Walking Home in Jerusalem

Friday, April 4th, was a pretty day spring day in Jerusalem. CFI closes early on Fridays so everyone can catch a bus and get home before the Sabbath starts. The bus drivers are even supposed to be home by sundown. Today marks the one year anniversary since the Lord Jesus took Kay home to Him. This would be a nice afternoon for a quiet walk home with the Lord Jesus. He stated the appropriate verse in His Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4.
Once I cross Jaffa Road at Zion Square, I take a pedestrian road to the left called Yoel Solomon and head towards Independence Park. One little store where I buy a bottle of water for 5 shekels is getting to recognize me. Below is Independence Park where I cut through.

After Independence Park, there is another shortcut walkway by the American Consulate. When President Bush was here and I tried to take a picture they slapped my hands. The American Consulate shortcut brings you out by the YMCA and the King David Hotel. I walk down King David Street until I cross Keren HaYesod (The Jewish Agency Street). Now my next shortcut is through Liberty Bell Park. Below is the walkway entrance to Liberty Bell Park.

The walkway was covered in wisteria last week. My photo walk is a little late.

A lavender bush in full bloom.

Some wisteria on the walkway covering.

Kay and I had a big wisteria bush beside the driveway. We got more bunny rabbits living there than wisteria growing. But sometimes there was a little in the spring.

Olives trees in Liberty Bell Park. An Arab family having a picnic in the distance. The cars are traveling on Keren HaYesod going away from the City Center.

The namesake of the park. A true replica of our symbol of freedom in Philadelphia. I'm not sure any other country in the world would have a replica of the US Liberty Bell. That shows the closeness that Israel and the United States once enjoyed. Now the US is pressuring Israel to divide God''s Land. This week Condaleeza Rice was here and wanted 50 check points opened for the Arabs in the West Bank. Israel opened 10 very reluctantly. Every time the check points are "opened", there is a terrorist attack in the following few days or weeks. Then Israel closes the check points, then the world wants them open again, etc. etc. The politicians never seem to take the responsibility of the blood that is on their hands when their demands are met.

Looking through the other way. That is the King Solomon Hotel in the background.

Typical park on a spring afternoon with soccer and basketball games.

Always plenty of photo shots in God's Land. For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year. Deuteronomy 11:10-12

Those might be young "cedars of Lebanon" that grow so tall here. The trees of the LORD are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted... Psalm 104:16

Young Arab children enjoying the playground.

In the distance a number of Jews seem to be taking dancing lessons. The music was nice. Two young Arab mothers were getting a little closer to watch. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Psalm 150:4.

Swing sets decorated with wooden Liberty Bells.

Once I exit Liberty Bell Park, it puts me real close to Emek Rafaim Street which is the main street of The German Colony. The sidewalks are nice and wide to enjoy a stroll.

Flowers growing over a wall.

Ditto.

This sign tells the story of Isaiah 60:4 being inscribed over the entrance of the house.

The refurbished doorway from 1877 with Isaiah 60:4 written over it.

The walkway or driveway entrance to the home.

Flowers blooming in the same yard described above.

As Shabbat approaches, Emek Rafaim has less and less traffic.

That little pharmacy filled my prescription last Sunday. They do speak English.

The German Colony was established in the 1870's by the Templars from Germany. At the one traffic light is a Christian Templar Cemetery. There is a note on the outside that says to call in order to schedule a visit. There is a high wall there and you cannot see it at all. It makes you a little curious to know what does it look like? Like all Jerusalem, there are a lot of park benches to rest awhile or just to relax and watch people go by.

Israel has lots of flowers. Every Friday there are be vendors selling fresh flowers for the Shabbat evening meal. Kay loved getting them for the weekend.

Looks like roses are in bloom too as I get closer to home.

Wisteria in my own courtyard.

When I moved in on my balcony were two flower boxes that had been sitting there for a long time. I watered them and look what blossomed!!! A co-volunteer, Karen, has a green thumb and is going to assist me in getting a few more flower boxes.

The ground floor beneath my picture window has colors of yellow, white, purple and orange.

On Saturday afternoon, kids playing and families enjoying our little courtyard.

Towards evening on Saturday, I'm trying to get a photo of the 30-40 swallows that fly every morning and evening. They move so fast, diving and darting about that a picture was a challenge. I just started taking several photos and hoped they would show up in one. The Lord actually created birds and told them to multiply before creating man. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” Genesis 1:22