The better part

Since my two weeks in Israel qualifies me to be the ward expert on that topic, I was asked to speak at Enrichment about my trip. I just finished my unedited script of things I want to remember and/or talk about in my presentation on Saturday. It is an appalling 11 pages long (with an additional 3 pages of details I wanted to be prepared with). I compared it with Danielle’s notes (around 5 pages) to enhance mine. Our summaries were very different. Where I had stockpiled on interesting facts from Wikipedia, she had summarized with sweet, spiritual observations that literally brought tears to my eyes.

For example, I left out Nain and Pool of Bethesda because I was running out of time. Danielle wrote these short entries:

- Nain

o Small, poor farming village; just like it would have been in Jesus’s time

o Church run by a hovering woman with small children

o An act of real compassion

- Pool of Bethesda

o Always been one of my favorite stories

o Bring copy of the pic

o Man there; he was following a pagan tradition, but it was all he knew; Jesus healed him based on his faith

It makes me want to rewrite my script. No one will care if I can recall all the details of why The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered a more authentic place than The Garden Tomb (though I do know five, if you are interested). But they would certainly care if I can help them feel the spirit of Jesus healing a faith-filled pagan, which is something that will be meaningful every time they read that account or see the amazing Carl Bloch painting.

Also, I can't help but think about how I spent a lot of time on my trip making sure to get pictures taken of me with the Dome of the Rock and me with a camel, etc. But my sister, Suzy, sent me some pictures that she has taken, and I think they are a lot more meaningful than me looking like a dork on a camel. Here's one.