In Turkey

Here I am ın Turkey, the last full day in Izmir. Tomorrow we will fly to Istanbul, stay the night, and then fly to Riga Sunday morning. We will have a good 5-6 hours to kill before our bus leaves there, and by the time we get home it will be around midight. It has been a good break, much needed. I will not type much, because the Turkish keyboard has some different keys (I cannot find the apostrophe, for example), and it takes me a long time to type simple words.

Let us review the list of things I was looking forward to and see what has been accomplished:

1. Being away. (Yes)
2. Being somewhere that I have never been before. (Yes)
3. Meeting a new family. (Yes, love them)
4. Rereading books. (Been working my way through The Divine Conspiracy, should be done by midnight on Sunday)
5. Sleep. (Yes and yes)
6. Highs in the mid 70's (Fahrenheit). (More like low 70s...but today is 80 degrees, so it evens out)
7. Sleep. (Yes. Sleeping in, taking naps, and going to bed by midnight or earlier)
8. Computer-free. (Almost. Mostly)
9. New Testament Locations. (Ephesus, Baby!)
10.Daylight Saving Time (a week earlier here than in the states) (Slept through it)
11.Rejuvenation (ask me Monday)
12.Thanksgiving (I mean, it is Turkey, right?) (Nope, but today is Halloween)
13.Kodak moments (Dozens)
14.Rest (A lot)
15.Time with God (Yes)
16.Time with Steve (Yes)
17.Travel (Yes)
18.Newness (Yes, combined with the familiar. They have Ikea here, for example).

I have not lost 30 pounds or had to eat a cigarette. But I probably gained about 30 pounds from all the good food and inactivity. I have breathed in some second hand smoke, though.

The 30 pounds will come in handy, winter is approaching. The city decides when to turn the heat on ın Klaipeda. The temperature has to be below a certain number for 3 days in a row in order for them to turn it on (so if it is cold for 2 days, but warmer for the third, no heat). I have secretly hoped that it was cold while we were away so when we get back the heat will be on. We shall see.

Here are the things I can type with the Turkish keyboard with no effort: é€ÜİışŞçÇÖö

Off to Turkey

Top 18 Things That I am looking forward to in Turkey (In the order that I wrote them):

1. Being away.
2. Being somewhere that I have never been before.
3. Meeting a new family.
4. Rereading books.
5. Sleep.
6. Highs in the mid 70's (Fahrenheit).
7. Sleep.
8. Computer-free.
9. New Testament Locations.
10.Daylight Saving Time (a week earlier here than in the states)
11.Rejuvenation
12.Thanksgiving (I mean, it is Turkey, right?)
13.Kodak moments
14.Rest
15.Time with God
16.Time with Steve
17.Travel
18.Newness

Which came first, the old lady or the scarf?

Today on the bus there were at least 3-4 babushkas (Russian word for grandma).

How to recognize a babushka:

old.

lady.

practical shoes.

thick ankles.

long winter coat (at least 54 years old. the coat).

and of course, a scarf on the head.

Some call a scarf worn on the head a babushka.

So here's the question:

Which came first?

Do they call the old lady "babushka" because she wears the scarf on her head?

Or do they call the scarf "babushka" because all babushkas wear them?

It's like the chicken and the egg question.

Although, if you know anything, you know the chicken came first.

In case I didn't paint a good enough picture for you: (as found in a google image search)

The Secret Message of Jesus, by Brian McLaren

I'm not finished with this yet, but will be by Wednesday morning. We're going to Turkey for Fall Break, and I want to bring a new book along, so I have to finish this one before we go. Always good to have goals. I won't give a complete review, but I will say this:

A plus: I have been thinking more frequently about God's Kingdom because of this book.

A minus: I think it says the words (in any order) "secret" and "message" at least once on each page.

Some quotes: "What if the real difference is made in the world not by us preachers but by those who quietly live out the secret message of the kingdom of God in their daily, workday lives in the laboratory, classroom, office, cockpit, parliament, kitchen, market, factory, and neighborhood?" (page 82, top)

and

"As we've seen, when Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, his language was charged with urgent political, religious, and cultural electricity. But today, if we speak of the kingdom of God, the original electricity is largely gone, and in its place we too often find a kind of tired familiarity that inspires not hope and excitement but rather anxiety or boredom." (page 138, second paragraph)

For the break I will either bring The Hiding Place by my favorite Corrie Ten Boom, or The Divine Conspiracy by my favorite Dallas Willard. Both of whom cause me to highlight and write notes and think like crazy.

Longing to Blossom

A while ago I posted this.
As of late, it has been in my heart that I want to dig deep roots. I want to be in a place longer than 2 years. Which is difficult, for a couple reasons:
1. I feel like we've only been called to this specific place for 2 years. So there's at least that much more longer to wait to go somewhere and dig deep roots.
2. For the past 2 months I've been studying Acts, and the main character Paul hardly ever stays anywhere for very long. And look how good his ministry was.

I have been encouraged by some Scripture.

Psalm 139:9-10: If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

God is here, even in Lithuania.

Acts 20:24: But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

I wonder what great work the Lord Jesus will assign me?

Matthew 8:19-20: Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."

And in Luke 9:57-62: As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head." He said to another person, "Come, follow me." The man agreed, but he said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God." Another said, "Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family." But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."

There has to be something for settling down, though, and digging deep roots. Otherwise why would pastors of churches stick around for so long? Why would so many Christians live in the same house for 80 years? Or am I just trying to find something about it that's biblical so that I too, can someday have a place to rest my head for a time that exceeds 2 years?

Here are some words from Hebrews 13; a word about home, and a wonderful benediction (I love benedictions).

Hebrews 13:14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

and

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

And Amen.

On voting.

We got our absentee ballots via email, and must send them by mail ASAP to ensure that they get counted by November 4th.

I still don't know who to vote for.

If you must give me any recommendations, I will only accept those that are positive.
For example: "You should vote for so-and-so because they are good, they plan to do this and that, and that's why I like them."

I will not except mudslinging or empty encouragements.
For example: "You should vote for such-and-such because so-and-so did drugs in high school, litters, and cheats on his taxes."
and
"Just go out and vote! It's your right!" (because, why do you want me to vote so badly? What if I don't vote for the same person you do?)

Would you rather...

...only ever eat pretzels dipped in Nutella

or

...only ever eat tortilla chips dipped in guacamole

In order of when I took them.

Riga

Just call me grandma

I think I am going to try to start making jams and jellies, starting with my favorite, Plum Jelly. YUM!
I've already figured out that I like to make things that go in jars (pizza sauce, being that), and want to see how making other things that could be sealed for a long time suit me.
I'll let you know how it goes.
First I need to acquire some tools and supplies, and more importantly, the time.

A nice little quote amidst a bunch of other stuff (not meant to alude to the Prayer of Jabez)

I can't shut my mind off.
My to do list is as never ending as the pile accumulating on my desk (one of the things on the list is "clean desk.").
I have a copy of the student handbook, which has a handy dandy planner in it (the bulk of it IS a planner).
It helps me to keep my plans. So I don't have to think of them so much.
Not really shutting my mind off, but taking some of the load.
From the time I started this post to this moment, I have recieved and sent about a dozen emails. AAHHH!
Here is the main point of this post. While writing in my planner, I came across this quote (written on the bottom of each week) for next week.
"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary. - Louisa May Alcott
I like it. It was a nice distraction from all the events of this month and the next.
Now I must go. I have a date with my husband, something that we had to plan in advance, of course.

The Implications

If, starting tomorrow (that's when all the best things start), I post once a day every day -- until february 3, I will reach my 239th post.

Implications:
-I will have 239 posts, and will complete "239 things"
-it will be 2/3/9 (the date...in the united states, if I wanted, I could also complete this project March 2, 2009...in other parts of the world)
-It would be an opus, if you will (and I think you will)
-I am a nerd for evening thinking to figure this out.

This won't happen, because I can think of several days between here and February 3rd that I won't even be near the computer, much less on the internet posting worth while things.

3 interesting pictures for 2008

Theme(s): color, non-nature
Order: Saved my fave for last

red


green


blue

Sleeping with no alarm

is sleeping in freedom.



PS....I do believe, that if I posted one time a day, every day, starting on Tuesday...that on February 3rd, I would reach my 239th post.

Think of the implications. (I can think of a lot)

Retooling -- a smattering of thoughts.

A week ago in chapel, Psalm 90 was the topic of choice. The verse that stuck out to me was 12, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
I think it stuck out to me for a couple of reasons:
1. I am always seeking wisdom.
2. As of late I have been playing out in my head what my 5-year plan looks like. Or what I think it might look like.

I always make plans, always, and sometimes, when those plans are also God's plans, those plans happen. I don't think that I shouldn't make plans. I like to think ahead. However I've learned that I can't be too disappointed when something doesn't go as planned, because it just means God has something better in mind that I can't see yet. Usually in the middle or end of the plan, or even after the plan, I see why it is better.

Anyway, I've been thinking about a five year plan, because in five years, I will be 30 (actually, just over 4 years, but I don't want to feel rushed). There are things that I want to have accomplished, or at least started to accomplish by the time I was 30.

I don't think that verse 12 is exactly talking about doing everything you wanted to do by the time you reach a certain age. I think it's more about realizing that we aren't going to be around (not in this life) forever, life is frail, God is eternal, we are a vapor, etc etc etc. But in realizing that I won't be around forever, in fact I don't know how long I will be around (I've always assumed lower 100's, but I could be wrong), I also realize that there's only a short time here on earth to accomplish all the goals we have before we kick the bucket (no, I have not yet seen the Bucket List).

In thinking of this five year plan, I began to realize that somethings in life could not take turns. For instance, we have committed to being in Lithuania until spring of 2010. If I wait until Fall of 2010 to start seminary, then I won't finish until spring of 2012. If we wait until Fall of 2012 to start a family, then I will already be 30, and I always thought I'd've already started a family by the time I was 27-28. We've already decided that we probably won't start a family in Lithuania, unless God is thinking differently (ie, within the next two years, or if God wants us to stay longer). I've already have more on my plate than I can eat (all good foods in and of themselves, just foods I never dreamed of eating), so being in seminary right now would not be something I could fit in. It's like the dessert. I'm thinking about it all through the meal, but when I'm not looking, something else gets put on my plate, and I can't move on to desert without cleaning my plate. Except it's not like dessert at all. It's the meat and potatoes. I want it to be meat and potatoes.

Which brings me to my next thought, also having to do with Psalm 90. Last Sunday in church, the topic of choice was also Psalm 90 (only a semi-coincidence). This time the focus was verse 17, "May the favor of the Lord rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands."

We were given 4 questions to answer. The first three should've been easier to answer than the fourth. But (and I'm not really surprised), I answered the fourth quickly, and struggled through the first three.

I'll list the questions here:

1. What are the tools currently in your hands that give you your identity? Or...what are the physical means through which you might leave your legacy? (specific personality traits, physical characteristics, tools of your trade, etc)

2. Describe how God might answer the prayer "Establish the work of our hands" in your life. What legacy or meaningful mark do you, individually want to leave behind?

3. The language of Psalm 90 is communal -- everything is written in plural. Thinking of verse 17 in a communal context, what might your goals be for the larger group to which you belong? What work would you like to see God establish there?

4. If God asked you to release the tools of your identity (specific personality traits, physical characteristics, tools of your trade, etc) in order to be "re-tooled" or "re-shaped" by Him, what might this process look like in your life?

The reason why it was so easy to answer 4 is because I think I'm in it. God must be retooling me for something. Because the food on my plate, while I'm able to eat it, I just can't stop thinking about the food that could currently be on my plate. The food I dream about. The food that, if I were eating it right now, would enable me to more thouroughly answer questions 1-3. I was able to answer those first three, but not as completely as I would like.

How is the five year plan looking? Have I (tentatively) moved anything around? I am seriously considering applying to seminary for the Fall of 2009, and studying long-long-distance. This should not come as a surprise, it is on my list of things to do for 2008, a list I made months ago.

This post was longer than I thought it would be. Hence the title with the word "smattering" in it (when I wrote the title, I thought it would a short post).
Thanks to the 2 people who read all the way to the end. Pray for me.