Thirteen Recollections from 2013

HAPPY 2014!!!

Once again, the end of one year and the beginning of another has come; it's a good time to pause, look back and reflect.

Of course 2013 flew by.

We attempted to hold on, took a few pictures to jog the memory, and jotted down thoughts along the way. 2013 was one of those "whew...we made it!" years--here are a few milestones that came to mind:

Thirteen Recollections from 2013 

1. We've lived 18 months in Thailand and are feeling a bit more at home each day.

2. We've had encouragement in the forms of letters, packages, humans and love delivered to our front door.

3. We've watched our kids grow another year older.

4. We are feeling another year older ourselves (for better and for worse...).

5. Over the past 12 months we have housed over 2 dozen pets.

6. Through all the health issues, we saw how the Lord feels with us, carries us through and gives endurance.

7. Jill and Juni traveled to Bangkok with our Thai neighbors.

8. The Grace School community has become like family.

9. We taught the fine art of baked potatoes to our neighbors.

10.  We came through seasons of smoke, hot, rain, cool and mosquito (I guess mosquito season is year long).

11.  We became friends with a family from Myanmar, and they have transformed our kids' prayer lives.

12. We can now be particular about which Thai food we eat; we know the best phad Thai in town and have figured out how to order soup without the fish meat balls (most of the time).

13. Our hearts have been filled with gratitude to our God who has sustained us and given us breath the last 365 days.

And as for the year to come?  Romans 12:12 sums up our thoughts:

 "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."


And what would the final blog of 2013 be without a slew of photos from the year???

Market Time!

Its almost 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon; it's time to head to the market down the road.  What?? You want to come??? WONDERFUL!  Hop on, hold on and here we go.................

Just a few hours previous on the market grounds.

And here it is...filling up fast!

See the green sign?
Watch for it in the next picture.

Loaded with booths and people and boys getting cold drinks.

On the way in, watch out for puddles and slippery mud.  On your left is a monk collecting offerings.  A common sight in a predominately Buddhist nation.

You smell that? Yes, the unmistakable scent of roasted bull frogs. Get one while its hot, with a side of fried pork rinds.

Okay, okay, I shouldn't have showed you those first.  Lets go to the fruit area, much more 
foreigner-friendly.

Fresh pineapple, sliced and diced.  Only $1.  You want one?

I know, hard to choose the perfect one.

Hold on, here we have some sort of nut they are selling by the can full.  
If you want, I can get a sample for you.

Where's George?  Oh yes, choosing something to spend his allowance on.

Got the ones you want?  Great, lets keep moving.

All sorts of goodies baked in banana leaves and fire roasted.  Lets see, we have shrimp, fish, rice,
 and some sort of poultry.

I see broth with snails and peppers floating around.  Interested?

  For pets or dinner, you choose.

 The kids spy something big and shiny, yes, its a monstrous bouncy castle in the middle of the market.  

Hold on a second. After all that bouncing, the lads are hungry.

They decided on the squid. Want a bite?

And we are off again.  Shoes on your left. And stretchy pants and t-shirts coming up.

Nice selection of fish laying on banana leaves.  Not bad prices either.  

In the bins? Rice.

WHOA!  What's wrong? Oh sorry, should have warned you about the pig and all its parts for sale. 

You getting tired yet? How about a few more stops?

Alright, let's head home. You did GREAT!  You were a real trouper.
Not a market for the faint of heart.
Time to take home our goodies: flowers, bananas, fireworks, popcorn & crickets.

Full hearts and tired heads

Cultural experiences can be a challenge when you have no choice but to participate in them.  Oftentimes it's a language barrier while shopping or a misunderstanding while eating--like asking why a roll of TP is on the table (they're your napkins, silly foreigner!) But when you need to stop and take that dreaded trip to the hospital with your child, knowing she isn't okay, that's when "cultural experiences" aren't too fun.  

 My neighbor and I rushed Juniper to the hospital on Tuesday to find out a nasty bacterial infection was making its home in her stomach and intestines. 

No thanks.

I don't want to be a million miles away right now or  have to translate in my head while my child is hurting. And please don't tell me we have to stay here a night or two or more....

Juniper gasps for air while vomiting, she looks at me and asks me to pray.

It stops my negative thinking and I grab her tiny, pale hand. I  remember Jesus is here with us in Thailand, to thank Him we had this hospital down the road.  I look up and there is our neighbor; I thank Jesus for her. I also thanked Him for yet another opportunity to trust Him with all I have. 

As we waited for a room for 3 hours, this bed was available. I chose not to photo the blood stains, but was assured by the staff that it was clean.  I had to pray for protection for her little body, and once again, surrender her to the Lord.  Her life is in His hands, and really, I would want it no other way. 

Our neighbor/Thai grandma  is amazing. She stayed with Juniper and I  for hours. 

Finally, a clean, private room. They had a mat for me so I could sleep next to her. Breakfast was supposed to be ordered the night before, but I didn't know.  So we waited over two hours to get our food.  The fact Juni was hungry was a good sign. 

A visit from Dad helped to perk up the sick girl.

Less than 24 hours later, Juni was taking off down the hall to see her "friends". 

We left the hospital with a healthy girl, a bag of  medicine, and gratitude for the heaps of family and friends praying for us. Our hearts of full and our heads are tired.

  

Father, we know full well, our lives are yours to do as you wish.  

So we will continue to Proverbs 3:5-6 it each day.

 "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; 

don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go

he’s the one who will keep you on track."