AN AMAZING FAREWELL

We are packing our bags in preparation for our early departure.  The wake up call is 4:45 am.  The truth is, though, that we may have little sleep.  Our Caravanserai, our hotel dated 1618, is host to a celebration dinner with guests from nearby countries.  The entire courtyard is filled with hundreds of guests and on a corner stage are regional dancers, whirling dervishes and belly dancers.  It is colorful, exotic and, yep, loud.  The scheduled conclusion of this gala is midnight.  The last song was "Hello  Dolly", though most numbers are Turkish with rapid rhythm and engaging beat.  Great fun.

Today we toured Ephesus.  We are incredibly impressed with how smart the ancients were in their ability to build things that have great longevity.  I find myself constantly wondering what will be left by us and found many years in the future.  The picture below of the library in Ephesus is one of the most familiar and visited sights in Turkey.

As we shared "Aha" moments tonight, we all agree that we have new insight not only about the Apostle Paul, but about Turkey, a country that most of us knew very little about.  We have been warmly welcomed with middle eastern hospitality and blessed with travel mercies.  We will have many stories to share.

I am sorry the blog has not been regular and more frequent.  The last couple of nights are the first that have provided regular connection.  I will post something more complete when I get home.

Keep us in prayer as we journey home.

Blessings,
Mary

PAUL-APPEALING OR APPALLING?

I have struggled with Paul for most of my ministry.  One day recently when going through some old sermon files, I realized that my sermons on Pauline epistles were much smaller in number than any other part of the Bible.  I almost alway chose a Gospel text rather than Paul when given choices in the lectionary.  Knowing that I was coming on a trip to Turkey to learn more about Paul, I began some serious reading about the Apostle.

While there have always been many texts from the Pauline writings that I have loved, I have always felt great tension with texts about women, slavery, homosexuality and complete obedience at all times to established authority.  Reading, THE FIRST PAUL, by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, along with the current teachings on this trip of Dr. James Fleming has given me aha moments and new insights.  With their thinking I am reclaiming Paul and finding new respect for the Apostle Paul.  Marcus Borg has written another book which has been equally helpful.  THE EVOLUTION OF THE WORD is a Bible in chronological order as the New Testament was written. 
Borg gives powerful argument that the seven books written by Paul about which there is no controversy over authorship (I Thessalonians, Galatians, I and II Corinthians, Philemon, Philippians and Romans) present a very different Paul than the later books which may well have been written by disciples of Paul or edited by later authors.  Looking at Asia Monor through the eyes of what I believe to be authentic Pauline writing gives a very different picture.  He was a man of remarkable grace,incredible strength and redical inclusion.  As we have walked through the towns where he began churches, encouraged the faith, stood up for his principles, gave remarkable life lessons, I have gained new appreciation and respect. He is an appealing Apostle :)

Just as these stones have stood the test of time, even more the radical  faith that Paul proclaimed has more than stood the test of time and the Christ he proclaimed continues to transform lives.

Blessings,
Mary

PAUL MUST HAVE HAD REALLY GOOD SANDALS

Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia

Scholars suggest that the Apostle Paul traveled over 10,000 miles.  Some  miles were on a boat, but most were on foot.  I have always been impressed by that, but much more so now that I have seen a good deal of the terrain over which he walked.  Asia Minor in the Bible is present day Turkey and parts of all of Paul's missionary journeys were in this land.  There are beautiful coastlines, rugged in spots, and magnificent mountains high and rocky, though deeply forested below the treeline.  We have seen geological wonders of which I was completely unaware.  Cappadocia is filled with fairy chimneys formed by ancient volcanos in which the early Christians lived in rock cut caves in hiding from persecution.  The caves were the early Christian churches. Today we saw the travertine terraces in Pamukkale, Turkey. They are called "cotton castles".  Looking at the terraces one would think you are looking at a hillside of snow. 

Travertine Terrace

I had a disconnect before this got posted.  Today we drove to Kusadasi, our stay until we depart.  From here we will tour Ephesus.  The Bible continues to come alive.

Mark Twain said, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover." We are all glad to have done this trip and we are indeed exploring, dreaming and discovering.

Blessings,  Mary

WE WERE A MILE HIGH

I just received a text from my Mom reporting continuing connection issues and that she is finding updating the blog impossible.  Below is the post she was working on when she lost her internet access.  So for now she is disconnected, but try checking back in a few days and we'll see if she is able to get something posted.

She reports that the trip is going extremely well and the group has amazing stamina and good humor.

Steve Hulst

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I had never been up in a hot air balloon.  I have now! We were up a mile, although we are wondering if that was our altitude from sea level rather than the distance from the ground. It does not matter.  We were a long way up and it was a magnificent experience.  We seemed to lazily drift over a landscape unlike anything I have ever seen.  Pillars of stone, or drip castles at the beach are the closest descriptions with which I can make comparisons.  The balloon basket held 8, just our number of flyers.  We were lifted in by our pilot, learned the position to hold at landing and up we soared, experiencing a kind of quiet that rarely happens on the ground. 

A DAY TO CATCH OUR BREATH

 

CRUISING THE BOSPHORUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a multitude of computer connection problems, it is too late to do much more than a few pictures.   A day that took our breath away was followed yesterday by a day to catch our breath. A cruise on the Bosphorus was just what we needed.  Denver folk will enjoy the orange and blue Bosphorus boat.  The day was perfect for slipping between the Asian side of Turkey and the European side.  Turkey is 97 percent Asian and 3 percent European.  It is a land of great diversity, rich heritage, fascinating customs, incredible geographic landscapes, a religion that we need to learn more about and the early beginnings of the Christian church.  We have much to learn from the early church communities.

I have high hopes that the problems are solved with our movement now to Cappadocia, but if you do not hear from me do now worry.  Today has been fantastic and hopefully I can share that with you soon.

Eight of us are going up in a hot air balloon tomorrow morning.  That will be a first for me. 

Henry Miller said, "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." Our destination was Turkey but the real gift has been all kinds of new ways of seeing things."

Blessings,
Mary

A DAY TO TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY

A favorite travel quote that I read some years ago is: "Life should not be measured in the breaths we take, but in the moments that take our breath away."  Today was one of those days that our lives were measured well..  With each sight we found ourselves running out of superlatives.  Our breath was taken away by the beauty and magnificence of all that we saw.  We began with the Blue Mosque, pictured above.  The domes and minarets I mentioned as the backdrop of last nights dinner.  My camera lens was not wide enough, from where I stood, to get all six minarets.  Guide books describe it as "A stone mountain of domes, half domes, and minarets built during the early 17th century by Ottoman ruler Sultan Ahmet who was seeking to produce a building as impressive as Christendom's St. Sofia, which we will see tomorrow.  The Sultan was so enthusiastic about the project that he sometimes worked alongside the hired laborers.

It is indeed impressive and a remarkable fete of building construction.  Inside, 20,000 shimmering blue green Iznik tiles are interspersed with 260 stained glass windows, calligraphy and intricate patterns painted on the domes. The light filled mosque filled us with awe.

That was our first stop.  Our last was the Topkapi Palace, showplace of the Sultans.  Topkapi is not simply a spectacular palace but an entire universe unto itself.  It is a treasure house of Islamic art, power hub of the Ottoman Empire, home to more than 20 sultans and  simply a world of wonders. Perched over the Bosphorus this sprawling complex was the residence and center of bloodshed and drama for the Ottoman rulers from the 1450's to the 1850's.  At one time home to some 5000 residents. It is a treasure house to which marauding sultans brought back marvels from centuries of conquest, including the world's seventh largest diamond. and the greatly revered Mantle of the Prophet Muhammed.  Needless to say much of what we saw could not be photographed.

I just realized that those two stops, plus the Hippodrome, a stadium for chariot racing, kept us on our feet and walking for 7 hours.  We are a weary group tonight, but we managed to regain our strength and enhance stamina with a dinner of lamb shish kebobs and rice and this puffy pita bread draped over a small basket.  One of these for every two people.  :)

 In addition to St. Sophia tomorrow, we are going to cruise the Bosphorus. The group is healthy and doing well. We will sleep well tonight.

Blessings,
Mary