Back from a Middle Eastern Adventure

Since I was last here, I've traveled thousands of miles and seen things I never thought I'd get to see. Israel was all I'd imagined it to be, and more.

I've missed you all. I'm so happy to be back and to get caught up with your great blogs. I will mail the postcards I promised you the next time I am in town, and the winner of my Middle Eastern giveaway is......Christine from Endless Ways. Christine, if you'll let me know where you want me to mail your olive wood carving from Bethlehem, I'll get it sent to you.

The folks over at Retirement and Good Living asked me to submit another piece, and today they've published a story I wrote of an encounter in Jerusalem that profoundly moved me. If you don't mind, it would make me so happy if you could go over and read it and then comment on it: The Soldiers.

I will be writing another post later about this trip, but in the meantime I will leave you with two pictures I took in Israel.

  This is from atop Masada, looking down onto the Dead Sea. And Pearl, yes, there is something different about the light in Israel. It was exquisite.

Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee

A Middle Eastern Giveaway and a Blogging Absence

I'll be leaving very soon on a trip to Israel. Teenaged Daughter is a senior in high school and has wanted to travel there for a long time, so we are going. I'm excited, too, and I look forward to seeing the ancient sights, riding a camel, and eating exotic foods. At one point we'll be so close to the Syria they say we'll be able to hear the sounds of the warfare, but I do NOT plan on crossing that particular border.

I'll be out of the blogging world for a while and will probably be back to our great blogging community around the end of April, but I am also hosting a giveaway, something from Israel (I don't know what yet, but when I get there I'll find something neat). All you have to do to enter is leave a comment and include where you've never been before that you'd like to visit. I'll draw a name when we return and announce the winner. It's not too late to enter. It will be too late only when you can't see this post anymore.

Also, if you'd like a postcard from Israel, email me your address at morfam@hotmail.com or message me on Facebook. If I can't mail it in Israel, I'll mail it when we get home. And it's fine if you don't live in the US. I'd be happy to mail you one wherever you live.

(And for those of you who asked, I'm going to try and get an English translation of the poem that was given to me in last week's post up before I leave. I will include it in last week's post.) 

Over and out, friends~