Moving house Cambodian style!

Hooray, I'm moved! No more 20 minute moto rides to or from school each day (more in peak hours). I can walk to school. The last two weeks have been somewhat hectic, but thanks to some great help from a very good friend, I'm happy to say the move was accomplished with no disasters. I was very grateful for the loan of a truck from the owner of our school, along with a driver, and the help of some of the guards/van assistants and our PE teaching assistant. It took two loads, but we were all done by 1pm. I then took all my helpers that I could out for lunch, which they really enjoyed, and gave them a small (by Australian standards) cash payment for their help. They all walked away with big smiles on their faces. Here are a few snaps of the second truckload. I will admit that "Yes, I have a lot of stuff!".

Cheerful workers! Note that table has a glass top!

No, we didn't lose anything along the way.

Casualties were minor as far as I know. I still haven't opened the "glasses" box, but I'm hopeful.

So far my bedroom is almost organised and the living room is reasonably presentable, although there are still some items that need to be unpacked for that room. I have my computer and printer set up, so I'm able to get some school work done as well as communicate with the world. My goal is to having everything unpacked and put away by next Sunday afternoon. We'll see how we go. It took me two weeks and a motivating helper to get the packing done, but I'd really like to be fully set up by the end of next weekend. I think it's doable!

Thanks to all who have helped with the move, either financially or in prayer, or in practical ways (like inviting me over for dinner or going out for dinner with me or helping with the move or packing!). God is very good to me, and I thank Him for providing all the assistance that I needed, and for giving me the strength I needed as well.

What a week! And it's not over yet.

Hooray, I got the keys to my new apartment today, and delivered them to the company that will install the air conditioner and hot water for me. They'll drop the keys back to be at school ready for the big move on Saturday!

This week is flying past. It's Wednesday night already, and I'm wondering what happened to the last few days. Here's a quick snapshot

Sunday afternoon I attended the wedding reception of a colleague. Yes, that's right, the reception. For those not familiar with Cambodian weddings, only family and very close friends are usually invited to attend the ceremony (which often starts at 6am in the morning), then a much larger number are invited to the "reception" in the afternoon or evening. This isn't always the case. Christian weddings tend to be a little different, although often with some elements of the traditional Khmer wedding. The reception is often held in a "tent" on the street outside the bride's family home, but on this occasion it was held at a large function centre (along with several other weddings in different floors of the same building). The bride & groom and their attendants welcome the guests at the entrance, but rarely actually get to sit down and enjoy the meal. In this photo the groom is probably wearing his third or fourth outfit for the day, and his bride was wearing a beautifully matching gown in the same royal blue. Most people dress up for weddings, so I did dress up a little. I rarely wear long pants here, and the shirt I'm wearing is a special one not worn for every day. I even left my hair down! After an hour and a half of very very loud music, as well as some interesting food, some colleagues and I headed home. The music was good quality, just 3 times the volume it needed to be (that's normal here).

Monday was a busy day at school, with students writing comments to go on their report cards, as well as the more usual things. After school a colleague and I headed to Central Market, where she needed to pick up some t-shirts for our school concert on Thursday evening, and I needed to buy some. My colleague got most of her needs, and I placed an order for mine, then we both raced the rain home (and didn't beat it). In fact, we were both very glad we had rain coats on, as we had a wonderful tropical thunderstorm, with drenching rain. Fortunately I managed to get home before any of the roads I needed to take were flooded!

Tuesday we got the report cards finished, and had a usual Tuesday of school work, finishing the afternoon with a practice for the school concert. Having done "bush dancing" as part of our music program this year, my class will be performing the Virginia Reel. The practice went well, but in the excitement and busyness of that, as well as after-school Maths program, I forgot to send the report cards home! Ooops!!! I did however manage to get back to the market to pick up my t-shirts, and also some for my colleague that she couldn't get the day before. This time I arrived home with seconds to spare! In fact the rain started about 15 seconds after I drove through the front gate! Later I walked around the corner to a new "supermarket" (think a small independent grocery store in Australia - definitely no Woolworths or Coles), to get some laundry detergent and a few other items. That was necessary so I could wash the "new" smell out of the t-shirts. Having packed most of my clothes for the move, it was easy enough to find coat hangers to hang 24 t-shirts up to dry. That was Tuesday night.

Eek, it's Wednesday already. The day passed much as usual, with no major excitements in the classroom, but at least I remembered to send the report cards home today. Then it was time to dash to the bank so I could pay the first 2 weeks rent, and pick up the keys to the apartment. Done! Drop the keys off to the A/C installer, and then home to prepare music folders for Sunday. Yep, playing piano for church the day after I move (Whose idea was that? Oh, that's right it was mine, so I could go to the wedding last Sunday night.). That job almost done, a friend arrived for dinner, and to sort out her music for the morning service. She helped fold the 24 t-shirts, and then we enjoyed my helper's cooking!

Now it's time for bed! Tomorrow is going to be one very busy day. Concert practice in the morning from 8.00 to 9.30am, then usual Thursday routine, then the concert tomorrow evening. Here's hoping everyone arrives on time, and the concert goes smoothly. Friday night I'll have to finish packing, ready for the big move on Saturday. Next blog I'll hopefully be able to share some highlights of the concert, and maybe some photos of the move! Bye for now. God is good. He cares for me in all the little and big things that are part of my days, even when things don't go smoothly, I know He is with me, guiding me through each day. Thank you Jesus!

One week to go!

No, there's two weeks until the end of school, but just one more week until I move house!

I'm really excited about this move. I will be living just one block from school, so no more twice daily trips across town in peak hour traffic. The new apartment is also completely separate from both the apartment above and the apartment below, so I'm hoping that I won't have to endure some of the smells and noise that I do currently, where the kitchen has "walls" that are open above about 7 feet to the internal staircase up from the ground floor (which is open to their kitchen). At least not as often anyway! Also, if I accidentally leave something at home, I will be able to go home and get it. Currently that would take the better part of an hour, so I just have to do without, and that hasn't always been ideal or pleasant.

However, between now and then, life is going to be busy, busy, busy! Tomorrow is my own, but Sunday afternoon I have a colleague's wedding to attend. On Tuesday afternoon, report cards will go home, Wednesday afternoon I pick up the keys and pay the first two weeks rent, and on Thursday we have our Grade 1 to 8 end of year concert. Sometime Thursday or Friday the air-conditioning and hot water units will be installed, so I'll have to find time to check those as well. I'm definitely not going to have time to be bored.

Praise God for His provision of sufficient finances to cover the costs associated with this move. He is good, and He provides all we need, and even meets needs we neglect to give Him, but try to handle ourselves. God is good. Nothing I could do could ever make me good enough for Him, but He loves me anyway, and cares for me in ways beyond my wildest imaginings. Thank you God!

The highlight of this week was the arrival of our Scholastic Bookclub orders yesterday morning. The children were greatly excited by that. There was some frustration with the number of "out of stock" items, but in the end most of the children who ordered books received them. We're looking forward to a truly "international" catalogue next school year, with the hope that there will be no "unavailable" items and less "out of stock" items.

Well, I'd better go and get those grades finalised and into the computer so I can finish the report cards off tomorrow! Maybe I'll pack a box or two tonight as well. We'll see.

Perspective

This evening as I sit in my apartment, enjoying the freedom of quiet time alone with my computer, with the breeze from the fan keeping me comfortable, I got to thinking about how we so often get things out of perspective.

One of the things that prompted these thoughts was reading a special friend's blog. As I read of her struggles, as she and her husband continue to love and care for her 18 month old with special needs as well as their three older children, I had to think how blessed I am. There are days when I'm tired, when I don't want to think about moving house, when I wonder how I'm going to get all my grading done and my reports completed, when I can't wait to move house because of the "yucky" (to me) smells coming up from downstairs or the sounds of the screaming toddler also coming up from downstairs, when I just feel like I've had enough. Then I read my friend's blog. Or I read another friend's blog, of her struggles with juggling raising three active boys in a country of small houses. What do I have to complain about? I don't go to bed at night wondering how many times I'll be wakened by the needs of child whom I love to pieces, and yet wish he didn't have to struggle so hard just to live. I don't have to consider anyone else when I plan my holidays, much less 3 active boys! I really do have it pretty easy!

God has given me the gift of singleness. Yes, I do think it is a gift. There are times when I long for the companionship of a partner, or the joys of raising children, but what I really know is that God has chosen me for the place where I am now. I know that marriage and parenting are not easy, but there are benefit too! The same is true of singleness.

Being single I have a freedom to serve God in ways that might not otherwise be possible. I also know that the only person that I can lean on, knowing He will never let me down, is God. Would I be tempted to lean on a partner when I should be leaning on God. Quite possibly. Would I be serving in Cambodia if I was married with kids? Probably not, although I know many who are.

So, when things get you down, or it just all seems too much to handle, have a look at some of the other people around you, and know that God gives us just what we can handle. To my friends whose blogs I've mentioned, you guys are amazing! Yes, I know you are very human, but I also see you lean on the only One who truly understands, and am encouraged and challenged to do likewise! Thank you my friends.

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

“The Final Summit” was a little disappointing, but still a good read.

Imagine travelling through time and meeting with hundreds of famous people from through out history. Imagine the challenge of finding one principal that will “save humanity”. That was the task facing David Ponder and the other "Travelers". Faced with a trickling hour glass, and opportunity only to seek the advice of five of the hundreds of Travelers, the task seems overwhelming. Will they discover the principal? Who will come up with it?

The book is scattered with stories from history as well as deeply thoughtful discussions. There are famous quotes and challenging ideas. There are believable characters, and an unbelievable, yet strangely believable setting. The stories and ideas are woven together to keep the reader turning the pages to see what will happen next.

If you have your own idea about what is necessary to “save humanity”, then this is a great read. Be prepared to have your ideas challenged and to be inspired to action. The main disappointment I had with this book was the emphasis on what humanity can do to save humanity. If you can accept that, then this book is definitely worth reading.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Wondering ...

Just wondering why so many tough things happen in this world. Today I was alerted to two sad events that have occurred to young people connected with people I know. The first, a Logos graduate from two years ago (Class of 2009) is in hospital in Holland in a coma, having been diagnosed with cancer and complications. The second, a year 12 student at a Christian school in Tokyo, was killed in a motorbike accident this morning. Those are just two events that I know about. My friends in Tokyo are struggling with this, especially coming on top of the March earthquake and tsunami, and associated events. I suspect the classmates of the Logos student are also struggling, although I also know they will be praying hard for her and her family. We may never know why these things happened. It's not easy to deal with them, but for me, I have to hold on to the truth, "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28). It is hard to understand how He does this, but I do know that He does what He has promised. Let's pray today for those young people and their families who are going through tough times. Pray they will all know the comfort that only God can bring. Pray for the "peace that passes understanding" to fill their lives as they grapple with these situations. And while we're praying, let's pray for young people generally. Pray that they will know Christ. Pray that God will work in their lives. Pray that they will be surrounded by people who truly care for them. Bad things happen in this world, but there is a good God in charge.

Some thoughts on grace.

Isn't God's grace a wonderful gift to us! A long time ago, I learned to define grace as "God's riches at Christ's expense". Oh what a simplification that is. This year I have learned so much more about God's grace.

 

Why the deep thoughts? Well on Tuesday a very special friend of mine, who has 4 children, one of whom has considerable health problems, posted a link to this blog. She also posted the quote below which comes from the end of the video on the blog:

"God brings us to the end of ourselves, the end of our strength and wits. He destroys our pride and self-confidence in order to reveal to us His grace. Your circumstances don’t define God’s love for you. The cross defines His love for you. Your circumstances are merely used to point you towards that love. To bring you to a point of desperation where you kneel at the cross and surrender all of your strength for all of his grace."

 

God's grace is so much more than we can imagine. I'm still reading an awesome book that I got from Booksneeze.com, titled Captured by Grace, which has alternatively challenged and encouraged me. I'll write a review on it sometime soon, but one really important gem I discovered was how the brother of the prodigal son needed grace just as much as the prodigal son! Now in theory I knew that, but something about the way it was written in this book really hit me. God is so good.

 

The author of the quote was speaking from personal experiences, and I'm not proud to say that God did this to me too! It's not a good thing that sometimes He needs us to go through really tough experiences so that we can receive His love and grace in all it's fullness, but praise Him that He cares enough about us to take us where we need to go, all the while holding us safely in His hand.

 

This year, I have experienced God's grace in a way I hadn't before. He continues to work in me, and I know I'm still a work in progress, but I want to thank Him for all He has given me this year, and all He has brought me through. I pray that I will continue to serve Him while continuing to develop a deeper and fuller understanding of His grace.

 

What about you? Have you seen God's grace this year? Care to share?