks.
• ·         He liked to buy and sell on E-Bay.
• ·         He was a meticulous and studied stock picker. He once figured he’d make a huge killing on a X-dividend stock and came to me and asked for only $8,000 to invest. His uncle finally convinced him that if anything is too good to be true it probably was. But overall his account has gained 50%.
• ·         He was sustained physically with his love for, and the high caloric qualities of, In-And-Out burgers and Starbucks frappuccinos.
• ·         One of his biggest joys was his little cousins: Austin, Luke, and Vance – and he was never bothered by them even when he was feeling ill. He loved to give them what toys and candy that he could.
• ·         He also loved this church and its ministries from Cubbies to Big AWANA, to Juniors, to Student Ministries. It was a physical struggle just to get here sometimes but he was determined to do it and to be with his friends. He was especially fond of his high school Bible study. He essentially hadn’t grown since he was 10 years old yet he had no qualms of going and being among the Amazon senior girls!

“While we were watching him decline physically over time, we really watched him grow spiritually. He seemingly always told the truth and was passionate about justice. He was long-suffering and generous. He took his walk with the Lord seriously and was consistent with his person time with the Lord in prayer and meditation. He didn’t worry about his life or the future. He was what every parent should want for their child – chosen and saved by God.

“I would like to address the thought that no child or parent should have to go through what has happened. Everything we have is by God’s grace in giving us what we don’t deserve and His mercy in withholding that which we do deserve. Suffering is part of the human experience. There are no guarantees for tomorrow. But this life is not all there is. If the goal of life is to be like Christ we need to be willing to live a life like Christ who suffered unto death. The great part though is that Christ rose from the dead to Heaven, and through Him we might also live forever with Him.

“I always thought it interesting that Brady was treated at the City of Hope. In a real way God does use the acts and affairs of men to accomplish His purposes and in this way we did have hope in the care Brady was receiving would give him physical life.

“But there is another hope. It is one that is more than a wish. It is longing for with the guarantee of obtainment. My son was not perfect. As a child he was extremely stubborn and prideful. But he came to a point in his life that he realized he was just like everyone else and needed the forgiveness of sins from God through the work of Jesus on the cross. Brady’s faith and trust was in Christ alone. And his hope was in heaven to come. His hope has been fulfilled.”

Thoughts and Memories…

That day was special and largely because of the people who were there, most from Grace Community Church. I am also really grateful and thankful to my L.A. Department of Water & Power family of friends who showed up in mass. I remember Karen asking me, “Who are all these people?” Well, 10 years ago Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and CaringBridge didn’t exist. Nor did The e-Wife Blogs Again. But email did and Karen would regularly update our friends and family. I then sent those posts to folks at DWP. So they all followed along my wife’s sweet updates and when it came time they showered us with much honor.

For the memorial, in lieu of flowers, we directed donations to be made to the “Brady Harasick Memorial Fund.” Quite astonishingly to us, the fund collected more than $12,000. Karen and I decided to direct those funds to the Irpin Biblical Seminary library in Ukraine so that the brothers there would be better trained to preach and teach God’s Word. Greg White and our friends Bruce and Aimee Alvord (we lived next to Aimee’s parents for a couple of years) are missionaries serving at the Seminary. In each book that was purchased for the library, there is a note affixed that states, in part, the “money given to his memorial fund would make you greater equipped to serve the Lord, and more like the Savior whom Brady loved.” Brady’s favorite Bible verse, James 1:2-4, is also inscribed.

People often try to make sense of why seemingly bad things happen. Even when we acknowledge that it is all according to God’s divine plan, and know it all brings Him glory, He doesn’t always reveal his purposes to us. Some things we’ll only find out the why in Heaven, but sometimes he lets us in on the plan. Such as with the money collected for the Irpin Seminary. I can’t wait to find out the rest of the story of how God used those books to bring forth the salvation of his people in Ukraine and beyond.

But how God used and is still using Brady’s story doesn’t end with a far off seminary. It is not uncommon for Karen and I to still hear how people have been impacted and moved by how God worked in our family. In fact, just two weeks ago I was talking to a mom who was using Brady as a real like example to her kids of the frailty of life and the urgency of making a decision for Christ while the opportunity is still available.

Again, it’s the people that my memories are most associated with. I have a friend that has remembered Brady’s home going and birthday every year and writes to encourage me. We are still friends with Brady’s Nurse Practitioner and have fond memories of the City of Hope. Our son and daughter Drew and Emma spent countless days doing their homeschooling in that place and exploring the buildings and grounds as they accompanied Brady to his treatments. Just a couple of years ago, Emma chose to volunteer for a semester there, mostly because of her attachment to it. She was definitely able to show genuine empathy and compassion to families of patients as she hosted them around the campus because she herself was once in their position.

Most every year we’ve marked the anniversary of this date in some way. This year with this post and a lunch with our family. Most years we try to make it to The Crab Cooker in Newport which was one of Brady’s favorite restaurants. Once our front porch was built, I stenciled on Psalm 103:1-4 around the soffit. As I stated in his eulogy, this verse has special meaning to our family. Also of special meaning is the song “It Is Well With My Soul.” This song was sung by our good friends Dave and Erin Hoffman at the memorial. Years later Emma surprised us and arranged to have them sing it again when we visited them at their church in Tennessee. I had a copy of the song sheet of that song framed as an anniversary gift another year.

The memories are all good. Time allows you to make sense of it all and to grow from it. As a Christian I know that everything that happens is for my good and God’s glory. That’s the heart of progressive sanctification. I first received the news that something was critically wrong with Brady and that he had a brain tumor when Karen called from the hospital. When I got off the phone, I immediately prayed. From Pastor John’s teaching, I was confident in God’s sovereignty in what was happening, and what was to happen. I knew God was not caught off guard, but was actually orchestrating it all. I did have a fear though. It was not of Brady dying, but, for some reason, of him ending up wheelchair bound. I questioned whether I had the strength to deal with that. Over those four years Brady would experience much worse things and actually did end up unable to walk. But God was working in me and through me. My faith was tested and proven such that I continue to give Christ praise and glory.

You see, the Christian life is set apart for God. It’s not just about us. It is being brought closer to the likeness of Christ through obedience to the word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit. If we think our work is impossible, we face the task with fear and discouragement. As God works out his plan according to “the counsel of His will,” he energizes every believer with the power necessary for his spiritual completion. God’s glory, as evidenced by changed lives, is the supreme purpose of redemption.

Again, how does God do this? Through the Word (“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”, John 17:17), sufferings, and trials/circumstances of life He takes up residence in us and sanctifies us.

Karen and I have had many opportunities to tell Brady’s story, and maybe more importantly God’s story of Brady. Sometimes these have been informally and sometimes to a larger audience. One was for a Grace to You Television piece on the sovereignty of God and the existence of evil where the story of Brady and our family and how we responded from a biblical perspective was interwoven with Pastor John MacArthur’s teaching on the subject. You can view it HERE. 

We also had the tremendous opportunity to be featured in the Grace Community Church “Fifty Years of Grace” anniversary video. You can view it HERE and Brady’s story is featured in the very beginning (first 40 seconds) and the end (last two minutes starting at 22:30). In conclusion to that video, Pastor John states what makes Grace Church. He says “It’s always about the Bible because it’s always about the truth contained in Scripture.” He goes on to say that people are at Grace Church because they love the truth and they live the truth. The narrative then turns to me, and to underscore how God uses his Word to sanctify us, I say, “That’s what we have as Christians. We have the Bible. That’s what sets us apart. We have the Word of God. We have God speaking to us. It changes lives. It does. It changed our lives.”

Much Grace,

Rich

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny

I don't usually post on issues like this but I would truly love for every young lady (and moms of young ladies) to check out these great resources regarding bathing suit modesty.

When I was a young believer, I didn't think deeply about this issue.  In fact, I was quite content to wear my bikini anywhere in public, proud that it wasn't as immodest as some other bikinis out there were (interesting thinking).  It wasn't later that I realized that I shouldn't compare myself to the world, but to the WORD.

I'm not trying to be legalistic-- but hear me out.

Since then I have changed my thinking quite a bit... and I hope that my blog readers will take a few minutes to read this very well written and biblical article. 

And if you have a few extra moments, listen to this young Christian woman talk about the history of the bikini.  She has her own line of adorable swimwear too! 

She posts!

Sorry I haven’t blogged lately.   I had been feeling guilty about it, then I got the following text this week:

“I’m beginning to go through “e-wife lack of blog-posts withdrawls… it’s just miserable over here.  The pain…”

I would probably embarrass this person if I addressed them here on the blog. But I suppose I could throw out a few hints as to this person's identity:   

1. It’s a male reader.   
2. He is under age 21.    
3. He likes a certain someone in my household.  

Thanks for reading, you know who you are.  :-)  This post is dedicated to you - as random as it may be.  And thanks for reading.

Incidentally, I’ve noticed how men in particular like to comment to me about my blog.

I got a comment from one of my Shepherds’ Conference guests (from Connecticut), who also reads my blog.  He has been a longtime reader and said he observed that I was going “all healthy” on the blog and seemed a bit disturbed (in a nice way).   Anyways, by the time he left my house he had a hopeless addiction to Kombucha and the brewed cocoa beans we use, Crio Bru.   What can I say?  The e-wife strikes again.

And once at the Shepherds' conference, a man I'd never met approached me and asked if I was the e-wife.  He very excitedly told me that his wife was a faithful reader and asked for a picture with me!   

Oh, men can be so cute.  They read blogs. 

So, yes life has been rather busy and I haven’t blogged.  And it’s ok.  

I’m trying to get next year’s Master’s Kids classes in order, ready the current class for graduation, and oh yeah help with the wedding.  And I sort of keep forgetting my son is graduating college in 7 weeks and deserves some sort of celebration!  Anyways, a lot on my plate.  Normal life has definitely been amped up.  It's been a struggle recently to just get the regular things like cooking & cleaning done.  The other day I literally dropped everything to stay home and dust, vacuum, and clean bedsheets.  And I am not one who deals with stress all that well.  I try avoid it like the plague by balancing my schedule very carefully and not becoming over-busy.  But sometimes things are out of my control and stress creeps in. I have to remind myself to be thankful as the Lord has truly given me so many GOOD things to do, even though at times I’m overwhelmed.   Each night, about 9:00 p.m. after another full day, Rich usually brews us some “choffee” (what we call our Crio Bru) and lures me to the couch for an episode of Downton Abbey.   It truly is so calming and lets my mind just take a break from all the thinking and planning and doing.

So all that to say, I would love to blog on the following if I had more time:

Wedding plans.  EEEEEEKKKKK it’s only 8 weeks away!    But seriously, I think things are falling together nicely.  I’m thankful to have a part in some fun things, not TBA yet, and we as the groom’s family are planning the rehearsal dinner (for close to 60).  But- how cool is this… it’s in a barn!   

So many praises along the way, too.  Drew and Stephanie have found an apartment in the same building with lifelong friends for less than they hoped to spend, been blessed with very nice either free or mostly free furniture (bedroom set, new bed, couch, fridge).  They are all registered, and three showers are on their way in April!  I even found my dress… relief!  I do have to say, nothing like a sleeveless dress to drive one to the gym, huh?  Do you think 8 weeks enough to get rid of my flabby arms and get sculpted runner’s calves?  Well, I’m sure gonna try. 

Sourdough.   Quite a switch in topics, but I am proud to say after 8 weeks I now have a successful sourdough starter and have been cranking out the most amazing sourdough waffles.  I’ve also had success with pancakes and pizza dough.  Bread and other things are on the horizon…  stay tuned!

My reading list.   This book is a very interesting read:

I’m now pretty much convinced that pasteurized milk products have no place in our diet.   I guess we never stop to think about how altered milk is and how non-nutritional/harmful it is.   Eye-opening for sure.  Our family doesn’t consume much dairy, but raw cheese, cream, milk and butter are more important than ever to me.  I hope to put together a post soon. 

This book is next on the horizon:

And most of all this book has been so inspiring to live simply in light of the gospel in such busy times.  Great refreshment! If you have never read it, please do yourself a favor and get it. It's my favorite book next to the bible.

Until we meet again....

The Anniversary Gift I gave Rich

Awhile ago, I alluded to a special gift I got for Rich for our anniversary.  Well, this gift was a beautiful watercolor painting of our home.  I have a dear, sweet friend, Laurie Price, who happens to be a wonderful watercolor artist.  One day, it just hit me that I should have her paint our home.  This picture does not do the painting justice… it is simply beautiful.   She did it in 11 x 14 size (her largest) and I framed it in a dark frame with a double mat.

 
Below are some real photos of the house so you can see how beautifully she captured it. I am so thankful Laurie could do this for us.  It is already a treasure!

I want to share a little bit about Laurie.  I have been friends with her for many years...  I think we met when we took a parenting class in their home over 20 years ago.   I have always admired and looked up to her.  

Laurie is the kind of friend that you can really talk to about matters of the heart.   She is a kind and thoughtful, and when I think of her, I think of the radiant joy of the Lord that is always on display on her face.  She is not a joyful person because she has had an easy life.  No, rather she has had many trials, and her joyful response to those trials has inspired me in a profound way.  

Currently she is taking care of her husband, Gary, who has Alzheimer’s.  He is not an old man, this came on early, and I'm she never imagined this would be her lot at this phase of life.  But, she sees her life through God's sovereign will for her and she is content.  I have learned that it is no easy task caring for someone with Alzheimer's.  She has had to assume leadership in the home, managing everything and overseeing her husband's care.  What is so beautiful is that she still loves Gary with all her heart and does not consider it a burden.  She lovingly talks with him even when he cannot respond or process what she is saying.  I know when she reads this she will shake her head and want to tell me how she fails - so Laurie, please know that you are a very special lady and just smile. :-)  I truly am so thankful for her example to me, and the friendship we share.  If you have a minute, please check out her wonderful blog (she’s also on my blogroll, under “I Have Been Young.”)  I promise you will be so enriched if you do.

Please also take a moment to look at her Etsy shop.   She sells gorgeous, art quality notecards (I have bought some of her precious bird ones for gifts). Also, what is really special is that she does beautiful custom children’s name artwork.  Each one tells a story and she creatively weaves in details about the child.   You have to see them – they are so unique!  You can also see the painting she did for me under "commissioned home portrait."  I know she'd appreciate you stopping by!

Simply Healthy Eating Part 3

This is part 3 and the conclusion of my series.

First, a few miscellaneous thoughts... which may just be my personal opinon  :-)
 
-First of all, I want to address the cost of healthy food.  Yes, it can more.  I know people are justifiably overwhelmed by the cost of healthy food.  Our society has been built on cheap, non- nutritional food (or "food products"), and you need to accept that if you are going to eat healthy, it will cost you.  Think of it as making an investment in your HEALTH (I'd rather pay for healthy foods than medications). In order to get clean sources of food you will need to pay more - but it can be done.

I encourage you to take a look at your budget and consider making buying healthy food a priority.  If that means less of something else you like (perhaps those $4-a-pop trips to Starbucks, donut shop runs on Saturdays, eating out, entertainment, or cutting back on gas use) so be it.  Also, take a look at what you ARE spending money on, food wise.  I've heard people say "Oh, I can't afford to buy that kind of food, it's so expensive,"... but look in their grocery cart and often you will find that they have multiple boxes of cereal, bagels, bags of chips or other packaged snack foods, bottled juice, soda, etc.  They may also buy LOTS of meat products.  Consider having a couple (or more) meatless nights a week to save money. If you can't always buy organic, do research to find out what produce is a priority to get organic.  For example, I never bother buying organic bananas, pineapples, mangoes, cantaloupes, or anything with a thick peel.  But I always buy organic for certain other produce, such as spinach and strawberries.   For more information on this check out the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.

-Portion size - I have had to learn what an appropriate portion size is for my body size.  If you think a serving size is what a restaurant serves you, you need to adjust your thinking.  I know I did.  I've even had the habit of eating too much HEALTHY food (I could eat huge bowlfuls of guacamole, and multiple tablespoons of almond butter a day, but I don't). There are websites out there that help you determine a healthy weight range for your height/age, and also will tell you approximately how many calories you should consume each day to maintain that weight.  For me, I can maintain around 1400 calories a day.  If I exercise and burn calories, then I can add some calories to my day.  To lose weight, as elementary as this may sound, you need to BURN more calories than you're taking in.  I know many diets look for ways around this, and there is a whole market of supplements out there telling you that you can "burn more" but when it comes down to it, you don't need all that.  You can lose weight if you're taking in less than you put out.    I've done it... I know.  It's not rocket science but people always want the easy way out.  

-Soy - I do not use ANY soy products except soy sauce (because it's fermented) and that's on rare occasion and definitely organic (soy is highly GMO).  There is still much debate on the benefits vs. detriments of soy - obviously we are in the middle of a soy craze from the products I see marketed.  Some say it's healthy; some say not.  I've abstained for many years as I'm concerned about the phytoestrogens soy products contain, not to mention the GMO's in unorganic soy sources.  And most soy products (like tofu and soy milk) are just processed foods anyways. You can google "dangers of soy" if you need to know more on my stance.  I read labels carefully to avoid soy lecithin, soybean oil, soy protein, etc. and do not eat fresh edamame. 

-Caffeine and alcohol- I don't drink any caffeinated beverages (mainly because I'm highly sensitive).  When I'm not drinking water, I stick mostly to decaf coffee or espresso, or decaf black or herbal teas.  I will say that I have more energy now that when I drank caffeine all day, and I sleep very well at night.  Rich drinks a ton of iced tea (home brewed, unsweetened), fully loaded, and has no problem whatsoever with it though!   If you have problems sleeping or with energy highs/lows during the day, try ditching it for awhile and see what happens.  We do not drink alcohol, but well, that's for many reasons and a whole another blog post.  :-)

- Supplements, vitamins  -  I am not big into supplements/vitamins.  I am more into eating well for the real vitamins and minerals good food provides. I do take one thing and that is a high quality fish oil, and have for years.  But that is it.    We do not take probiotic supplements, but we do drink kombucha, raw milk and eat cultured dairy.

-Eating out - We hardly eat out and we DO NOT eat at fast food restaurants.  I guess the thrill in eating out diminishes when you know you're not able to eat as well as you can at home!  I suppose I also just dislike paying a lot of money for unhealthy, fattening food as well, and would rather spend my money on good food.  Plus, on the positive side, we truly do enjoy being in our home kitchen together cooking.  It's great fun. Not that we don't ever go out, but if we do I usually consider myself a vegetarian and order accordingly.  :-)  But if you've been a reader of my blog for any amount of time you know I love a good Diners, Drive ins & Dives find and food adventure!!  Believe me, I can enjoy a juicy burger or a great pizza.  And not to mention gourmet ice cream - my weakness!!  I just don't do it that often. But honestly, with not eating out as much these days, I find that monetary savings helps with buying the good, healthy food for my family that does infinitely cost more.
 

-There are compromises to be made.  I allow certain foods that I know are not the most highly nutritional, but not damaging to health.  An example might be tortilla chips.  Not highly nutritional, but I choose organic and it's okay to eat them from time to time.   Damaging would be Cheetos.  You can see the difference.  Store bought cookies are horrible, homemade are much better.

-Sicknesses - It is interesting to note that Rich and I have escaped all flus and colds for at least 20 years.  We literally haven't had one... I'm serious! We seem to have very strong immune systems now.  Correlation? 

-Headaches - I used to get frequent headaches, but now I never have any. I know diet has something to do with this.  I'm thinking the culprit was probably refined sugar. When I hear people are experiencing headaches (or migraines) I want to know what they are eating.  Not that there couldn't be a medical reason for a headache; I just wonder how many are diet related (for example, MSG is a known culprit in causing headaches). 

-Healthy weight - A bonus with this way of eating is that we are now easily able to keep our weight in a healthy range.  And if you can believe this, Rich and I both now weigh about the same we did when we got married 25 years ago (though we don't look the same - gravity has taken a toll!).  The way we ate for years was slowly putting weight on us, and at one point each of us has weighed upwards to 20-30 pounds more than we do now.  Eating right has removed that excess weight and improved our overall health. We feel great now.

Lastly, I just want to address the question, "Why eat healthy?"

First of all, it is not so that I can extend my life, as I know the Lord has my days numbered! 

And believe it or not, I don't eat healthy because I think I can avoid getting cancer or some other disease - although I know a healthy diet does ward off all kinds of diseases and conditions.  I've probably done enough damage to my body in the first 35+ years of my life on this terrible Western diet to be deserving of many diseases anyways... so I know I may still get them!  While some cancers are obviously self imposed (lung cancer from smoking), I've seen 3 month old babies at City of Hope with cancer, without even leading an unhealthful life. So, some types may not be preventable, anyways.   

However, there is an undisputed connection between what you eat and your general health.   And it makes sense.  You cannot expect to be healthy if you eat chemicals and processed foods or things your body was not designed to have.  I heard a doctor state recently that it was his belief that 70% of people's medical issues would not exist with healthy diet.  70%!   He was referring specifically to the issues that come from having a poor diet that leads to being overweight.  
 
More importantly, striving to be healthy for the Christian is saying "I want to live my life to the fullest for the Lord!" I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want any self-imposed hindrances to serving Him!  We are to love the Lord will all our soul, but also with all our MIGHT! (Deut. 6:5)  I want to be strong and mighty for Him.  Yes, as a by-product we can feel good when we eat good, therefore enjoying His blessings more... but it really is about being the best servant I can be for my wonderful Savior.

So in conclusion, I eat healthy because I think it is right to take care of the body God gave me.  And, frankly, I do not want to bring about any illness or disease that it is in my power to avoid. I want to be as healthy as I can be, as much as I can control. But I am not ultimately the one who decides my state of health.  If the Lord sees fit to give me a physical ailment or disease in spite of all that I do, that is obviously His sovereign plan for me and I'm open to that.  But, I will continue to eat well, trying my best to be healthy so that I can serve Him and the ones I love to the best of my ability. 

For me, it's making wise choices based on what I know. I now know more than I ever have and I am obligated to put that into practice. I encourage you to think through what YOU eat and make the best choices you can.

There you go... food for thought (pun intended). I welcome your comments and suggestions....
 
Happy (healthy) eating! 

P.S. Look for my upcoming feature, "Meatless Mondays" and follow my journey to find creative and delicious ways to serve dinner without meat in ways your family will LOVE!

It's almost soap time... and candles too!

I'm getting ready for another soap sale! And, this time it's a candle sale, too!

Goods will go on sale Friday, May 4th at 6:00 am (California time). The last few times I've had a soap sale, I've sold out early in the day. It's been exciting... but I hate turning people away. :-( So this time, I made double the soap of what I usually make. Plus, I am introducing a new shea butter soap that I'm really excited about. And that's not all! I also made some mason jar candles, as I get occasional requests from people to buy them. I've been making candles for about 13 years, but have never sold them formally through my blog.

Why so many things for sale? Because I want to raise lots of money!! With this sale, 100% of the money is going to my daughter Emma's fund for her missions trip to Thailand! She is leaving around May 15th and will be gone for 6 weeks! The trip is through the Master's College in a partnership with ZOE International. Here is a summary of what ZOE is all about from their website:

ZOE International Ministries is a Christian organization with the mission to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ and to make disciples of the un-reached people of the world and to demonstrate God's compassion through rescuing and caring for orphans and children from human trafficking. -Mark 16:15-18, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, James 1:27The facts about human trafficking are staggering and heartbreaking. Please take a moment to read some of the information on ZOE's website.
How did this come about? Emma began volunteering with ZOE at the beginning of the school year, as it was a requirement for one of her classes to have an internship with a list of gospel-oriented humanitarian organizations that Master's selected. She chose ZOE and was immediately touched by the plight of children who are trafficked all around the world, and particularly in Thailand. When the opportunity for a missions trip arose, she told us that she wanted to go. For those of you who know my daughter, you know that she is very home and family oriented, so this wasn't exactly in her comfort zone. I am very proud of her for bravely putting her actions to her convictions, and her dad and I are supporting her 100% on this. She will be acting as an intern for ZOE, using her gift of photography along with the 10 other students, who will be working on various projects that range from sewing to marketing to journalism, all to help ZOE's cause.

Emma stated upfront with us that she was willing to cover the expense of this trip from her own resources. I immediately thought of making soap and candles to sell and help offset some of her cost. She was very appreciative of the idea, so I set off to whip up multiple batches for the cause!

Here are the soap offerings this time - a little sneak peek for you of what is curing right now and will be for sale on May 4th (no advance orders, sorry). There is even a nod to Thailand in one of the soap varieties. :-) Consider stocking up...remember, soap only gets better with age (and my next sale won't be until right before Christmas).There are 15 different soaps to choose from this time - goat milk soap, all vegetable oil soap, and my newest -shea butter soap!

If you're new to my soap, allow let me tell you a little about them (if not, feel free to scroll down and see the soap).

First of all, they are 100% natural. That is why you will find most of the scents to be citrusy, herbal, spicy, or earthy, as I exclusively use all natural essential oils to fragrance the soap. If the soap has a color or a texture, you can be assured that I used only what God has made to accomplish that. :-)

In all the soaps, I use a combination of quality pure base oils (olive, coconut, and palm) to promote moisture and good lathering. The three types I make are:

All-vegetable oil soap This soap contains olive oil, coconut oil, and palm oil, and has distilled water as its liquid. This is the hardest bar, making it long lasting.
Good for all skin types.

Goat milk soap All-vegetable oil soap recipe, substituting goat milk for the distilled water. Goat milk adds alpha-hydroxy acids, vitamins, and minerals to the soap, as well as increasing the moisture (goat milk soaps are a bit softer as a result).
Good for all skin types, particularly good for dry or sensitive ones.

Shea butter soap All-vegetable oil soap recipe, with the addition of 100% pure unrefined shea butter, which makes this soap ultra emollient and luxurious. This is a very premium soap, super-fatted 5% with the addition of the shea butter. Shea butter can also aid in the relief of acne, eczema and other skin problems as it moisturizes without clogging pores.
Good for all skin types, particularly good for dry or sensitive ones.

I make my soap by the cold process method in small batches, I cut it by hand, and I cure it for at least 4 weeks to ensure hardness. These are big bars - at least 4 1/2 ounces each (Ivory soap bars are about 3 ounces). You should know that homemade soap is softer than commercial soap, so be sure to let your bar drain and air dry after each use (don't let it sit in a sudsy puddle). You will find that my soap is gentle and you can definitely feel good about using it on your skin. When you get away from putting detergents and chemicals on your skin, and use an all natural approach, you will feel the difference!

I can do in-person delivery if you are local... and I'm happy to ship if you aren't. More details on that on the May 4th post. Okay, on with the goods. Happy shopping...

Goat Milk Soaps
$3.00 each




Pure and clean, scented simply with lemon and lavender essential oil. A good choice for sensitive skin or babies.



Contains ground organic oats for light exfoliation, plus three different citrus essential oils. A great shower bar.



Made with brewed Chai tea, this yummy almost-good-enough-to-eat bar is enhanced with cinnamon, clove, and anise essential oils. Ground cloves, cinnamon sticks and Chai tea leaves add light exfoliation. A great shower bar.



This two-toned bar is made with French green and rose clays, which make it a superb facial soap. Clays are known to draw impurities out of skin. It is scented with a combination of tart pink grapefruit and sweet basil essential oils.



Lavender Oatmeal soap is always a favorite, and this time I've spiced it up with the addition of a spot of anise essential oil. Ground organic oats make this a great shower bar.



One of my favorite cooking herbs has found its way into my soap. This one is chock full of herbes de Provence (a French herb blend containing primarily lavender, savory, basil, thyme, and fennel) and is enhanced by rosemary and lavender essential oils.



One of my personal favorites, I keep this by the kitchen sink to remove the odor of garlic and onion from my hands. This soap contains Arabica coffee grounds which scrub hands and neutralize odors. Scented with anise essential oil.


All Vegetable Oil Soaps
$3.00 each



This bright and sunny soap contains a refreshing blend of three citrus essential oils, plus a splash of sweet peppermint to wake you up!

Another favorite is soap made with Calendula petals (a variety of the Marigold flower). Calendula is superb for the complexion, but this makes a great shower bar, too. Contains sweet lemongrass essential oil.



Seaweed is rich in minerals and vitamins, and exfoliates the skin without drying - not many soaps can make that claim. Tea Tree Oil is also naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral, helping troubled skin. Scented lightly with rosemary essential oil.



Yes, a chocolate soap (but please don't eat it)! This soap gets its deep brown color from a good dose of unsweetened dark cocoa powder. Spiced with anise, sweet orange, and cinnamon essential oils. A rich and sweet experience. A great shower bar.



Clean and herbal blend of peppermint and rosemary essential oils, plus garden rosemary and peppermint leaves added in for light exfoliation.



Lastly, in honor of Emma's trip to Thailand, is this soap - scented richly with earthy lemongrass and sweet basil. Dried lemongrass adds light exfoliation. A great shower bar.

Shea Butter Soaps
$3.50 each


Rich shea butter, with sweet orange and clove essential oils.



Rich shea butter, with lavender and peppermint essential oils.




Can't decide? Try a sample pack! I will surprise you with 8 different soaps in half-bar sizes to try.



14 oz. Mason Jar Candles
$12.00 each

My candles are made with 100% soy wax. They contain lead-free wicks, burning slow and clean.  Each jar burns 80+ hours! They make great gifts for girlfriends' birthdays and are the perfect hostess gift. Of course, treat yourself to some, too. I can ship candles, too. I am offering four different scents - all uncolored.

Vanilla Nut Spice
Nectarine Basil
Blackberry Sage
Pomegranate Pear


Hope to see you all at the sale!

Questions? Contact me at harasick@ca.rr.com.

Awesome kids books!

Many of you may already know that a godly woman named Delphine Bates led me to Christ 28 years ago, when I was 18 years old (go ahead, do the math, I'm almost 46.). Since that time, she has been a dear friend and a spiritual mother to me. To say she has had a big influence in my life would be an understatement! We even named our daughter, Emma Leigh, after Delphine's mother, Emma Lee Branon.

Delphine has been in Children's ministry at our church for at least 3 decades, and she is the reason I am in Children's ministry today. She makes the rounds playing piano and leading music for several Sunday school classes each Sunday morning, and back then she encouraged me to work in a 2nd grade class when I was newly saved. I thought I was going to be a "craft helper" but somehow got my own small group of kids! They actually knew more about the bible than I did - seriously. It was just a bit intimidating. I'd like to say we screen helpers a little more efficiently these days. :-)

Anyways, Delphine has always been great with children - after all she has had lots of practice as she raised four of her own. She also has 14 grandchildren whom she takes a very active role investing in spiritually. I wish she was my grandma - she is full of energy and lots of fun! She seems as young and energetic as when we first met.

She recently produced three wonderful children's books (wrote and illustrated). Delphine has such a unique and effective way of ministering to children (and sharing the gospel with anyone for that matter). They are so cute and so well written - I highly recommend them to all - they would be a great investment in your home library to be enjoyed again and again. I wish we had these books when our children were growing up. I am keeping the set she gave me for my own grandchildren some day!

You can buy Delphine's books here on Amazon. I know you'll enjoy them!

Hope

I went shopping at Costco right before New Year's, and the employee at the door (job title: Costco card checker?) greeted me and handed me the latest sale flyer. As I glanced quickly at it I could see it was covered front and back with specials on alcohol. I politely declined, and walked ahead where I viewed the "hot item" display area that was now filled with gym membership offers, vitamins, and meal replacement drinks. It isn't rocket science to figure out marketing tactics for us consumers at this time of year. First, early in the season (WAY too early) we are presented with holiday food and items geared as gifts, then comes alcohol for New Year's, followed by all ways we can get rid of all the excess that they have sold to us. We're such suckers.

Well, I suppose I fall victim to that cycle as well (well, minus the alcohol). It's the new year, and I am faced with bowls of holiday candy I no longer want around, I'm gladly bidding good riddance to the Christmas tree and all the decorations, and the thought of sweets and rich foods disgusts me. I am ready to turn over to the next chapter, thankful for a fresh start. My new year goals are probably not that different than yours, from the serious to the mundane: Read more (especially the bible), exercise more (3-4 times a week at the gym), eat healthier (and less), take my vitamins regularly, whiten my teeth, simplify, love deeper and live more obediently unto Christ. Six large bags just went to the Goodwill and I've worked out three times since Jan. 2. I am motivated now, but I know that somewhere down the line, my resolve will fizzle. I will become less concerned about my resolutions. After all, I battle my lazy and unproductive flesh. I know I will be lamenting along with the apostle Paul sometime soon, "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15) If the apostle Paul saw himself that clearly, so should I.

Which brings me to the wonderful hope that someday I will be free of the struggle. Life, this life here on earth, will be over soon and I'll be in my eternal home thanks to what Christ has done for me! I have done nothing as a wretched sinner to earn this eternal reward, but Jesus' death on the cross allows God to see me as righteous and accept me into heaven! Is that not a glorious thought? Sometimes I wonder at the start of a new year, "will it be this year?" or as I'm taking the ornaments off the tree "will I be putting these on next year (or will I be in glory)?" I wonder when the time is appointed for my glorious homegoing. I know that only God knows this. Now don't get me wrong, I also agree with Paul that "to live is Christ and to die is gain." Wherever God wants me to be, I will be content and glad. I will continue to strive with hope.

I know someone who finished his earthly journey 8 years ago. My dear first born son Brady spent his last day on earth exactly 8 years ago today. January 4th, 2004 was the last day Brady had to battle sin, illness, and suffering. Early in the morning hours of January 5th, in the presence of Rich and myself, he peacefully slipped from earthly sleep to glory! He is now in his eternal home! How I rejoice! And yet how I envy him. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for Brady's homegoing, and hope for mine.

Wishing you a new year filled with HOPE!

Good Reads

This summer, a friend introduced me to Goodreads.com - it's a neat site that you can review books that you've read, and best of all - read the reviews of friends that you trust for books you can read! You can have "friends" on Good Reads, and you can see all the books they've read and rated, as well as make a "to read" list for yourself. So, if you're a voracious reader, or just looking for a good vacation book, you can find what you're looking for. I recently put up a page there, so if you want to see some of my favorite reads, just click here!

Lofty Thoughts

I love this excerpt by Spurgeon! To read it in its entirety, click here.

Delivered on Sabbath Morning, February 27th, 1859, by the
REV. C. H. Spurgeon
at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.

"I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication."—Psalm 116:1.

N the Christian pilgrimage it is well for the most part to be looking forward. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future after all must be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. And looking further yet, the believer's soul can see Death's river passed, the gloomy steam forded; he can behold the hills of light on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than a conqueror—crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with him, made to sit together with him on his throne, even as he has overcome and has sat down with the Father upon his throne. The sight of the future may well relieve the darkness of the past, the hopes of the world to come may banish all the doubtings of the present. Hush, my fears! this world is but a narrow span, and thou shalt soon have passed it. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and thou shalt soon have forded it. Time, how short—eternity, how long! Death, how brief—immortality, how endless!

"Oh the transporting, rapturous scene
That rises to my sight!
Sweet fields arrayed in living green,
And rivers of delight.

Filled with delight my raptured soul
Would here no longer stay,
Though Jordan's waves around me roll,
Fearless I'd launch away."

Yet nevertheless the Christian may do well sometimes to look backward; he may look back to the hole of the pit and the miry clay whence he was digged—the retrospect will help him to be humble, it will urge him to be faithful. He may look back with satisfaction to the glorious hour when first he saw the Lord, when spiritual life for the first time quickened his dead soul. Then he may look back through all the changes of his life, to his troubles and his joys, to his Pisgahs and to his Engedis, to the land of the Hermonites and the hill Mizar. He must not keep his eye always backward, for the fairest scene dies beyond, it will not benefit him to be always considering the past, for the future is more glorious far; but nevertheless at times a retrospect may be as useful as a prospect; and memory may be as good a teacher as even faith itself. This morning I bid you stand upon the hill-top of your present experience and look back upon the past, and find therein motives for love to God; and may the Holy Spirit so help me in preaching and you in hearing, that your love may be inflamed, and that you may retire from this hall, declaring in the language of the Psalmist, "I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplication."

Our European trip part 4 - Israel

Arriving in Tel Aviv to a very empty airport (it was the Sabbath and also Passover week), we made our way to the Hertz counter to pick up our car. Yes, it’s a little unnerving to rent a car in Israel, but, we got a nice 6 passenger something-that-they-don’t-make-in-the-U.S. vehicle, with an obnoxiously large HERTZ sticker on the side (I guess they like to be able to identify tourist drivers easily). After a quick stop at a (kosher) McDonald’s for fries and ice cream cones (which I learned are NOT dairy, kind of weird), we made our way to the Moshav, near Jerusalem. The Moshav was where Drew had lived since the end of January for IBEX. It’s kind of like a summer camp type of place, rustic and hilly with dormitory areas as well as motel-type rooms for rent. They had a small store/gift shop, as well as a dining room where we had our breakfast each day. Our room at the Moshav was, in Emma’s words, “like a convalescent home room.” She was pretty much spot on, but it was fine and we didn’t spend much time there. In contrast to the mediocre room, was the breakfast spread they put out every morning - totally extravagant. It was a HUGE (kosher) buffet of probably a dozen different salads, hot dishes, fruit, yogurt, all kinds of cheeses, breads and a giant bowl of nutella (did they know I was coming?). Anyways, it really was beautiful. The only problem with it was that Americans aren’t generally conditioned to eating cucumber, tomato and feta salads and the like for breakfast. If you checked with me about noon, I’d be all over it, but not at 7:00 a.m. So, some bread, nutella, and Israeli coffee and I was good to go.

The Moshav. I wasn't expecting it to be so pretty.

Drew was so excited that Stephanie came to see his digs.

It was great to see where Drew lived and went to school, and he was eager to tour us around. Throughout our entire time in Israel, we never felt threatened, but that first night, we had a rather scary experience at an Arabic restaurant in nearby Abu Ghosh. Doesn’t Abu Ghosh just SOUND scary? Anyways, we went to get dinner at a place that was in our tour book and noted as “inexpensive,” but when we arrived we were given the “no prices listed” menu. Hmm. Well, being that the place was rated in our tour guide, coupled with the fact that it wasn’t a nice place by any stretch, we figured it must be reasonable and Drew said he wasn’t concerned. What we didn’t factor in was the fact that the staff was quite savvy in recognizing tourists and trying to gauge them. When we got our bill, it said 120 x 5 = 600 sheckels. Now, that is about 200 U.S. dollars or about $40/person! Outrageous! We only had about 200 sheckels on us and weren’t sure what to do. Drew was accustomed to how much things cost, and he was shocked. He went over to another party of diners to inquire with them if they thought we were being taken advantage of. They said yes, as they had asked about the price of the full dinner and the server told them 60 sheckels, half as much as they charged us. So, Drew went to speak with our server. The server went and got someone else, and more men appeared and were all discussing the situation in Arabic. It seems that they were realizing that we knew we were being ripped off, and it seemed to make them all very nervous and uncomfortable. To make a long story short, I don’t know what my son did, but he whittled our bill down to about $20 a person. We threw in all the sheckels we had and a U.S. $50 bill and fled as fast as we could. I won’t say it ruined our dinner, because it was REALLY good food (best falafel ever), but it sure made all of our stomachs turn with nervousness at the way our evening ended.

Sunday morning, Easter, we headed over to the Old City (Jerusalem). This was a fascinating experience. We parked the car, and first walked through an area with upscale modern shops (mostly American brands – I bought a shirt at GAP there), then right into the Old City entrance where people are selling bread on carts and probably nothing has changed since bible times.

The Gap - no different from the U.S., except that you have to go through metal detectors to go in.

And this, the old city, just yards away from the Gap. Crazy.

The Old City is divided into four quarters: Armenian, “Christian,” Jewish, and Muslim. We took a 2+ mile walk along the City Wall (it’s an attraction- you pay to do it), and were able to observe all the quarters from on high, as well as splendid views of the area including the Mount of Olives and Golgatha. While standing above the Muslim quarter, we were shocked to witness a funeral procession come right through the marketplace. We were immediately struck with the thought that we were not “in Kansas anymore.” We heard a commotion, thought there was a scuttle or a fight going on nearby, but then saw many men rushing through a gate carrying an open casket with a person inside wrapped in a fuzzy blanket. We were all stunned; but then came another, and another- three in all. The men were all shouting and rushing toward a cemetery nearby. We continued to watch and actually saw them slide one of the bodies into an open tomb! That was pretty much it – then they left. We were standing near some American Jews who lived in Israel and they explained that Muslims are required to bury their dead by sundown on the day that they die. So different from America. We don’t really deal with our dead personally – we have mortuaries. In Israel, and if you are Muslim, you don’t mess with mortuaries. You do it yourself. Really, really shocking to see this funeral – just right there amongst people selling goods in the marketplace. In America, you can't even bring a purse-dog into Starbucks, and here a dead body just mosies on by in the middle of the market. We were all speechless and stunned.

Funeral procession through the marketplace.

Walking through the Old City provided more “culture shock.” We seemed to be the only Americans around, and the girls and I were keenly aware that our jeans and t-shirts stood out as the ladies around us were pretty much covered head to toe. They were generally either Muslim or Orthodox, depending on what quarter we were in, and we felt very odd. Drew toured us all around, and we browsed at all the goods. He took us for wonderful schwerma at a place he visited on most Saturdays (yum).

Incense for sale.

When the vendors get bored, apparently they play backgammon.

These cute little boys offered to give us directions (and wanted money for it). Rich gave them a few coins and they escorted us to where we wanted to go!



The Mount of Olives - with the Garden of Gethsemane on the lower right. This view is from the City Wall.



Also on the city wall.

The amazing schwerma from Drew's favorite little food stand.

We also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the site believed that Jesus was crucified and placed in his tomb. Drew said his professors all concur that this was very likely the locale. Nowadays, it is a gaudy, gold-filled church full of ornate shrines and lit by candlelight, bustling with people wishing to identify with Jesus in a very misguided way. They place their faces and objects on the ground, hoping to come away holier. It was an interesting, but sad experience. Another sad experience was our visit to the Wailing Wall. You even have to go through a security checkpoint to get in. Note to self: don’t buy knives for your nephews in the old city and then go visit the wailing wall. The security guards were not pleased.

The church of the Holy Sepulchre.

This is the creepy shrine inside. The person bending over underneath the altar is touching the ground that Jesus was supposedly crucifed on. When they built the church, they left a little dirt patch there, and people stand in line to touch it.

This is thought to be Jesus' tomb.

The Western (Wailing) Wall. The futility of this made me incredibly sad.

An orthodox man at the Wall.

On Monday, Drew needed to return to classes, and we had arranged for a 3- day tour with Chris McKinny. Chris was recommended to us by a friend of a friend, and what a recommendation! He had been a professor at IBEX for some of the two years he was working on his Master’s degree in History and Geography of Israel at Hebrew University. Who better to take you around? He basically knew Israel like the back of his hand (he used no notes and had no markers in his bible) and beyond that, had an amazing grasp on ancient history and archaeology. He planned an itinerary for us that began Monday morning, included an overnight in Galilee Monday night, and concluded Wednesday evening. So on Monday, the five of us embarked in our aforementioned HERTZ branded rental vehicle, and off we went to see the beautiful country where our Lord walked. Monday we saw many sights and locations, ending up at a hotel in Tiberius (not the nicest place I've ever stayed). However, we went out to eat at a Chinese restaurant that Chris knew of on the Sea of Galilee, which was amazing! And so funny! The place was run by Chinese, the menu was in Hebrew, and the music they played was American (Am I really hearing "Dancing Queen" in Israel at a Chinese restaurant?). Love it!

I could go into great detail about all we saw and learned about as Chris filled our minds to the brim with interesting historical facts, but suffice it to say, we were blown away! I cannot describe to you what it felt like to stand on the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and read His very words from Scripture. How about visiting Caesarea and standing where Paul made his defense to Herod, or going to En Gedi and reading from 2 Samuel of how David hid in a cave there when Saul was pursuing him. Or seeing the cave that the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in? That is just a small sampling. It was just all so surreal and truly life changing, and as Chris said, “you see the bible in color.” We absolutely loved our time with Chris – he was a huge blessing and far exceeded any expectations we had for a personal tour guide. In addition, we got to spend an evening tagging along with Drew's IBEX class to the Israel museum which was amazing!

Here are a few pictures from our incredible time in Israel. First up are some shots from Caesarea, the city Herod the Great founded and where he created a harbor where there was none (a great feat). Pontius Pilate resided there, and the apostle Paul passed through many times in his missionary work. After his arrest in Jerusalem he was imprisoned here for 2 years. I didn't envision Paul having his prison cell right on the Mediterranean, he must have had a pretty rockin' view out his cell window.

Ruins from Herod the Great's palace. See the cool tile? In the back you can see the remains of his freshwater swimming pool. Caesarea was a fascinating place.

This is all that remains of the once great harbor from long ago. Kind of reminds me of Gilligan's Island now.

The Mediterranean Sea was pristine and deep blue.

This is one of the most interesting ancient sites we visited, Bet She'an. Several excavations starting in the 1920s and forward revealed this ancient town. This is one of the most impressive Roman and Byzantine sites in all of Israel. What a thrill it must have been to unearth this city, once completely below the surface.

We also visited the small town of Capernaum. In Matthew 4 this is reported to be where Jesus lived.



He preached on this site at Capernaum, but what is there now is the ruins of a later synagogue.



Beautiful Emma on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.



And lovely Stephanie, too.

We took a fascinating trip up to Masada. You can hike or take an aerial tram. We opted for the tram! It was such a hot day. Masada was a city built on a 1300 ft. high cliff, by Herod the Great. It was extensively excavated in the 1960's.

The view from the top. Masada housed another of Herod's palaces. Much later, after Herod died some Jewish rebels took refuge here and later committed mass suicide on top of the cliff, when being sought by the Romans. The Romans built an embankment ramp over the period of about a year, and when they finally entered the fortress they found the 960 inhabitants dead. This is the story relayed by this historian Josephus.

Floating in the dead sea! You can only stay in for a few minutes as your skin starts to sting! I had a rash on my skin for about a month after going in.

The mud that is found in the Dead Sea is supposed to be very good for your skin (the company Ahava uses the minerals in their products). We rubbed some on and then rinsed off in the showers. See the person with a mud mask on the right?! People literally covered themselves from head to toe in the stuff - they looked like walking zombies.

One of my favorite Israel meals. Chris took us to this place, that served falafel, and once you received your sandwich, you were directed to a nearby room full of about 40 platters full of beautiful salads. You could take as much as you wanted! It was so pretty to look at, and delicious too.

The Israeli coffee chain, Aroma, puts Starbucks to shame. Just look at these beautiful beverages that we got on our morning in Galilee. I felt like I was in Italy with the croissants they served. And, each drink comes with a piece of dark chocolate...hello! How perfect is that? We also hit Aroma for lunch the next day - we had the best sandwiches on their homemade bread.

Well, that was really just a small snapshot of Israel, as we visited so many places. And after our 5 wonderful days in Israel, it was time to bid Drew farewell, but only for a short while as he was returning home one week after us. The four of us, Rich, myself, Emma & Stephanie boarded yet another plane and headed back to England, where we began our trip.