2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

picture of the day

Here's a picture from Bethany and my trip to Green Bay today. We had fun taking a friend to the airport, doing some shopping, lots of talking, and some eating. :)

The Ipinions Journal

Here is a favorite news blog of mine... I may have posted this a while back, but some of the recent posts are worth reading for perspective. Of particular interest is the one that mentions the fact that bin Laden is likely dead.

Studying abroad - both ways

An interesting report that I came across shows the number of Americans studying abroad in various countries, as well as the number of foreigners studying in the US.

- Turkey is ranked eighth in countries that send students to the US with over 12,000 Turks studying in American universities. Find that article here.

- Meanwhile, Turkey has nearly a thousand US students studying there according to the parallel article here.

A few more thoughts on the elections... from others

A post from acquaintances from Cameroon that I thought put things quite nicely. Dan Seely on why he's glad Barack Obama won...

And a timely article by Kevin Bauder on the Christian's responsibilities to the President, whoever he may be. This article gives good thoughts on both the past and the future of the Presidency.

The view from abroad

An article that summarizes one aspect of what I think is to be gained through an Obama presidency, no matter that he would not be my President of choice. I expect this to be used to the advancement of eternal interests, whether we perceive it right away or not.

*(And for those who might think "who cares" about what the article is saying, about 6 billion people would care...)

Praise for the Gift of Gifts

An edifying pursuit that Mr. Keven Brownfield taught in his class on 2 Corinthians is to read Spurgeon's sermons. Many of these are available online from spurgeon.org. As I came to 2 Cor. 9 in my reading, I was reminded of Spurgeon's sermon on 9:15 where he spoke on the topic of the Unspeakable Gift that we have been given. So, as I reread that, I thought I'd pass it on.

Government

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

To Glory in Knowing God

A heart-poem written and posted by MKC. Well worth reading and pondering for a while...

Link to a favored song

"In God's Green Pastures Feeding" is a song that my dad taught us a long time ago. Today I looked for and found a link to it online, but while they did have a verse that I didn't know, they also didn't have the last verse which I know. Ah well, still nice to find an old favorite.

1. In God's green pastures feeding by His cool waters lie;
   Soft in the evening walk my Lord and I,
   All the sheep of His pasture
   Fare so wondrously fine; His sheep am I.
   
• 
  
• Sisters: Waters cool,
  Brothers: In the valley;
  Sisters: Pastures green,
  Brothers: On the mountain,
  Sisters: In the eve...ning
  Brothers: In the evening
  Everyone: Walk my Lord and I
  
• Sisters: Dark the night,
  Brothers: In the valley,
  Sisters: Rough the way,
  Brothers: On the mountain,
  Sisters: Step by step...
  Brothers: Step by step.
  Everyone: My Lord and I.
• 
  
2. Through the streets of the city in the darkness of the night,
   Far from the fold, He heard my lonely cry.
   Now I sit at His table in the palace of light;
   His sheep am I.

3. Oh, do you know the Savior who has died for His sheep?
Know of His cleansing power, His power to keep?
He's a wonderful Savior and He loves you and me.
Are you His sheep?

You Can't Get Away with It

An outstanding message by Sam Brock from this past week! He speaks of what Galatians is saying when it says whatever a man sows he will reap. It's a surprisingly positive message that really makes that passage come alive.

Fall has arrived

While I have been hoping to capture more of the beauty of this season on camera than I have so far managed to, I will at least offer this picture that I took yesterday.

"Great Escape" digger

For those who care about WWII history or classic movies, here is an interesting link. John Fancy has died. He was the real-life digger who was portrayed in "The Great Escape."

I am about to head into back to back weeks of block class. That means that over the next two weeks, I should spend approximately 60 hours in one particular room... this is an attractive option if you want to learn a lot and if you have a constitution like a mud puddle. However, if you occasionally look out side and notice that it is a glorious fall day and that even as you sit in your seat the leaves are becoming brilliant shades of red and orange and yellow, then you might occasionally feel bereft of benefit while attending these classes dutifully. Nevertheless, I fully expect to both learn and enjoy my classes on NT Introduction and also Romans, particularly since I know I like both teachers.
Not much seems to be new in my life other than that, so I shall abandon you here again...

Note and link

It has been a while since I updated this since I have little of importance to say and also since I have been busy. But I found an interesting article on Google's official blog. I thought I'd share a bit since it strikes my fancy at this particularly odd hour of the night.

Context will make the quote more meaningful, but here is the part that caught my notice:

"Why did we focus on musicians and fashion designers this round? It's often the clothes we wear and the music we listen to that help express our personality and style."

Thoughts on words

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Eph. 5:4 - ESV)

It is interesting that the replacement for wrong words is to be thanksgiving. If we are concentrating on the One to whom we have so much to be grateful for, we will not slander His name or glory by having filth or crudeness come from our mouths.

Ruminations on glory

In 2 Chronicles 13, the Bible records that King Abijah of Judah, though he did not follow God wholly, was given a tremendous victory, because God was glorified in that victory. This is the purpose of man and the creation, to glorify God. Yet we say that God is glorified both in the salvation of His children and the damnation of the unrighteous. How do these fit together? At times, theologians speak of the attributes of God as His "perfections." When the perfections of God are most fully displayed in their true glorious character, then God is glorified. It is certain that the perfections of God are seen clearly in both salvation and damnation, though we may not see it in the latter case as easily as the former.
What does this mean today, here on earth? The creation declares God's eternal power, His deity, His glory, His righteousness. But we were made image-bearers, those made in the likeness of God, by God's own hand with His life breathed into us. We are called to live out those of God's perfections with which He has graced us. Think on it - made in Almighty God's image to disply who He is! Is it any wonder that it is only when we abide in Christ Jesus, the God-man, that we can bear fruit and glorify God? Only in that way we can display some measure of His perfections and show that we are truly His followers.


*1 Kings 15; Psalms 19:1; 50:6; Romans 1:19-20; John 15:8

Pictures of sunrise

It is not often that I see the sunrise in my normal routine. So, as a tribute to my currently normal but generally abnormal routine, some pictures.

Difficulty walking with God

If you approach the Old Testament from a historical perspective, you begin to realize that no one has had an easy walk with God.
- - Dr. Gilbert Braithwaite.

from "To Diognetus"

I am doing reading for a course on church history that I am supposed to take this fall, and came across this quote from one of the earliest Christian apologists:

"Christians are no different from the rest in their nationality, language or customs. ... They live in their own countries, but as sojourners. They fulfill all their duties as citizens, but they suffer as foreigners. They find their homeland wherever they are, but their homeland is not in any one place. ... They are in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They live on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey all laws, but they live at a level higher than that required by law. They love all, but all persecute them."

May we take up the challenge to live the way that this apologist said Christians live, and not in the lesser ways that we can unthinkingly slide into.

Long Slide falls

Long Slide falls

On Saturday, I went with some friends/family to Long Slide falls; it is a charming little park that is well worth visiting, being quite off the beaten road and quite impressive as little waterfalls go.

Sarah, Miriam, Andrew, and I hiked around and took pictures; we relaxed and talked. And then, we had a picnic supper. All around a very nice expedition.

There were lots of damsel flies fluttering about.

There's Andrew, and Miriam kind of got into the picture.

Arrivals

Well, I am back at Northland at long last. I arrived in Indiana late Saturday night after several relatively uneventful flights. Then I spent 2 or 3 days with family, before coming back up to WI yesterday. So, I am now again becoming ensconced in a dorm room. :)

Leaving

The fateful day is nearly upon me... tomorrow morning, at a relatively reasonable hour (8:55AM), I should be on my way back to the States. I am scheduled to land in Indianapolis around 11pm. Next week, I will plan to head back up north to Dunbar. Till then, I bid thee adieu.

Called a Pilgrim

Called a Pilgrim

At home,
With friends,
In times of ease,
The thought of life’s realities
With fearful haste escapes and flees.

Pilgrim,
Stranger
Without a land –
Recall your home in heaven and
Rewards conferred by Jesus’ hand.

- MCC

A ridiculous article

I don't usually post articles simply to seek to invalidate them, but this article "Early Arabs Followed the Rain, or Didn't" seems particularly in need of some negative publicity. The researches compared weather data from 11,000-10,300 years ago to the Y chromosome in men from "from Turkey, Egypt, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates." They then proceed to say that the two subgroups that they found in their study "corresponded to lifestyle as well as geography", with one group representing the descendants of farmers and the other the descendants of semi-nomadic herders. So, ancient people eventually adopted one lifestyle or the other on the basis of how the wetter or drier climate affected their DNA. The conclusion of the article wonders about the results of global warning...

Several points seem highly suspect in the article, but I think two are particularly worthy of mention. One, the researchers ignored history... samples of men from Turkey, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are unlikely to turn up many people who would be genetically linked to people living in those areas 10,000+ years ago. The Turks came in waves from the East and conquered or lived in all of those areas. The Greeks had captured the area previously. The Romans, the Persians, the Chaldeans, Phoenicians, Assyrians, and others had all also spent time mixing the genetic history of this area. 

Two, what the researchers are trying to prove genetically is completely bogus. Genetic biologist Richard Lewontin documents this throughout his book Biology as Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA. His chapters on genetics make this type of article look completely unscholarly. I read several portions of his book for my Philosophy of Science class this last semester, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is combating genetic determinism.

Update on my life

Since I haven't mentioned details about my life much recently, I thought I should give a few of those on here today. I have just over a week left here in Turkey; I am supposed to fly out next Saturday morning, the 5th. Until then I have very few concrete things to do... just spending time with friends, getting together the stuff I need to take back, packing, and so forth. So, my challenge is to spend my time wisely even in the midst of a very light schedule of things that need doing. Yet, each day so far the Lord has guided in the things that I have done even though I have not known ahead of time what the day would hold.

Euro 2008

Tonight, Turkey lost in the semi-finals of Euro 2008. They lost to Germany 3-2 in what I would say was their best game of the tournament. Their previous 2 games were won in incredible come-from-behind fashion. This game was played well throughout with only a few mistakes. The Turks played with the same determination that won them the other two games, and this time they played with manners. Outstanding game!

Haydi, Türkiye!

Pergamum

Pergamum's theater, with modern Bergama in the background

Pergamum was one of the more interesting sites to visit. It has undergone a large amount of excavation and restoration. It is also one of the places that was visually very striking. The theater above is considered to be the world's steepest. Even more interesting, though, are the remains of the Pergamum Altar (presumably) to Zeus. It is worth taking the time to see the actual altar that was there, by visiting its Wikipedia site. This is probably what is described in Rev. 2 as "Satan's throne." Take a look, you'll see why the language is so lofty.

The Remains of Pergamum's Altar of Zeus

Related posts: Seven Churches Intro and Miletus; Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Smyrna; Colossae, Laodecia, Hierapolis; previous trip to Hierapolis; previous trip to Ephesus; trip to Cappodocia

Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Smyrna

The Mountains, the buildings, the Bethany - at Sardis

So, what is left at some of the less famous cities of the 7 churches? Well in some cases, we might not have known what was there in the first place. Sardis was once the capital of the kingdom of Lydia, where coins are believed to have first been used. But now in Sardis there are mostly Roman ruins, with the rebuilt entrance to the old gymnasium being the most impressive building. However, there are also impressive ruins from a Jewish synagogue with some well-preserved mosaics adorning the floor.

Rebuilt entrance to the Sardis gymnasium

At the site of ancient Philadelphia, the city of Alaşehir now bustles. There is remarkably little to indicate that an old city is buried beneath the ruins of the modern one. (And I don't currently have a picture from there.)

Ruins at Thyatira

The ruins at Thyatira (modern Akhisar) are also sparse, although slightly more plentiful. This is the city where Lydia (whom Paul met in Philippi) was from. She was a seller of purple/indigo, which is quite natural since Thyatira was know for its dyeing and indigo trade.

Bethany & I at Thyatira... resting on a random fallen column

The final city that we saw on this particular day was ancient Smyrna/modern Izmir. Here part of the ancient agora has been restored, and it is quite interesting since it is actually a two-story marketplace. That is why in the picture below we are looking down on the arches of the first level. There isn't much of the ancient to see here either.

Arches of ancient agora in Smyrna/Izmir

What came to mind while we saw these cities? These places brought to more reality the fact that by the time John penned the Revelation most of the churches in this area were under some form of persecution. The message to each of these churches was "Hold fast; be faithful." And as with those churches that were receiving the completion of the canon, if we are faithful to what is written in the Word, we will have done all that is required.


Related posts: Seven Churches Intro and Miletus; Colossae, Laodecia, Hierapolis; Pergamum; previous trip to Hierapolis; previous trip to Ephesus; trip to Cappodocia

Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis

Colossae, an unexcavated mound

Our next step in our travels (after Miletus and Ephesus) was to visit the cities of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis, which sit in close proximity to each other, about 15 minutes apart by bus. The first stop was Colossae, which has had no excavation work done on it. It is literally just a big hill where a few old ruins are poking out here and there. While this sounds boring, it was actually quite interesting to see what these sites used to look like; pre-excavation virtually all of these sites were simply hills like that.

Bethany & I atop the Colossian mound

Next we visited Laodicea which is a very recently developed site. It has only been open to the public for about 2 years. It has a sizeable area that has been excavated and is available for observation. Apparently they are still working on other parts, so this site should continue to improve.

Laodicean agora

Finally, we went Hierapolis (mentioned at the end of Colossians). For more details about what that is like, you can check this post that I did after seeing Hierapolis with Brad.

The necropolis (city of the dead) at Hierapolis;
Those are the sarcophagi (stone coffins) lying around.

Finally, a few thoughts from these cities: The water sources for these cities are of interest. Colossae's water apparently came from a cold mountain stream. Hierapolis's water was the various hot springs in their area. Laodecia had neither; and their water was lukewarm, probably due to piping in water from both Colossae and Hierapolis, yet the water would have lost it's temperature by the time it got there. Thus, the Laodiceans had neither the relaxing hot springs nor the refreshing cool water... just tepid water. The Laodiceans would have had a very good grasp of the blessing of cold or hot water and the distastefulness of the lukewarm.  Now, think through what it means to be either hot or cold... to be useful and profitable to those around you, not of barely tolerable benefit to those in need.

Related posts: Seven Churches Intro and Miletus; Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Smyrna; Pergamum; previous trip to Hierapolis; previous trip to Ephesus; trip to Cappodocia

Seven Churches Tour: Introduction and Part 1, Miletus

Introduction: Having now returned from the tour of the seven churches of Revelation and other Turkish historical sites, I think I will try to give you all an extended update. The point will be to share pictures/information about these sites in a helpful way. However, some of the pictures that I would like to use are "unavailable" since Bethany and I usually only took one of our cameras along. Thus, I only have pictures of some of the sites, so I may try to post those other pictures later.

The Main Street in Ephesus

Miletus/some Ephesus: Last Thursday morning, our tour group traveled down to the site of Miletus. Miletus was the place where Paul said goodbye to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20. Portions of the ancient harbor, the agora, the theater, and other areas of the city have been preserved.
But notice that Paul "touched at Samos" immediately before he got to Miletus (20:15). Samos is a large island that is a little ways out in the Aegean Sea. This is interesting because beyond Samos is the island of Patmos. To get from Ephesus to Patmos, one would simply have sailed the relatively short distance... probably an easy one-day trip.
Now think of John's exile at Patmos, and remember that according to very strong legend, John had previously been the pastor at Ephesus. Thus, when John writes to the church at Ephesus and says that they have left their first love, it is the voice of their pastor who is suffering persecution "just over the horizon." It is not as if he had been taken to Rome or somewhere far off. He was still faithful to his first love, but they had drifted. The geography personalized John's words a bit more when this was pointed out.

I will probably not add more about our visit to Ephesus, because of the overlap. For thoughts and pictures of that, visit here.

Related posts: Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Smyrna; Colossae, Laodecia, Hierapolis; Pergamum; previous trip to Hierapolis; previous trip to Ephesus; trip to Cappodocia

Rare positive thoughts about America from the international media

Here is an article which I found to be extremely insightful and helpful. It is not often that one can read non-Americans writing positive things about America in the international media. Beyond that, it seems that in the last several years America's typical optimistic view of herself has taken a drubbing. Thus, while I have my fair share of "cynicism" about many aspects of American life and culture, I appreciated the article a lot.

Off and away

In approximately 6 hours I am to get under way, headed to what should be my last major (planned) adventure of my time here in Turkey this year. I am joining a student group that is traveling down to Ephesus and seeing many of the major tourist sites between here and there on a 6-day trip. The sites should include the 7 cities of Revelation, the Gallipoli peninsula, and other places of historic/natural interest. I actually saw a couple of these sites already on my trip in December, but maybe that will just allow me to get a better understanding of what else is around.

Unfortunately I really don't have time for an extended post. I just finished Francis Schaeffer's trilogy yesterday; it has been good to read his Christian philosophy as I study various of the historic philosophers. Towards the end of He is There and He is not Silent, Schaeffer says that because Christians have an understanding of what is "really" there (as opposed to wondering if anything is actually there) and because we believe that man is made in the image of the creative God, we should have fertile imaginations. Some of his thoughts in this connection would be interesting to talk about in light of recent discussions of fantasy, whether that be Rowling's Harry Potter or Lewis's Narnia. Why has fantasy and fiction so often been a great tool of Christian thought? Why is it often so corrupt a form of communication? What makes for good, profitable fictional writing or speaking?

I think some of the answers to these questions are suggested in Schaeffer's book, though he does not deal explicitly with them here. But the questions are good to ponder. Till later...

In the news...

I saw real hail for the first time yesterday. The pictures didn't turn out very well, but I was impressed by the balls of ice falling from the sky. There was a lot the size of marbles or even bigger, but it only lasted a short while.Most of the other news is also mundane. Most of my time currently is being spent with the visiting friends from the States, and/or with a combination of them and Turkish friends.
(The above picture was taken yesterday morning while out for breakfast with my housemates and Bethany.)

Engaged

Because I post news of my life on here, I suppose that I should promptly post a notice that today, Friday the 30th of May 2008, I got engaged to Bethany.
I'm sure pictures and such like should follow, but this much info is enough for now.

Secular thoughts on servant-leadership

Here's an article I came across that I though might interest some of you. It is not incredibly detailed, but it does have some interesting things to say.

badly needed update

Well, I have managed to neglect this for a lot of valid reasons, but as someone said yesterday, "Reasons are not excuses." :)
A group of friends arrived last week, and I have been spending a fair amount of time with them. But last weekend, I traveled with my housemates and spent time with their family, since it was a holiday. This week has been filled with university classes and time with various friends. It has been very nice to get to be with Bethany again, as well as several other good friends who are here.
There are other bits and pieces to tell, but that's not for now...

Irregular sharings

Just some notes:

1. For those of you who use Macs, the newest version of MacSword has come out and is worth downloading as it improves some things that needed it. (If you haven't used this program in the past and want to, get the modules that make the program really useful from here, after you get the main program.)

2. I will give here a hint of my current study project that I hope to blog sometime soon. In my philosophy classes, we have read a number of the classic philosophers and their views on government. In addition to that, I have been in dialogue with a friend who has also been studying the topic though from a slightly different angle. So, sometime soon I will hope to begin posting a several-part "series" on thoughts on Government and the Believer. I expect it to have parts relating to the Old Testament, the New Testament, historic philosophy, and eventually a part on the topic of civil disobedience (which was what started the discussion.) Mayhap it will interest some of you. Oh, and if you are interested in "why?", it is combination of personal interest and a good philosophical discussion to dig into as I begin my studies in this field.

3. Less than 48 hours, Lord willing...

Don't know why I'm posting this...

This was one of a series of pictures taken of several of us last night... Maybe it was an omen that I was going to make pancakes today...

Maybe I should post another one in my own defense...


Oh, and then one last one that's actually normal.

Thessaloniki

It would seem that somehow I have been negligent at posting here for nearly two weeks. What's worse is that I don't really have any convincing excuses. Oh well...

(The seaside at Thessaloniki)

This last week has been Spring Break at the university, so I used it to take a trip to Greece since I needed to go get my visa renewed. I ended up spending two days in Thessaloniki, and so here are a few pictures from there. (The trip actually took up about three days due to traveling arrangements that got messed up.)

This is Atatürk's childhood home. It has some very interesting memorabilia from his life.
The old Roman agora
I find it remarkable how easy it is to picture a modern open-air market here.

School starts again on Monday, and I'm not anticipating any major disruptions to that routine for about another 2 weeks.

Reasons to spend time on a Turkish farm (in no particular order)

1. Learn more language
2. Learn more culture
3. Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine
4. Enjoy the beautiful scenery
5. Encourage both known and unknown muscle groups to grow
6. Play in the dirt/plant stuff
7. Learn what an artichoke is and how it should be dealt with in life
8. Eat very healthy food and be kept away from things that rot your teeth and so forth
9. Have your skin turn different shades of color from what it was when you arrived, whether that be tan or red
10. Have fun
11. Relax, in all the time when you aren't working really hard

The farming experience

Well, I promised an update with pictures, so here it is.

I spent 8 days at a farm about 3 hours away from Istanbul. It was a time during which I did a lot of good hard farm work, but on the other hand there was lots of time in the evenings for reading and relaxing.
The area is pretty enough, but the sunsets were particularly nice. I didn't take any "people pictures" so all the pictures are just scenery.
We worked on artichoke, onions, leeks, garlic, peas, and quince. I read a novel, philosophy homework, and am working my way through more of H. Taylor's biography, which is excellent.

Tomorrow I should be headed back to school. :) But Wednesday is a public holiday, and next week is spring break, so even that is on somewhat of a pause right now. But there will be things to do, hopefully I can tell you about those whenever they happen... since I don't necessarily know what they are yet.

For more pictures, you can visit here.

going away for a bit

[This is] Just a note to let those who check this to not worry about it for about a week. I am supposed to leave tomorrow for a trip out to a farm where I am to work as a volunteer. Hopefully, this will be a profitable and enjoyable opportunity. However, though I should be able to check email, I am not planning to blog while I'm out there. But, you never know... the need to blog may come rushing over me and cause me to do something abnormal. But, I wouldn't bet on it.


(remarks in red are grammatical rules that I broke in some form or other, but I like it the way I wrote it and thus will plan to leave it that way.) :)

about that reading

So, Miriam asked me what I've been reading, so I figured I'd tell the whole world. :)

- for Intro to Modern Philosophy: required text (selections from Montaigne, Galileo, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau)

- for Philosophy of Science: required text (selections from Popper, Kuhn, Irzık, and others)

- for personal study: Acts and 1 Cor.; Thoreau (Civil Disobedience); world news and Turkish politics

- other: biography of H. Taylor, a book of short stories, O. Chambers, and E. M. Bounds

Clearly I don't read from all of those categories every day (much less each book), but I tend to do some of several of the categories each day, even if it's not much. Some prosper the mind; some prosper the spirit; and others are provide information and relaxation.

random news

Most recent self-portrait, while waiting for the event described below

- Yesterday, the Olympic torch passed through Istanbul on its way to somewhere. Since I didn't have anything particular planned for the afternoon, I went down and watched it... not very impressive. But it was worth the bit of time that I put into it.

The rest of the week has just been spent in school work, time with friends, homework, reading, studying, sleeping, eating, emailing, and other even more minor details of life. It's been a good week though. I'll try to say more when something more exciting happens. :)

Readings of the day

Two fine works of literature that I have read today which deserve commendation:

- Joseph Mitchell's "The Downfall of Fascism in Black Ankle County" - I am slowly reading through a book of American short stories, and this one had me laughing pretty hard. If I hadn't been in a restaurant eating supper when I read it, I would have laughed even harder... as it is I tried to restrain myself. It'd make good family reading if you like... the description of the explosions and their results are classic. But I shall leave you with that.

- Mehmet Ali Birand's article "The fight over the fine-turning of democracy" in todays edition of Turkish Daily News was very insightful on the current problems facing Turkey political structure and people. For a bit of background to the article, you can read here.

news of me

Well, the news of the last week is not particularly exciting. I had a wisdom tooth taken out on Thursday. Other than that, I spent a fair amount of time at the University and with my various friends.
Since people seemed to like pictures even more than news of me, I have decided that I will include those with the brief update. Above is a picture of BJK İnönü Stadium; that is the home of my adopted soccer team here Beşiktaş. (Unfortunately last night, we watched them lose.) :(

An old song that was brought to mind from my reading in Philippians this morning. I've adjusted a few of the words so it's closer to the way I remember it.

Running In The Steps

A lot of people think that they've attained to the height of Christian grace
They thinking that being a Christian is easy and no big thrill
But the Christian life in Jesus is something like running a race
And you're not living for the Lord if You're standing still

Forgetting those things that are behind
And reaching for the things before
Pressing toward the mark of the prize of God
I'm running like I've never run before
Counting everything I won but loss
Conforming to His will
I'm running in the steps, Running in the steps
I'm running in the steps of the Lord.

Philosophical Certainties

Some thoughts that have become more meaningful to me as I've begun studying philosophy:

- Jesus said to him, I am... the Truth!

- I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.


Jn. 14:6; Ps. 119:99-100

Pictures from recent weekends

Me with old cars at the Museum

This weekend, Derşan, Duygu and I went to the Rahmi M. Koç Museum here in Istanbul. It was a lot of fun. It is focused on things like transportation and communication; and since there is a lot of money backing it, it has some really nice things. From the pictures below you may notice that my favorite thing was the submarine. :)

The (former) USS Thornback, a diesel sub that saw action in World War II in the Pacific theatre

The other side of the Thornback

Me inside Thornback

Cockpit in an old Douglas military plane (at the museum)... scary thing is they still fly these same ones commercially, now I know why they scare me (before I thought it was just the fact that it was a prop plane.) :)

British bus at the museum

Breakfast with friends one Saturday

Visiting in the countryside

Recently

This post is just for putting up a few pictures and giving a basic update.  I am currently not taking Turkish classes and trying to find ways to practice speaking the Turkish I've learned since that is the area I'm struggling in most.  I'm taking classes at Bosphorus University, and thus I'm over there about 4 days a week.  I'm getting to know people there, and that is fun.

Outside of that I am trying to arrange for a couple of other opportunities to see and do things here that I haven't been able to yet.  

My pictures don't want to upload right now, so maybe later I can post those. :) 

Thoughts from a friend

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

Jer. 9:23-24 negates the validity of glorying and boasting in anything except God. Yet, that is astounding, because to our minds, there are some pretty incredible human talents and abilities and resources, but out of all things God is the most unknowable and the most unattainable. Knowledge of God is the farthest from us, yet He has said that the one thing in which we may legitimately glory is in knowing Him.
So all that we have counted gain may instantly become loss to us, and that which was to us the most unattainable becomes the most prized object, the only ground that we have for glorying. Knowing the Unknowable becomes to us the only knowledge that we possess with any certainty and legitimacy. Understanding the Incomprehensible One is suddenly the boast that we claim, forsaking all others. Only in His economy would such a trade take place. Only a God like Him would allow us to be confident in the possession of a knowledge and a relationship that is so utterly beyond us.

(mkc)

the week

Just a summary of this past week:
- lots of Turkish learning and practicing
- lots of university listening and reading
- lots of talking to friends
- lots of traveling back and forth across sections of the city by bus and metro
- telling a Suriname "Anansi" story in Turkish class today

Plans:
- take Turkish exams Tuesday and Wednesday (they will be very hard... I think)
- not expecting to continue Turkish next month
- expecting to spend time on various smaller ideas for the next month
- continuing university classes

Recent news

Well, it's been a while since I've updated the general populace on life, but since I keep up with much of it through Facebooking, IMing, emailing, etc. I don't feel too bad.

Last weekend we got a bunch of snow, at least for this city. It is mostly melted off now and we had beautiful spring weather today. However, that weather resulted in the snowball fight seen in the pictures as well as a snow day on Monday. But language school began again on Tuesday and is continuing along as we learn slowly.

On Wednesday, I began my university studies here in Istanbul. I am informally auditing two classes this semester. Philosophy of Science and Introduction to Modern Philosophy both promise to keep me learning and thinking, and I am enjoying the return to the classroom.

That's about all the news. Life is full of mundanities, but it is by no means boring or unenjoyable. Till later...

PS Yes, I know that neither "mundanities" nor "unenjoyable" nor "Facebooking" nor "IMing" are words...