The Old Man Is Snoring

Is it normal to have days where you know when you wake up that if you were just to stay in bed, you could sleep all day long? Knowing that is not very practical, you get up and spend the rest of the day trying to muster the energy to think, much less actually do something that doesn't involve going back to bed.

That is how I feel today.

It may have something to do with the fact that it is over 100 degrees and the humidity factor is over 50%. Every single pore on my body is sweating and I have heat rash on my neck and legs. I've had four big bottles of water in a row and haven't had to go to the bathroom at all because I am sweating it all out.

It may have something to do with the fact that I am not sleeping well and having crazy dreams again. I thought I'd gotten over the weird, vivid dreams but they are back and happening almost every night. I wake up feeling like the dreams were real and yet knowing they were not. Halfway through the day I have a memory and I have to stop and figure out if it really happened or just happened in one of my dreams. It is exhausting and sometimes I feel like I am losing my mind.

It may have something to do with the fact that my counselor is in the states for a few months and this past week was my first week without having someone to talk things through with. I should probably find someone else willing to listen to me talk.

It may also have something to do with the fact that I had a very emotional week. I lost my passport, work permit and atm card. I spent way too much time at the bank trying to get a new atm card and trying to access my account and completely failed at both. I spent hours searching my house for my passport and work permit after hearing from my lawyer that I would have to go back to the states immediately if I didn't find it. I prayed a lot. I stressed about how I was going to buy a plane ticket back to the states if I couldn't access my bank account. I searched my house in the middle of the night with a flashlight because the power was out and still didn't find it. I invited friends over to search my house and when they found my passport and work permit, I cried. I prayed a lot more thanking God for showing my friends where it was and for the miracle. I planned youth group and then ran around like a chicken with my head cut off when things didn't work out quite like they were supposed to. I prayed a lot and thanked God at the end of the night that the kids didn't notice anything was wrong and had a blast. I learned that I don't have control over most things in my life. I stressed when my truck broke down and just left it sitting outside The Centre for the past couple of days. I'll deal with it tomorrow. Over all, lots of emotions.

It may have something to do with the fact that I have developed a cough and my body just isn't feeling 100% well.

And yet somehow I have mustered the energy to type out this post, so things are much brighter than they were when I started writing ten minutes ago. Maybe I'll go run a race now.

Harry Potter Ponderings

I have a question that I am hoping someone out there can answer for me. I have read through the Harry Potter series numerous times and I always seem to catch new things each time, which I love. But, this time I am a little confused.

In the last book, Harry's invisibility cloak is described as being impenetrable (I don't have the book in front of me so don't quote me on that). It is supposed to be this amazing cloak that even magic can't see through. Is that right?

If so, then why can so-called Moody see through it in The Goblet of Fire?

I am re-reading the 4th book right now and it has been driving me crazy! Any insights from my fellow Harry Potter obsessed friends?

A Cold Sigh Of Contentment

How often do we stop and look at our lives and feel honest-to-God contentment? In my opinion, not often enough.

Tonight I was driving home when I managed to get behind a large, dump-style truck filled with blocks of ice. Due to the heat, the ice was slowly melting causing a steady stream of ice water to flow off the back of the truck. I was riding my motor bike in shorts and a t-shirt and it was wonderful! I almost followed that truck home instead of continuing on to my own house. You see, it is hot here, really hot. And that ice truck was heavenly gift to cool me off. :)

As I was driving along enjoying the portable air conditioning, I couldn't help but sigh with contentment. For the first time since my sister died in 2006, I feel happy and content. There is not the usual sense of a ten ton burden on my shoulders weighing me down until I feel like I can't move. I was so angry with Tiffany for most of her life and even more so after her death and I had no idea how to get rid of that burden. But I recently discovered the power of forgiveness and it turned my life around. I am laughing a lot more. I'm enjoying moments where I can sit and be quiet without my brain going 100 mph. I can hear God again and I don't feel like hiding from him. And I can sleep again.

Life is good. Thank you Mr. Ice Truck for once again making me realize how lucky I am.

A Glimpse Of Youth Camp

The Ups:

• covering the youth in spoiled milk and making them eat crickets dipped in honey as an initiation before they could enter camp.
• playing Fear Factor with the youth and making them do the following:
• bob for fruit in a bucket full of pig intestines, skin, stomach and other various parts
• run around camp with large maggots in their mouths over and over again
• weave a dead fish and a chicken head through their clothes by going in one sleeve and out the other
• making the youth jump in the lake any time they heard the phrase, "You're all a bunch of big girls' blouses!" The best times were:
• in the middle of the preaching during the first evening session
• at 5am on the first night and again at 6am
• during meals
• at 3am on the 2nd night
• anytime the leaders needed to talk without any youth around
  
• awesome worship led by the youth.
• learning a new way to communicate with God.
• being inducted as an official member of The Crew. The other members are Laura, Zac and Marcus (14, 15 and 19 years old).
  
• being told by The Crew many times that I am super cool and they love me. It was a huge ego boost!
• feeling a renewed purpose in my life.
• taking 100's of photos, some of which you can view here.
• being given the nickname "Dr. Evil" because I came up with all the good and disgusting games.
  
• watching the youth cling wrap each other and transport across the lake and back.
  

The Downs:

• watching the youth cling wrap each other and transport across the lake and back. It totally freaked me out and prayed the whole time that nobody would die.
  
• getting a total of three hours of sleep in three nights and then having to drive the long way home.
• watching one of the youth spray hot pink paint on my beloved camera and then trying to clean it all off.
• falling down the stairs on the last day causing the following:
• sprained foot
• broken toe
• pulled muscles from the splits that I did when one of my feet went through the banister while the other went down the stairs
• various scrapes and many bruises
• a blood red bruise the size of my hand on my upper leg, lower butt shaped like a stair (strangely similar to this)
  
• being eaten alive by bugs of all kinds.
  

Can I Store My Intestines In Your Fridge?

Today I was walking through the day market when I slipped on some fish guts and managed to catch myself before falling, but not before splashing in a puddle of pig blood.

I looked down at my feet which were immersed in about an inch of blood and thanked God that I was wearing shorts and flip flops because the clean up would be easy.

I also thanked God that I didn't drop my bags of shopping and at this point, I started to laugh. The following is a list of items in the bags I was carrying.

1. 3 bags of fried crickets
2. 1 bag of fresh maggots
3. 1 freshly cut chicken head
4. 1 pig stomach
5. 1 bag of pig intestines
6. 1 bag of pig lungs and other various parts
7. 1 bag of pig skin
8. 1 live catfish

I laughed as I stepped out of the puddle of blood and said out loud, "I love my life." And I wasn't being sarcastic. When I am old and gray and my mind is going, I hope that I still remember this time of my life because I live an adventure!

After leaving the market I drove to Sharon's house for our weekly prayer time. Upon arriving at her house, I realized that I didn't plan well and there was no way I could leave the bags of awfulness sitting in my car in 100 degree weather. So I knocked on her door and when she opened it I said, "Can I store my intestines in your fridge?"

Oh, the life I live...

Dearly Departed

I poured myself a glass of juice and was excited because this wasn't just an ordinary glass of juice. I combined orange, pomegranate, grape and apple juice together and although it may sound gross, it was quite good. I drank a few swallows before getting very distracted and walking away. I came back to find this:




Poor little guy and my poor ruined juice. I had a proper burial for the lizard by flinging him into the field opposite my house.

Goodbye Mr. Lizard.

Argghhhhhh!

I tried to personalize my blog today and I am completely frustrated with it. I got this picture in the background which is a picture I took so that is nice, right? Except now it is hard to read. I will change it back, but I just can't stare at my computer screen any more tonight. Sorry. I'll try to fix it tomorrow.

Anybody who understands this stuff want to fix my blog for me? Pretty please? :)

Tonight We Bring You...

I watched two videos today on YouTube, both left me shaking my head in disbelief. However, one made me laugh while the other freaked me out. Here they are:

5 Things

My friend, Laura tagged me for the following meme.

5 Things Meme

The Rules

1. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
2. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves a comment letting them know they've been tagged and to ask them to play along and to read your blog.

What I was doing ten years ago...

1. Working full-time at Pearle Vision, best real world job I ever had.
2. Contemplating bible college.
3. Wondering what a 19 year old was supposed to do with themselves.
4. Enjoying my seven month old nephew, Andrew and getting excited about the next one, Joshua due a few months later.
5. Not much.
   

Five things on my to-do list today...

1. Respond to emails for The Centre.
2. Go to worship practice at 7pm.
3. Do laundry.
4. Prepare for youth camp next week.
5. Read at least two chapters.
   

Five snacks I enjoy...

1. Rhoti -a Thai desert
2. Mangosteen
3. Pretzels
4. Carrots
5. Starburst
   

Five things I would do if I was a billionaire...

1. Buy my parents a house, cars and set them up for life.
2. Buy my sister a house, car and set her up for life.
3. Take care of my nephews for the rest of their lives.
   
4. Travel the world.
5. Donate to every missionary I know.

Five of my bad habits....

1. Grinding my teeth.
2. Biting my lip.
3. Exaggerating.
4. Worrying.
5. Not backing down in an unimportant argument when I think I'm right.
   

Five places i have lived....

1. Lebanon, Missouri.
2. San Jose, California.
3. Tijuana, Mexico.
4. San Diego, California.
5. Chiang Mai, Thailand.
   

Five jobs I've had....

1. Optician at Pearle Vision.
2. Admissions Counselor at San Jose Christian College.
3. Administrative Assistant to a CPA.
4. Mission Services Representative at Amor Ministries.
5. Ministry Coordinator and Teacher at The Centre.
   

My 5 tags:

1. Katie
2. Wendy
3. Claire
4. Pam
5. Danielle
   

The Problem With Sleeping

Every night before I go to bed, I spend between 15 and 30 minutes trying to kill all the mosquitoes in my bedroom so they won't eat me while I am asleep. After I finish killing them with my electric racket, I spend several minutes sweeping up all their dead bodies off the floor. Usually I kill at least 25 during this time.

Every morning I wake up with at least 5 new mosquito bites.

I hate mosquitoes.

Last night when I went to bed, it was 93 degrees in my bedroom.

Sleeping is a problem.