Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15
Since getting back from Jordan, much of my days could be summed up in the simple phrase “writing papers”. With four papers due by Monday, it’s been a lot of work. I had started before Jordan, but it’s been a lot of work still. I’m now nearing done. I have written about the Hyksos in Egypt, the physical geography of the Coastal Plain and Negev, the archaeology/history surrounding the exodus, and rabbinic interpretations of the early part of Exodus.
Thursday evening we celebrated Thanksgiving. It isn’t a holiday in Israel, but we’ve brought the tradition here! I’m pretty sure this was my first Thanksgiving that I haven’t been with my immediate family, but this is a great place to spend it. I did spend a little while voice chatting with them in the evening, though.
With Thanksgiving over, I guess that means it’s time to starting thinking about Christmas, which seems too early to me. Friday evening was our Christmas Vespers, singing Christmas songs and reading various Biblical passages predicting or telling of Jesus’ birth.
There’s much to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the opportunity to be here. God has truly blessed me this year.
So what’s left? This coming week is finals. Then the next week is our week-long trip around Egypt. Pray that things calm down there. The Egypt museum is right next to Tahrir Square where most of the protests have been. It would be a shame to have to skip that.