Hamat Taverna National Park- Israel

 

I just don't know where the months

 have gone since our return from 2022 Israel tour.

As I can, I will try to tell the story 

of the places we visited. 

This trip we were able to visit 

Hamat Taverna National Park in Tiberias.

We had been chased all day by rain and a storm 

and when we got out of the bus this beautiful rainbow

dipping into the Sea of Galilee greeted us.

There are hot springs located here 

and the word Hamat is Hebrew for hot.

Hamat was mentioned as early as the thirteenth century BCE

 by an Egyptian traveler as a "'tourist site."

In Joshua 19:35 it is mentioned as the southernmost 

fortified city of the tribe of Naphtali.

In the Roman period, the city of Tiberius 

was founded and swallowed up Hamat. 

Most of the city has yet to be excavated.

A covered building protects the remains of the synagogue

 near the southern wall of the city. The synagogues were built

 over the ruins of older sites. The first was built around 230 CE.

 Here is a piece of the mosaic from a later building in the third

 or fourth century CE. building.

During much of this time the synagogue here

was the seat of the Jewish Sanhedrin.

The intricate mosaics are beautiful.

Here is the southern panel with the Holy Ark depicted

 along with Jewish symbols such as two seven-branched candelabra, 

a shofar (ram's horn) and a lulav (palm frond).

The northern panel depicts 2 lions flanking nine inscriptions

 in Greek dedicated to the donors.

These floors are the earliest such floor ever found

 in a synagogue in Israel.

This synagogue was destroyed in an earthquake 

in the fifth century.

A third synagogue was built and lasted until the 8th century.

The hot steam baths were used by the Arabs and built in 1780

 and used until the 1940's. 

Our guide, Yossi, treated us to the sound 

of the "music from the baths"

 from the building of Hamam Suleiman

 when the hot springs were used for their medicinal purposes.

Worship into the Week- Assurance

 

Worship into the Week-

Faith is the Assurance- Hebrews 11:1-16

Assurance-we may say that word without stopping

to think about the definition. 

It is a promise, a positive declaration 

intended to give confidence.

We rest in this faith state because the Holy Spirit

 allows us to know that we are justified by faith.

Hebrews 11 is known as the BY FAITH chapter. 

So many testimonies of people of great faith 

who were trusting and yet hoping 

for the fulfillment of the promised one.

We know this is Jesus.

Jesus is the embodiment of the things hope for and not seen.

He is the conviction that the promise is TRUE.

Giving thanks to be living 

with such great HOPE fulfilled.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

vcy-graphics-only-august-2022

Worship into the Week Printable

worship-into-the-week-august-2022

Magazine cutouts

Colored pencils

Distress ink

Washi tape

Vintage stamp

40 Years of Grace and Blessings

 

 Today is our 40th Wedding Anniversary. 

Though we have been very blessed with home

 and hearth and experiences, 

it is family that is the real gift.

These ten #dengrandloves

 have been the icing on the cake.

Twenty legs and twenty arms 

and 100 fingers on the move-

ALL THE TIME.

The COUSINS.

So in honor of God's grace and goodness, 

I am sharing some snapshots in time

 of our family together for Summer 2022.

Snuggles, hugs, dining 

and dancing and singing.

Hellos and goodbyes.

Fun feasts, lots of wrestling, 

sunscreen and ice cream.

Matching swimwear, mama hugs,

 turtles and eating at the picnic table.

Upside down,  book chilling, 

family meeting and pool escapades.

The littlest sweetie steals the show-

 bow and all.

Quite the production to cross the street

 with littles and gear each day.

Certainly stopped the traffic.

Game night, sand time, 

and chill time.

Sticky fingers and funny faces.

Boy zone, the great divide, 

hungry troops and games on the beach.

Grab them while we can...

Wonderful Sand days... just the best. 

The crew of joy and love.

God is Good and Faithful.

We are very grateful.

Belonging

 

Belonging.

My friend, Michele, brought me this lovely

 little painting this week.

 We gathered for some Creative Haven time together.

Diane was here from Florida

 and joined Michele and I.

It was a book making day.

Using salvaged old book fronts 

and wallpaper we created junk journals.

We made signatures and then added them

 in with elastic cording.

Doodads, fibers and dangles finish them up.

Visual Faith team member Eve joined me

 on another day this week for studio time.

As I thought about this week and what happens

 when we are together,

I am so thankful that without 

saying a word- we know.

We belong here.

This Creative mission that is centered

 in pointing people to Jesus unites us.

The story of who we are

 and who we belong to-Jesus-

 is at the center of our community 

at Visual Faith® Ministry.

A prayer time echoed with grace

as we prayed for the health of a team member.

Vintage Grace Studio was named 

years and years ago.

But, it has certainly grown into the place of being...

the place of belonging.

And the door is always open for more friends. 

As we learn and share about these possibilities

 of inviting others in,

may the Lord bless every invitation.

Worship into the Week- Rich Toward God

 

Worship into the Week-

Luke 12:13-21-The Parable of the Rich Fool

"Be on your guard against all covetouseness, 

for one's life does not consist

 in the abundance of his possessions."

Covet- a word we don't use or 

talk much about in these days.

-to wish for earnestly-

-to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately-

-to want to have something very much,

especially something that belongs to someone else-

 The story of the parable of the Rich Fool 

ends with wise words for all of us.

"Fool! This night your souls is required of you

 and the things you have prepared, 

whose will they be? 

So is the one who lays up treasure 

for himself and is not rich toward God."

Let us not be foolish and be wise.

The world says- relax, eat, drink and be merry.

Store up goods for many years.

The Lord says- See ME. Be Rich Toward ME. 

Scripture Doodles- July 2022

 

Scripture Doodles- July 2022

One square a day.

A Take-away phrase.

 With gathered prayers for the month.

Keep word for the month- FULLY.

Supplies:

Monthly calendar- Concordia Publishing

4 colored pencils

Finepoint Sharpie

Devotion-

Streams in the Desert- L.B. Cowman

Family Matters

 

We were in Indiana in June for a special event 

so got to spend some time 

with the Graft side of the family.

Just getting to the story of that family time.

First and second cousins.

 One Big and a bunch of mediums.

Boys rule here.

There was lots of hugs and snuggles.

Some pretty flowers at my sister Teresa's house.

I love the tender way my brother,

 Kim, holds his grandgirl.

Can never get enough of a really cool car.

Moms and dads had some time to visit and chill.

The siblings made it to the raft.

A fun afternoon in the sun with water and sand.

All the cousins had a grand time together.
All the parents decided
to make this gathering a priority.

                             The next generation and the next.

 It is so much fun to see them together.

May the Lord bless them all and keep

 them safe and healthy as they find their

callings in God's Kingdom.