Browsing Category

Random Thoughts

D'Oliva Olive Oil, Family, Random Thoughts,

Olive Grove Tuesday

Jesus spent a lot of time in an olive orchard this week. What is often called “the Olivet Discourse” was probably a Tuesday evening discussion with His disciples, sitting together in the grove as they viewed the Temple and busy city of Jerusalem across the valley.

That particular olive grove has a spectacular setting and has one of the most photographed views in Israel. I was first there in 1975, staying in a hotel atop the Mount of Olives. A few years ago I returned again with my church. Though bustling with tourists and over developed to handle the crowds, …

Read more

Belize, PathLight, Random Thoughts, The SOLD Project,

Pigeon Monday

Today is Pigeon Monday. Or at least that’s what I call it. Hopefully I’ll start a new trend. It would seem that Jesus had something against pigeons. That’s evident from the story of Him tearing up the Temple grounds.

On the Monday before Passover, Jesus entered the Temple grounds and unleashed some fury. It was always one of my favorite Bible stories when I was a kid. The vision of the Messiah overturning tables, driving people out, blocking people from bringing anything through the Temple … it was all so exciting compared to the meek and mild stuff I was …

Read more

Family, Random Thoughts,

High School Friends and The Untold Story

“How fast do you think it will go?”

It’s impossible to know how many teenage boys have asked that question. Sometimes it is heard as a challenge, perhaps even a taunt. But when I said it to my friend Randy back in the mid-70’s, it was a genuinely honest question. I really wanted to know how fast his car would go.

The question started an adventure that I was sworn to keep secret. Randy was afraid his parents would explode if they found out what we did. I was sure my parents would. And since our friends would talk about …

Read more

Random Thoughts,

Istanbul – Morning Wakeup Call

Each morning, about 5:15 AM, the first call to prayer would wake us. This is a mosque so close to the house that I can take this picture through the living room window. Click on this Sounds of Istanbul link to hear more.

If you subscribe to this blog by email and cannot hear the sounds, then click here to hear them. Be sure the volume on your computer is up!…

Read more

Random Thoughts,

Istanbul – Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace was the Ottoman Empire center of power for hundreds of years. An amazing place that is not fully seen in the photos below. It was a cold and rainy day, so I inserted one photo that I found online to give a sense of the true beauty.

…

Read more

Random Thoughts,

Istanbul Photos

I arrived in Istanbul on Saturday and have been touring the city with my friend Gayle Beebe. We’re visiting the Westmont in Istanbul program, which was just recently launched. It’s a lot of fun having college students as tour guides and hanging out with them in this fantastic city!

Here are a few photos to share:

…

Read more