Leaving for Turkey

When we went to Israel with our friend, Dr. Jim Martin of Bible World Seminars (Al and I in 2013 and Al with our son in 2014), we told him that when he did the study tour of Paul's Missionary Journeys again to please let us know.

As a child, my mom had us study Paul's missionary journeys.  

We had to fill out charts and everything!

Last fall we were told that a trip would be happening and we signed up!  

The much anticipated time finally arrived!  

We packed on Saturday.  Only carry-ons because who wants to risk lost luggage!?  

My parents traveled the world and my mother's rule was:  

         put everything you want to pack on the bed - 

                   then take only half of that amount.

Of course we had to take Lortab along!

Lortab has his own Facebook Page.  Check it out!

(Lortab Newton)

Sunday morning was just gorgeous!

I was reminded of the song 10,000 Reasons.

Bless the Lord oh my soul, Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name

The sun comes up It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

 Jill and the girls skipped church to take us to the airport.

(I think that's an ok excuse for a pastor's family to miss, right?)

Claire loved the sparkly fancy dresses on display at the airport.

Good-bye family!!  See you in 2 weeks!

Good-bye Wichita!

We arrived in Atlanta and had a 3 1/2 hour lay-over.

At least that was the plan.

We boarded the plane and then there was a problem so we had to de-plane.

And wait some more.  Another 3 1/2 hours.

I would rather have plane trouble on land than have something go wrong over the ocean!

Perhaps it was an answer to prayer!

And at least they let us de-plane! 

My parents once had to sit on the tarmac for 4 hours!!

We arrived in Amsterdam and missed our connecting flight to Istanbuhl.

We were going to have to wait all day long for an evening flight!

We debated putting our luggage in a locker and taking a tour of the city, but the airport personnel told us that it was a holiday and that there were lines everywhere.   

They did not recommend our leaving the airport.

I had been reading about Daniel in the Bible and how Satan had thwarted him for 3 weeks.  

What is a few hours, right?  God knows best.

I found a massage kiosk.

And also found a pub to eat at with our other Wichita traveling companions.

We didn't get to our hotel in Istanbuhl until 1:30 am!  

It was going to be a very short night!

In fact, only 2 hours to sleep before we were going to need to get up!

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there Your hand will guide me.

Your right hand will hold me fast."  

                                Psalm 139:9-10

What a good word that I am never separated from His care!