Wake Forest Bird Sanctuary?

I enjoy this small town of Wake Forest. One street through the center of town with little shops of antiques, coffee shops and art galleries. It's really the perfect place for me. The welcome sign on the way into Wake Forest states that it's a bird sanctuary. Funny, since I haven't noticed an over abundance of birds. Until today.

Is been raining for the past three days. Not just a little rain but a lot a lot a lot. In fact, I think I may be the only of my friends that is not trudging around campus in cute little polka dotted rain boots. It's wet and humid so much so that the bark on the trees has turned a dark color much like the soil surrounding them. You can see the humidity filing the air with a foggy haze. Imagine with me if you will...I am on my way to my NT class, with my hot coffee in one hand and books in the other. My cup is steaming as the warmth of my coffee hits the cool fall air. Nearly to class when a flock of birds is flying in my direction. First flock I have seen since coming to Wake Forest. Perhaps they are on their way to the so called "sanctuary." I didn't not prepare myself for what happened next, perhaps because the chances of being pooped on by a bird is 1-5000 (now this number probably increases considering the size of the flock). Non the less one of the flock released just as flying over my coffee. That's right, straight into my coffee cup. Splashing up hot coffee all over my hand and cloths. Perhaps my shocked reaction created a more overly exaggerated splash, I don't know. I was glad to have coffee stains on my cloths rather than bird poo. Non the less my coffee took on a nice frothy latte color, not fit for drinking. Wake Forest a bird sanctuary? This has most definitely increased my chances on getting pooped on.

It is what it is. Life at Seminary.

Life here is going good I still can't believe I am in the midst of perusing my masters degree. It’s another endeavor that had you told me a year ago I would be attempting to complete I would have argued against the very thought. Non the less here I am. I took a photography job with the university. I dress for success every day in my slacks, scarf and high heals. Is this what it feels like to be an adult? I am 27 now, there is no going backward in time only forward and growing up. I walk with a new found confidence with my fancy big camera and ginormous lens. It’s an extra 20lbs to my book bag, but makes me look like somebody. Or so I think. See behind this successful looking woman is only a girl, who is wondering where on earth these shoes came from and if my right foot is bigger than my left, because I can’t seem to keep this blessed shoe from slipping every time I take a step and are you suppose to wear socks with this type of shoe and will anyone notice my jacket is stripped but my pants are plaid and why did it have to rain when I don’t have an umbrella, now my pants are wet up to my knees and dang it what class am I walking to now and how do you turn this camera on any way?

It’s is beautiful here which sometimes makes up for the fact that I am once again alone in a new place making all new friends and learning a new job. I daily hold back the tears of being overwhelmed and look forward to a new day of learning. I just hope I don’t trip in these shoes.

Easter in Thailand

What a glorious sunrise service it was. We had a long hard rain yesterday for the first time in months. It settled the smoke in the air from burning rice fields and gave a breather from the intense heat of April (Thailands hottest month of the year). Standing on the mountain top this morning both literally and figuratively, the view of the city below was in a sleepy mist. The sun rose from around billowing storm clouds and warmed my skin. We sang songs of Christ's death and resurrection and had communion together. We were sitting in a temple where monks were chanting and banging gongs behind us. But they prayed to their god whose bones still sit in the grave, I worshiped and thanked and gave glory to my God who brought life to the morning.

Shepherds but why did you but raisins in it pie?

I am still not on solid foods yet. My jaw is just too sore. I had to go to the dentist yesterday again to get a filling repaired...I will spare you the details just know it was painful due to the fact that he numbed the wrong tooth. Last night I ventured out and tried shepherds pie. You know the stuff? I don't really even like the it but thought the gravied meat and mashed potatoes would be easy to swallow. No doubt it was with exception of the inflated hot raisins they added. As I was eating and lightly bit into one having it explode in my mouth, I promptly spit the bit onto my plate, wiped my mouth and said "what the heck was that!?" Is it not bad enough that I have to eat a meal that compares to hamburger and fries stuck in a blender, they have also added RASINS?? Sick!!

I lack wisdom.

Today was such a lovely Tuesday. I had breakfast with all my single friends and watched UNC spank Michigan's tails. It was a horrible game but the food and fellowship was great. Some discussion came up about teeth cleaning and going to the dentist, which reminded me it had been a while since I had gone and might be a good idea to do while I was still in cheap land/Thailand.

I went to a nice little dentist shop where I had previously met the lady who owns it. She was a lovely Thai lady, who seemed perfectly capable of cleaning teeth. As she was cleaning me teeth she says of you have lovely teeth, like a Hollywood star. I smiled as if I were a star and said why thank you what a sweet thing to say. Between rinsing and spitting I asked do you take out wisdom teeth? She said "oh yes we will do it right after we clean teeth." My eyes got real wide as I choked a little, spit and said "you mean today?" She said "oh yes very easy, no problem." Hum ok well if she is that confident, then why not? Let's do this thing. She kept looking at my teeth and my xrays and saying "you have very nice teeth. Very long roots." I thing she seriously said "very long roots" like 32 times. I was thinking yeah you said that already several times, not usually something you wanna hear right before your "long rooted" teeth get pulled.

She got out the tools necessary to do the procedure and I started to get real clammy. I sent Brooke my roommate a text message as I was laying on my back in the dentist chair saying "I am getting my wisdom teeth pulled..HELP!" She this will hurt a little bit. She proceeded to give my entire mouth pricks of shots to numb the area. Next she pushed down, to the side, pulled up, twisted as one lady held my head down and another held my hands. Until finally my tooth went flying across the room, hit the wall and bounced around on the floor a little bit. "Ok got it" she says with a little laugh. She showed me the bloody thing and said "part of the tooth, not come out" I looked and yeah HALF of the tooth not come out. She said "it is ok though, it will not be a problem." I said "I think it might be a problem, you better get it all out." She said "ok I do other tooth first." Same twisting, pushing, pulling and cracking sounds until finally again...my tooth went flying across the room. Yes not once but twice!!! What that heck has she ever done this before? She showed me the tooth and said "this one I was scared about cause it have very big curve see." Yeah I see and am so glad to know my dentist was scared. Next they took me to the xray room to see if there was any pieces of tooth left over. As I am sitting in the chair I start to feel, ill and light headed. Before I know it I am on the floor of the xray room with the entire staff hovering over me, fanning and holding ammonia under my nose. I look down to notice I still have the heavy xray bib on my chest. Obviously this kind of thing doesn't happen very often at the dentist and I put on quite a show. Brooke finally arrived to find me sitting in the lobby with my feet propped in a comfortable chair, ammonia under my nose and a ice pack on my face. In my gauze packed voice I said "hey brooke! it wasn't all that bad i think I can drive home. The doctor said it won't hurt at all and I can eat in an hour."

I am here to tell ya...it is 24 hours later I am in CRAZY pain and I haven't eaten in 36 hours. That doctor she didn't know what she was talking about!! I need medication but apparently my dentist is not licensed to give them out. Oh for the love of everything that is good and holy!!! Once again how stupid could I be.

My Vacation - First Stop Bangkok

I have spend the past two weeks...well ten days really being papered while visiting the most exotic places IN the world...ok one place really but you know me and my dramatizations. My friends from my home town came to visit. The Amer Family. They are what my Thai friends called Hi-So, basically meaning high society. It doesn't take much to appear hi-so to a Thai person, but let's not negate the fact that to me they really are. So I was along for the ride and whatever translation I could offer.

First stop Bangkok. One fast, yet slow day in Bangkok. I think we spent as much time sitting in a taxi as walking the hot...we are talking hot hot streets of the city. It didn't take more than a day for each of us to come to the conclusion that we were done with Bangkok forever (yet I am going again this weekend, I am apparently a glutton for punishment). Our rock hard beds/bed for me and the girls felt feather soft after the long day. I didn't even mind sleeping in the middle so much after all I was surrounded by two of my best friends in the world.

All night long I lay in anticipation, just trying not to stir too much and wake those around me. Truth was as excited as child on Christmas eve. We were heading to my dream beach, that on my own budget would never have the chance to visit. Finally a glimpse of daylight!!! Oh wait my phone just says 4:00 AM, oh wait that's just the street light. How much longer will I have to stare up at the endless black hole of a ceiling?

Then what?

Let me tell you where I sit today. It is nearly 9:30 in the morning and my mind is trying to be filled with guilt for not already have gotten to my office, while all that is in my heart and soul longs to to sit here with my Father a little longer. I needed this morning to FINALLY wake early, forsake my schedule and be with the one I love so deeply. Struggling with fear and doubt I must seek out what the source of that fear is.

I started by reading Esther a woman who by all reasons should have been terrified, but still did what she knew she had to do. Est 4:16 she says "and if I perish, I perish." In relation the decision I face and the fears I dwell on can not even begin to compare. But what if I used that statement? "and if I _____, then ________." And if I am lonely, then _____, and if I am single forever, then ____, and if something happens to my family while I am away, then ____. I could go on and on with the fears I have. The enemy knows my fears, he gets me to ask myself "what if?" And though it hasn't happened and may never happened, if he gets me to ask "what if?" then he has gotten to me. "What if?" is saying "I fear, I fear, I fear" So what if? What if I am lonely? Then what? I might cry. Then what? I might get mad at the Father. Then what? I might lay flat on my back with the Word on my face. Then what? I might memorize verses. Then what? You see eventually I would have to get up, go back and do what He has called me to do. I know this because my Father is good and faithful. My Father is faithful. My Father is faithful. My Father is faithful. And if I _____, then my Father will take care of me.