38... THIRTY-EIGHT!

Well, another year down and one day closer to dying. I know that doesn't sound fun but, it's true.

This morning I got up around 5:10 AM grabbed my camera and headed to the mountains. After a short conversation and a kiss to my wife, I was driving down the highway. I really had no idea where I was going, but I thought I might find something up the Tumwater canyon.

I tried to keep it simple since I realized no one really knew my exact location, and a fall from a mountain resulting in injury or death would have had people searching for months.

As I exited my car and left the tune, "Beautiful Day," I grabbed my cameras and headed out... alone. What a peaceful time. Sounds of rushing water, birds and other critters I could only hear, singing, "Happy Birthday to YOU!" How nice.

I got down and dirty getting up close to some glacier lilies and some other flowers I have yet to identify. I wish I had my book with me, but alas, homework for later.

Anyhow, I really didn't want to talk about my birthday but rather, my midlife crisis...

It's hard to say this here, but I've given it a lot of thought and feel now is the time to let everyone know... I've been cheating on the side and I can't stay here anymore... There, it's out... Finally!

Since I first started with Blogger in September of 2005, I didn't know what kind of relationship blogger and I would have... I love blogs and the communities therein... However, I've worked around ridged blogger approved templates and longed to bring more of my personality to blogland. I had seen others using garbage like "myspace" "facebook" blah, blah, blah... But one caught my eye... WordPress. She wasn't perfect, but then neither was I. I heard that you could host WordPress on your site and with some modification you could really stretch your creativity and not look so much like everyone else.

I think Blogger, found out I was looking, because she made several changes. However, the changes she made, made me more confused that I was before. Don't get me wrong... I love blogger. I cut my teeth on blogger. But, now it's time for me to take the next step.

If you come to this site via http://road2gaza.blogspot.com/ , you'll continue to see this same old post, over and over again.

However, if you visit this spot via, http://www.johnathanthomas.com , you'll be pointed to the new site, that looks a lot like this site, just easier for me to manage.

The OFFICIAL SITE IS:
http://blog.johno.org

So, there you have it... My mid life crisis.

I love you blogger. We will always be friends, but it's time for me to go.



goodbye.
johno~

To all my friends following my ramblings...

Many of you received an email from me or have read my past blog outlining a project which would teach photography to students during my short stay in Uganda. After talking with the local missionaries, they feel, and I agree, that the timing is not right for such a project as previously described.

My heart is broke only because of the foothold the enemy has on so many African lives. Pray for Light. Jesus will win.

So where from here?

Look at my thoughts spins from other active organizations such as Cameras for healing and Kids with cameras - Zambia. However, it's purpose, as stated, is not only about photos, social awareness or learning a trade... It's life in Christ.

In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men.

Giving children the chance to share where they see God working in the world and in the lives around them through the lens.

Right now I'm trying to re-work some "holes" in this project. Unrealistic ideas and tasks need to be visited. A sensitivity for culture needs to be in place and last but not least, financing.

Currently, I am working with a few other potential groups for 2008:
Portland, Central Washington and kids from the Navajo reservation in Arizona.

If you would like to volunteer your skill or if you know of a community that could be blessed by this project, please feel free to contact me.

peace.
johno~

In the beginning, God chose the Jewish nation to proclaim His name; announce Him to the world. He could have picked a stronger nation like Egypt or Rome or someone else, but He didn’t. God has always taken the less the smaller to show His power. Now the Peace has come. Funny, it really didn’t look like what we thought it would look like. However, the promise still came in a lowly manger.

The Promise came in the lowest form, with all odds against it and by the power of God became flesh. God would come to where we are and rescue us with His power not ours. This is what we were made for. It’s the “Mitzvah”, the command given to us long ago never to forget.

These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Some of you may remember one of my first blog entries, On the road. It was my turn to listen to the Spirit. I will let you re-read the story If you like.

In short, Whitney was from the South, Texas. She was broke. She was an un-wed mother who just gave up her child to adoption. She knew God, but was losing hope because she didn’t know “who” He was talking about. Am I stretching this? Very contrasting to the Ethiopian eunuch, yet, the spirit led me to her to remind her of the LORD and his promise. He met her where she was… on a street curb.

Jesus said this, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Mitzvah, which means commandment or Mitzvot [plural] which means commandments.

How would our world be changed it we lived by these two Mitzvot? I’d like to find out.
I believe God placed “certain people in certain place at certain times so that they might reach out for Him and grab hold of Him because He is not far from each one of us.” We all travel the road everyday; are we listening to the spirit? Do we share the Mitzvah along the road? Do we live the Mitzvah?

The “Road to Gaza” describes, for me, the story of God meeting a man right where he is. What is my response everyday as I listen to the spirit?

Each person I meet, wherever I am, is the commandments [mitzvot] to love the LORD and proclaim his promises in the Messiah and love my neighbor so that we might have fellowship with the LORD someday in heaven. It gives me hope and builds strength even when I don’t know the final out come, I know what it looks like because of faith.

I grew up alone as a child. No father around, mother working all the time I felt alone. However, many people met me on the road to show me something about the LORD’S love for me.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [the temple] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments [mitzvot] and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

One of the men who walked with me on the “road” told me this good news, and when I ask him, "what do I do now?" he said, “share this with someone else.” He left, to Texas, and I went away, to college, rejoicing. Well, I wasn't happy about school work... you know what I mean. Rejoicing about not being an orphan boy, a bastard child. Rather, a true child of God the Father.

The “Road to Gaza” is my journey following and listening to the Spirit of the LORD. It is not about simple nods and greetings along the road as you pass by people. It is walking 140km or farther alongside one another telling the story of the new covenant. Some will leave rejoicing. Other might choose to take another road. That’s ok, I’ll still be walking and I'm sure I'll meet some more people along the road.

I hope this answers the question, “Why the Road to Gaza?’” It is not a short answer. Sorry. However, it’s an honest answer. It may also answer why my blog entries drop off here and there. It's me asking myself the question, “am I listening to the Spirit?” Empty spaces reveal a transparent answer.

I do desire more accountability. I want to listen and see more. It’s one of the reasons I started my 52 people photo blog. Who are the people I’m walking with? It makes you stop and look around. Daily being lead by the Spirit.

To my friend who asked this question, thank you. You know me a little better now. Maybe more than you ever wanted too. You are one of my best friends though we have never met face to face. When the day comes, if we are not to old, I would love to literally walk this road with you.

Peace.
Johno~

(This story is a part of who I am. It has help me in my search for myself and how I live and see others. It is also a very long thought. I have decided to make this several parts to keep readers from being bored to tears.)



Not to long ago, one of my dedicated readers sent me a note asking, "Why the 'Road to Gaza?'" I was eager to answer, however, my feelings or passion to get myself into these words, I knew, would take some time. Time. Some days I have it and some days I don't. That is a personal struggle and I ask for your prayers not your criticism.

It does seem funny, I suppose from an outsiders view, for a 37 year old, white male American to name his personal weblog, (blog) Road2Gaza. I mean, I’ve never been to Israel or touched foot on any “holy” land in my life. More so, a land called “holy” yet carries generation upon generation of bloodshed and persecution. How could this land be called “holy” set apart. “the land of milk and honey?”

Yet, out of all this, the road to Gaza, out of all the roads to choose from this one road that travels South down from Jerusalem to Gaza would find it’s way in my life.

To give a bit of history regarding this road here is a bit of information regarding Gaza.

Strategically located on the Mediterranean coastal route, ancient Gaza was a prosperous trade center and a stop on the caravan route between Egypt and Syria. The city was occupied by Egypt around the 15th century BCE. Philistines settled the area several hundred years later, and Gaza became one of their chief cities.
In 145 BCE Gaza was conquered by Jonathan the Hasmonean (Brother of Judah the Maccabee). There was a prospering Jewish presence in Gaza until the Roman ruler Gavinius expelled them in 61 CE as part of the First Jewish-Roman War. In the times of the Mishnah and the Talmud there was a large Jewish community in Gaza, and on one of the pillars of the Great Mosque of Gaza there was a Greek inscription which read "Hananiah bar Yaakov" (a Hebrew name) with a menorah carved above it. This column was originally part of a Byzantine-era synagogue, destroyed at an unknown date…

-wikipedia

In short, it was a stop between travels. The "road" to Gaza in any direction would be people coming and going to and from their homes for many reasons… It was a travelers road. It is not about Gaza itself, but the travelers road and those who travel on it.

peace.
johno~