is anyone listening

if no one is going to respond I ain't bloggin

Tben

P.S. Brooke I still love you

the triangle

Today we went to Capernahum, chorazin and bethsaida. It was awsome, a bit lighter day walking, at least it was flat walking, but great teaching. i have had lots of things to think about wandering through the cities and feilds where Jesus would have walked, listening to the words he spoke. it is always amazing to see it come to life. we talked about insula today and it reminds me how blessed i am to have the people in my acacia group that i do. it is awsome to be able to share life with people you love as G-d intended. I am also reminded that there is more G-d wants for us if we are willing to trust him. its easy to see in the picture of following someone, realizing how often you quietly question their judgement. it is sad really and humbling knowing that all the time i silently, and sometimes loudly question G-d's judgement. hearing the story of Phillip and his daughters is a tough reminder not to give up. we did get back early and went a swimming in the sea of Galilee, huge contrast with the dead sea. the salt from the dead sea permanently stained my shorts and was like hot bath water. the sea of galilee was cool almost cold and so refreshing after a hot day of walking. we take for granted how important water is to life, but here it is so easy to see, I pray that all of you have the chance to understand this experience some day soon.

Tben

P.S. Brooke I love you

brooke's typing too

i see that you just commented so i just wanted to say again i love you, and wish you were here, you bring me living water daily. thank you.

Love Tben

here comes the sun

its just about time for the sun to come up over the sea of Galilee. The bible says, "For those who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays." i am very tired this morning but wanted to just hop on for a moment. soon we will be wandering the hills and towns of Galilee and really probably come as close to actually walking where Jesus walked as possible. evidently I need long pants for this first place we are going which should tell those of you who have been where that is. it is so hard not to tell people what is going on. you get so excited, like when you're a kid and going to your grandparents house and you start to recognize land marks and realize you are soooo close. my feet are much better and i pray they will hold out G-d will give me feet for whatever path he has for me today. i do realize that they must have had pretty rough feet back then, they only had sandles. caleb and i are trying to learn hebrew by watching Israeli soap opera's, music videos,etc.. so far not working so well. we even watched and Israeli basketball game, i think caleb pretended the winner was the spurs. he is not coping well with their loss. well the sn is up and i have to get ready for breakfast love you all. more to night after swimming in the sea of galilee.

Brooke brad and shallon and thier 7 month old are moving to Israel in two weeks to study. brad seems very excited and was very excited to see me but i think he called scott a pansy, i don't know. oh and i need to work on my sunscreen skills.

Tben

P.S. Brooke I still love you

Tears in the Desert

we left the desert today after visiting Ein Gedi and Qumran. It was very difficult for some of the group and it has cost us some of the sights but it has been great getting to know the people and who they really are. I was very sad to see the desert go but am excited about being in Galilee. We arrived at our hotel and i ran into someone I knew a man named RVL has a group here also and Brad grey is his facilitator. they said hi to the group. it is great to see RVL something about him always makes me smile. bless G-d for the men who lead these trips for those of us who are hungry. RVL talked about the trip in OCtober and is very excited to have us, Brooke get ready cause I want to go and I am not coming with out you. I even saw Kojak the guy who made my ring. we did hike a different trail at ein gedi u the wadi eingot, it was pretty sweet but my feet are a little mushy after being wet all day. I hope they are better tomorrow. Ein gedi reminded me that we are to be like streams of living water in the desert, which means we have to be in the desert. without the desert the water loses its meaning. we need to be a place that gives life to those who are in the desert. a great picture that i am working out in my head. sorry about no pictures we are having some technical difficulties hopefully now that we are at one place a few days we will be able to get some up. we drove through the west bank today and it might have been the most unexciting part of the trip so far, if it weren't for the fact that the airconditioner in the bus froze over and it was blazing hot. this is truely a beautiful land and an inspiring place i pray that G-d is moving in many of you to take the trip in Oct. because I desparately want to share this experience with you. i continue to be humbled by some of the men helping and sacrificing for their wives. I was so proud of becky(the lady with no knees) she twisted it at the end of the day yesterday but she pushed through like a champ, and even better she gave G-d the glory. it has only benn 5 days and yet it seems like weeks, and even now I know it will not last much longer. we will look for G-d in all that we do and try not to miss a moment of the time we have with him in this special place. I will try to get up at five and write some more but now its time for bed.

Tben

P.S. Brooke, I Love you

The Desert and The SPURS (G-d's Team)

well, my post won't be as long as Ben's because 1)I'm not a ver good blogger and 2)it is almost breakfast and I'm definitely not going to miss that. Yesterday was so awesome we got to hike for hours up and down some super steep trails. For most of the trip i was right behind Todd, but once we were near the top i got to stop and wait for the rest of the group at one of the hardest parts to elp and encourage them. To see some of the people pushing their limit and giving everything was really amazing. Also, because I was down the mountain right with Todd, i got to run water back up to the people who were still coming.

On the SPURS side of things I got to vent a little on my hatred for the boston/l.a.(all lowercase) series on about a two hour bus ride yesterday...while it did help to vent I'm still in agony over it. PLEASE G-D CAN THEY BOTH JUST LOSE!

I hope all is well at home. Everything here is amazing and i can't wait to get home and see all of you(especially Emma because i haven't seen you in forever!)

early in the morning

Hey all, we are back at the dead sea and as i am writing i can see the sun coming up on the other side over the mountains of moab. it is pretty amazing. yesterday we were in timna and it was b far te hardest hike of any of the trips that i have been on. we hiked from the entrance of the park over the highest mountain in it all the way to solomons pillars. it was over 4 and a half miles not countint the altitude and it was between 105 and 110. i really thought we might have a mutiny at several points. but we made it and everyone has a new appreciation for the forty years of wandering. last night when we returned to the dead sea we were able to go down to the dead sea and float the water, and yes it was as fun as i remember and i believe all my chaffing will be gone soon. i brought a handfull of the salt(and other minerals) back and hopefully will make it through customs with it. it is pretty sweet. i am also realizing what a blessing it was to have brought my wife with me the last time, one because of the shared experience we had but also because she took way better care of me than Caleb does. i have to bring my own snacks and keep up with the gatorade, clean up my bathroom stuff, do my laundry, and even pack my own suitcase. let me tell you its for the birds, not that we have seen many in the desert.
its funny brooke that you don't think i am funny because everyone here does so whatever. i just wanted to make sure people were loving on you and thought that would seal it for sure. i love you and no ps i love you is not healthy for boys to watch. i will say one other thing, i had the pleasure of walking with craig and becky yesterday down from Timna, becky has no knees, arthritis has nearly ruined them. going down was very hard for her and she wept over not thinking she could make it. but her husband craig held her and nearly carried her the whole way. which being that it was like 2 and a half miles and dropped more than the snake path at masada(2700 feet) was a humbling experience to watch, he could easily be at the front if he wanted. it was an amazing example of what a husband should be and makes my eyes water everytime i think of it. i am sorry honey that i am not that for you. so husbands out there get it together we look pretty sorry right now.

be strong, be strong, and be couragous.

Tben
P.S. Brooke I love you.