October 27,2009

It was so beautiful today going to the northern part of Israel to Tel Dan and to Banyas falls. I have always loved hiking and so making a whole day of just hiking was incredible...I can have the quietest most intimate moments in nature with God. Although we were always on the move hiking through the two different National Parks, I still took time to walk on my own through the woods enjoying God's wonderful creation. In Tel Dan we walked along the Dan river. Saw the beautiful country side...walked to an excavation sight that was the temple that was erected when the kingdom was split. There were multiple areas on the trail where river bed rocks paved our way, and trees formed a tunnel guiding us. The beauty was incredible...listening to the wonderful noises that are made in the Tel Dan wilderness.

Later after Tel Dan we went to Banyas falls. That was another beautiful long hike to the beautiful Banyas falls on the banyas river. The breathtaking views up on cliffs looking down the valley where the falls was spectacular. This whole trip i have admired God's wonderful creation...and have enjoyed the people I am with.  Today was very different from any  other day here in Israel. Of course we have gone hiking before, but it was really a nature filled day. We did do some learning about the Druze and how they worshiped the god pan, we saw a temple built during the time the kingdom was split, and we learned that the head waters into the Jordan river is the Dan and Banyas Rivers. Today we got to experience a different wilderness besides the desert. A wilderness full of life and yet no distractions were keeping me from learning and seeking. Walking along the path I never knew what was going to be around the bend. What new sight I was going to see next...I was eager to follow the path and take in all the wonderful beauty that I saw. See things I have never seen before. The path we take in life should be the same as the path I took today. You will have moments where you are eager to go around the bend and see what is ahead, then you will have moments where you will wake a slow pace just taking everything all in, then other times, you just sit and listen to what is around you. It was really a great day up in northern Israel. I am so blessed to have gotten that opportunity today to be in the wilderness in northern Israel.