thinking.

Sometimes I think too much. does anybody else do that? I mean.. I have this brain and I've learned to think - but maybe I've learned to think too much. About all the details. And it's not just cause I'm a girl.. please don't pull that card on me. I really wish I could just let go..

and the thing is I'm not sure what I need to let go of.

again.. more thoughts.

We are family.

Please look at my beautiful sister. These are her senior pictures. I can't believe she's graduating from high school! The last Beiler to grace the halls of Octorara Area High.. Congrats Meg!

And here are my wonderful parents. Moving away made me so appreciate my parents. All that they do and who they are. I find myself relating to them more and more.

I now MUST take time to tell you about the Needtobreathe concert that I went to a few weeks ago. Oh man.. where do I start!? They were incredible! The cover bands were great too.. but once they started setting up for Needtobreathe the excitement really grew.. picture it with me -- the stage is dark.. they're finally set. you glance behind and see the room packed with people waiting, anticipating.. no one is on stage and you're just waiting waiting for them to walk out.. 2 minutes of nothing but darkness, and you can't picture what it will be like but you want to so bad - but as soon as it starts you know it will go so fast so you almost dont want them to walk out. You just want to stand there anticipating the first performance.. wondering what it will be like.. you hear the dull conversations going on around you and just listen and realized how much you really just can wait for.. then you see shapes appear on stage! Cheers and clapping automatically roar from the crowd and you find yourself screaming and lighting up and wanting to know them-before you even see them. No lights yet.. still darkness but know they're there.. you wait for that first drum tap or guitar strum or 1-2-3-4.. you're longing for them to start but once it starts you know there will have to be an end - you could stay in this moment forever.. just the fact that you're there and they're there.. and the first banjo strum rings out and the lights come up and you are lost in the song.. this moment has been talked about for so many weeks and now you're finally here. Ah! It's so wonderful to hear nothing but music! .. at first all you can do is just watch.. and listen.. and fall in love. Then from song to song you start singing and belting the words and dancing and.. you try to pause to take it all in - but it happens so fast. You want to take advantage of every song and not just let them roll by. You're so happy and so privileged to be there. You long to know who these people are and what drives them.. Are they really who they appear to be on stage? The energy.. where do they get it? Are they getting it from my cheers and screams and dancing? Is it saved up somewhere? Do they ever not want to walk out on that stage? Do they have a normal life? Do they know that people worship them and think they are so great? ... all i know is i didnt want that night to end. I could have danced and sang all night. Music has such an impact on me, it pulls me in and makes me see. I really really enjoy live concerts.. everything about them. The ride there.. the wait in line.. cover bands-experiencing the beginnings of their music career.. the show you've been waiting for and finding it better than you expected. The feeling of music pounding through your body.. trying desperately to find the words to describe your experience.. but realizing that there aren't any .. but thats ok because that is what makes it so personal and wonderful. When it ends.. you just want it to begin again.. rewind the night! again again! When you hear their music you'll never be the same.. you'll hear something deeper; that somehow you are now a part of. You fall in love with the music-you have no choice. It takes you away.. and leaves you with a passion for more. The music drives you and I can't explain it. You'll just have to go see for yourself.

Thoughts from a rainy day

We're moved in! Me and Sarah (Red) are currently moved in to my grandmothers basement. I'm not gonna lie-it's awesome. We come in and out as we please through the cellar doors on the side of the house. We've got our own small kitchen and the space is just perfect. We're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third room mate Sarah (Brown) who is still in China. Come home Sar!

Roomies.

What has been going on in the past two weeks?

this..

Every Tuesday we head over to Cub's house to watch LOST/hang out. Bonfires, talks around the kitchen table (as captured in the above picture), bologna sandwiches and laughter.

Picnics! This particular one was on a cold and wet day.. bad planning on Elf and my part. So-we made do at a picnic table instead of the grass. So glad we brought blankets. Again.. more bologna sandwiches :D

Barns and Noble. I got scolded for taking pictures. After a look through of all the C.S. Lewis books I decided on The Great Divorce and Sar and I headed to the kids section to read. You just gotta read there.. there is fun all around. And sitting in those small chairs makes you feel so big.

Chasing chickens. Yessssss. After a yummy meal at grandma's Meg and I went out to get the eggs from the hen house. And chickens are just so fun to chase. And its more spiteful when you've got a basket full of their eggs. Heh heh heh.

I hope the rain ends soon so I can have a real picnic and take the dogs for a walk and chase more chickens. In the mean time I will wrap myself in a blanket and read The Silver Chair.

More to come.

Home just in time for Spring.

I am home, I am home, I am home. And it feels so good! But I don't want the experiences and memories of Thailand to go away so fast. Trying to adjust and prepare for the next thing.. but Thailand is still on God's heart. And mine.

So far being home has found me:

1- Catching up on this season of LOST. (soooo good)

2- Getting very bored. There is nothing going on in Amish Country! Looking forward to a consistent work schedule and helping out at my church.

3- Preparing to move into my grandparents basement with my best friend! Woo-hoo!

4- Taking my dogs on a walk each day. The weather is too lovely not to.

I enjoy waking up in my sunshiny yellow room, putting on a pot of coffee and talking to Jesus. I also enjoy driving again. But not the gas prices.

Who likes to read? Ok, cool because I have a load of books to recommend to you. Lets start with - Not For Sale by David Batstone. This book ruined me. Absolutely made me so mad.. and so sad and very angry. I love the information this book gives about the global slave trade, but yea.. the fact that this book is true, that stuff like this really happens. People! We have to do something about it! If you want to know how you can get involved in ending the global slave trade of our time, read this book. In fact, it's your responsibility to read this book. Once you do-let me know your thoughts. We can conjure up ideas together about how to save the world.

A bit of randomness~

don't these colors look wonderful together? Off-white mushroom and eggplant purple.

When you work at a produce stand you see things you never saw before :)

More to come!

Hello again from Thailand!

There is such wonder and excitement here everyday. This past weekend we had the honor, the privilege to spend the night in the country. On Saturday we took a truck ride up to the mountains where, from our normal housing throught the week, can only be seen in the far distance. Oh God's glory! We went with the Pastor and his wife and our translator to cut down stalks off of the banana tree to cook in todays meal. Then we walked around his feilds marveling at the creation. It took my breath away. We visited some homes in a village and experienced the greatest hospitality. The Thail culture is simply beautiful. All they had, their best was before us. I was touched and find myself with that feeling every single day. This past week we headed to a University to have lunch with some students. After about 30 minutes of conversation (us trying desperatly to learn Thai and them giggling at our attempts) they quietly conversed together and then one of them got up and scurried away only to return with pink milk for us!! Pink milk is basically it's name, it's considered a sweet treat and sweet it is! Because it is known for being super sweet she even bought us a bottled water to go with it. Again.. my heart was touched.

I love Thailand.

One struggle for me has been the early mornings. As many of you know.. I have to consciously decide to be a nice person in the morning so.. hehehe. I'm trying so hard to wake up even earlier than expected so I can get a handle on my attitude and the day. I'm learning to be disciplined in that. It's harder also when we have late nights. I'm loving the challenge! Just not when I hear my alarm go off in the morning :).

Our friends in India have been doing wonderfully! We get weekly updates from Elby (heading up team in Thailand) who is in contact with Katie (heading up team in India). It's wonderful hearing from them and all that God is doing there.

Guys.. I love Thailand. God has opened my stubborn eyes to see a part of his creation that I would have never seen had it been my choice. I am in awe of his promises and his goodness to us. I can't wait to share all of the stories, experiences and heart changes that have been going on. Please pray for more. More of God's spirit and presence. More protection and endurance. More heart changes! More eye opening moments. Ask him to give me specifically a pure heart and gracious speech. My quiet times have been sweet.. and last week this verse in Proverbs stuck out to me "He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the King for his friend." As I meditated on this passage Gods loving words spoke to me.

He who LOVES.

Being gracious means having patience.

Love the purity of your own hear, how I've changed it. How is used to be muck but now it's pure and clean and white and has my name written on it!

The King desires relationship with you and has already considered you his friend. Now choose him! And if you choose him you choose LOVE.

Grace what a lovely thing. ~Aaron Espe

Picture Time!

We've been finishing books and passing them around. Titles include: The Tale of Desperaux, Redeeming Love, The Shack, and Black. More to recomend soon!

Baby Buddah hahahaha..

This is Lichie. It sounds so close to Lindsay that everyone just calles me Lichie and laughes :D

Our Team!

I'm in LOVE with Thailand!

God's glory:

More to come soon!