maay saap

There is less than a week until I head back to the states.  Its hard to make my brain wrap around that sentence.  I feel like I've been here for my entire life, and for 2 weeks all at the same time.  This 5 months has truly been a weird experience as far as the passing of time goes.  I am excited to go home, to return with my stories, pictures, gifts and experiences.  This season has been amazingly hard, amazingly educational, amazingly beautiful and over all amazing.  There is so much to tell, so many moments that stick out in my mind and I am worried that I won't be able to hold on to all of them.  I know that images will fade from my mind, the streets and the language that I studied until my eyes bled will slip out of my mind as I use it even less than I do now.

What will continue is the relationships that God has brought me into.  I know that the friendships that I have been given will continue and grow as we grow as people and as children of the one true God.  Both those relationships that will go back to the states with me and the ones that I will have stretching out across land and sea will mature and I will continue to learn from these amazing people.  They will also help me in remembering the things I learned here, the lessons that made me cry and laugh and rejoice.  The relationships that grew with people back in the states because of this trip here will also grow and continue as we are reunited in mutual time zones and countries. 

I have learned so much about people, and since I am a people I have learned so much about myself.  I know that the last 2 years of living in community, living simply and earnestly seeking God's face has been in preparation for whatever is next.  Where ever I am lead next I hope that the things I've learned here in Bangkok will let me follow with grace and compassion. 

So I'm heading back to the USofA.  I am not quite prepared for the 16 hour flight, or the reverse culture-shock, however I am not sure which is going to be worse.  I am terribly excited about some potential directions my life could be taking when I get back and I covet your prayers as there are some big decisions ahead for myself and how I can best serve the Kingdom of God. 

Thanks, for coming along with me on this blog adventure.  I apologize repeatedly for the lack of good blogging that I did!  I am utterly ashamed, haha.  I love you all and I am so thankful for you in my life.