What a special time to spend as a family especially as we prayed in the New Year. Although we are in a country that uses a different calendar, the New Year for us is a special time to reorganize our priorities and make plans. With our whole family in Israel, it has been a time of special fellowship and encouragement. Here is a post with a variety of places we visited as well as a few closer portraits into our lives and who we are.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a relatively new find in Israel compared to the many other archaeological finds and yet is one that has great significance to those who believe the Bible because it is around a 1000 years older than any previously known text. It shows though how God has preserved His Word through the centuries.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/XJJEXggU0F4[/youtube]
“Uncle Sam” or David’s brother Samuel graciously took Paul in his backpack carrier on a hike up to view a bunch of caves near where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
We had the priveledge of hiking up as well and getting to see from some special vantage points. The conclusion for the Waller boys seems to be: Difficult + Dangerous =Fun Hiking. 🙂
Here is the main cave that the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in.
Jars similar to these were what preserved our Scriptures for so many years.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/oJnSwtRU5p8[/youtube]
Floating in the Dead Sea
There is nothing quite like laying back and relaxing in the unique “water” of the dead sea.
It is just one of those things you have experience to fully appreciate or understand.
The mud is supposedly really good for your skin. For us, it was more really good fun :-).
The massive amount of mineral deposits astounded us and made a deep impression on us (especially our feet ;-))
Hiking up Mesada
The story itself is incredible, but to us there was a far more significance just from the view of the plains below.
Genesis 19 talks about the cities of the great plain and it could well be that this valley pictured above was a very fruitful valley until fire and brimstone rained from heaven in judgement for all the evil that was done in Sodom and Gomorrah.
IDF Air Force Museum
A definite highlight from our trip was a wonderful dinner with a gentleman who fought in every conflict Israel had except for it’s war of independence. We heard story after story of God’s hand at work. This same gentleman not only took us out to a very elegant dinner, but also arranged and sponsored a tour of the Museum.
The plane in the background was the actual plane used as the command Center for Operation Entebbe.
The gentleman next to David’s Dad was actually the Commander over the base in Beer Sheva. He now is over the airforce Museum.
It has been such a blessing to have Mom and Dad at the helm of our family. Their leadership over the years has been the key to helping us follow the leadership of the Lord.
Eastern Gate and Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives has a special promise with it: “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Visiting the Ruins at Beit Guvrin
This Byzantine church was very close to the Roman amphitheater.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/I_qPmjnLvoU[/youtube]
Nearby were many underground dwellings. I would imagine these were not only a welcome respite from the heat, but also a good hide out in times of political unrest.
Syrian Border
Words are inadequate to express the feeling of being on the border of Israel and Syria and hearing the shots and explosions in Quneitra only 15 Kilometers away where Syrians are in civil war. After a brief visit, we decided to head out.
Israel really is the cross roads to many different countries. 
The snow fell just before we arrived here in Israel and has remained in the mountains for quite some time.
Bet She’an
We sure have capitalized on the the architecture and especially enjoyed the heart-shaped pillars which are distinctly First Century AD.
The Biblical town of Bet She’an was the town that displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons after they died in combat on Mount Gilboa. 
There is just something about being in one of these ruins that causes one to marvel.
Family Time Together
Paul has a strange fascination with other babies and has certainly enjoyed his cousin Abigail.
[youtube]http://joyfullservice.com/2013/11/growing-happily/[/youtube]
Something new that has been fun is for Paul and David to go on walks together. Paul would far rather only holding on with one hand and it seems that the faster the better. They also have enjoyed matching clothes as well.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/xZ5xj_nDwe0[/youtube]
Lunch on the road is quite literal: We have been able to cut out a huge expense by preparing most all of our own meals.
Comments
Thank you for the updates! Your family is an inspiration to many!
Blessings 🙂
Lovely pictures! My family and I went a couple years back and enjoyed every moment of it! We were there for 2 weeks but even 2 weeks just wasn’t enough to see all the beauty Israel has to offer! We’re praying about going again sometime this year.
Just wondering, but where was Valerie? I saw her in your first post but haven’t seen her, except for Abigail and Adam, since. I hope she wasn’t ill, which tends to happen when you visit another country.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi David,
I love all the pics and videos. You and Priscilla are truly blessed to be able to visit Israel.
Just curious, what do you mean that they use a different calendar? Isn’t the 1st of Jan New Years for Israelis as well? Will you please clarify?
As always, please be mindful of your grammar lessons from college.
Thanks,
Lydia.
Lydia, I don’t think David went to college!
You are correct that I did not go to college. However, many out my spelling and grammar errors I think are more related to making quick posts late at night. Therefore, kind critiques and corrections from well meaning people are welcome. 🙂
Vow you replied it graciously! I know you were talking about the Hebrew calender which starts with Abib as the first month. It is nothing to do with your grammer.
Your posts have been so interesting, thank you so much for sharing with us all the pictures and video’s. Even though I have never been I am grateful to see the Bible come alive in photo’s. I am so glad that the trip has went well. I again want to thank you for the posts, I know that it takes time and work to put together. May the Lord continue to use you in a mighty way! God Bless!
Thank you so very much for the updates!!! It is wonderful to see! We have prayed for you often. You are missed and so dearly loved! Looking forward to seeing you again and hearing everything first hand!!!
Thanks so much for the pictures and videos from the Holy Land. I have really been enjoying them. You have really shared a lot with us and its been very interesting. I hope you will continue your website, especially the traveling journeys. Happy New Year to your wonderful family and your beautiful son. You are an inspiration to me.
DO YOU MOVED THERE FOREVER?
p.s. phew you don’t reply me ever
I have been in awe of all of these pictures!! I loved each and every one of them, I pray the year 2014 is a great one for you and your whole family!! God Bless!!
David and Priscilla your website is outstanding. We are so glad that our friends introduced us to your site. It is a wonderful resource for our family and we appreciate your diligent efforts to produce a professional product of this caliber. We have used your Israel posts as a very enjoyable teaching tool for all of our children. And we have used many of your family and wedding posts to encourage our three oldest children to persevere in their purity commitment. We can’t thank you enough for your ministry. God bless you and your families.
I hope you are having/have had a wonderful time! Paul is so big now!
Thank you so much for the excellent posts on your Israel trip. This trip would be out of reach for us, but we felt like we were right there with you and for that we are very grateful. We have studied about Israel and watched many DVDs with the children, but your account made it really come alive. We have been meaning to start a website for our family but cannot seem to find the time. This is yet another reason why we appreciate your posts so much. we know how much work it takes and we thank you for your ministry.
Wow, what can I say! All of the posts on Israel were excellent, and I enjoyed them so very much. I really felt like I was a part of your trip. Thank you for sharing.
It seems that the Wallers do keep busy. There will be no moss growing anywhere near you all! Thanks for the late night postings; they are a joy to read! God bless you all!
These photos have been amazing to me!
My Husband and I are hoping to visit in the next year or so.
Most of his family was lost in the holocaust. By the grace of God, his parents made it to England. So our visit will be very bittersweet,
Thanks for sharing these photos.
Blessings to you and your whole family!