Heartstrings 24.0: A Day of Thanks

So today is Thanksgiving Day, eh? It's strange being a world away from friends and family that I normally celebrate this day with. I kind of miss the weather being cooler, baking the pumpkin pie, hearing people talk about their plans for the holiday (or even having people talk about Thanksgiving), the smell of turkey in the oven... and most importantly, football--specifically, the Cowboys.

Every year for as long as I can remember, my mom would put the turkey in the oven, I would get to "paint the turkey" every other hour (baste it with butter), make the stuffing (that I never ate), and we'd sit down and eat it as the game started. I would pile my plate full of turkey, mashed potatoes, and carrots/green beans and then chow down. Even though I'd be ridiculously stuffed, I'd shove a piece, or two, of pumpkin pie in my face. It was awe-some! Heck, last year I even had Thanksgiving by myself because I really just wanted to be able to relive a childhood moment and have turkey/eat pie and watch the Cowboys.

Tonight though, I will be heading to Cathy's, my British friend, to have pizza and play some games. I'm super thankful for that girl being in my life... she is a rare gem in life. Even though it's not the ideal way I planned to spend my first Thanksgiving abroad, I have to make the best of it.


I read this blog today after I originally published this post and immediately felt the need to post it because I have experienced this feeling before in my life.

"17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD;  I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

Many dear friends of mine are approaching the holidays in the midst of such a season. Divorce. Estrangement from children. Financial crisis. Physical suffering. Death of precious loved ones. One friend recounted leaving a church service at Thanksgiving because he just couldn't put up with everyone's thankful testimonies when so much was going wrong in his life. Thanksgiving became a catalyst for his crisis of faith. He's emerged from that season, praise God. But I heard him clearly. When you are hurting, American Thanksgiving in conservative Christian culture can be salt on an open wound."

A few years ago, I remember sitting with my mom and dad on Thanksgiving Day eating our first dinner without my little brother. We went to a watch the movie, Alexander, and then had Whataburger for thanksgiving dinner. It wasn't the typical way to celebrate the day and there was never a time in the day that we even spoke of thankfulness, but I don't think we were really feeling thankful in that moment. My brother was court-ordered to be in another place away from us during that season and even though we're anywhere near the close-knit perfect family, I know I felt incomplete. I was hurting for my brother who was 13 at the time and had to spend that day alone with a group of people he didn't know--away from us. I couldn't imagine the loneliness he must have been experiencing as we walked around freely. Looking back, I think we kept ourselves busy and out of the house that day so that we didn't have time to sit at home and think about how other families were together with each other, celebrating the blessings they had experienced that year. To put it lightly, that year was the hardest year for us as a family and I don't think there were many moments we could look back on and say, "I'm feeling so happy right now and I'm glad..."

So for all you out there that may be having one of those years... I understand completely. It's okay to feel that way. And just know that in time, the joy will come back to light... you will smile a genuine smile. And you will look back years from now and the pain won't be there the same way that it is now. He will take it away and replace it with joy... and that is something to be thankful for.

Heartstrings 23.0: forever changed

Day Three in Jordan was hands down the most spiritual journey I have ever walked in my lifetime. While I was there, it was a surreal feeling and something I knew would hit me like a ton of bricks later on when I was back in the UAE. Weeks later, I still can't believe I have been to these places. When I walk by a bottle of water that I filled up from the Jordan River, it sinks in that this is where Jesus was baptized... somewhere in that river.

Sometimes I just can't even fathom how this is my life right now...

Standing at Sea Level for the last time this afternoon

On the bus... this is the hill where Elijah ascended into heaven (2 Kings 2:8-11). So wish I had brought my Bible with me to read the scripture in this moment. iPhone Bible app does not work without the internet :/

One of the four old church's built between the 4th-6th century on St Elijah's Hill just above the river

My first view of the Jordan River... my first thought: "wow, this is smaller than I imagined it being."

This was a mosaic that depicted the baptism and the river before an earthquake changed the river's path. The site was not discovered until a peace treaty was signed with Israel in 1996 (well, the treaty was signed in '94). The site is still being excavated due to the landmines in the area. You have to stay on the path with the tour ground due to the uncertainty around the area still. It just opened up in 2011 for the public.

Couldn't help but just stand here in awe... There is more evidence that points to this being the site where Jesus was baptized as opposed to Israel... but either way, the actual site or not, it was an incredible experience to try to visualize the moment as I stood here. Couldn't help but feel a little emotional either... Little historical knowledge, Pilgrims as far back as 333 described visiting Bethany Beyond the Jordan. In 530 there was a marble pillar built here with an iron cross fastened on it.

the site of an old church built in the 6th century... later pilgrims referred to this as a small church that was said to have been built “on the place where the Lord’s clothes were placed."

Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist at Bethany Beyond the Jordan--heard this was built in 2003. It's right by the entrance to the Jordan River.

lookin' into Israel from across the Jordan River (it was literally RIGHT there!) And of course, this is where Israel says that Jesus was baptized--on the Israeli side (so at least I've got both checked off--just in case ;)

singing a little worship music alongside the riverside as people were getting baptized.

soaking the feet in the river... a little boy fell in here and one of the guys that was on the tour with us said, "that was the Holy Spirit baptizing him," lol

After we left Bethany Beyond the Jordan, we headed to the Dead Sea. The Sea is 1,388 ft below sea level and 1,237 ft deep... I couldn't believe it was that deep!

Superman style in the Dead Sea... which is so salty it looks like oil is floating around in the water. The Dead Sea is like 8 times saltier than the ocean... so imagine having an open cut or getting splashed in the eye (or a taste of it on accident like I did... it burned my lips!)

The locals say that this is the possible place of the Garden of Eden and Sodom and Gomorrah. I can see that. It's stunning.

30 kilometers south of this site is a "pillar" of salt... wonder who they believe that just might be?

After swimming for about an hour, a nice enough lunch, and having super soft skin... Sam informed us that he would take us up to Mount Nebo for free! I was stoked! Thanks Andrea for agreeing to go with! :)

The view from atop Mount Nebo where Moses looked into the Promised Land for the first time. It's 2680 feet above sea level.

If I remember correctly, an Italian artist made this staff-cross out of metal to honor Moses

view of Mount Nebo from the car on our way back to Amman to pay Laura at Discover Jordan for our tour

So in a picture nutshell, these are the wonders I was able to experience in my short time in Jordan. If I were to ever go back (this is a possibility, it's such a lovely country), I would go back to see Petra and see more of the Dead Sea area. 

This journey is something I hope I never forget. I came back home so excited about just being there and taking steps through the Bible that I couldn't help but come home and refresh my memories of the stories I couldn't remember or tell fully. 

For the first time I was finally able to somewhat wrap my head around where things happened in the Bible (the Old Testament especially). Looking at maps never helped it to sink in (I always had to go back to the map and look at it again... and again which always confused me more...) but after being in these places, I took one look at a Jordanian map and suddenly, things were clicking. I read a lot of scripture after that (especially Moses' journey out of Egypt and through this area) and I could finally picture the journey in my head.

It floors me that these men were able to do what they did over these terrains. They don't look too big until you start making your way up them. On the car ride up Nebo, I couldn't help but tell Andrea, if God told me to climb this mountain to see the Promised Land for the first time, I might have to skip out on that one. It's a killer... and no water anywhere around. I am in complete awe for how people lived so many years ago and the faith they learned to have in God to provide for them in such a desolate environment.

Heartstrings 22.0: magnificence and sunsets

To all my teacher friends back home I say this sincerely with a hint of jealousy attached... I hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving Break that started today!!! Can't believe it's already that time of year... must have something to do with the weather still being super sunny and warm here. A bunch of my friends here in the UAE are super stoked to be celebrating Thanksgiving together here. On Friday (weird, right?!?) although it will technically be Thursday back home. So we'll be celebrating on the same day! :)

I decided to just do a picture post today with some captions since my post yesterday was rather wordy.

Here is Day Two in the beautimus Jordan... Andrea and I got a wonderful surprise wake-up call from the hotel lobby saying that our driver, Sam, was waiting for us for our 7:30 pick up. We both had set our clocks back (as advised to us on the plane) but we were told that the King decided not to do daylight savings time this year and it was just recently announced... so yeah. Good thing we're both fast at getting ready.

We drove the few hours it took to get from Amman to Petra... and were very glad we decided to do this instead of taking a tour with loads of people.

Petra... is.... ah.... mazing! 

The greenery is from the rock that Moses struck twice when he was angry that the people asked him for water. God told him to speak to the water and he showed his anger. This was why he was told he would not take the people into the Promised Land. At the top of mountain in the bground is a temple dedicated to Aaron.

Brilliance... water system the people used to get water into the city from the river. They used clay moldings to transfer the water through the passageway.

remains of statue-art they had

The people had built a dam to keep the city from flooding when it rained.

There she is for the first time... The Treasury Building

Such a beautiful piece of architecture... still can't wrap my head around how they built this beauty.

Andrea and I standing in the opening outside of the Treasury... and a random older dude who wanted to be in our shot!

just look at all the detail they put into these columns WAY up at the top!

I just HAD to know what the city looked like from the top of these stairs. So upward we went!

And boy we were not disappointed... apparently those openings in the rock were tombs. We're still not convinced they were ALL tombs, right Andrea?!? :)

The Romans love to build a good theater when they take over places... and here is another one.

A donkey patiently waiting by the King's Tomb... which is MASSIVE. And which sadly, we did not get to explore since time was running short.

This street is as far as we got in Petra... there was still much more to explore, but we had to meet Sam back at the entrance to make it down to Wadi Rum in time for the sunset. I would easily spend 2-3 days in this area, for sure! There is so much to do and unfortunately, we did not have enough time to do it all.

One last look at The Treasury before we headed back to meet Sam. We had a decent lunch at a place Sam recommended (although we bailed on the check--on accident! We thought it was included in our tour... oops!)

The stones were laid down by the Romans when they were in Petra. They love a good road as well... parts of the original road were still in tact.

On the way to Wadi Rum (wadi means valley) we stopped to see this stunning view of Isaeal and the Dead Sea. It was later in the afternoon as you can see, so the clouds kind of take away the view a little. Freakin' widy as all get out up here on!

We left Petra and wondered down to Wadi Rum where we met Ali, a local. He gave us a tour of his home and shared stories... like the tree up there. His family many years ago found a spring where the tree is and used it to get water. They had to rock it up because camels would wonder up there to get water, but they couldn't make it down on their own without getting hurt. So they closed it off.

Such beautiful red sand... never seen anything like it. I so would have climbed to the top (shocking, right?!?) but Ali said we would stop to take a quick picture. Time was running short and there was still loads more to see!

I just love all the details! This was another place his ancient family members found with water.

there is water back there...

The people used to leave messages to each other on the walls to signal that they were there if they didn't catch who they needed to see while they were there. The inside walls were filled with things like this.

Ali led us up a small climb of the Small Arch

Andrea and I on the Small Arch at Wadi Rum

we left the Small Arch and drove through Wadi Rum passing these breathtaking cliffs. Don't think we spoke too much in the car as we admired the views.

Ali took us to a special spot where he likes to watch the sun setting over the desert. It was spectacular!

Ali telling us a story (can't remember what).

Me on a rock... wanted to get up higher to watch the sun set.

doing a little reading whilst I wait for the sun to go down over the desert.

there she goes over the mountains...

Ali served us Bedouin tea (that was super sweet--it was good though) and we talked to him for a good long while. He was a great guide and someone I would highly recommend going to visit if you're ever in the area!

We left Wadi Rum and headed back to Amman for the night. It took us 4 hours to get back and I slept most of the way... the next day, we were at it again.

TBC: Day Three... Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the Dead Sea, and Mount Nebo.