Thursday's

Ah blessed Thursdays…it’s almost always filled with more things on my agenda then I know I can possibly get done in one day. I have so cleverly named Thursdays “the day of small things.” (title credited to Alli Rogers I should take no credit). I never sleep past daylight, not on Thursdays, there is too much to be done. If I don’t start the day with the Father I will end the day in a completely frazzled state. And by frazzled I mean completely, hair in a froe and all (be picturing Monica in the tropics episode). First stop of my day will be the prison. The prison can almost be a guaranteed testing for the rest of my day. If I can mentally make it through the teaching, singing, crafting and countless times the girls grab my booty, I know I can proceed on with my day in confidence. Ok Thursdays…long story boring right?


Today was an exceptionally interesting day with a surprise meeting with two English ladies thrown in the mix. We conversed over tea and scones. We talked of life, love and other mysteries (now you will have point of grace playing though your head). Having tea with two English ladies will almost always give a person a higher since of status and class. In this company I wasn’t going to sit in my usual legs folded manner, and my hair tied in a tossed up due. On no must cross the legs, sit up right and softly gesture with my hands. Yes I know this completely misrepresents everything that I am, but non the less I felt a bit posh for about two hours today. I used phrases such as “do you take milk with your tea?” or “would you like one lump or two?” While trying my best not to laugh out loud when they would say things such as “oh what a lovely color the tea is…oh yes indeed there is defiantly a color for tea that is just perfect.” Who knew? I learn so much from these wise English women. They gave me advise to do such things as “snog a boy” Which my facial expression must have shown a bit of confusion and discuss as they felt an explanation was necessary “oh my dear that only means to give em a kiss”. Perfect example of how things don’t often translate. I am always reminded from where I do come from when I do not understand all their phrasing. That and they always serve me tea out of the most horrid patriotic, red, white and blue, stars and stripes mug. Snickering as I drink with my little finger raised high is if somehow they have corrupted the yank. Still it is fun to pretend for a moment and if only for a moment I am a bit posh and could speak with an proper English accent “yes I do take milk with my tea and I shall have two lumps please” Thursday The Day of Small things…enjoy every dynamic detail of what comes with the title.

An Asian Wax

How Stupid Am I? (this one is a little personal)

Turning 27 and going to the beach is reason to get a body wax right? Well I thought so. That and the spa was having a 250baht special (which is less than $10!!!) I am all about a bargain wax...or was anyway. One thing I am learning in my life of randomness is there are certain things that should not have a coupon offered and if there is don't take it. Tattoos, doctor visits and waxing I would suggest go ahead and pay full price for. After a week or so of growing out so I could be waxed and hairless for the beach. Finally, today was the day I worked up enough nerve to go into the spa and get 'r done. Laying out on the table thinking please just get this over with. They spread the thick warm wax, place a cloth over the top and RIP. OOOOHHHH the pain!!! The young girl looks at my waxing area with a hmm puzzled look. Next thing I know she is spreading and ripping again, and again and once again. Until I am like surely I don't have any skin left in that region. One more time lady and I am going to rip your hair. I said "what seems to be the problem?" In her little asian I don't get it accent she says "it hurt?" I said "heck yes it hurts!" She said "your hair too short." I said "and you are just now telling me?!" What did she think that if she did it enough times it would grow? I don't know? As I walked out of the spa in raw pain I thought to myself, who is more stupid? Her for her persistence at my expense or me for letting someone wax the same spot six times over? Rhetorical question ok :)

Friendly Subway

Today I went to Subway for lunch. They have this great deal, that I am sure you know about called "sub of the day." Each day it is a different sub for 69baht. What a deal!! I can't hardly pass it up..my biggest problem is that I am awfully tempted to go in every for a different sub flavor. 69baht ever day adds up though, especially when I know I could get a bowl of perfectly good noodles for 20baht right outside my office. What makes the subway experience unique to any other place though, is the little man who works in the parking garage just above subway. He is as commonly little as any other Thai person, but some how the combination of baggy kakis pants and tucked in long-sleeve shirt with a golden rope draped from his shoulder to one one of his...I don't know parking school badges...makes him look so tiny. I am always intrigued by the amount of pins he has on his shirt. Clearly there must be an extensive training program to become a parking garage attendant in Thailand. Well deserved I say for as hard as he works to get my car parked perfectly. I am sure at ear shot of my little car coming up the ramp he is standing up tall, straightening his shirt, putting a big smile on his face and preparing himself to help me park my little powerless steering car. What I don't get is usually...my car is one of the only cars parked in the garage at that time of day, so rather than having to parallel I just pull straight into a spot. Still, this little man feel the need to get my car parked perfectly aligned. To him, parking my little goldie car is his art...so oblige and perfectly park my car in it's lonely place. I smile and nod looking for the approval of the park before I walk away. He with his hands on his hips nods and grins as if thinking "I have once again saved parking spot from the disaster of a inexperienced parker." Today after eating my lovely sub of the day, I sneaked back in the garage quietly to see if I could just simply drive off..no need to hassle the little man. I was not surprised when he was waiting at the doorway as I walked back in, ready and anxious to help me pull away perfectly. Kelly Crocker was with me today to laugh with me at the predictability of this experience as I narrated the entire event (of course). As we drove back down the ramp I said be sure to look up as he waves and watches us drive away. Seriously? Yeah seriously. We had a good laugh as we waved him goodbye for the day. To me it's more than just the "Sub of the Day" it's a chance to smile with an old friend.

The Effects of Water

My dad is kinda a fanatic about staying healthy, eating right, takingvitamins, lots of exercise and plenty of water. I try to do each of these things faithfully. One I love toexercise, two he always sends mevitaminsso therefore I feel obligated to take them. The only thing that gets me is the water drinking thing. No doubt I feel so much better when I drink lots of water, but howinconvenientto have to use the restroom so often. So, I took a week long log of how much of my time is consumed by simply drinking water. Here it is.

1) 1 hour 40 minutes filling water bottle
2) 23 minutes actually drinking the water
3) 5 hours thirty minutes going pee
TOTAL TIME TO DRINK THE AMOUNT OF WATER MY DAD ASKES OF ME 7 hours 55 minutes



I have to ask myself the question...is it worth it? Yeah I guess so, knowing how much better I feel when I have had enough water to drink and the fact that I am constantly sweating it out of me. But that moment in the elevator when I really need to go, but we stop at every floor to let someone off or on...then finally getting to my floor and 3..2..1....1....1...1 DANG DOOR OPEN ALREADY!!! Digging to find my keys through a purse that seems to contain every other item but my keys. Then tangling though book bag, briefcase purse, that all seem to getintertwinedas I am juststrugglingto keep from peeing all over my floor. And I don't know what it is about having to pee really bad sometimes but there is that moment you FINALLY get to the pot and you bladder has held it in so long that it now doesn't know that now is a good time torelease. Breath, tell yourself torelaxand perhaps turn on the waterfaucet. Is it worth it? Not so sure at those moments. I do it for you Daddy.

Love the Leaf

My newest endeavor towards being a healthier more fit Kelly is drinking more tea and less coffee. It's going great so far. I have gone 4 hours 13 minutes without a coffee beverage!!!

So I purchased a fancy box of green tea, cause we both know I am drawn to the best design, which may or may not be the best product. Also to inspire my tea drinking I though a cute personal teapot would do the trick. I saw a few that were way expensive and really cool, but was not completely confident in my tea drinking addiction at this point. I settled for just buying the fancy tea. As I was walking out of the import store, I thought to myself how stupid I was for purchasing tea at an import store in ASIA. Just then I passes the window of a little shop of gadgets. I backed up two or five steps to go into the door. Turns out this is the equivalent to a $1.94 store in America. Everything was at a set price of 69baht. They had fun tools, gadgets and...one tiny, little, personal sized tea pot. I was thrilled and quickly snatched it into my hands, gave it a loving hug and was off to make my first small pot of fancy green tea.

By this time it was 10:00 AM and I am use to having my morning coffee about 7:00 AM, so I was getting to the jittery slightly irritable stage. I decided I was completely under prepared to start my tea drinking today and walked into the next shop for a hot cup of freshly brewed joe. There I sat, with my shopping bag on the table filled with all things leaf brewed...but as a loyal coffee drinking all I could think about is bean. It's no wonder they call me KellyBean :)

Prayer for Words

Today I was to visit 15 of the girls from the juvenile detention center. However, today they were not in the prison but had gone to a temple to earn merit in order to have an early release.&n bsp; It took FOREVER to get out to the temple...I thought it was closer than it was and I had one of the prison guards in my car with me the entire way. The guard only speaks Thai and she looks a little dike like...the girls at the prison tease me and say that she has a crush on me. Anyway, I took the long, awkward drive and finally arrived at the temple to be surrounded by 15 of my closest girl friends in Thailand.
They were dressed from head to toe in white robes. They had lost weight from not eating much in a week. They took my hands and lead me into the temple where the prayers were taking place. Young girls all around on their hands and knees bowing up
and down towards a large golden Buddha placed in the front of the room. My girls with their tongue rings and tattoos stood out just a little and I couldn't help but smile. Chants were echoing all around in a language I couldn't decipher. An older monk also sat at the front of the room with her legs crossed, eyes closed and hands clasped in front of her. She was obviously the head of the chanting prayer.
Each girl quickly took her place on the floor leaving me in the back of the room. Occasionally, they would open one eye, look back at me and smile without breaking their prayer chant or posture. They prayed for a long time.=2 0 As they prayed...I prayed... I prayed over them. I am not a crier, but this was just such an emotional moment. I could not pull them away, I could not scream the name of Jesus....only whisper it. "Jesus, meet me here." As I cried quietly in the back of the room, they looked back in concern. I assured them with a nod, that I was ok.
Later, I told them that I cried because I was praying for each of them at that moment. They all thanked me for everything and asked if we could go eat pizza together. I told them, “Anytime you call me I will be there...and don't you forget it.” We hugged, pinky swore we wouldn't forget each other, punched fists together and said "swadee kha". (Good-by) They waved at me as I drove away until I could no longer see their blurry silhouettes. I must have prayed constantly, the entire time I was there. The power of prayer is stronger than the hold of Satan.

2Cor 10:4-54 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish& nbsp;strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I had a few moments with the girls before they went back to praying.


The bruise on my face is from a motor bike accident...very small one.

Picture of Humility

Today God would bring my face to the dirt. I don't mind wearing holes in the knees of my jeans, if that is what it will take for me to be humbled. As I took my morning run today, Buddhists of every age were starting their day with a candle cer emony and offering to their god of gold. I seemed to be the only thing moving at that hour, as monks stood in their golden robes and shaven heads, ready to receive the alms of those who would come to them to be blessed. The people knelt and put their faces on the ground, not concerned of comfort, of dirt, or of who might be watching. Monks of every age bordered the street, creating a deep shade of gold on either side as they marched back into the temple. I couldn't help but smile when I saw one boy of about eleven yrs. Old. His little bald head and bare feet reminded me of my youngest brother....my smile was soon drenched with tears as I thought of my brother in that young boys place. It was more than my emotional heart could stand.
I looked to heaven and said, “Dear God, you have saved me, you have called me out to serve you; yet at this moment, as the people you have called me to are on their knees, I have my mind fixed on empty emotions and concerns of my future. Oh God, my King, take me to my knees! May I not be able to stand before I come to you in complete submission and humility."


James 4:6 - But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.