The Burton St Gang

Well, here they are "The Burton Street Gang": Steven, Ashley, and Chris. They grew up on the same street; played together (I have a wonderful picture of Chris in a pirate outfit at one of Steven's b'day parties); went to school together (Ashley and Steven even went to Mother's Day Out together); and now they march together at Auburn. And here they are at Steven's final (?) home game as a member of the marching band (I assume Ashley's final game also). Kids grow up so quickly!!!

What more can I say? #6

The Best Christian Albums of 2007

(by the way, if they aren't vinyl can the be albums? Goodness--how many of you even remember vinyl?!)

Here is Christianity Today's List of the top Christian albums of 2007:


12. The Heat (NeedToBreathe, Atlantic Records)

11. The Ringing Bell (Derek Webb, INO Records)

10. Five Score and Seven Years Ago (Relient K, Gotee/Capitol Records)

9. We’ll Never Turn Back (Mavis Staples, Anti-Records)

8. Remedy (David Crowder Band, sixsteps/Sparrow Records)

7. Sleeping Fire (Adam Watts, Red Decibel Music Group)

6. Oh! Gravity (Switchfoot, Sparrow/Columbia Records)

5. Okay (Jeff Caylor, www.jeffcaylor.com)

4. Recovery (Jeremy Casella, Saint and Pilgrim Music)

3. Tell Me What You Know (Sara Groves, INO Records)

2. Overdressed (Caedmon’s Call, INO Records)

1. Salvation in Lights (Mike Farris, INO Records)


I own numbers 11 (Derek Webb), 8 (Dave Crowder Band) and 1 (Mike Farris) and I have to agree that they are all fine albums. And Salvation in Lights is one of the best albums I've heard (of any genre) in a long time! What are some of you favorite?

We're Going to Party Like It's December 25th

Check out the best clergy dance team ever!

Thanks Scott!

Please don't squeeze!

In memory of Dick Wilson aka Mr. Whipple and in honor of the many commercials that shapped my life:

Reading Level

Well, I just checked out the reading level of my blogs. This blog is written at a Jr High Reading Level and the Recreation Blog is written at a College Level. Not sure what that means . . . hmm. Hey Jeff and Tony what is the reading level of your blogs?

Garrison Keillor on Methodists

Craig sent this to me today. It brought a smile to my face. Enjoy!

[Given Matt's note, I took the text out of my blog. I have no desire to infringe on anyone's intellectual property. CLick on the title of this post and it will take you to another blog where it is posted. I assume Ben Witherington has permission to have it on his blog and I love the addition of the Jeff Foxworthy quotes!]

Shrine of the Book and the Israel Museum

This is the Shrine of the Book which features pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In all honesty, it was somewhat disappointing because I've actually seen more bits of them here in the U.S. But the building itself is pretty impressive.

The highlight of our visit to the Israel Museum was the large scale model of 1st Century Jerusalem. The first picture is of the Holy of Holies in the temple.

Via Dolorosa

Of course, no trip to Jerusalem is complete without walking the Via Dolorosa. And it was a very interesting place. First, as you'll be able to see by a couple of the pictures, the entire way is a bazaar. In fact, the best hummus restaraunt in Jerusalem is located across from Station 7 (Friends--if you are ever there). And the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was so crowded that my pictures are not too good because I couldn't get very close! But here they are:

Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death -- Condemnation Chapel -- near the location of the Antonia Fortress.

Station 2 -- Jesus receives the cross -- Chapel of the Flagellation


Station 3 --Jesus falls the first time

Station 4 --Jesus meets His Mother

Station 5 --Simon of Cyrene carries the cross

Station 6 -- Veronica wipes Jesus' face with her veil

Station 7 -- Jesus falls the second time
Station 8 --Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem


Station 9 -- Jesus falls the third time -- Take your pick: Coptic Orthodox or Ethiopian.

The final five stations are located within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Station 10 -- Jesus is stripped of His garments

Station 11 -- Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross

Station 12 -- Jesus dies on the cross


Station 13 -- Jesus' body is removed from the cross (Pieta)

Station 14 -- Jesus is laid in the tomb

Let me conclude with a quote from the Via Dolorosa guide:

What is a "Holy Place?"
It is not, actually, the place where Jesus walked. It is:
--Where the Church venerates a mystery of Christ's life.
--a place, sanctified by the prayers of the Faithful.

Win, Lose or Tie, I'm An Auburn Fan 'Till I Die

But that doesn't mean it's always fun!

The Garden Tomb

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him Matthew 27:33-35a

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Matthew 27:57-60

1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:1-6

As I mentioned earlier, there is more than one place that claim to be the tomb of Jesus. I'll share the pictures from the Viadelarosa later, but the is the "Protestant" tomb. And as you can see from the pictures they have a good claim for this spot. You can see the skull. Also, it is located outside the city walls and what would have been a main thoroughfare (now a bus station) where crucifixions normally took place. The man in this picture was our very delightful British guide.

Mount of Olives

But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and walking barefoot; and all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went. 2 Samuel 15:30

4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee by the valley of the Lord's mountain, for the valley between the mountains shall reach to Azal; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6 On that day there shall not be either cold or frost. 7 And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the Lord), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light. Zechariah 14:4-7

Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called. Luke 21:37

Views from the Mount of Olives











Because of the belief that this is where God will begin to redeem the dead at the end of the age, the Mount of Olives is the favorite spot for a Jewish burial. Here you can see part of the cemetery as well as Hezekiah and Absalom's tombs.

Gethsemane

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." Matthew 26:36

1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, "The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." Matthew 21:1-11

The gate by which Jesus would have entered on Palm Sunday as seen from Gethsemane.

Western Wall

aka Wailing Wall--although from what I saw that is a misnomer. Sabbath worship at the Wall is a party and the other times it was somber but not sad. The saddest thing (in my opinion) is the separation of male and female--which basically meant I missed the big party on the Sabbath because it was rather somber on the women's side.