I'm 4 months Old Today!

Today marks the official 4 months of living in SE Asia. It feels like forever and then it feels like I just got off the plane. It has been 4 months full of so much laughter, so many smiles, so many good times, and it has also been 4 rough months. It hasn't been easy, I had some heart aches I didn't think I would face, had some culture shock I was naive to, battled sin that I was not aware of before coming here, learned a great deal about myself (and it's not pretty), needless to say moving to a foreign country is not the easiest thing a person could do, but Father has proven his faithfulness every day.


As I sit here and think about what has happened in just 4 months, its crazy.
-After a couple of short days here, I found out my job would completely change.
-I have been through a little under 4 months of language learning. (very easily one of the hardest things I've ever done, and it's not over)
-I have literally traveled to almost every corner of this country.
-I have said "Hello, I am learning to speak L" (in my new language) about a thousand times.
-Had my first Thanksgiving and Christmas away from my beautiful family.
-Ridden on the bumpiest roads known to man.
-Been car sick on the road with the most curves in the world.
-Received beloved packages from a home far away.
-Made a super sweet awesome Christmas DVD for Mel and I's families.
-Ate some disgusting different food.
-Found some new favorite dishes that I am already trying to figure out how I can recreate in the states.
-Increased my ability to eat spicy tremendously.
-I have conquered the motorbike.
-Made some friends that I will have for life and had to leave them in a town that I personally think is SE Asia paradise.
-Moved to the opposite end of this country.

And now I am starting a completely new adventure that only Father could bring me on.
-I taught some women today about working with children. IS THIS REAL LIFE?!
-I am about to chaperone these 3 local women on an overnight bus ride to Bangkok. Crazy Right?!
-Some how survive a few weeks in Bangkok. (Yes, I am nervous about living in BKK for that long.)
-After BKK, it is back home to start this whirlwind of opening a preschool in this country.
-My BEST FRIEND is coming to visit!!! That's right people, Melanie Barker will be eating dog and battling mosquitos in mid March!
-I'm starting to help plan my families visit!! They will be heading over this summer. Let's all start lifting up their culture shock shall we?!
-By August we hope to be a running preschool....


WOW!! What a crazy ride this has been/or has just started out to be!


Through these 4 months, I have learned to appreciate Philippians 4:4-7:
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again i will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to god. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


Ephesians 2:1-9 says that we were DEAD before Christ. Once Christ came to our rescue, we are ALIVE in Him. And it is only by GRACE. Not by anything I have done.

With this gift, how do you not have reason to rejoice?! This has come to life on a few days when I have been filled with worry, anxiety, loneliness, or frustration. I have the only thing worth living for! Not money, not possessions, not world travel, not adventure, not any worldy thing. I have my Savior living inside of me and with that I will Rejoice always!

So here is to the rest of my time in SE Asia. I know it will be tough, I know it will be hard, I know that it will be filled with difficulties, but I also know it will be filled with friendships and love and kids and teaching and singing and learning. Through all of it I will say....

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

That's Normal Here #1

Because I live in SE Asia, I have gotten used to many different things. Some are obvious changes, and some are subtle.

For example: I was sitting here listening to a good ole David Platt sermon and a large hornet (about the size of my finger) flew in my open front door. I barely glanced up and then went back to taking notes and listening to the sermon. I then glanced back up to marvel at it's size and realized that this would not be normal in America. I am now sharing my living room with a large hornet. I'm not keeping track of where it's flying or if it is getting close to me. I now know that there is a very slim chance of it getting near me and it's not worth it to try and get him out of the house. The door is staying open, so it will fly out sooner or later. No big deal... or at least it's no big deal in SE Asia. haha.

(he flew out of the house before I finished writing this blog)

As I sat down to right this blog, I was about to start writing out a long list of things that I am now use to because of my change of location, but instead I thought this would be a fun way to create a blog series. This is the first of many many to come, and I hope it brings y'all some idea of what it's like to live on this side of the world.

So here is to the first "That's Normal Here..." blog series.