Abundantly blessed

Admittedly, my blog posts aren't always the most, upbeat, exactly.  It's hard sometimes when you're a bit of a pessimist, or as my friend says, a practical realistic pessimist.  I'm generally much better at calamity than hope.  But this blog post isn't about the weight of the world or the intermingled joy and struggle of serving abroad or the heartbreaking realities of life around us.

This past week I was booking some flights, again.  I have done that a lot lately.  In the past few months I've booked flights to Singapore (I went for a weekend in March), to the US for the summer, and to Chiang Rai (in northern Thailand) for later this week.  This week I got tickets to go to central and northern California in July to spend time with friends and relatives.  And now that that itinerary is in place, I am working on the dates in June to go see my brother in New York.  Right around when I hit the button to finalize the purchase last week, it hit me.  I am so abundantly blessed.  

And not just by air travel, which I actually enjoy less and less every year (though my love of the people on the other side of flights keeps me at it), but by many many blessings that factor in and make the travel possible.  I started reflecting on the myriad of gifts that I have been given and am trying to spend time just appreciating them and recognizing them.  

I have a great job, which I enjoy and which allows me to openly serve and teach about God.  I have friends and family in many places who welcome me with open arms whenever I have opportunities to visit.  I get to live in a beautiful foreign country where the cost of living is low enough that I can afford luxuries like travel.  I work in an industry where I have extended time off every year to back to the States- I don't think I could do life here otherwise.  I have good friends here to travel with.  I have several "shorter" times off during the year to explore this part of the world.  I have family members who spend considerable time each summer shuttling me to and from the airport.  I have friends here who are like family. My sister sends me daily photos and videos of my nephew. 

Okay, that last one has nothing to do with my travel, but it's a pretty great blessing all the same.  It's always easy for me to look at life as half empty- rest assured life here is just daily life and carries all of the usual ups and downs of life on planet earth.  I complain about my aching back (which has been particularly bad lately since I haven't been working out and thus stretching enough) and other minor ailments, even though I'm generally healthy. I sigh and keep walking right past the dirty dishes in the sink, too tired to care.  I get lonely living here on my own, even in the midst of much coveted down time. I worry about the future and the when and what next- when the ink isn't even dry on my newest contract yet.  I look at daily life and see absent friends who have moved on to other adventures, instead of seeing the faces of the newer friends who have walked into my life this year, who I want to get to know more.  

Truth is, life isn't half empty, nor even just barely full. My cup runneth over.  But not because it's perfect or never stressful or lonely or any of those other things I often focus on.  God has been incredibly gracious in many tangible gifts, but also in the gift of himself.  While I certainly enjoy the many ways that God has blessed me recently, I am even more grateful for ways he has grown my knowledge and understanding of him. This season of lent was particularly beneficial in seeing areas of sin that needed to be dealt with and ways that I had not fully been acknowledging or accepting his grace, not really believing and living that la vida eterna starts now.  The other blessings might not feel so "blessed" without that bit.  So yeah, even in the midst of many normal every day struggles of life, I can see that I do live a great life and serve a great God. And for that, I am so very thankful. 

Thanksgiving Picture

This is what Thanksgiving in Bangkok looks like. I am thankful for these friends to spend the day with! 

Thanksgiving

I'll be honest, I think thanksgiving might be my least favorite expat holiday. It's rare that I actually "do" thanksgiving abroad, in part because it's tricky to get it close enough so I usually don't try. In lucky years, I have had the traditional four day weekend, whether in Argentina or here last year, and have been able to go to the beach. Thanksgiving at the beach is a nice substitute. 

But this year I am quite excited about my thanksgiving. There will be turkey and all the proper foods and beverages to go with it and a group of friend for whom I am truly thankful. Although it would be nice to have a parade to watch this morning, or to be at my Grampa's house with my family tonight! I am super thankful that we get the day off even in Thailand, and that I have my Thai 'family' here to celebrate with. And also, no snow. I am thankful that there is no snow or chance of snow. 

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, and sending hugs to those who have experienced deep loss in the past month or so. Praying that God's comfort would surround you this season. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is having their conference in northern Thailand this weekend, and I for one am SO GLAD.  In order to assist teachers in attending, our school had a half day today (Wed) and has Thursday (Thanksgiving) and Friday off.  I'm sure the conference will be great. I, however, am going to the beach. 

We don't usually get anything more than Turkey Day itself, so this is a real treat (thanks ACSI!), and boy do I need it.  By 6pm tonight by insane month of Thai class will be over and I will get my life back.  Except when you stop doing anything but learning Thai for a month the rest of life builds up, so my "to-do" lists are exceedingly long.  For 4 weeks now I've been saying "I'll do that the week after Thanksgiving". 

So here I am, tired and weary and speaking better Thai than ever, but oh-so-ready for a few days of relaxation before real life slams back on Monday. As usual, I've over committed myself with extras at work, tutoring, ministry, and friends.  I know how to say no in at least 4 languages, but I am complete crap at ever doing it. But once the AC guys come this afternoon and that gets fixed (2 out of 3 are broke) then I can go to Thanksgiving lunch and then to Thai and then come home and pack and have my skype date so I can get up at 4:30am and fly to a little slice of paradise in southern Thailand, and just chill. 

So enjoy your turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you and missing you and feeling so thankful for the many friends and I family I have around the world. 

A latte to be thankful for!

I have so much to be thankful for!  I have been feeling so blessed this week that God has called me to come to Thailand to do what I love to do- teach. It was an exhausting week at work, but it was also one where I saw small breakthroughs with some struggling students, one where I got to talk and pray with students who were having a hard time with things in their personal lives, one where I was able to share with the staff the story of God's hand in my life, in short, one where I could use the gifts that God has given me for his glory.  I also had the opportunity yesterday to take a break from the daily grind to celebrate friendship at an awesome Audrey Hepburn inspired cafe, right here in Bangkok!  My friend and I enjoyed the atmosphere along side smoked salmon salad, crab souffle, homemade scones, black pepper and garlic chicken, all topped off by a Thai tea cake, carrot cake, and lattes!

In addition, my friend who was supposed to leave for India this week won't be going.  Her visa fell through, which is bad news, I know, but it does mean that I'll have her around for a while longer, to love deeply and hold loosely.  

I'm also thankful that today I got to teach my first official Nak Suu English lesson- the first half of which was a hilarious circus as I adjust to the new teaching setting, and the second half of which went well- kids playing Uno and saying the color names as they played their cards.  I managed to pause for translation on occasion (I need to work on doing that more) and only said "muy bien" once (the espanglish must go during these lessons) in the midst of the circus.  I just love hanging out with these kids and being a part of this program.  Normally the program runs on Saturdays, but we have to run it on Sunday for a few weeks due to the kids being in school on Saturdays to make up for missed flood days (yuck!). 

Today I read Psalm 103, and though its text is quite familiar, I was struck today by the amazing truth in verses 11 and 12: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."  I guess there are days when I feel more "barely forgiven" than that God has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west.  So today I find myself also thankful that God's love for me is as great as the distance from heaven to earth, that he has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west. 

Muy buena onda!

So fantastically yummy!

Ending the meal with latte and cake!

PS- If someone wanted to come finish my grad class for me, my life just might be complete.  I'm half way through the work and the deadline I've given myself is 2012 Opening Day. It's not that the work is that overwhelming, it's just that the last thing I want to do after writing real lesson plans all week is write a bunch of fake ones for this class!  But, the certificate must be renewed...