New Years Eve

The E family invited me to join them to celebrate New Year’s Eve. I realized that I had never spent the holiday with locals. My first New Year’s Eve was my second day in country and I was jet-lagging. On the second one, my mom and brother were here and we spent the day traveling across country. During my third New Year’s Eve, I was in Prague. 

Mrs. E and I had talked the day before and she said we would meet up around 5pm that day. I spent the day lounging and prepping for a long day of Turkish. Around 4pm, and hour early, she called to tell me they would be picking me up in five to ten minutes. I wasn’t expecting to meet up that early and I was still in my pajamas. They ended up having to wait on me a few minutes. They said we were going shopping to buy stuff for the party. We drove to a shopping center and it was jam packed with people. It was like Black Friday or the last Saturday before Christmas kind of busy. 

They bought lots of snacky kinds of foods. They said New Year’s Eve is about having a spread of fun foods. While we were there, I saw this mug. To them, New Year and Christmas are one and the same. 

After the shopping center, we went to Mrs. E’s uncle’s house and had pide. They had made a salad that I loved. It consisted of red cabbage, salt, garlic, Greek yogurt, and a bit of mayonnaise. I chatted with the uncle (pictured below) a bit. He tried to tell me that Turkish was one of the world’s easiest languages to learn. I told him it might be easy for him because it’s his first language but it’s actually hard for native English speakers. 

I found it odd that we had went to the uncle’s house when the party was supposed to be at the E family’s house. I learned later that they had made a plan to eat pide together and everyone was on board except Mrs. E’s dad. He made a big deal about it so finally they decided to let everyone do dinner on their own. Only we didn’t really do dinner on our own, we still had pide, just not with the whole gang. 

We then returned to the E family’s house. We started playing games. We played Uno for a while and taught it to some family members. After Uno, they played their version of Bingo. In this version, numbers are called out and you cover them on your board. The goal is to be the first to cover the top line and you win some coins. Whoever then covers the second line wins some coins, and the person to cover the third and final line wins the most coins. Apparently everyone puts in 1-2 Turkish Lira coin and the collection is divided among the winners. 

In continuing with the Christmas theme, everyone is supposed to wear read. I didn't get the memo.

Close to midnight, they began setting out all of the snacks. We had baklava, chips, nuts, pretzels, eclair like things, and finger sandwiches. We did a count down to midnight as we ate these snacks. I wrongly assumed that the party would begin to scatter after midnight. After the snacks, they pulled out some more games. Around 2am, one of the men said he needed to get going because he had work the next day. I told them that I would also like to go home. At this point, the party did begin dissipating. The E family was disappointed that we were leaving so early. I had been with them for TEN hours! 

Mrs. E’s brother and family, like me, needed a ride home. My estimation is that around 50% of locals have a family car. Mr. E said that his father-in-law could take us all home. We went outside and for some reason they decided that it would be better for Mr. E to drive us home. Then he remembered he had had a bit of alcohol to celebrate and shouldn’t drive. So the father-in-law pulls his car up for us to get into it only it was full of stuff he uses everyday for work. In the end Mr. E suggested that Mrs. E could drive us home. Both Mr. and Mrs. E were in the car. I thought it was strange but guessed that it must either be shameful for her to drive at that hour by herself or else dangerous. Nonetheless, I was thankful when they dropped me off and glad for a bit of rest. 

Choosing to Honor Others

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” -Philippians 2:3-7

Oh that we would actually live like this. Would that we never acted on our selfishness. Would that we actually treated others as more significant than ourselves. Would that we looked to the interests of others before we looked to our own. Would that we didn’t act like we were the king that deserves worship and service and treated our brothers as higher than ourselves. Would that we actually use the mind of Christ, the Spirit inside of us. He was God but He didn’t trumpet this right to all those around him demanding service and worship. He became the biggest servant. He calls us to do the same. That is our holy calling. 

I often shrink from servanthood fearing that others will trample on me or take of advantage of me. They will. But we have done this to Christ. We don’t deserve his death or service yet he freely gave it. He calls us to do the same for our brothers and sisters.

I remember an incident from several months back. My two friends and I were making a trip to a nearby city. I purposed before the trip ever started that I would honor my friend, letting her have the front seat of the car and I would take the back seat. I planned it to be that way before I ever got to the car. Now, my friend tends to be a big taker. She is prideful and selfish and will take as much as she can. She never once offered to give me the front seat. My other friend commented that she appreciated me taking this selfishness with grace. The thing is, I didn’t see it that way. Because I had made the choice ahead of time, my friend took nothing that I hadn’t already freely offered. I’ve seen this pattern play out over and over in my life. When I purpose to think of someone higher than me, they no longer have anything to take from me. But, on the other hand, when in pride I consider myself better than others, I get to the car situation and all of a sudden I feel taken advantage of. I become angry or bitter because this other person has not treated me like the important king that I am and has taken my right. But oh how much more peace rules in the world when I humble myself, think of others better than myself, and freely give. May I truly become like Jesus, laying my life down of my own accord.

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” -John 10:17-18

Hebrews

I’m still in the book of Hebrews. It’s been almost ten months since I started reading the book but it’s been so rich and deep that I can’t seem to leave it. 

There are several passages in Hebrews that seem to be stuck on repeat in my head. One of these is Hebrews 2:14-15.

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

What is this verse saying?

Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, the devil.

He delivered us from the fear of death.

He delivered us from lifelong slavery. 

Death destroyed. Fear destroyed. He made slaves into sons. Praise God!

Another passage that has impacted me is Hebrews 10:32-34.

“But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you JOYFULLY ACCEPTED THE PLUNDERING OF YOUR PROPERTY, since you knew that you yourselves had a BETTER POSSESSION AND AN ABIDING ONE.” 

When has anyone ever been able to joyfully accept the plundering of their property. Who has ever said, “Come on in robber. Take it all. I’ll let you do it with a smile on my face.”  The other things they endured in those verses are also not cake walks but for some reason the plundering of property has lodged in my head. To suffer struggles, public mocking, seeing friends afflicted, friends in prison, property plundered and to endure it all with joy? It seems nearly impossible until I read the end of that verse. They endured because they had a better possession than their earthly goods and it was an abiding one. 

Where are my eyes fixed? On my future eternal treasure or on my earthly temporary ones? Where is my treasure? On earth or in heaven? With the Hebrews, with Martin Luther am I ready to say, “Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also?” Do I really believe like Peter said that I have been “born again to a living hope - to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven?” 

Imperishable: It won’t ever ruin or go bad or be damaged. 

Undefiled: It is pure. It is flawless. 

Unfading: It will not diminish in value or beauty. 

This is what awaits me and yet I hold on to pathetic earthly goods. Oh may I, like the Hebrews, fix my eyes on my better and abiding possession. 

The final passage that has been on repeat for me is Hebrews 11:24-26.

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Moses did not choose the path of least resistance. He didn’t choose the comforts of wealth or power. He chose to be mistreated. He chose reproach instead of wealth and treasures. Why? He was looking forward to something even greater than the wealth of Egypt. He was like the Hebrews and knew what his true reward was. 

This has been good to remind me that there are easier and more comfortable paths than the one that I currently find myself. Life in America would certainly be easier and more comfortable than living where I do. But I choose Jesus over an easy life. The same can be said true from my marital status. I don’t doubt that if I were to marry, my life would in many ways be much easier than the life of singleness. I also think it would be harder in other ways. Nonetheless, these verses have reminded me that Jesus is better than a husband. I choose Him and I will over and over again because He is my reward.

A Picture Post - Episode 10

We have started an English Speaking Night where folks can come practice their English. I usually work with the basic group which means they have very little English. After about an hour, their eyes gloss over and they start speaking only Turkish. One night I switched to a memory game to help them learn new vocabulary. In order to pick up the match, they had to correctly say the name in English. They loved this game.

From this English night, I have met some single girls who are close to my age. This is a rarity in the culture. It’s been good for all of us to have a group of friends to do stuff with. One night we went to a free concert sponsored by the city. The theme was classical music and opera. I was so surprised at how enjoyable the evening was. The narrator explained before the concert began that classical music is a tough genre for Turks. They didn’t grow up listening to Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, etc nor did they have the musical instruments like the piano or orchestral instruments. These are fairly new to the country. The last two songs were from Turkish composers. It was interesting afterwards to hear that my local friends were bored during the traditional pieces and wished they all had had a Turkish flair. I felt just the opposite.

After the concert, we noticed a sign that said “The Marriage Office.” The girls thought it would be funny to take a picture of them trying to push me to the marriage office and have me resisting. It is a pretty accurate picture of how I feel about getting married these days. 

In case you didn’t know, I go by Rebecca here. It’s my actual first name and is much easier for locals to both read and say. In addition, they pronounce my last name, Smith, as SeeMeet, which sounds like a round pretzel like bread found locally. I found the Will Smith meme and decided to make one of me. 

One of my favorite meals here is made up of spicy bulgur, lettuce, and a sour sauce wrapped in a thin tortilla like bread. I love it because it can be found on the street, takes 2 minutes to make and costs less than a dollar. I found a sign at a restaurant that said, “Warning, becomes addicting.”

I was able to visit the sea recently. Here were some of my favorite pics.

A Picture Post - Episode 9

J and I had fried anchovies one night with the E family. We were asked to help break off the heads of the fish and clean out the bones and innards of said anchovies. We were of course thrilled to do this. 

We went to see The Last Jedi. We ended up having a private viewing because no one else came!

This was the original iPad or “game tablet.”

I attempted to make the best sushi roll in the world. It turned out alright but could use some improvement.

The hose to the bidet on my toilet was leaking. It actually leaked for days before I ever did something about it. I think toilet problems are stressful no matter where you live in the world. Anyway I went downstairs to a bathroom fixture place two doors up from where I live. They had taken care of some of my plumbing before so I thought I would try there again. They took care of the bidet. Within a few days, the flusher on my toilet also stopped working. I went back to the toilet fixture store. They told me that normally they don’t do this kind of thing but since I am a neighbor they would help me out. Translation: This poor, foreign girl has no idea what she’s doing. We can’t stand it so we’ll help a girl out.

We have a great view from our house. In winter, we regularly see snow-capped mountains in the distance.

One day J and I went to a cafe for dinner. We ordered a coke to drink. When it came, it was room temperature. They even gave us a nice warm mug to drink our warm coke in. How thoughtful and delicious. Ugh!

The Word, Richer in a Second Language

Reading the Bible in my second language often makes it richer to me. Sometimes things are worded in Turkish much better than in English. For example, in English, Hebrews 7:14 says to Abraham, “Surely I will bless you...” But in Turkish, it’s more like “As much as you can be blessed, I will bless you.” That feels like a different category of blessing. Another example is when it talks about what Jesus did to sin. In Hebrews 9:26, it says that Jesus put away sin. In Turkish, the phrase translates as Jesus annihilated sin. I like that imagery better. 

In addition to my Hebrews reading, I am also reading Genesis in Turkish. Because I don’t know all of the words, I have to read slower to understand. This helps me to notice patterns easier. As I’m reading, other things tend to jump out at me that I never noticed in English because of my quicker reading pace. Here are some examples:

*After the Fall, God decided to drive man from the garden so they wouldn’t eat of the fruit of the tree of Life. Part of the punishment was that man would die. I have often thought that it was a just punishment that we all deserve. But this time around, I noticed that death was also a mercy. God didn’t want man living forever in a state of knowing good and evil. That’s why he made it where they could not reach the Tree of Life. He wanted them to die so he could end their suffering. 

*Although God rejected Cain’s offering, he didn’t entirely reject Cain. I have often thought that it seemed a bit unfair that God rejected Cain’s offering. But this time I realized that God gave him a second chance to make things right. In Genesis 4:7 God said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” In spite of this, Cain chose sin and was not accepted.

*In Gen 5, the pattern of genealogies is broken only twice, once for Enoch and once for Noah. It says in chapter 5 that Enoch walked with God. I was surprised to see that same   phrase in chapter 6 applied to Noah as well. Everyone else in Noah’s day was wicked.  

*I have also noticed a pattern with the saints like Noah and Abraham. The Bible  says they did all that God commanded them. There is a correlation between obedience and blessing.

*I always thought that Noah spent a lot of time trying to get others on the boat with him. This time around I noticed that God said he was going to destroy everyone except Noah. He didn’t instruct Noah to “preach” to those left behind. Noah’s job was to build a boat. It doesn’t seem like there was an option for the rest of humanity to even board the boat. They were condemned because of their wicked hearts that only thought of evil. 

*Creation was cursed as a result of man’s fall. In Noah’s day, the earth and animals were destroyed because of man’s sin. Our sin has far reaching consequences. 

*I had never noticed that Ham was the son who looked on Noah’s nakedness yet it was Canaan who was cursed. Reading it this time around, it made a little more sense that God was going to give Shem’s descendants via Abraham the land of Canaan. The Canaanites were cursed because of Ham’s sin. 

*As I read about the Tower of Babel, I noticed that although humans were back to their old ways of wickedness, God kept his promise and did not destroy them. He did indeed punish them but did not destroy them. 

*Someone pointed out to me that in Genesis 1:26, God refers to himself with the “we/us” pronoun, “Let US make man in OUR image.” This is the first indicator in the Bible that even though God is one, he also has aspects of his nature that is plural. Having grown up in the church, I understand that this is an insight into the triune nature of God. However, a person reading the Bible for the first time might see that and wonder what it could mean. After the importance of that verse was pointed out to me, I began noticing it in other places because in Turkish, I’m more apt to notice those smaller details like the “us” word or the “we” suffix. I noticed it again in Genesis 3:22, “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of US in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” I noticed it again in the story of the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11:7 it says, “Come, let US go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.”

*God gave promises to Abraham in Genesis 12. 

-I’m going to make you a great nation. 

-I’m going to bless you.

-I’m going to make your name great.

-I’ll bless those who bless you.

-I’ll curse those who curse you.

-In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. 

-I’m going to give the land of Canaan to your offspring. 

Those are some good promises but Abraham began to forget them. He and Sarah went to Egypt. He told Sarah to tell everyone there that she was his sister so he wouldn’t be killed. If he had been killed, how would God have fulfilled his promise to make him into a great nation? Would God not curse those who tried to bring harm to Abraham? He forgot God’s promises.

Cultural Lessons

I haven’t been doing a good joy of writing about the cultural blunders, lessons, and funnies of my life here. This is due partly to the fact that life has been wide open here for a while. It’s also due to the fact that I have assimilated to this country in ways that make cultural things seem not so foreign anymore. I did, however, want to take some time to share a few of the blunders, lessons and funnies that I have experienced over the past few months. 

One day my roommate was not feeling well and I went to the hospital with her. All the doctors’ offices are at the hospital and for even routine checkups one must go to the hospital. While we were there waiting on some test results, I decided to go to the bathroom. The toilet was wet so I attempted the hover move. It was a mistake. Because of the angle, the urine began to run down my leg. I panicked, not knowing how to stop, and just watched the train wreck happen. I ended up with urine on my jeans and the floor. I tried to sop it up off my jeans as best as I could but it was very little help. In spite of the embarrassment, it was what was needed because it brought abundant laughter to our lives that day. We ended up staying at the hospital for about 5 hours and since my house was a 15 minute walk away, I ended up having wet, urine pants for the duration of our time there. We still have good laughs from that episode. 

I went to a local women’s social gathering called a ‘gün.’ Gün means day and this gün was held at my friend Sherry’s house. During these gatherings, women chat, have activities, share recipes and sometimes read from their Book and/or collect money. When I arrived, I sat and chatted with Sherry’s mom while Sherry did her ritual prayers. She did these less than 3 feet away from me. I thought it odd to do something so personal or intimate near others who were not doing it. It also felt disrespectful to chat with her mom as she did her prayers but I followed her mom’s lead. A guest arrived during these prayers and Sherry paused for a minute to chat with the new guest. After the bulk of the guests arrived, one of the ladies started reading prayers from a book. Guests were still chatting as she began reading so she read louder and pointedly looked at them to signal they should be quiet. She read for a bit and then passed the book to a new mom who read for a while before giving the book back to the original reader to read. Again, it was odd to me because they were reading in Arabic but none of them understood the words. Everyone had covered their heads for the reading part and Sherry asked if I wanted to cover as well. I did not want to and said as much. There was also one other lady who did not cover because she was on her monthly cycle. They are not allowed to worship during their cycle because they are unclean. After about 15 minutes of prayer reading, we started eating. Eventually the guests began pulling out the equivalent of around $60 and began handing it to the host. As best as I understood, each month a different woman hosts this gün and everyone gives her money so she can save it for a need that might come up. When she goes to another’s house, she too gives the gift of $60. Some of the ladies acted as if I should have contributed as well but I did not. 

On another day, J and I were on the shuttle bus back from the mall. It’s about a ten minute drive to our stop. A couple minutes into the drive, a fight broke out between a passenger and the driver. Apparently the driver was looking at his phone while driving. An elderly passenger in the front began yelling at him to put the phone down and not endanger our lives. The bus driver, caught with his pants down so to speak, began yelling at the elderly man that he needed to mind his business and that he had not been looking at his phone. It continued to escalate to the point where the driver was looking at the passenger instead of the road and our lives were becoming more endangered by the second. Finally two young guys made their way to the front and tried to encourage each man to calm down, put the issue to rest and for the driver to actually focus on the road. It was a bizarre encounter because the fight was between older men and some young guys were the ones to calm down these elderly men. It was an eventful ten minutes. 

One night the E family came over to our house around 4:30 in the afternoon. They wanted to celebrate J’s birthday. After some cake, we taught them how to play Uno. By 7pm, they were still hanging around. Since it was dinner time, I commented on how I was hungry and wondered if I should order some food since we didn’t have anything to make them. They asked if we had pasta and eggs and commented how that would make a nice meal for the six of us. They often boil pasta and put ketchup and mayonnaise on it as a dish. So we boiled some pasta and scrambled some eggs for dinner. Mrs. E drained the noodles but as she did so, I noticed she had also turned on the cold water. She asked if I was wondering why she had done this and I nodded in affirmation. She said they believe Satan’s spirits live in the water pipes and if you burn them with the hot water, they will curse you or haunt you. She said she’s not convinced it’s true but it’s been a habit of hers since childhood.