Yesterday, David was off so he had the privilege of schooling the girls in the morning while I went to my weekly ladies study...thank you, baby! I decided to bike it this week instead of taking a taxi. It's probably 8-9 mile round trip. It took me almost 30 minutes to to get there (and I smelled just lovely when I arrived). I found a short cut on the return so I made it home in 20 minutes. I must say I REALLY enjoyed my solo ride-especially going home. In all the hustle and bustle of motorbikes and taxis whizzing by I felt like I was in my own little world. I'm the kinda gal who likes her space so I eat it up anytime I can get it. Don't get me wrong, I like to be social. I love to meet new people. I love my little family. BUT...I do get re-energized when I have some quality time with me, myself, and I! I like to think, reflect, pray and people watch. Well, you can do alot of that on a bike ride!
I got a bit overwhelmed (in a good way) on my ride home. So let me set the picture for you. It's a beautiful, sunshiny day, 80 degrees, a cool breeze off the lake, and I've just come from a meeting of like-minded ladies I've been acquainted with for about 3 weeks now. I'm peddling through my new city on the road that wraps the lake (just found out today that it's 13km...and, yes, we've biked and walked all the way around it!). I'm on my new mode of transportation fully equipped with a cute little bell on the right handle bar, wire basket in front, and that oh-so-comfortable seat. The lake road is a unique street. You'll come across temples, pagodas, high-rise apartments and businesses. You'll encounter street vendors, families outside enjoying their green tea, men who are training their "birds" to fight, beautiful architecture then right next door you'll see someone's home that is a made of sheets of metal with walls made out of sheets. It's a mix of expat families and locals. There's fishermen at every turn. Oh...and the smells. You'll smell incense burning, rice fields burning, trash burning then ride 20 more feet and you'll get a reprieve from the odors. I've become so familiar with this road I know exactly where the "wiffs" will overtake you. Get the picture???
So, my overwhelmedness (like my new word?) was all about how blessed I felt to be riding home and living (not just seeing) a different culture 1/2 way around the world from where I've always lived. How blessed I am to have a husband who loves his job. How blessed I am that both my girls adapt well to change. How blessed I am that we are starting to see some success with AA's schooling. How blessed I am that I'm beginning to feel better. How blessed I am to be given the opportunity to be stretched in ways I don't even know yet. How blessed I am to be given a second chance to experience this. How blessed I am to be able to look into the eyes of the people in this country and quite frankly see a lot of darkness but know the One who can give them Light.
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| in the neighborhood |
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| beautiful sunrise overlooking the lake outside our apartment |
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| typical street scene |
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| trying to make a living |
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| bird "in training" |
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| the locals think 80 degrees is "chilly"...wow. |
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| daily ride around the lake |
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| also in the neighborhood |
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| David getting his $2 hair cut from the "tree guy" (you see hundreds of these men on the streets) |
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| She carved the most beautiful pineapple for us today. We bought 2 pineapples for $1 usd! |
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precious girl all decked out for the new year celebrations last week
So...welcome to a little piece of my world. |
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