"Prove All Things; Hold Fast That Which Is Good"

I've been thinking about how to end this blog, how to summarize all that we have encountered. We have seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good...the reverence of God and His Son Jesus in art, and the stories of the Early Church; Paul's willingness to undergo trials for the sake of the Gospel which spread like fire throughout the Roman Empire.

The bad could take many forms...the sale of idols (many profane) at the site of the Temple of Athena, or the young runaway thief near the beautiful Trevi Fountain.  Even the poor exchange rate between the Euro and US Dollar could be considered such.

But the ugly was the hardest to comprehend...the deaths in the coliseum for the pleasure the Emperor, and the satisfaction of the citizens of Rome.  "Breads and Circuses" were important to the people, and a way to retain the Emperor's good name.  Whether it was a fight between gladiators, or man and beast, it still remains a gruesome tale.  Christians martyred for their faith stoked the fires of the Church, and lead to it's growth.  They did not die in vain.

On the lighter side, I was surprised at the cool weather we experienced (50s, cloudy and damp).  I thought the Mediterranean was always warm and sunny, which is why, I assume, Paul was so adamant about having his cloak before winter!  We were pleasantly surprised to see Christians from all walks of life (mostly senior citizens) who were tickled to have our family join them on the tour.  Their varied spiritual backgrounds added spice to our lives.  

It was a treat to sit back and enjoy the well laid plans of others, and to have Dan join us each morning (sometimes as early as 5:30am) bright eyed (well, almost), without complaint, at breakfast to start the day.  Although we toured at a steady pace, with little time for leisure, something always seemed to catch our interest...even down to the Turkish toilets!  At times, especially for Olivia, we experienced "information overload".  It will be good to review as we revisit our notes, scripture and photos at a slower pace.

 A highlight was meeting up with my dear friend Karen DuBert, her son Luke and daughter Isabel, in Rome.  We spent our meals together during the two days they were in town, and shared our adventures.  The four kids had fun "hanging" together.  It was difficult to say goodbye...we won't see them until next year, when they return to the US on furlough.

Turkey was an unexpected bonus, in particular, Istanbul.  It was a charming, very European but exotic city with friendly faces and good food.  The Grand Bazaar was a once in a lifetime experience, and we felt as though we were transported to the times of the Arabian Nights. Bargaining came as second nature to Mario!

All in all, it was a delightful, educational and enlightening trip...of a lifetime. We thank the Lord for the opportunity, and are privileged to share this journey with you.

"A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like Medicine..."

Before I summarize our trip, I wanted to post some "fun" photos taken by Dan on our way through the Mediterranean.  They are as follows: 

-Our stocking feet in the Blue Mosque

-Ephesian communal toilets (men/women had separate "visiting hours")

-Olivia, the reader in the Library at Ephesus

-"Danielxander the Great"

-Original Italian Legos: Pompeii

Enjoy!

Blown Off Course, or...If This is Sunday, it Must Be Paris

Bonjour, mes amis!

Yes, it's true.  We are in (or, on the outskirts of ) Paris.  I've always wanted to visit this historic city, but not now.

This morning, we discovered that our first flight to London was cancelled.  They are having mega problems with the new Terminal 5.  So, we were happily rerouted to Paris, and then a straight flight to Chicago.  A welcome event, considering that we were facing two more flights. Here's a photo VERY early in the morning, with Christopher, our wonderful British "tour assistant". We left late from Rome, and arrived 40 minutes before our next Air France flight.  We ran, without stopping, though a maze of gates, trains, lines, and two security barriers that moved like molasses in January.  When we arrive at our departure gate, they would not allow us on, even tho' it hadn't moved from the runway.  A rule, evidently, here in Paris.  If your not on time, for whatever reason, it's a "no go".

To make a long story short, the transfer desk gave us a ticket on the next Air France flight...tomorrow!  So, we are booked into a so-so hotel at the airport, and will have dinner and breakfast compliments of Air France.  (Note after the fact...the food was wonderful.  The breakfast, especially delicious was complete with homemade yoghurt and pastries of all sorts. That almost made up for the missed flight!!) They assured us we could take the train into town, and see the sites.  I thought that this would make up for the inconvenience. It didn't, because first of all, it's Sunday, and nothing is open.  And to take the train to the center of town?  Well, about $75 one way for the four of us. 

So, here we sit, taking it easy.  Dan will not be in to work tomorrow, and the kids and I will not begin school in the morning. Surprisingly, Mario was disappointed.

To my amazement, I am taking this all in stride...so much could have otherwise happened to make this a disaster.  I'll let your imagination run wild.  I am truly learning to be thankful in all circumstances, and to "consider it all joy".  And that makes it all worthwhile, because the Lord never makes a mistake.

I'm enjoying the challenge of renewing my knowledge of French while we wait...please pray that we will be patient and thankful for all that comes our way.  Without complaint.  Somehow I think Paul would be pleased that we are taking his "advice" to heart...knowing that with God's strength, we can do "all things".

Lord willing, we will be back on American soil tomorrow around 3:30pm...unless the Lord has more surprises in store!

Arrivederci, Roma!

We had an uneventful crossing via a modern and well equipped ferry to Bari, where we were met by a British fellow, Christopher, who has been a stellar guide for the last two days in Roma.  We had a delightful ride through the pastoral countryside, full of grapevines and olive trees.

How exciting to finally meet up with my good friend Karen and her two teens, Luke and Isabel, who have be roughing it throughout Italy for the last 5 weeks.  We ate all our meals with them, catching up on all our adventures. It was a short, but sweet reunion, and hard to say goodbye, since we will not see each other for another year!

Rome is a fast paced city, with thousands of shops, people, and years of history.  We toured just about every historical site as allowed in two days (see last blog).  The pizza, gelato, cappuccino, and granita (frozen expresso, strong enough to curl your hair...soo good), were a welcome treat.

Tomorrow morning, we head to the airport to begin our journey home, stopping in London (hopefully to meet up with Andrew and Katie), and then on to JFK, a taxi to Laguardia, and a flight out to Chicago...we arrive, Lord willing, late Sunday eve.

It has been a wonderful trip, but we are exhausted (just this afternoon, we ran for 6 blocks to catch a shuttle to our hotel).  It will be good to get home, and share all that we have experienced.  Thanks again for all your prayers...ciao!

Addendum: We did indeed have a whirlwind tour of Pompeii, and Rome. First, the Vatican, and all it's treasures (I loved the Hall of Maps...the ceiling paintings, some of which looked 3D were amazing), and then St. Peter's. Later in the day, we visited the Church of the "Three Fountains" where supposedly Paul was beheaded. As he was, "tradition" says that his head bounced three times, and at each bounce, a fountain sprang forth! What amazed me was the original Roman Road that led up to the Church. The next day, we visited the Forum (similar to the Agora in Greece), where business, politics and religion met. Paul would have stood here as he was being convicted and sentenced. The Mamertina Prison, where tradition says Paul would have been held, was just a sewer hole in the ground, and located just off the Forum. Earlier, we visited the Coliseum, where, interestingly, we are told that there is no record of Christians being martyred here (maybe in the Circus Maximus down the road, they say). It was awesome to see the lower level, under the platform, where the animals (and probably Christians) would have been kept. Even the catacombs, it seems, were just a burial ground for Christians, given to them by the Roman gov't. Authorities claim that it is too damp, and not conducive for living. And yet, I find it revealing that we are told of a hated brother of a Roman Emperor who ruled just for a short time, and was stricken off the records (and the capital of an arch in the forum), pretending he never existed..hmmmm.
The Treve Fountain was beautiful...no, we did not throw in a coin to assure our return (we had none), or make a wish, but, as we ate pizza across from the fountain, a couple was engaged, and a young man escaped from the Polizi up the street with stolen goods. Yes, it happens, even (and especially) in Roma!

"The Time is Near..."

Our cruise has come to an end at the Island of Patmos.  It is fitting, for it was here that John wrote Revelation, the last book of the New Testament.  John, the "Apostle whom Jesus loved", stood at the foot of the cross, and was first of the disciples to reach the tomb.  Jesus gave his precious mother into the care of the beloved Apostle.  It is a revelation to me that he was the first to hear from his dear Savior, after He ascended to Heaven.  He was also a disciple who lived out his natural life on earth.  Why?  It was suggested to me by a brother in our group (who studies Scripture like the Bereans, along with Greek and Hebrew, alongside his wife), that he was the only Apostle who stood faithful at the cross, and did not scatter as the others.

We travelled with our 'Red Bus" of faithful Christians (mostly pastors, teachers and missionaries from around the world) to the Monestery of St. John, a fortified Medieval Monastic Comples, built in 10888 by St Christodoulos (Greek for servant of Christ), in honor of St. Paul.  It houses frescoes, art objects and manuscripts from the early centuries, including 33 pages of the Gospel of St. Mark, inscribed in the 5th century on purple vellum.

One mile away, we visited the grotto (cave) where tradition says he wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ with the aid of a scribe (it was common to bring one along to prison if needed).  John was banished to Patmos under Roman law...looking across the rolling hills, and down to the harbour below, one could imagine John having the inspiration and "quietude" needed to write the Words of the Lord.  It brought a sense of peace to the soul.

We are busy packing, ready to head off the ship tomorrow morning in Athens.  We take a bus to another port 3 hours north, where we board an overnite ferry to Bari, Italy.  There we will be transported to Pompeii, tour the site that day, and be taken to Rome in the evening where we will lodge at the Jolly Midas.  Here we will have two intensive days touring the sites where Paul would have visited...Marmertina Prison, the catacombs, and the Coliseum.

Then on to the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and lastly, the Forum.

We will meet up with my dear friend Karen DuBert and her son and daughter, who have been touring Italy for 4 weeks now...a pilgrimage any homeschooling family would envy!  Hopefully, in between the sightseeing (they will not be with us) we will be able to spend all our meals with them, having fellowship, and catching up with with eachothers travels.  Our time will be short but sweet...then we part for another year.  The DuBerts serve the Lord in Mozambique, where they plant and grow churches.

I may not be able to blog until Saturday eve, which is the night before we return to the US.  Please continue to pray that the tracts passed out in Greece, Turkey, and soon, Italy, will bear fruit for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  Thanks for your prayers on our behalf...we have had a blessed experience, and look forward to sharing it with you, either in person, or on our blog (complete with photos).

It's not the end of the story...Read Revelation, especially the first three chapters, where John writes in chapter one verse three: " Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it, and take to heart what is written in it, because...THE TIME IS NEAR"!  "Read and heed," Paul would say, if he were here on earth...there is still time, but it is short.  Ciao!

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"Jesus Christ Himself is the Chief Cornerstone..."

What an amazing day we had...not only was the weather partly sunny and warmer, but the ruins we saw today in Ephesus equalled the number we had seen in total all week long.  Believe it or not, only 10% of the ancient city has been excavated, because of the lack of finances.

Ephesus was the crowned jewel and capital of the Roman province of Asia, and had the primary seaport of the region (think NYC).  The streets were lined with temples...the most famous was THE temple of Artemis (largest building in the Greek world), one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, now reduced to a lone pillar.  I was thrilled to hand a tract to a man at the site,  who was actually selling the same idols that the silversmith in Paul's day would have!  The sea, in that time, flowed up to the temple, but has receeded 2-3 miles.

Ephesus was the first of the seven churches to receive a letter from John, where a 30 ft wide stone paved and pillar lined road lead from the city to the sea.  We could just envision Paul walking those streets, praying for strength as he encountered opposition.  The main part of the city contained a theatre that seated over 24,000 people.  Our group of 800 were privileged to experience a non-denominational communion service in the very place where Paul's companions were dragged during a protest by Demetris, the silversmith, because his livelyhood creating statues of the gods was being threatened...The crowd shouted for two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians"...and it was here that we prayed and sang praises to the God of the Universe!!  Paul himself was prevented to enter by friends for fear of his life, because had told the people that these idols were not gods at all.  Thousands of people burned their idol worshipping belongings, in response to Paul's teachings.  He spent over two years here, making it his home base during his 3rd missionary journey.  The Apostle found opposition here like no where else...he mentioned being "pressed beyond measure".  Ephesus represented the pinnacle of Paul's ministry...his best season ever.  The Gospel went throughout Asia from here.

Aong with the other standing structures, was a stadium, the famous library whose facade is well known in history books and tourist guides, the agora, baths, and even terraced apartments for the weathy.  John brought Mary, the mother of Jesus here during the persecution of Jerusalem, and she lived out her days in Ephesus.

Timothy, during a procession for Artemis, courageously protested to the crowd, and was dragged away and beaten...he died soon thereafter.  John assumed the duties of elder/leader, and wrote his 4 epistles in this city.  I John pleads with the Ephesians to love one another...little did he know that a few years later, he would be writing from Patmos, giving Christ's Words to the church, commending them on their knowledge of doctrine, and protecting the flock from false teachers, but was reprimanded for "losing the love they had at first" for one another.  There was need for balance, and John had the sensitivity to speak out.

As I wandered away from the ruins, with the buildings of antiquity in pieces before me, I recalled the words of Paul to the Ephesians in chapter 2, verses 20-22.  "Jesus Christ...the chief cornerstone, in Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord...a dwelling place in which God lives."  Will our lives be built on Christ, and stand the test of time, or will it crumble as the temple of Artemis?  Who is your "Chief Cornerstone?

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Wake up, and Strengthen What Remains...

Capitals, pedestals, columns, inscriptions, mosaics...over and over again.  But each site has just enough variety to fascinate us.

Yesterday we visited Pergamum and Sardis...two of the seven churches of Revelation chapters two and three.  All seven stood on an important circular route that brought together the most popular and prosperous part of Asia Minor.  Their order in Scripture is the same as you find them on the Roman Road, between 26 and 98.5 miles apart.

Pergamum was one of the most beautiful cities in Asia Minor...being built on terraces 1165ft above sea level, which led up to the acropolis.  The city included an altar to Zeus (now in the Berlin Museum), a temple to Athena, and a theatre and Ampitheatre dedicated to the gods of wine and the arts.  This, and the fact that Pergamum allowed the Roman government to take over their city, could be what the angel is speaking of when he mentions that "Satan's throne is there"...and that some held to the teaching of Balaam...eating food offered to idols, and practiced immorality.

Above, was the library, which was second to the one in Alexandria, Egypt.  In fact, the Egyptians were so jealous of the competition, that they refused to send more papyrus for the making of "books", so allegedly, the founder of the Pergamum library invented "parchment" which was made of goat's skin stretched thinly for a writing surface.

Nearby, we wandered through the Asklepieon, or health center of Pergamum, which was dedicated to the god of healing, Askclepios, and his daughter Hygiena. (Are you understanding why Christians had such a difficult time with idol worship?  It was all around them, every day and in every way...)   One was allowed in to the center only if his disease was "cureable", so as not to discredit the gods!  Mud baths, sound of running water,  meditation, and comedy shows in the theatre, were all therapies used in the healing of various conditions.  At one point, the priests (doctors)  would tell jokes to the patients who walked below them in the passageway through holes in the stone structure!  When one was healed, he would have his name inscribed on a white stone, with the description of the disease he was released from.  The angel to the church in Pergamum says "to him who overcomes, I will give him...a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who recieves it."  Could it be that our new name will signify the besetting sin that we have overcome with the Lord's help?  It's exciting to consider...

Sardis was known as the "great, wealthy and impregnable city against which no one could strive and prevail", but it was hard hit by an earthquake in AD 17, and never quite recovered.  It was also broken into because the guards were lazy at their watch.

The two structures remaining, located in opposite parts of the city, were the Temple of Artemis (yes, another one) with a stone church backed against it, and a gymnasium, where young and old men would work out to make their bodies "strong and handsome", and a place to chat and debate, to strengthen the mind.  It was more like a social club.  Curiously, a synagogue was built as an extention to the gym. It was a dangerous mix of "God of the Universe" worship adjacent to god, godess and bodily worship.  Maybe that's why the angel to the church of Sardis accused them of being asleep, because of their confidence, and of soiling their clothes with worldly influences.  Such lessons are appropriate for the church today!

It's been tough to keep up with the blogs, with such a busy schedule...what we have seen has been overwhelming at times, but totally worth the trip.  Because of internet time limits, I have only shared a few highlights...there is so much more.

One addendum to Istabul, which is on the Bosphorus, dividing the city into European and Asia sections...Turkish, we found out, is a curious mix of Finnish, Hungarian, and, of all things, Japanese.  We were assured that if you learned one, you could easily understand the others.  That, in itself, is amazing to me.

Ephesus was absolutely the best preserved site of all...today was an extremely full day.  More on our tour tomorrow...

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I Left My Heart in Istanbul...

What a city...it was everything I expected and more!  The history, people, harbour, Turkish Tea, the bazzaar, and the opportunity to share Gospel tracts with the folk left a soft spot in my heart for this unique city.  Napoleon said that if the world were one empire, Istanbul would be it's capital.  Osama Bin Ladin calls the people of Istanbul "half brothers" because they are sympathic with America.

We began the day boarding buses at 8am, heading to the Blue Mosque (so named for the beautiful blue designs painted on the ceiling), in the European part of the city. It is still active, so we removed our shoes, donned clothing from shoulder to toes, and the women respectfully covered their heads.  Twice during the day se heard the call to prayer from the minaret, now complete with loudspeakers so the meuzzin(sp) need not climb to the top!

I prayed that the people of Istanbul would have open hearts for the Gospel...the majority are only nominally Muslim. 

We walked across the square to the Haggia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom) that was built as a church in Constantine's reign, but converted to a mosque during the time of the Ottoman takeover.  Now it is a museum, and is being restored to it's former beauty. At one point, it had burned and been rebuilt...thankfully, the Turks covered the ceiling murals with plaster, so they were well preserved.  Green marble columns from the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, and salmon colored pillars from Babylon support the high domed ceiling.  It's imposing sillouette takes prominence in the city and skyline as we tour the area.

We broke for lunch at an authentic Turkish "fast food" restaurant (which was anything but) and we all agreed that it was a delicious meal...beans, greens, eggplant and meal cassarole, veggie stew on rice...and Mario was thrilled to have permission to order a Turkish coffee.  You would have thought we handed him a gold coin!

Afterwards, we walked to Topkopi Palace, the habitation of the sultans in the Ottoman Empire. It consisted of  a complex of buildings hidden behind ancient walls, reminescent of The Forbidden city or the Kremlin. Inside, we strolled in the open courtyard, where processions  would be held, through the Festival Gate, where we saw the court and buildings where the sultan would recieve guests...on a truly "sultan sized" bed (think three king beds attached together).  Three of the buildings held Ming dishes used to serve the over 800 residents, an kitchen, displays of silver treasures, and the gifts and spoils from various countries.  Wherever we looked, we saw cats...Mario was pleading to take one home!

Then the Bazzaar...it was a cold, cloudy, damp and windy afternoon as we made our way through the maze of covered streets (4 miles total) studying the variety of neatly displayed and brightly colored goods for sale...glass lamps, textiles, dishes, jewelry and clothing.  The labryinth of shops seemed endless.  We discovered a few replicas of Aladdin's lamp to admire.  We were told that it was the custom to barter...asking half of what we were willing to pay.  I was shocked to have my first offer accepted (much less than the asking price, or what others in our group paid).  I think the shop owner felt sorry for me, as I returned twice to examine the scarves, and was afraid to insult the shopkeeper with my low bid.  Mario was tickled to find a small dagger for 1/2 the asking price.

Three times we were asked (by a shopkeeper, elderly Russian woman, and two Turkish young men) our nationality.  I was please that we were not immediately identified as an "Ugly American", since we as a whole can have that reputation.  Dan thought it was because of M&O's appearance...hailing originally from Soviet Georgia, (which borders Turkey), they blended with the Turkish.  I, on the other hand, stood out with my silver locks.  Very few if any Turkish people had grey hair from what I could see.

All in all, it was a wonderful adventure...but, I was only able to pass out 7 or so tracts.  I completely forgot them in my purse.  Please pray, as we tour Turkey for 3 more days, that I will take the opportunity to pass on the Good News.

Tommorrow, we head for Pergamum and Sardis.  Good night!