I have neglected this blog.

Not for lack of things to write.....

[possibly for lack of time.....possibly for a lack of proper priorities!]

I have many thoughts swirling about my head.....

So instead of trying to sort all the thoughts out, I decided to just let you see a small window into my world....

 

*this should be the #1 vacation spot in the world!!

*L.O.V.E. these kids!!

The little boy is my "Khmer Todd"---who I met 2yrs ago! :)

The girl is my "Khmer Raquel"---she acts so much like Raquel! :)

* Vera, I was totally reminded of your 'A Broken Sea Shell' story when I saw all these beautiful broken shells mixed with all the perfect shells. :)

I see so many people who remind of broken shells....they are stories that God is just waiting to finish...stories of which I can't wait to read the last chapters!

*Life with the kids is never dull....or quiet! ;-)

 ....That's why I love them so much!

*Yummy fish! :)

*Vietnam....an adventure from the very beginning = good times! :)

*A hand to hold....

Such a simple thing...

Yet evidence of the lack of love in their young lives.

I have found that it is not just the little kids that climbing all over me in an attempt to be loved.

 True, it was the little kids that came running and jumped all over me that first day.

But it's also "the big kids". They desire love as well.

 It just comes in a more subtle form---or for some of them it's subtle.....I will be sitting on the floor when suddenly an arm is linked thru mine, or a little hand is stuck into mine. I look down and here it's the 10 yr old boy who is usually busy looking after his 2 younger siblings.

Or it's not so subtly....I am sitting on the floor, and suddenly I feel arms circle about my neck--here it the 13 yr old "naughty" boy who has very few friends because he is known as the "naughty" boy.

All they want is to be loved!

How I wish I could speak their language and speak Jesus' love into their lives..

But.....Jesus, please touch their hearts and tell them that YOU love them!!! 

*Laughter

I love how God blesses these kiddos with the ablity to still laugh and have fun--even though their lives have been so difficult and full of hard work and pain already.

 But God is still good! He has blessed them with my wonderful team who has been working with them for the last 7 years, an excellent source of stablity in their lives! :)

* "My" little man!!!

xoxo

*Another one of "my" little boys

I love how God has opened my heart and given me an extra love for the "naughty" kids.

.....So much of the reason these kids are "naughty" is just so they can just recieve some form of attention.

Really, they are not trying to be naughty....they are just asking to be loved.....and to be given some quality time. Since I cannot speak the language and communicate with them that way, the least I can do is show them love by spending time with them----and giving an abundance of hugs! :-)

Life is good when I have lots of kids around to show Jesus' love to. :-) :-) :-)

Random musings.....

Meet my little man:

He is so adoreable.

He is "my" little man.

His huge chocolate brown eyes tell so much

....they are sometimes filled with pain & sadness 'caused by

things a child his age should never have to face.

How my heart breaks when I see this reflecting in his eyes.

But....then my heart will melt into a puddle...when this little man comes to the center

and comes running across the room straight to me to be hugged & loved & prayed over.

How I pray that Jesus will enter this little man's heart & fill it with

healing, true love, peace, acceptance and feelings of worth in God's eyes!!

 

This is part of the King's palace.

It is light up in honour of the King's coronation day.

{*Note: the photo of the King's Father--He passed away a few weeks ago.}

 

The amount of honour the people of Cambodia pay to their King & to the predeceased King, challenges me. I cannot help but ask myself: "If they feel it neccessary to show this amount of honour to a human king, how much MORE honour I should show to my King--because my King is not just another king that will come and go. My King is the KING of all Kings!! And I'm afraid that I don't give Him the amount of honour that He deserves." .....May I always show My KING the honour and respect that He deserves!!!

 

 Since visiting the temple ruins in Siem Reap, & reading thru the Old Testament, I cannot help but think of Heaven often. The beauty of the Old Testament temples of God & the beauty of the temples of the pagan gods is breathtaking. And the mansions in Heaven are going to be even MORE breathtaking!!! I can't wait to see MY mansion in Heaven!!

I can't wait to worship Jesus in all of His beauty!

I can't to see what that beauty will be like!!

It's going to be so much more than I ever have imagined. :-)

 

I wonder what it will be like walk down the halls of the mansions in Heaven

What will they be like? Will I even be able to walk down them?

[I probably will be stopping ever step to pause and drink in the beauty. :-) To savour the moment.]

 

What will it be like to walk up to the gate of Heaven?

 

When I walked up to this gate...I felt so small, so insignificant. Like I didn't deserve to be here. Here my feet were covered in dust from the red dirt road. I was not wearing my best clothes.

I did pause to enjoy the beauty of the mist coming off the water in the moat.

I felt like a nobody, an ordinary person who was about to enter a palace where I didn't deserve to go.

 

It's not going to be that way when I walk in thru the gate to Heaven! :)