I had almost forgotten...here is a picture from the Dan Jerusalem, it is quite a hotel!

The hotel has 500 rooms, a few conference rooms, a spa, an exercise room, indoor and outdoor pools, a kiddy play land, an enormous reception/lobby area, bellboys, an excellent restaraunt breakfast and supper buffets that would knock your socks off), super friendly staff. It has been a pleasure too stay here.

`And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.` Matthew 21:12 KJV

We met some `salesmen` whom I believe Jesus would have `overthrown` yesterday. Pushy. Loud. Sure you needed what they had to sell. Wanting very much of our American dollars.

They weren`t in the temple area, in Bethlehem actually, but that verse came to life for me in that moment.

Today we are going to the Tomb, the Garden and the place of the Cross. Probably my most anticipated sites.

I don`t expect anything to be there, except people--lots of people, and I am sure a few gift shops.

What I mean is that while I expect to sense God in those places, His Son is not there. I see it like visiting the cemetary plot of a believing loved one.

It is a special place, it has special rocks, something of significance happened there--but the person you seek won`t be found there.

I don`t have to go to the Tomb, He has already chosen to meet with me this morning during my Bible and prayer time.

He has gone before me, behind me, beside me and in me throughout this trip, and my life, and I believe He will continue.

We will fly out this evening (Israel time) around 11:00pm. We will land in Newark around 3:30am (New York time) and in St Louis on Wednesday morning around 9:30am (St Louis time). Keep us in prayer as we will be going at a full pace today.

I have been so blessed to have met this new family of mine and am delighted at how well we have all gotten along, fellowshipped and experienced this amazing time together.

Today we went to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Moving to say the least. They also have a memorial for the 1.6 million children who lost their lives in the Holocaust--even more moving. The theme of the children`s museum is `Heaven Without Stars`, and their memorial has one candle lit by thousands of small mirrors.
We visited the Israel Museum and saw the Dead Sea Scrolls.
We also drove to Bethlehem for lunch and to see the Sheperd`s Fields.
It has poured a very cold rain all day and we are all chilled to the bone.
We have to have our bags packed and ready for loading on the bus by 7:40 tomorrow morning, as we will be visiting the last few sites, Calvary, parts of the Via Dolorosa and the Garden of Gethsemane before heading to the airport for our 12 1/2 hour flight home.
I have had the time of my life, have enjoyed every single minute and wouldn`t have changed anything about the trip--but I am also more than ready to head home!
Thanks for the prayers.
Continue to lift us up as we traverse the sea on our way to Newark and then to St Louis and then home.