Shabbat Shalom!

So it's my first Shabbat in Jerusalem.

Every Friday night the school celebrates Shabbat at sundown together with a big "family meal" style dinner. The first Friday of the semester is always a cookout. It was a great time ... we just take over the garden and everyone hangs out, eats, laughs, and other such things people do in large friendly groups.

After dinner is Vespers. It's great to have a Friday evening where a bunch of college students choose to get together and worship followed by a Bible study.

So one of the ideas we've been talking about is the full meaning of Shalom. Generally, people think of the word as meaning peace ... but that does not seem to include the full meaning intended behind this one simple word. Shalom is not just peace as in the absence of violence -- a better definition includes the idea of the way life is supposed to be, full, complete and dependent on God. I've started to think of it more of a prayer that you say to other people that they will find the fullness of life in God which will bring you peace of mind, heart, and soul. We ask to prayer for the peace of Jerusalem (shalom) because it is currently absent from the city and the people as a whole ... a peace which we can never truly achieve here but we can strive for as we pray and worship.

It's a complete change in the way I have understood the idea of "peace" in the past. So if I say Shabbat Shalom to you, my hope is that you will start to find it!

On a slightly less serious note I have made a discovery today ... there is a sport I am actually quite good at!

This afternoon, a group of us went down to a courtyard in the valley and played ultimate frisbee and I kind of rocked. This is totally out of character for me; normally I am AWFUL at all things sporty. It was a great escape from the campus for the afternoon and lots of fun!

Also, tonight after Vespers we played sardines on campus. I don't know if you all know what sardines is ... think hide-and-seek but ... sweatier and in the dark. Basically, one person hides, everyone else seeks and when you find the person hiding, you join them. So eventually, you have one area with about 17 people trying to "hide" in. You're also not allowed to turn on lights in a room if they were not on to begin with! So there was a lot of tripping on furniture, but it was still fun.

Well ... it's late here and we're going to church in the morning (yes it's Saturday ... but we have a trip on Sunday, so it really is Shabbat for us tonight!)

Love you!!!!