As I enter this NEW YEAR, what do I want to be NEW in my life and the world I impact? There are things we cannot control but, at the same time, there are many things we do have control over. There are choices we can make. I ask you to stop and think about what you can choose to do or have this year… Then make your list of New Things for 2021, or maybe refresh some old things and bring them into a New Year.

MY LIST OF NEW THINGS FOR 2021:

1. A Year of Joy. Not a year of grumbling. Not a year of focusing on what could have been; what should have been; what I wish had been. A year of focusing on WHAT IS and the JOY I find in each day. Rejoicing always!
2. A Year of Health. Refreshing old habits that I let slip. Revitalizing the exercise routine; tracking the calories; making the healthier choices more often; incorporating a better bedtime routine for better rest.
3. A Year of Focus. Reminding myself of truths, promises, and routines that anchor me. Looking back at my writings in my journals; reading books I have read (and some new ones); listening to the thoughts of others that inspire and expand me.
4. A Year of Courage. Taking challenges that I have not taken before. Stepping out of the comfortable and into new things. Spreading my wings and soaring. Soaring on the wings of the eagle: wings that are strong and light, free of worries and doubts.
5. A Year of Love. Not returning evil for evil. Forgiving. Being generous and open. Guarding my words and my conversations. Believing the best of others. Being patient and kind at all times. Speaking the truth while encasing it in love and faith. Guard my thoughts and “presumptions”. Seeking out the way of LOVE in all situations.

​Let 2021 be an AMAZING year for you! Be AMAZED and EXPECTANT at the NEW that will arise in this year and in your life. It’s time to focus on the LIGHT and not the darkness. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

​​Here is a video to help you take 2 minutes to calm your mind and your body so you can reflect and hear your heart.

It has been a while since I have journaled on our journey of life in SE Asia. As we settled into life as expatriates, routines began to emerge. Since 2016, one of our routines was summer visits to the States, then back to life in SE Asia. Well…this summer brought a new turn in events…a curve ball thrown into our routine. In light of this, I would say, it is a good time to share again about our journey. I would also say that at this point, this journey, since 2014, has been learning to live life “Not Normal” or living life in a “New Normal”.

At this point in our journey we have extended our “summer” visit into the beautiful fall season, and are now headed into the holidays as well. This has been an extended and unexpected time in the States for us. It has come with its challenges AND its blessings. I want to share a couple things that I am in the midst of learning and re-learning as we maneuver through this season.

First, it’s been learning to live in a paused state of life. Paused in the sense that there are projects and vision put on a low simmer, waiting for the time when we can we return to Asia. And it certainly is a paused state of life because I am living without roots. My home (apartment) is in Asia, so I float from living space to living space while in the States…basically living out of suitcases and a storage unit. As I think of “roots” I first think about being rooted in a solid substance like a plant in soil. Then my mind changes as I remember that there are some beautiful ivy plants in my apartment in SE Asia that are “rooted” in water. They are not in the solid substance of dirt. They are in a liquid, not solid. AND they survive and thrive in that condition. So it makes me stop and realize…maybe my current state of life is not rooted in a solid substance like dirt BUT my life is rooted in a life-giving substance that brings beauty and causes me to thrive.

The second lesson I would share is the art of “re-framing” or seeing the beauty that surrounds me. I could get caught up in all that is wrong. I could get depressed by the barriers that seem to loom in our path. I could focus on the frustrations of not being able to plan ahead (oh my!!!). And if I chose any of these options, I would miss the beauty of this journey. I am so aware that this is a special place in time. I will not pass this way again. In some respects, I don’t know what tomorrow will hold, but I do what is before me today. Today, I can see the beauty of the changing season. Today, I can take the time to see, touch, and be in the company of my sons and many friends that I have in the States. Today, I can enjoy a fire in the fireplace at Cracker Barrel (a favorite eating spot for us). Today, I can enjoy the scenery that is in this part of the journey and be thankful. So why not enjoy the journey? Why not make delicious lemonade out of the lemons? And in the midst of this, I am developing new skills, greater flexibility, and keeping those brain cells firing because of the frequent adjustments that I have to engage in.

So…this expat life and this journey in SE Asia…is it still worth it? I would say YES! Is it always comfortable? I would say NO! Is it necessary? Again I would say YES!
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Please take some time to enjoy the pictures of our journey in the last month or 2 as we have enjoyed the journey and made lemonade.