Let's Choose a Topic to Discuss

So I had my tea the other day.  This week we were at Ayşe's flat on the first floor. 


In three hours time, 8 women all talking at once can really cover a lot of topics!!


We talked about how we met our husbands.  If they were relatives.  And, if we were part of an arranged marriage or if we married for love.  (For the record, no, Justin and I are not related!)


We talked about how the beans and grains that Sultan's dad brought back from the village aren't cooking up very well.


We talked about the pots and pans man's prices.  One of the ladies told the funniest story about how she bought a pot set, but didn't tell her husband.  She had agreed to make weekly payments.  Well, the pot man showed up for one of the payments when her husband happened to be home.  That didn't go so well.


We talked about our ailments.


My downstairs neighbor has a sweet new baby.  So, at one point she asked if she changes her baby's diaper, does it ruin her abdest (Purification by washing the hands, arms, feet, and face before prayer).  The other women had all sorts of answers.  But it basically came down to no, it will not ruin her abdest if she just wipes her hands with an alcohol-based hand wipe afterwards.


Then we got on to discussing wether you can pray the namaz if your baby has spit up on you.  The ladies were talking about what kind of spit-up it was.  If it was just a bit of milk, that was fine.  But, if it was from the stomach or had anything else than just milk then she would need to re-do her abdest.  If it was the latter then you must change your clothes before re-doing the abdest.  With the former you just have to wipe the spot three times.


I tried to interject a bit of wisdom, but mostly I sat back and listened to this very difficult set of rules that they have to live by.  It's an impossible standard.  And even then, if you follow each rule to the the tee, there is no true assurance of it being acceptable.  


Much striving to no avail.


No true peace.


No assurance that anything they do is really going to tip the scales in their favor.


I am so sad for this difficult lifestyle for my sisters.  They are groaning under the requirements of their faith.




Come, Lord Jesus, come!!  




Bring your peace.  


Bring your hope.  


Bring your joy.  


Bring your assurance.


Show your mercy.


Pour out your grace on this land!