Lent: Journey Through the Holy Land – Part 30

Well friends, we only have 2 more days in the Galilee!

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One of the places we visited in the area was Tabgha, which is traditionally believed to be where Jesus fed the 5,000. In Tabgha is the Church of the Multiplication. Underneath the altar, is a stone which is said to be where the Lord placed the bread. In front a tile mosaic depicts fish and loaves of bread.

While we were here our tour guide Mike explained how an olive press works, as there was one right outside the church.

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As a whole, the Galilee region was incredible, but I think one of the biggest highlights was the sunset on our first evening. WOW. I promise you these are #nofilter photos. We had spent several hours on the bus making our way up our hotel on the eastern side of the Galilee, and as we were arriving and checking into our rooms, the sun was just about to set.

After a long day, it was a beautiful moment. Everyone gathered on their balconies and walked through the grass capturing the moment. Some of us looked at each other in awe.

And as if the day couldn’t get any better, that evening at dinner, I was able to share in conversation and laughter with friend. But best of all, I had a little reminder of home. Abbey Jo Jo carrots. To everyone else it was just another raw vegetable on the buffet, but these were special to me.

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Until we moved in the middle of my first grade year, I grew up next to my godparents (and god brother and god sister). I was always Abbey Jo Jo. Over the years I grew out of the name, but now that my god brother has kids, I am Abbey Jo Jo again.

I love baby carrots, but even more, I like cutting up whole carrots into carrot sticks. Wait – let me rephrase that. I like whole carrots that are cut into carrot stick – I don’t like actually having to cut them.

My parents and my godparents get together every Friday evening – and under social distancing, they’ve integrated FaceTime into weekly gathering. Our families spend time together throughout the year. My godparents always cut whole carrots down to carrot sticks. Upon learning that I like those carrots best, they have since become Abbey Jo Jo carrots. Whenever our families get together now and someone brings a veggie tray, there are bound to be Abbey Jo Jo carrots. We’ve even moved on to cucumbers and celery too!

We were blessed with an incredible sunset on the Galilee, and had had several incredible days prior. I was loving every minute, but I also really wanted to share this experience with my people back home. And that evening I ate Abbey Jo Jo carrots. God knew.

I used to think of little things like this as happy coincidences, or luck. But even the littlest thing can be a God moment. It can be a moment of God speaking to you, comforting you, reaching out to you.

Oftentimes, I wonder how many little moments I miss from God. Those little moments where he is just trying to tell me, “I’m here.” Moments where he reminds me that I have purpose, I have support, I have enough, I am blessed, I am loved.

Like moments where the phone finally stops ringing at work and I can get the one thing I’ve been working on all day finished. I had been hoping to just get five minutes of peace to get work done. God knew what I needed.

Like moments when I feel so alone and disconnected from people. And then someone who I haven’t talked to in a while reached out. God knew what I needed.

God is always at work in your life. Sometimes we’re so wrapped up in the big picture that we forget to look for him in the little things. And other times we’re so wrapped up in the little things that we forget to look for him in the big picture.

Sometimes we are locked in and focused on our own plans that we forget that he has a plan.

Sometimes we focus too much on the things that don’t matter, to see God trying to reach us through the things that do matter.

Are you looking for God?

Are you taking in these moments? The sunsets, the carrots, the five minutes of peace, the text from an old friend?

Lord, help us to seek You always. Help us to see You in the big and little moments in our lives, in the things that matter. Help us to see that You are always with us. Amen.

Abbey Jo