randomness....

Finally here is a random collection of thoughts and photos....

 

 

The dear lady who helped us in our first 2 months here.

What an amazing lady she is!!!

I miss her.

 

The first meal I made in my apartment.

It was fun to cook again...for the first few weeks.

Now I feel like I have more important things [like studying!] to do instead of cooking.

 

The other night I had just sat down to eat supper when the room filled with a lovely pink colour.

I went out onto the balcony,and the photo above is what I saw

----a complete [tho faint] rainbow!

It was a lovely reminder that God is still in control.

....I needed that reminder this week!!!

 

 

After the rain there is:

 beauty, a refreshing breeze, peace and stillness.

 

So it is after the storms in life.

Though sometimes it feels like the storms never end

and the beauty is hard to see.

{like really hard to see}

Even then, I still believe it's true.

How I can't wait for the day when God shows me the beauty from all this mess of tears and pain!!

 

 

Three years ago there was a sunset far more beautiful than this one.

It was the day my sister died.

The day God said "Bev, paint a picture in the sky for your family to see.

Let them know that one day they will be okay again.

Let them know that I will be with them during this time of grief."

 

That was three years ago this weekend.

The photo above was taken this weekend coming home from attending a funeral here in Cambodia.

Again I was reminded that God is with me in times of grief and pain.

 

Talking about grief.....

crazy things can be said when you are grieving

inconsiderate things.

{Both by the person grieving and the person "helping"...ie. the Bible story of Job & his 3 friends}

 

Please, please, please watch what you say to someone who is grieving!!!

If you haven't been in their shoes, please don't give "advice".

Just be quiet.

Listen. Just listen.

 That's the best, the most helpful thing you can do at the moment.

Otherwise, most likely, you are just adding to their grief and sorrow!!!!

 I just came across a song by a guy who obviously had experience with this:

Jason Gray's song: 'Not Right Now'

Search for it on youtube. It would be good for everyone to listen to it.

 

 

 

 The beauty of the city today was therapeutic.

Today we went on a bike ride after church.

We came upon this lovely place.

There is green grass!!!

Cute coffee shops!

A cute ice cream shop.

Nice 'fancy' restaurants

and 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurants.

A path by the [muddy] river.

 

It's called......Diamond Island.

It really does seem like a diamond here amongst the concrete, people & vehicles.

I do love this busy city

...but sometimes, it would be nice to have a moment of peace & quiet and change of scenery.

I do believe I found a place I will have to go back to often.

 

Even a horse can look nice--if it has a cute rider like this one! ;)

 

Miss J was in her glory to be on a horse!

Crazy horse-loving girl! :)

 

Some of the people I see around here a fair bit. :)

Some of the construction going on around the city.

From 7am-7pm you can usually here somebody banging around doing construction of some sort.

Normally, it doesn't bother me.

{Well, except when the workers come into the building at 7am on a Saturday morning

---singing at the top of their lungs!! Or when they are drilling on MY balcony.

Then it does kinda bother me.}