Greece Pics in Patmos w/ Mom

Mom and I rode a super-fast ferry from Kos Island north to Patmos.  We could see the shoreline of Turkey as we zoomed by.  Amazing to think we were on this side of the globe!  Our faces made lots of G-force expressions... skin flattened on our cheeks, our lips flubbering in the wind, eyes drying out, bodies almost being blown back unless we held on to the guardrail.  It was funny!!  The weather was beautiful.  We got off at the island of Patmos; it was hilly with lots of trees and houses on it, and there was a cross high up on the hill.  Mom and I read the beginning of the book of Revelation (the last book of the Christian Bible) to get ready for our visit.  Patmos was the island that John (follower of Jesus, one of Jesus' closest disciples) was imprisoned on for his faith and testimony about Jesus.  While there, God gave him a Revelation, that he was told to write down...
which gave words from Jesus to the churches of the day (like a progress report) and to tell people about what would happen at the "End of the Age" (when Jesus returns, the Judgement day happens, and everything else...).  John wrote that we would be blessed whoever read it.  And he was very serious that nothing else be added except what God revealed to him and he wrote down.  So that we could know the TRUTH of what he wrote.  If you haven't read Revelation yet, try it!  There are 21 chapters, some of it is confusing, but just ask God to teach you what He wants to reveal and show you.

Mom and I found a clean and nice hotel up on one of the hills.  It was owned by a local lady and her family.  Later, we tried to find mopeds to ride (we saw them advertised) but found out it was not the right season to rent them.  Too bad.  We took a taxi up to the monastary that was built to commemerate the place where John received the Revelation from God.  

Mom and I didn't get to go down the steps to the cave where tradition says the revelation was given, but we walked through the forest and pretended that it was near there.  

We had Thanksgiving on the island.  We ordered octopus, instead of turkey.  It was quite the change.  I can't say that I'm a fan.  The octopus came out with the arms and the tentacles on the underside, and it was rubbery, like chewing a hose that had been marinated and grilled.  Not that I've ever eaten a hose, but if I did, I'm sure it would taste like that.

The next day we saw a man out on the waterfront smacking and throwing down again and again a glob of something.  We walked over to find out what he was doing.  Guess what it was?  Octopus.  If that thing wasn't dead already, I'm sure it had a killer headache.  The man spoke maybe 5 words of English, and I spoke maybe one word of Greek, so I used my finely developed charades skills to ask the man if he was killing the octopus.  Somehow he communicated to me that he was tenderizing it.  I felt like telling him that the guy who gave the restaurant the octopus we ate should have taken lessons from him.  

Mom and I walked up the side of another hill to try to see the sunset.  Mom really wanted to see the sunset from the mountainside, but we didn't know if we would make it in time.  We prayed that we would.  A little dog decided to follow us.  It was really cute.  And it felt like it was along to help protect us and give us some security in this unfamiliar place.  We climbed the last section of the hill and came around towards the western edge.  The sun was just dipping below the mountains on the other side of the island.  It was a stunning coral pink and the sky was a beautiful pastel blend of rose, gold, and violet.  When we walked back down the other side, God showed us his glorious moon.  It was full and magnificent.  Patmos was a great visit.  We left that evening on an overnight trip back to the mainland.  God woke us up the next morning to go up and have front row seats on the top of the huge boat to see His sunrise.  

We were going to see Sara Linville in Rafina at the Greek Bible Institute, a Bible college she was attending.  We knew each other from our home church, Church at the Crossing in Indianapolis.