Thursday, April 23, 2009
Experiments
So, I just got Photoshop and Aperture for my computer and I have no clue how to use them. If you use them and know of some good tutorials, please pass them my way. I am completely at a loss but would love to figure them out! HELP!!! Anyway, after I downloaded them on my computer, I felt the need to try something even though I didn't have a clue. I picked a recent photo and made my first attempt. Not exactly great, but I like the color enhancements. Here is a before and after:
Monday, April 20, 2009
The One With The Frozen Keys
I don't claim to have a good memory, I never have. Mostly because if I were to claim it, somebody would probably prove me wrong in about 13 seconds. Quite plainly, my memory is bad. If you have any doubt about that statement, ask Tamara. She often shares with me the stories of my life because I can't remember them myself. And when I do remember something, I share it with Tamara and she tells me that I am completely wrong, it didn't happen that way at all. So here I am, claiming for all to hear, that my memory sucks.
However, I have little tricks that help me remember things. For instance, if I have to remember something later in the day, I move my watch to my right wrist. It feels so wrong there and drives me crazy and every time that I want to move it back to my left wrist, I remember what it is that I have forgotten. It works 99% of the time. If I have to remember something when leaving the house the next day, I put my keys in the refrigerator along with a note or the item I need to remember. I can't leave the house without my keys and when retrieving them from the fridge, I remember the item I would otherwise have forgotten. This also works 99% percent of the time.
Until today...
A couple weeks ago at youth camp, I lost my keys. This has been driving me crazy because even though I am forgetful, I NEVER lose my keys! They have a place in my house and my purse and I just never lose them. I have been madly searching for them since camp, praying that I will find them and not have to start over. Fortunately when my keys were lost, my truck key was safely tucked away in my pocket. This was a good thing but also dangerous because it is much easier to misplace a single key and I have been trying my hardest not to do it. This morning I got up to go to The Centre and I couldn't find my truck key. I tore my house apart looking for it, I called all three of my roommates asking if they had seen it and finally I just sat down in frustration and prayed that I would find it. Instead of leading me to the key, God reminded me that I had a spare key in the drawer in the kitchen. I got out the key, got in my truck and left for The Centre. About 15 minutes into the drive, I remembered that I had bought strawberries yesterday for the coffee shop and I'd left them in the fridge. It was at that moment that the light bulb in my head lit up and I remembered that my truck key was sitting in the fridge next to the strawberries so that I wouldn't forget them. I couldn't help but laugh at myself and my funny ways of remembering things that don't always work. Oh well, maybe next time I'll remember!
On a side note, I went back and got the strawberries (and the key) and have made some excellent strawberry shakes today. The weirdest drink of the day was strawberries, pomegranate, passion fruit, mint, salt and ice all blended together. Some people order the weirdest things!
However, I have little tricks that help me remember things. For instance, if I have to remember something later in the day, I move my watch to my right wrist. It feels so wrong there and drives me crazy and every time that I want to move it back to my left wrist, I remember what it is that I have forgotten. It works 99% of the time. If I have to remember something when leaving the house the next day, I put my keys in the refrigerator along with a note or the item I need to remember. I can't leave the house without my keys and when retrieving them from the fridge, I remember the item I would otherwise have forgotten. This also works 99% percent of the time.
Until today...
A couple weeks ago at youth camp, I lost my keys. This has been driving me crazy because even though I am forgetful, I NEVER lose my keys! They have a place in my house and my purse and I just never lose them. I have been madly searching for them since camp, praying that I will find them and not have to start over. Fortunately when my keys were lost, my truck key was safely tucked away in my pocket. This was a good thing but also dangerous because it is much easier to misplace a single key and I have been trying my hardest not to do it. This morning I got up to go to The Centre and I couldn't find my truck key. I tore my house apart looking for it, I called all three of my roommates asking if they had seen it and finally I just sat down in frustration and prayed that I would find it. Instead of leading me to the key, God reminded me that I had a spare key in the drawer in the kitchen. I got out the key, got in my truck and left for The Centre. About 15 minutes into the drive, I remembered that I had bought strawberries yesterday for the coffee shop and I'd left them in the fridge. It was at that moment that the light bulb in my head lit up and I remembered that my truck key was sitting in the fridge next to the strawberries so that I wouldn't forget them. I couldn't help but laugh at myself and my funny ways of remembering things that don't always work. Oh well, maybe next time I'll remember!
On a side note, I went back and got the strawberries (and the key) and have made some excellent strawberry shakes today. The weirdest drink of the day was strawberries, pomegranate, passion fruit, mint, salt and ice all blended together. Some people order the weirdest things!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy New Year!
There's something about Songkran that just makes me smile.
The drunk people who drive their motorbikes all around the city. The car accidents that happen every couple blocks just because people aren't paying attention. The people who fall in the moat and drown, not to mention those killed by the drunk drivers I mentioned earlier. The people who douse you with ice cold water and powder during the three seconds that you are outside between your vehicle and your house. What better way to celebrate the new year?
Okay so those may be the horrible things about Songkran but there really are things that make me smile.
The happiness that you see on every single face you pass. The dripping wet people standing behind you in line at the grocery store. The sound of laughter coming from the back of the pick up truck next to you as the 20 kids stuffed in there all throw water at each other. The people waiting on the corners with hoses to spray each person who passes and their willingness to use their hoses to refill buckets and water guns for people they don't know. The relaxed expressions on everyone's faces because pretty much everyone has the week off work and school. The people who douse you with cold water and powder during the three seconds you are outside between your vehicle and your house. What better way to celebrate the new year?
This is my 4th Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) and I am still amazed at the sights I see just driving to the grocery store or a friend's house. Thailand definitely knows how to celebrate!
Happy New Year!!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
"COURAGE is not the lack of FEAR but the ability to face it."
I had an experience last week that I can't seem to get off my mind. Quite honestly, I feel like a huge wimp every time the incident comes to mind and I remember the immense amount of fear that overtook my mind and blocked out all other thought. My body took on a life of it's own and started shaking so badly that I had almost no control over my limbs and my stomach revolted by vomiting out everything inside it.
Wow, I just got lost in the feelings once again and you are probably sitting there wondering when I am actually going to tell the story...
Last week was youth camp and this year we took the kids up Doi Inthanon (the highest mountain in Thailand) to a hilltribe village a couple hours up the mountain. On the second day we loaded the kids up in the trucks and drove them to a nearby waterfall to play for a little while. The camp had no showers and we were all disgustingly dirty so this was our way of trying to wash some of the nastiness off everyone. On the way back down to camp I was driving a truck with about 15 kids in the back when the incident happened. I was on a narrow road where one side dropped off in a sharp cliff and the other side rose up the mountain. I am still not sure how it happened but one moment everything was fine and the next moment, my right front tire was off the road and hanging over the cliff. I put on my emergency break and yelled at all the kids to get out of the truck. Unfortunately, sometimes teenagers are a little too absorbed in themselves to realize what is going on around them and they responded by telling me that they were not going to get out because they didn't want to walk back to camp. At this point, something inside me broke and I screamed at them to get out of the truck as quickly as possible. They must have noticed the change in my voice because they all jumped out this time and finally realized what was happening. As soon as the kids got out of the truck, the road gave way a little more and both of my front tires were hanging over the cliff.
I have to take a moment out of my story and share with you my disappointment in myself. There I was, sitting in the truck, looking down over the side of the cliff, honestly thinking that I might die at any moment and my mind just froze. I didn't know what to do so, I did nothing. I always hope that in moments of dire need I will immediately turn to God for help and comfort but I have to admit that did not happen. I didn't stop to pray and ask for guidance and help, I just sat there frozen in fear. And I find myself very disappointed in myself and questioning why I reacted the way I did.
Back to the story...
At this point, my friend Mel came running up to the passenger side window to see if I was okay. She had been driving the truck behind me and saw it all happen. I don't remember much of what she said but I remember that she calmed me down enough to realize that there were four or five Thai men standing on my side of the truck talking to me. I don't claim to be an excellent Thai speaker, I pretty much just get by. But it takes a lot of my brain power to have a conversation in Thai and at that moment in time, my brain power was registering below zero due to the fear. So, I turned to Mel to translate for me and she told me that the men had placed large rocks in front of my rear tires to keep the truck from rolling forward off the cliff. They were going to pull it back and wanted me to gun it in reverse once my front tires were back on the road. At this point, I almost threw up in the truck because I could barely move, much less drive. One of the men told me to take my foot off the brake, turn the truck off and climb out the back. I don't know how I did it, except that I remember having help because I could not bring myself to move on my own. The next thing I remember is having someone help me to the side of the road to sit down because I was shaking so bad that I couldn't walk. I remember throwing up and then crying. And I remember all the kids just looking at me and asking me if I was okay. I remember Mel telling all the kids to walk back to camp and give me some privacy. Later I was told that one of the Thai men got in the truck and with the help of his friends, brought it back onto the road. I just sat there for a while until the tears stopped and my body stopped shaking enough for me to walk back to camp.
As soon as my brain started functioning again, I started thanking God over and over again for all the protection he provided. I thanked him for keeping the kids safe, for keeping me safe, for Mel calming me down, for the random Thai men who pretty much saved my life, for every single thing he did during the incident. And I started apologizing to God for letting my fear take over and not coming to him immediately. Luckily I serve an amazing God who loves me and understands my fears. Instead of being angry with me, he has comforted me and given me a big hug to let me know that all is well.
It was quite an experience and I never want to go through anything like that again. Hopefully I will stop dreaming of driving off cliffs soon and I would love to forget the fear that consumed me during those moments. But in the meantime, I thank God for life!
Wow, I just got lost in the feelings once again and you are probably sitting there wondering when I am actually going to tell the story...
Last week was youth camp and this year we took the kids up Doi Inthanon (the highest mountain in Thailand) to a hilltribe village a couple hours up the mountain. On the second day we loaded the kids up in the trucks and drove them to a nearby waterfall to play for a little while. The camp had no showers and we were all disgustingly dirty so this was our way of trying to wash some of the nastiness off everyone. On the way back down to camp I was driving a truck with about 15 kids in the back when the incident happened. I was on a narrow road where one side dropped off in a sharp cliff and the other side rose up the mountain. I am still not sure how it happened but one moment everything was fine and the next moment, my right front tire was off the road and hanging over the cliff. I put on my emergency break and yelled at all the kids to get out of the truck. Unfortunately, sometimes teenagers are a little too absorbed in themselves to realize what is going on around them and they responded by telling me that they were not going to get out because they didn't want to walk back to camp. At this point, something inside me broke and I screamed at them to get out of the truck as quickly as possible. They must have noticed the change in my voice because they all jumped out this time and finally realized what was happening. As soon as the kids got out of the truck, the road gave way a little more and both of my front tires were hanging over the cliff.
I have to take a moment out of my story and share with you my disappointment in myself. There I was, sitting in the truck, looking down over the side of the cliff, honestly thinking that I might die at any moment and my mind just froze. I didn't know what to do so, I did nothing. I always hope that in moments of dire need I will immediately turn to God for help and comfort but I have to admit that did not happen. I didn't stop to pray and ask for guidance and help, I just sat there frozen in fear. And I find myself very disappointed in myself and questioning why I reacted the way I did.
Back to the story...
At this point, my friend Mel came running up to the passenger side window to see if I was okay. She had been driving the truck behind me and saw it all happen. I don't remember much of what she said but I remember that she calmed me down enough to realize that there were four or five Thai men standing on my side of the truck talking to me. I don't claim to be an excellent Thai speaker, I pretty much just get by. But it takes a lot of my brain power to have a conversation in Thai and at that moment in time, my brain power was registering below zero due to the fear. So, I turned to Mel to translate for me and she told me that the men had placed large rocks in front of my rear tires to keep the truck from rolling forward off the cliff. They were going to pull it back and wanted me to gun it in reverse once my front tires were back on the road. At this point, I almost threw up in the truck because I could barely move, much less drive. One of the men told me to take my foot off the brake, turn the truck off and climb out the back. I don't know how I did it, except that I remember having help because I could not bring myself to move on my own. The next thing I remember is having someone help me to the side of the road to sit down because I was shaking so bad that I couldn't walk. I remember throwing up and then crying. And I remember all the kids just looking at me and asking me if I was okay. I remember Mel telling all the kids to walk back to camp and give me some privacy. Later I was told that one of the Thai men got in the truck and with the help of his friends, brought it back onto the road. I just sat there for a while until the tears stopped and my body stopped shaking enough for me to walk back to camp.
As soon as my brain started functioning again, I started thanking God over and over again for all the protection he provided. I thanked him for keeping the kids safe, for keeping me safe, for Mel calming me down, for the random Thai men who pretty much saved my life, for every single thing he did during the incident. And I started apologizing to God for letting my fear take over and not coming to him immediately. Luckily I serve an amazing God who loves me and understands my fears. Instead of being angry with me, he has comforted me and given me a big hug to let me know that all is well.
It was quite an experience and I never want to go through anything like that again. Hopefully I will stop dreaming of driving off cliffs soon and I would love to forget the fear that consumed me during those moments. But in the meantime, I thank God for life!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Okay it wasn't really all that bad, but it wasn't fun either. And who can resist the "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" books, they were my favorite as a kid!
Anyway, the day that I am referring to was Friday. I woke up in the morning and went to the hospital to get my foot fixed. I have this problem that the doctors tell me is a blood vessel that makes it's way to the surface of my foot and pokes out. It sounds gross but doesn't really look that bad. In fact I often think that maybe it is just a wart, but who am I to question multiple doctors? :) I've had this problem for about ten years and two years ago I had a minor procedure done to remove the problem. They cut my foot open, removed the problem and then seared my foot closed again. All was good until about two months ago when the problem returned. I tried to ignore it but it hurts and bleeds a lot. So I went back to the doctor on Friday. He cut my foot open again, dug deeper this time, fixed the problem, sewed it closed on the inside, left the outside open (which seems weird) and sent me on my way with crutches, bandages and instructions not to walk or get it wet for at least a week.
I was leaving the hospital on my motorbike, which was difficult with the injured foot, but I drove slowly. I was driving right in front of the hospital when suddenly another driver on his motorbike hit me. I am completely confused about what happened because it happened so fast. There was a guy on my right side on his motorbike and out of nowhere he turned left right into me. His side mirror hit me in the stomach so hard that the front of his bike broke off. I veered to the left, stopped and grabbed my stomach in pain. I turned around and saw that the guy who hit me was down. However he quickly got up, grabbed the pieces of his bike, apologized and ran off. I'm pretty sure that he was embarrassed about the whole thing, but I wish that he had stuck around long enough for me to find out if he was okay. I sat on the side of the road for about ten minutes before getting back on my bike and driving to The Centre.
So, now I am hobbling around on crutches with a cut open foot and a massive bruise on my stomach. And I have to say that Friday was not a very good day.
And tomorrow is the first day of youth camp where I have to run around playing games and taking pictures. Hmmm, should be an interesting week... :)
Anyway, the day that I am referring to was Friday. I woke up in the morning and went to the hospital to get my foot fixed. I have this problem that the doctors tell me is a blood vessel that makes it's way to the surface of my foot and pokes out. It sounds gross but doesn't really look that bad. In fact I often think that maybe it is just a wart, but who am I to question multiple doctors? :) I've had this problem for about ten years and two years ago I had a minor procedure done to remove the problem. They cut my foot open, removed the problem and then seared my foot closed again. All was good until about two months ago when the problem returned. I tried to ignore it but it hurts and bleeds a lot. So I went back to the doctor on Friday. He cut my foot open again, dug deeper this time, fixed the problem, sewed it closed on the inside, left the outside open (which seems weird) and sent me on my way with crutches, bandages and instructions not to walk or get it wet for at least a week.
I was leaving the hospital on my motorbike, which was difficult with the injured foot, but I drove slowly. I was driving right in front of the hospital when suddenly another driver on his motorbike hit me. I am completely confused about what happened because it happened so fast. There was a guy on my right side on his motorbike and out of nowhere he turned left right into me. His side mirror hit me in the stomach so hard that the front of his bike broke off. I veered to the left, stopped and grabbed my stomach in pain. I turned around and saw that the guy who hit me was down. However he quickly got up, grabbed the pieces of his bike, apologized and ran off. I'm pretty sure that he was embarrassed about the whole thing, but I wish that he had stuck around long enough for me to find out if he was okay. I sat on the side of the road for about ten minutes before getting back on my bike and driving to The Centre.
So, now I am hobbling around on crutches with a cut open foot and a massive bruise on my stomach. And I have to say that Friday was not a very good day.
And tomorrow is the first day of youth camp where I have to run around playing games and taking pictures. Hmmm, should be an interesting week... :)
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
If You Get Lost Between The Moon And New York City...
That song's been running through my head for days, not sure why. :)
There is a letter that I have been trying to write since last August and I haven't been able to finish it. I've started it many times but I always end up throwing it away or setting it aside. It is a letter written to someone who really hurt me, someone who betrayed me in a way that cannot be forgotten. I have spent the past year and a half working on forgiving this person and I honestly have. However, I no longer want this person in my life and they don't seem to understand that. The letter that I have been trying to write is telling this person that we are no longer friends and asking this person not to contact or approach me again. I am struggling with how to find the words to state that without sounding accusing or angry. I want this person to understand that what they did is the reason why we can no longer be friends but I also don't want to judge or accuse. This person knows what they did and they don't need me to remind them. Anyway, I guess that the reason I am writing this post is to ask you to please hold me accountable. I have come to the point where I need friends bugging me until I get the letter done because I can't seem to be able to do it on my own. Even though this person hurt me, I hate the thought of hurting them back with my words. Please pray for me to find the right words and to get it done soon. And bug me until I get it done! :)
I just read back through that paragraph and I'm afraid that I sound judgmental and self-righteous. Please don't read it like that, but I don't know how else to phrase it. Thanks for listening!
There is a letter that I have been trying to write since last August and I haven't been able to finish it. I've started it many times but I always end up throwing it away or setting it aside. It is a letter written to someone who really hurt me, someone who betrayed me in a way that cannot be forgotten. I have spent the past year and a half working on forgiving this person and I honestly have. However, I no longer want this person in my life and they don't seem to understand that. The letter that I have been trying to write is telling this person that we are no longer friends and asking this person not to contact or approach me again. I am struggling with how to find the words to state that without sounding accusing or angry. I want this person to understand that what they did is the reason why we can no longer be friends but I also don't want to judge or accuse. This person knows what they did and they don't need me to remind them. Anyway, I guess that the reason I am writing this post is to ask you to please hold me accountable. I have come to the point where I need friends bugging me until I get the letter done because I can't seem to be able to do it on my own. Even though this person hurt me, I hate the thought of hurting them back with my words. Please pray for me to find the right words and to get it done soon. And bug me until I get it done! :)
I just read back through that paragraph and I'm afraid that I sound judgmental and self-righteous. Please don't read it like that, but I don't know how else to phrase it. Thanks for listening!
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