The Situation in Israel Today

I was asked yesterday, how I felt about going to Israel in six weeks, when there are rockets in the air, everyday in Israel according to the current news.  It was a very valid question. Margaret and I had discussed this a few days earlier.   We agreed it would seem foolhardy to go if the Canadian Government warned against it. The Government of Canada has a travel tab on their web page where you can find their advisories.   Evidently Canadians have been ordered out of Gaza.  However, Nazareth, in the northeast of Israel, is about as far away as you can get, and still be in Israel, from the most troubled area.  I, maybe more so than Margaret, feel confident that we will be safe, and relatively out of harm's way.  An email early this morning from our Nazareth contact, Christine Farah, stated that Nazareth has not been affected 'physically' in anyway, and she assured us that 'life is going on as usual'.  For this, she, and we, are all thankful, and pray for a permanent peace, and not just a truce, or ceasefire. 

While not wanting to sound overly spiritual nor reckless, I receive strength from the fact that God is with us, wherever we are, and wherever we go. I know that does not mean that nothing bad will ever happen, it just means God will help us through it!   At Calvary Church, we have been telling the children at Ayr Kidz Bible Camp about this each morning this week, so I believe we had better live it!

Our Church Family

I get to pastor a very remarkable congregation!  Yesterday, during prayer & share the leader requested prayer for Margaret and I, that God would make the planning of my sabbatical 'fun'!   This was such a timely request.  Last Thursday evening, Margaret and I spent a couple of hours gazing into the computer monitor trying to decide on our itinerary for our four days in the UK visiting my cousins whom I have not seen for about five years!  Trying to decide on timings, rendezvous, accommodations, meals, and transportation for just this short pre'Serve Nazareth side trip, was as much fun as getting our teeth pulled!   After all the surfing from site to site, we went to bed, not having booked a single thing!  This week, now that our trip is under two months away, and now that we have been prayed for in this matter by a wonderful congregation, I hope to get something finalized.  


It always seems prudent to have an itinerary, as that helps you keep on track.  I think that trip planning is good, as then you can maximize your time, and hopefully save money also.  However, to be completely open about the matter, Margaret and I have tended to 'fly by the seat our pants' and be completely spontaneous.  It just seems more 'natural', to have a general idea of what and who we can visit, and endeavor to 'git 'er done', than trying to discern every possible eventuality and then feel like we are in a straitjacket, having to move along, to be in such and such a place, at such and such a time, regardless of what we might be presently enjoying!
Thanks church, for your prayers!  So very timely!