The Sermon on the Mount

One last stop in Galilee. After our boat ride, we hurried on to the beautiful gardens where Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is commemorated.

Much of Galilee is lush and tropical like this. Our guide told us the Israeli's planted six million trees at the birth of their country to commemorate the six million of their brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers who were slain in the Holocaust. Since then, they have planted an additional 100 million trees. It is beautiful!

Here I am on the path through the garden.

I was honored to read the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 to the rest of our group.

Here's the Sea of Galilee from the Mount of Beatitudes. We were constantly drawn to it.

Since this is our last stop in Galilee, I'm going to share a poem I wrote years ago. I found the first draft and cringed a little, but then I found a revision that I'm pleased to share with you today. 

Walking on Water

If I could paint

the boatload of apostles

on the Sea of Galilee,

the wind,

the boisterous waves,

I wouldn’t paint Peter walking alone.

I wouldn’t paint him sinking in fear.

I wouldn’t paint, “O ye of little Faith.”

I’d paint the Savior catching him.

I’d paint them walking back to the boat—

together.

I’d paint the dry sandals and robes,

of the eleven tucked safely away in the ship.

I’d paint their faces longing 

to be out there with the Lord--

like Peter. 

Have a very happy New Year! There's about 24 more hours left to nominate CAYMAN SUMMER for the Whitney Award. And don't forget to enter my Christmas Week Giveaway. You have until January 3rd for that.