Inner or Outer Beauty?

The last time I wore the infamous 10 year dress

Turkish women know how to take care of themselves. They have their legs waxed, facial hair removed, eyebrows shaped and their hair styled at the salon. There is a kuaför on every corner. They do their nails and have perfect pedicures. They pay careful attention to their makeup and wear nice clothes, shoes, and accessories. 

This can leave a casual American woman feeling frumpy. 

Don't Leave Your Kids Behind

photo courtesy of 9sn.net

When my husband and I got on a plane to move to the Middle East ten years ago, we wouldn’t have dreamed of leaving our kids behind.

I remember my 5 year old son’s reaction to Friday noon prayers as we passed by a mosque during our first month here. Hearing Arabic prayers belting out over loudspeakers and seeing rows of men bowed over prayer rugs galvanized him.  He grabbed my arm and yelled, “Mom, what are they doing? What’s that sound?”

Read the rest of this post at Missional Mama

I did a guest post this week for a new blogging friend, and here it is.  Missional Mama is a great resource for homeschooling mothers who are overseas.

Have a great week!

Favorite Turkish Soup

What is October like in your part of the globe? Is it fall or spring where you live? In our Aegean city, it’s pure joy to be able to spend time outdoors without dripping sweat now that summer is finally over. We're enjoying cool sunny weather and occasional rain.  Another thing I enjoy about fall is making soup again. 

Turks are masters in the art of slow food, and soup is an important part of their repertoire. I remember my Turkish “mother” 20 years ago in Istanbul. She spent 4 to 5 hours daily preparing food for her family.  It was literally her life occupation, one she enjoyed. As much as I loved her food, I don’t want to be in the kitchen for 5 hours! Labor intensive cooking every day does not fit my lifestyle, but I do share with Turks a love for soup.

Holding on to God-Sized Dreams

What are you dreaming about or hoping for?  

I love the challenge of God-sized dreams, dreams God puts in our hearts that we cannot possibly bring about in our own strength.  They require God’s miraculous intervention.  God seems to specialize in calling us to do things that are beyond our own capabilities.