Do you enjoy the creativity of taking a jumble of disjointed words and turning them into a phrase understandable by others? I have a few of those magnetic boards filled with small magnetic words and a purposefully blank section of black just crying out for guests to leave their prose or poetry. Having created with Gary a home above the Sea of Galilee we called The Place of Stories, it continues to be a retreat for inspiration and serves to beckon guests to find a spot “in the cleft of the rock” where they can unwind, dream, and soak in the power of story—or share their story.

The black background allows for creativity

If we return to the beginning of story we are transported back to Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void…” The Hebrew words are tohu v’bohu. It was from that darkness the Bible says God’s Spirit began moving over the chaos, bringing order to a world in which man and woman were infused with the creativity of their Creator. It was not a gift for a select few, not optional, it was OUR inheritance as we were made in the image of God. Are you squandering your inheritance by refusing to believe you are a creative person? Step into your inheritance!

Story Cubes, ancient mosaic tesserae, and jug handle fragments
relate stories in a variety of ways.

Years ago a friend brought me a gift of these Story Cubes which have provided a launching pad for stories told by young and old in the Bedouin-like gathering room called Abraham’s Tent at The Place of Stories. In the photo I arranged my Story Cubes like this: “When I encountered storms in my life and felt overwhelmed by the floods, I read God’s Word and began singing praises to the King who wears me upon His heart, satisfies my hunger and thirst. He is my treasure.”

The modern cubes allowed me to tell my story just like the Roman and Byzantine tesserae drawn out of the chaos of tin buckets full of colored stones. They were creatively placed into order by the designer, telling visual stories on countless restored floors from Sepphoris, to Beit She’an, to Beit Alpha, and throughout the Land of the Bible.

Filled with colorful stone tesserae, this detailed Roman-era
mosaic from Lod was dated to 300A.D.

Gary’s gravestone dedication was part of my “life-mosaic” this past week as the completed stone was unveiled in the presence of friends gathered on Mt. Zion. After more than a year of praying for God’s design ideas, finding a stone mason who spoke English, coming up with the wording, and welcoming the artistry of sculptor Anne Tamir, I met my own personal deadline of closing this chapter before returning to the U.S. for some family time.

The blind leading the blind. These two Muslim
blind men tap their way along Jerusalem’s Nablus Road.

So often we are unable to see the story unfolding around us. We run to family, friends— anyone who might give us insight for our next steps. While their counsel is valued and tangible, they don’t have the big picture like The One who brought original chaos into submission and knows how to tell a story for maximum impact. Instead of tapping my way along life’s road hoping not to hit obstacles and wanting to create my own story, I want to take that leap of faith into arms which will never fail. I choose His story.

Ilan, the foundry owner, lifts the film reel prototype from
a sandy mold before filling the mold with molten metal.

All of the elements for the gravestone were fused into
a memorial honoring a storyteller and his mentor.

I hope that on your visit to Israel you will make a stop by the cemetery on Mt. Zion to lay your own stone of remembrance on Gary’s grave, joining the stones of those whom we called community. It was a great privilege for me to be written into Gary’s story—and, by design, his story continues.

Enjoying the walk home,
Cindy

You can view Gary’s gravestone dedication
held May 21, 2018 on Mt. Zion below:

 

Itinerary for May 26-July 7 Watch for my itinerary on Facebook

May 26-29………..Boston, MA
May 29-June 1…..Kokomo, IN (Thurs. May 31st 8:30-10:30 Main St. Cafe)
June 1-3………….New Harmony, IN (New Harmony Project)
June 3-4………….Indianapolis, IN (gathering time June 3rd TBA)
June 4-6………….Richmond, VA
June 6-7………….Nashville, TN (gathering time TBA)
June 7-17…………Springfield, MO (Panera times TBA)
June 18………….Austin, TX (gathering time TBA)
June 19………….Houston, TX (TBA)
June 20-21………Dallas, TX (Park Ln. Panera 3-5pm June 20th/ 9-11am June 21st)
June 22-25………Keller, TX
June 25-July 1…..Los Angeles, CA
(Starbucks in Burbank June 26th 9:30-11:30am/ June 28th 9-11am)
(Newport Beach Panera on Bison June 30th 10-noon)
(Pasadena Panera on Foothill June 30th 4-6pm)
July 1-July 6…….Richmond, VA (gathering time TBA)
July 7…………….Arrival in Israel