This Time Last Year

Tunes: World Mandate 2011 (look it up)
Mood: Retrospective/Thankful/blown away....

Preface:
In prayer tonight, I was reminded through someone that my identity is in Christ.  In christ.  Not in the sicknesses I have, nor in how quickly I can recover from sickness, nor the location where I live; nor is it in my past year or how people see me through my blog or as a teacher...  I have been made whole and complete in Christ, and in Christ, I am a new creation - the old has gone and the new has come.  I am covered by Jesus, He waves a banner over me called Love, and I am secure in Him.  And these are not just things I've read and will repeat now.  These are things I've experienced, and they are truth.  


Coming up in Texas is a conference on prayer and intercession for the nations of the earth.  I went last year and can't believe the journey that began that weekend.

It wasn't something that came out of an awesome conference, although listening to the album compiled from worship that weekend, I'm thinkin "ya, kt, listen to these songs - you needed these this year.  aren't you glad you knew them? and girl, isn't that always such a rich, life-giving conference?"

I have great memories from that weekend, great.  I already felt like I was on the ride of my life last September and couldn't wait to see what the big finale would be.

little.
did.
i.
know.

This post doesn't have to do with Thailand, it's just me writing thoughts since I've been sick and at home for 3 days (BAD BUG, baaaad bug).  This is part of my story and how I got to Thailand, though.   

I drove down to the conference with my friend Larinda, who I always end up laughing with hysterically.  This drive was no different.  I felt INTENSE pain in my upper back, so I bought some of those sticky heating pads to stick to my back during the drive.  Well the sticky heating pad was hilarious in itself (consider it's typical use).  And here I was trying to put one on my upper back, whilst driving next to one semi-truck after another, who could totally see into our little Ford Escape.  It took some magic to get one on my back without revealing too much for the semi-driver men and while Larinda was trying to keep her hands on the wheel down I-35 in the rain.
ANYWAY
I thought my upper back pain was due to the most stressful start to any school year one should never have... not the case.

Larinda and I got to stay that weekend with our friend, Janette, who lives in England.  She's precious.  I had some good prayer time alone, God revealed some beauty and some purpose, and I spent sweet time with people who are dear to me.

Then on Sunday, I developed a fever and had lymph nodes sticking out of my neck the size of rocks.  LITERALLY.  Dr. Martha can attest to this (my friend in med. school).
Three days later I was awake all night throwing up (hey, that happened this week, too!), so I went to the doctor who really thought I had Mono, but my tests were negative.

It wasn't until a month later, after some more crazy stress at school and in my personal life that I woke up one morning and couldn't move.  It took 5 minutes for me to be able to fall out of bed and crawl to my bathroom (I still thought I could take a shower at this point), but when I fell down after trying to stand up, I said, "This is not good."  (le duh, kt.  le.duh.)  I think I actually said that out loud.  My aunt was at my apartment within 20 minutes and the nice ER people at Harris confirmed that I had Epstein Barr Virus (Monoooooo).  I had not only continued working in a first grade classroom with Mono, but had emotions going up and down every other day and was trying to fix everything by myself.  

So what happens when we try to fix it all ourselves? 

the ground falls out from beneath us. 

not always, but most of the time. 

again, the word literally fits so well here.  Because literally, I couldn't really walk and when I did, I was hunched over because I couldn't stand up.  After 2 days of what I thought would be recovery in my happy little apartment, I ended up back in the ER with suspected pneumonia (praise God it wasn't), but instead I had just picked up Bronchitis and a bacterial infection.  Sweet Harris Hospital security guard was getting to know me by this point - he wheeled me all the way past the waiting room.  :)  

Ended up moving home with my parents that weekend in Mid-October and stayed through December.    

This past July (that's right, almost a year later), I found out that last September, my system was perfectly set up for severe infection.  It was just waiting on the right virus to overtake it.  That's a good chapter, check back for that one - I think the information will blow your mind and subvert your thinking on food and medicine, like it did mine.     


Now - To those of you who saw me in my ZOMBIEST MOMENTS OF LIFE, thank you for still being my friends.  :)    and for taking care of me in my zombie days, for bringing me zombie chocolates and for sending zombie flowers, for writing sweet zombie cards and for praying LIVING prayers (I just can't write zombie-prayers, y'all, tha' just don't feel righ').  

Nellie got to see me in zombie-mode this week with this bad bug.  Now we's ti-ight!  Shout-out to Tanya, Julie, Pattie, Mandy, and P'Oy for also making me feel so taken care of this week, and to Rutha & Eric for praying over me and my room.  :)  Awesome family here in Thailand.     

Re-reading this after writing it, my heart is made grateful all over again for the ways God was directing my steps, even when I couldn't see where I was going.  This is also part of why I'm so happy to be in Thailand today.  Life is funny.  Why do we worry?  

=)  

kt & nellie

After just a few days together in Chiang Rai, I wondered if anybody was praying for me & Nellie to have good conversations - because we seemed to just talk and talk and have so much to talk about!  

And we still do!  I have been SO BLESSED by her!  Besides being a little piece of home, I'm very thankful to have someone that feels like a sister here.  We get along so well, make decisions the same way, and have agreed on just about everything (if not all things... I can't think of anything we haven't agreed on yet, but I mean we're not the same person so surely there's something).  Maybe she doesn't laugh at New Girl...or have a thing for Robert Redford (he'll forever be Hubble to me)...or agree that there's always room for dessert...Ahhhh I NEED TO GO CHECK, THESE THINGS COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR SISTERHOOD!  

Kidding of course.  We have shared many laughs and provided many laughs.  And while we're still getting acclimated to Thailand and acquainted with each other, we can already finish one another's sentences.  With cookies in her mouth last week, Nellie mumbled to me just with sounds, no words, and I responded to her with a complete understanding while our friend watched and listened in confusion.  

Did all of you CFer's know we would get along so well and did you know we're so similar??  I think it's HILARIOUS.  

It just is.     

You just never know how your life is going to turn out, and how people who enter into your life will be used.  I had no idea when I drove Nellie home from karaoke last January (yep) that we'd be living in Thailand together just 7 months later.  

Gosh I can't believe I live in Thailand.  

I believe God gives us people we need at the times that we need them.  [Candid now] In considering the move to Thailand and sensing peace in going, I prayed, "Lord, but sometimes I am lonely now... why would I move to another country where I don't know anybody NOR do I know the language??  I won't have my people or my home, I love my apartment and I'll miss Magnolia Street...."  

Like I've said before, He is faithful, He is faithful, He is faithful.  

bike ride around the university's lake 

Nellie & I were deciding this week whether or not to move into a house, and after thinking and praying about it for a few days, we ended up having the same thoughts and feelings about it.  We're staying in the dorm for now and are happy with it.  =)  We live next to a precious family with 3 boys, one is in my class.  We are a 1 to 5 minute walk to a few restaurants and a convenient store, a 5 minute bike ride to a university with a gorgeous lake and garden, a 17 minute bike ride to school, and we live just a walk down the street from some of our friends and co-teachers.  

We're getting better at creating meals in a place where we really can't read the labels on most things, and we help each other keep a balance on our new lives in a different culture.  

Rice field across from
a restaurant on our street 

View from our balcony
at a resort for our school's staff retreat 

I am thankful for many things lately.  Nellie's friendship is absolutely one of them.  

But most importantly right now, I am thankful that Nellie feels the same way I do about spiders.  

RUN AND HIDE (after taking a picture of course)

AND PRAY IT DISAPPEARS IN THE MORNING

NO BUT SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HECK KIND OF SPIDER IS THAT

Buying a Swimsuit in Thailand

When I found out we might be swimming on our staff retreat last week, I asked P'Phon where I could get a swimsuit.  She offered to take me to the mall, so we went to a sports store.  The mall looked and felt just like an American mall.  P'Phon planned on taking her kids swimming after we bought my swimsuit, so I planned on going with them.

Well in case you're reading this and don't actually ever see me, I typically shop in the petite section.  I happen to be the shortest person in my entire family (relatives included).

But here in Asia, I wear a large and possibly an XL.  Picking up the "Small" swimsuit was like picking up an XXS in the Juniors department at one of the malls in America.

Humbling.

I tried on several swimsuits (I was getting ambitious even with the mediums I tried on) and found a very colorful one that fits well and I actually love how cheery the print is.  Swimsuits here are not like in America... They're very modest.  The girls typically wear skirts (mine's about halfway between my knees and hips), and my swimsuit happens to have a tank-top like top.  I actually really like it.

Well.  I pick out my swimsuit & find P'Phon, and she says, "KT you need a swim cap."  Whaaaa??  You mean I'm gonna stuff all my BIG hair inside a spandex cap?  And I mean BIG.  I didn't know my hair even got so big, or so curly.  Seriously, my hair has never been this curly in my life.  I'm finally adjusting to the change & learning to appreciate the humidity that comes with living in a beautiful, tropical climate.  I'll have to get a pic, you just won't even believe.  I feel so..."Dallas."  I kind of like it.  *kindof*  I'm sure I'll get used it.

or I'll just shave my head.

But anyway, swim caps are required to swim at the university pool where P'Phon & P'Oy go swimming.  This is the pool:

It's. gorgeous.  Please notice the platforms in the first picture.   

Then think about what those platforms are for. 

Then remember little kt who gets water in her nose just about every time she goes underwater.  

Annnnd...here we go: 

P'Phon picks out a cap for me to match my swimsuit and says, "Ok now you need goggles." 

"Oh no, I don't ever open my eyes underwater, I'll be fine." 

"But you swim without getting water in your eyes?  and look it is a nose plug." 

"Well, I usually just swim leisurely at home.  Do you not?" 

"OH NO! P'Phon (she doesn't say 'me,' it's precious and iloveit) swims for exercise, want to lose pounds."  

Oh, well then, I can do that.  (the pic above was taken about 5 days before we went shopping.  obviously something hadn't registered in my brain yet regarding "going swimming").  "Okay let's pick out some goggles."  I got pink ones, they're s'cute.  Sa Cute.  SQT.  (if you know what that's from, we may be kindred spirits).  

Turns out - when P'Phon & P'Oy "go swimming" they literally "GO SWIMMING," unlike the way I've always "gone swimming," which should rather be called "go lay in the pool and float, and maybe sort-of swim a few backyard-pool laps with a koozie in hand."  We ended up running out of time to GOSWIMMINGINTHEOLYMPICSIZEDPOOL, so to keep the kids from being too disappointed, we let them pick a place for dinner. 

McDonald's it was.  Something got lost in translation & I ended up with a Big Mac instead of a single-patty cheeseburger.  Oh, the travesty [irony].  Replaced swimminginanolympicsizedpool with eatingaBigMac.  hahaha.  

Friday evening, P'Phon & P'Oy picked us up to finally go swimming (Nellie came with us this time).  P'Oy and I ran for a few miles around the university's track before swimming, and then we definitely did swim across the standard Olympic pool.  I made it 3/4 of one lap before getting entirely too much water inside my head, but after a 5-minute break to drain all the pool water out of my nose, I continued to swim and finished 3.5 laps (350 Meters).  Nellie made it much farther than me, and P'Phon swam her full 20 laps.  Wow, I am inspired.  

I'm gonna come home from Thailand in great shape if I keep exercising with these ladies.  And people are gonna be like, "oh my gosh, kt, when did you become such a good swimmer."  And I'm gonna say, "Oh ya know, I just trained in an Olympic-sized pool in Thailand."  

or maybe I'll say, "Ohh, we would just GOSWIMMING in Thailand sometimes on hot days."  And only those who've read this post will know what "go swimming" really means to me now.  :)  

I love my new friends, and I love my new city.  Do you love my new outfit?   

Sweet Morning

Sweet morning today....  Have to write my thoughts before I forget.  :)

A few of the families and singles here gathered at Eric & Rutha Ebelings home today for Sunday worship.  :)  The picture to the right is of me & Nellie with Rutha (crosstimbers ministry) & Leneigh (leneighjanette), a friend of the Ebelings who came to Thailand with them.  *Read their blogs listed on the right.  I already love these ladies.  It's a blessing & a unique thing to feel like you are connected to people who you met just a few days ago.

It's because of God.

"So we, who are many, are one body in Christ...."  Romans 12:5

The Ebelings are dear friends of several couples at Christ Fellowship - I believe they all went to ACU together (Rutha if you read this & I'm wrong, please clarify!).  When I met them on Thursday at our first teacher orientation, Eric came up to hug me saying, "Hi Katieee, I hear you love people we love!"  IT'S TRUE.  We love the same people at home in Texas, so I feel like I already know this family.  We share the same "DNA," as Lexi called it.

Eric led our little service this morning, and it felt like Life Group - even had an icebreaker.  ;)  CFer's (Christ Fellowship family = CFer's) - think of the spiritually richest time you've experienced with your Life Group, and then imagine you are on the other side of the world with them, in a country that's 90% Buddhist, where you don't know the language, you just met each other for the first time a few days ago... and multiply that richness by about 10.  That's what this morning was like.

There is something different about worshiping Jesus in a country where churches are not on every corner...  You go deep quickly, because you need to.  It was that way in Kenya, too.  In significant seasons of my life, I don't know if I'm just more sensitive to the Holy Spirit or if God just speaks to me more often.  Or maybe, I become stripped of distraction and independence and can just see and hear God more clearly, and this kind of relationship with Him IS ACTUALLY accessible even when my circumstances are simple and steady.  I think it's the latter, especially since Jamey (my pastor at home) says it all the time.  ;)  I'm learning, Jamey!  

Moving to Thailand would be one of those significant seasons.  Ha!  OBVI, kt.  I am full of faith right now.  FULL.  Every prayer seems to have a quick, clear, awesome response from the Lord, and my soul is so grateful.  I needed this.  It does not always happen.  But maybe more than just ME NEEDING this, I love it because it's just that much more REAL for others.  Specific words or pictures from the Lord that speak right to peoples' hearts, and then they meet Jesus in just the ways that they need.  The mysteries of God are infinite, but so, so cool.

Eric planned to start this morning by reading Psalm 95, and his daughter spoke up and said, "oh that's what I was going to read!"  See?  Super cool.  We then sang the psalm (it's an old hymn, I'd never actually heard it).  A few people had some things to share as they heard God speaking, and they all seemed to be in a theme regarding the Psalms...  Then Chandel spoke up and said that as she & Julie Pennington were planning some things for chapel (Christian school, we have chapel :) they decided to go through the Psalms for this year.

Today was our first Sunday meeting together, and that's why this was so cool.  We didn't know each other before this week, but God is binding us together for His purposes in Thailand and at our school.  This is one of the unique things about being in the body of Christ.  ILOVEIT.  And I'm thankful to be a part of it.

So you probably wonder why I posted a picture of paintings at the top of the page.
The red dirt in Thailand surrrre leaves a mark.  Even Shout-Wipes don't get this mud out.
We each dipped our fingers in the red mud mixed with some water, and painted a picture of the mark we want to leave here.
Beautiful.
Can you guess which ones are mine & Nellie's?  They may not be what you think....


Posts to look for....

• my home!
• my school!
• my new housemate/travel buddy/SISTER!  (Nellie)    

Bangkok & Arrival in Chiang Rai

I slept most of the flight to Bangkok.  Every Thai person I encountered was so cute and smiley.  The Thai man behind me on the airplane got my carry-on down for me, then carried it for me until we got to off the airplane since it was so heavy.  How kind.  :) Since I had another 10 hour layover, I found the sightseeing counter & went on a canal tour through Bangkok.  perfect. The lady at the counter took me downstairs to meet my tour guide.  We stopped at a busy window with about 6 little Thai ladies, so I thought, "Great, my one-person tour will be a woman, I'll feel more comfortable with that."  The ladies though, didn't know where my tour guide went.  After a few minutes, they all BUST OUT LAUGHING (see, I love Thailand, I fit in) because my tour guide was standing literally right outside our window smoking, and y'all...  what a character.  He.was.ADORABLE.  He had on an over-sized shirt, cargo pants, he was wearing lots of jewelry and his glasses were super trendy with green and pink swirlies and hearts on them.  

He was hilarious and very helpful, the day just got better and better.  

We drove into Bangkok and visited a Gem-making factory, so cool.  I had my own tour-guide through the factory and she let me try on gold rings with sapphires and diamonds.  =)  

Then my tour-guide (his name was pronounced "oddie") went with me on a canal tour through old Bangkok.  I loved every second of it.  Every sight, every splash, everything we sailed by... I had so much joy the entire time.  I did wish at one point that I had someone with me to experience it with (I'll get real, I wished my husband could do this with me), but after wishing for it once, I decided, "No.  I am so happy, and this is so fun - by myself."  And I was content. I feel like I'm on a journey with God, which He promised to me a long time ago.  Maybe later I'll get bolder about sharing how He speaks to me, but I want you to keep reading, so I won't freak you out yet if you've never heard of God speaking to people.  =)  Just know for now that He is 100% faithful.  and flawless.  and real.  and present.  

Our boat stopped at a HUGE, BEAUTIFUL Buddhist temple where Oddie (definitely not the spelling) took me on a tour/history lesson.  Then we took a ferry across the river to eat lunch.  Here are some pictures of the things I encountered: 

Me & "Oddie"

Feeding fish from the boat

Charming sights along the canal

in front of the old capitol building (I think?)  That's a picture of the queen in the background, Thailand celebrated her birthday (Mother's Day) on August 12th. 

Hundreds gathered to celebrate the Thai Olympians.  What a cool thing to see.

One of my favorite things I've ever done in my life.   

My first Thai meal was delicious.  Then Oddie and I got back in our car with our driver & noticed the clouds had gotten very dark.  We weren't in our car more than 5 minutes before it started pouring - Praise God for great timing since our tour was finished - so thankful it didn't pour while we were on the canal.  I would've tried to embrace it, but I still had one more flight that night.  

And for even more perfect timing...  when we got out of the car at the airport, there was a band playing and a crowd cheering - the Olympians had just returned!!!!  Tons of reporters were there and people were covering the Olympians with flower necklaces (Dean & Lexi, do these have a name?)  So exciting!  

My new friend, Oy, helping me shop 

I was greeted by some families & two sisters at CRICS, Phon and Oy, who are spunky, smiley, giggly, and precious, and they both have kids in my class.  I love them already.  And actually, I spent most of today with Oy who told me "I love you already, Katie."  Awww!  They are my hosts here and greeted me at the airport with flowers.  They took me to a 7-11 (which is like Walgreens here) on the way home from the airport, then explained how some things work at my new home.  Oy came back Wednesday and took me shopping for more things I need.  We laughed a lot.  Everything is so new here that I seem to be forgetting basic things.  For instance, grocery shopping - the store looks exactly like a WalMart at home.  But when I got to the checkout line, I just pushed my buggy on through without unloading everything.  LE DUH.  #blonde.  It's not like I hadn't been grocery shopping before, or grocery shopping in another country before, too.  haha.  Few notes about things I can get in Chiang Rai - I was THRILLED to see Chlorophyll and Goji Berry drinks.  Pure and natural, nutrient-filled.  Google why they're good for you.  Fresh fruit is everywhere, and the Thai food is as excellent as everyone said.  Oy also gave me a little guided tour of Chiang Rai and took me to the university nearby.  I loooooved being on the campus (pics below).  It's gorgeous.  Amy Banta's mom was right, this place looks like paradise.

Doesn't it?

Travel

This was in my fortune cookie the night before I left...

Amen.  

I AM IN LOVE WITH THAILAND.  in! love!

"Like I am not even joking right now."  ;)  (if you didn't get that, ask someone who frequents youtube)

I almost titled this post "OH M' GOSH" because you can add the way I say "ohmygosh" to the beginning of almost everything I'm about to write, and then follow it with "ILOVEIT."  But, you have to read it just like I would say it or you won't get the same effect.  I figured this would be the easiest way for me to personally keep track of every little thing that I've so enJOYed on my little [BIG] adventure so far.  :)

I'll help you get started....

OHMYGOSH I got my own row on the airplane, hello sleep!  ILOVEIT.
OHMYGOSH that flight attendant looks JUST LIKE Matt Bowen (did anyone else notice when I uploaded the picture in my last post?).
OHMYGOSH he's Swedish!  Camilla!
...now you try.
[ohm'gosh] This sunrise over Europe....  [iloveit]

- Hunger Games was so intense.  My heart raced through the whole movie, which might be why I only got 2 hours of sleep on a 14 hour flight.  WOMP.  The Swedish-Matt-Bowen-look-alike walked by once and said "How's the movie?  Oh no are you crying?"  (I'd just finished watching the Rue part).  I said, "Yeeeesss, this movie is so crazy!"  He sat down next to me and said, "Our job is everything - we are your servants, your waiters, your friends, your shrinks...."  lol.

- flew over Zagreb!  Shout out to the Masseys and Albrights!

- THIS:

Sunrise over Europe.  

- Dubai is incredible, even from the airplane.  Every building looked like a palace, and in fact, I could see a few palaces.
- Dubai International Airport looks like a mall.  I had been told that, but it was more like one the Las Vegas malls, with Givenchy dresses for $600.  I see why the Kardashians travel to Dubai, now....  Gingerman crowd from Friday, no, the Kardashians were not on my flight, and neither was Zefron.  ;)  Bummerrrrr.  Closest I got to that was watching "The Lucky One" for a few minutes in-flight.

Ok trying to write with a prefix and suffix to every sentence is getting difficult.  I'll just tell you about the rest of it.

Travel -

Emirates wins for best airplane food.  I watched the pilot episode of New Girl while I ate my turmeric veggie dish.  I tried to stay awake in Dubai, but I just couldn't.  I got a deal on a hotel room where I showered and slept for about 3 hours.  Everything about it was so chic and modern.  The flight to Bangkok was delayed an hour, so I met a girl my age from Germany (orginally from India, though). Y'all, I've heard a lot of fantastic *so-close* phrases from my international friends, but this was one of the best ---

Her: "Being from America, have you ever seen famous people?"
Me: "Actually yes, I saw Cameron Diaz once.  She was so cute and petite!"
Her:  "Hmm.  Cameron Diaz.  Uhhh... she is an angel from Charlie??"
Me:  "LOLOL, yes, yes she is an angel from Charlie."  haha.

I continued writing about my travel to and through Bangkok, but the post was getting too long.  Splitting it up - read about Bangkok and my arrival in Chiang Rai tomorrow.  Good stories and more pictures.

This may be another reason I hardly slept on my 14 hr flight... I couldn't get enough of sights like these.

DISCLAIMER:  Blogger has changed some things since 2010 when I last kept a blog.  As you can tell, I haven't figured out the layout of my photos.  haha.

Truths from Mother Teresa

Before I left, some friends gave me the book "Everything Starts from Prayer," a collection of Mother Teresa's meditations on spiritual life for people of all faiths.  I began reading it this morning and want to share a few truths.

"... To break through to spiritual realization, one needs great faith, great doubt, and great determination to reconcile the two opposing forces."  
Agreed.  This is part of my life story.  

"We do nothing. 
He does everything. 
All glory must be returned to him. 

God has not called me to be successful. 
He called me to be faithful."  

"We are talking about the Joy that comes from union with God, from living in his presence, because living in his presence fills us with joy.
When I speak of joy, I do not identify it with loud laughter or with noise.  This is not true happiness.  Sometimes it hides other things.  
When I speak of happiness, I refer to an inner and deep peace, which shows itself in our eyes, on our faces, in our attitudes, in our gestures, in our promptness."  

Thought this would be a good preface to my next few posts about Thailand.  :)