Truer words have never been spoken

At bedtime last night, my son prayed "God, please stop the bad people from killing with guns and drugs and knives and machetes. But God teach them about Jesus so they can stop doing those things."

Truer words have never been spoken- especially the part about machetes. ;)

Speaking as someone who has been scarred by a shooting tragedy, I am for more gun control in the US. BUT what really needs to happen is people putting themselves out there by sharing about Jesus coming to this crazy, depraved world to save us from hopelessness and give us life. Eternal life.

That is the hope for our country. That is the hope for this life.


With love & blessings,
DJ and the Wandering Rileys

Location:แก้วนวรัฐ ซอย 3,Wat Ket,Thailand

5th Language, 1st Love

Last week I began studying my 5th language. It hardly seems possible since I am so NOT a student.

However, I find I am we'll suited to learning languages- I enjoy meeting and spending time with people from cultures other than my own. I like to talk. I like to laugh... usually at myself as I attempt a new word or sound. I like to use the language by going out and trying (sometimes failing) new words and phrases. I also love music- and languages are VERY musical. You must listen to the musical qualities of language and do your best to mimic the sounds exactly. Fun right?! I think so!

So, as I said, I began studying my 5th language. But this just isn't any language. This is the language my heart has desired to learn for over 10 years. I just didn't have the opportunity until now.

Have you guessed which one yet? If you know me, you won't need to guess for long.





Beginning this journey gives me such joy- I am so thankful that the Father grants the desires of our hearts. Maybe not the timing we would like but we need to trust that His timing is perfect!

May His timing and blessings give you joy today!
Daniela

Location:แก้วนวรัฐ ซอย 3,Wat Ket,Thailand

Stay Cool.

I came across this simple message recently and at first I was thinking "wow! This really applies to my life over the last few years".

After all, if I can live in the vast number of situations and scenarios and settings as I have since Susi was born and still be positive about life and its future trajectory, I must be cool. Not freeze dried but cool.

However, I have also discovered that "staying cool" needs to also apply to my daily life... Something that I am quite sure I haven't worked out. Need proof? Just ride with me here in Thailand when we are trying to find a friends house. Without fail I am near tears every time by the time we arrive there (if we arrive at all). Many roads don't have names and landmarks are always changing...and I can no longer rely upon my iPhone map to get me there!!

For example, here are the directions we most recently attempted:
North on Mae Jo road through Mae Jo university area. At km11 (white ground post on right side of road....11 will be facing road side) pass the first U-turn and then take the 2nd U-Turn. Then take the 1st left heading east toward the mountains. Travel 6km crossing a canal and a rainbow fence. At the 'y' ....top of an incline, keep left and continue straight to a sharp left turn and a gate entering a mango orchard. Travel straight into the orchard keeping right next to the mountain. Follow road to our house. Call whenever you need to!

These directions are pretty typical. Notice after the first sentence there are no street names. Well, we found the "rainbow fence" but after that we were completely lost... For an hour... With no cell reception so we couldn't even call them! Needless to say, my ability to "stay cool" was left on the rainbow fence an hour back.

Well, we got there after our friend drove out looking for us. A little embarrassing. A little humbling. Perhaps exactly what I need.

Stay cool DJ. Stay cool.

With love & blessings,
DJ and the Wandering Rileys

Location:Chiang Mai,Thailand

Humanifesto- a poem of truth

This striking poem speaks of a sincere desire to live our life with purpose, to love God and to love our neighbor.

READ IT! READ IT OUT LOUD! It rocks and it will challenge you!

Humanifesto
-Gerard Kelly on The Door CD/DVD

I want to be a grace guerilla
no longer a chameleon of karma
the time has come to stand out from the crowd.
I want to give forgiveness a fighting chance of freeing me
I want to live in love
and live it out loud.

I want to drink deep of the foolishness of wisdom
instead of swallowing the wisdom of fools
I want to find a source in the deeper mines of meaning
to search out the unsearchable
to invoke the invisible
to choose the truth the TV hypnotists aren't screening.

No camouflage
no entourage
no smoothly fitting-in
I want a faith that goes further than face value
and a beauty that goes deeper than my skin.

I want to be untouched by my possessions
instead of being possessed by what I touch
to test the taste of having nothing to call mine
to hold consumption's cravings back
to be content with luck or lack
to live on water as well as on wine.

I want to spend myself on those I think might need me
not spend all I think I need on myself
I want my heart to be willing to make house calls.
Let those whose rope is at an end find in me a faithful friend
Let me be known as one who rebuilds broken walls.

No camouflage
no entourage
no smoothly fitting-in
I want a faith that goes further than face value
and a beauty that goes deeper than my skin.

I want to be centered outside the circle
to be chiseled by a different seam
I want to be seduced by another story
and drawn into a deeper dream
I want to be anchored in an undiscovered ocean
to revolve around an unfamiliar sun
a boom box tuned to an alternate station
a bullet fired from a different gun.

No camouflage
no entourage
no smoothly fitting-in
I want a faith that goes further than face value
and a beauty that goes deeper than my skin.




With love & blessings,
DJ and the Wandering Rileys

Location:Chiang Mai,Thailand

Motorbikes, Mangoes & Moouts

Moout?! Ok I'll get that one out the way right now. Moout is Thai for Ant. They are everywhere. If you leave something out or leave a trail of crumbs they come out in droves. Or even if you did put it away but didn't DOUBLE bag it, they find a way in. They are an army. Big ones. Small ones. Flying ones. Biting ones. And they are worse when it rains... And we just happen to be entering the rainy season. Awesome.

So, there's an adjustment to be made there! But living in Costa Rica prepared me for ants- I just have to get used to them again.

I suppose that is my plan: I just have to get used to _____ again. Because we have lived overseas before, we have realized that in order to thrive in a given place, you must make adjustments. Big ones. Small ones. Flying ones. Biting ones. Haha But the point is that adjustments must be made... And right now they are being made all the time.

Driving for instance. Although Mike and I both have operated vehicles for over 20 years, driving here involves some serious adjustments. For instance, rules of the road here are more like guidelines. Just let that soak in for a minute. You cannot rely on the rules to get you around. You must flow with the traffic and merge... While navigating narrow thruways, dogs lying in the streets, 1000s of motorbikes, and one small teeny fact that they drive on the other side of the road.

One fun adjustment is the food! For the most part we are pretty adventurous eaters! Even Susana has been willing to try different things- she loves mangoes and sticky rice! Will likes Thailand's signature dish, Pad Thai. Mike likes anything spicy- curries especially! My fave thing to eat here is Rotee- a street vendor food that is out of this world! Check out the link below to see how it's made!

http://www.gotpassport.org/2010/02/27/rotee/

One final adjustment, and perhaps the most important of all, is that I cannot solely rely on myself. I must rely on God and our friends here and back home to help us! Our interim years in the States allowed me to rely on myself way too much. I find peace when I give my doubts and fears to God and allow Him to adjust the scenario... Or more likely adjust me.

Motorbikes, Mangoes & Moouts: 3 of many adjustments we are making in this new place. But we are making them, one at a time. Soon this will feel like home every time we step out the door.... Or on a Moout. ;)




With love & blessings,
DJ and the Wandering Rileys

Location:Chiang Mai, THAILAND

Excitement and/or Anxiety?

Excitement and Anxiety.

In my case they appear to be the same thing. Since I am the mother in this rag tag group known as the Wandering Rileys, the last few months have been one long session of list-making of what needs to be done, what needs to be bought, what appointments need to be made, and what friends I have yet to connect with. I have been packing things bound for several places: Grandmas shed, garage sale, Thailand, giveaway, and trash.

Finally, and most sad, are the goodbyes. If you are one of the ones we have said goodbye to, we already miss you terribly and are finding it hard to look forward sometimes!

However, this is not my first time "out of the gate". I know that I can get suntan lotion and cinnamon where I'm going. I feel confident my kids will thrive where I'm going. I have friends where I'm going. And most importantly, we will not be forgotten by our beloved friends here in the US. Whew!

As we draw near to boarding plane for Thailand, the pressure to have it together grows. However the plain truth is that we fly out in 5 days. If I haven't done it (you can fill in the blank as to what "it" is) by now, chances are it isn't gonna happen now!

So, I suppose nothing is left but to hang on and enjoy the ride!

With love & blessings,
DJ and the Wandering Rileys

pic: Will and Susi at the Thai consulate in LA

Location:Long Beach, CA

Chaos theory: can we avoid it? Do we want to?

Chaos. The fear of the unknown. Control.

Although I have been living in what most everyone (including myself) sees as an unstable situation for awhile now (uh, years), I still am unable to calm some of my fears of the unknown and lack of control.

So, have run across several quotes in the past few days that have guided my thoughts (questions) on this subject:

Uyghur proverb- Keyerde gunah bolsa, shu yerde apet kup bolidu.
Where there is sin, there will be (are) lots of catastrophes.

Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman
...however sweet these laid-up stores, however convenient this dwelling we cannot remain here, however welcome the hospitality that surrounds us we are permitted to receive it but for a little while... We will sail pathless and wild seas, we will go where the winds blow...

John 16:33
I have told you this so you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble, but be courageous- I have overcome the world!

When I combine these thoughts, I find I am not alone and I have no reason to fear. Yes, there is evil/sinful men around the bend, there is also evil in my backyard. I am called to be courageous and sail the wild (and potentially pathless- which is more intimidating than wild) seas.

Yes there may be chaos. There may be catastrophes. But He has ALREADY overcome the world!