Thanksgiving in Thailand

I started not to post until after we celebrated our 'real' Thanksgiving but decided I would go ahead and share about our Thursday here in Thailand. We all were up and about around 6 a.m. as the boys had to head off to school and Mark had to be off to work. Mark commented that in all of his life this is the first Thanksgiving that he had to work. I worked several Thanksgiving days during my nursing career in order to have Christmas day off. After seeing my guys out the door, I ventured out on my daily walk. I tried to spend the time in prayer, thanking the Lord for all our blessings. I was so thankful the menacing dog that usually charges after me growling seemed to be sleeping in yesterday.(I carry a big, dog stick everywhere I go.) I was thankful for the cooler weather and unusual nice breeze. I am thankful for the opportunity to live in Thailand, a relatively peaceful place, (we are okay with all the political stuff and are just grateful that we have no need of an airport at the moment, as all the main ones are closed because of protesters.) where we feel no religious persecution. I am so thankful for the beautiful home that God led us to here. I'm grateful for Noik, my housekeeper and friend and Songran our cheerful driver. (I tried to explain Thanksgiving to them and told both of them that I had given thanks for them to God on my morning walk.)

I've heard it said that your driver can make you or break you here and from what I've seen that is true. I have one friend that has been miserable for over 2 years with her driver who refuses to learn any English, has a sour disposition and she thinks is out to get her! Poor Molly has been through 5 drivers since we've been here. One was so bad that after he was fired they had to have armed security for over a week at their gate and now have a police box that has direct access to a policeman, that can be at her house in 4 minutes. One of her drivers who went to Bangkok with us for the All-Star basketball tournament was over 1 1/2 hours late picking their family up from the hotel. While we were waiting in our car with Songran at the hotel, he told me that Molly's driver drinks and is crazy. Needless to say he didn't last long! So I'm thankful for Songran who doesn't smoke, is very dependable and drinks only "nit noi on holiday".

I continued by giving thanks for Mark and the boys. I'm thankful for all of our health. Mark had a required check-up on Wednesday. He was a VIP!! He was met at the hospital by an assistant to walk him through the process, he had a special meeting with the International Marketing Representative and after all his lab work was completed he was escorted to a private dining area and given breakfast!! What service!

I'm thankful for Mark's job and the continued protection of the Thailand refinery and his employees here. I'm thankful for how the boys are adjusting and the blessing they have been given to learn to live and get along with other cultures. (Ethan's doing better with the adjustment, not so many tears on Mondays!) I'm thankful for my parents and their health, for their continued stamina and success in running one of the largest Western stores in America. I'm thankful that my nephew Coli has come on board to help out in the shop and to ease their load some. I'm thankful for so many of you that I consider to be dear, dear friends that are so faithful to pray for us and love us from afar. I'm thankful for a remnant of God's people here in Thailand from all over the world that we now call friends. I'm thankful for God's Word and the time that I have been given here to study it more. I'm thankful that I know that I'm a child of God and that my eternity is secure in His hands. I'm thankful that I'm forgiven and loved and that God made a way for me to call him, Abba-Daddy. My walk was filled with thanks!!

It was downhill from there! No, I finished up my shopping for our celebration on Saturday and came home and did some cooking. Songran went to pick up Mark at 3:30 to drive him to watch a cross-country race Dustin was participating in.(He got 16th out of 45 runners, that is so amazing for Dustin as he is not a natural runner. The race was about 1.8miles. Drew, our friend, came in 1st!! We were so proud for him.)

Mark and Dustin came home and we all headed to Big Bob's,owned by a Houston transplant that we have gotten to know some. I think he felt an instant kinship with us when he saw Mark's boots! We had pre-purchased tickets for his annual Traditional Thanksgiving buffet, where he uses all of his mom's recipes.(You can probably check out Big Bob's online, he is in the Guinness World's Record book for the largest hamburger, over 78lbs.)We were so excited as he smokes his turkeys (gai-ngoo-angs)and serves cornbread dressing, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy and pumpkin pie was on the menu. It was really delicious but tainted by the environment. We had never been to this area at night, let me just tell you it was XXX rated. We had to eat by half-naked Thai women that had been escorted to the restaurant by men more than 2X their ages. One lady was dressed like a very, very skimpy Indian.(I don't know if that had something to do with Pilgrims and Indians, couldn't really figure it out.)We were surrounded by all kinds of debauchery. I told Songran get us out of here quick. It was very oppressive feeling, sickening and so sad. I was sad that my boys had to be exposed to that. I have been studying about the Antichrist and how he will usher in lawlessness and demoralization. I just got a small taste of that last night it wasn't pleasant. I felt persecution in my spirit. Sin running amuck. I was depressed that this was how we were celebrating Thanksgiving but after we were home I had to once again begin to think on all the things that I had to be thankful for and to consciously claim contentment in where God has us at the moment and to vow to never go into that area again after dark.

Then today our first package from the states arrived at our gate!! I was sooo excited, Aunt Lola had sent us a care package. I was also excited to know that the postman can find our house with something besides bills! I opened it and peeked in but want to save it for the boys when they get home. M&M's from the states,(I think that we will be able to survive here after all!LOL!)bubble gum and some festive, Christmas packages that I know will be our annual Christmas ornaments from our special Aunt Lola. What a treat. It makes all of you not seem so far away, it only took 9 days to get here and $44. (Lola, I'm sorry it was so expensive but remember it is priceless to us!) Again, my thoughts are redirected to all we have to be thankful for here in Thailand. We love you all!