Visiting the Bible Lands with Mother

I regretted that my Father never was able to visit the Bible lands with me, but Mother made two trips. The first in 1980, a year after my father died, and the second in 1993. I enjoyed having her as part of the group. She could walk faster and longer than anyone in the group, I think.

Vera Jenkins at Joppa in 1993. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

This has been one of my favorite pictures of Mother. I made it at ancient Joppa in Israel, March 13, 1993, with the Great Sea in the background.

Vera Mann Jenkins – 1913-2009

Vera Mann Jenkins -- 1913-2009

My mother passed from this life to be with the Lord this evening in Huntsville (AL) Hospital. The photo I am sharing with you was made in 1993 when she was 80 years of age. She was a wonderful woman, a good mother, and a faithful Christian. I am thankful for the influence she had on my life.

At a later time I will share some remembrances of her.

There’s no place like home!

We arrived at our residence in Florida a few minutes before 7:30 p.m.

Taking the family to the Explorations in Antiquity Center

We recently ran three posts about the Explorations in Antiquity Center, LaGrange, GA, here, here, and here. A couple of friends in Alabama were encouraged by the posts to take 9 of their grandchildren to visit the center. Olen and Jane have visited Israel and Jordan with me twice, and I think they have been in Turkey twice. So, they know what to look for, and they understood the value of such an experience as that provided by the Explorations in Antiquity Center for their grandchildren.

You may remember Jane from her Journeys With Jane blog. She described the experience in Georgia this way:

The experience was much more than we had even hoped for! It was a long (4 ½ hour) drive over there, included an overnight stay, and long drive back, but worth all the time involved. The exhibit itself is a bargain, and extremely educational for both adults and children. We are ready to go back whenever we have the opportunity. We are thankful for the safety during our travels on this brief “journey” and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Bible or history of that era.

What was the best part?

The best part was the archaeological dig. We went to prepared areas and were instructed on archaeological techniques. Then we dug and sifted through our diggings to locate artifacts (some real and some replicas) which we would learn about later

She says they were honored to have Dr. James Fleming, the founder of the Center, explain about the artifacts they discovered on the dig, and relate them to different periods of history. Here, the kids listen intently as Dr. Fleming talks with them.

Dr. Fleming explains the archaeological artifacts to the kids at the Explorations in Antiquity Center. Photo courtesy Journeys With Jane.

You might enjoy seeing the other photos Jane has posted on her blog here.

I have no connection with, or financial interest in, the Explorations in Antiquity Center, but I am delighted to promote such a wonderful teaching center. The link to the Center website is here.

Where were you 40 years ago?

Even if we did not remember the exact day, all of us have heard that today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Our family had moved to Florida the previous December. School was not in session. What a great opportunity to take the boys to Cape Canaveral to see the “moon shot.”

Still in awe after the launch of Apollo 11. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

You may notice what appears to be a scratch on the slide running from the ground up into the water. That is the antenna to an little battery-operated TV. Afterwards we had a great picnic lunch mom had prepared.

The Aladdin Lamp gave light to all in the house

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, provides this information about the Aladdin Lamp:

The subject of a story in the Arabian Nights. The young boy Aladdin acquires a magic lamp that, when rubbed, brings forth a genie, who grants Aladdin’s wishes to win the hand of the sultan’s daughter and to build a palace. The magician who first gave Aladdin the lamp steals it back, but Aladdin regains the lamp, and he and the sultan’s daughter live happily ever after.

The lamp that Americans of the 1930s and 1940s came to know as the Aladdin Lamp was already in use in Germany during the early part of the 20th century. The flat wick kerosene lamp was common in the rural south when I was a youngster, but the Aladdin Lamp provided much more light because the flame heated a frameless mantle that hung over the flame. We had one Aladdin Lamp which we kept in the “big room” where both my parents and I slept until during my earliest grammar school years. This was literally our “living room.”

All of my evening school work was done in the light of the bright Aladdin Lamp. I thought that was the brightest light I had ever seen at night, and it was.

A few years ago, during a speaking engagement, I stayed with a fine family in Cullman, Alabama. They had the largest collection of Aladdin Lamps I have seen. Many of them have been refitted with electric fittings to make them usable today, like the one in our photo. I asked if he knew how much “wattage” one of the original lamps provided. He told me that it was about 60 watts.

The Aladdin Lamp provided light for all in the house. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Lamps like this provide us with a reminder of the wonderful illustration used by Jesus.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

And, we recall the illumination and guidance provided by the LORD and His word.

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 NAS)

This photo has been prepared in a size large enough to be used in PowerPoint presentations by my preaching/teaching friends. Just click on the image for a larger one.

Churning produces butter

One of the new things I noticed in a visit to Petra last year was the Bedouin actors demonstrating various aspects of daily life. Many of these customs are similar to those we read about in the Bible. This photo shows a man using an animal skin as a churn.

Using an animal skin for producing butter. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The writer of Proverbs speaks of churning in giving advice about those who stir up strife.

If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth. For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife. (Proverbs 30:32-33 NAS)

When the three men came to the Patriarch Abraham to announce the birth of Isaac, Abraham showed hospitality to them. He provided water so they could wash their feet. He told Sarah to prepare bread. He took a young calf from the herd and had the servants prepare it. Then the text says,

He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate. (Genesis 18:8 NAS)

Read Genesis 18 for the complete account.

My Father

Last night was the 30th anniversary of my father’s death. I have been thinking about him quite a bit lately.

B. M. Jenkins

It took me about six months to get over being downcast after his death. It wasn’t that I did not not have hope. There were two major factors. (1) It was just the sense of loss that I felt. I could recall our time together, but we would no longer be able to talk and discuss matters of common interest. (2) I began to think of my life. If I lived only to the age of 65 what would I do with these few remaining years? Even though I have passed 65 by several years, I still think about this question.

My father was an intelligent man, but not an educated man. He finished the eighth or ninth grade, but he knew how to work and make sound financial decisions for his family. My father spent my earliest years living on the farm where my grandfather was a share-cropper. It was hard on farms in those post-depression years. My father was a good mechanic and carpenter. In 1943 he drove about 60 miles each week from Harvest, Alabama, to Tullahoma, Tennessee. There was some type of building project in progress. After his death I found a receipt showing that he had earned about $13 for the week. From that he paid his gas expenses, stayed in a boarding house for four nights, and paid 13 cents in Old-Age Benefits. This program, now called Social Security, was set up by the Federal government in 1937 to provide retirement benefits. He evidently had enough left to provide whatever store-bought food, and other things, our family needed.

My paternal grandfather was named Joseph Frank. My grandmother was named Mary Magdalene. They had 12 children, and each of them was given a Bible name. My father’s name was Bartholomew (Matthew 10:3). He had no middle name, so he just made up the middle initial when he needed a middle name. His friends called him B.M., or Barley, or Bolly. And, yes, he had brothers named Philip, Thomas, James, Matthew, and John. He had sisters named Ruth, Mary Magdalene, Eunice, Naomi, and Elizabeth. One sibling died young. Only three are still living. My grandfather heard my second sermon. (It was the same as my first one.)

Most of the members of this family had a spirit of independence and entrepreneurship. Several of them ran small businesses and none of them ever got involved with “big business.”

My Father set a good spiritual example for his family. Sometime when I was between six and ten we walked about two miles on a country road to meet with other Christians to worship. One Sunday morning some family members drove up about the time we were to leave for church. They had come from across the county to see us. My Dad invited them to go to church with us. When they demurred, he told them to make themselves at home until we got back. The next time they came in the afternoon.

Dad served for a short time as an elder in a local church, but when the others began to advocate practices he thought were wrong, he resigned and began to worship with brethren who thought as he did.

Perhaps I should somehow relate this post to travel. I was able to take my mother to the Bible lands twice after my Father’s death. About the time I told them that I was going a third time, my Dad said, “Don’t you think you have been enough?” I wish he could have gone with me.

He taught me a lot. I think of him almost daily.

Luxor, Egypt

We boarded our cruise boat today shortly before noon. After lunch we spent a few hours at Karnak where the great temple complex is located.

In the late afternoon we went to Luxor temple. This is the temple of Ramses II situated on the banks of the Nile River. I tried making a few photos of the beautifully lit entrance with the statues of the Pharaoh and the obelisk. Here is one of those.

Luxor was known as Thebes in the Old Testament.

Luxor Temple in Egypt. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

It is difficult for me to write more or post more photos at this time because there are only a couple of computers on the cruise ship and the cost is steep — about $10 for 30 minutes. I simply wanted all of our readers, especially those with family members and friends on the tour, to know that everyone in our group is doing well.

Our boat remains docked at Luxor tonight. Tomorrow morning we visit the Valley of the Kings. At about 1 p.m. the boat departs for destinations along the Nile River.

Daydreaming a little

Family and friends who know us personally know that our greatest joy for the past four years has been our grandson. He stayed overnight with us recently prior to this tour. Almost the first question after he woke up was, “What were the pyramids?” I think his mind was satisfied when I finished the explanation. I promised that I would put him in a picture with us at the pyramids. He willingly posed for me to get a suitable photo.

Traveling with our grandson in our heart.

We sent this photo to him yesterday, and he emailed back his hearty approval. He said that he read the sign in front of the group all by himself. Maybe someday he can come to Egypt with us. What a joy that would be.

And this fits in well with our recent theme of composite creatures. Let him who has understanding receive it.