Fellowship

Sunday after church, 4 friends and I went up to a lake north of town to enjoy a picnic lunch Thai style.

Below: Thomas and Jerod completely ignore me, Dea smiles and Chris gives me the Sean Penn look (fortunately, it wasn't followed by the Sean Penn punch).

Above: This is where we had lunch- on this little hut at the lake's edge. We enjoyed Gai Yang (BBQ chicken), Khaw Neow (sticky rice), Nam Jim (sweet-n-spicy sauce), Som Tam (spicy papaya salad) and Moo Gratiem (garlic and pork stirfry).

Below: Chris looks in disbelief as Jerod explains to him that the Huck Finn look really isn't cool.

I'm about to close out voting on my Plan B for my future employment, so if you haven't voted, do so now. (Also, Shannon, you need to pick one.)

You make the call?

Hey, maybe it is prudent to have a Plan B, so take a look at the list below and post a comment to vote on what you think I should do when I get back to the US?

A) Return to TV News
B) Become Craig and Jenifer's live-in Pool Boy
C) Go to Seminary
D) Become a Dancer/Choreographer, use that job to date/marry a Pop Star, use that relationship to get a Recording Contract and cameo appearances in TV shows & movies
E) Look for Missions related job on a church's staff
F) Become a Consultant
G) Work for the Amazing Race as one of their Cameramen
H) Become a Contestant on the Amazing Race
I) Other (please specify)

Do you understand what I am saying?

I found this the other day during some of my reading and thought it was pretty good:

"One of the most important effects of this trend set in motion by the attempt to rediscover the marching orders of the Church is the new awakening of evangelistic responsibility to the world in many Churches. But here bewilderment begins. At the moment a Church commences to turn away from the introversion in which it is steeped by its acceptance of being primarily an established institution, and looks at its real field, the world, a new realism awakens. Innumerable questions assail such a Church, such questions as: What am I? To what purpose am I? Am I fulfilling this purpose? Where and how do I live?... Does the world listen when I speak to it, and if not, why not? Am I really proclaiming the gospel, or am I not? Why has such a wall of separation risen between the world and what I must stand for? Do I know the world in which people live, or do I not? Why am I evidently regarded as a residue of a world that belongs irrevocably to the past? How can I find a way to speak again with relavancy and authority, transmitting 'the words of eterenal life' entrusted to me?
Amidst the welter of such questions, engendered by a newly awakened apostolic consciousness, communication has become a problem with which the Churches every are wrestling. Apparently one could express it as well in a different way and inquire after the best and most appropriate methods of evangelism. But that is not right. In that case we would have done better by giving to our discussion the title 'The Problem of Evangelism.' The word 'communication' puts the problem in a far wider and deeper setting."

-Hendrik Kraemer

Pretty Cool Idea

I saw this on Yahoo! It's about a guy that is trying to take a photo of a child from every country in the world, but they must live in NYC. Check it out.

More photos from Doi Inthanon

I got some more photos from my friend that went on the trip with me. Below is another shot of beautiful Huay Sai Lueng Waterfall. Truly, all of creation reveals Gods glory. (Romans 1:19-20)

Above: My good friend Gade, who helped put together the whole trip- THANKS GADE!

Below: Jade naps in Gade's lap.

Late night jams- Above: Thom plays guitar and sings (probably Coldplay).

Below: Russ and Tommy handle the percussion.

Above: Sunday morning church service by the river. What a great location for a wonderful time and lesson about "water's" importance and imagery in the Book of John.

Below: Just skip this photo and go to the next one.

Above: The Gang (or most of them) in front of our cabin: Thom, Jum, Annie, Noon, me, Gade, Rebecca, Tommie and Russ.

12 Friends + 4 Meals + 3 Waterfalls + 2 Brakes + 1 Cabin = Priceless Memories

This past weekend, my friends and I took our rescheduled trip to Doi Inthanon (the tallest mountain in Thailand - 8,415 feet). We had many adventures and took in some of the awesome works of Our Masterful Artist the LORD.

The first stop was at Witchiratan Waterfall (above & below). This large waterfall (70 m) kicked up a bunch of spray and you quickly got soaked as you took in the sights and sounds. We had lunch at a snack shop here.

Above: There once was a spider and Annie sat down beside her... or across the creek. Waiting to get our cabin assignment.

Below: "Uh... Jason, that doesn't look very naturey?" Our next adventure though, was less about trees, rivers and rocks and more about wheels, brakes and slopes. I debated about adding this, but giving God glory trumps worrying Mom, so... As we arrived at our cabin after navigating the ups and DOWNS of the mountain, we stopped in the parking lot, only to have smoke billow up from under the van. We had relied too much on the brakes and not shifted into a low enough gear, so we overheated the brakes. They were glowing red-hot and smoking. We threw some water on them to cool them off and prevent them from catching anyting on fire. More smoke poured out, but they eventually cooled off. The next day we checked them out (as best we could) and switched drivers for the ride home. Praise God for delivering us safely to and from to our destination. It is truly by His grace and mercy that we made it. (Sorry Mom.)
Back to the pretty stuff... Above: Rebecca takes in the view at Huay Sai Lueng Falls (Valley of the Yellow Sand). Below: Annie enjoys the cool breeze put out from the rush of water at the base of the falls.Below: Paeng and Tommy release their "inner child" on the trip/

Above: Double-tiered Mae Pan Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Chiang Mai province (100 m) and is much more breath-taking than the bloke in the shot blocking the view. Check out the rainbow (another mark of God's work); there must have been 3-4 if you looked at these falls long enough.

Below: The bottom portion of the waterfalls formed a pool sealed with rock that had a little spillway that released the rushing water down the river.

Above: Russ wrestles with a stubborn fire to wrap up the night. Unfortunately, no one came up with the idea of using the brakes to get the fire going until it was too late. Russ and I later heeded Smokey's advice and "prevented a forest fire".

It was such great trip! And we had some great time of worship as we soaked up the beauty of the LORD's handy-work.

(Note: I should have some more photos from the other soon and will add them when I get them.)