Take Me To the Water- The Jordan and the Dead Sea

The last two days have been amazing! Water has been a theme. Yesterday, I got baptized in the Jordan River, the river in which Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. It was quite a solemn occasion for me. I vacillated quite a bit about whether I wanted to do it. I know there are lots of folks for whom getting baptized in the Jordan is their dream, but I had never felt the desire. I couldn’t help thinking about the sensationalized footage of Bobby Brown and Whitney getting baptized there!

When we first arrived, I was struck by the Disney-like scene. There was the baptism package of a white robe and towel that you can buy for a modest amount. There’s the enormous gift shop that was bustling at 9 am and the video booth where you can buy a video of your baptism. There were even people eating ice cream!

But then I saw groups of people from different countries, languages and denominations and those in my own group sincerely seeking a symbolic experience that would deepen their connection with Jesus. Ultimately, I made my decision to go ahead, because I didn't want to regret being so much in my head-hating and analyzing the commercialization of faith- that i missed an opportunity to claim the experience for myself. I realized that one can find the sacred in the middle of the inane. In fact, we do it all the time. As I was in line with others waiting quietly for Pastor Hammond to baptize me, I was thinking of how God has rewarded my willingness to try to live a life pleasing to him and when I came up from the water, I was so happy that I had decided to follow my spirit rather than my intellect. (Tres took pictures of my baptism on my telephone, but my phone fell in the toilet that day! So…..:-(. (Hopefully, I will get pictures from others in the group).





The DEAD SEA was like nothing I have ever seen. It is the lowest point on the earth. It borders Jordan on the east and Israel and the west bank on the west. The sea is more than 30 percent salt. Instead of sand at the bottom there is hardened salt (really sharp so not good on the feet). The salt content is so high that you go out in the water to your knees and you sit down. Then you float!!



Tres and I also had fun putting this special mud with minerals all over our bodies and then showering it off with salt water. Our skin really appreciated it.










To get to the Dead Sea, we drove south from Jerusalem and to the east through the desert. As we rode, we took in the gorgeous juxtaposition between the huge range of the arid Judean hills and the sea.









More about the last two days to come.