EVERYBODY DANCE!

I just got done have a dance party with 4 other girls! It was wonderful! Definitely a bonding moment! We just went up to one of our rooms and turned on the music! It was so much fun! Very relaxing and therapeutic! I immediately felt better afterward. I only wish Jodi could have been there sweating next to me! I am studying, I have two tests tomorrow. just a short little update.

I love this picture.

This is when Travis and I went to see Les Miserables at The Rep in Little Rock! It was a great night! Before the play we went to this wonderful sushi restaurant called Sushi Cafe. Anyway, I know that is random, but this picture has been sitting on my desktop so I thought I would publish it! My hair was so long.

Home Sick

Well it has finally hit me...home sickness.

I definitely would love to be back in the states now.
I miss everyone painfully much.
I had a rough day yesterday, people are hard sometimes.
pray for me and everyone here. we are all getting a little testy with each other.

but I decided today that I am going to live in Nashville this summer, and not stay and take summer classes in Searcy. I could not even imagine looking back on the summer of Jodi's wedding and not being there. I know I will regret not being there, and nursing will always be there. I have to study but I just wanted to make a quick update. I hope everyone has been able to look at my pictures on facebook. there are a ton of albums!

The Simple Life

I wish I could freeze this moment in my life. I have finally found contentment in where I am in life So much so that I am scared of losing it all. I have realized just how wonderful the life I lead is, and it terrifies me to think so something happening to make it all disappear. This is where I know my faith in the Lord must step in and take control of my worries. It is so much easier said than done. This has been one of my constant struggles in life, learning how to truly hand it all over to God. I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, and sometimes it really bogs me down. I wish so many times that I could just stop my brain from thinking. I think that is part of the reason for meditation though. I think that is why it is so important! To give us time with God where we focus on only one thing, a word, a scripture, our requests, our thanksgivings, or even just a time to clear your mind all together ( I have not reached the point where I can do that). I think that the times in which Jesus disappeared for hours at a time, after he had been with big crowds, he went away to meditate and be with God. I think that part of the current generation and even the humanity as a whole has gotten so far from that we are extremely affected.

anyway.

This past week has been pretty uneventful. We just have been having school everyday except for Sunday, yes even on Saturday. I had two tests on Saturday. Not to shaby though one I made a 100 on one I did not...haha...it was one of those that you studied the study guide and then there was nothing on the test from the study guide. Those are my favorite personally. false. Oh well life goes on, and I have decided that I am not going to let school get in the way of my time here. It is not suppose to, and it is annoying when people freak out over their grades and think life is over if they make a not so good grade. I use to be one of those people so I understand, but then I realized when I am out of college and have a job, no one is going to care about my grades. In the whole scheme of life they are so trivial. I work hard, and do my best but that is all I can do. My grades have no holding on who I am as a person. Therefore, I do what I can and move on. So many people miss out on life because they are stressed about being the best at everything. What if people's outlook on life was not to be the best, but to enjoy life the most. I think the depression rate in America would go down. What if America like the Muslims had a whole month where they don't care about working, all they care about is fasting and praying. Glory. What if American Christians had a time in their life where they were not stressed by work and school? We would be a differnet scoiety. Their are so many aspect of Islam that I admire. Which I am sure some will be scared I said because Islam is viewed by so many Americans as the scary religion. In some ways it is because there are those very very few % of muslims that are extreme. 3/4ths of Muslims are Folk Muslims which means they beleive in the tradition of their religion most of all. This was told to me by a man named Kye Holton who is a professor at Harding, and lived in Mosimbque(not sure of the spelling) for 10 years where Islam is pretty much the only religion. Islam is a religion based upon discipline and dedication. Two things in which Christians struggle most with. Their is so much we could learn from them, and yet so many people's only goal with Muslims is to convert them. Sad. What if we both grew in our faith together? What if we actually took what Paul said to heart, "Go unto all the world and preach the Gospel, oif necessary use words." Brilliant words!!

Anways back to Life in Greece.
I love the life here it is so simple. It revolves around community. I feel more than ever I am apart of the church. I think this is so much like the Church. If someone needs something someone is there to give it to them, money, clothes, words of wisdom, prayers, and anything else. We are always ready to help each other. We are always around each other, which is too much at some points.
My favorite part of my day is when I go work out. It is the time I have to myself. We have a gym here that is a part of our house, the Artemis. It is really nice, and has a great sound system that you can plug your ipod up to. So while I am increasing my heart beat, and sweat is pouring down my face, I am able to listen to my favorite music! I also read during this time! It is the best of three worlds, exercising (which releases endorphenes that make me feel better), listening to music, and reading! Oh and TIME ALONE! It is so wonderful! I am about to go do that now! Woo Hoo!

Yesterday we went to Athens for church and a young man was baptized! He is from Ukraine and just moved to Greece without anyone. He plays basketball; therefore, he is extrememly tall, and could barely fit in the batizmal bath. haha. It was wonderful though. Everyone went up and kissed him afterwards. This church that we go to is very untied as a body of Christ. They all rejoice with each other, and bare each other's burdens when needed. It is a beautiful thing.

I was able to skype with travis last night. It has been a while. We had a great time talking with each other!
Also the night before I got to talk to Jodi for about 2 hours! Which was wonderful! We remembered the times when we ust to watch Funny Girl over and over again! haha great movie! Andy remembered Jodi and I talking about it one day this past semester, and recorded it for her! How wonderful he is to remember that! It was really sweet of him. We also talked about her wedding!! I can't believe I am not there. It makes me sad to think about. I feel like I am in a dream and I am going to wake up and it is all going to be over and I will have missed it all. SAD!

Also the other day I was having a lonely day, and I called Travis and was sad on the phone. But it was definitely one of those times like Freshman year when the freshmen call their parents and are so homesick. They get the parents all worried, but the minute they hang up something fun happens! That is what happened to me! After I got off the phone, even though I wanted to jsut retreat to my room, I made myself go into the den with everyone. I am so glad I did because the most ridiculous thing happened. I don't even know how it was all so fast. But I ended up in a boxing match with Ben and John. hahaha it was so funny! We were laughing so hard! It was a wonderful moment! Then we ended up dancing! and singing the Newsies and acting it out! hahaha! Man I wished someone had video taped it! At the end we were like what just happened! and how? It was wonderful! then we ended up watching the Newsies. This guys here are so fun. They remind me of Dale Binkley, the way he always made me laugh. He made me laugh more. man I miss that kid.

Oh yeah, the other day is felt as though I was in middle school again because I made an annoucement, and a group of people ridiculed me for it and poked fun at what I said. I was really taken back by how rude and mean it was. I was already emotional at that point, so I ended up losing it.Mary Beth was so kind though. I asked her if I could have a hug, and she jsut huged me for a while. Then she just rubbed the back of my neck for me. It was soothing, and what I needed. She is always understanding. I love her. The guys who were involved came up to me afterwards and apologized. They were sincere, and it was comforting to know they cared. But the girl involved never said anything. Typical of girls. Why are we so petty sometimes? What is it in us that makes us feel as though we have to prove ourselves to each other? We are strange creatures. haha.

anyway. Life is wonderful, it really is. I have found that I am so content with the simple life, it makes me never want to return to nursing school!! AH!!

OH ALSO! IMPORTANT READ THIS!
NEWS ALERT!
YESTERDAY! IN CARIO AT THE MARKET WE WENT TO....THERE WAS A BOMBING. AND KILLED ONE PERSON AND HURT 17 OTHERS.
HOW RIDICULOUS.
WE WERE JUST THERE.
AND YET NOTHING HAPPENED AT ALL DURING THE 12 DAYS.
PRAISE BE TO GOD.
I CANT BELEIVE IT.
SO KEEP PRAYING.

Peace in the Middle East.

I think I could write 100 different blogs on my trip to Israel and Egypt.
I only have 10 minutes right now to blog, so I just wanted to say that I am back in Greece! and we are in full force classes! So I am really busy...which means the 2000 pictures I took will take a long time to edit and put up! but I will try to have some up by the end of this week!

If there was one thing I hope everyone does before they die, it is GO TO ISRAEL! It is by far the most amazing place I have ever been in my life thus far. And I would not be surprised if it stays the most amazing place for the rest of my life.

For right now I will tell you my favorite part of the trip and then my least favorite part of the trip.

My favorite part of the trip was all the times I interacted with the people in Israel. Of course I loved all the places we went except for a few, but the part that made the most impact on my life was when I talked to God's people. First, we had a tour guide that was a Christian, and had been touring through Israel for almost 20 years. He knew everything there is to know about the Holy Land. He can speak 5 languages, and read 8. He is one of the most intelligent men I have known. One night in Jerusalem, at our hotel, we were eating dinner and a few of my friends and I saw that Walid, the tour guide, was sitting by himself. We decided to go over and sit with him. One of the best decisions I made on that trip. That conversation was so enlightening. Walid talked about how ignorant Americans are. He said I know more about your country than most Americans know. He also talked about how the downfall of the American economy and how it is effecting everypart of the world. He said he prays that the economy does not crash because the whole world would suffer. I had never thought about how much the American Economy effects the rest of the world. He talked about how everyone drives huge SUVs in America, and in Israel that is unheard of. Then he talked about Gaza....but i have to go....so...
TO BE CONTINUED.................

alright and now to finish the story...
So Walid started to talk about the war in Gaza, and when he ended we all just sat there not knowing what to say because we were all take back. Walid told us how he watches the ARabic news and how they don't censor anything and they showed 2 year olds with bullets in their chest. He also told us about how 500 children had been killed because an missile from one of the air strikes landed on a preschool. He talked about how the people in Gaza have absolutely nothing. There are no jobs, and the people are literally stuck there. They can not leave. Basically they are trapped. It was the saddest thing I have heard in a very long time. He was like those are my people. Those are the people of my country, but people don't see that we are all the same.

The world over there is a completely different place.
But where I was I was never scared, or anything close. I felt completely at home. I loved Israel. I wish I had time to write more about my adventures...there are just so many and I kept a journal of everything while I was over there, and I wrote a lot so I am sort of tired of journaling.

But my least favorite thing, or the part that I was most disappointed in was how much influence the Catholic Church, well at that time it was the Bestinines, have on the Holy Land sites. At almost every site there was a church built ontop of the site. It was disappointing. My favorite places were the Sea of Galilee, The Garden Tomb, The Mount of the Beatitudes (where scholars say Jesus would have given the sermon not where the church is), Mount Arabel when we climbed around in the caves, En Gedi where King Solomon took his lover and wrote about in Song of Songs and where David hid from Saul in the cave and then cut a piece of Saul's cloak off, and the Dead Sea.

I loved those places.

Israel is such an amazing country with warm welcoming people. I cannot say enough about how kind the people were. There was not one person I ran into or talked to that was not beyond kind.

I have uploaded pictures on facebook...I have to many to put on here. So look on facebook I have about 5 albums so far and I am only halfway done.

The land of the Milk and Honey

Northern Israel truly is the land of the milk and honey. It is beautiful! I never would have thought this is what Israel would look like, but that is because of where we are. In southern Israel is gets very very dry.

It is strange whenever I enter a new country, I always anticipate walking off the airplane and walking into a new place that looks completely different. But there before me, in a land so far away from where I call home, is a place that does not look far from what I already know. Even the people are centered around the same things in airports. Their hearts are waiting for someone, some friend, some family member, some lover returning from being away. We all are really not all that different. At the core of each person's soul is the true need to show love and to show love to others. We are all searching through life through life looking for a way to make us feel connected either with the world or the people in it. Sometimes people are so desperate to find that connection they turn to things that only pull them farther away from any sort of peace and comfort. We find things in this world that give us false sense of securities; wealth, power, the comfort of our own country in our own home. Those things are the very things that Jesus warns us about. He tells us to find hope in Him. To find life in Him. So in the end all these ways we try to connect to God and his earth ultimately put us all at the same place. In some sense and some time, are we not all trying to find our place in this vast and intimidating world? Whether we are standing at the arrival gate in Israel wearing Vans and Polo shirt (which a girl was wearing), or if we are standing in America wearing a Vans shirt and Polo shoes, we were all created to have the same core. The same creator made each and everyone of us in HIS image. Therefore, at our core, at everyones core lies the spirit of Christ, no matter if you deny Him or not, he is still within you. Can you ever escape God? never.

Sorry a little side note there.

Israel is wonderful. Our hotel that we are staying at also is housing 110 Christians from Nigeria. They are on their pilgrimage. Like Muslims who make their way to Mecca. These Christians made their pilgrimage to here, Israel to walk where Jesus walked. A young preacher brought 110 fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to be where Christ once was in flesh. and here I sit surrounded somehow, in the same hotel, by 110 other brothers and sisters in Christ. It is funny how God works. We are all searching for the same thing are we not?
It is surreal to be here.
to be literally in the city where Jesus was raised. Jesus of Nazareth.

Oh man I almost forgot a great story.
two actually.
one: we were at the oldest amphitheater in Israel. We were listening to our guide talk, and then we decided to sing a few songs. So we started singing some songs. And then off in the distance we heard a faint sound of singing. Once we finished our song we realized that the group that was sitting on the steps in the theater was singing Here I am to worship. So then we joined in and sang with them. They had brought along a guitar. It was a great moment.

two. When we went to mount Carmel, after we came down there was a small chapel and Mr. Tim asked if we could sing some in it. Glory be. It was astoundingly beautiful. The last song we sang was the greatest commandments. I have not been moved like that in a while. It was beautiful. I couldn't hold back the tears. It was a great moment on the top of Mount Carmel where Elijah once stood.

Other than that we went to the Mountain in Nazareth where the people took Jesus up to and threatened to throw him off it. Then we went down into the city of Nazareth and had lunch. Then we went to this village that was built to look like the Nazareth of Jesus' time. It was interesting, but a little VBS style.

Our guide is so knowledgeable. I am pretty sure he knows every thing there is to know about every important site in the Holy Land.

Tomorrow is a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

I am off to bed! I love you so so so so so so so so so so much! keep praying. Ill be in touch soon! I love you.

Our Trip!

I don't have time to write everything out we are doing everyday, but I will just write the key places.

Feb. 4 (arrive in the Tel Aviv airport at 4:00am)
-Caesarea ( Paul was taken Prisoner here)
-Mt. Carmel(where Elijah had the fire battle with Baal and God)
-Nazareth
-Tiberias

Feb. 5
-boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
-Capernaum
-Cana(visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed His first miracle)
-Magdala(Mary Magdala was from here)
-Mount of Beatitudes

Feb. 6
-Caesarea Phillippi
-Jordan River(to the place tradition says Jesus was baptizied)
-Jericho(the oldest city in the world and yes the famous Jericho from the Bible)
-Mt of Temptation

Feb. 7 (Travis and Mine's 1 year anniversary)
-Israel Museum
-Mount Zion(visit tomb of David and the Upper room)
-Mount of Olives
-Palm Sunday Road
-Garden of Gethsemane
-Bethlehem

Feb. 8
-Western (Wailing) Wall
-Dome of the Rock
-Al-Aksa Mosque
-Pool of Bethesda (where the Angel would ruffle the waters to heal people)
-Church of Holy Sepulche(where Jesus was crucified, buried, and risen)
-Damascus
-Garden Tomb

Feb. 9
-Dead Sea
-Masada (the last Jewish resistance to the Romans)
-Essene enclave(where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls)
-Drive to Egypt

Feb. 10
-Free time to go the the beach at the Red Sea
-Bedouin Camp where we will have a camel ride in the desert, just before sunset.
-Dinner is traditional desert-type Bedouin supper-tea and pita bread with 'labane' and 'zatar'

Feb. 11
-Taba
-Mt. Sinai
-Greek-Orthodox Monastery
-Red Sea

Feb. 12
-Giza Pyramids(These are the most famous pyramids in the world and we get to go into them!)
also this year is the last touring season to go inside the pyramids, after this they are shutting them down!
-Sound and Light show on the Pyraminds!

Feb. 13
-Cairo Museum of Antiquities in the center of Cairo
-where Ramaeses II is mummified who is said to be the Pharo during Moses' time
-Lunch at a local village
-ride boats in an amusement parks
-and then that night we get to buy Egyptian dresses and go on a cruise for a folkloric show! we dance and eat!

Feb. 14
-Memphis (ancient Egyptian capital)
-Step pyramids at Saqqara (the first pyramids in the world)
-Mohamad Ali Mosque
-Coptic Cairo (the first Christian Churches)
-overnight train to Luxor

Feb. 15
-Temple of Luxor
-Temple of Karnak (which is world famous)
these places
-Luxor is a very famous city, there is very good shopping there and we get a while to shop!

Feb. 16
Leave for Athens!

That is a lot of our trip, obviously not all of it. but a summary of what we will be doing everyday!
I will be keeping a journal while I'm there and then I will write on the blog when I get back. I think I will have some internet access throughout the trip cause we are staying in five star hotels! so I will try to blog some! so keep checking it! I love you all!! Wish you all could go with me and experience along my side.
Pray for our safety and that no one gets sick!
I love you all!!!

Looking towards a trip that will inevitably change my life forever.

OK sorry I have not updated in a while. Things have been busy here...I don't really know why, but. anyway.

I'll start with last night. The 31. Well, that day we had the guy come from the Aristotle Travel company come and talk to us about our trip to Israel/Egypt. His name is Alex and he is traveling with us. Our flight leaves at 1:30 in the morning on wednesday morning, but we have to be at the airport at 11 tuesday night. It is going to be a long day Wednesday when we get to Israel. We were told that the man that is picking us up in Israel is known all over Israel and is very respected. He is like one of the most respected men in Israel. I don't know how we found him, but luckily we did. There are already a few things that we get because of him. One the place where we are eating breakfast after our plane lands usually does not open till 8, but he got it to where it is opening at 6:30 for us. Two we got really really nice hotels for the same price as cheap ones!! I think these hotels are going to be awesome! Then he went over what we are doing everday on our trip. I almost started crying because I am in awe of the places I am going to be seeing with my own eyes. We are going to the Jordan River, Mt. Siani, Mt. Zion, Garden of Gethsemene, Golgatha, Dead Sea, Bethlehem. Basically ALL OF THE HOLY LAND. oh and we are taking a boat on the sea of Galilee. I hope that the kids here take it seriously, and realize the magnitude of this trip. I really think that my life is going to be changed. Please, Please, Please pray for our safety. tell everyone you know to pray for us. I would not even be against yall praying at antioch for us.

This trip blows my mind. I never ever in my wildest dreams thought I would be going to these places. The exact places where Jesus was. Glory be. This is something that most people will never get to do. If there was any reason to come to Greece it is for this trip! It is unbelievable all we are doing on this trip. There is not one day where we have anytime where we are not doing anything. It is insane. We get to see a light show on the Pryamids! What now stone mountain!!! haha! anyways! pray pray pray!

ok so that night me meghan Jane Seth and Justin went to Markopolo, which is the next biggest town before Athens. We went to get dinner because we weren't having dinner that night at the villa. We went to this Pizza shop. Leave it to the Americans to be the only people in the only Pizza shop in town. plus it said PIZZA really big on the front. haha. we felt like tourists. and not only that, but the owner spoke no english whatsoever. and we speak no greek, brilliant. So he called his wife who I guess walked over from their house. She spoke some English, basically the only words she knew were cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and one. So we got a cheese, pepperoni, and bacon pizzas. They were absolutely fantastic though. It was scrumptious! Oh and on the way up to the restaurant we saw a movie theater that was showing TWLIGHT! Which the whole group that I went with that night was the group that is reading The twlight series over here! It was so funny! We all freaked out! the showing was not till 9:30, and the last bus back to Porto Rafti was at 8:45. So we called Tim. and amazingly he said he would come pick us up! But it was only 7 at5 the time. So first we went into this cute little shop across the street! and I bought Jodi a gift for her new apartment with Andy!!! It is really pretty! Then we went to a cafe and all got something to drink, some coffee and sodas. We sat in there for like an hour. It was so nice, we sat on couches. Then after that we just walked around the city, and found this really cute old church and behind it was a nunnery. There was actually a nun in a room praying. Then she peaked out and looked at us, a little creepy. Then we just wasted time. Then we went back to the theater, and bought our twlight tickets. We went in the theater and it was relaly cute. There was only one in the place, and it was an actual stage with a screen and old timey seating. Then the movie started. Oh dear goodness. I was very dissapointed. It was such a low budget film. and the acting of the supporting actors was dreadful! The filming looked like it was an 1980's T.V. show. maybe worse. and the guy who plays Jacob, are you serious. It got better towards the end, but I am seriously hoping they bring in a few more million for the next one. The scenes in the high school were just bad. Bella and Edward did good though. I relaly liked Edward, except of the scene at the lab table where he first smells bella. Oh dear goodness, he looks absolutely ridiculous. He looks like he is going to vomit. It was stupidly silly. And I thought it took to long for Bella and Edwards intense chemistry that you feel in the book to build in the movie. But overall I am glad I got to see it in Greece. Oh and during intermission it was already 11, and we had told Tim that the movie would be over at 11 because that is what the woman said at the gate. So we called him and he was already here, so he came in and watched the rest of the movie with us. He was not a fan. lol. If only you guys knew Tim. Just imagine a man who grew up in California (the Johnsons) and then spent two years in turkey then 5 in Greece, then more in Turkey, then 14 years in Russia, and is now back in Greece. Can you say does not understand American Teenagers....lol.
But anwsy, on the way out of the movie, I was just walking along by Meghan and then all of a sudden I ran into something and went flying....and I heard this loud breaking sound. It was my sister's present. It is smashed Jodi. It is broken to pieces!! It was so great! I might go buy another one though. I was so sad.

moving on to today.

Today we went to Athens for church, then we walked to the National Archealogical Museum. It was very interesting, but we had a guide that we had to stay with the whole time and it was very hard to really appreciate the museum because there was 50 people all in one place trying to take pictures of the same thing. I hate big groups like that!!!! So frustrating. Most of the time I was on my own. We saw Agemenmnon's mask that he was buried in, which was amazing. Then after that there was a large group of us that was going to the Soccer game tonight! So we got to stay in Athens for 4 hours before the game.
So we walked all the way to the placa, and walked around some. I bought a dress that I talked the lady down from 39 euros to 17! It is really cute! and I bought some stuff for people.... lets see I think that is all...But then!!!!

We got to go the the 2004 Olympic Stadium for the soccer game. and can I just say no sporting event even begins to compare to a european soccer game. The stadium was packed. It was the number one team (the Olympicacos) against to the fourth team (A.E.K.) pronounces IKE. I do not even know how to desribe this. First there is chanting! I dont just mean like GO TEAM GO! I mean like songs that thousands of people are singing. and I think they are pretty bad songs. Second they throw smoke bombs the whole time, and flares! and they also had these granades that would go off. All harmless stuff but ridiculous! There were red flares that the crazy fans in this one huge seating area would hold up. Oh and there were no Olympiacos fans. ZERO! We were told by the Greeks that if you wore their colors you would get beaten up. It was A.E.K.'s home field. The game was good. A.E.K. lost but the score was 1 to 0. So they didn't get destroyed. The game was a night to remember. Alot of the time me and Mary Beth just would start yelling and throwing our hands up when the Greeks did, cause we had no idea what they were saying. The game was a blast, and it was awesome to be in that Stadium.

That is all though.
I met Dr. Hopper. Who is the man who runs all the international programs. He came to visit for a few days. He is such an awesome man. I truly think he is one of my favorite people. He talked one Sunday morning, and I loved what he said. I was able to go to dinner with him and three other students. We went to this really nice place on the sea. It was so nice and beautiful!! He was so much fun!

Life here is great. Something that Dr. Hopper talked about was his trip to India. He said he never before realized how much of a minority he was. He is a white, American, healthy, wealthy, Christian man. He said there was never a place that made him realize how small and how blessed he really was. That really made me stop and think about what a blessed life I lead. It brings me to tears even. I just think why me? Why was I so lucky to live this life? By chance? and if not by chance, what does that say to the kids who are born into the slums of Mumbi? If there is anything that makes me stumble in my faith it is that. The fact that there are Christians living in 3 million dollar houses, when 3 million children in Mumbi alone don't even have a house. How does that make sense? How do we allow this to happen? Jesus himself told us that we are capable of doing greater things than he has done. and yet all we American Christians are doing are sitting in our million dollar homes. I don't know the answer. I have no idea what as Christians we are called to do, but I think it is something besides just praying and giving money.

But anyway. In two days I leave to walk to same roads that The Son of God walked himself. It is humbling. It puts me at this place where it makes me think about how so many people have lived and died before me. It is overwhelming to think of the entire world. glory.

I love you all so very much! I can't wait to be back in the States with everyone, but I am enjoying myself so very much here! Pray for our safety!