TJ3: When Reality Strikes

It just hit me: the reality of this trip still hasn't hit me.

Langston Hughes said it best:

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat? 
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags 

like a heavy load. Or does it explode?
Or does it, perhaps, remain a dream and only evermore a dream? Does it refuse to enter the realm of the real?

I hope, in my case, that reality hits BEFORE the trip is over. I've dreamed of this trip for so long, saved and planned only to have my plans come to nothing, that I'd given up on it ever happening. Even now, something deep inside me is afraid to hope, afraid of a last-minute change in plans, afraid that my dream will once again be deferred. Not until my feet are on Israeli soil will I relax, will I believe.  

I do not want to emulate Thomas. Like me he avowed, "Not until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, will I believe" (John 20:25). Poor Thomas, who was so afraid of disappointment that he missed the joy of the Resurrection as he wasted precious days languishing in sorrow and despair. 

But it would be even worse to suffer the fate of those who waited all their lives for their Messiah and then went to their graves still waiting, still dreaming, unaware that their dream had been fulfilled. As Jesus said to those inhabitants of Jerusalem so many years ago, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes....because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you" (Luke 19:42-44).  

What a shame it would be, if I were to miss this entire experience because of a refusal to recognize it for what it is!

TJ2: Luggage Theology

Yesterday's blog was all about the "practical" preparations for my upcoming journey to the Holy Land -- mostly about packing my bags. I promised that today I would focus more on the theological aspect of the trip. One thing Asbury Theological Seminary has taught me, however, is that theology is intensely practical. So perhaps the packing of my luggage was a good place to start this reflection, and I want to take a moment to revisit it.

Check-in, carry-on, and personal
item ready to go!

First, ponder the significance of packing three bags. Those who are into Biblical numerology know that three is the number most often used to represent the nature and fullness of God, who is depicted throughout the New Testament as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even in the Old Testament this number is associated with God, especially when he is interacting with humanity (take, for example, Genesis 18:1-5). Three bags are the ideal for any trip involving use of a commercial airline: one large bag to check in and reclaim later, one smaller bag to stow in the overhead compartment in case the larger bag gets lost, and one personal item (e.g. purse or briefcase) for things that will be utilized during the flight. 

Not to take the analogy too far, but the check-in bag is like God the Father (who is sometimes mistakenly viewed as "watching us from a distance"): he has absolutely everything I need to get through life, but sometimes I push him to the periphery of my life and forget to go to him as often as I should. (Maybe I put him in the baggage hold because my life is just too crowded to squeeze him in...something else to ponder. Have I put weight and size restrictions on God?) Sometimes, when we've been apart for a while, it is hard for me to recognize him in my life...rather like staring at the baggage carousel waiting for my bag to appear. The carry-on bag is like God the Son, who seems much closer and is more easily approached, the very image of his Father but come to earth in the flesh to experience life in the same way we do...flying along with us in coach, and just as cramped there in that overhead compartment...yet without sin. (I will be stuck in the center seat from New York to Frankfurt, and I am still grumbling about that, but I have a feeling my carry-on bag will not grumble.) And the personal item is like the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me and guides me moment by moment throughout my daily wanderings, giving me specific gifts for specific situations...in this case, a Kindle reader with enough material loaded on it to keep me occupied during nine hours of flight and seven hours of airport layovers.

Anyway, that's enough luggage theology for one blog. I was just trying to make the point that God shows up in all the little things we think and do if only we have eyes to see. For theology is simply the way we think about God. Everyone is a theologian to some extent because everyone has some opinion about God -- even atheists are theologians. 

Tomorrow, more spiritual stuff!

TJ1: Packing Up

Welcome to TJ1: the first "official" entry in my travel journal for Dr. Tuttle's MS685 class, which just happens to center around a two-week excursion through several of the lands described in the Bible -- Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. Since MS685 is also my final class at Asbury Theological Seminary, I definitely want to complete all my assignments on time and with excellence; therefore, I will be posting daily journal updates for an entire month.

SIDE NOTE: For those of you who think this might be an invitation for you to burgle my apartment in my absence, let me state that I feel especially sorry for you, since the only thing of value in said apartment is my Mac laptop, which I will be bringing with me on this trip. (Furthermore, my next-door neighbor is not only a police officer but also the security guard for the entire complex, and my landlord lives right upstairs. Both of them know that I'm leaving town, and both of them will be only too happy to make your acquaintance if you try to break into my apartment while I'm away fulfilling the dream of a lifetime.)

Carry-on, checked bag, and "personal item" tagged and
ready to go! All I have to do is add this laptop.

As you can see from the photo, I am currently in the process of packing for my trip. To be completely truthful, I have been packing for several weeks now. This made holiday travel a bit of a challenge, since most of my clothing and toiletries are already packed and I didn't want to risk unpacking them and forgetting to repack them. My mother and I have a holiday tradition, which is that I forget half of my things at her house and don't get them back until my next visit (usually Spring Break). So to make sure I could honor this tradition and still brush my teeth in Israel, I went out a few weeks ago and bought "back-ups" of everything.

I also bought several things that will make me a more amiable roommate, since I will be sharing a room with a woman I have yet to meet. Breathe-Right Nasal Strips are imperative in such situations (in case I snore) as is Lunesta (in case she snores). These imperative items -- along with three days' worth of clothing and a Bible -- are packed in my carry-on bag because the careful traveler always assumes the airline will lose her luggage. Then there are the things that I will carry in my "personal item" for use during the trans-Atlantic flight: laptop, earphones, Kindle, wallet, and Poo-pourri (travel-size).

Clothing presents a bit of a challenge, since it is so dependent on weather conditions. It turns out that Egypt and Israel will both be a bit colder than Florida (who knew?) so I had to go out and buy some more long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Layering is the key, or so I've been told, so instead of a thick winter coat I have a sweater and raincoat combo (yes, I am from Florida). I'm just wondering what to do with those extra layers while I'm sitting on the plane. Guess I'll find out somewhere between New York and Frankfurt.

I've read the "travel tips" posted on the EO website at least a dozen times and have sought additional advice from friends who are more experienced travelers than I am. My quart-sized clear ziploc bag is filled with smaller-than-3-ounce bottles of shampoo, body wash, deodorant, and toothpaste. My passport and other photo i.d. are up-to-date and easily accessible. I have sufficient cash for "love offerings" (a.k.a. tips for the guides) and a Visa card for lunch and souvenirs....

About now, I'm thinking that this journal is probably not what the professor has in mind, since it is so devoid of references to prayer and theology and stuff. What can I say? Maslow's Hierarchy is clear that human beings simply can't think about higher, spiritual matters until their basic physical needs are squared away. Right now I am so excited about leaving the USA for the first time in my life that I can't think beyond basics like "will I have enough underwear for two weeks abroad?" (I'm probably not supposed to mention underwear in my journal either, but that's how I roll.) Tell you what -- tomorrow I will talk about the spiritual stuff, okay?

19 Days and Counting

In 1996 I began to write novels set in the Holy Land. At first, these stories were simply a way for me to help myself better understand the Bible narrative; by putting myself in the position of various people in the Bible, I was forced to examine more closely the original context of the scriptures rather than blindly accepting modern translations and interpretations. In order to grasp the nuances and complexities of the cultures in which the stories were set, I plunged into primary and secondary historical resources such as Josephus. I learned much. However, there was one glaring void in my knowledge, and that was first-hand experience of the geography that gave birth to these cultures. Write what you know, the adage goes, but all of my knowledge was second-hand.

Thank you, Google maps!

Using modern technology, I was able to visit Israel, Jordan, and Egypt “virtually.” I flew from the Nile delta to the Jordan River using Google Earth, and spent hundreds of hours poring over aerial maps, video travelogues, and photos. These resources allowed me to describe locations, but only visually. For sensory details, I still had to rely on the reports of others. What I needed was to travel to these lands myself, but with my limited income this dream became a “bucket list” item and was set aside time and again. Next year in Jerusalem, I whispered each spring, along with millions of Jews worldwide.

In 2008, I shared some of my writing with a few close friends, and their response surprised me. I had grown to understand the gospels better as I researched the cultural context in which Jesus delivered his message; now my friends declared that they, too, had been drawn to a deeper relationship with Christ and his word as they came to know his culture through my novels. Encouraged by this response, I began to publish the stories, and I have received similar feedback from many people worldwide. With greater influence, however, comes greater responsibility; I might be lax in my accuracy when writing for myself, but I do not want to pass my errors along to others.

During my studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, I have gained additional understanding that has helped me keep my writing both historically and spiritually accurate. To visit the Holy Land as part of an Asbury team, rather than with a general tour group, will add a dimension to the experience that I cannot begin to imagine. What are my expectations? Everyone I know who has taken a trip of this sort has told me that the event was pivotal in their spiritual life. I expect God to use this journey to change me in some way, though what that way may be, I dare not even guess.

What questions do I have? Not many, if by questions I limit myself to facts and figures. I’ve watched so many programs based on other people’s tours of this region that I can quote numerous “authorities” regarding the history and geography of the Holy Land. The questions that I bring are purely subjective, intensely personal, and some can never be answered because the distance between me and the land I so long to visit cannot be measured in miles only, but also in years. What did it feel like, to walk these roads? That is the question foremost in my mind. Until time travel becomes commonplace enough that someone like me can afford it, however, I will have to settle for What does it feel like, to walk these roads? This question, at least, I hope finally to answer for myself in a few weeks.

Super?

Having made the choice to go by my first initial since the age of 17, I have been "D" for so long that I've almost forgotten the sound of my given name. For writing purposes, however, I became "DL," and I was just toying with the idea of asking people to call me "DL" rather than "D." This thought led to a train of thoughts that now has me giggling.

When I write out my name (for instance, on a name tag), I write "Dee" rather than "D" so that people will know how to pronounce it. So if I want people to call me "DL," I'll probably have to spell it Dee-El (since Deel is just begging for trouble).

This implies a relationship to the famous -El clan of comic books and movies. Those of you who are into that sort of thing probably saw the connection before I mentioned it. For the rest of you, a little visual aid:

Kal-El, son of Jor-El (from Man of Steel)

Does that make me a "super"?
Maybe I should just stick with Dee.

Qayah Qlalah and Q---!!!

A few years back, one of my colleagues agreed to help me with a revision to a story that is now being released as Talmid. She commented that some of my expletives sounded too modern and suggested I find some good first-century Aramaic cuss words to replace them. I enjoy a challenge, so I attempted to find a few.

Tonight, thanks to the gremlin that has decided to move into my laptop, I have been using those words. Not in the novel—in my living room. Good thing there's no one else in the apartment tonight. (The snakes don't count since they don't understand Aramaic.) Been trying all week to upload book two of Talmid to the publisher, but my proofs keep coming back with blank pages interspersed randomly throughout the novel. That's a distinct improvement over last week when the proofs were  forty pages short, but it's still making me want to utter deletable expletives.

One of the fun things about Aramaic cuss words is that they all seem to start with the letter Q. At least, all the ones I use in my novels start with Q. I find them a refreshing alternative to English cuss words. You know the ones I mean. There's the A-word, the B-word, the C-word, the D-word...and of course the ever-increasingly-popular F-word. But English doesn't seem to have a Q-word.

Side note: Ten years ago I was babysitting a friend's first-grader and he wanted to watch a certain TV program, but I didn't think it was age appropriate so I wouldn't let him watch it. He confessed that his mom wouldn't let him watch it either, "because they use the S-word and the E-word." If you are baffled, don't feel bad. I spent hours trying to figure out the E-word. Later I asked his mother and she told me the E-word is "idiot." (He was raised in Miami.)

Anyway, some people might object to the fact that the characters in my novels cuss. My philosophy is simple: except for Yeshua, every character sins, because every character is human. Sometimes this means they say naughty things. If I were writing for children, my characters would use the E-word, but since I am writing for adults, they use the Q-words. On occasion, they use select English cuss words (usually the D-word or the S-word but never the F-word). They also use Biblical allusions. My personal favorites: "Balaam's ass!" (Katan, Brothers) and "Job's boils!" (Yochanan, The Voice). The Q-words are particularly useful because they allow my characters to lose their tempers without too greatly offending my readers.

An unfortunate side-effect of my discovery of the Q-words is that I have become aware of ironic homonyms and sometimes giggle inappropriately...for example, when someone refers to "men's cologne" I cannot keep a straight face.

Disclaimer: If I have offended you with this post, I am extremely sorry. I've been up 'way too late trying to finish the revision and I am getting a little punchy. But like my characters, I am a human being and sometimes I say naughty things, especially when I've been immersing myself in a character who is going through a naughty phase, such as Yuannan goes through in Talmid: Bread. (He is very naughty in this book, I am sad to say, but the Holy Spirit will straighten him out eventually.)

She's Baaack

In 2012 and 2013 I've broken just about every rule of blogging. Consistency? Fresh content? Not gonna happen. That's why my masthead warns that I might periodically drop off the face of the (virtual) earth. While I hate to disappoint any loyal readers I may have, I don't feel too guilty about this. Face it, I am not trying to build The Huffington Post here. I'm just sharing my thoughts in between books, but for the past year the only thoughts going through my head have sounded something like this:

I have a paper due for Missional Anthropology in three days and I still haven't finished reading The Diffusion of Gospel Music in Postmodern Denmark. I'd better get busy.

My group project for Dr. Smith's class is due tomorrow and I can't find the video adapter for my Mac. It's not in my laptop case, it's not in my office, it's not at the church, it's not in the car, it's not in the pantry... I can't find my video adapter and it cost $23.95 and I can't afford another one and the group project is due tomorrow...

Okay, according to iCal, today I am leading a kayak trip from 8am-2pm, working at International Space Camp from 3pm-9pm, and writing the paper for Dr. Russell's class that's due before midnight. Easy day.

Something smells funny. Did the snake poop on his heating pad again?

So you will forgive me (I hope) for not keeping my blog consistent and fresh. I didn't really think this was the sort of stuff people would want to read. (Maybe I'm wrong. If so, let me know and I will start posting copies of my school assignments.)

I did have one week off between spring term and summer term, and during that week I completed a rewrite of the first part of my first novel, which has been in revision off and on since 1997. It was 'way too long, so I decided to emulate one of my heroes, J.R.R. Tolkien, who was obviously a better writer than I am (that's why he had THREE initials and I merely have two), and publish the story as a trilogy. For those unacquainted with the reason The Lord of the Rings was published as a trilogy, it has to do with the paper shortage in England following WWII. As far as I know, there is no paper shortage in the USA at the moment, but thick books are expensive books so shorter books are easier to sell to publishers. You will have to wait for parts two and three, however, because I am still revising them.

I do want to take a moment to thank everyone who has bought one (or more) of my books this year. Thanks to you, I was able to pay my rent last week instead of getting evicted. This is always a good thing, since our nation has more than enough homeless people and I don't want to add to the problem. So keep telling your friends about my books! There are links at the top of the page that will take you directly to the publisher of the paperback versions, and you can follow the link to my Amazon page to buy digital copies. (Save paper, save money.)