Category Archives: Memories

Israel Food Memory

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This month rather than post a recipe for the food I loved in
Israel, I chose to post a fun memory about food. Now, I’m fairly sure this is
not traditional Israeli food, but thanks to my grandsons, I’ll always connect
it to Israel.

When our oldest grandson was thirteen, we took him on a trip to Israel. He
quickly made friends with another thirteen-year-old boy on the trip.

When they went downstairs to breakfast at the hotel the first morning, they
discovered a favorite breakfast. Pancakes with chocolate syrup. Maple syrup was
available, but it was promptly ignored in favor of chocolate.

These two teenage boys went back for helping after helping. Sometimes it was
hard to see the pancake drowning in the syrup. In fact, they didn’t eat
pancakes with chocolate syrup, they ate chocolate syrup with pancakes.

A few years later, we took our second grandson to Israel. His favorite
breakfast — pancakes with chocolate syrup.

To both boys’ disappointment, when they got back home, Mom did not serve pancakes with chocolate syrup.

    Impressions of Israel – God is Great

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    One of my favorite things about travel in Israel is how it increases my understanding of the Bible, God’s Word.

    While in Caesarea, our guide taught us about the custom of cutting the hands and heads off statues belonging to a conquered people to symbolize “our god is bigger and stronger than your god.”

    Statues in Caesarea

    That evening, I read 1 Samuel 5 about what happened when the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant and put it in the temple of their god, Dagon. When the people entered the temple the following day, the statue of Dagon was lying face down in front of the ark. The people picked up their god and stood him back in his proper place of honor.

    When the Philistines arrived at the temple the following morning, Dagon lay on the floor, before the ark, with his hands and head were broken off.

    The ultimate “our God is bigger and stronger than your god.”

    When I’m struggling and fearful, this memory reminds me there is no reason to fear because my God is greater and stronger than any other god.

    First Arrival

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    Impressions from Israel

    It was 2005 when Roy and I traveled to Israel for the first time. Roy had a lot of experience traveling outside the United States, but international travel was a new experience for me. We traveled with a dance group from our daughter’s church. Jennifer was a member of the Israeli Celebration Dancers.

    I doubt it is unique to have some travel jitters. But I didn’t expect what happened when we landed in Tel Aviv.

    As the plane touched down the passengers clapped and cheered. Was it the joy of being back on land or the joy of being in Israel? I’m still not sure.

    Seats off kilter
    I can’t let go!

    Trouble attacked when it was time to leave the plane. I could not let go of the arms of my seat. Fear glued my hands in place. I refused to leave the plane until it returned to the United States.

    I was terrified I would embarrass myself or my country. Not sure why or how, but I was sure the embarrassment was real.

    Not even sure what that means.

    Jennifer and her friend gently pried my fingers from the arm of the seat, while Roy reassured me. They held my hands as they guided me off the plane. Roy walked close behind us. I think he was there to support me, but it might have been to keep me from running back to my seat. We were the last to leave.

    We returned to Israel three times since they helped me off the plane. All three times I felt like I was coming home.

    Now, I view times of terror during new experiences as a barrier trying to prevent me from receiving a blessing.

    As I write my book titled Jesus Gets Hand-Me-Downs, I find my impressions of Israel put me in touch with my characters in the story and my movement on the path to publication.