living seaside (even though its a lake)

On dig days, our evening ritual is to get something cold to drink and head down to the shore for a bit of "Seaside Philosophy" (I just made that term up...I'll have to share it with the group).  Mostly we just talk about whatever comes to mind and usually its just light-hearted but we have had a lot of fun.  Some nights the conversations turns serious, some night ridiculous, and some nights its just all laughs.  On occasion people want to go to the local pub or drive into Tiberius or something.  I have turned down those offers repeatedly because I just LOVE sitting by the lake at night and watching the moonrise.   It's not that I wouldn't enjoy the other options but I just feel incredibly at peace when sitting there and that is not a feeling I have had too often recently.

From where I sit on the pier at the kibbutz (where I'm staying) I can point in all different directions to so many different locations of biblical stories.  I think I could spend an indefinite amount of time here.   Each time I learn more about Bethsaida, or visit a new site, or talk about some bible story that I can now say "I've been there" I mourn the fact that I have to leave this place soon.  I hope that the passion for biblical study that being here is igniting within me is something that I can really keep on top of.  

It would be deceitful to say that this trip has been nothing but a great experience.  It has been hard as well.  I am processing a lot and there is no one here that actually knows what I'm trying to think through.  Standing on the Mount of Beatitudes and hearing the words "blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" is an experience I'll never forget.  On a lighter note, it has also been hard to be in a place of such signifiant biblical history and hear complaints about petty things.  When I was being rushed out of Caerea Philipi I was a bit frustrated when people were so relieved to leave and get back to the AC.  It does make me laugh at times though.  

I know this note is a bit scattered, I think that will be a common trait.  I am learning so much on a daily basis here that it is hard to have any brain power left to sit and write about it.  But I will continue to do so.  A lot of what I learn I feel would bore the socks off of most of you so I'll save that til I have you cornered at some coffee shop back in the states. :)