Above: Palm trees on the side of the road as we left Ben Gurion airport. Lovely to be in this climate (having flown out of Toronto in a snow squall).

Today did not go as planned. Now, for me, that’s not a big deal. From my perspective: we arrived safely, it was warm and sunny, there was good food and friends to pass the time with, and I got to walk along the Mediterranean (albeit after dark). Oh! And I got to stand on Mt Carmel, where Isaiah had his famous showdown with the prophets of Baal.

Put that all together, and it’s a pretty great day, as far as I am concerned.

In our group is a guy named Ali – he travels to Iran regularly for business. Israeli customs didn’t take kindly to that and so they detained and interrogated him. From my perspective, Ali had reason to complain. But even after having to find his way to the hotel we are staying at in Haifa, he couldn’t have had a better attitude. We were all thrilled to see him and he was all smiles. He told us he got to have a different experience – one that isn’t on the tour itinerary. He told us be got to chat and share stories with others who had been similarly detained.

So it comes down to this – it really does matter how you see things. Perspective, attitude, where your heart is at – these things WILL determine the kind of experience you have. That’s not always easy to remember or easy to live out. But the reminder is one I cherish, because when I am reminded that my attitude matters I can change my attitude. I can try living from a place of gratitude, and then even the big challenges that get thrown my way are something that I can be thankful for, something I can learn from.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
Proverbs 17:22 NLT

Above: The Mediterranean Sea at night, with the lights of Haifa in the background.

Above: The Mediterranean waves at night.