Calendar Journaling- February 2026

 Calendar Journaling - February 2026

The journey continues with Streams in the Desert.

Interesting phrases and connections this month.

Adding the Word Log again this month.

Working to keep up with the Bible reading.

Has been a good thing to just read through the Gospels.

Thankful for seeing the weaving of the words 

this month.

Four colored pencils and a Micron pen.

Thank you for the days and the ways

 to settle in for a valuable take away-

 to remember.

Bethel

 

The place for Biblical Bethel is generally connected 

to the modern Palestinian village of Beitin.

It is in the West Bank 

and about 10-12 miles north of Jerusalem.

It is in the hill country of Samaria. 

It is near the ancient Canaanite city of Ai

 and sits on a ridge.

It was a rainy day in Israel 

for our stop at Bethel this year- 

our first in 9 trips to the Holy Land.

There are connections

 to a number of Biblical stories here. 

Jacob's dream- Genesis 28:10-22.

When he was running from Esau,

he was at Bethel and had a dream of 

a stairway or ladder resting on earth 

and reaching to heaven.

In the dream, God promised Jacob the land,

many descendants and protection.

In order to set the place apart, Jacob

 named the place Bethel- "house of God."

A flat stone area is in the highest place.

We listened to our guide, Yossi, talk 

about the significance of the place.

We couldn't see very far out 

with the dense fog and reduced visibility.

Not much to see as we tried to

 imagine a stairway to heaven.

We were cold, wet and a bit miserable. 

Yossi asked John to say a prayer in this spot.

Shortly into the prayer, I opened my eyes.

And stared....

The fog had lifted. The sky opened up.

The clouds parted and there was the sun.

The hair on my arms stood up.

I had no words and couldn't move.

                                                                                                                          Photo by Corey Brooks

Pastor Corey Brooks managed 

to take a photo of the moment.

The rest of us just stood 

and stared and shook our heads.

This site is also connected to the story 

of Jeroboam and the idolatry of golden calves.

We had visited the Dan high place earlier on this trip.

Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom

-(c931-911 BC) established a rival cult center 

in Bethel ( and Dan) to prevent his subjects

 from worshipping in Jerusalem. 

He wanted to retain control over them

 and feared a return to the line of David.

Good things did not happen here

 at this site in the eyes of the Lord.

This map helps to give some perspective

 for the locations for these places.

Sometimes it is hard to picture the events

 at these sites and

 think through the Biblical stories for a

piece of ground on earth.

Thousands of years ago.

But, after the experience I had at Bethel,

I will remember the silence, 

the beauty and the feeling of sacred

when the light broke through from heaven.

A divine personal encounter.

 

Emmaus- Nicopolis

Church of the Breaking of the Bread.

A 1500 year old Byzantine cathedral is the remnant of

the ancient building in Nicopolis.

Emmaus, also known as Hazmat or Nicopolis, 

was a large city from the 

Hellenistic period through the Byzantine period.

This site is on the main road from the plains road 

to Jerusalem and is near Latrun.

We have visited a number of possible locations

 for the Biblical site of the Luke 24 story 

after the Resurrection.

This one is located 19 miles from Jerusalem,

 so it differs from the seven miles out of Jerusalem text.

This Emmaus- Nicopolis site is also found on the floor

 of the 6th century Madaba map in Jordan. 

The map states- Nikopolis, 

which is the Greek name for the city.

 Nothing changes in the story of the Risen Lord 

and the conversation with Cleopas, 

if we don't know the exact location of the town of

Emmaus.

Biblical text is Luke 24:13-35

Poppies blooming in the fields.

A first century AD family tomb in the area.

Some art from collections around the world are at the site

 depicting the time with Jesus after the Resurrection.

These photos help to visualize the meeting 

that took place after the Resurrection of Jesus.

A new Emmaus trail is from Abu Ghosh to Nicopolis.

 This trail allows people to walk the 12.5 miles

 as pilgrims "walking in the footsteps of Jesus."

We have been to the Abu Ghosh "site"

  of Emmaus and there is very little

 archeological evidence there.

So we continue to seek out the possible sites of Emmaus.

Yet, we know this is a real story,

 no matter where the precise location is situated.

Worship into the Week- Dust to Dust

 Genesis 3:1-21

The Fall of Man

The story of man is outlined here with:

  the temptation, the fall,

the consequences, the judgment and curses,

the Gospel promise and mercy.

Everything else in the world works from this scenario.

Despite all of the shame of the story

 and the outcome bringing 

challenge for our time on earth,

 there is the offered hope of a plan.

There will be the ultimate crushing defeat of Satan.

Christ is the victor and our redemption has been won.

But, we are reminded that the dust 

that we are made of, is the dust to which we return.

We see the broken nature that runs rampant in our world. 

We feel the separation from God and the challenge

 of our broken relationships.

We understand the boundaries of our world

 that include the hard struggles in our labors.

But, woven into this drama is the grace thread

 from the God of love.

Oh, how thankful we are that this story has the 

Good News of Jesus for each of us.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

vcy-graphics-only-february-2026

Prismacolor pencils

Magazine cutouts

Levi is 10

 

Our big guy is 10 and on to the double digits.

Thumbs up!  It is gonna be a good thing!

And yup an Oriole fan.

Time for the boys to 

hang together on a fun outing.

May the Lord bless you. young man!!!

Keep reaching for the sky!

Guard and protect your body and your heart!

Amen.

Worship into the Week- Return

 Ash Wednesday   Joel 2:12–19

Return to the Lord

The call for an urgent, inward

 and community return to God 

comes during a really difficult time-

a plague.

God was demanding a real and true repentance-

"rend your hearts and not your garments".

Meaningless rituals are not 

what God wanted from His people.

 In response, God promises mercy and the restoration of 

blessings to the land.

Our God is gracious and compassionate 

when repentance is sincere.

God asks then to 

"turn...with all your heart, with fasting, 

with weeping, and with mourning."

God is looking at hearts and a real change and 

is not moved by big shows of piety 

or outward displays of goodness.

The abounding steadfast love of God is what 

allows me to return time and again.

May I make a heartfelt reversal 

from the ways of distraction

 to a focus only on Jesus.

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printable

vcy-graphics-only-february-2026

Magazine cutouts

Colored Pencils

   

 

Worship into the Week- Holy Ground

 

Worship into the Week-

Transfiguration Sunday

Old Testament Reading-Exodus 24:8-18 

Moses ascends the mountain

 into the cloud of God’s glory.

Epiphany ends on Transfiguration Sunday. We have been thinking about God's incarnation and now we center on revelation. This mountain is where heaven meets earth and humans encounter the divine. This section of Scripture  includes the Lord's directions to Moses and the ascent of Moses on the mountain. Then the glory of the Lord comes to the mountain, and Moses enters the cloud. Moses the mediator had a significant role as God's glory is manifested and they are given the law. It is Holy ground and they are entrusted with this covenant relationship. After the covenant ceremony there are the instructions for the tabernacle. God shows that He demands obedience (giving of the Law) but He also wants to dwell (be with) His people. We have lost much of the awe of God, the sheer utter magnificence of our Creator. As I contemplate this story of the actual presence of God, may I have a renewed sense of a limitless God in all ways.  

Supplies:  Visual Church Year Printable, Magazine Cutouts, Colored pencils, Gel pens