Stars over Bethlehem!

"Stars over Bethlehem" — I've never been able to write or say that before but tonight I can. Tonight I went for a walk (with my good friend Charles Savelle who just arrived this afternoon) and I looked out over the town of Bethlehem from the neighboring, slightly higher in elevation, town of Beit Jala. The stars were just coming out as well as a sliver of the moon. And I stood there — realizing that over 2,000 years ago the wise men from the east had come here to Bethlehem to worship King Jesus. Nights don't get much better!

Tomorrow morning I leave this part of the country to spend the day in Jerusalem with some long-time friends and then I'll head to the airport for my flight home.

The modern city of Bethlehem (the church steeples [top center] mark the place of Christ's birth. Yesterday I was in Nazareth looking at the church that marked where Mary was told the Holy Spirit would put the Christ-child in her womb.

 On Saturday I'll be at the funeral of my very good friend Stan Johnson. I'm so thankful I can be home in time to honor him but I miss him so very much already. Glad he is home with Jesus.