Moving Into A Sublet

First off, let me assure you that we have moved on from Thailand's burning season and into the HOT season.  Thankfully the sky's are much clearer these days, but the temperature has reached well over 100F degrees every day.  You know it's super hot out when you are sweating and turning on the air conditioning when you are first waking up in the morning.

This week our family moved into a sublet home here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  We will be in this home for the next 3 months while the family that actually lives here is visiting their family in America.  Subletting a house here is a pretty "normal" practice for families on both sides of the sublet.  Many families live here for years & will return "home" (wherever that may be) up to 1 year, during that time they usually sublet their home to us "short-termers" as not to loose their lease & have to move out their belongings.  Ever since meeting the family that lives in this house, we have been blessed by the relationship.  They are a truly amazing Godly family, and will be celebrating 20 years of marriage during their time away!

One of the perks of this house is that we now have 2 new members of our family, well 4 if you count the 2 turtles.  Here they are!

Sarah

&

Bella

Sheraz really enjoys having dogs, but we just haven't been stable enough to take on the task of having a pet. So having these 2 beautiful dogs have been great for all of us.  They are wonderfully trained and great around the kids, so an easy fit into our family.

We had to make the bitter sweet decision to move out of our first house.  As much as we have really liked living in that house, we decided to move due to our landlords’ failure to hold up his end of our lease by fixing household items.  Without going into too much of the details, the main appliance to not work (and we realized that he had no plan to replace for us) is the washing machine.  It is an old machine and worked okay for about the first month, worked with much hesitation for the second through fourth month, and after a little flooding episode…I had to take the laundry to go to a laundry facility.  As most of you know we use cloth diapers, so add this with a family of 5 having a washing machine is a necessity of everyday life.  


Also, the upside to subletting is that we know have a stove & oven, closets to unpack into, kitchen full of utensils for cooking / baking / everyday life, and of course...a Washing Machine!

Smog Blog

I have shared a few posts on Facebook about the smog here in Chiang Mai, Thailand and I believe that this subject has even made international news that some of you may have seen.  So, I really just wanted to share about how it effects our family and how we are handling the situation.

This is quite new for me to learn about serious air pollution; why it happens, what it all means, how it effects us, and how to deal with it.  Here is a chart that explains the air pollution levels:

The recent levels have been in the mid to high 200's!  As you can see this level is "Very Unhealthy"! In the last couple of days the levels have come down into the 100's

We have learned that the reason for this high level air pollution is mostly due to burning.  Thai residents burn garbage, harvested fields, and even start forest fires to clear land.  Without rain (which we are very used to having in the Pacific Northwest) the smoke from all this burning just "sits" over the city and surrounding areas.  I guess we all know the dangers of breathing in smoke.

Then comes the question of how it effects us and how we deal with it as a family.  Mostly we try to keep the kids inside and not spend too much time outside.  Hope still goes to school and they are kept inside, and thankfully her school has a wonderful facility where the kids can run around and get some exercise.  I try to keep the babies inside the house for most of the time, with the occasional trip to a store.  Hope has had some nauseous episodes this week, which could be due to the air or a bug.  The babies have had some little coughs, which if they continue we will probably take them to see a doctor this week.

But to be honest, even though we try to hide from the smog there really is no escaping the AIR.  Our next step is to probably purchase an air purifier.

We appreciate all your prayers for the Thai people & our family's health during this unhealthy season.  We look forward to end of burning season and moving into a new adventure of our first Thailand rainy season starting in the next few weeks.

God Bless!

Life Isn't Fair

So many times after hearing someone else say "that's not fair", I just want to yell (usually at the television) "LIFE ISN'T FAIR!"  Because I know this statement is truth in my head.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say "Thou life shall be fair"...nope, not going to find it.

Then when life's "unfairness" happens directly to me (or my little family),it's hard to take it in with my heart.  This week we endured some of life being unfair.  It's a very long story that would probably just sound confusing and ultimately put you into a good sleep, so I won't bore you with the details.  But just wanted to share what we have taken away from this lesson.

Like I mentioned, the Bible doesn't talk anything about this world being fair.  In fact the Bible says:

"Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you" (1 John 3v13).   

AND

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1 v.2-4)

And that is truth.  These words are so easy to read through, but to really take it in as truth in our everyday life is hard.  According to this world, we should want people to "love" us and we should everything to work out easily, but God's Word spells out what to really expect from this world.

The brighter side?  With our faith God is there to walk with us through the hatred, trials, and testing!  In fact the Bible also says:

"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous" (Psalm 1 v.6)


"But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head." (Psalm 3 v.3)


"the Lord will hear when I call to him." (Psalm 4 v.3)


"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand....  You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." (Psalm 10 v.14 &17-18)


Etc, etc, etc!  

So, when (NOT IF) life's unfair situations happen to you, be comforted to know that God is always there to help!  AMEN!

Date Night in Chiang Mai...

Starting with a motor bike ride at sunset <3

Steak Salad

Dinner at our new favorite restaurant, Dukes.

Fish & Chips with 1/2 onion rings

Enjoying a wonderful 1 hour Thai message.

Foot, Head, Neck, & Back = Awesomeness!

And the ride home on the back of the motor bike.

Cost of CM Date Night = $30.00

Love and Memories of our time here together = Priceless

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!