this land is your land, this land is my land

So drew and I visited the Shepherd's field (the catholic one), where its believed the Shepherd's first saw the star. It was crazy going under ground into these caves seeing stone carved seats, tables, stairs, cubbyholes where i think they slept, and windows. Our first thought was, of course they would build their houses underground because it's so much cooler, who ever thought to build their houses right out in the open, where there's no trees and the sun is way to close to this land.... so, especially today, we took our time down there (drew got lots of pictures). But as we continued to roam this place it was obvious that it was claimed by someone. Everything was in a specific language with symbolism that is predominate in a specific religion, my mind didn't like this so much. This doesn't belong to anyone, it belongs to the Lord. Then i began thinking about the conflict here, over the land, it doesn't belong to anyone but the Lord and if we are applying what the Lord has asked then loving Him and loving others would be our first focus.

It's so evident that in all things people are claiming something, taking ownership, and making sure everyone else knows it, but nothing belongs to us, so stop all this power play and craziness and just love one another. Can you imagine what this place would be like if people were unified in God and we simply just loved and served one another? Of course we all have different opinions and beliefs, even people of the same religion have different opinions, but these are not meant to cause disunity but rather conversations, growth and teach-ability.

Our focus is so off and is so selfish, my focus is off and selfish. I think about how I feel when I'm around people with different morals and standards and as much as I'd love to think that i love them the way God calls me to, i don't. The differences always cause a barrier between the person and me. I remember how i used to think about drinking, if i found out that anyone was okay with drinking I'd immediately shut down and cut off any potential friendship that could have happened, of course i feel differently now, but i allowed disunity to happen over such a ridiculous thing. So walking around Shepherd's Field was thought provoking and overwhelming, and i had to pee, so painful as well. I was also thinking, is this how the Lord would have wanted this story portrayed? is He happy about all this? What if the story is all wrong and we are stuck in what we think happened, and stuck in the tradition of things...I'm in a good place but if anyone has any comments or wisdom on this matter please share. Pictures and Drew's mind will arrive shortly