Hidden Treasure

A couple years ago I was extremely blessed to have been sent on an all-expenses paid trip to Israel. My generous brother-in-law sent my sister Cheryl and I as an amazing gift to her when she was baptized.

I only took about $100 for souvenirs and I wanted to get myself one special item, whatever that may be. I didn't plan on bringing back trinkets for everyone because I didn't want my mind being tied up with who got what and what little piece of junk I still needed to pick up for so and so. 'Someone went to Jerusalem and all I got was this stinking T-shirt', hahaha. Its not like I was going to Disneyland! (Though I couldn't resist a really silly looking camel that I see often sitting in my friend Debbie's cube. A little stuffed one, not real! ; )

I did collect rocks though. Picked a handful at each location. Figured that was the coolest thing I could bring back. From the stream where David got his rocks to kill Goliath, the beach where Jesus called the disciples, etc.

Towards the end of our trip we went to the Herodian in Bethlehem, the ruins of one of King Herod's hilltop palaces. It looked out over the surrounding hills of Bethlehem, was cool to imagine it at night with shepherd watching their sheep under the stars. : ) I wasn't picking rocks here because I don't really care about having rocks from Herod's palace, but on our way down to the bus I reached down and grabbed a decent-sized one and stuck it in my backpack. Nothing special about it, covered in dirt, for some reason I just grabbed it.

So next I thought we were going to Jesus' birthplace, but to my dismay I find out we're going to a big souvenir shop called Johnny's instead. I was really disappointed but tried to be positive and think maybe I was going to find my special keepsake there.

So we all go and file into this shop. The surrounding walls covered ceiling-high with every Holy Land item you could ever imagine. Crosses and nativities and rosaries. Holy water, statues and big beautiful stones. All of us were bumping around the narrow spaces with baskets in hand, voices chattering, hands picking. For some reason I felt uneasy and was becoming increasingly overwhelmed. Everybody was finding all kinds of stuff and I couldn't find one thing I wanted. I started to feel sick.

My friend Andre was standing at the door, not shopping, and noticed my bewilderment. He comes up to me and says in his German accent "Look, this is all I bought," and pulls a simple wooden cross on a leather strap out from under his shirt. I kinda nodded but kept on looking, wanting to buy SOMEthing. Yeah, that's nice Andre, but I know there's something here and I'm gonna find it!

But a few minutes more of the Johnny's jambalaya and my nasty old friend anxiety was starting to well up inside of me. All of a sudden I just had to get out. I set down my basket and headed for the door, tears of I don't really know what actually starting to stream down my face. As I walked by Andre he just said "Let's pray" and followed me out the door.

We stood on the steps out front and prayed. I don't remember the words, but the moment is clearly etched into my memory forever. We were surrounded by merchants selling their wares. Men with purses and scarves hanging from their arms, fluttering and dancing around us, calling out their sales pitches. It made me think of Jesus when he turned over the tables of the merchants at the temple. I just wanted to go to Jesus' birthplace that day, and here I am amongst people trying to sell purses? But as we continued to pray, a perfect peace fell over me, even as I was surrounded by chaos. The power of prayer. : ) (and afterward Andre shared his faith with those guys which was cool too)

So as we're driving away, I pull that rock out of my backpack and wiped it off with a wet-wipe. And to my delight it was beautiful. Smooth sides with sharp edges, yummy creamy coffee colors and one side of it looks like its covered in diamond dust! When you move it around in the light it sparkles!! I popped up to show Andre who was sitting behind me. I was pretty sure I had the coolest souvenir on the entire bus, handmade by none other than God himself!

Part 2, the really good part : )

So the day before we left we were in the old city in Jerusalem. As we were walking down a narrow street I see a little shop that says Torah Scribe, and a sign in the window says 'get your scripture inscribed in Hebrew on parchment paper'. This sounded like the perfect keepsake to me!! I paid attention to where it was because I couldn't stop at the moment.

So during lunch I decided to go back and find it. Kristi, an amazing woman with an amazing voice (she's actually trying out today to sing the national anthem at a Piston's game!) came with me.

We get in there and I told the guy I would like Psalm 91:14-16. He said "You don't want to get 'your' verse?" I was confused but he told me that there is a verse in the bible specifically connected to you according to the the letters in your name.

So he takes my name and does whatever he did to figure it out and tells me that my verse is Psalm 145:3 - Great is the Lord, and most worthy of Praise, His greatness no one can fathom. To be terribly honest I wasn't really feeiling it and felt like I still wanted my fav at the time from Psalm 91.

But Kristi was like that is so you!

I said "It is?"

And she reminded me how the entire trip I'd been bugging her to sing with me everyday, (poor girl!) always wanting to praise him, thinking he is most worthy of praise. : )

So I said ok, agreed on that psalm and we walked back to the group who was still eating lunch.

I sat down at a little cafe table outside the restaurant. I can remember this moment SO clearly. I can feel the warm sun on me, hear the people walking by, picture the small table and my sister to my right.

I put my bible on my lap and opened it to find the scripture the man told me about, verse 3 of Psalm 145.

My bible first falls open to the page I'd been reading every morning on the bus for the entire trip and had held its place with a flower.

It was Psalm 145!!! I had been reading that entire Psalm every morning for nearly 2 weeks and it didn't register when the scribe told me that one verse from it. Never before, and never after have I ever been so drawn to a certain piece of scripture that I returned to it day after day after day like that.

I couldn't believe it! I said "I think I should probably get face down on the ground right now or something", but I just sat there amazed.

So needless to say, I came home with a keepsake that is more special than I ever could have imagined!

I just got it framed recently, though I am such a procrastinator still haven't hung it anywhere.

But what a conversation piece that is going to be!



Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, His greatness no one can fathom!!
- Psalm 145:3

: )