The Power of a Real Phone Call...

Today was an interesting day.  It started as I got home from dropping Hope off at school and turned on my computer & logged on to Facebook, as most of you reading this do every day.  My morning on Facebook is the evening time for our Seattle area friends and family, so I usually do some catch up what the day has brought.  And I found that Sunday had brought life & death.  Two such extreme parts of life happened to two different close friends/family.

First, I read about the death of a friend.  I am Facebook friends with Shannon, but we had actually never met...  The one great thing about Facebook is that you make friends with people through a friend of a friend ;-), maybe that 6 degrees of separation thing.  Well, Shannon & I were 2 degrees apart.  She was the best friend of my cousin Jennifer Flajole.  Shannon reached out to me after seeing my name on comments to her college friend Melanie, who lived in Chiang Mai.  Out of all the people in this city, I had become friends with someone she knew here after she had mentioned to Jennifer that she also had a friend here.  AMAZING!  In her message to me, she mentioned reading this blog and that it had given her encouragement.  Shannon is home with the Lord now, and even though it is hard for us to understand why it IS a much more joyful place for her to be.

Second, I read about the birth of my friends Conrad & Jessica's baby girl, Vivianne!  I was so excited to see a couple of beautiful pictures of the baby. So much excitement fills my heart when I think about all the love that they are embarking on as this precious girl has just been born.  Congratulations Conrad, Jessica, & Vivianne!

And finally the title of my post "The Power of a Real Phone Call"...
After reading about Shannon s death, my first thought was to call Jennifer & give my condolences...so I did.  Even though reality is still sinking in for her, she has God first in her mind about the entire situation and that gives peace.  She was thankful for the phone call.

About 3-4 days ago, I kept thinking about Jessica and her pregnancy and I felt strongly to call her...so I did.  It was so great to talk to her, and it turned out the day I called was her due date & she was feeling a bit down about no sign that her baby was coming soon.  We talked about how life is in Thailand, and she talked about how she was feeling with the pregnancy.  She was thankful for the phone call.

As much as I would like to take the credit, all the credit goes to the Light that shines through me.  He is worthy to be glorified for wanting to touch Jessica & Jennifer through me making a caring phone call.

I would like to encourage you to do more than send a text, email, or a Facebook message at times.  If you feel it in your heart to call someone & reach out, do it!  Sometimes texting, emailing, or messaging is appropriate, but it has somehow taken over calling.  As "old school" as it seems, hearing a real live voice has benefits to both people on the line.  Take the time to call even if you don't know the words to say...if you are urged to call, HE will give you HIS words to say.

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."  ~Philippians 1 v.20-21

Lastly, please keep Shannon's husband, Jennifer, Jessica, Conrad, and baby Vivianne in your prayers today.   Amen.

Sharing the Lords message of joy....

When our family first arrived in Chiang Mai we met a very nice woman at the Payap University church who is the chaplain for the nursing program.  After mentioning interest in her chapel meeting, she asked me to share a devotion.  Today was my scheduled day to share, and it was really amazing to share the Word of God with a room full of students where 90% of them are Buddhist!   Since I had not been to this chapel meeting before, I didn't really know how large or small the group would be.  As I was preparing my notes, I kept wondering about this group, but then I just kept listening to what the Lord was showing me to write down.  It was such a wonderful feeling knowing that what I had prepared to talk about was from the Lord, my nerves were very calm.

We got to the chapel on time, had a time of worship, and I shared what the Lord has been showing me about His Joy.  The group was about 80 students, and my friend shared with me that they are mostly Buddhist.  As the chaplain for a Christian University she encourages all the students to come to chapel every day...even if they sleep through it!  I love her zeal for the gospel, knowing that it is so powerful it will penetrate their spirit even if they sleep.

So through this blog I would like to ask you to pray for my friend Jew, who is the chaplain, she is doing such a good work with these students.  She has a lot of work and responsibilities, so please pray for her to have strength, courage, and the Word of God on her lips.   Pray for all the students who sit in this chapel day after day. Pray the gospel of the Lord to speak to their hearts so that they may know and understand the love and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I am looking forward to more opportunities to share His Word with them in the future!  Praise God!

The Year of Joy!

2012 =

About a week into 2012 the Lord showed me that I should study JOY.  

He told me this is going to be my year of JOY!

To be honest, I have never had a "year" of anything, so I am looking forward to what the year will bring.  Whether good or bad, happy or sad, easy or hard; I WILL HAVE JOY IN HIM!

So here is where we are so far:

Day 1: Romans 5 v.2b-5

Day 2: Psalms 100 v.1-2

Day 3: Psalms 2 v.11

Day 4: Deuteronomy 16 v.15

Day 5: 1 Chronicles 16 v..23-29a

Day 6: Nehemiah 8 v.10

Day 7: Deuteronomy 6 v.2

Day 8: Galatians 5 v.22

Day 9: Isaiah 35 v.10

Day 10: Colossians 1 v.11-12

Day 11: Psalms 4 v.7-8

Day 12: Psalms 5 v.11

Day 13: Romans 14 v.17-18

Day 14: Zephaniah 3 v.14

Looking forward to each day of hearing God's Word.  Hope you enjoy some of these verses.  If you are reading this and have a favorite joy verse, please leave a comment!

Sharing the Holiday's

The past 2 weeks of Christmas break has gone so fast. Here are a few of the highlights through pictures...

First, we made sugar cut-out cookies with our friend Tammy (she has an oven ;-)).

Christmas Eve at Tammy & Company's (yes the twins were holding hands all on their own!)

Our Family Christmas present was this 1997 Toyota Mighty X Hilux Truck
(4 door with covered bed)

We worked on and got our Thailand Visa's for the next year (this was a BIG project),
and I got my Thai driver's license!

And last our grand adventure to Maesa Elephant Camp!  Great Christmas present for our family to enjoy.

I so hope you had a wonderful Christmas with those you love.  It was definitely different for our family, but we enjoyed our time together.

2011 was a BIG year for our little family; having twin daughters, moving to Thailand, and all the tiny ways God showed us His love through it all!  So we look on to 2012 for even more of our our BIG God and what He has in store for our family.

This is one of my favorite verses in Romans and ask that you pray this with me through the year; REJOICE:
"Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into his grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does no disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." ~ Romans 5 v. 1-5

Where to start?  It's been awhile since my last blog, must be a sign that we are settling in & keeping busy....but a good busy.  Busy taking care of babies, settling in to our home, exploring Thailand, cultivating friendships / relationships, and CRAFTING!

Sheraz is settling into school and getting papers done almost every week. Here is a picture of his 1st day of school

 Hope is also settling in to school and making new friends, she even went to her 1st Thailand birthday party!  A fun Fancy Nancy party for another girl in her school...

Hope's 1st day of school

Hope & her school friends!

Such a fancy party!

And of course I've been at home making our house into a home.  Just recently it has started to actually feel like our "Home". Cleaning days & putting up some Christmas decorations has helped with this.  Since we either sold or stored our Christmas decorations from our old home, I have been having fun crafting our Christmas decor!  Rekindling the thrill of crafting for me has brought a new joy to my heart.  Here is my favorite creation this year....

Christmas wreath made from the pages of an old book (which I  picked up for free at the library).

This years Christmas festivities definitively feel different compared to previous years for our family.  The warm weather in December and not enjoying the normal extended family festivities are missed, but we look forward to making new memories as a family during this time.

Sunday the 18th our church here in Chiang Mai will have a Christmas celebration, which Hope & Sheraz are participating in.  Hope is singing a song with her Pre-K class & she will be Shepherd #5.   Sheraz is joining other South Asians to sing a Christmas song.  I look forward to sharing these festivities on my blog next week!

Take time to SLOW DOWN this Christmas season, there is so much joy in the little things.

Oh, and here is a picture of the babies, because it is just too darn cute not to share!

Yes, they cuddle at night!  Can you handle the cuteness?!?!  I LOVE IT!

Creatures...

Okay, so I try not to complain too much here (okay here it comes), BUT the creatures here are hard to handle.

First when we got here there were huge ants in the bathroom where we were staying

Then in our house there are the ants in my kitchen...

All of my food has to be either in an air tight container, and most of my food items are stored in the fridge.  One of the things I really don't like is being in my kitchen after dark, because that's when all the bugs are really there swarming around the lights.

Second, there are the gecko's...here is my friend who keeps me company while doing dishes (at night)

 

These little guys (and girls I'm sure) run all over the house, and I'm trying to get used them because they do eat the littler bugs...if that's some kind of consolation.  They move really fast, and that always gives me a little startle when they crawl across the walls.  (And lets not even mention the 2 that "live" in my bathroom window & watch me).

Lastly, the largest creature that I've seen is this "large" lizard who lives in our yard.  There are these very strange noises at night, and my friend said these noises are a lizard.  The same day she told me that, I SAW IT!

The middle tree, on the right side (where the branch splits into 2)...do you see it?

Then there are the mosquito's & dogs...everywhere...no leash law here people.  Mostly they leave you alone if you leave them alone.

Okay, so after all that complaining...here is the bright spot.  The butterfly's in Thailand are amazing!  Every one I see is a different color & they are so beautiful.

Thanks for listening, and if you have lived in a foreign country and dealt with these creatures please feel free to comment with advice on how to deal with them.
 

Where are you planted?

The other day I posted pictures of our new rental house, which has become our new home.  One of the things we have discovered about living here is why God planted us in this specific location.

#1.The first day we moved in, we were able to meet our next door neighbor.  His English name is Dick, he speaks English very well, and he's Muslim.

#2.Behind our house there is a field, and just beyond that field is a Buddhist temple.  We can hear the prayers and chanting on a daily basis.

During our first week or so, while in my kitchen doing the dishes I heard the chanting.  The Lord spoke to my heart & said I should be singing worship music whenever I hear them.  So immediately I started whatever song came into my mind (thankfully I was the only person in the room!).

Every word we speak or sing in the name of Jesus does work in the spiritual realm.  We may not physically see with our eyes what our presence in this location does, but I KNOW that there is work to be done in the spiritual realm.

Also, I challenge you to see what your presence means where you are currently planted.  Who is God trying to use you to reach?  I remember from a sermon some time back from our pastor at CGS.  He spoke about a  young man who had come to his door to do ask if he could do some work (take out the garbage maybe?).  His first reaction was to say no, because it was a task he was capable of doing.  But his wife, heard what was going on & stepped in to say that it was a great idea for this boy to help their family.  Later, our pastor was able to share with the boy about a camp experience & how the boy had experienced God's hand.  I think this story stayed with me because it is a great example of being a part of where you are planted for the glory of God.

Where are you planted? Why?
If you have a story to share about where you are planted, please leave a comment!

The view from our back wall.