Turkey

My trip to Turkey is coming up fast, I can't believe it.

Most of you know that I have had a passion for this country ever since my last visit in 2009. I caught the bug, and have developed a soft spot for it; I never knew that I would be returning.

I'm ready to be overtaken by Turkey's beauty once again. The Bosphorus Straight, Marmara Sea, Hagia Sophia, Gelata Tower, Antioch, Ephesus, Cappadocia, Pamukkale.....wow! I can't believe i'll be back in 4 days, for 3 months! Istanbul will be my home for 3 months!

I plan on writing at least once a week to inform everyone about what I am doing/ how my travels are going...so check back regularly.

Gorusuruz!

You, As My Guide

This is a poem that I've been working on for the past few days, just finished it last night;

A man cried out to God, "please let me view you rightly"
So You took hold of gold thread and sewed up his eyes tightly
Spoke, "To see Me walk in to the sea in the dark,
you're eyes are deceptive, your heart is a lark.
Be bold and be brave, with fire in your hands;
Your hand on your heart and you feet in the sand”

The gold thread that you bear will lead you back home.


“Don't fear that the waves are increasing their fury,
to bring judgment on man for being shackled in misery”
The waves spoke "only we are able to move about freely,
the Moon guides our path and the Sun our identity"

“What a thought!”, thought the man who was in such a place,
Where creation appears in indefinite shapes.

He saw with his heart, for his eyes had been shut,
..that God was not what the skeptics had thought:
Perception is reality!...as Pyrrho denied,
but what did he perceive the day that he died?

Before the man could move to test out the sea,
One thing must be done to gain God’s gentle reprieve.
In fear, he took off his shoes, fanned out his Kilim,
And bowed down to the ground as a sign of submission;
Stood up and stepped out, on the waves as he listened
“My son, you’re reward is not that of perdition”
Please take the gold thread away from your eyes,
The gold in your fiery hands has become your great prize,

A man cried out to God, "please let me view you rightly"
God took up a gold thread and sewed up his eyes tightly

“I now perceive You through this lesson tonight,
my eyes had been closed, and my heart opened wide,
The waves did establish your hand in creation
How did I ever deny this not subtle demonstration?
How the Moon in it’s orbit does turn the sea about,
And the Sun in it’s glory turns the sea into clouds”

I now view you rightly, through observance and fear
For calling me to sea, I knew my death was near
I listened to your calling and you spared me this fate
A gold thread, worth a fortune, my soul, I did take.

You are the Sea

A new song by the band Geology (Greg Jehanian of mewithoutYou) sparked an intersting and beautiful concept in my mind. The line...

"You are the sea to which the river that I am flows, and it's alright"

...is sung repetitiously. What beautiful imagery. God is the sea, and we are rivers flowing from him and to him. All rivers flow from the sea, and towards a sea. In other words, our lives come from God, and head back to him. The terrain around us alters our course through life, but to him we will return.

Currently Reading: The Guide, by R.K. Narayan,

"The sky was clear. Having nothing else to do, he started counting the stars. He said to himself, 'I shall be rewarded for this profound service to humanity. People will say, 'there is the man who knows the exact number of stars in the sky. If you have any trouble on that account consult him. He will be your night guide for the skies'."

And if ever You come near, i'll hold up high a mirror,

Lord, I could never show you anything as beautiful as You.

May our lives reflect back the image of the Creator to the Creator.

Really, it's what this is all about,,,

Anchor

Today has been a day of reflection,

I've been tossing around in my mind the concept of hope:

What hope looks like, and why we should have it.

It's is so necessary for us, as humans, to see the essentiality of hope. 

It is the anchor of our souls, without hope we are as lost as a ship at sea (this sensation isn't new to me).  Hopelessness makes us sick, 

I haven't had hope when I needed it, and have suffered the consequences of trying to get through trials by relying on my brand of strength. A flawed concept; thinking that I may persevere by the power of my own hand, impossible. 

Have hope, have heart, our trials are only temporary. 

Constantinople,

It has been a very long time since I wrote on my blog,
almost forgot that I had one. Some interesting things have happened in the last year!


I was blessed to have the opportunity to go on a trip to Turkey! It was, aside from my expedition to African, the most amazing experience to date. We began our trip in Istanbul , where we stayed in hotel Emek for a couple of days, a few blocks from the Bosphorus River. We spent our last day in Istanbul visiting the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Visiting the Hagia Sophia was so surreal, it was the center of christianity in Asia Minor for 1,000 years before it's fall to the Byzantine Empire in 1453. After that, we took a ferry to Heybeliada Island in the Marmara Sea. The Island has one of the last remaining monasteries in Istanbul, and we were lucky enough to get a tour! We spent the evening eating dinner on the shore of the Bosphorus with the Lentz family. A beautiful evening,

After Istanbul we took an overnight bus to the ancient Biblical city of Ephesus. We lodged in the "Aphrodite's Palace", and spend the next few days touring the city. Visiting Ephesus helped me to put New Testament literature into perspective;; to have a visual for what you are reading about. It was amazing. We went to a family owned, Turkish rug making hose/business on top of a moutain, and observed how silk is made. We also visited the alleged home of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Apparently she moved to Ephesus after Jesus ascended, according to legend.

After Ephesus we went to Pergamum, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia. All ancient Biblical places.

Pamukkale "Cotton Castle" in Turkish, is where St. Phillip was crucified upside down and stoned on an olive tree. It is known for it's cloudy looking mineral pools that border the mountain. It was one of my favorite places that we visited!

Cappadocia is where the infamous "Fairy Chimneys" are located. Ancient Christians hid from persection in this region, where they carved their homes into the stone pillars and mountain sides. Imagination Village was the most interesting place we went to in Cappadocia. We also visited the site of where a scene from Star Wars was filmed.

After Cappadocia we went to Antioch, where we spent the next week working with a Church, helping Turkish speaking people with their English. It was in Antioch that I got an ear infection. It was decided that I should fly home early because of how dizzy I was getting. It was a sad decision, but probably for the best. I know I'll be back in Turkey someday, and I anxiously await that day.

What I loved about Turkey:
-The call to prayer; 5 times a day.
-Simit,
-The nationals; beautiful, amazing people with a heart for hospitality.
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