something creative...

Exciting things that happened at the site today:

• In E2 Paul, Mark, Arny, and Dr. Schuler moved a lot of dirt and heavy rocks – unfortunately still no floor.
• In B0 Glenn and Jim reached the floor!! It is a fairly decent and intact mosaic floor with crosses near the doorways. Dr. Schuler says it might have been a prothesis, which was a place the pastors would have used to prepare before the service. Here is a picture of one of the two crosses found on their floor!!

• In the land of the mosaic-uncovering Erin, Nancy, and I worked at scrapping plaster from the mosaic and cleaning the mosaic tiles. It is still hard tedious work, but exciting when we can finally see the patterns! Here is a picture of the pattern I uncovered today!
  
  Ok…so, that’s what happened on the dig. Otherwise it was a really great day. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by – it seems like just yesterday we were stepping of the plane into a world that was unknown, yet somehow familiar. All my life I’ve read stories from the bible that took place here. Jesus grew up here. Paul was blinded here. Peter taught here. The list goes on and that’s only the New Testament. Suddenly as I read my bible all of these stories come to life. I can see these things happening in a new light. I’ve tried to communicate that to all of you and I have pictures too that should help. If any of you ever have the opportunity to come here you should take it! (Like the dig next year for example!!) Seriously though, I can’t describe to you how much this trip has meant to me. Thank you for sharing it with me. May God’s love and grace be with you today and always! Shalom!