Something unexpected

Something unexpected from me... wonders never cease. I made homemade strawberry jam yesterday. Please be impressed because I surely was. I even decided to give a few as gifts and decorated the jars. Who knew, just who knew is all i can say! Heres hoping the spell won't wear off and I'll still be just as ambitious in the kitchen at home as I've learned to be here. My mom right now is totally going, that's my girl! (smile).
Something unexpected for me...So, my birthday countdown is on. 2 days! And, I got a a fabulous package, which was pretty expected from my parents--the weight of and excessive contents of food, books, movies, and scrap booking material were much unexpected though (thank you)-- and an unexpected package from friends in Alabama. Thank you Harrelsons! Already used the lotion! Home, I loved all the goodies and they've already been rationed out to make the silly goodness last. I could do without, but why when people who love me want to shower me with goodness? I say, let them! Happy Birthday me! So, really maybe this birthday won't be the hugest ever, it's my 3rd birthday out of the country. I feel as though I've said that in a blog before, honest I'm not looking for pity. I think overseas birthdays may be better, at least last year's Turkish one was because everyone wanted to remind me over here that they loved me and went a bit overboard, which I totally loved. Anyhoo, today I went to the university to see some sweet friends that I have been trying to catch up with for a week or so, only to be totally surprised that they, of all people, had remembered my birthday and brought me a cake! I shouldn't be surprised at all. These girls are so sweet! I was in the middle of a marathon day and pretty tired and I was just a bit overwhelmed to be remembered by them. I can't remember the last time we talked about a birthday, it certainly wasn't recent. But, it struck me that this year regardless of whether another package comes or not, regardless of the fact that I'm riding a bus 3 hours away to babysit on my birthday for a Turkish retreat, or whatever...I've already got such great gifts this year at where I am in this stage of being here. I have such great Turkish friends. I know He's put them in my life for a reason and I just keep on sharing my hope with them and lifting them up, but I love how much of a blessing they are in my life. I think the journey here is just as much to do with Him using them in my life as it does Him using me in theirs. I hope it goes go both ways.

Something motherly

When you live this far away, well...you do what you can! So, I wanted to take a minute and use my blog for personal use...I figure it's my blog and I can do what I want with it! Plus, I have the greatest mom, and in case you are wondering...take a look at the pic and you can tell, I might as well be a clone! I needed to say, Happy Mother's Day Momma! You are the best mom and you should know it! Thank you for all you are and all you do! I miss you and love you very much! I wouldn't be who I am today apart from you. We all know, really I am daily becoming you. (smile). You're the best. Love you and wish I was there to be with you, but hopefully next year I will be a drive away instead of an ocean away Love you -jess
(lest you the other eavesdroppers on this blog be disappointed with me, I did send flowers, too.)

Something special

Thursdays have become Turkish cooking 101 for me and my language helper. We talk a little, translate a little, she corrects me alot, and then class ends--but really begins after hours when we begin to cook dinner. This week we made a dried bean soup-ish dish and a famous salad called, 'Shepherd's salad'. I love learning to make this stuff. I've grown to love it, and it just makes me incredibly sentimental knowing I'll be able to take it home with me and share it with some of you one day. Or, when the day comes and I'm missing Turkey something bad, I'll pull out my çay (tea) glasses and sip some tea as I make some Turkish food to eat and reminisce. It's something special. I've grown to love these Thursday times so much. This Thursday, I got to try on some traditional clothes from her village! Yes, minus a few dangles, this is what women used to wear all the time--even when working in the fields--in her village!!! Can you just imagine? This woman has been such an encouraging presence in my life and her friendship is genuine to me in spite of and maybe because of all the patient moments we share working my feelings into words together in Turkish. She is something special. There's something about that time delay, between when a thought enters my head, the time it takes for me to think of the words to put that thought into verbal existence, and the moment I actually act on this in Turkish. It's humbling and it's growing Ephesians into me when Paul says, 'Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment so that it will give grace to those who hear.' Now, you can ask my loved ones and you'll know instantly, I'm not bragging...I am such a work in progress when it comes to this. But, He knows that and slowly, especially of late as I have begun to really speak, not just small talk, the time delay has grown and it's made me think about this verse, this week especially and I'm asking Him to help use this time when I'm practicing this 'think before you speak' practice more than really I ever have in life before, to grow me up. I want to speak love better. It's a work in progress, but I praise Him it's a work at all.
Speaking with this woman and having a real friendship with her is hope for me in this place. Sometimes, I feel like my language may be as good as it is going to get before I leave, like my friendships have plateaued and maybe they won't go deeper than they are now. Can they? Then in these frustrated moments, I meet with her and in a few hours with her, I'm reminded that if I open my mouth, He will fill it with His words, even in Turkish. It makes me feel a bit ecstatic that I can share my heart with this woman in her native language and in that moment we connect. It makes me feel alot of things all at once. It reminds me that if I can do this with her, I can do it in every one of my relationships. It makes me feel excited about ministry to come when I return where I can speak openly without studder and without apprehension about what the Lord is doing in my life in English. It makes me want to retain the humility I feel here always. It makes me want to tell Satan to back off, and remind myself what God is doing in the here and now in spite of how I 'feel' about my language. It makes me want to not be so hard on myself. It makes me want to press on and keep on speaking Truth unashamedly, in spite of my Turkish and in light of my Lord, into all my friendships and let Him do more than I can imagine in them because that's the kind of God I serve. It makes me want to just sit and be amazed at the God I serve. My life here is a testimony to His amazing grace, sovereignty,provision, power made strong in weakness, and love, among nameless other things. Being on this journey with Him is truly something special.

Something extravagant

Look at the air I am getting on that jump! All those years in MS totally prepared me for some 4-wheeling fun today! Well, maybe not quite enough if you ask my roommate! (smile.) We almost had a major mishap, but finding those breaks just in the nick of time, I saved us from almost near disaster! It was a close call, and I do think the thought that went through my brain right before my hands miraculously found the brakes was...'we are going to die right now.'
I drove quite a bit more cautiously after that, and our guide kept warning me on all the tricky parts when I naturally would have ridden my breaks, 'slowly, slowly'! In spite of the scare...and maybe a little bit because of the adventure it brought, it was so much fun!
We're in Kapadokya-one of, I think, the most beautiful parts of Turkey to have some fun together and to retreat away for a few days, re-focus our hearts and minds and souls on the Father in places where they've become cloudy from the weight of every day life over here and the heaviness of the darkness around us. Obviously, today was so fun, but it's also been such a refreshing time, and I've been reminded in several real reach out my hands and touch ways this week how the Father works in our lives in real every day ways. I love how good He is. I was tired and dragging into the week and not really even looking forward to it--I do confess, but He's been so good to check my spirit of things I need to confess, repent, reprioritize, and just to make me sit at His feet and be aware of all He's done for me and in me. And those things in themselves have brought such needed rest, clarity, joy, and a sense of renewal to my soul. I'm resting at His feet in this incredibly beautiful place tonight praying I too may give Him extravagant worship much like the woman who sat at His feet, realized all she'd been given in His love and broke her prized alabaster jar at His feet and washed them with her tears. I'm so glad He pulled me away to sit at His feet to remember all I've been given in His love and in response I'm longing to bring extravagant worship.

Paris Comes to Town

There's just something comforting about a friend coming to town. I love it. Whether things are going really bad, so so, or fabulous...a visit from someone you love just makes it even better. It just does. That's the way it works. And it works in your favor! I have felt kind of so so lately, so I was so glad to have the Parisian person I love in town this week. She flew in for a whirlwind tour of Turkey this week and spent a few days here with me. I was so so glad and really just needed to see her and spend some time with her. It's gotten warm here and I think I get restless when the seasons change. Re-evaulating and thinking about what took place in the season leaving me. Where the season to come will take me. I have been a bit overwhelmed lately with getting to the point where home is 6 months away and then really having to questions whether that's the right path or not. I've felt a bit lonely lately and I guess, I've just been overwhelmed in spirit lately. My sweet friend and I left America at the same time and we'll probably go home at the same time and we've walked this journey together, so it was just so great to have someone to talk with, laugh with, just be with and 'debrief' with about the past few months since I saw her in Paris. That's my new term. I always have things I need to 'debrief' here. I just have so many emotions on any given day, that are so different than I had in America. So, it's just nice to have someone who gets that and gets me...and HUGE, someone I have missed come and visit and do that together. It was a great week. I needed a great week and it was a great week. Next week I am going out of town with some of the folks I live and partner with here. I think it will be a good week. I feel like I haven't been able to see enough people this week. Sometimes, you just have one of those weeks here. Everyone cancels on you and it's just hard. My life is to be in people's lives and when they won't let me, it's hard! So, the thought of going away another week and then coming back to all of those relationships sometimes is a bit overwhelming to me. But, I think I need some rest. I've found that I'm just a bit tired lately and from exactly what, I'm not sure, but life wears on me here more. But the visit this week started some times of refreshment that I think will continue into next week as we relax and worship together and spend some time of course 'debriefing'. Here are some pics from my friend's visit... so i like pictures.

The Parisian and my closest Turkish friends...they all happen to speak English, but Girl Scout's honor, I usually speak Turkish with them! But, we made an exception for her!

Here we are holding up Cleopatra's Gate in Tarsus. It used to be the sea gate to Tarsus. Rumor has it that Cleopatra met Mark Antony under this gate. How dreamy, huh? Anyhoo, this was one of the stops on the tour. When we ran the 5k in Tarsus, we ran under this gate. Very cool. I felt cool when we ran under it.

Here we are at 'Paul's Well' drawing up some water. You can pay 2 lira and see where the city of Tarsus thinks Paul's house was! That exclamation point is a bit sarcastic. They also think Daniel's bones are buried here...I don't think that totally makes sense. But, I will go with them and say that since Paul was from Tarsus...technically this could have been his neighborhood. Why not? This probably was his well. (smile.)

Paris came to town bearing gifts in the form of crepe pan and Nutella. Delicious. I'm practicing my crepe flip in this picture. Very impressive catch you just missed there. I was excited, and you would have been too, had you seen what I did to the crepe before this one! Perfect gift. I've had 3 crepes already this week since the gift came on Tuesday! Cholula, really, I live on the Med. Summer is coming...what were you thinking! We love it way too much!

This was the before and after taste testing of our local drink here. It's akin to beet juice, I think. You have to try it if you're here. It would be like going to the south and not drinking sweet tea. Don't even try to convince me you can do it...or would want to! But, I have to admit, it's not my fave. But, she came. She tried. She lived. And I love her for it!

Recipe for...

...well, probably just bad breath. But, also for some yummy Turkish food. It's bulgar/tomato/garlic (very garlic) goodness. Yummy. Sarımsaklı köfte. One of my favorite Turkish dishes. This isn't going to be a recipe you're going to be able to make from looking at this blog. Sorry, but here's how Turkish recipes go... Here's the ingredient list:
alot of bulgar (maybe 2-3 water glasses)
1/2 a water cup of semolina
3 serving spoons flour
an eating spoon of salt
5-6 tomatoes
a whole bulb of garlic, maybe an extra half of a bulb
a bunch of parsley
And you're lucky that I got those measurements! I might as well have had to hold her hand from throwing things in without measuring, not really, but she was measuring for my benefit, usually they don't measure ANYTHING. These measurements are a bit sketchy from my guess-timating. Some of this, more of that, less of this... yada yada yada.
Anyways, along the way, somehow I asked for something to tie my hair back with and I got that fun headscarf instead of a ponytail holder! Might as well look like a Turk while I'm making Turkish food! I watched the sauce being made, but I put much hard labor into rolling the bulgar into just the right little shapes, all of which took about 2 hours! That's right... t-w-o hours. Let me tell you, Turkish food is delicious, but much time consuming! It's so worth it though. I'm so glad my friend invited me to learn how to make this Turkish treat. I already have visions of coming home and hosting big dinner parties with Turkish food to share about my memories and tales from life abroad. So, R.S.V.P. now! Turkish dinner is coming to a neighborhood near you. When I say "Afiyet olsun!" (Bon Appetit)... you can go ahead and practice your response, "Elinize sağlık!" (el-ey-kneez-ey/sah-luh-k) 'Health to Your (the maker's) Hands'.
Afiyet olsun!
Elinize sağlık!

Walk in the Woods

Sorry, for the delay in blogging. I have no brilliant excuses of busy-ness, my mind has just been a bit overwhelmed and I haven't posted. But, I haven't forgotten about you, the few, the faithful readers and curious ones about my life over here. You are what makes this blog worth it for me, otherwise I'd just be posting pictures of myself for myself to look at! Well, I will never have that problem because I will always have at least 2 very faithful fans that reside on Shades Crest Road. (smile). Sorry for no pictures lately Nicholsons. Last weekend, we took a picnic with some friends that we've been working on a project with. It was a really pretty day and the weather turned out to be great! We grilled and socialized and sang a bit...and I even managed to almost sneak in a little nap in the sun. A picnic here is not a picnic in America. It is not a pack peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lemonaide kind of thing. It's an event. We grilled out kebap. But, before we grilled and ate the kepab, we had to make the kebap. New experience for me...I generally like to use a knife and fork and make as little contact with the raw meat as possible...don't like my hands in it... I made an exception and helped. It was a really fun afternoon to head on down to the lake and just relax and enjoy the spring weather.

I love this picture. This is a sweet friend who helps me with language and her husband and this picture is so true to his character. He is always goofing off...I think in this picture he might have been saying, does this shirt make me look fat?Here we are getting lunch ready...doesn't that just stir your appetite up?...it's not beef, it's lamb. Nice, but definitely not the same and not Outback. Who knows why I have this obsession with Outback that I make references to it and traipsed halfway around London to find it, red meat is expensive here so I think maybe I crave a good steak? who knows. The lamb was okay (in my opinion--others insist that is the meat of choice), but I had chicken.And of course, no picnic is complete without a man riding through the woods on his bike selling cotton candy for the little ones, right?