It's amazing what you notice in this world if you take a moment to stop and pay attention. A good friend of mine once told me that you can't truly appreciate life until you've taken a day to sit under a tree and look at a single leaf for hours on end ... just studying the colors, the veins, the patterns, the texture, and all the little details that make a leaf as beautiful as it is. It reminds me of the differences between adults and little children. While adults in today's world hurry through a busy life, always complaining that there's never enough time and literally dying because of stress, children are watching ants crossing a hot sidewalk or watching the pods of a dandylion float away in the breeze after they blow on it. I could get a glimps of what my friend was talking about when I looked at his pictures after spending nearly half a year hiking the Appelachian Trail or when I visited Arches National Monument with him. So many of his pictures were of lizards or animals or individual flowers while so many of mine are of landscapes and mountains. It's good to look at the big picture and see where you're at in comparison with the rest of the world, but sometimes it's good to just take a seat under that tree and spend the day looking at that leaf.
Yesterday I left my final island stay early because I got sick. I came back home so I could get some rest and try to get better by the time this last group leaves so I could conduct their debrief for them. Instead of heading back to the house I'm living at, I decided to go to the office instead. The office has a bed, bathroom, and AC just like at home, but at the office there are people who I could count on if I needed them as I tried to rest up and get better. When I went to bed last night in the creature comforts of the office as opposed to the comparatively impoverished dwellings of the island stays, I saw some things that caught me a little off guard. Sure the cat I saw digging through the garbage outside and the giant cockroaches I saw crawling around were quite par for the course no matter where I sleep these days. But, the mouse I saw crawling around on the counter and the spider that was quite literally the size of my hand that was chilling on the kitchen table were a bit more out of the ordinary. The mouse got away before I had a chance to chase it out, which is fine since I don't really have a problem with mice. However, when I saw the spider, once I regained my composer I took the time to try to get a couple of good pictures of it before I killed it (okay, I really do hate spiders, so it's death was really quite emminant). Frankly, I was surprised I slept as well as I did last night in the middle of "the zoo", as my mom referred to it.
Tonight was a little different though. There's one other creature that scurries around and calls out to me no matter where I go that I'm actually quite fond of ... the cicak (chichuck), or a type of gecko. It was pointed out to me once how the cicak proves God's existance because of how masterfully it's made. It can carry it's own weight, vertically or even upside down, on virtually any surface ... something man has attempted to duplicate on countless occassions and has always failed. I saw a tiny cicak in the bathtub tonight ... it was smaller than half my pinky finger. I managed to pick it up and it just sat on my finger, allowing me to look at it like my friend looked at that leaf. Sadly, I didn't spend several hours taking it all in, but in the few minutes I took to get to know my new little friend, I got to notice quite a bit. I was able to see his little chest quickly collapsing and expanding in steady beats as he nervously breathed in and out. I saw those little fingers that so miraculously cling to the walls and ceilings everywhere I go. I learned that he has no eyelids, so instead of blinking he's constantly licking his own eyes one at a time. I learned that he had to face an internal struggle between being afraid of this giant potential preditor and basking in the warmth of my skin.
My good friend who told me his secret of appreciating life through the careful study of a single leaf is dealing with his own internal struggle of not wanting to believe in a God who can allow pain and suffering yet finding it difficult to refute the existance of a higher being when he examines that leaf. Admittedly, it breaks my heart that I can do my part to help lead what were once total strangers to the Lord (those total strangers are now my good friends!), but I can't lead the people who mean the most to me to my Savior. But, that's not the point of what I'm writing ... I just wanted to write this out because I didn't have my camera with me to take a picture of that little cicak. I guess sometimes a camera just gets in the way of truly capturing God's beauty, eh?! :)
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Window on the World (by Jimmy Buffett) or I've Been Everywhere, Man (by Johnny Cash)
There’s a debate between my dad and me as to exactly how old I was when I first visited Maine, my 50th state. I think it was when I was 16 while he says I was 15. I’m pretty sure I drove while I was there which would’ve made me 16, but we were in a rental car which means that it was illegal either way, so chances are I’m remembering it wrong and he is right (which he often is!) and I was actually 15. Either way, my traveling lifestyle started at a rather young age if I averaged 3 and a third states per year for the first decade and a half of my life.
It was right around that same time of my life that I got my first taste of a new continent. Europe, to be exact. I got to visit Scotland and England with my parents and my paternal grandma, Mimi. She’s 96 now (or is she 97 already?!) and our visit to her homeland together was the last time she was able to return to her place of birth and prime development. She showed us where she was born, where she grew up, where she went to school, where her father was buried (it was the first time she had ever seen his grave). It was an experience I will cherish for all my life. As well as being a treasured part of my adolescence and familial heritage, it enlightened me to world travel on a new scale … and I was hooked!
I know this sounds almost sick to most people who only dream of seeing more of the world then the city or state in which they grew up, but since that first European visit I’ve averaged going there about once every four years. It almost feels like a familiar hangout spot for me. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point. At the ripe old age of 28, including one time when I simply connected through Amsterdam on my way back to the states from India, I have visited Europe a grand total of five times (I think that’s right) and Asia a total of four times. Having been to three continents, and my fourth one a matter of weeks away, I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit all 50 states, seven Canadian provinces, and 27 countries (three more to come before November).
Two of the things that come as a result of traveling like this are jealousy/competition, and big dreams. One of my greatest accomplishments is that I managed to beat my parents, my traveling gurus, to Spain, Iceland, and Cuba … and they STILL haven’t made it to Iceland or Cuba!!! They got to Spain about a month after I was there (WHEW! That was close!!!). However, my greatest jealousy lies in the accomplishment my parents achieved when they visited their seventh continent, Antarctica! Maybe it’s because most people expect your 50th state to be Alaska while mine was Maine, but it is my personal goal to hit all seven continents, like my parents, only to make Antarctica number 6. This is all just a dream at this point, but it’s in the forefront of my mind. There are still two other continents to visit and TONS of countries I’ve never been to. That’s another problem with traveling a lot … it’s easy to focus more on where else there is to go rather then where you’ve been. However, it’s where you’ve been that make up who you are ;)
In no particular order:
1. Canada
2. Mexico
3. Guatemala
4. United States
5. Costa Rica
6. Holland
7. England
8. Scotland
9. Iceland
10. Lichtenstein
11. France
12. Spain
13. Germany
14. Italy
15. Switzerland
16. Czech Republic
17. Austria
18. Russia
19. Romania
20. Philippines
21. Cuba
22. Singapore
23. Japan
24. Indonesia
25. India
26. Malaysia
27. El Salvador
September/October 2006
28. Thailand
29. Australia
30. New Zealand
It was right around that same time of my life that I got my first taste of a new continent. Europe, to be exact. I got to visit Scotland and England with my parents and my paternal grandma, Mimi. She’s 96 now (or is she 97 already?!) and our visit to her homeland together was the last time she was able to return to her place of birth and prime development. She showed us where she was born, where she grew up, where she went to school, where her father was buried (it was the first time she had ever seen his grave). It was an experience I will cherish for all my life. As well as being a treasured part of my adolescence and familial heritage, it enlightened me to world travel on a new scale … and I was hooked!
I know this sounds almost sick to most people who only dream of seeing more of the world then the city or state in which they grew up, but since that first European visit I’ve averaged going there about once every four years. It almost feels like a familiar hangout spot for me. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point. At the ripe old age of 28, including one time when I simply connected through Amsterdam on my way back to the states from India, I have visited Europe a grand total of five times (I think that’s right) and Asia a total of four times. Having been to three continents, and my fourth one a matter of weeks away, I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit all 50 states, seven Canadian provinces, and 27 countries (three more to come before November).
Two of the things that come as a result of traveling like this are jealousy/competition, and big dreams. One of my greatest accomplishments is that I managed to beat my parents, my traveling gurus, to Spain, Iceland, and Cuba … and they STILL haven’t made it to Iceland or Cuba!!! They got to Spain about a month after I was there (WHEW! That was close!!!). However, my greatest jealousy lies in the accomplishment my parents achieved when they visited their seventh continent, Antarctica! Maybe it’s because most people expect your 50th state to be Alaska while mine was Maine, but it is my personal goal to hit all seven continents, like my parents, only to make Antarctica number 6. This is all just a dream at this point, but it’s in the forefront of my mind. There are still two other continents to visit and TONS of countries I’ve never been to. That’s another problem with traveling a lot … it’s easy to focus more on where else there is to go rather then where you’ve been. However, it’s where you’ve been that make up who you are ;)
In no particular order:
1. Canada
2. Mexico
3. Guatemala
4. United States
5. Costa Rica
6. Holland
7. England
8. Scotland
9. Iceland
10. Lichtenstein
11. France
12. Spain
13. Germany
14. Italy
15. Switzerland
16. Czech Republic
17. Austria
18. Russia
19. Romania
20. Philippines
21. Cuba
22. Singapore
23. Japan
24. Indonesia
25. India
26. Malaysia
27. El Salvador
September/October 2006
28. Thailand
29. Australia
30. New Zealand
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Waiting for the Next Explosion (by Jimmy Buffett)
Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and now more terrorist attacks … things really aren’t looking very promising lately. I’ve had some people email me and ask me if I’m still alive after they heard word of these natural disasters that have been occurring over here (I like to respond to emails like that and tell people that I died … it keeps people on their toes!), and now I have people warning me about the restrictions and dangers of flying. There are two things I want to make sure everyone is aware of:
1) I appreciate your thoughts, love, and concern!
2) I’m not about to let some crazy earthquake, volcano, tsunami, or even terrorists bring me down and bring an end to this adventure I call life ... it’s going to take the hand of God Himself for me to move on from this life and stand in His presence (it’s a little pact I made with God when I was younger … long story).
Now, it’s true that I may get hurt along the way, but that’s usually my own doing. I’m the one danger in my life that I can’t get away from. Other then that, know that I’m safe and having a grand ol’ time (even when things are tough). And when it comes to the obstacles of dealing with airline issues in the aftermath of terrorist threats, just know that I’ve done my share of traveling and I know how to find loop holes, work the system, and in a worst case scenario, I can be patient.
1) I appreciate your thoughts, love, and concern!
2) I’m not about to let some crazy earthquake, volcano, tsunami, or even terrorists bring me down and bring an end to this adventure I call life ... it’s going to take the hand of God Himself for me to move on from this life and stand in His presence (it’s a little pact I made with God when I was younger … long story).
Now, it’s true that I may get hurt along the way, but that’s usually my own doing. I’m the one danger in my life that I can’t get away from. Other then that, know that I’m safe and having a grand ol’ time (even when things are tough). And when it comes to the obstacles of dealing with airline issues in the aftermath of terrorist threats, just know that I’ve done my share of traveling and I know how to find loop holes, work the system, and in a worst case scenario, I can be patient.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Altered Boy (by Jimmy Buffett)
Here I sit in the dark with my friends and their families. It’s an interesting dynamic in one sense. The sense of community here is an aspect of this culture in which America could learn quite a bit. It seems most everywhere I go I see neighborhoods, villages, and islands where everyone knows each other and depends upon one another. Back in America it’s hard to make new friends, find love, or feel safe in most communities. It’s been years since I’ve lived anywhere where I knew my next door neighbor at all, let alone have I been friends with or even interacted with any of them on a regular basis. But here, community is everything … and it’s contagious! The three guys that run this company were best friends back in college … and each of their wives where in that same circle of friends. It was a small community in which they all got married and moved to the far side of the world together. Right now one family is back in the states (leaving me in a house all by myself) and half of another family is back there too. That leaves one full family, one father/husband that’s here alone, and one bachelor (me). So, here I sit in the dark during one of many power outages with a family that is mostly blood but entirely connected at the heart as we celebrate the birthday of the father/husband formerly mentioned. It is most certainly a birthday to remember.
Since I last wrote in here, quite a bit has happened in my life. The most significant experience was having Steve, my best friend, come spend a week and a half here with me. God has continuously shown me how loving and creative He is. Steve was exactly what I needed in the middle of a personal season of discouragement. Admittedly, I expected the mere presence of Steve to be enough to bring me out of my funk and give me the encouragement and energy to carry on. Seeing him as he pulled up to the jetty on the boat was a memory that I will cherish and carry with me for the rest of my life, and the high that hit me at that moment continued for at least a few days … but Steve wasn’t what my life was lacking. What God did, however, was use Steve as a tool, the only tool that would really work for me during my discouragement, to lead me back to leaning upon the Lord. There was no one else on this planet with whom I could have shared what I was going through and have pray for me like Steve. It took his understanding of who I am and how I deal with things as well as his heart, friendship, and voice of prayer to call upon the Holy Spirit to descend upon me to renew my strength. And it has taken the realization of his continued prayers for me, along with the prayers of so many others, to give my heart a renewed strength, peace, and focus. I still struggle to experience the joy I first felt upon my arrival here, but I once again have the patience, peace, and endurance that comes from the Lord on a daily basis that allows me to carry on.
There have been a total of nine different islands that have been visited throughout this “summer” … some of them I have visited more than once, only one of the nine did I not get to experience. Having visited eight islands with nine different groups, I’ve come to understand how crucial rest is within ministry. At one point I was determined to attend every island, but during my nearly week-long “vacation” in Singapore with two different groups that were en route back to the states, I realized that I needed to take a break and miss out on one of the island stays. Part of me regrets this decision, but I know it was a gift from God to give me the rest I needed. I have become known here as the professional napper. There have been times at Base Camp where I’ve taken naps that have lasted four hours or longer. Just last night I slept until noon. My body is wiped out and I’m not shy to sleep every chance I can get! Still, it saddens my heart to realize that there is only one group left and two more islands left to visit. The greatest encouragement is that the two islands consist of an island I’ve already visited and has been my absolute favorite island (seriously, I could live there … these people are some of the greatest people I’ve met throughout my world travels!) and the other island hasn’t been visited by this organization since they were forced to flee in the middle of the night for their own safety several years ago. God has been doing some great work in both these islands and I’m incredibly blessed to be able to be a part of this next group. I’m stoked!!! But then, it’s over.
I have a couple different times where I’ll be back between travels where I may be able to attend a follow-up visit, and I plan on coming back for about two weeks after I finish up in Australia and New Zealand. The funny thing is, my biggest concern at this point is money. I have a connection here with this country, the people, the organization with which I’ve been working, and the team with whom I’ve been living that would make it easy to stay. If it weren’t for the fact that I have no way to make money while I’m here, I dare say I wouldn’t leave. But, it seems to me that God is calling me back to the states. Maybe it’s to raise money to come back. Maybe it’s to realize that God is calling me to something more than just staying in one place. Maybe it’s to find a partner with whom I can travel and serve. Whatever the reason, I’m heading back to the states the beginning of November. In some ways it feels like my seven and a half months is coming to a close … in another sense it feels like my adventure is about to begin, going to at least three new countries and serving at a totally different capacity through networking and promoting. The question remains where I will live, how I’ll make money, what will happen to me relationally, and where God is going to take my life in general. I suppose that’s just a part of the adventurous journey of life though. I still have three months to wait and see where the Lord will take my life upon my return. I’ll let you know what happens as soon as I know anything!
Since I last wrote in here, quite a bit has happened in my life. The most significant experience was having Steve, my best friend, come spend a week and a half here with me. God has continuously shown me how loving and creative He is. Steve was exactly what I needed in the middle of a personal season of discouragement. Admittedly, I expected the mere presence of Steve to be enough to bring me out of my funk and give me the encouragement and energy to carry on. Seeing him as he pulled up to the jetty on the boat was a memory that I will cherish and carry with me for the rest of my life, and the high that hit me at that moment continued for at least a few days … but Steve wasn’t what my life was lacking. What God did, however, was use Steve as a tool, the only tool that would really work for me during my discouragement, to lead me back to leaning upon the Lord. There was no one else on this planet with whom I could have shared what I was going through and have pray for me like Steve. It took his understanding of who I am and how I deal with things as well as his heart, friendship, and voice of prayer to call upon the Holy Spirit to descend upon me to renew my strength. And it has taken the realization of his continued prayers for me, along with the prayers of so many others, to give my heart a renewed strength, peace, and focus. I still struggle to experience the joy I first felt upon my arrival here, but I once again have the patience, peace, and endurance that comes from the Lord on a daily basis that allows me to carry on.
There have been a total of nine different islands that have been visited throughout this “summer” … some of them I have visited more than once, only one of the nine did I not get to experience. Having visited eight islands with nine different groups, I’ve come to understand how crucial rest is within ministry. At one point I was determined to attend every island, but during my nearly week-long “vacation” in Singapore with two different groups that were en route back to the states, I realized that I needed to take a break and miss out on one of the island stays. Part of me regrets this decision, but I know it was a gift from God to give me the rest I needed. I have become known here as the professional napper. There have been times at Base Camp where I’ve taken naps that have lasted four hours or longer. Just last night I slept until noon. My body is wiped out and I’m not shy to sleep every chance I can get! Still, it saddens my heart to realize that there is only one group left and two more islands left to visit. The greatest encouragement is that the two islands consist of an island I’ve already visited and has been my absolute favorite island (seriously, I could live there … these people are some of the greatest people I’ve met throughout my world travels!) and the other island hasn’t been visited by this organization since they were forced to flee in the middle of the night for their own safety several years ago. God has been doing some great work in both these islands and I’m incredibly blessed to be able to be a part of this next group. I’m stoked!!! But then, it’s over.
I have a couple different times where I’ll be back between travels where I may be able to attend a follow-up visit, and I plan on coming back for about two weeks after I finish up in Australia and New Zealand. The funny thing is, my biggest concern at this point is money. I have a connection here with this country, the people, the organization with which I’ve been working, and the team with whom I’ve been living that would make it easy to stay. If it weren’t for the fact that I have no way to make money while I’m here, I dare say I wouldn’t leave. But, it seems to me that God is calling me back to the states. Maybe it’s to raise money to come back. Maybe it’s to realize that God is calling me to something more than just staying in one place. Maybe it’s to find a partner with whom I can travel and serve. Whatever the reason, I’m heading back to the states the beginning of November. In some ways it feels like my seven and a half months is coming to a close … in another sense it feels like my adventure is about to begin, going to at least three new countries and serving at a totally different capacity through networking and promoting. The question remains where I will live, how I’ll make money, what will happen to me relationally, and where God is going to take my life in general. I suppose that’s just a part of the adventurous journey of life though. I still have three months to wait and see where the Lord will take my life upon my return. I’ll let you know what happens as soon as I know anything!
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