Then and Now!

A year ago....

Now!

The pictures tell it all. Isn't it amazing?! Day to day, in the trenches of parenthood, it's hard to see the growth and learning that's occurring... Our focus can be limited by the stresses of life ...getting so bogged down in the "messes" that we fail to notice the progress and miss out on celebrating mini, even micro mini milestones. Can't help but wonder if there aren't applications beyond parenthood here... Anyway, without digging deeper, just wanted to congratulate our girlie girls. "Way to go, Riley!" and "Well done, Vanessa!" Dad and I are looking forward to way too many celebrations to count in the days to come. You are our joy for sure!

LOVE Extravagantly!

Recently, it's been on my heart to write a "Love" blog. Not because of Valentine's Day, but rather in honor of Riley Lynn's birthday. Two years ago today, this precious little one changed my life forever in a most wonderful way. In fact, I really believe that being Riley's Grandmommy has taught me more about love than all my life experiences added together and I think the reason why is that, as a grandparent, I've found it totally impossible not to love or not show my love for her in anyway but extravagantly. True, shopping for her has been a total joy, but that's not what I'm feeling. It's much more of a heart thing… loving Riley has helped me grow in my understanding of how extravagantly I'm loved by the One who is love and challenged me in a very real way to strive to "be" love….not just to Riley, but to the whole world as I encounter it for His honor and glory.

Being love on our own is impossible, but praise God for his inspired word. Over 2,000 years ago, God gave Paul a "Love" letter, 1 Corinthians 13, to share with us…one that I'm using my blog to pass on with a prayer request that you pray for me as I'm praying for you, that together, as we all try our best to live life, we love…. Extravagantly!

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything as plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't have love, I've gotten nowhere. So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end…..
Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love." (The Message)

Happy Birthday, Riley Lynn. Oh how Grandmommy looks forward to a lifetime of loving you!

Shipwreck Treasures

Shipwreck at Mossel Bay....This picture was taken just a few days before I left South Africa... little did I know then the change in direction our life's journey was about to take!

My Shipwreck Treasure

Sunrise over Mossel Bay... "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

I never cease to be surprised by the lessons God teaches us with when we least expect them. This morning, as I was getting ready for church, I had one of those experiences. I'm writing about it so that I won't forget... also just maybe, it will be meaningful to someone else.

In Malaysia, I was introduced to Tradewind Treasures...a company that makes beautiful jewellery from historic porcelain shards which have lain for centuries on the bottom of the South China Sea. These shards were once part of the sunken cargo from ships that traveled along the Silk Route. The first time I saw the jewellery, I decided that I'd love to have a piece as a memento of my time in Asia. So before leaving, I splurged and purchased what I thought was a bit of Asian history. Little did I know then, that my pendant with the Double Happiness waves design recovered from the Desaru Shipwreck would have meaning and symbolism to me way beyond the 19th century Qing Dynasty.

Though I bought this treasure in April, I only just wore it for the first time this morning. To my surprise as I put it on, my mind was immediately flooded with analogies and symbolism of truths much, much more ancient than the 1830 shipwreck.This pendant is a perfect symbol of hope to me. Crazy that all that follows came from simply putting on a necklace, but praise God that he keeps encouraging me over and over with this most beautiful word...Hope!

First of all, the pendant came from a shipwreck which is exactly what my life would be without Jesus. Like a ship at sea, I can be blown to and fro by the stormy winds of life, and at times, even overcome by raging waters that threaten to take my last bit of joy... peace...even my very breath away. Without Jesus who is more than able to calm the most treacherous of storms in my life, I'd be going down without a prayer of hope... just like the covered wine bowl my jewellery was made of did in the cargo hold of the Desaru.

Next, I thought about how this porcelain cargo...now a treasure, had once been lost... just like me! How blessed I am that Jesus values not only me, but each and every person in the whole world, and will stop at nothing to find his children and bring us home to be with him eternally. The parables of the lost sheep, Luke 15:4, and the lost coins, Luke 15:8, encourage me and help me to know this amazing truth.

Another analogy that came to mind this morning was how my life, just like my pendant, without God's grace was broken... full of sin and without the value it had been created to have. Fortunately, Jesus' sacrifice has made it possible for me to be beautiful and truly precious in God's eyes once again....simply illustrated just as this jewellery had been transformed by a craftsman from a mere shard from a common everyday bowl into a treasure worthy to be displayed in a national museum.

One last thought I had was about the pattern of "Double Happiness"....meaning even more than happy which just so happens to be the meaning of "blessed"! It truly is a gift from God to be able to experience hope and joy regardless of outward circumstances. We are truly "blessed" to be called his children, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. To God, no other treasures on earth can even begin to compare to his shipwreck treasures....us!

* * * * *

P.S. This post was written 3 months ago (October 4)... and never published as I wasn't quite sure... not sure what I wasn't sure about... I think I was afraid of sounding too preachy or something. As I reread it this morning (January 3)... the first time I've been to my blog since Sam was laid off and we've moved home... I decided to publish it with a prayer that maybe the truths God put on my heart then would encourage others as they once again encouraged me this morning. So much loss has happened in the short time we've been home... dear friends have lost mothers, granddaughters... friends of friends have lost wives, babies...lost jobs, lost relationships, lost opportunities...
Praise God that so long as the sun rises, there will never be a loss of HOPE.

New Friends

It's October already which means it's time for a new travelogue. September did include some beautiful sights, and I do have some pictures that I promise to post very soon for the pleasure of my vicarious adventurers, but more than anything it was a month about people and relationships rather than about places.

All of our new friendships have been such a comfort and joy. Sam and I joined the American Association of South Africa in Capetown on an outing to a local winery and learned how to prepare a yummy winter meal. We've spent several Saturdays hiking with the Walk-a-bouts, a hiking club we were warmly welcomed into. Sundays have been special as we've found our church home, a vibrant loving part of God's family meeting at Common Ground Church. And finally, all of the Smith International families have returned from their holidays and we've enjoyed several fun gatherings as we strive to make new homes away from our homes.

Whew, all that by way of an introduction! Though these new friendships are special and deserve a blog post of their own, who I really want to write about today is my new friend, Maria, a beautiful Godly woman, delightful neighbor, and also the wife of a co-worker of Sam's who's been an incredible blessing to me this past month. It's hard to believe but the threads of our friendship and the hope and encouragement it has brought to both of us actually began in Singapore almost 72 years ago.

I know I may have lost you on that last sentence! Let me try to explain this amazing story of how God weaves our lives together..."working everything out for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28

In September 2007, I accompanied Sam on a business trip to Singapore. He spent the week in classes while I spent the week exploring. It was quite an adventure for a rookie world traveler like me. I enjoyed museums, gardens, and shopping, but my favorite sight of all was "The Gate of Hope". There was just something about this place that touched my heart and ministered to my soul. Just before the trip, we'd learned that Vanessa was expecting our precious Riley Lynn...not unwelcome, but unplanned. Our hearts were heavy knowing how difficult the path would be. Strolling around the grounds of this former convent and orphanage that had been a home to so many children somehow comforted me and filled me with hope in a way I can't quite explain.

The Gate of Hope

Try to read the fine print on this plaque... you'll see why later in the blog.

The chapel on the convent grounds.

Fast forward to September 2009. As soon as Maria returned from her holidays in the states, we began getting to know each other, sharing as we walked along the seawall. One day she shared that her mother, born to a Chinese family, had been placed in an orphanage because of a superstition about girls who were born in the year of the tiger being bad luck. (Do you remember reading about that on the plaque above?) Her mom was later adopted by a Christian family. She then shared that her mom had married at a young age and immediately had 3 children. Maria was the oldest. Her parents had struggled and eventually divorced placing Maria and her brother in the same orphanage her mom had been brought to as a baby because they were unable to care for them. Maria, my new friend, had walked through The Gate of Hope when she was 6 years old and spent most of her childhood there.

Her story and my own Gate of Hope experience have once again given me just a glimpse of how purposeful random things in our life can be. My heart is filled with hope when I think of what God did to bless Maria, the daughter of an orphan and an orphan herself for a time. Truly, truly, truly, I'm so thankful for God's provision, encouragement, and faithfulness to keep his promises and cannot imagine life without the relationships with family and friends that he has blessed me with...both old and new.

Baby Steps to the End

There are moments in life when random things just kind of come together and deeper meaning is revealed in a way that I just have to believe isn't randomness at at all.

A couple of months ago, while reading a friends blog, I discovered the link to something called The Happiness Project. I was intrigued, clicked on it, read a bit, and decided that this was something good and subscribed to it.
http://www.happiness-project.com/

Last week, my mom, who is new to the Internet world, successfully forwarded me a message that had been sent to her by a lifelong neighbor and friend. She told me how special it was and really encouraged me to take a look at it.
www.simpletruths.tv/miami/movies.php?movie=DASH

Back to The Happiness Project... It had been a challenging couple of days. Some days are like that! The issues I was dealing with seemed too big...that's when I read on the Project page about what I call baby steps, or a Japanese concept called "Kaizen". It's a way of achieving continuous improvement by taking baby steps...not really a new concept, but it was presented in a different sort of way and was one that I needed to be reminded of. The timing was perfect and helped me deal with my current worries in a realistic achievable way.

Finally, I had the time to check out Mom's mail and that's when these 2 seemingly random things came together in a perfect fit...giving me perspective, inspiration and encouragement. Not to published, nor to be morbid, I'm working on writing what I hope my eulogy might someday be. Once I'm finished, I'm going to spend some quiet time being honest ...assessing if I'm living life, my "DASH" in a way I want to be remembered for. Jumping ahead, I already know the answer to that question. I have plenty of room for improvement! With God's grace and the help and encouragement of family and friends, I'll be taking baby steps to the end.

Wow! Talk about stopping me in my tracks. As I rereading my newly published post, I noticed the date and was vividly reminded with a flashback to the billowing Twin Towers of the value of a single day. Maybe, an appropriate baby step would be to live today like it was my end... the end of my "DASH" which might require taking huge giant leaps if there are things I've been putting off or want to be sure to do.... time to ponder and reflect.

August Recap

Time flies! It's hard to believe that Sam and I've been in Cape Town 2 months now...for me, that's half the entire time I spent in KL! This posting is to once again give a very brief pictorial recap of the month. For my readers who don't choose to succumb to the crazy addictive world of facebook, here's the link to my latest album.
Just click on it , or as my mom says, "poke it" and it should give you a peek into our world. We love having you travel along with us and sharing in our adventures.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=33263&id=1255249797&l=b4da00c665

A view of our apartment building looking across Bantry Bay. Ours is the tan building in the middle with a green space to the left

Doesn't Sam look thrilled ? Actually, he was. After almost a month and a half, Asia Tiger finally arrived with our treasures...sure helps to make a house a home!

Unpacking and settling in has taken time, but we've also made it a point to continue exploring a little bit each weekend. The picture above was taken in Franschhoek at a wine estate about an hour from Cape Town.

Spring has sprung! To celebrate the moment and our relief from the mildly blustery winter, Sam and I hiked to the top of Lion's Head Mountain which is pretty much in our own backyard.

Another field trip that we enjoyed was to the quaint town of Kalk Bay. After wandering around town and exploring the harbor, we enjoyed a delicious meal in a restaurant that was right on the water....Not exactly Snoopy's, but special none the less :)

Even Princesses Fall Down...a prayer for all princesses everywhere!

I just love this picture of Riley Lynn. It was taken to capture her joy in getting a new tiara and princess shoes. From what Vanessa has shared, Riley has discovered a new love for high heeled shoes. As cute as she was modeling all her royal accessories, it was her face that captured my attention and led to this prayerful blog.

Father, as I sit writing this blog I realize that it isn't a blog at all, but rather prayerful thoughts to you for Riley, her mommy, me ...for all your princesses everywhere. It's my prayer that everyday of our lives we grow in our knowledge and belief that we truly are your princesses, not in a spoiled diva worldly sort of way, but humbly, as your daughters and joint heirs to a heavenly inheritance.

Father, I pray that each of us, as we mature in our own time and in our own way, acknowledges and confesses that by our own efforts, there is no perfect princess among us. I pray that we'll all always lavishly shower each other with grace knowing that even princesses fall down... Father, you know that some of our falls are accidents. Others are because of the choices we make. Regardless of the reason, they leave us with bruises, cuts, scars .... even broken hearts. No matter how badly we're hurt, Father, I pray we'll always have and accept the love and comfort we need ...especially your holy compassion and grace that makes us perfect in your sight.

As I look at this picture of Riley, this precious little bruised princess of yours, I can't help but pray that all the princesses in your kingdom, including Riley's grandmommy, aka Vanessa's mom, aka me, will live grateful lives, always striving to honor you, the King of Kings...that all who know us will glorify you because our lives are a reflection of you and your perfect love.
Amen

Learning the Language

After almost 2 months in South Africa, Sam and I are still trying to master the language...not Afrikaans or Xhosa, but rather English! Actually, when I think about it, it's not a whole lot different from the challenge that faced us when we moved from California to Texas. It's not really a problem of learning new vocabulary, but rather of learning a new way to use familiar words.

Way back then, we learned to substitute "y'all" for "you guys" and "soda" for "coke". Today, we're learning to say "pleasure" rather than "you're welcome" and that "To Let" means "For Rent". Most words and phrases can be understood in context if given enough time to process not only the spoken language .....

{Please excuse the interruption as MWEB disconnected my internet at this point yesterday because I'd used my allotted time, and sadly the rest of this blog is floating somewhere out in cyberspace! Bummer :( Oh well, it's not like I don't remember the gist of what I was writing so let me just pick up where I left off before I was so rudely interrupted :) }

.... Most words and phrases can be understood in context if given enough time to process not only the spoken language, but also the body language. Unfortunately, that's the problem. There's usually not adequate time or else I'm just plain slow, but I find myself having to ask someone to repeat several times before the light bulb comes on and the meaning clicks.

For example, try translating this recent phrase a new friend used in conversation with me-

"One hundred percent! I'll give you a tinkle just now. "

I don't know what you think this means, but for me, my initial thoughts just didn't make sense. Actually, it means, "Absolutely! I'll give you a call soon." Just for fun, now that you know a bit of South African, you might want to try that phrase out and see what kind of response you get :)

As much as I'd like to continue chatting, I confess that I'm on a new internet diet...trying to limit my consumption so that I can make it through the next month with out having to purchase yet another booster and so... "I must whiz off now now (2 nows)!" (translation: I must leave right now) Love y'all and thanks for checking in. Cheers!

What a Day!

Years from now, I'm sure that I'll remember Aug. 6 as a turning point in our African adventure. I'd been looking forward to yesterday for almost a month ...actually counting the days as it was the first opportunity I was going to have to meet with the International Women's Club. It's been my experience since moving to Bangkok, that groups like these are a good first step in making friends and becoming a part of the community. I was not disappointed. Before the meeting even began, I was introduced to 2 lovely American women who immediately befriended me and welcomed me into their world. Believe me, in my head, I was doing a dance of joy thanking God for the blessing of friendship. After the meeting, we enjoyed having lunch together...sharing in the fast forward sort of way expats do. Then, to make an already perfect day even better, Sam and I were invited to attend the first ever gathering of the American Society of South Africa that was being held at a local restaurant that evening. Of course we seized the opportunity! I can still hardly believe it, but as a result of lunch with my new friends, we already have plans for Thanksgiving dinner and an invitation to enjoy an evening early in December at the American Consulate. What a day...what a truly remarkable day!

A Few of My Favorite Shots

...Just a few of my favorite pictures from the past month. If you'd like to see more and are not on Facebook, just click on the following link.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29276&id=1255249797&l=08d560b995

Table Mountain...the flat one :) and Lion's Head to the right. We live just below Lion's Head.

South African wildlife....not exactly the Big 5 (Lion, Rhino, Elephant, Leopard, and Cape Buffalo) , but a special treat for a couple of expat Texans like us for sure!

Breathtaking scenery...I took this while standing on the tip of the Cape Peninsula where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans meet.

Sunset from our apartment...watching this has taken the place of the 6 o'clock news.

Moonrise over Table Mountain. I never look at the moon without feeling closer to family and friends knowing that we all share the same view no matter where in the world we find ourselves.

Last post cont.

My favorite "beep-beep"...looks like the queen of England is riding in the backseat!

From roti to rusks....from "tuk-tuks to beep-beeps"... Being that I'm still a newbie to this part of the world, I frequently find myself making comparisons of everyday life here to life in other parts of the world that I've recently experienced.

"Tuks-tuks to beep-beeps" is a comparison of public transportation. In fact, rather than trying to put this into words, I should post a short video to illustrate this colorful part of my life. That would be a great idea, except that there are some real security concerns here in Cape Town. Thankfully, as long as I remember to use common sense (like not standing out on the street with a camera making a video), I feel perfectly safe.... with one exception, and that exception is what I call the "beep-beeps."

In Thailand, the streets were filled with a common form of transportation called tuk-tuks. The name described the sound the engine made. Well, in Cape Town, the most common form of public transportation is a full sized van that incessantly honks it's horn, not as a warning, but rather as a way of soliciting customers. Both vehicles in both countries are true road hazards in that they don't follow customary rules of the road. In fact, the other day I saw a bumper sticker on the back of one of the vans that said, "I stop whenever and wherever I want." Though I'm feeling more and more comfortable driving from the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road, I have a feeling that dodging "beeps-beeps" will forever be a challenge and an ever present danger. How I miss Ton and Ravi, our drivers in Thailand and Malaysia!

Another thing that's different and that I also miss is unlimited internet access. This past month I spent my entire allotment before the month's end. Fortunately, I was able to purchase a booster to tide me over. I neeeeeeed....not just want...to be connected! Anyway, this change along with others, can be challenging but not impossible. I'm just going to have to do things a bit differently like not posting pictures on Shutterfly, or at least not as many What's that saying? ... "When in Africa, do as the the Africans do!"

From "Roti" to "Rusks"

Actually, to be more accurate, the title of this blog should be From "Rice" to "Roti" to "Rusks" because last July, I was still living in Thailand. What a year it's been! As far as the title goes, rice needs no explanation. Roti was the delicious Indian flat bread we enjoyed in Malaysia, especially at breakfast, and rusks are a dried cake similar to biscotti that we've learned that many South Africans dunk in their coffee or tea and enjoy as a snack.

After only 2 weeks, Sam and I are settling in nicely. In a way, each move has gotten a little easier as we both know more about what to expect. I've learned that loneliness is inevitable, but that it won't last forever, and I've also learned to laugh to myself at the frustration of needing help with even the simplest of things. For example, today I was in an elevator needing to go up. There were 2 buttons in which to choose from. One was a "G" and the other was a "B". Since I was in the parking garage, I assumed the "G" meant garage and I pushed the "B". Wrong! When the door opened and we were still in the garage, the 2 local men also riding in the elevator looked at me like I was an idiot for pressing the wrong button which I guess I was! Note to self- "B" means basement and "G" means ground. Next time I'll know. There is no greater teacher than experience!

One last thought for this posting is that I want to say thanks for reading my blog and joining me in experiencing yet another part of the world. As I mentioned earlier, loneliness is one of the pitfalls of moving about as much as I have in the last year. Sometimes I joke and claim that my computer and the Internet are my best friends! Of course the reality is that they're only the tools I use to connect to you, my friends and family. If you have a moment to leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it. It really lifts my spirits to know that someone has actually read my ramblings :) Thanks! or should I say "Dankie" (Thanks in Afrikaans)

Jet Lag Thoughts....

It's 2:08 AM and I should be sleeping, but instead I find myself wide awake, starving, and thinking lonely thoughts from another time zone. Truthfully, I've been indulging myself in a pretty full blown pity party...thinking of all those I've recently left behind...remembering the tears I shed on the way home from the airport yesterday evening as I shared with Sam special moments from both Texas and California...and even more tears as we talked about the details of the move to Cape Town and the reality of leaving even more friends began to sink in.

Unfortunately for me, my brain has an incredibly annoying habit of "half empty" thinking.... I so wish I was a more natural optimist! At least I'm a pessimist who knows there's a better way. I'm thankful that even at this early morning hour with a let lagged mush brain, God has given me the discernment to recognize this dark hole for what it is and the desire to refuse the temptation to sink even deeper into melancholy.

The reality is that in one more day the movers will be here...in six more days I'll be on a plane to Cape Town. The reality is that I'm truly blessed! Each move I've ever made from as far back as I can remember has always made my life richer and I'd be hard pressed to choose a person or experience to sacrifice. Even my recent "mugger moment" is precious to me in it's own way :) Life is a journey...whether you live in one place or many, the truth is we're all always movin' on. Fortunately, we're never traveling alone.

The pictures that I promised...

I really do need to make it my goal to create new photo albums on my shutterfly account as it's my joy to share our travels with family and friends who choose to join us vicariously. I promise I'll get to that in the near future. But for now, the following pictures are the ones I promised in my last blog....Simple Thoughts. I've found that traveling really does have a way of causing me to examine my own beliefs while questioning and learning about the traditions of others.

Dressed to visit an Islamic mosque.

This is a picture of the Putra Mosque located in the government center of Putra Jaya just outside of KL. I visited this with high hopes of being able to admire the artistic beauty and also to learn more about Islamic worship.Unfortunately, as a non-Muslims, I could only walk to the entrance and look in. I'm not exactly sure why I had to dress for that...

The following pictures were taken at Batu Cave. It's the most important pilgrimage site for Malaysia's Hindus. During the Thaipusam festival celebrated in late January or early February, over a million pilgrims visit the cave. Sam joined the celebration on his birthday this past February...I need to learn how to post his video


A very tall golden statue of Lord Murugan with 272 steps up to Batu Cave behind it.

My favorite picture taken at Batu Caves! As an act of thanksgiving, parents bring their children to this temple. The child's head is shaved and then a powdery paste is spread over the child's head. Our driver, Ravi, surprised us by asking a family if we could hold their daughter. The family was very happy to allow us the honor...not quite sure if we were good luck or if they were just more than happy to allow others to share in their joy.

Reminds me of a Madonna and child...I'm guessing this God must be for children or maybe families.

Another god...Ravi pointed out the monkey like face and tried to explain that it had something to do with how people were in the beginning...I'm thinking he was referrring to evolution.

These last pictures were taken on a tour of Chinese cemeteries sponsored by the American Association of Malaysia. We learned a bit of Chinese culture by touring 2 memorial parks during Ching Ming, or All Souls Day which is celebrated for 20 days in April. I learned that Chinese people believe in ancestral worship and life after death and so during the 20 days of this festival families visit their departed loved ones graves. On their visit they bring the favorite foods of the deceased for them to enjoy. Our tour guide told us that they communicate with the dead by asking yes no questions. For example, they ask the family member if they've finished eating and then throw 2 coins over their shoulder. If the coins land with the same sides up, the answer is no and so they allow more time. If the coins land with opposite sides showing the answer is yes and they can pack up the picnic.

They also bring "paper" versions of all the necessities their loved one might need in the next life...clothes, cars, perfume, money...these are offered and then burned

The dead are buried according to feng shui practices...a hill behind them and water in front of them

Chinese wear color coded clothing to a funeral. The color is symbolic of how they are related to the deceased. The green is a grandchild, blue is a child...

This grave is not a grave at all. It was build to cheat death...interesting story.

Simple Thoughts

Recently, I joined a group from the American Malaysian Club and toured both old and new Chinese cemeteries as part of Ching Ming or All Souls Day. It's always so interesting to learn about another culture and their beliefs and traditions. In this blog, rather than post pictures of the trip, I'd like to share some thoughts I've been pondering about the experience and about other recent experiences too. (I promise to post pictures soon!)

Our tour guide, a lovely Chinese lady, explained that Chinese people, including herself, believe in ancestral worship and life after death, but what really got my attention was when she shared that the rituals that must take place upon the death of a loved one and every year after that are so complicated that today many Chinese convert their family members to Christianity on their death beds in order to avoid having to carry out the expected traditions. Over and over throughout the tour, she repeated that it was just so much simpler to be a Christian and it's that thought that has prompted me to share.

I couldn't agree with her more. Christianity is simple. It's so simple that it can be summed up in one word. Love... One verse. John 3:16. God wants the whole world to know him and to spend eternity with him. Why is simple so hard to accept in life, not just death?

Another example of the simplicity of Christianity is how it compares to Hinduism. The Hindu temple we visited this past weekend at Batu Cave was full of representations of different gods and specialized priests that served these gods. Our driver explained how that different gods handled different problems...sickness, money, children. Some prayer requests even had to be taken to priests in India for answers. I'm sure I don't understand it all, but what I do understand is that I worship one God, and that my God is more than able to handle anything anyone brings to him in prayer. In fact, my God knows the prayers of anyone who calls him Father before they pray...he knows what can't even be put into words. This is the God I've put my faith in.

One more "simple" thought I'd like to share is that in Christ, one is free... something that I've learned that not all religions share. Living in an Islamic country for the past few months has taught me that for a majority of Malaysians, religious laws govern things like what they wear, what they eat and drink, and when and where they pray...all things that I'm, as a Christian, simply free to choose for myself. In fact, the laws of the country even govern how non Muslims live out their religious beliefs. Christians and members of other religions in Malaysia are able to meet together and worship, but they are prohibited from sharing their faith with Muslims.

In closing, I can't help but wonder if the simple truth of Christianity is what might make it hard for people.... something so easy (I'm mindful that it was anything but easy for God as he sacrificed his son)... so easy to ignore or put off. Maybe John 3:16 is just too good to be true or too simple for people who want their own works and effort to pave their way into whatever they believe comes after this life. Simple thoughts, I know, but I felt compelled to jot them down.