Joy in the Journey

Flags of Remembrance ANF 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

2011-09-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

Took a walk today, to visit the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial.

On Sept. 11, 2001 at 9:37 am an airplane crashed into the side of the Pentagon, killing 184 people and injuring many others.

The Memorial site is a quiet spot tucked into one of the sides of the Pentagon. It is a silent remembrance to those lost and to their families and friends, and to a nation.

The buildings in the area where I live are displaying huge flags in honor and remembrance.

It is an awesome sight to see.

God bless America!

Birthday Celebration / Lancaster PA

2011-07-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

My birthday Celebration was a trip to Lancaster, PA. Above is the Central Market where you can find fresh cut grass feed beef, fresh vegatables, crafts, quilts, aisles full of yummy treats and good to eats...and I got some homemade FUDGE....mmmmmmm.

Another photo of the Central Market.

Believe it or not, these are flowers carved out of wood! Beautiful !

Who doesn't want to shop at a Target that has it's own Horse and Buggy parking spaces??

The entrance to the Amish Farm and House. We toured an Amish home and walked around the farm. We saw cute goats, pigs and old tools and buggies.

AND...we watched this fella whittle/carve small roosters and items from branches. We watched while he carved about 5 curly tail feathers onto a small rooster. Then he took the toothpick sliver of wood left over and made a cute little flower that he gave us. It was absoulutely incredible to see the work he does!

....... a close-up of him carving the tail feathers.

We drove down the road to Bird-in-Hand and took a buggy ride ..This is Magic our horse!

Our driver, Reuben was quite the storyteller and made the ride so enjoyable! We drove down the busy street, clip clopping along slowly. We drove through some beautiful Amish farmlands and our driver told us about farming and life in the Amish community.

Looking across a field of soybeans at a farm with many silos. Notice the clothes line that is on a pulley cable allowing a looooong line of clothes to flutter in the breeze.

A quiet pond we drove past.

Driving under an old railroad bridge toward the end of our ride.

We ended our day with a fantastic meal at a Sonic Drive-in. (Haven't seen one of these since leaving Vegas! ...... mmmmm yummy!) I have a GREAT birthday celebration!!

And I was able to check-off another thing from my "Bucket List" ride in an Amish Buggy! FUN!

Antietam

2011-05-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

Antietam Civil War Battlefield, in and around the small town of Sharpsburg MD. The site of the bloodiest single day battle of the war. Aanytime you visit a battlefield, expect to see lots of beautiful grassy rolling hills AND start your visit at the Visitors Center! Here I saw a one hour video of the whole day of battle presented by civil war re-enactors. Then when I took the driving tour of the battlefield, I could imagine what happened at each place.

This is "Burnside Bridge" the site of a 3-4 hour long battle to cross the bridge and engage in combat. Today it is a serene and lovely picnic spot and now my screensaver!

By mid summer this will be a new cornfield. The cornfild was the site of countless battles and chaos one side and then the other side winning at times and so many deaths.

An example of the beautiful grassy rolling hills that surround this area and were the sites of many battles during the day.

The Sunken Road. One of the most famous sites of this battlefield. Go online and read about it.

Another view of the Sunken Road. And an excellent example of the split-rail fences used during this time of the civil war.

Statutes and monuments and memorials are everywhere around the battlefield, to dedicate and remember fallen soldiers and their regiments.

A monument at the edge of the Cornfield battle area.

Some of the cannons you will see around the park.

Watching the video of the battle left quite an impression on me. Then when I started driving the tour of the battlefields..... I was amazed at the area it covered. One regiment hiked/ran 17 miles from Harpers Ferry that day and still engaged in long battles. Driving from site to site, I drove around present day farms and through parts of the town... the battlefield is a LARGE area!

And a little sidebar of fun...... At one point the tour takes you down a few streets of the town. As I was entering the town on my war to Antietam, I noticed that the folks were setting up for a parade. Well as I was driving through town on my battlefield tour, suddenly I noticed that the street ahead was blocked and the parade was going by, I was going to back up and turn around and go out the way I had just come BUT in those few moments (yes moments) the street was closed and blocked for the parade behind me..... so I sat out the parade in my car, watching the parade go by and eating my picnic lunch, which I was able to offer to the other two cars that were blocked in with me. Memories are made. And I saw my first battlefield.

blossoms of Spring

2011-05-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoyed a little taste of the beauty that I enjoy as I drive to my different work sites every day. I am sooooooo blessed. Spring is wonderful in Northern Virginia!

Christmas trees around DC

2010-12-29T18:17:00.001-08:00

This evening I finally made it down to see the NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE. It's pretty big and quite colorful. There are several train sets set up around the bottom of the tree. Folks can walk all the way around it And then there are small trees about 5 feet tall set up along the walkways representing all the states and territories.

Here you can see the National Christmas tree, some small state trees, and the Washington Monument.

The National Christmas tree is set up in the eclipse, if you look one way...you see the back of the WHITE HOUSE and the other way...you see the Washington Monument.

The lights and decorations are a net laid over the whole tree.

Overheard while at the National Christmas tree................. A young dad says to his young son,,, okay son, now it's time for us to start saying goodbye to the tree because it's just about time for us to go. Son: no daddy no and he starts to cry. Dad: we don't have to go just yet. Let's go ask mommy how we'll say goodbye okay. Son: okay dad. And thankfully mommy had an idea and a short time later I saw this little family walking away and the son was smiling and skipping.

Here is a huge christmas tree set up in front of the US capitol building. This year, this tree comes from the state of Wyoming and all the decorations were made by school children from Wyoming. The day I saw it we were having 30 - 45 mph winds...it WAS cold and windy...I could "hear" the tree before I got near to it. Many of the ornaments were made of tin or metal etc and they clanged and banged and jungled in the wind.

Inside the US Botanical Gatdens near the Capitol building, there was another very decorated Christmas tree. It was SO cold and windy outside, and inside, well...I could NOT get my jacket off quick enough! It was warm and toasty and the displays were lovely.

Here's the full tree... lovely.

And here is the Christmas tree in the front of a Lutheran church that I visited recently.

a close up of a dove ornament.

Wishing you all a joyful and blessed 2011. Happy New Year!!

A Christmas Memory

2010-12-21T19:15:00.001-08:00

Last sunday I decided to attend a nearby Lutheran church service.... I was wanted to see an Advent wreath and sing some christmas Hymns.
Well I was definitely NOT disappointed AND..... I got a little trip down Memory Lane when I saw their Christmas Tree.
One of my favorite memories from my childhood is making Christmons to decorate the huge tree at the church we attended. "What's a christmon you ask?????"
Well they are symbols from the christian faith. We always made them from sheets of white styrofoam. My dad would use his exacto knife to cut them out and then we kids would cover them in glitter!!!! We would have a family gathering at church where we'd make these sparkly decorations, the Pastor would explain the meanings behind each symbol and then we'd hang them on the tree. And then every sunday I'd sit and stare at "MY" ornaments on the tree....So beautiful.
So this last Sunday I was thinking about my dad and the joyful times we spent making these unique ornaments for the tree..... and I discovered that a tree decorated with Christmons is still just as lovely today as it was in my memory.
Merry Christmas and Joy to the world the Lord has come!!!

blessings,

Pam

Beautiful Fall Colors

2010-10-31T07:37:00.001-07:00

Beautiful day to take in the Skyline Drive in the Shennandoah National Park.

Fantastic views as far as the eye could see.

great colors

My favorite photo of Fall color................. at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland at a Women's retreat

Swallow Tail Falls and canyon hike with some gals from the retreat

My favorite spot to sit and take in the fall colors surrounding the cabin we stayed at during the retreat.

Fireworks

2010-07-06T06:41:00.001-07:00

We hit the metro around 8 PM with "thousands" of others, all heading to the National Mall. It was crowded and everyone was looking forward to a fun evening. Here you can see nothing but people trying to get out of the metro, up the escalator, and people trying to get off the trains and into the lines of folks on the platform.

We arrived on the National Mall. No grass to be seen, only a sea of people sitting, standing, walking...and waiting for the fireworks to begin. enlarge this photo and you will see a carpet of people, everywhere. We found space to stand in a closed off street near the Washington Monument.

And the fireworks begin...................

they were spectacular, and fun and full of ahhhhhhhhhs!

Red, white, and blue.......just right for the 4th !

Afterwards, we joined the mass of folks walking up the streets and out of the area..."our moonlight stroll" past the White House. We joined the crowds to squeeze into the full beyond capacity metro and headed home to the cats and air conditioning!

A really fun and memorable evening. When in the Washington DC area, everyone should experience the 4th on the Mall at least once!!

Happy summer

blessings,

Pam

sorry I don't think my firework videos made it here!

God bless America

2010-07-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

I found this poem the other day.............

Freedom

by Sharon Dyer

The Fourth of July is special to me
Not just because of its great history
But because God's own gracious hand
Has blessed and stretched across our land.

On this day we remember those who've gone
To foreign lands and fought bravely on
Those who have laid down their very lives
So you and I could proper and thrive.

A day to recall that we have choices
To worship freely and lift our voices
The privilege to vote and take a stand
A right not known in every land.

So on this day when flags freely fly
And brillant fireworks burst in the sky
Let us remember to look above
And remain true to the land we love.

Happy Fourth of July weekend. Celebrate, enjoy and be thankful, for we are indeed blessed.

blessings, pam

Memorial Weekend

2010-05-30T15:39:00.001-07:00

A short 5-10 minute walk from where I live...and I was at the Arlington National Cemetery.

In the distance, across the green lawn, and through the trees, I could see the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.

It is a huge statue and today it was surrounded by a crowd of Veterans and their families.

Over the hill you enter the Arlington Cemetery. For Memorial Weekend each marker has received a flag, more than 320,000 flags were placed.

Walking down to the entrance to catch the Metro back home.

Across the Potomac River I could see the capitol building, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. And summer has arrived in DC.

Thank you to all those who are serving or who have served in our U.S. Armed Forces and to their families. Thank you for the freedoms I enjoy every day. God Bless America.

Spring arrives

2010-04-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

Spring arrives in Washington DC in the celebration of the Cherry blossom festival ! and what a beautiful way to open tourist season and welcome warm temperatures after a snowy winter.

My daughter and I rode the metro into the city and arrived on the National Mall, with thousands of folks from all over the USA and overseas.

Venders selling trinkets and food... folks playing frisbee or tossing a football ...babies crying in their strollers ...crowds trying to figure out which way to go... and cameras snapping photos in every direction...

Yep...this was a fun sight to see.... there are many ways to see the sights, walk, bus, bike, and of course the ever popular sedway!!

Everywhere you look, folks are enjoying just Being Here! bring your blanket and picnic basket and stay for the day. The fragrance of the cherry blossoms was ever present and oh so delightful.

From the metro exit, we walked passed the Washington monument, across the National Mall, crossing several streets and finally arrived with the crowd at the Tidal Basin... the whold place was cherry blossoms.

...the Jefferson memorial.

Take a moment, and enjoy the view....

When the breeze blew...we found ourselves walking in a snow of cherry blossoms...lovely.

The crowd was so thick and moved S-l-o-w-l-y because everyone was snapping photos and searching for that perfect group shot... AND all the while, you had to keep alert because the branches of the trees are low and one must duck under the branches here and there. (how thoughtful to add a sense of adventure and obstacle course to the day ha!)

Here is how the scene appeared all day long..... every inch filled with folks from all over, enjoying the experience.

Don't I look lovely with cherry blossoms ?????

Once we had walked around the ENTIRE Tidal basin and snapped a zillion photos...and let me rest my poor feet by sitting on a park bench or two ... we made our way back out onto the National Mall. We saw the WWII memorial, looked down the long refection pool to our next destination... The Lincoln Memorial.

Here I am at the top of the steps looking out at the Reflection Pool, the Washington Monument and the Capitol building . What an incredible sight ! We walked down these steps and over to the Viet Nam War memorial. After a day filled with constant noise of happy voices, the Viet Nam Memorial was a quiet, reflective walk. We then strolled a few blocks passed quaint old row houses and the George Washington University campus where students were out enjoying spring break and a sunny afternoon, caught the metro and headed home. My feet were tired, but my smile was still on my face. I am proud to be an American. Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

A reminder of where I am...

2010-03-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

I was walking down the street after delivering some paperwork, I looked up...and there was the capital building!! yep I am in washington DC ha!

February blizzard

2010-02-07T10:44:00.001-08:00

Here I am out front of my apartment building the day after our Blizzard! Yep, that's me in long pants and a fleece jacket!

That's my apartment building. Walked up the street today to pick up some soda and snacks etc for the superbowl game today. It was so sunny and nice out and everyone else was out walking and enjoying the day.

Most of the cities in the area closed down at noon on friday to get everyone home before the big blizzard arrived. friday evening and most of saturday the winds blew and the snow fell. The area received 18-30 inches of snow.

I am enjoying the snow, after two years in thailand and five years in Las vegas...It is so much fun to experience WINTER!!!

The trees are so beautiful. My area did NOT have power outages, so that means I was snug and cozy.

And did I say...I love snow!! hahahaha! (and church service was live online today!)

Happy Winter.

Pam

a great way to start my day

2010-01-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

On my way to work yesterday, I stepped off the city bus into about 3 inches of fresh snow and immediately my ears were met with that oh so delightful sound..."crunch" resulting in a smile on my face and a song in my heart. "hear the snow crunch" and my head was singing the old song Silver Bells. Was it chilly outside? Oh yes. Was my heart warm and joyfilled.... YES indeed!
A great way to start the day!

And the new year resolutions begin

2010-01-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

I resolve to be...
joyful in hope....patient in affliction....faithful in prayer.... romans 12:12

Happy 2010

2009-12-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

wishing you each a joyfilled new year of 2010 !!
pam

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

This Christmas may you enjoy the promise of our Savior and the hope of all nations, Christ the Lord. Wishing you a delightful Christmas season.

Below are some special Christmas memories from last year when I was able to visit one of the largest refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border. The children presented songs in English and Karen. I hope you enjoy thier songs of hope.

Joy to the World,

Pam

Metro riding mama

2009-12-20T20:42:00.001-08:00

I had NEVER even seen a metro (subway system) in real life before arriving here in the DC area. And now, I ride it everyday to get to and from work...and I love it! This photo is of the escalator I ride down into the underground and back up to ground level each day. It takes about 45 seconds to ride it down and my daughter discovered online, that this is the third longest escalator ride in the world...so its a fun, long, historic ride ha!

This is the quiet, and pretty empty metro station where I am waiting for my train at the end of my work day to take me home. (It gets busy and very full, about 3 stops later!)

Anyway, now I am a metro-riding-mama.

the snow storm starts...

2009-12-19T09:37:00.001-08:00

It's noon and the eastern coast snowstorm is settling in on the area !! SNOW....yep I am enjoying the experience.

SNOW !!

2009-12-18T20:05:00.001-08:00

You heard me right! I get to have a white christmas this year. It is snowing outside right now AND the weatherman predicts 12-24 inches of snow tomorrow. (which will be history setting for the area "the biggest snowfall in the DC area in DEcember since the 1930s) and I get to enjoy it!

Yep, I am excited! And man, did I freeze on my way to work today. I definitely have to buy me a hat and scarf and mittens!

The photos above are taken off the balcony as it started snowing.... I'll post some REAL snow photos later this weekend. and I am smiling............. love it !!

pam

Hello Washington DC area!!

2009-12-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

Yep..my new "home" is the DC area!
Of course if you are FROM this area...you call it the Washington area!! What I have discovered is that when I tell folks I am from Washington STATE, they don't "hear" the state part, and ask me "what part of Washington are you from?" Stay tuned for photos and stories from my new experiences.
The Adventure Continues.....................

Leaving Las Vegas !!

2009-12-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

I've lived here for 5 years, but never made it down to have a photo by the famous sign...so had to make a last trip to see the Strip one more time before we left!

The new journey starts with a single step...

2009-12-03T10:36:00.001-08:00

And driving lots and lots of miles through.....
Nevada.... Arizona..... New Mexico..... Texas..... Oklahoma..... Arkansas..... Tennesse..... Virginia

In the Pioneer days, folks loaded up their wagon with all their belongings, headed out and traveled 10 miles in a good day and after months and months, perhaps seasons and seasons..they finally arrived at thier destination ONLY to have to cut down trees and build their home. And they said good bye to family perhaps forever.

When I flew to Thailand, I got on an airplane and 20 hours later I was in my new city.

Our new journey took me 4 long days of watching the landscape change and seeing places pass my window that I had seen on tv or read about in history books. My grandCats took turns sitting on my lap, while my daughter drove the rental truck.... and then Here we are...

In the new location for the next step and the Journey starts fresh again........

Leaving Thailand
Leaving Las vegas

Hello Washington DC area!!

4th of July in the USA.....WOW

2009-07-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

Fireworks in the USA..... how exciting and what a thrill !

Last year, my daughter, Stacey and I attended the U.S. Consolate 4th of July celebration in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was a fun memory, very different and a touch of "home". But I have to tell you, watching the fireworks this year, after enjoying a BBQ meal and fun with friends was the ultimate experience. After living two years in a foreign country, I really treasure what our freedoms means. We have been blessed to be born in a country where we live out our freedoms everyday. They feel as natural as the air we breathe. I sure appreciate my wonderful country. God bless America. Land that I love.

Hope you are enjoying your July!!

Pam

Oh and the fireworks display here in Vegas....... WOW !!!

Welcome to the USA

2009-06-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

It IS official............... I Have arrived in the USA with my two grandCats, Magellan and Simone.

Looking forward to some rest and relaxation AND especially to some Connecting with friends and family. So if you are reading this........... email me with your phone number and let's share some stories and lots of laughs.

blessings

Pam

Every Morning he Comes..............

2009-05-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

Every morning between 6:00 and 6:15, he comes walking down the street. I don't have to look at a clock to know he's coming, I can just look out and see the preparation happening in my neighborhood to know..it's almost time for him to arrive.
Who is he? He is one of the monks from the local temple about 2 miles away. Each morning he and all the other monks, leave the temple and walk through the neighborhoods gathering their food and supplies for the day.
Before 6 AM my Thai buddhist neighbors start to gather at their house gates...waiting. There is a very old woman who lives about 5 houses down from me, who can barely walk. He adult children drive over each morning, help her out to the street, where they seat her in a chair and set up a tray beside her where they place her food offerings. And then they wait.
It is so quiet, so peaceful. the birds continue to sing, but the soi dogs quit barking and there is a sense that something is about to happen...all are waiting.
Then around the corner he comes, barefooot, in his orange robes, walking slowly, searching for his next stop. I hear the rusty gate slide open, people step out of their yard, kneel down and present their food or supplies offering up above their heads, eyes closed, no sounds do they make. The monk holds his hands out toward my neighbors, I see his mouth moving as if he is saying words but no sounds come forth. He wais them (hands together with a bow) and takes their offering. the monk walks on to the next stop and the people get up, returning to their lives for the day.
All the way down my street I see this same thing happen over and over again and when the monk reaches the street corner, his arms are ladened with food and supplies to take back to the temple to share with the other monks...another day they can eat and survive.
Now being from the USA...this is what it seems like I just saw..... people humbly giving an offering and the monk giving them a blessing. But I asked my neighbor ladies (you remember them..... the ones I shared a little snake adventure with and gave them Thai/english Bibles and tracts) Well they share with me that it is ones duty to Make Merit. In this case, each family is making merit by offering food and supplies which is the ONLY way that monks have anything to eat or their daily items that one needs to live. by making merit one EARNS there way to a better life, next time around. One can earn merit for family members, deceased family members or oneself. However, every buddhist also knows that no matter how much merit you make and earn...... it might not be enough..... or even if it is enough, there is still nothing that promises you will be granted a better life. Make merit and hope, but no promise is offered AND no one knows Who it is that will grant this better life.
And yet, there they are every morning, outside waiting, prepared with an offering..........

For these people, this is the reason.... Genesis 12: 1,3 says.... "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.... that all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
For my neighbors and their neighbors.... that is why you and I are here. That my neighbor could receive and rejoice in the Promise of a better life through our Lord and Savior!

a parting thought...... are we waiting and prepared to meet our Lord and offer him ourselves each morning? Wouldn't it be something if christ walked through our neighborhood this morning and found each of us at the gate, waiting for him with our arms full of our life offerings to him???

blessings
Pam

Easter day Storm

2009-04-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Easter day.... dawned clear, hot and humid. A pretty typical summer day here in Thailand. We could even see the mountains...(which due to pollution, we haven't been seeing very well in the past month or so) Late in the afternoon, I noticed the breeze picking up (translate...it is going to rain soon) but wait...this is summer, the dry, hot season. AND then the thunder cracked, the lightening flashed, the rains poured and the wind blew.........what a storm. I captured some it for you from my front steps........... enjoy!

After the rains.....power outage in the hot HUMID evening. And when the power came back on

SURPRISE...... Flying Termite swarms..... had hatched in the rain and were "going toward the light" which means...slam the windows and doors shut and turn out the lights or have swarms of fluttering flying termites IN your house. but the cats had a blast chasing the flying fun for 30 minutes. Luckily they only swarm for an hour or two. but tomorrow night they'll probably be back. Just another day in Thailand. Happy Easter!

A Sign of the Times.....

2009-04-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

In my neighborhood (mubaan), behind my home, there is a small rice field. throughout the year of living here, we have watched the activity that happens in the field. Because it is flooded with water, I get a cool breeze in my bedroom window at night And I get to listen to frogs and all sorts of birds who come to this field.
Rice Harvest is a very labor intensive operation. Over the Nov 30th weekend TEN workers gathered to harvest the crop. they worked all day long, singing and chatting, while bent over and cutting the rice stalks by hand.

Once they cut the stalks, they gathered the stalks into bundles and piled them in mounds where the rice sat for several days in the dry sunshine.

It was a very curious site.... mounds formed in a circle, just sitting there deserted..drying in the sunshine.

And then back came the workers. they all stood in the center of the circle of mounds. they would grab a bundle, raise it over their head and beat it on the ground over and over again, knocking the rice kernels off of the head of the stalk. All day long they beat the rice stalks. the kernels lay on the ground in the center of the circle of mounds. Next they raked the rice out in the center of the mounds and once again the field was empty of people for a day or so, while the rice dried in the sun. then the workers pushed handcarts into the field, using plastic buckets, they loaded the rice into the pushcarts, and pushed the carts out to their motorcycles where one person drove while the other person SAT on the handle of the pushcart... and off they drove.

Early in the morning, about a week later, I woke up to the smell of smoke, and discovered that the mounds of rice stalks were now being burned, in oder to ready the field for the next planting.

All across the city, small fields were burned over the next few days, and then the fields were flooded in preparation for the next planting.

Toward the end of December, there they were, more than ten workers, once again singing and chatting and laughing while they worked all day long bent over, poking fresh rice shoots into the muddy field.

they would stop from time to time and rest in the shade and eat a meal together. the chatting, singing, and laughing never stopped.

What percision to watch this age old farming style take place right in my backyard. This style of farming employs whole families and it was clear that they were comfortable and used to this hard work and this lifestyle of shared labor.

And here was the beautiful field left behind with uniform rows of small green rice plants. and the rice was left to grow for January, February, March....

Early this morning I awoke to a strange sound..... a rumbling of machinery. I looked at my window, and there it was... a Rice Combine. Now I haven't seen ANY machinery in the fields since my arrival about 2 years ago..... so what a surprise!!

But sure enough, there it was. Three men were taking turns driving it and riding on it. As it rolled up and down the small field, cutting the rice, removing the kernels into a hopper basket, and spreading out the chopped up stalks behind the machine.

The noise was loud and unusual. No chatting, no singing, no laughing. Just three men working a machine in the early morning hours. Maybe it is because we are in the MELTING hot summer season and just to be outside is way too hot. Maybe this helps save the workers from long hot hard work. OR maybe it is just a sign of the times..... the modern era has caught up with our city and now instead of 10 or more workers being employed, three specialized workers are here with a machine that probably costs money to rent............ who knows........... I just know that I have seen a real change happen today, right in my backyard.

The rice combine working in my back yard.

Well there you have it...... probably more than you ever wanted to know about rice hahahaha.

blessings,

Pam

Encouragement lands right here

2009-04-10T00:48:00.000-07:00

That's right...........Encouragement and lots of laughs !!

Recently I was blessed with the arrival of two familiar faces from my former home city of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA !!! Two folks, some of you may recognize.

they stopeed by chiang Mai for a few days. We chatted, visited, told some stories, ate alot of good food, took them for a brief shopping trip at the night bazaar, they got to enjoy the start up of our Hot summer season, I took them on a loooong tour of Grace International where I have been teaching for the last two years AND...................

we did a whole lot of laughing.

wow what a treat...to get to visit with folks from back home.... to catch up on news from Vegas, to share stories of what I have been doing here. the time was short, but oh so sweet.

If you have a few moments, stop by and visit with them, there in Vegas and listen to a few stories and enjoy a good laugh on me.

very encouraged and still smiling,

thanks for the laughter and all the love,

pam

Pandas are SOOOOO cute!

2009-02-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

Today, my roommate, Eileen and I took her mom to the Chiang Mai Zoo to see the Pandas! Eileen's mom has been visiting here for 3 weeks now and this was her last day, so we thought we'd do it up BIG. We got to the Panda compound just in time for their feeding, so they were active and so fun to watch. Below is a video of the male Chaung-Chaung eating!!! Enjoy !

The Panda compound here is AMAZING. There is NO glass between you and the Pandas, so you can hear them munching on their food and the sweet little noises they make. So if you are ever in Chiang Mai..... stop by and I'll take ya, to the zoo!! Pam

friends

2009-01-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

well believe it or not, "friends" have inticed me to join the tech world of facebook so you can find my photo there and post a little note to me. I haven't figured anything else out yet, but maybe someday............ (I am a "little computer challenged, okay, I am a LOT computer challenged hahahaha) but I love an adventure, so I am stepping into the world of "Pam wants you to be her friend" hey we can all use a few friends...right?
do YOU want to be my friend?????????????

Happy New Year

2009-01-06T08:11:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year !!! Here in Thailand it is the year 2552..... so guess I am living in the future!

On New Year's eve, I was looking online to see the celebrations in different cities, and when I clicked on ABC news, this greeting popped up...... click on the photo to make it full screen and you'll see Happy New Year 2009, Bangkok, Thailand.

I ran and got my camera, cuz that was just too fun.

hope you all have a blessed New Year

pam

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone thanks for all the LOVE you have sent my way this year!

At the local mall they have an elephant water fountain and this year they decorated the elephants for Christmas with big red santa hats and green wreaths around their necks.

Merry Christmas from Thailand!

Delivering WARMTH and LOVE

2008-12-17T20:38:00.001-08:00

This last weekend, I was able to join a group of staff from Grace International School, to deliver blankets, warm clothing, food and some stuffed animals, to two small Thai-Karen villages located in the nearby mountains. The school and community had gathered items for a Christmas service project to heap some warmth and love on our neighbors.
Here you see our two 4-wheel drive rigs filled with donated items, even the car-top carrier was filled to overflowing! The drive, though short in actual miles, took hours of bumpy and "wild" mountain 4-wheeling. Great views...if you weren't driving ha!

The villagers came running from all over, when they heard our car engines. Every single villager shook each of our hands and greeted us in Karen. Everyone helped carry packages and boxes to the meeting house, which was a long building with tin roof and open sides and about 8 or 10 feet off the ground.

The people gathered on the floor and they sang traditional songs in Karen. the first village we visited, there are no Christians yet. Our Thai Principal gave the gospel message to the village, starting with god's promise of a Savior in Genesis and finishing in Revelation. It was amazing to watch their faces and their reactions to each part of the story.... since I didn't have a clue as to what she was sharing at the time, until I saw her stretch out her arms for the crucifixon and saw the saddness on the crowds' faces, and the laughter and joy they expressed when she next shared of the resurrection.

Each of the school staff had the opportunity to present blankets and items to members of the village. And of course there were the Official Photos. Here in Thailand it is the tradition that anytime you receive a gift, a photo is taken to commemorate the giving and receiving.

Look at that sweet face !!! We learned that these two villages are located a very long walk from the nearest Government school, so it is common for the girls to only attend school for a few years and then they are needed at home. At 13 or 14 years of age, if a girl is not attending school, then she usually gets married and starts having a family of her own.

Here is one of the typical village homes with a weaving machine on the front porch. Exteended families live in a home and help with all the work involved in daily life.

Here are some village homes, photo taken from the porch of an older home where we ate our sack lunches we had brought with us. the mountains are beautiful, lush and green. The dirt is red. there is NO level ground, their crops of rice and strawberries and vegetables or raised on terraced hillsides.

This is the meeting house at the first village we visited.

Here is our Official Photo from the first village.

Here is our Official Photo at the second village. This village...everyone but two people are Christians. they had a small cement block building as their church meeting hall. AND they were very proud that they had some plastic chairs, so their "honored" guests did not have to sit on the floor when visiting. These two villages are being ministered to by a Korean couple whose children attend Grace International School.

Here I am with a woman who is about my age, but we have led very different lives!! We prayed for her legs and hands and she wanted her photo taken with me. I spoke english and she spoke Karen and God opened our ears and hearts to each other.

Well there you have it. It was a delightful day of being able to be His hands and feet to deliver warm clothes and blankets and food, to be able to share God's love, and just to be able to connect with His sweet wonderful people here in Thailand.

Oh and by the way..... this Christmas, instead of buying cards and small gifts and spending money on the postage.... I decided to rather buy blankets to donate to these two villages. So as I was helping hand out items, it was YOU who were providing the warmth for the cold nights. These happy smiling mountain villagers are snuggled up under love from you!! Thank you for your prayers and support and for loving His people in such a lovely way.

Praying that each and everyone of you have a blessed and joyfilled Christmas!!

Merry Christmas

from Pam

delivering WARMTH and LOVE to the mountains

2008-12-17T20:38:00.000-08:00

A sweet Christmas Celebration

2008-12-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

This last weekend, I was invited to travel to the largest Refugee camp in Thailand, Mae La.
We parked at one of the gates, and took about a 30 minute hike INSIDE the camp, to reach the meeting hall where the Christmas Party was to be held. The whole camp looks like this photo above, brown buildings, all the same, brown dirt and mud and jungle trees. (The internet says that there are about 50 thousand families living here in homes such as these ).

We entered the meeting hall which was already packed with children, care givers and parents, who had excitedly been waiting for our arrival for over two hours!!!

We were escorted to the seats down front and the celebration got under way. There I am in the second row of a packed house!! We sang Oh Come All Ye Faithful, and then each student group got up one by one and performed something they had been practicing for months.... a Christmas Carol, a dance to Bible verses, or a traditional song or dance. It was a delightful experience. So much Joy !!!

This is one of the Karen boys who came and had a "sit and chat" with me during the afternoon. Everyone wanted to practice their English and find out about where we live and what we do. I learned a lot about what it is like to live in a camp where you can never go outside of the barbed wire fence. We both had many questions.

Below, are photos of some of the groups that performed in the program....

After the singing and dancing, we broke up into smaller groups to go play games and make crafts. Then we gathered together again for the Giving of Christmas gifts. Each child and person got gifts. Next we ate a meal together of egg soup and rice and then began the farewells.

It was a sweet sweet time of celebrating our Savior's birth and rejoicing in what He has done for us over this last year. And I came away feeling as if my own Christmas celebration was quite complete.... how could I ever top a day like this???

( If you would like to hear more about my visit to Mae La, if you have questions, or would just like to know more about refugee camps in Thailand, I would love the opportunity to chat with you. Please give me an email at pamsjoy@gmail.com I look forward to connecting with you. )

I pray that each of you have a joyful Christmas Season!!!

blessings

Pam

First Sunday in Advent

2008-11-30T05:20:00.001-08:00

When I was growing up, my family always made an Advent wreath, and then every night after dinner we would light the candles and read devotions together and anxiously look forward to Christmas Eve. Today is the First Sunday in Advent. Earlier this week I went down to the day market and bought a few little supplies so i could make my own little wreath and light my candle today.

For those of you who haven't experienced and Advent wreath.... This is a special way of marking the four weeks before Christmas, purpose??? to prepare your heart for the celebration of our Savior!!! How it works.... Everyday this week I will light the same ONE candle. Next Sunday I will light the First candle and a second candle, so two candles all week, then three then four and then Christmas Eve/day!!!

Now you can make your own, or purchase a lovely ready-made wreath. You can google Advent wreath and read all about them, there are different colors of candles to use, each candle has a special name, there are special devotions avaialble.

But the focus is this...... Jesus Is the reason for the season.

Join me in a childhood memory..... prepare Him room in your heart. Happy first day of Advent.

Pam

Why we are here

2008-11-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

Modern day convenience !! This is a small portable machine outside the neighborhood grocery store. Inside the glass case are small buddha statues representing each day of the week (two for wednesday) In front of each statue is a small merit pot... pot with a cover on it and a coin slot. Now while on your way to shop, you can pause and slide some coins into the pot representing the day of week you were born. You no longer have to go to the neighborhood temple to make merit. Just visit the local store and use the portable statue machine. (those of you born on wednesday morning have a reclining buddha, which means life is easier, if you were born in the evening, your buddha staute is standing and life is more difficult) Making merit.... is earning your way by doing good deeds, in this case giving money.

this is the special buddha statue and when you drop coins into this merit pot, a circle of lights light up and a lovely sound comes out. It's kinda like a "vegas" slot machine. I watched young children put coin after coin in to light up the lights. This machine gives you something for your coin, a little entertainment! immediate gratification !

A Spirit House in my neighbor's garden. Most thai homes and businesses have a Spirit house somewhere on the property. And then daily they put water or soda pop or tea and fruit and candles and incense there to entice the Spirits to remain in this little house and away from their home or business. Animism (spirit worship/fear) is a major part of thai life and tradition.

As soon as the ground was broken to start building the Big C grocery store, the first thing built was a BIG Spirit House. Then construction on the rest of the property proceeded. Big C is sort of like a K Mart store only thai-style.

Father and daughter worshiping at a large temple on the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai.

Receiving a blessing from a monk

worshipping idols

Before coming to Thailand, worshipping idols was something that I read about in the Bible. In the USA we talk of people worshipping the idol of money or possessions. But coming here to SE Asia, one is reminded EVERYDAY why we have come to this land to love and reach out to a beautiful people who bow down to idols.... cold lifeless idols that can not hear them or help them.

Take a moment and really look at these photos and then KNOW why you are here.

Pam

Parking.....thai-style

2008-10-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Today I finally became a "Thai Parker"
I drove to were church meets, got there early so decided to try parking IN the parking garage. (usually I park outside and walk around to the side door. anyway, I found a nice spot, parked, and went to bible study and church service.
After service was over, I made my way back to the car, AND SURPRISE a car had come and parked so close beside me that it was a miracle that my side mirror was still there AND there was a whole line of vehicles parked behind my car (and everyone elses) !!!!
In thailand, once the parking places are filled, then folks park across the back of the cars. they leave their cars in Neutral, so that you can push them out of the way.
Today the cars were all parked so closely that I had to go to the end car and start moving one car at a time so that finally I was able to move the car that was behind me. then I had to crawl through the passengers side door, and do some acrabatics to get my body positioned behind the wheel. finally I was able to back out and drive away !!!! Mission accomplished, I can get out of Thai parking !!! I drove away with a smile on my face.

Later on in the day, my roommate, eileen and I were running errands and needed to find a place to park at the store. All the parking slots were full..... So guess what I did ???? Yep, I parked behind someone and we ran our errands>

I am a Thai "Park-er" :0)

pam

Land of Plenty

2008-10-09T03:55:00.001-07:00

Land of Plenty.......plenty of Lays potato chips!!!!

Today I stopped off at the grocery store afterschool for some bread and eggs.

I had my camera with me, so thought I'd take a few photos...

hmmmmm the Potato chip aisle seemed to be calling me.

Here was an interesting aisle of flavors, to delight those

tastebuds!!!!!!

Check out the choices.

something you'd find in the USA

mmmmmm tasty!

the name says it all

Flavors and choices continued below in the next entry.

After reading to the bottom of the next entry, I would love to hear which flavor suits your fancy, and maybe we can get the company to import some yummy new choices to the USA

Maybe you've come across your own different exotic flavor....

Come on share with us

And while we're at it, perhaps you have been inspired to invent your own flavor

the possibilities are endless.

continued below

really!

pam

Potato chip flavors CONTINUED

2008-10-09T03:13:00.000-07:00

And the variety of chips continues with Extra Barbacue........

Followed by this YUMMY selection, Hot Chili Squid !!

It's difficult to find a hamburger here, but here you have

Double Cheese Pork Burger!!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm Spicy Seafood..........

cheese and onion

and a little sweet Basil, to finish off the choices !!!

Yes indeed !!

There are Many flavors of Lays potato chips here in the grocery store in Thailand.

The Thai people seem to love a variety of chips for their meals and snacks.

(Bonus points... How many did you count in all???)

What's that you say..... yep, you noticed it........

on the shelf today, there were NO Original flavored chips,

just the wonderful variety pictured above.

Next time you visit Thailand, I'll make sure you are well "chipped" hahahaha.

blessings

Pam (I had a peanutbutter sandwich with NO chips :0)

Some Field trip photos

2008-09-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here I am, suddenly the most popular person around
Why??? because I had a notebook FULL of paper and a pen!!!

This little cutie walked up behind me, tugged on my shirt and
climbed up in my lap. She opened my notebook, took my pen out
of my hand and got busy drawing a picture.... humming a little tune.
What a delightful time we had. The children printed their names and our names.
They drew silly photos of us and of animals.

Here is a group of girls playing a game of marbles.

More photos from our field trip

2008-09-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Some of the boys playing a song during Chapel

the chapel, with attached diningroom/kitchen

what an incredible view from their front steps

How are YOU ????

2008-09-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hello all my sweet, fun readers. Hey if you are stopping by to read my blog, I would LOVE to have you drop me an email, so I will know who you are, and can be sure to be sending you updates. also, I'd like to know what you would like to hear or see on my blog. What questions do you have about living and serving in Thailand or or Thai culture or whatever do you have..... and in the months ahead, I'll try to include some answers and information. :0)

Today is Lawn day. I pay a fee to my mubahn (neighborhood) to keep my lawn looking nice. Here in Thailand, that means that I have SIX people working in my yard today. They all arrived in the back of a pickup truck. There is music playing from the truck radio, everyone has a job and there is laughing and chatting... joy and a sense of community happening together, as they work around the yard. The grass is cut with a weed-eater, the bushes and plants trimmed, weeds pulled, everything swept up and on to the next yard all in about 25 minutes.
Now if you were to SEE them, here is the big difference from back in the states.... it looks like I have six "terrorists" in my yard... let me explain, Thai workers wear a head covering to keep cool and to keep from getting sunburned, so all you can see is their eyes. Sometimes they wear knit ski masks..... but it is just what the workers wear to keep cool and so after the first or second time (or tenth time) that you see a truck load of what looks like "terrorists" driving down the road, you just laugh and say " we are in Thailand." and after a year here, I don't even notice it, except I still don't think it would be cool for me hahahaha!
I'll try to take a photo sometime, so you can see their smiling eyes !!!!!
Pam

Field Trip

2008-09-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

My roommate, Eileen and I were invited to have an overnight visit to an orphanage in Fang (no don't say fang like the vampire teeth, it rhymes with song, fang.) about three hours drive northwest of Chiang Mai, high in the mountains.

The drive was very exciting.... steep, narrow twisty, curvy "road" with lots of trucks. The highlight for me was seeing a lady on her motorcycle....she had one dog in the basket, one in front of her and TWO sitting and balancing behind her as she sped past us. WOW! Those dogs were amazing!!!

The orphanage is actually a farm, just outside of town. There are about 65 children from age 4 years to 20 years old. The houseparents live with the children FULLTIME. This is more like one big extended family. There is a boys dorm, a girls dorm, a library/media center and a Multipurpose building with attached kitchen/diningroom. They have Brahma cattle, goats, and pigs. They raise their own rice, and vegetables and fruit.

The children met in the evening and sang songs for us, introduced themselves and gathered around us and prayed for us. Having children lay their hands (and their heads) on you and pray over you is quite an incredible experience and my heart was full of joy while my eyes were full of tears.

The children were watching Thai boxers in the gold metal Olympic match. (this was very exciting, since we do not have TV at our home, I did not get to see any of the Beijing Olympics. so when the children invited us to watch with them, I was EXCITED.) It was amazing to watch the faces of the children as they cheered on their Thai hero to his gold medal. When the Thai anthem was played for the medal ceremony, all the children stood and sang the anthem at the top of their lungs. What a delight!

On Sunday, all the children had practiced special songs and performances for us, their honored guests, and we had such a fantastic worship service. Most everything was in Thai, but a couple of songs they sang we knew in English and so we sang along. What a joyous time to praise our Lord in two languages at one time!

When it was time to leave, all the children lined up and one by one they filed past us, hugging us and bidding us farewell "Please come visit us again" ........and we will.

pam

School Days

2008-09-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

Every morning the Elementary students gather on the tennis courts. At 8:00 AM the whistle blows and they line up by class, Kindergarten, then First grade, then second grade,...well you get the picture. the Principal leads the children in their Bible memory verse and gives announcements and greetings.

Then the children sing the Thai National anthem. (in Thai)

In Thailand, at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, everything STOPS as the Thai National anthem is played on loudspeakers. If you are handing money to the cashier in the grocery store.... If you are walking down the street at the walking Market.... If you happen to have real TV, like my neighbors do, at 8:00 AM their show stops and the music comes on.

Then the school day starts.

Here are some boys playing basketball before the school day starts. They are wearing the school PE uniform.

Here are some friends ready for the day to get under way. All schools in Thailand have a school uniform. Grace International School has 5 different colored shirts: green, blue, yellow, white and burgundy, black shorts or pants and a black jumper.

This is the brand new Climber that was just installed this year. The students and families had a fundraiser last year to buy some new playground toys. As you can see, this toy is a big "hit".

Grace has a huge, beautiful pool, so all the students have swim lessons once a week for one of their PE classes. Afterschool families meet their children for a swim. We can swim year round here in Thailand.

the children have Chapel once a week. The 6th grade class led Chapel music on this day. this room is also the cafeteria and the auditorium.

Well there you have a few photos of grace and it's students. Enjoy !!!

Pam

opps

2008-08-18T06:01:00.001-07:00

can you believe it..... I messed up already and wrote scoll instead of SCHOOL so sorry, please forgive me. and enjoy reading............
pam

Scoll has Started..... and so has the fun (and work)

2008-08-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

August 13th was the start of 2008-09 school year..... so today was day # 4 and it was a delight!
For those of you you missed the news.... my laptop is in the states being repair, so my roommate shares hers with me and I can check email after school in the library
....I am taking photos of the students and what is happening and hoepfully sometime soon I can post some photos for you to enjoy. Until then, those of you who are just "dying" to see the school and students and etc... you can check out the Grace International school web site at www.gisthailand.org click on the box that says WHO WE ARE and you can watch a coll little video of several students telling you about the school.

These first few weeks I am dividing my time at school in the following ways: 1) observing students in all 11 classrooms, of first through sixth grade, getting to know the children, chatting with the teachers. 2) I am reading all the student files of the children already identified as needing extra intervention to help with learning and 3) I have been covering all the recess duties so teachers could do a few extra things and I can play with the children. (of course, sooner or later, I will have to get to work, so I am just giving those teachers a little break for now hahaha).
The first day of school I sat in on the sixth grade orientation to the class... 53 students, two wonderful experienced teachers... and her are a few amazing things I learned.....

The teachers asked each child to state their name, tell where they were from and then tell something interesting about themselves. sounds pretty routine, right?
53 students representing 12 countries (Australia, Cambodia, Germany, Ireland, India, Kenya, Korea, New Zealand, Scotland, Thailand, UK and USA.), 4 of them live in dorms, 2 live with house parents, only three of them have ever actually LIVED in their passport country that their parent's are from. These are TCKs Third Culture Kids... children who are not "from" a specific place they call home, but are flexible and home is where the heart is. One boy said, "well I tell people I am from Indiana, because that is where my folks are from. Now I have been to the US, but we always go to California, because that's where my grandparents live. I've never been to Indiana. I was born in Nepal, and lived in India and then the Philipines before moving here. I hope that tells you where I am from".
Absolutely amazing children, with incredible stories, and God has brought them all here together for this time. what a privilege to BE a part of His plan in their lives. And you are here!
stayed tuned...more stories to come..........
blessings
Pam

Welcome to the NEW blog site

2008-08-10T01:35:00.000-07:00

Hello old faithful readers and brand new folks...... thanks for tuning in and wanting to know WHAT's NEW ??????????

First of all I want to THANK each one of you for hanging out with me this first year in Thailand, as I learned the culture, did some exploring, gained a little knowledge and served Him through my teaching at Grace International School.

It has been a delight to share experiences with you for the first year on my formewr site... Pam's Piece of the Puzzle. But I thought it only appropriate to start out fresh with a new clean page, as we Boldly Go and serve Him anew. So sit back, come along and let's see what this new year has in store for us.

Here we goooooooooooo.............

pam

Welcome to the new blog!!

2008-07-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for new postings coming soon!