Leaving on a jet plane.

We have been prepping for our #1 bucket list destination for the last year.

My husband has rented movies,
and shared news articles.

I have read numerous books and
studied every aspect of some of the places.

We chose a tour.
It has been a long time.
This group does not do dinner, and arrives at lunch places.
so we researched places to eat along the way.

You have read about me packing and repacking.

It has been over twenty years since we traveled out of country.
To put that in perspective.
In the last five years of my husbands service
we traveled to twenty countries for
periods of time from two weeks to two years.

My PTSD snuck in a number of times when packing.
Hey, don't you choose between a set of shoes
and a first aide kit?
And everyone has one piece of their bag that they can pull and
be OK with for at least ten days
right?

My sister is here. My husband's brother will meet us there.

Traveling BACK to the Middle East
after how we left
is going to be exciting,
thrilling, enlightening and
hopefully
healing.

Learn some Hebrew!
Shalom!

Ready?

Obsession can be a very bad thing.
Finding yourself awake at 3 am,
wondering if everything will go smoothly,
not the best thing for trying to change time zones.

Will I remember anything that I have read
or learned
in the last six months?

Then I relax at Mass
hearing the worship and praise
from the lips of those around me.
The Gospel proclaimed about the desert.
Telling myself to just soak it in.
Hoping to be able to put so much in context in the future.

Lately I have been thinking of Jesus' age when He traveled
in the areas we will see.
He was younger then either of our own children
when He gave up His life for me
 and you
and anyone who chooses to have their sins atoned for.

I mean, He was a kid.
He couch (mat) surfed at Peter's house.
He walked the road from Egypt to Damascus-
along the lake
along the river
in sandals.
I can hear Mary now,
"Jesus, you really should keep your feet clean.
People will listen to a Rabbi with clean feet."
Or Peter's wife,
"OK Jesus, you can unroll the mat over there
and the baby will probably cuddle up with you
while you sleep."

Thinking of Him, Humanity running into the Godhead.
My faith has always been a part of my life
The journey has not always been clear
I have no expectation
and yet