Parables, Rocks, and Ruins

Hi everyone! So, I realize that a blog post is LONG overdue...explanation: I don't get around to most of my personal journaling until late at night. Then I'm so tired that I just jot down key notes/scribblings (not even complete sentences) so that I won't forget the important things. And I never seem to get around to going back and fleshing them out enough for a blog post. Otherwise, I write excessively long, rambling impression reports (also late at night and after an 11 hour day in the field) that I do not get around to editing DOWN enough to post...

But anyways, enough of excuses. I will update you all...soon? But for now, I have a delightful little ancient rabbinic parable/metaphor that I wanted to share with you:

“For (just) as a little child who is afraid flees to his father, and the father, stretching out his hands, snatches him off the ground, and puts his arms around him by his breast, and the child clasps his hands around his father’s neck, and regains his breath after his fear, and rests at his father’s breast, the father, however, smiles at the confusion of his childish mind, likewise you too, Lord, stretch out your hands upon me as a child-loving father, and snatch me off the earth.” (Joseph and Asenth 12:8--from the 1st/early 2nd century AD).

Isn't that beautiful? I especially loved discovering this after seeing so many ancient ruins from this time period. Makes all those rocks and ruins (we've seen lots!)come so much more alive to see the personal element behind it.

Speaking of rocks and ruins, checkout my Facebook profile picture to see on a pillar at Beth-Shean, one of the most fantastically preserved Roman cities we've seen yet! (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151502746845093&set=a.10150266912530093.500550.591815092&type=3&theater)