Greetings from the Sea of Galilee

Yes, it's me, waving from the Sea of Galilee. I couldn't resist jumping in the water today, no walking for me...just swimming! It was actually refreshing and a very peaceful experience. Today was filled with Galilean moments, all of the sites that we visited were "by the sea."

A boat ride was the first order of the day, a truly delightful experience. We remembered as we traveled on the sea the many times Jesus and his disciples were on a boat crossing the sea, sometimes in storms, sometimes to get away from the crowds and sometimes for Jesus to teach because the crowds were so large on the shore.

The "ancient boat" was next, a boat discovered in about 1985 that archeologists believe was from the time of Jesus. It is amazing to see this boat, that is truly not very large and realize that it was actually from Jesus' time. For all you Aggies out there, a team from Texas A & M actually helped to bring the boat out of the water and preserve it! Gig 'em as my Dad would say.

The excavated sites at Capernaum are amazing, we were able to see the original foundation of a house from the 1st century BCE and the ruins from an ancient synagogue. Much of Jesus' early ministry is centered around Capernaum. It is here that Jesus stays at Simon Peter's house and heals his mother-in-law who is ill, it is here that he teaches at the local synagogue, it is here, beside the sea that he calls his disciples.

Our final to destinations took us to the places that tradition holds were the sites of the Sermon on the Mount and the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes. Both sites allowed for times of personal reflection. Inside the Church of the Beatitudes a mass was being said. As I sat just outside the church under the opened windows, I gazed out at the hillside and listened to beautiful singing coming from within the church - a sacred moment.

As we entered the Church of the Loaves and the fishes there was a hushed expectancy. No crowds, just our group. Against the backdrop of the semi-darkened room lit only by candles and the setting sun, we listened to the scripture and remembered that it was just this time of day, late in the day, the sun setting when Jesus took 2 fish and 5 loaves, blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. Everyone ate and all were filled. Abundance. Indeed, it is the gift of abundant living that we have in Christ. As the day ended, we too were filled...and grateful!