Yi Peng: Bonus Material

 

 

 

RePost: Yi Peng, and then some...with Added Special Features!

In honor of the two year anniversary (two years?!?) of mine and Nellie's misadventure to the Yi Peng Ceremony, the opening ceremony of Thailand's famous Lantern Festival called Loi Kratong, and in light of Throwback Thursday, I am reposting one of my favorite stories of life.  This experience encompassed very much of what my year in Thailand was like - unexpected, adventurous, culturally informative, and loads of fun.

As I re-reeled the day of Yi Peng in my mind this morning, I couldn't help feeling grateful for the Lord's goodness - He turns what we see as disappointment and flawed timing into something beyond what we could have ever imagined (He promises this, how do I forget?).  Oh, how I have needed to remember that this year.

I have uploaded photos and videos from the ceremony in the post before this one.

Sit back, relax with a cup of green or oolong tea, and enjoy a few (or many) laughs.

It's where those high-heeled wedges and leather purse 

first trekked on through the mud....  ;)

Tales from a 1st Grade Classroom: Moon Sh***

7 years old, she tried so hard:

I could hardly handle it.  

"A cheerful heart is good medicine...."  

Proverbs 17:22 

That indeed, my friends.  That, 

in, 

deed.   

Charlene and God

Original draft was written one year ago (June 2013).  32 drafts, I guess that means I'm a writer.  Finally editing and posting them.  Here's a sweet one ~ 


Bedtime will wait.  I need to write.  :)

This is Aunt Charlene.  =) 

She passed away on Sunday, and she was reunited in heaven with her mom and dad, her husband, her sister and her daughter.

That's a lot of people very dear to her.  

What a strong woman.   

Truly, you have to be strong to make it through losing all of your best friends and still be able to live by yourself and be genuinely cheerful all the time.  Charlene was.  And I bet she still is.  :)

My mere six years of teaching young elementary students is nothing compared to her  30+ in Fort Worth ISD.  WHOA.  That's a lot of wisdom... and even more patience.  I bet she was a fabulous teacher.

Her life impacted multitudes .

She was a fellow Horned Frog, and so was her husband, Uncle Bennie.  Her sister, my Nana, was, too.  See... I wasn't the first non-ACUer in the family.  All those Glenn women wore their purple and pearls with cowgirl boots, too.  (well, maybe not cowgirl boots, but growing up in Fort Worth,  I wouldn't doubt it).  

Aunt Charlene always loved my dad, a lot.  And that made her even more precious.  I guess just because it's my dad.  

All the way up until 3 weeks ago, she lived in the same 50's model house in South Fort Worth where her children grew up, and where we spent many Christmas mornings.  The kids always played on Uncle Bennie's homemade zip line in the backyard (yes, it was awesome); I sat with Uncle Bennie at the piano while he played old songs; Charlene "fixed" (that means "made" for all my non-Texan readers) that pink whipped cream "salad" with cherries and pineapples... you know the one?  It's forever called "that pink stuff we always ate at Aunt Charlene's."  It's kind of like "Gran crackers" - the graham cracker sandwiches filled with peanut butter that Gran always made.   

So even though Aunt Charlene is really my GREAT-Aunt Charlene, and is a real "Grammy" to my cousins, Turner and I always considered her sort of like our Grandma, too.  Because my grandparents lived in Georgia, Aunt Charlene gave me and Turner little prizes and presents sometimes.  She was just so sweet. 

According to my family, they had a feeling that the past few weeks would be the end of her life on earth.  It seemed soon, even if she was already 85 years old.  She was a hoppin', chipper 85 for sure!  You'd have hardly guess her to be past 75 if you saw her on the street.  ;)  

Remember how I said that I bet she's STILL cheerful all the time?

The night before Aunt Charlene died,

I dreamed that she did die.  

My family and hers stood outside her room, but we were also at a train/bus station (you know how dreams are).  We knew she had already died, but then she walked out of her room all dressed up and carrying her suitcase, and she said, "Well, I'm ready to go now!"  She gave us quick hugs and we watched her hurry off to catch a train.  She looked like she had come straight out of the 40's - cute little hat, perfectly curled hair, khaki peacoat, hose and high heels, and her suitcase.  Yes, she was ready.

I woke up and thought, "I think this will be her last day."  And it was.  She died about 10 hours after I dreamed about her.  She was probably ready to reunite with all her old best friends that I mentioned earlier.

God gives us grace, y'all.  HE DOES.  How comforting to know that even before we know what's coming, God does.  And He's prepared for it.  Then He prepares us for it.

I needed to read that last segment again, today.  
And I probably should tomorrow, too.  

My First Stay in a Hostel

Well, I finally stayed in a hostel.

Whatever you're imagining about my first experience in a hostel... it's probably accurate.

I was coordinating a kids camp in Arbroath, Scotland back in April, a quaint little town along the coast of the North Sea, about an hour by train from Edinburgh, where I first stayed in a hostel.

I arrived with my two awesome volunteer helpers a few days early,

 A) to recover from jet lag before I would be 

managing other peoples' children for a week, 

and

 B) to use as a precaution in case my luggage/camp-in-a-suitcase 

got lost on the way to Scotland 

(which did indeed happen on the way home from Scotland, 

thank goodness it wasn't before).  

We booked a one-night stay in a hostel before we needed to travel up to Arbroath, because that's what you do in Europe.  You stay in a hostel.

right?

You know, I do have a rugged, walk through the dirt and maybe *maybe* don't wear makeup on a campout side to me...

HowEVER, I typically gravitate toward the hostels  hotels that come with plush pillows, bathrobes, and extra bolts on the doors.

Sidenote (on the side of the page, hee) - 

our second hostel stay after camp was uh-maze-iiing (vibrato)

and I could've lived there if for some reason I needed to stay in Edinburgh forever.  

Here are a few photos of our second hostel.

Isn't it dreamy??? We even had our own kitchen!

Let's talk about My First Stay in a Hostel, though, of which I don't have a photo and wish I did.

In Edinburgh, Scotland, most of the buildings are very old and beautiful, lots of stone and rock and grays.  The entrances to shops and restaurants vary because it seems to be the part that can vary, since everything is pretty much stone and gray and old.  Some doors are charming and cobalt, some are tiny and red; some are modern, and some look like you are about to walk into a perfectly Scottish pub, which you probably are about to do.  But when we walked up to our first hostel,

the doorframe was covered in graffiti.  

Okay, 

that's okay.  

It's cool, it's a cool hostel for adventurous backpackers. 

    

...Was I on an adventurous backpacking vacation?  Umno.  I was bringing camp wrapped up in a Vera-Bradley bag to KIDS!  =D  

We walked in and proceeded to carry camp-in-a-suitcase up 4 flights *4 flights* of a spiral staircase.
seriously, though.
The walls were covered in "artwork"...  graffitied caricatures of aliens dressed in 90's garb smoking weed.  Hm, charming.  

Rooms are for four, we were only three.  Chances of a random man staying in the extra bed?  100%.  No, he was not the future husband we were all hoping for.

Needless to say, I didn't shower in the freshman-dorm style community bathroom that night, and I slept with my Vera Bradley bag around my arms.  The guy that stayed with us (slept in the bunk below me) ended up being a nice, normal definitely-a-talker college student on holiday break.  He left before any of us got out of bed the next morning, and we all agreed that we think he was rattling plastic bags before he left just to see if it would wake us up.  it did.

Once we were all up and at 'em, we had three remaining hours in Edinburgh before we needed to catch the train to Arbroath.  We chose this hostel because of its prime location, and because they allow travelers to leave their bags in the check-in room.

The check-in area had about 18 other cool adventurous backpacks all lined up in this tiny room, and then I wheeled in my GIANT red camp-in-a-suitcase with its paisley, floral bright pink Vera Bradley companion atop it.  It reminded me of Cameron Diaz's character in The Holiday, when she arrives in Surrey, England wearing stilettos and lugging her huge suitcase and fancy carry-on bag through ice and snow until she reaches the tiny, cozy cottage.  It just looked a little out-of-place.  I knocked over three separate items off the shelf and desk just trying to walk into the room.  The Scots laughed.

Oh well, we laughed, too and carried on with our day.

And that my friends, was my not-so-eventful, dramatized, typical-kt First Stay in a Hostel story.  

Trending: #coffeeshop pt. 2

No, I never even posted pt. 1.  But I will... probably.  someday.  I think.

TRENDING:  COFFEE SHOP

excuse me, i meant 

#COFFEESHOP

Dear coffeeshop, 

How do I love thee?  

Let me count the ways: [obscurely]

... in 7 pairs of skinny jeans. 

... in 9 plastic-rimmed spectacles.  

... in 4 legit beards and 1 great 'stache.

... 8 laptops.  

... 1 table talking too loudly. 

... 1 interview meeting. 

... 1 date.

... 1 bowtie.  

... dreads.  

... 547986 tattoos (basically a lot).  

I usually blog about Thailand experiences, my own life's changes and growth, Jesus, ya know, interesting stuff.  

But today, i am totally channeling my inner hipster, sporting my denim skinnies (cuffs rolled up), headband, plastic-rimmed glasses, big earrings and of course, wedge high heels.  

Ope!  in walked 2 new pairs of skinnies.  Make that 11 pairs of skinny jeans.  

well anyway, here is why i'm blogging about this --- 

because i felt like it.  

I currently work three FABULOUS jobs that I TOTALLY love (no, my descriptions are not amplified), but this means that I am i n s a n e l y busy this month.  My email stopped working today, but perhaps this is a blessing in disguise.  I'm being trained in keeping a zero inbox.  YAY.  Didn't even know that was possible, and < --- that's hard to admit.  But, if I'm going to keep up with two worlds that are oceans apart, it's important that I organize my online life.  

email dies = kt rests 

So, I'm at this #coffeeshop and completely enjoying people-watching.  The baristas are the best; I love seeing people enjoying their jobs.  This shop has THE best house blend in my city.  bold statement?  bold coffee.  honest girl.

Isn't that a beautiful, dark-roast house-brew?
Also, Bossypants is hilarious.  

Life back at home is full, refreshing, moving forward, and I am again, thankful. 
Can you see my thankfulness?  
Can you hear it?  
I hope you can feel it, most of all.  
Because my soul is shouting it in my hugs, in my hard work, in the conversations I have with you, and I bet, and I hope, that the baristas at this coffeeshop can feel it, too, and I want them to be curious about it.  

What is it about a coffeeshop that unlocks a writer's brain?  or an artist's inspiration?  or a photographer's eye?  


Whatever it is, I am thankful for it.  I get it, too.

And I'm thankful for peace.  For simplicity, for eclecticism.  For singleness readitagain< ---.  For coffee and hipsters!  

I am content in the USofA.  I am exactly where I need to be, right now.  I seriously worried about coming back to Texas.  No need to worry, I know this...  I've learned a sad, awkward and blubbery lesson in trust.  ;)  Plus, you know I still love Cowtown.

To quote Paul in his letter to Philippi,

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  [YEP]  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.  

-Philippians 4:11-12 

welp, it's true, but it's a growing place, as well.  It comes with time and with something bigger than myself to rely upon.  I can adapt, I can accept, I can be content, this Perceiver can make decisions, [ONLY] through Him who gives me strength.  

I am strong in Him, WATCH OUT.  haha.  

Do I have this contentment thing down pat?  umno.  Thanks for appreciating the records of my growth data, though, I hope it makes you look up and around with new perspectives.     

Dear #coffeeshop, 

you're so inspirational,  

keep up the good brew. 

sincerely, 

plastic-rimmed spectacles #5 
aka: the hipster with the headband
aka: skinnies with the cuffs rolled up 

Lamp-Lit Footsteps

It's already August 8th.  I left Thailand 30 days ago, and I'm aching to write tonight.

Let's take a look back at my last week in SE Asia:

I took an amazing trip into Laos.  Uh-maze-iiiinnngg.
Aside from Northern Thailand and Switzerland, Laos (correctly pronounced "Lao") is probably THE most beautiful place I've ever been on earth.  I traveled with a friend through uncharted territory that literally looked untouched and probably was.   

My car died on the Super Highway. 'nuff said.      

THERE WAS A BAT IN MY BEDROOM.  

I REPEAT.  THERE WAS A BAT IN MY BEDROOM. 

I suuuure did spend rich, fun and funnY hours with my dear community.

When I realized I only had a few precious days left to savor the deliciousness of tropical fruit, I ate un-ripened mango for breakfast every day and ripened mango for dessert every night, resulting in some serious detoxification. 

I met/killed/ran from countless roaches in my living room, AND, [Nellie! I forgot to tell you this!] one upstairs in my shoe.  Nellie and I always felt a little protected from the roaches because they couldn't get upstairs.  

wrong.   

And I cried, [OKAY awkwardly sobbed] all the way from the Chiang Rai security gate where my friends hugged me goodbye, until I connected with my darling friend, Oh, in central Bangkok.  

I cried

All the way there.

ALL.  thewaythere.

My flight departing from Chiang Rai was delayed by about 30 minutes, so I tried shopping to hide my puffy wet face from Thais who I'm sure I was making incredibly uncomfortable.  Haha.  The Thai culture values controlling their emotions and "keeping face," so they'll typically do what they can to hide their 'unpleasant' feelings; which, I believe, is partially the reason Thailand is known as "The Land of 1000 Smiles."  I really did try, but I just couldn't stop crying, as I'm sure everyone around me also really did try not to stare.  Their apparent discomfort at the sight of me did make me giggle a little bit, though.  

The week before I left, Eric Ebeling reminded me of a familiar old song that goes like this: 

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet

And a light unto my path." 

(it's also scriptural, Psalm 119:105)

The song does not go like this: 

"Thy Word is a very bright overhead light which brightens the entire space I'm in so that I can see everything

And I know exactly what all my surroundings are because I can see all of them,  and I already know what it will be like when I get there because this path is clearly lit from all angles and directions." 

(not scriptural, katie'swishes 199:5) 

-->T R U S T. 

Sometimes, we [I] spend hours, days and months trying to decide or figure out what to do.  We [I] really do want to be where the Lord is, where He can best use [me] or where [we] will be happiest and the most peaceful.  And you know what? 

God's going to go beyond us anyway.  Here's what He kept telling me to do:  Count your life as nothing.  

That doesn't mean to diminish my self-esteem and self-worth to zero, and it doesn't mean that I have nothing in this world to offer.  Instead, it means that

it's not about me.  

It's not about ME.  

The decisions I make are not because I think I'm really great and can do this - especially because I KNOW that each change I make comes with a learning curve that's full of challenges, one right after the other.  Instead, "it is no longer I who live... I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  Galatians 2:20

And so, my decision to return to Texas instead of spending another year in Thailand was just not about what sounded cool or what seemed more adventurous, and it didn't make sense to me.

But i can be used here!  i am so needed!  

Step into what I have for you, kt.  

I may have boarded my flight out of Chiang Rai in tears and heartache, but instead of being spoon-fed my next steps, I had to trust the lamp-lit way in front of me.

When I returned home, someone told me something that connected all of it --- all of my doubts, my confusion, my own logic, my fear vs. hope, my fleshly thinking ---

Surely goodness and mercy will follow Katie all the days of her life, 

And she will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  

Psalm 23

It was perfect.  It was just what I needed.  And it was true.

Why do we [I] worry?  Why do we spend SO MUCH energy on fear of what's around the corner?  

SO ON THAT NOTE, 

Here's an update on the Good Lord's faithfulness.  Here is what I'm doing now: 

I am so thankful that... 

1. My roommate is awweeesoooommmee (< hear it with vibrato) and we live in a "dollhouse" with OLD original hardwood floors and character around every corner.  

2.. I'm learning some much needed and desired admin. skills.  

3. I am developing some special education skills, and I will be learning from experts who I already respect and appreciate.  (I LOVE my new school, ask me about it)

4. I am growing in my knowledge of children's ministry, 

5. and I still sort of have a foot in the door of overseas work through a communications role that I'm in.    

a. Am I still teaching?  Yes. 
b. Am I still a missionary?  Yes.  
c. Am I happy?  Wow, YES.  

...this is a good, daily business for me, remember, practicing gratitude.  

I am BEYOND thankful for my experiences in Thailand and the people I met, and I am truly truly (x2 on purpose) amazed that what I'm doing now is actually comparable to the dream-school I came from in Chiang Rai.  

And now instead of rats and bats, I live with 2 cats.  :o)   




Thank you for following the Thailand Journey with me.  I will continue to blog, and I'll continue to post about Thailand.  My blog name will change, but not yet.  

Stay tuned.  

Stay thankful.  

Photo from my first day in Thailand

Visit www.crics.asia if you haven't already.