February 23, Nearly Finished

I have about three more weeks and then I am totally finished with all of my internship and the university. I am not real sure how I should feel. I know some people get emotional when they come to the end of a chapter in their life such as this. I guess I am just not an overly emotional person. I am ready to get on with what is next to worry about drawing out what is finished. I am trying to finish strong and keep the momentum going as Bum and I start the next leg of out journey. I am not going to go into what that will be right now but I will update you next week.

As for things that have been going on these past two weeks, we went to the Universities graduation ceremony. Actually we went to take pictures with friends before the ceremony because no one is allowed in the auditorium except students, professors, staff, and special guests. The student body has outgrown the auditorium where the graduation takes place so no one gets in that does not have to be there. It was as much fun as a guy who dislikes taking posed pictures in front of hundreds of people can have doing just that. I am very proud of my friend Naamwaan though, who received first honors and the gold coin for being top in her class. Here is a picture of us just before the ceremony started.

This is Bum, Ngor (Pronounced Ng and then /a/ as in call), Naamwaan, and me. This is at about 7:30 in the AM and is not one of the posed pictures I was complaining about. I may put one of them up at a later date when I am feeling like embarrassing myself.

In other news. We went to the hospital to visit Fah's (one of the girls Bum is dicipling) mother. She is there waiting for her third chemo treatment. I am pretty sure that we were some of the only visitors outside of family that went to see here and I think the visit meant a lot to her and to Fah. Me, Bum, Pbet, and Aew (Pbet is the music minister at our church and Aew is his wife) all went to see her and took her some milk. She said the smell of anything else makes her sick. We also had time to pray for her while we were there. As far as i know this is the first time that Fah's mother has had anyone pray for her while she was there.

That is about all for now. If you would please be prating as Bum and I are making some pretty big decisions right now and want to know that what we are doing is what we need to be doing. I am a firm believer in doing something and then letting God show you as you are going where exactly you should go, or even if you should stop and turn around. So we are walking and praying for guidance and for doors to be shut or opened as God directs out steps. Thank you all for your support.

Fun Fact: For the most part in Thailand the police work a nine to five schedule. So most days after five o'clock there are only one or two police in the station and everyone else is at home. At least this is how it works in Chiang Rai. I am sure that in larger cities they are more of a presence.

Fun Picture

I love Ice cream!!

February 7, 09: Worm Free is the Way to Be

So my stomach has been acting a little funnier that usual for past few months. I couldn't figure out why this was. Surely it had nothing to do with the market and her food that was left out uncovered and at ambient temperatures from morning until whenever the sellers decided to close shop. Neither could it have been due to the fact that washing the dishes sometimes means (at least I have seen this as several small shops) dipping the plates, cups, utensils, and bowls into one big bucket of water wiping them off with your hand or the rag that has been soaking in the bucket and then shaking the excess water off; job done. Needless to say I was pretty sure that there was something that had taken up residence in my guts. So, Bum recently went to the pharmacy and bought some worm medicine for the two of us. I have heard that doctors recommend taking worm medicine 2-3 times a year. This was my first time and Bum said it has been maybe 10 years. You can all rest easily knowing that this medicine killed whatever was in my stomach. I know this because about 2 hours after taking the pills serious nausea and stomach bubbles erupted from deep withing my bowels. (THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS POTTY TALK IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED PLEASE SKIP AHEAD) I am guessing that whatever it was did not like what was going on and wanted to get out before it died. It did not. Everything stayed down and the following morning came out (almost before I was ready). Bum made it to the bathroom first and I paced back and forth in the den waiting and thanking God for killing the vile gut demons and asking him to extend his grace until I could make it to the designated drop off point. (POTTY TALK OVER) So now all is normal in my innards and I think I am the only crated thing using my body. Here are some pictures of the stuff I took.

February 3, 09: Becoming nothing for the sake of others

Happy Birthday Jordan. It is Jordan's (my little brother) birthday today and just I just wanted to take the time to say happy birthday. I have been thinking a lot lately about relationships and my interactions with people. I think the main thing that has popped out at me as I have been thinking and meditating on this topic is that they all depend on me. The Bible never puts the emphasis on the second party with regards to the health or well being of the relationship (unless I have missed something). It all comes down to us and how much we are willing to put into the relationship and take out of our selves. If we look at Philippians 2:1-8 we can see that we are to be radically other centered. Two weeks ago I was sharing on this passage in a small group and I was saying that we are called to count others as more important than ourselves, to put others before us, and consider ourselves as less for the sake of others. An objection was raised to this on the grounds that in a book this person was reading (I am guessing by a Christian author) it said that we are all equal. They seemed to be getting upset because I said that they need to think of themselves as less important and of others as more. I did not really understand how this person could read what we were reading and question the fact that Paul is telling us to let go of the equal standing we have with others and become their servants. Paul tells us verses 3-4 and then grounds this with verse 5 and expounds 5 with 6-8 how can you say "I deserve to be treated the same as others and should not think that anyone is more important than me but that we are all equal and deserve the same." Christ gave up his glorious equality with God and "made himself nothing(vs 7)" and then once he was nothing (i.e. a servant in the form of man) "he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."(vs 8) Here we see dual humility by becoming nothing and then becoming an accursed nothing (cursed is any man who hangs on a tree). How can anyone say that we deserve to think of ourselves as equals when Paul gives this example of how we are to think of ourselves as Christ thought of himself. We must be willing to let go of our "rights" and our "entitlements". Once this is done and we are no longer holding to anything that we feel we deserve we will be free to love as Christ loved. Only if we become nothing will we be able to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. I say let us become nothing with Him. Let us become the servants of all. As the writer of Hebrews said "let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured."(vs 13:13)

Sorry for that rant but I am growing weary of people being so seeker sensitive that they candy coat the Bible to the point that you can't get to the meat of scripture for thick candy shell of worldly wisdom and man centered application. (In with the good air... out with the bad.)

Bum and I are doing well and thank you for your prayers. I went and discussed the terms of my upcoming position at NES Language School. God has provided this position for me to meet the financial needs that Bum and I will have. She will be leaving her position at the church at the end of March which will make me the sole bread winner of the house. My financial support has gone from a small group of people and a small church to two people and a small church (I thank God for your steadfast devotion and support for what I am doing and your willingness to give, even when you did not really have it to give.). This new job will give us more money than our previous incomes combined. God is so good to us. I will be teaching 20 hours a week to children and adults. Odds are that all of the studnets I will come in contact with will be unsaved, unchurched, and unenterested. Pray that my life will be witness and example of Gods love and that doors will be opened for me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I already have good relationships with most of the staff at the school and have been able to talk in depth about what I believe with one of the ladies (her name is Nid) in the office. She has told me several times that if she had the time she would like to come to church with Bum and I. I hope to be able to start studying the Bible with her after I start working there.

Please continue to pray for us and the work we are doing. I will finish my internship on Feb. 27th and will start working at NES on either the 9th or the 16th. Bum will be oficially unemployed at the end of March and has about 100 different things she has been thinking about doing. Pray for guidence for us both as we are starting new chapters in our lives.

As soon as I remember to hook up the camera I will have some pictures of the last few weeks for you. Maybe this will happen later in the week.

He must increase, but we must decrease.
Glynn and Bum

P.S. Sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes that I am sure are all through this post. The spell check is not working and we all know I am not a speller.