Here is a video that I took of the guys singing (I think I joined in here and there?) along to the movie the Sound of Music. We used to watch it together when we were younger and I think this made somewhere around the 15th time. This all started because we wanted to beat their mom's record of 20 times or something like that.

Anyway, I thought it was funny and I love my little brothers!

Christmas is almost here.....

Saturday night we got together with some of our really good long time friends. It was so nice to be able to get together with them and remember the years of fun we had together. Praise the Lord for friendships like these.

For old times sake mom once again made cinnamon rolls.

Here's a pic of the dough before she rolled it up.

And here they are after they were finished. Don't they look yummy? Don't worry they were. Is your mouth watering yet?

For dinner we had a french style meal that was good and fun.

The meal was of potatoes, sliced meat, cheese, and pickles. The potatoes that you see are boiled and then placed on the hot plate on top to stay warm. You then choose your meat and cheese and place them in you little tray which you set under the hot plate and electric coil to melt the cheese and warm the meat. Once it's ready you mash up your potato and slide you meat and cheese on top and enjoy!

I made up a game that was a white elephant gift exchange with a twist. Both of our dads ended up with the Christmas hats. Here's Santa and his little elf helper.

After the gift exchange we played Mafia and Balderdash.

So Merry Christmas everyone and I hope that you are have a blessed new year!

100th Post!!!

Drum roll please! It's my 100th Post! Wow, it sure has taken me awhile but the day has finally arrived.

I had a personal photo shoot this morning. And for those of you who are wondering, the bird is my friend, Flo. ( I told you Dani!)

This post has multiple purposes as you will see. One of those is to just show you what it looks like here in Iowa for those of you who aren't here. We had a snow storm yesterday and as a result today it's beautiful! I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!!!!!!!!!

I love the snow in contrast to the little crab apples!

My cute doggie, Levi. Winter is definitely his favorite time of year! I think you should have lived somewhere where there is snow most of the year.

And then, last week I had a party to go to so I decided to make Christmas cookies. It took quite awhile but I enjoyed doing it and being creative!

Some of the end results. They were good!

I guess I'll close up this post by first saying thank you to all the comments on my last post! Glad you enjoyed that recipe as well. And then I want to leave you with a quote that I might take the time to expound on later but not now.

We are so obsessed with doing that we have no time and no imagination left for being. As a result, men are valued not for what they are but for what they do or what they have- for their usefulness.

- Thomas Merton.

Bon Appetit!

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer to blog about this! Today as we were working, (because we tend to work on Saturdays here at the Baskerville household) mom was glancing through my Grandma's old cookbook when she came across a very interesting recipe. I got the biggest kit out of it and decided almost immediately I had to post about it. And Bekah has recently posted about a recipe that she likes and I know she has posted others in the past so I thought it was my turn:)

Can you guess? Okay so you probably did because of the pics. How to cook a raccoon! Gross!

I think this little guy agrees with me hence the tongue sticking out.

Please!!!!!!!!! Have mercy! I promise not to steal the dog and cat food anymore.

(a caption for the below photo)

Mr. Raccoon was tried and found guilty and faced his fate:

How to Cook a raccoon: (this is seriously what the cookbook says.)

Dress the raccoon and remove all the surface fat. Cover with cold water and add 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt, according to amount of meat and 1/2 to 1 pound of butter ( a substitute is not as good). Soak meat 1/2 hour or longer: drain off water. Cut off thighs, legs; and body into three parts. Place in large kettle. Cover with cold water containing the salt. Bring to boil state. Reduce heat, so meat simmers until tender; keep covered. Drain off the broth. When meat is done cool. Cut into serving pieces. Coat each serving with butter. Place in baking dish in oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes to one hour. Turn during baking. Keep covered with foil to prevent dryness.

This is my favorite part, (We preferred the cooking time in water to be done in a shed on the farm on a camp stove, because of the wild oder and then brought into the house for baking time.)

I guess you are suppose to then enjoy!!!!!!!!! Wow! My mouth is just watering for raccoon now, isn't yours? I don't know about you but I found that recipe highly amusing! (Sorry to all cute cuddly animal lovers :( Just remember raccoons aren't usually cute and cuddly but really can be nasty.

Heart against a thorn

This morning my mom was reading to me from a devotional call Streams of in the Desert by L.B. Cowman. At the end the devotional for yesterday there was a poem that Mom and I really enjoyed (that's saying something coming from two people who don't really like poetry). Anyway, please take the time to read this as I think you'll find it a blessing.

Once I heard a song of sweetness

As it filled the morning air,

Sounding in its blest completeness

Like a tender, pleading prayer:

And I sought to find the singer,

Where the wondrous song was borne:

And I found a bird, quite wounded,

Pinned down by a cruel thorn.

I have seen a soul in sadness,

While its wings with pain were furled,

Giving hope, and sheer, and gladness,

That should bless a weeping world

And I know that life of sweetness,

Was of pain and sorrow borne,

And a stricken soul was singing,

With its heart against a thorn.

You are told of One who loved you,

Of a Saviour crucified,

You are told of nails that held Him,

And a spear that pierced His side;

You are told of cruel scourging,

Of a Savior hearing scorn,

And He died for your salvation,

With His brow against a thorn.

You "are not above the Master."

Will you breathe a sweet refrain?

And His grace will be sufficient,

When your heart is pierced with pain.

Will you live to bless His loved ones,

Though your life be bruised and torn,

Like the bird that sang so sweetly,

With its heart against a thorn?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Recently there has been a song on the radio that I've really liked. I found that the words are really good and probably true of a lot of Christians including myself. I especially like the first 2 verses. Don't feel like you have to read words to the whole song but read the first 2 at least:

By Your Side

1st

Why are you striving these days

Why are you trying to earn grace

Why are you crying

Let me lift up your face

Just don't turn away

2nd

Why are you looking for love

Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough

To where will you go child

Tell me where will you run

To where will you run

And I'll be by your side

Wherever you fall

In the dead of night

Whenever you call

And please don't fight

These hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side

They swallowed the grave on that night

When I drank the world's sin

So I could carry you in

And give you life

I want to give you life

Cause I, I love you

I want you to know

That I, I love you

I'll never let you go

-Ten Avenue North

When will I stop crying and fighting in the arms of my Savior and be completely satisfied and say He is enough?

How I feel...

Today, is a day when I do not feel like this......

...or this...

...but no, I feel like this..

...and I'm acting like this...

...and if anyone gets too close I might become this...

I love pics.! They simply say too much so easily! So yeah, I wanted to post but I'm really not in a good enough mood to post about anything but how I feel. It's been long day and you better be grateful that you're not around me.

It's all about Jesus

A week or so ago I received a comment on my blog from an Anonymous reader. I've been wanting to reply to it but I haven't yet. So out of the fear that they wouldn't see my reply, if I just left a comment, I decided to post about it. If you didn't see it, this is what the comment said:

"I think what your doing is amazing. I wish God called me to do such work. Its odd but I sometimes wonder if God cares at all. Well, cares about me I mean. I just wonder why I can't be as happy as others that I see around me, but it comforts me knowing that he has chosen such a wonderful person like yourself to do great things. As long as others are happy, that is all that matters. God bless."

Wow, is the first thing I'm going to say. I'm going to write this to you whoever you are.

I would like to share with you something that God showed me before I arrived and while I was in Asia. First, He showed me that I shouldn't be comparing myself to others. Second, He showed me that the "success" of my trip didn't depend on what I did but that I did what God wanted me to do. Third, He showed me further what the second thing meant when I was in Thailand. While I was still here in America I was expecting to teach more English classes than I did when I was there. What we ended up doing much of my time there, which I wasn't expecting at all, was helping with the craft part of kids camps. As we were trying to come up with ideas for crafts, making examples, and doing more cutting out of craft supplies than I have ever done in my life I wondered what was the point. I mean I'm over here in Asia spending hours on crafts for kids which are most likely going to end up on the ground in pieces or in the garbage at some point in time. But God showed me something, He showed me that this is what He had for me to do. Even though it didn't make sense to me why I would come to Thailand to help with so many crafts God knew. It doesn't matter what He wants us to do. He doesn't measure greatness the same way we do. Remember Jesus and the little children? He saw things much differently than the 12, didn't He?

Jesus was showing me that my eyes were not to be on what I was doing or what great things or even what little things I was doing but my eyes were and are suppose to be on Him. It's not about making a name for Chrissy, or that people will be impressed with what she is doing, or that people will remember her when she dies, but that all she does brings glory and honor to the name of the Lord.

I remember, there was a time after I graduated from high school that I was really struggling. I was mad at God for not showing me what I was suppose to do. It was a time of testing my faith. I cried and prayed and told God what I was feeling like. It was tough but since then I have learned that I can trust my Lord. I've learned that He has called me to trust Him and walk one step at a time in what He wants for my life. Sometimes I know what He wants me to do 6 months into the future, other times not even 1 month. But I can trust Him. He is faithful.

Don't let Satan deceive you into thinking that God doesn't care. Sometimes, He allows us to go through the valley to draw us closer to Him. Sometimes we go our own way and find ourselves wanting to eat the food we're feeding to someone's pigs. But just like the prodigal son we can always come home again. At times it's hard to forgive myself I feel like God can't forgive me until I get myself back on the right track. This is so not true. Jesus' blood shed for me is the only reason I can even approach God the Father not because of Chrissy.

You also mentioned you don't know why can't you be happy like other people are happy. I want to remind you that happiness isn't lasting. Happiness is determined by our circumstances while the Lord's joy and peace only comes from Him. Someone can be hurting and going through something as hard as a loss of a child and still have God's peace and joy in their lives. Seek the things that are eternal not temporal.

I also want to encourage you to put your eyes on Jesus Christ and not other or yourself. If you're angry at God, tell Him. I've been there, I've done that, I'm sure I'll go though it again. One verse that I really like is the one about how we have a high priest who understands what we're going though because he has gone through it or something like that (that was way paraphrased). You see no matter what we're feeling or going through He understands and wants us to tell Him. Once you tell Him listen and look for His answers.

One more thing, remember that the grass always looks greener on the other side. What you are seeing on my posts are the highlights. Just because I travel to Asia and maybe you haven't traveled out of the country doesn't mean that what God is having me do is better than what He wants you to do. It's not at all. Ask Him and see that He is faithful. Seek Him and find that He cares for you. There is nothing in the world, not travel, success, money, or fame, that is better than a relationship with Jesus Christ! Everything else only brings temporary pleasure but will eventually become just like everything else. Look at Solomon's life, this man had everything anyone could ever want yet it came back to God for even him. There is nothing sweeter that knowing and drawing closer to our Lord. It's not about do's and don'ts it's about knowing Him and being known by Him!

Our packed weekend!

Okay as I promised, here is the post from our Thanksgiving and weekend. If I was to give an overall summery, I would have to say it was packed, fun, rewarding, and a great Thanksgiving weekend.

For Thanksgiving we went to my Aunt's and Uncle's home in Walker. My two cousins also came with their spouses and kids and my Grandma was there as well. The food was great and there was such a huge amount of desserts it was almost unbelievable. Let's see there was pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, fudge, pumpkin bars, pumpkin roll, 2 kinds of turkey cookies....okay I have to stop now I'm starting to crave sweets......you get the idea.

Mom's sweet potato pie. It's a lot like pumpkin pie.

Mom and Grandma helping clean the dishes after our big meal.


Grandma sat outside and watch the rest of us play. My cousin Kathy wrapped her up in two special outdoor blankets so she was nice and warm even with the wind. We teased her that she looked like a little Bohemian woman and she was so cute I just had to take this shot.

It's tradition on this side of the family that we play a game of kickball. It's really a blast since most of us are pretty competitive. Yes, we play by farm rules.

On the way out we were taking our 4-wheelers with us when the tire on the wagon went flat. We had to leave it at someone house in the country. That night Dad and Andrew tried to change the tire on the way home but they couldn't get the bolts or whatever they're called off. Andrew and I ended up riding the 4-wheelers over to a friends house and leaving them there while Mom and Dad limped the wagon home. It was an adventure and fun to drive on the gravel roads at night and in the cold.

Friday morning we got up at 5:30 am so that we could be to our church at 6:30 to go to Oakville, IA where our church was doing an outreach. Oakville was flooded really bad this year and their little town still needs a lot of help. There were around 50 people who went down and helped Friday and Saturday.

This is a pic of Carolyn (a lady from our church who's home was also flooding this year), Tom our leader and missions staff at our church, and me. You may be asking what was with the white suits? Well, Carolyn and I were assigned to power wash the river dirt out of the inside of a house. Needless to say it was a very time consuming and dirty job but we also managed to have a blast as well.

At the very end, I plopped down on the floor and blew the back of my tyvek suit out! Oops! We had a good laugh over that one as well.

Sunday, after we got back from out full trip we slept in and went to second service. Since we hadn't gotten the Christmas decorations up yet, we decided to work on it. I think that we have most of them up but we're still not quit done.

Yes, we have an artificial tree, all you real tree people. I personally like this tree quite a bit and I'm partial to artificial since that's what I've grown up with. I really think there are a whole politics about whether to go artificial or real but I won't go into that now.

Here is my brother and father setting up our super easy, pre-lit, fold down branches, Christmas tree.

Mom and Andrew being goofy while I try and get a good pic of them.

I seemed to have the dropsy's yesterday and I managed to break two bulbs :( This pic. is after the first one. I wasn't too happy with myself after the second one.

So this is it. Now you have a taste of what my life has been like since Thanksgiving. I hope that yours was good and your weekend as well. Leave me your thought when you get a chance.

Heaven, Earth, Desires.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

-Ps. 73:25-26

I read these verses not too long ago and thought about the first part. Whom have I in heaven but you? Okay, that's true I have no one in heavens but God but what about the next part. And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you? Wow, I know that that isn't true in my life. There are many things that I desire at times over God or his way. Do I want that to be true of my life that I'm content with God alone? Yes, I do, not 100%, but my spirit does desires this.

Last Sunday during the sermon, Pastor Brooks Simpson was preaching about the rich ruler who came to Jesus and wanted to know how to inherit eternal life. (if you want to listen to his sermons you can go to http://gracecommunitynet.org ) He used this story to address the issue of idols in our lives. God is the only one who can save us from ourselves and our idols. If we decide to get rid of one idol, say food, we will so easily find another idol to replace it with. That's why we need Jesus. He replaces our idols with himself.

Okay, so that's all for now. Look for pics of our thanksgiving and weekend on Sunday or the early part of next week. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

another clip from thailand

I thought that you all might like to see a video that I took in Thailand at the orphanage. It was during one of the kids camps that we helped with. The movie is of them singing Cowgirl Chrissy's "favorite song" (if you didn't get it don't ask :) ) in Thai and then trying to sing it also in English.

I hope you like it. Next time I post I'm planning on sharing something more on the spiritual serious side.

more video blogging

Hey again from the world of video blogging; which if you didn't know, I have recently discovered. This video is yes you guessed it, pretty random. What can I say that's kind of how God made me. It is also a Sunday so there aren't a lot of pressing matters right at hand.

Thanks again for visiting my blog and if you haven't been following me in my latest travels but would like to see some pics from Asia just go to my posts between 31st of Aug. and the 26th of Oct. God bless

Getting a Perspective

Okay fellow Christ Followers, I have something I want to share with you that really was a huge blessing to me this past year. It's a course called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

It about a year ago when a friend told me about something called Perspectives and how it really changed her life and how I should definitely take it. When we returned from the conferences we were helping with in FL I was so surprised to open the church bulletin and see printed in big font "PERSPECTIVES". Our church was coordinating a perspective course for the first time since we've been there. Needless to say that pretty much convinced me that I God wanted me to go. So I did, along with my whole family, as well.

It was such a blessing to me! I think the main thing that I got out of it was that everything that God does is for His glory!!! I really would encourage any Christian to take Perspectives.

I'll give you a quick overview of what the course is like, but if you want more info or if you want to find a class in your area you can go to: http://www.perspectives.org/site/pp.aspx?c=eqLLI0OFKrF&b=2806295

Okay, during the course you go listen to a speaker once a week. Last year our church held the meeting on Sunday night but this year it's going to be on Tue. Then during the rest of the week you have some reading assignments. The amount that you have to read depends on the which way you choose to take the course. There are three ways which you can choose to take it. Audit, certificate, or credit. If you take it for certificate or credit you have an open book quiz every week.

The course is a little pricey but if you compare it to a college course it's not. It's $200 dollars for the audit and certificate and then $400 for the credit. The course was totally worth it, though!!!! Another plus is that once you take pay once you can go back for free any year after.

This course is very missions focused but it's not just for those who want to go to the field it's for everyone. Just because you might feel like God doesn't want you to on "the missions field" there are still things He has for all of us to do from here. So check it out, be encouraged in your faith and walk, and risk getting a new perspective on life.

Hair and Blog Makeover!!

There's been a few changes in Chrissy world recently. First, last Friday, I got a haircut. I was tired of too many bad hair days in a row so I found a pic on the net that I liked and went to my always faithful hairstylists, Cost Cutters! Okay, so maybe they're not the fanciest place in the world but you got to love the price and the policies. If you don't like how your hair turned out, you can go back and get it cut again within a week for free.

My hair wasn't the only thing that got a makeover though, so did my blog for all of you who haven't noticed. Thanks to the Pracher's blog I was able to go to a really neat website with free backgrounds! It was fun looking through all the different options and I now feel like my blog is just that much more personalized!

So that's the latest from my side of this round globe.

The Price of Following Christ

For some the price of following Christ is high. Such as giving their lives or maybe worst, being tortured and living in a prison cell all alone. Then there are others who don't hardly give up a comfort for following Him and maybe even experience greater comfort from being a Christian.

Since visiting other countries numerous times I've concluded that it's harder to really live for Christ here in America. Here there is so much to distract us from the One who is really important. We don't have many hardships that drive us to Christ. When we're sick we go to a doctor, when we need money we work, when we need groceries we go to Walmart which is open 24/7. It's so easy to be a lukewarm Christian.

I'm not saying that there aren't Christians who are completely sold out to Christ here, there definitely are, but all I'm saying is that we need to be aware of what we're up against. What I've experienced in my life coming back from a missions trip, is that it's easy to get caught back up in life and just pick up where you left off; almost like you never left at all. Here we have family, friends, the same language, familiar food and surroundings which are all things that when we don't have them drive us to Him. Let us be seeking our Lord and His will for our lives daily. Would He have us be living the lives we are living.

I pray that I and you would be willing to leave the comfort and security of a normal American life for God's glory. That we would really know what it means to leave father, mother, family, all for the sake of Christ.

Let us seriously look and pray. Are we willing to pay the price here on earth for following Him. Some of us will be called to stay here, some to go, some to live with loneliness, some with many friends, some with much materially, some living from meal to meal, some will live a long life, some will gives their lives at a young age. Will we decided will trade the joy and peace of following Him for a short life of choosing our own way? Are we willing to say yes to Christ no matter where He leads? Not seeking self glory or our own desires or agendas no matter how noble the cause? There is no greater joy and blessing in life then following Christ will all our hearts.

Video blogging at it's worst

Okay so I did some video blogging the last week and I succeeded in making a really funny video but it was too long and so I couldn't get it to load. I tried a number of times but it still wouldn't work. I've ended up putting one of the shorter ones on which isn't nearly as funny and I'm a dork in it, but that's okay. I probably don't have much of a reputation anymore anyway.

So go ahead, I dare you, and click on it, and enjoy the complete craziness from Chrissy.

(I'm wearing a hat because I was having a bad hair day and just to add to the video)

Aunt 'Net

Today is a very special day for someone that I love. It's my Aunt Lynette's birthday!

Happy Birthday Aunt 'Net! I thought about sending you and e-card but then I had a better idea, posting about it. I'm guessing that you won't see this on your birthday but I hope it's not too long from "your day" that you return once again to Kitti's Klips:) So many people now know your birthday is today, the 9th of Nov. what they don't know how old you are but that will be our secret :).

I love you Auntie! I hope you didn't have to work today and got to spend it with your family.

Love, Chrissy

Hey Everyone and especially Dani and Nickie. This one is addressed to everyone but definitely you two. The last video was so much fun that I was too excited about adding another that I couldn't wait. This video is from when I was in Burma so enjoy!

You know I might just have to do some video blogging now. Sounds like fun!

Okay so I finally succeeded in putting one of my movies on! Yes!

The movie is taken on the Santosa beach in Singapore after Dani and I caught a lizard. (I don't think either one of us could really believe we really did catch it.) After admiring him for a little while we had this brilliant idea of making a commercial imitating geico insurance company's ones.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in making it!

Dying and living

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. -John 12:24-25
Okay, so I said that I would blog about the talks that I had on the way back home. I'm not going to tell you all that we talked about but I'll give you some of it and if you want more you have to call me or we'll have to get together.

The first conversation that I had was on the flight from Chang Rai to Bangkok. I chose a empty row of seats and sat in the one by the window. Soon after I sat down there was a man who chose the aisle seat and then the last person to sit down chose the one by me.
I soon found out that he was a German who has been living in Bangkok for somewhere around the last 6 yrs. He said hello and I think I told him that I was there in Thailand for some ministry. We got talking and one thing lead to another and we ended up talking for the length on the flight.
I believe he grew up Protestant but I'm not sure about that. He is an intelligent man who knows several languages including Thai, German, and wonderful English. I got the impression that he's well read in what he's interested in, and he was very polite but very straight forward. I also got the impression that we was a very unhappy person. I think he told me that he doesn't like Germany, I know he doesn't like Bangkok, and he didn't seem very happy with his marriage either.
So if I remember right, he asked me what I believed or what I was teaching on this missions trip. So I started to tell him. It was probably one of the most intense conversation that I have ever had with someone about spiritual things. He said he used to be a Christian but he had a spiritual breakdown (that wasn't the way he said it but it was the idea that he realized all he had been believe was wrong) and now he doesn't buy the it. You know I'm not really sure all of what he believes but we spent a lot of time debating. He told me he thought my arguments were somewhat lame and based on emotions and that I shouldn't be paraphrasing (I was paraphrasing verses that I didn't have memorized word for word) a book as important as the bible.
Over all I am very thankful to God for the conversation for my sake and for this man's. He really did listen pretty well when I was talking and I used some of Ray Comforts illustrations like the parachute one and quoted the bible. So even if he doesn't believe that this is truth he listen to the truth and God promises that his word will not return void. Also, I'm glad for me because it showed me more of where I'm lacking and that I can be better prepared.
During the conversation I felt somewhat attacked by satan but I'm so glad that my God is greater and he is the one who is my Protector! At the end of the flight we ended on good terms and we both said that it was an honor to talk to one another which it really was. That God would let me talk to someone like him is amazing because I am so unqualified but our Jesus is humble and mighty!

The next flight that I was one was to Tokyo, and I sat next to an Indonesian woman and her adult daughter. I felt like I should talk to them about Jesus but I never did. I think that if was okay though because what I was able to do was just get to know them a little and be a help to them on the flight. The mother of course invited me to stay at their home if I was ever in Indonesia. Towards the end of the flight I gave them my home address and phone and email (which I debated about doing since it's world4jesus) and then they gave me their info. I think that it really meant a lot to them that I would invite them to stay with us if they were ever in Iowa especially the daughter. So maybe I'll send them an card, and I guess if I'm ever in Jakarta I'll have to give them a call.
During our conversations I did tell them that I was coming back from a missions trip and they said "oh missionary" or something like that. So I'm hoping that since they knew that I was a Christian, Jesus will use our time together for his glory. And you never know this might just be the begin of a friendship.

The last conversation was in the MN airport. I had gotten myself a hot cocoa and had sat down in a comfortable arm chair to write, eat my cookies, enjoy my warm drink, listen to my music, and wait for my flight. After a while there was a middle aged women who sat down in the other chair across the table from me. I offered her some of my cookies since she had a drink as well. She took one and we started talking.
I told her where I was coming from and she told me that she had been as well. She had come from this religious conference in DC. I asked her a lot about it and what she believed. I forget the name of the religion right now but basically if I understand right they have some set things they believe but then everyone just decides what they believe for everything else. I think it's kind of like however you can find your "connection" with God and gaining high consciousness maybe?
After a while of her telling me what she believed she asked me what I believed. I did want to tell her but first I asked her a few more questions. I wanted to know what her thinking was and why. I think that God worked it all out that way so I would know better about what to say.
We talked for at around an hour, maybe more? I was tired by that time. At one point I quoted something that Jesus had said I think it was "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except though me" she told me she didn't believe Jesus had really said that. She said that the people who wrote the New Testament didn't even know Jesus and it was written thousands of years after him. I pointed out some of the people who did know Jesus personally who were some of the authors of the New testament.
In the end we left on good terms as well. She said that she appreciated how we could just talk about these things and it wasn't that I was trying to convert her or her me. She didn't realize that yes I was trying to share the Truth with her but I wasn't doing it in a pushy or offensive way. I gave her the way of the master website name and ask her for the website to her religion.

God really worked these conversations out and I know that it was Him who had these planned. Like the German man, from his own lips he told me that he wanted to fly home another day but it didn't work out and that the seat by me was the last one in the whole plane (very flattering don't you think? :). And the lady in the airport came and sat next to me, I didn't sit next to her and she was the one who asked me what I believed. It's just really cool to see that God works it all out. He really doesn't need our help we just need to be willing and die to ourselves so we can live for Christ!

Anybody

Hello, okay you probably noticed by now since you didn't have to log in that I have now opened my blog up to everyone. (Of course only after asking my mothers permission) I'm a little sad to no longer have control over who reads the Klips from my life but I'll get over it.

I think that it will be easier on me and you readers not to have to give or get an invitation to my blog in order to read it. I'll have to google my name and see if my blog comes up now. Scary! Hey Bekah, maybe I'll get more comments now :)

I'm back safe and sound! Praise the Lord! I had a pretty good trip and had some good talks on the way. I want to share about them with you but that's for another post. This post is about me being HOME and the beautiful Iowa fall weather.
I'm totally loving the cold weather here in Iowa. I guess when you've grown up here and lived with cold weather for 22 years it's hard not miss it when you are living somewhere where it's hot most of the time.
I went on a walk yesterday and was enjoying the beauty of where I live. I realized that it's easy to take for granted the beauty that you are used to and not enjoy it. Being gone for 2 months and coming back to the blazing/calming colors of fall helps me to enjoy it and want to capture it for other to enjoy.
So, tonight as the sun was soon setting, you could have found me out trying to get some good shots. My camera hates low lighting so I had to take quite a few for some okay or good ones. Enjoy and this is especially for you Fongs, so you can see just a tiny bit what Iowa looks like this time of year and also what I wear to keep warm.

Going Crazy!

Okay, so I thought it would be fun if I set up a my account to post a post? while I'm making my way back to the USA. That way it will be sort of be like I'm letting you know what's going on even though I'm not.

Right now if I got the time right on when to post this I think I'm somewhere between Tokyo and Minneapolis, MN? It's been a long trip most likely so thank the Lord that I love to travel!

I was hoping and praying that I got a seat next to Mr. empty two or three seats so I could lay down. So right now I'm probably either sleeping in a horizontal position, or trying to sleep in a slightly tilted vertical position, or eating, or watching a movie, or talking to someone, or writing? I don't know there's quite a few possibilities! Or there is always the option of going totally crazy and out of my mind where if that is the case, I hope that I remembered to bring along my favorite white suit. You know the one with all the straps?

Okay, so I'll leave you all alone now and I look forward to see all of you peoples in IA again and being back home where the air is cool all the time this time of year!

Thanks for all the prayers! See you soon!

Goodbye Asia

Today, I fly to Bangkok where I will say I say goodbye to this side of the the world early tomorrow morning on the 26th. It's been a big blessing to me being over here for about two months. I think that I definitely received more than I gave and I feel blessed by God!

I know that I'll miss Asia because of the people and some of the food:) I don't know what God has in store for my life after this or if I will be back to this part of the world. (I hope so.) But what I do know is that my life is Christ's not because I chose him but because he chose me. I'm not in charge of my life, it's not my own, it's his to do with what he wants for his glory. May he continue to make me more and more willing!

I want to live my life with one love and being totally committed to him no matter if I'm in America for the rest of my life, or in the jungle somewhere. Whatever will glorify his name more. Numbers don't matter to God it's your relationship with him and obedience.

So goodbye, to all my friends and family here. Thank you for all you've done for me and blessed me with. And a big thank you especially to the Fongs for all you given and done for me and allowed me to do with you and your ministries here. Thank you for accepting me into your family and giving me a home in Thailand. May God bless you!

5 Countries in 2 months

I'm so excited! Today, I visited my 5th country of this trip! We had the opportunity today to go to an island of Laos at the Golden Triangle. I was standing there looking at what the little shops were selling when Lois turned to me and commented on what and how many countries I have been to on this trip. Even though today we didn't have our passports stamped we did still go! So since I didn't get a stamp, the Fongs gave me the little piece of paper that Uncle Charles got after he paid out entrance fee. I also had my pic with my passport.

So here are some pics of us today at the Golden Triangle, on the boat ride over to Laos, and when we got there. For those of you who don't know the Golden Triangle is made up of the countries of Thailand, Burma, and Laos. Today it was also so clear, so we could see China!

Chrissy in Laos! The fifth and final country (unless I "accidentally" miss my plane in Tokyo:).

On the island.

At the beginning of our boat ride I snapped this shot of us girls!



Fongs and I over looking the Golden triangle

Okay Burma's on the left, Laos is on the right, Thailand is below, and I think China is somewhere straight ahead in the distance.