A Million Points of Light

I am dead tired. See, we cannot watch the Red Wings play here, since no bar broadcasts it, not to mention the games start at 3 am local time. None of this stops us from trying. Jeff, one of the stint guys, is a big Wings fan. So on his computer, every game night, we listen to the game live....at 3am. For those not following, last night's game went into 3ot. This meant I crawled back into bed, saddened from our loss, at around 7am. 2 hours later I was up and on my way. Not the best idea as far as rest is concerned. But loyalty demands it. 34.3 seconds from the Stanley Cup!!!!!!! Oh well. Now we get to be up again Thursday night. Think of me as you watch the game and know somewhere I am fighting to stay awake to watch as well.
A few nights back we took a trip to the top of a large hill on the Asia side of Istanbul. Once on top we were able to look out over part of the city (It was an awful lot to only be a part, but really, the city is huge). It was amazing. So beautiful. I do not think I can fully explain it. I took pictures but I am not sure they will do it justice. This place is amazing. It is gigantic. It is alive .
Sunday we went to an international church in the city. That was a fun experience. It was weird to overhear conversations around me and understand them. English is sounding somewhat foreign to me already, so I imagine by time I get back it will take some time to adjust. But there is a certain peace to it as well. It is easier to let it become background noise when you don't understand it. Then I can just focus on what is around, and what is around is generally worth noticing.
Last night I spent a few hours by the river as the sun was setting over top the city. What a sight. It was inspiring. I wrote a bit and then just sat there trying to take it all in. City life agrees with me on some level. If I could understand the language here I might not go back. Everything about it just seems so great. Again, a lot of this is hard to explain, especially on so little sleep.
We have spent our first two days on campus. That has been an adventure. We got a tour the first day from a student, which was quite nice and very helpful as today, our second day on campus, we had to go back without stinters. This seemed a lot scarier than it turned out actually. But I am looking forward to spending more time on the campuses here, as the one I have visited so far is quite beautiful.
My main theme this week, the thing really on my heart is 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Love. If we do all manners of great things, but have not love, then we have nothing, we gain nothing, we are nothing. I am constantly checking my heart, searching to see if I am acting in love or if I am acting out of some obligation or some other force. Because I am fearing that I do not love as much as I should, and therefore I fear that many things that flow from that essentially are nothing.
But that is all for now. I think it is supper time. Tomorrow is our day off so hopefully there will be some grand adventure to talk about.
Until again.
-Tory