Thai-heaven

I'm heading off to Thailand in the morning. Unfortunately I won't be seeing anything that looks like the picture. I'll be in meetings all week. I'm still super pumped b/c I'll be w/ my friends and did I mention it's Thailand!!! I love it everything about it...especially the absence of smelly men and honking horns.

I'll update when I get back. Try not to miss me.

Tricky Planks

One question I hate being asked is "What is your biggest pet peeve?" I don't like being asked that question because I'm always afraid I am one of my own pet peeves. For example, I've heard someone say, "My biggest pet peeve is bad table manners." But I've known the person and I know they smack and put both elbows on the table, etc. How does this happen? How do we become the things we dislike so much?

When Jesus spoke against judging he said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matt. 7:3-5

Those verses drive me up the wall, b/c they are so true. Anytime I've ever wanted to point out someone else's sin, I've prayed for God to reveal any planks in my own eyes. I'm not going to lie, I feel like God reveals a whole deck, not just a plank when I pray that. Most of the time, I've realized that I noticed my friend's sin only b/c it was in me. It may have looked a little different, but nonetheless it was sin.

You maybe wondering what got me on this pet peeve/ judging kick. Well, last night I was reading some else's blog and they were completely bashing a Christian leader I really admire, respect, and know personally. One believer posted his disagreements he had w/ this leader and it become a full out bashing fest. Other people began to comment and agree. One person went so far as to say they wished this leader would cheat on his wife, so his ministry would fall.

Bashing Christ's bride is one of my major pet peeves. However if you know me, then I'm sure you've heard me say negative things about churches. It makes me sick that I've ever said anything negative about specific churches and to think that my negative words could have brought someone else down too.

Unity, harmony, peace...why is it so hard for us? Why is it so easy for us to find fault and so hard for us to forgive? Love. Love. Love. Love should be our prayer.

I may have quoted this scripture a million times on this blog, but I cannot get over these words of Jesus: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35

Let me just add, I don't think that means that if the truth isn't being preached in our churches that we should just sit back and claim we're promoting unity and not discord. I think there is a reason why the church in Berea is mentioned in Acts. Scripture says, "... for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11b

We can learn a lot from the Bereans...

Fish Pedicure!!!

For the past month, two girls from California have been living with Abby and me.  Yesterday was their last day here, so we did a few last minute things that we meant to do earlier.  One of the things on the list was to get a fish pedicure.  Over here it's the new and cool thing to do.  As you can see from the pictures you literally stick your feet in an aquarium and let the fish nibble the dead skin off of your feet.  You'll also notice than in both of the pictures below the women are holding our feet in the water.  It was the weirdest feeling thing ever.  I sort of screamed when I first stuck my feet in.  Then they started going through my toes and it grossed me out, but the ladies wouldn't let us take our feet out for 15 min.  It felt like forever.  You can sort of see the fish in the second picture.  The lady said, "Wow, they are really enjoying your feet."  I considered it a compliment.  I'm not sure if my feet are any softer, but it was an interesting experience.

The next thing on our list to do was get henna on our hands.  It's very common for women to have henna on their hands and feet for special occasions or just because, but pretty much all brides get covered with it before their weddings.  

I asked them to do the simplest design possible on my hands.  This is during the process:

After they are finished w/ the design, we have to let it dry for a hour then we pick it off the top then the below picture is the result:

A tattooed hand isn't my favorite look, but it was fun and it's crazy how fast and precise these guys are.  My friend had a way more intricate design on both hands, but I didn't take any pictures.  Every time I see my hand, I think I have dirt on it and want to wash it.  I think it will last for a week or two.

Last night the girls headed back home and this morning Abby flew out for her vacation before our meetings start next week.  I think I'm experiencing "Empty Next Syndrome."  I like having a lot of people around.  This isn't cool.

Creative Music

I've blogged about children's songs before and here I go again. I was looking on a friend's site and came across this video:



I think it's a cool song. There is a website called Seeds Family Worship that is dedicated to "Planting the Seeds of God into the Hearts of Families." They have some pretty cool resources and ideas to encourage family worship. Under the "Kids" tab they have scripture memory cards and a checklist that could be helpful in getting started w/ memorizing scripture. My friend listens to their CDs to help her.

So if you have kids or trouble memorizing scripture, maybe this will be helpful.

It Is Not Good for Allison To Be Alone!!!

I had all my hair cut off today. I should never be left alone. I get crazy thoughts and I'm so impulsive I usually act on those thoughts. Since Abby isn't here, I had no one to stop me. I had it cut off last summer and it looked horrible; I was so upset and typically I could care less what my hair looks like. So this time I took a picture of what my hair looked like after the lady last summer cut it off and I asked my friend to not let it look anything like it did. Anyways, the good news is that it doesn't look like it did. Since I'm not a fan of taking pictures of myself, it may be awhile before you guys see the new cut.

On a totally different note, I'm going to Thailand in a week and cannot wait. While I'm there, I want to go Zorbing. The only problem is that I don't think I'll be able to find someone to do it with me. If you're wondering what Zorbing is the picture below should explain it. You roll down a hill in a big ball...that's about it. I seriously doubt I do it, but I hope I do b/c it would be so much fun.

Catching My Breath

Today was sort of a catch up day for me.  I've been going non-stop for the last few weeks, so I was looking forward to today.  However, I found myself bored out of my mind, but I got a lot of reading done.  While reading I came across familiar scripture that sort of hit me like never before.  I've heard dozens of sermons based on it, but I never really understood it.  I always felt like the scripture and preacher were saying that we're supposed to be miserable.  But today it looked a little different.  Here's the scripture from Matt. 16:24-25

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (NIV)

here it is again, but paraphrased

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.  You're not in the driver's seat. I am. Don't run from suffering embrace it.  Follow me and I'll show you how.  Self-help is no help at all.  Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.  What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself?  What could you ever trade your soul for?" (The Message)

I was reading these passages because I was trying to understand how to love God and others.  I wondered where loving myself fit in?  I thought could you really love someone else if you don't love yourself?  I'm not talking about loving myself as in being me-centered or thinking I should be a beauty queen, but thinking about loving and being content w/ who God has made me. Well the phrase, "die to self" kept popping up in my head.  So, I tried to find it in scripture and what I came across the scripture above.  I sort of stopped looking after that, but it does seem like something Paul would have said.

Anyways Jesus did clearly say, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself..."  This is clearly Satan twisted, but I always read that and related denying myself to disliking myself or just being miserable.  Being here hasn't been the easiest time of my life.  I sort of started to justify my discontentment here to taking up my cross.  I thought missing my family, not seeing Mary K. during her pregnancy, no Sonic, etc. is just a part of the cost so its ok to be miserable. But today I realized, that I'm still clinging to my life; I'm trying to save it.  I don't want my friends and family to slip away.  Then I sort of started to laugh at myself.  Really Allison, your family is going to forget you???  Your friends, who you've known your whole life, will not want to remain friends when you return???  These are the lies I have been letting the devil feed me. God is so much bigger.  I like the Message's version that says, "Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self."  

Yeah, part of the cost for me was leaving those I love, but there's a reason for the cost.  He has bigger purposes...His Glory!!!  He's more than worthy of it.

Back to the being miserable thing.  My conclusion is that just because I must deny myself doesn't mean I should to be miserable.  In fact, I should live by His spirit, and the byproduct of life by the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5: 22-23) Funny how being miserable wasn't included.

Let me throw out something else...I'm not miserable, so don't start worrying about my emotional status.  Just today a few things were revealed to me, so I wanted to share them.  I figured you guys haven't had a preachy post in awhile so you got one.

Chicken Coop Crazy!!!!

I've been hosting a few(12) friends this past week, so it's been crazy. Somehow I got on the subject of chickens with one of the volunteers and now I'm obsessed. She's from California and her parents had chickens. She said it wasn't that hard and they always had fresh eggs. I figure if peeps in California can have chickens, I can too. When I get back, I'm going to build a chicken coop. Just wait....it's going to be great.



I do have a funny story that involves one of the volunteers and eggs. One of the ladies is on a protein diet, so she was obsessed with being able to cook eggs in the morning. I took the group to the "grocery store," and she asked me where the eggs where. I pointed over towards the corner and she set off to find them. Well, a few minutes later she came back and said, "They are not in that corner b/c there is no refrigerated section." I started laughing. It blew her mind that they don't refrigerate the eggs or the milk. Maybe you would have to be here to think it was funny. At least Abby and I got a kick out of it.