my bedroom: THE NOOK!

Hey hey, while my room was decently clean, I thought I would take a short video to show everyone what it looks like! With 2 real walls, and 2 make-shift ones, this corner has really grown to be a place of comfort. Please don't judge the decor, as it is challenging to find a bedspread and curtains that do not have Hello Kitty or some other unknown animated character on them!! (seriously). Although excited to live in a real room with a door next year, this little niche will always have a place in my heart! :)

IBS

After MUCH neglecting, I am once again motivated to pursue the joy of blogging :)
The past 2 weeks, I have been in Chiang Mai for IBS, a chance for the Thai CCC staff to receive seminary training. In the mornings, the Thai staff took an Old Testament class, while us Stinters watched a video by Christian Therapist and author Dr. Dan Allender from Mars Hill Graduate school.


During the afternoons, we were able to join the Thais in various seminars including painting and singing instructions, automobile repair, English and computer classes.


Because of limited available housing at the CCC headquarters in Chiang Mai, Tabitha, Amanda and myself were invited to stay with Mike and Judy Christian, long-time staff here in Thailand. It was so fun to escape to a real home everyday and receive some needed R&R! Here is Shana, Tab, myself and Amanda helping out a little bit after dinner one night.


For lunch, we had catered Thai food. Dessert everyday consisted of a new variety of Thai fruit. Nga, a type of fruit bountiful during the rainy season, was served one day. It reminds me of a crazy bouncy ball or child's rubber toy. But it's real. And it's good! Arroy mak (very delicious)! You peel the pink and green skin and chew on the grape-like inside; however, watch out for the pit!

Last weekend, I was able to celebrate my dear friend Leinie's 26th birthday with her in Chiang Mai. It was fun to get out around the big city and eat some great farang (foreigner) food, see a movie, and do some shopping!! Here we are (from left to right): Leins, me, and Tam at Miguels, the only Mexican food place in Chiang Mai.

Happy Homes

Happy Homes orphanage has given hundreds of children the chance to live. Victims of HIV and AIDS virus, these children were banished from the villages after their parents died. Seen as evil spirits, they were abandoned in the wilderness until rescued by people who value their lives. By providing a home, clothes, and education, Happy Homes has communicated the gospel to these small precious ones. These toddlers now have a hope for their future, knowing that Jesus loves them and has a unique plan for their lives.

Our team was able to take an afternoon to visit one of their homes in Chiang Saen (about 45 min. NE of Chiang Rai) and simply play with the kids. We were able to provide diapers and other needed supplies, but we also came loaded with a ton of hugs, kisses and attention! Here are a few pictures from a few hours with our new little friends.

season for everything

So, I have been listening to a series of sermons on Ecclesiastes by Matt Chandler. Although I have heard and memorized popular passages, I have never actually studied this book in depth until now.

While nestled into a corner of a Starbucks in Chiang Mai, I began to contemplate the fact that God did create everything for a reason. He does allow things to happen. He has us all experience certain times in our lives where we don't understand the greater purpose. He has set eternity in our hearts, and yet sometimes we are unable to grab hold of a filler for that deep void (Eccl. 3:11).
Matt said something that really struck me, that I hope I will remember for a long time: "Find the things that stir your affections for Christ, and saturate your life with them."
It is easy for me to be that girl sitting in a coffee shop discussing my observations of life. It is easy for me to float from one place to another relinquishing my right to participate in the realities of love, fellowship and death.
But, what it really comes down to, is that God has me here for a season. This season He has created, ordained, and allowed to be a season of toiling, loneliness, doubt, occasional boredom.. so that I could experience a harvest, fellowship, certainty, and fulfillment.
I strongly believe that I will never know the full reason I was brought here for this season, this year. I know that Jesus wanted to get me alone, away from my family, friends, and my comfortable lifestyle, to speak to my heart. He wanted to get me to a place where I would be able to respond at the slightest whisper, instead of Him having to yell to get my attention.
July 2008 will mark the beginning of another season in my life. I'll be returning back to the US to finish up a degree at Baylor. I'll go home to the noise and the distractions that represent a lifetime of struggle for me. Listening to Jesus will transform into a different type of challenge than it is here.
My job then is to accept each season as it comes- embrace it, eat, drink, and take pleasure in my labor because it is God's gift, His purpose for me right now (Eccl. 3:13). He has called us to rejoice when He has given us plenty to eat, drink and harvest. Likewise, He has called us to rejoice when He has given us little to eat, drink and harvest.
There is a season for everything.
No matter what season I am in, I will keep my eyes on my Savior because I am lost without Him.

Happy Bags

This week Mae Fah Luang students have finals. Since most of our students have their noses deep in the books, we were trying to find ways to continue to reach out to them without being annoying falang (foreigners) tearing them away from their studies.
With suggestions from other teams, we decided upon "happy bags." We filled small plastic baggies with instant coffee packets, candy, a cute pencil, a gospel message and a little card with an encouraging message and our email.
So, today will be spent wandering around campus handing out bags of happiness to book worms. Hopefully these will be a blessing to students as they prepare for finals, and maybe a bag will reach someone who has been searching for a deeper purpose for their life.
Please pray that today will be profitable and that our eyes will be open to those students who desire more than just a little bag of happiness.

'Devotion'

I've been running, trying to be one who sees
I've been working, salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
That we are redeemed
Unbelieving trusting in creative hands,
I am praying for our world to bow to your plan
And this one thought is unmistakableI take up my cross and follow you Lord

When you stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When you speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees

Unforgiven, my savior who did not deserve death
He was blameless and I was lost in shamefulness
Undelivered, but it doesn't seem right
Unless I keep my eyes focused on the savior who gave his live
In the middle of a world that denies it believes
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for

And it's to take up my cross and follow you Lord
I will take up my cross and follow Lord where you lead me
And I will take up my cross and follow wherever you go.
-Devotion Hillsong United

This is my prayer tonight Father. The cry of my heart. The purpose of my being.

shapiros in Thailand

My parents and Nana are coming to visit in 3 weeks! March 5-16. It has been almost 7 months since I have seen my family and I could not be more excited! I cannot wait!!

bearing fruit

I'd like to introduce everyone to a new member of the Kingdom: EVE!

Monday, February 11th my sweet friend Eve believed in Jesus. Not even knowing how to pray or what prayer even is, she bowed down before the Lord and submitted her life to Christ. She has never read the Bible before, nor has she ever been to church. But, she understands that she is broken and needs Jesus. I wish I could be a little bit more like Eve- knowing less and understanding more.

Happy Birthday Eve!!

Sunday afternoon drive

Once a week, our team tries to spend a few hours of "team time." Setting aside ministry, students, and speaking Thai, these precious hours are for team fun and fellowship. Normally, these evenings have been used to lavish in our "Americanness" by ordering pizza and watching a movie. This particular Sunday, however, offered us the promise of a beautiful day to take a drive to a waterfall. Armed with only a sketchy map, we set off around 3pm to conquer the falls. An hour later, we found ourselves climbing a one-lane dirt trail looping around the side of a mountain. As steep as it was bumpy, the mountain eventually led us not to the falls we expected, but instead to Doi Bo View Point Yafu: Sea of Clouds. Venturing out of the car, we were left breathless, met with a 360 degree view of all of Chiang Rai province. How large our small country city is! Mountains stretched for miles, and distant rice patties glistened in the afternoon sun. After a photo shoot and talks of plans for future camping, our little teal truckwagon trudged back down the mountainside in search of safe roads before sundown.

Thai Sundays have not been favorite days of mine this year. An hour-long team meeting is followed by a 4-hour long church service in Thai. After a very Thai lunch shared with the congregation, we head home around 2pm to keep up with all of life's little demands that is required of a household.

Last Sunday, the Sabbath was reclaimed on a mountaintop. God restored my vision by spreading the "bigger picture" before me. And it was glorious!

seeking- a note from my journal

...the world has gone after Him... John 12:19

Followers of Jesus abound on every continent. The religious leaders tried to stop Him, but they couldn't because He is God. Jesus is impenetrable. The wisdom of man is foolishness to God. Everyone tried to stop Him from spreading love, peace, and salvation- but they all failed. "The world has gone after Him." Whether we know it or not, we are all seeking salvation. Sometimes we think we're OK, satisfied with our lives. But then something happens. The world crashes over our heads and truth becomes skewed. Our reality is shattered and things or people we valued fall away. That is the moment we realize that something is missing.

We are all seeking salvation.

Some of us try to find it in books, in exercise, through our jobs, in religion, in thoughtful meditation. Those good things repair the problem temporarily, placing a band aid on the wound. One day the band aid won't be enough to cover the wound. We want to scream out of pain over our deep internal suffering. Some, like me, will be angry at themselves for letting themselves get this far, out of frustration at not being able to fix the problem.

The truth is, we are all seeking salvation.

When we recognize that the world is broken-unfair, hurtful and skewed, when we truly understand that life here on earth does not and cannot make sense, we will find it. Salvation. God will whisper gently, so softly that only you can hear. What He says to each individual differs, but to me, He said, "daughter, why do you struggle? You know that I am here. Let me come back inside and fix things for you."

I don't know what it is about the power of God that heals. I don't really even comprehend the power of the cross, what really happened when Jesus died. All I know is that I need it. Even if it takes the rest of my life to figure it out, I will continue to see because I cannot survive this broken world on my own. My independence, my strength, my intelligence will only get me so far. Until I once again reach the point where my pretty little universe crashed down on my head. My world has already crashed once, I won't let it happen again. I can't do it, hold up this great big broken world.

I desire to be saved from it; I am saved from it. What happened on the cross? Jesus conquered everything that I will struggle with on earth- the shame, the sin, mockery, betrayal- everything that tears my world into two.

We are all searching for meaning, for significance, for purpose. We are all seeking salvation.