ISRAEL TRAVEL TIPS (Part II)

If you do not have a camera –borrow one. You will probably take 100-300 photos Film is not too expensive – but bring at least 5 rolls with you. BUT...don't let the taking of photos become your main focus. Stop and consider where you are and what you are seeing. You may never get the chance again to actually be at that particular site.

Sleep on the airplane (both directions). Get some type of sleep aid. The plane is noisy. You will be excited…but…you really need to sleep.

If you think you might suffer from motion sickness –bring some Dramamine. You will be on boats, busses, planes etc… Some travel is bumpy. If you suffer from motion sickness be sure to sit towards the front of the bus, and avoid sitting over the wheels. I wear those wrist bands that are suppose to help prevent nausea - the really seem to help me. Also, I take a Dramamine at night before I sleep. Take one half of a pill in the morning before boarding the bus. A full dose during the day may make you drowsy. Be aware of possible allergies to any new medication you take. (You might want to try it out at home before you leave the country.)

I always carry Imodium with me – I have never needed it, but have given much of it away to those who did need it. REMEMBER—with Imodium – carry it WITH YOU at all times. It must be taken immediately. It does no good if it is on the bus or in a suitcase.

Pack ear plugs for the plane- and if you find out that your roommate snores!

Be flexible! Be on time. Most tours are jammed-packed from morning to evening. If an extra ten minutes is taken at several stops to collect stragglers, or in getting started – the group may be behind schedule and not able to visit all the sites that day!!

Sleep at night. If you are out late seeing the sights you will be too tired the next day to fully enjoy the sites. Get over the fact that a trip to the Holy Land is not a time for partying late at night. Get to bed early in order to be fresh to see the sites the next day....again....this may be the only time you will ever get to experience the Holy Land.

GOOD WALKING shoes. Wear shoes that you might wear hiking in the mountains. No sandals. No high heels. Good sturdy shoes or tennis shoes.

ONLY USE SUITCASES WITH WHEELS! You do not want to have to carry anything.

With over a dozen trips to Israel under my belt I have never felt afraid or in danger. One rule that I follow is this…stick to the tourist sites. I never go off alone to “see the sights” or to shop. Bad things can happened where the local people congregate i.e. a café at night.

Have a grand and glorious time!! You will never be the same after a trip to the Holy Land. Remember that you represent not only your home country, but the church as well. Do not be an “Ugly American.” Be sensitive to what you are wearing. Think about what is on the front of your tee-shirt. An American flag is great at home....but not in the Middle East. Also be sensitive about Christian messages on your shirt. Do not give some disgruntled person an excuse to confront you. (I did see one person wearing an American flag tee-shirt have a problem.)

“Never pass up a perfectly good bathroom.” You do not have control of when the bus will stop. You are a member of a group and your needs are not at the top of the list for the group. At every stop do use the facilities, whether you think you need to or not!

Last but not least. Stop each day and focus on the fact that you are in the land of the Bible. You are experiencing something that many people cannot/or will not. You have the money, the time, and the interest to be there. Your life will never be the same after you have experienced the sights, sounds and spirit of the Holy Land.

ISRAEL TRAVEL TIPS (Part I)

Lets take a little side trip away from the cities of the Holy Land to give some advice about travel to Israel. After a dozen trips to Israel I would like to share some suggestions to make your trip more enjoyable.

Bring wash cloths – Hotels do not have wash cloths/face cloths. I go to Wal Mart and purchase a pack of 15 washcloths for about $5 and take them with me – I use them and throw them away.

I bring x100 one dollar bills. You can always bring money home. Do not take anything larger than a $20 bill unless you know that there is an expensive item that you want to purchase. It is so much easier to deal with smaller bills. American money is accepted EVERYWHERE. You NEVER have to change into sheckles. If you want to exchange some money, NEVER exchange money at the hotel (the exchange rate is terrible.) I have never had any trouble using my credit card if I was shopping at a site where my tour guide took us. If you are out in town by yourself – you are on your own!!

I wear a ‘fanny pack’ to hold my cash and my passport. It is never off my body unless I am in my hotel room. To lose your passport is a major problem. Consider your passport the most important item that you have!!!

I use a backpack on the bus during the day to keep my things together, and to be able to carry my notebook and Bible, and of course all my purchases for the day. I can shop and yet have my hands free.

Carry a Bible, a pen and notebook…..but….take a “one pound” Bible, not a large “five pound” Bible.

You WILL NEED space in your suitcase to bring home souvenirs, books you have purchased, rocks you have collected, etc…. (I love to bring back rocks from Israel to give as gifts. People love to have a piece of the Holy Land. I bring old clothes and leave them behind in the hotel room to provide space in my suitcase going home. I even will go to the Goodwill or AmVets and spend $20 (a full wardrobe for me) for clothes that I will wear in Israel and leave there.

The food in Israel is wonderful – most people gain a few pounds on the trip. Do bring packaged cookies, granola bars, crackers, raisins, dry fruit, prunes (!!) etc… to eat in your room, and for lunch on the bus. By eating your own snacks at lunch you will save you $5-7 a day. Soft drinks in Israel usually are approx. $2.00. Water is very inexpensive.

Some of you will want to bring dry Prunes – this speaks for itself.

As with travel in any country that is not your own, drink only bottled water. (Would it amaze those of you who are in the USA to know that people who travel here get gastrointestinal upsets from drinking our water - they do!) I never drink water that is provided on the airplane unless it comes from a sealed bottle. If I can't open a bottle myself then I don't trust it. Bring one small bottle of water for your carry-on luggage. Do not bring a case of water in your suitcase, as some have done! Bottled water in Israel is purified, and inexpensive. Do stick to bottled water. Never drink water from a tap – or from an opened bottle at a food stand. Only, only, only drink from sealed bottles of water/drinks. Keep hydrated. (These are the same instructions that are given to people who travel from other nations that come to the USA!)

If you are on any medication be SURE to put all of it in your carry-on, in case your stored luggage gets lost.

I hope these are helpful. Part II on Monday.

WOMEN OF THE HOLY LAND - Quiz Answers

Abigail - Carmel, Hebron
Anna - Jerusalem, Temple Mount
Athaliah - Jerusalem, Temple Mount
Bathsheba - City of David, Jabel Arkyela, Jerusalem
Bernice and Drusilla - Caesarea Maratime
Daughter of Jaius - Capernaum
Daughters of Philip - Caesarea Maritime
Deborah, prophetess - Mt Tabor,
Deliah - Gaza, Valley of Sorek
Dorcas/Tabitha - Joppa
Elizabeth -En Karim
Hagar - Beer Lahai Roi, Beersheba, Kedesh, Paran
Hannah - Shiloh
Hulda - Hulda Gate, Jerusalem
Jezebel - Jezreel, Samaria
Mary and Martha - Abu Dis, Bethany, Bethphage
Miriam -Kadesh, Wilderness
Naomi -Bethlehem
Peter’s mother-in-law -Capernaum
Rahab - Jericho
Ruth - Bethlehem
Tabatha/Dorcas - Joppa
Widow with two mites - Temple Mount
Woman at the well - Samaria, Sychar
Woman caught in adultery - Jerusalem, Temple Mount
Woman with a hemorrhage - Capernaum

WOMEN OF THE HOLY LAND: Walk Where They Walked Qiuz

Geography of the Holy Land must be important to God because He mentions it so often. Can you identify the location associated with these women? Answers tomorrow.

Abigail
Anna
Athaliah
Bathsheba
Daughter of Jaius
Daughters of Philip
Deborah, prophetess
Deliah
Dorcas
Elizabeth
Hegar
Hannah
Hulda
Jezebel
Mary and Martha
Miriam
Naomi
Peter’s mother-in-law
Rahab
Ruth
Tabatha/Dorcas
Widow with two mites
Woman at the well
Woman caught in adultery
Woman with a hemorrhage


Note - if you have an interest in the women of the Holy Land be sure to see my other blogs: www.biblestudy4women.blogspot.com; www.biblestudy2women.blogspot.com.

Women in Scripture - Introduction Part II

Women were godly, like Hannah and Mary.

Women were evil, like Athaliah and Jezebel. Women led men astray. Solomon’s wives led to his downfall (study 1 Kings. 11:3-4). How the king lived and worshipped influenced the life of the people. The nation followed the example of the king – walking with God, or following idols. Wives had a great influence on the kings.

God often used behind-the-scenes women in the Scripture for important events. For example, Jehosheba saved the bloodline of David by hiding young King Joash after Athaliah had killed all of the males in the family and taken over the throne of Israel (study 2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22).

Unnamed or ‘hidden’ women often had important, if seemingly minor roles, such as the woman of 1 Kings 14:1-18 who gave the message of doom from the prophet back to her husband, King Jereboam. This prophecy foretold that the northern kingdom of Israel would fall and be no more. (Study this passage)

Most of the events of Scripture center around the male character because men were the leaders. We tend to focus on the lessons learned by the men, yet women were a big part of God’s plan. By studying Scripture we can learn that God loves women and does use them in His great works.

My prayer is that we will learn to appreciate the role that women have played in the plan of God through the ages. As we study the women of Scripture we can learn much of what God grants to us, and what God expects of us.

Women in Scripture-Introducation Part I

As we begin our study of the women of the Holy Land, remember:

So many woman! Many unnamed and unnoticed! Women are seen everywhere. Every mention of “the people, children of Israel, the congregation, the crowd, the multitude, town, cities,” etc…all include women and children. Where the men went, there were women. Where there were armies or navies, there were women. Women were witness and participants to all the events in the Holy Land.

People traveled and settled where there were three key ingredients: water, food and protection (security). Women bore the children, managed the household and took care of the men. Women supported men and were their ‘helpers.’ Women ‘complemented’ the men.

Water means life, and where there was water, there was civilization, and women, children and families (pools, wells, oasis, lakes, wells, etc.)

Wherever children are mentioned, there are women. Jesus blessed the children and healed the adults. Even the adults had mothers, sisters and other female friends and relatives who looked on in surprise and belief, and sometimes shame.

For almost every well known man there are women surrounding him as mother, wife, sisters and friends. Kings had hundreds of unnamed concubines. The enemies of Jesus and Israel, had wives and daughters. Some apostles probably had wives that followed Jesus.

What affected the men, affected their wives and families: wars, peace, punishments, plagues, and promises. As wars were waged, cities destroyed, peoples taken captive, women and children were displaced, killed, taken captive.

Warfare meant the making of widows.

Women were plunder and the spoils of war(2 Chron 28:8).

The Holman Bible Dictionary states,“From the ancient world until now, society stands or falls according to its infrastructure, that is, the family, over which the wife and mother is to preside.” (Holman Bible Dictionary, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville: 1998. pg 1679.)

(Part II tomorrow)

Is God still in Israel?

As I was studying this morning I came across several interesting verses. As we prepare to study the Holy Land, and some prepare to visit the Holy Land, think about its importance.

Look these up verses (Be sure not to use a paraphrase version, but a "real Bible” such as KJ, NKJ, NAS, NIV) :

Ps. 132: 13-14; 1 Kings 9:3; 2 Chron. 7: 14-18. Now ask, "Is the Presence of God still in Jerusalem at the Temple Mount?" Think about that as you visit!! :)

Introductory Remarks-the land

One of the main themes of this blog will be the land of Israel. I have a heart to encourage women to travel to the Holy Land and to have their lives changed forever. I believe that God wants his children to travel to Israel. The poem that follows is an overview of the experience of travel to the Holy Land:

The book “Women of the Holy Land: Walk Where They Walked” is dedicated to my friend and pastor, Dr. Tony Crisp of Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church. A man whose love of the Holy Land is infectious to all.

We have traveled the Holy Land together many times.
In heat and cold, sun and rain.
Even in the snow!
We have traveled by plane, bus, boat, foot.
Even by camel!
We have been from Dan to Beersheba,
from the blue Mediterranean, to the red clay of Petra.
From the bunkers cut in the Golan,
to a tomb cut in Mt. Moriah.
From the Temple Mount, to the top of Masada.
From Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee,
to Engedi on the shores of the Dead Sea.
From Bethlehem where it all began,
to Megiddo, where it will all end.
From the Eastern Gate, to the Western Wall.
From where the waters of Mt. Hermon join the Jordan River, to the Red Sea at Eilat.
From the horrors of the Holocaust Museum, to the quiet where baby Jesus was born.
We have explored the ruins of cities, synagogues, homes, prisons, steps, pools, theaters, stables, and even an ancient boat.

We are always amazed and in wonderment, as our lives are changed with each trip. We have been truly blessed!

(I have traveled to the Holy Land most often with TLC Holy Land Tours. If you are interested in a professional, and fairly priced trip, go to www.tlcholylandtours.com. If you might be interested in a trip with a theme of "Women of the Holy Land," mention that. Perhaps it might be arranged.)


Note - if you have an interest in the women of the Holy Land be sure to see my other blogs: www.biblestudy4women.blogspot.com; www.biblestudy2women.blogspot.com.