Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Making the Most of It

In March of 2009, I went on a study tour of Israel.  It was a 10-day trip, 7 days on the ground, hiking "the best of the lands" and being taught scripture where it happened.  In March, and basically no other time of the year, Israel is green, lush and about 70 degrees--it was beautiful!

This one's not green, I know.  It's in En Gedi, where David hid from Saul.
Well, the weather was beautiful all but one day.  The first day we were in Jerusalem in rained... and rained... and rained.  But that didn't stop us (most of us).  I was soaked to the bone and shivering... and that was all that I could think about.

Not that I was in Jerusalem (the holy city!)...

Not that I should soak this up because I may never go to Jerusalem again (please let it not be so!)...

No, all I could think about was that I was cold and wet.  All I could think about was my own personal comfort and how much I wanted to get back on the bus, better yet, back to the hotel where it was warm and dry.  (Gosh, I'm so mature...)

As I end my last semester of college, this is the story that comes to mind.  And these are the things I'm wondering:

  • How much did I miss that day in Jerusalem, because my focus was off?  
  • Where is my focus now and am I missing anything because of that?
  • How can I make the most of the little time that I have?
With our rain gear on, touring the Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)

May you make the most of your day, friend!
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5 comments:

  1. MalloryMay 2, 2012 at 2:24 PM

    Soak it up Lauren! I've had the same thoughts many times. Take pictures. Journal. Laugh. Talk. Savor every second!!! I love you.

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  2. MalloryMay 2, 2012 at 2:24 PM

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  3. AndrewMay 3, 2012 at 7:49 AM

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  4. AndrewMay 3, 2012 at 7:51 AM

    I know exactly what you mean. I had lots of notes for every other place we went but i didnt take any that day because of the rain. I didnt want to lose what i already had so i kept it safe in my backpack. and now i can hardly remember which places exactly we went. I wonder how often we miss out on things just to "keep safe", ya know? I know we went to a pool that had just been discovered but i cant remember the related passage. God willing, i want to go back one day. After all, as the rabbis say, "Everyday in Jerusalem is a day of discovery". In that case, maybe we learned the lessons we were supposed to after all

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  5. mollyblueMay 3, 2012 at 8:57 AM

    Yeah, Andrew, I know what you mean. Like taking our shoes off before we jump in to the "mayim hayim".

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