Simply A Good Day

I woke up this morning and my first thoughts were, "wow I'm so glad to be alive!" and "I'm content just to simply exist" :) Today has been such a simple Sabbath, I read books and went to the Garden Tomb, I enjoyed church tremendously and we had a lovely fireside. I am so grateful for a day of rest, I need them and love them so very much. Even though I don't have an action filled story to tell today I am as happy as ever. I'm pleased with where I've been, I'm loving where I am, and am really looking forward to where I'm headed.
  Here in Jerusalem I hear or see fireworks going off every day. I'm not entirely sure why they set them off so frequently, and initially I thought it was kind of anti-climatic. My perspective has changed recently however, because of the sweet and loving example of my kind roommate.
                     I want to be the kind of person that grins happily at every individual firework.

...56

Back from Jordan

     So its hard that some of the most exciting parts of my experience here aren't easily recorded on this blog. I had no idea how much of a luxury wifi is in other countries. I will never take internet for granted again. Well I will post pictures and stories from my field trips eventually, in the mean time I think it best that I don't fall behind in my promise to post every day. Today was the second day of my New Testament class and let me tell you I am SO excited for this class! I've been loving the Old Testament and I feel like I have a more solid foundation for other scriptures now, however to learn about the life of Christ is what drew me here in the first place and now I get to study it intensively. These next two weeks we're spending in the center and I'm excited to work really hard to learn every thing I possibly can in that time. After that we go to Galilee for about two weeks and then just a little over a week back in the center for finals and then I'm headed home. Wow, I can't decide if that's a forever long time or if its a terribly short time from now. Its good to be loving life where you are and yet looking forward to whats up next even more.
        Life is good.

...57

JORDAN!

I am now in a new country! I've only been to two other countries besides the US before today and its been really interesting to see the subtle differences between them. I CAN'T WAIT FOR PETRA TOMORROW! I've been looking forward to that one for some time now:D

...62

All the things you can think

So I should have been thinking about the contrasts of the first and second intifadas of Palestine while thoroughly exploring the effectiveness of the civil disobedience against the Israeli government verses the violent reactionary choices of the more recent Palestinian actions but, in truth...

all I could think about was him.

...62 days

THE CELLO!

I played the Cello! I would LOVE to learn to play someday.

...63

Enjoying the Streets of Jerusalem

Today was spent mostly studying and preparing for papers that are due soon ect. So I'll tell you about how awesome yesterday was. We had a free day to study, sooo of course we all went out and spent the day in the city. You see that doughnut? Yep that one that's as big as my head? It was delicious! Freshly made in this little Jewish bakery. "I do not regret doing that" ;)

Ok so that was one cool thing about our city adventures, but do you want to know the BEST part of walking the streets of Jerusalem? Look at the second picture, do you see the little ramps that connect between each set of stairs? Sliding down those slick limestone ramps is very nearly one of the most enjoyable activities I have ever experienced :D hehehe so you just walk down the street and make sure that you hit every slanted stone with solid footing and some traction-less sandals and you'll be sure to get your money's worth out of your trip to Jerusalem:D Its ALMOST as satifying as going out of your way to crunch every brittle leaf on the side walk, or better yet to shatter all the puddles of ice between the  Ricks building and the I-Center.

 Life is splendid :D 

...64

The Church of Mary Magdalene

...65