Two-three.
I rang in my twenty-third birthday this month. To be sure, my birthday was a time of celebration, remembering all I've been blessed with and excitement for the year to come. Much has happened, both externally and internally, in the past year; I can't imagine what this next year has in store for me. The biggest themes running through my life these days are love and freedom. More than ever before, I've come to realize the love God has for me. As I've encountered God's love and come to understand it more, I've been able to love myself more. But it doesn't end with me,… Read more >>
Paradox
“I love paradoxes. The universe seems to communicate it’s deepest truths hidden in opposing tensions. Almost as if to confuse the selfish and simple minded. It put its treasures in mysterious limbo, only to be uncovered by the calm or crushed soul that relaxes into mystery out of curiosity or exhaustion. You have to stop fighting to see it. And once there, you see beautiful the paradoxes everywhere. You won’t find yourself until you lose yourself. If you want love, you must give it away. If you want people to like you, you must first forget about yourself and like other people. If you want… Read more >>
Rafting in the Rain
We drive for more than an hour before we reach our destination: Nakhon Nayok, a province just northeast of Bangkok. It gives me those pleasant, small town vibes I don’t feel very often because I spend most of my days in a concrete jungle. It’s always nice getting out of the city for a bit, even if it’s just for a few hours. I appreciate the fresh air, the abundance of greenery, and the mountains lining the horizon. The beauty of this country never ceases to amaze me. Everyone is in the raft waiting for me. There are seven boys, all of whom are in the soccer program; Sprite, their coach, my… Read more >>
Ethnic Identity
Never have I deeply thought about or developed a strong sense of my own ethnic identity. And then I came to Thailand. It’s not hard to imagine I’m an ethnic minority here. Every day since I’ve been here, if I have not been consciously aware of the fact that I am white, I have had the stares, body language, and interactions of everyone around me to remind me of it. Naturally, we’re quick to notice what is different in our world. It’s human nature. In a sea of faces we’re going to notice those who do not look like the rest before we notice anyone else. In and of itself this is not a bad thing.… Read more >>