Birthday Suprise!!

So last Wed., the 20th was my Birthday. Yay, me. So on my birthday I went with 2 friends to Foccia's (?) for dinner. My mom told me to go, which means you're paying right mom? It was good but we ate in a hurry because there was a conference at congregation that night. But that was okay because I knew that the next night was my surprise party.

Now if it's a surprise party one might wonder as to how I knew about it. Well, you see that's a funny story. Mon I received a text message from my friend Bethany, but the problem was that it was not suppose to be sent to me. It was suppose to be sent to Alisha. And Bethany was asking about what they should do for my birthday. Well, later that day I met up with Bethany and her husband, Michael for lunch. Sometime during the conversation Bethany brings up my birthday and Michael says, " I thought you were going to keep it a surprise that you knew her birthday." Well, then she gets to tell Michael how she already spoiled that and we had a good laugh. But it was okay because then we were able to change it from on my birthday to the day after.

So Wed she tells me to be at her house at a certain time. I get there and Michael tells me to make myself comfortable because Alisha is stuck in traffic. So she finally gets there and we get in the car and I have to open up my present (which was a "blindfold") and put it on. Well, the "blindfold" turns out to be a scarf that is very see through. Anyways I get it on so it is blocking most. The car stops I actually don't know where I am and then I look up and can see the light through the scarf and I say "Oh it is Rob and Alisha's." So instead of them trying to lead me around stairs I walk myself and then just wait at the door for them. I walk in and they all yell Happy Birthday.

It was fun. We had pizza and talked. We eventually played "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and I got it perfect and we played some "Hangman". Both these games were because a friends daughter, Gabby, was getting bored with just talking. Then when it was her turn to pin the tail, they walked out the door. But it was great fun, just hanging out with friends.

This is the whole, well most of the gang. Bethany, Annalise, Cedrik, Me, Alisha, Elizabeth, Rebbecca, and Gabby in front. Michael was talking the picture and Rob and Adam were getting the Pizza.

This is me in my new pink scarf and birthday crown. I had been looking to see what Princess was on the balloons.

My Homemade German Chocolate Birthday Cake.

Me playing "Pin the Tail..."

Alisha leading "Hangman".

Snow Day!

Okay so the forecast started out for snow last Tue. But it kept changing and it soon looked like we weren't going to get any snow, yet people still said it was coming. Side note, I really wanted to see Jerusalem covered in snow. It snowed a week before I came out. So Mon night I was at a meeting and they started to pray against the snow. They had good reasons, it would interfere with their tour and such. So I leaned over to my friend and said, "If it snows I'm God's favorite and if it doesn't snow he's God's favorite." Life went on I went and did my watch. I was walking home at midnight (just across the street) and snowflakes were falling. I didn't think much of it because they weren't staying and I figured it would warm up coming morning. But I was very glad to see the flakes at least. I went to bed and out here they have these like blackout things to secure your windows from break ins. So I'm in bed and I get a phone call at 9am. Now for me that's early, when I get off at 12am. And it's my friend saying "It's snowing. When you wake up do you want to go take pics?" I said yes and then tried to go back to sleep but it was too hard.

So after I get up and moving Bethany and I walk down to the Old City to take pics. By now it's no longer snowing but raining and it's very slushy. I mean like 6ins of slush. But I still got my snow.

This is the view from outside my apartment.This is me jst before Jaffa Gate

Just a view of the city

I know it's hard to see, but there is some snow on the Dome of the Rock

This is just city wall.

To let you know why I wanted to see snow... I have seen pictures of Jerusalem covered in snow. It's happens aparently every couple of years. But seeing those pictures just seems so prophetic. I just think of the verse "And I shall wash their sins as white as snow". And that is what I see when Jerusalem in snowed on. See the old city white and clean. Seeing the Dome of the Rock covered in a blanket of snow. It just makes me hope for the day when they will know their salvation.

Worship was awesome tonight. I guess I just love worshipping in Hebrew. So this guy David Hertzog was in town, I'll share more about that later, but he was down in Bethlehem and a Arab there said something along this line that the Hebrew language is made to worship the Hebrew God. And I can't agree more.

So many things have happened and I will try to be better about blogging. Just so you know I am trying to make my blog not just about the spiritual things but also about some daily life things. So there is lots to share and I will try to write most of them to night and post them in the coming days. But I am getting tired, so we will see. And it all depends on how well I can upload my pics.

It's late, I;m tired. But I promise I will post an update either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Just so you know, things are good and I am now in my apartment.

Here or There

Well, I am back in Jerusalem. I arrived yesterday (Thursday) around 5:30pm. I have slept 17hrs and that's about it. But it was really nice to have Alisha meet me at the airport, I was very glad to finally see a familair face after 24ish hrs. So, I will let you know what is up when I know.