Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
She Speaks, continued
“Mom, what’s wrong?” my children asked.
“Can you get my shoes? They’re by the door,” I pointed toward the front door. My son got the shoes, I closed the door. I grabbed my shoes and my bags and squeezed myself through the crowded garage. I dropped one of my bags so I can open the garage door. Then, picked up my bag again, open the refrigerator in the garage, took a bottle of water and rushed to the car. “Where is my key? Aaawg, you crazy lady.” I ran back inside, pounded on the door again.
“What you forget now?” My daughter asked.
“I forgot my key,” I said as I paced back and forth from the door to the bedroom. Then I stuck my hand into my pocket and there it was. Finally, I left. I put everything in the car. I started the car, and you bet-I couldn’t find my insurance card. I searched all the bags I had with me, no insurance card. I took a deep breath, prayed and just sat there for ten minutes. I turned to look at the clock, and it was 12:10. So, I shifted the gear to reverse and drive. I was finally leaving, still thinking I was crazy. I didn’t know a soul.
On the Road
I prayed. I turned on the cd’s that I brought with me, but too restless to listen. I turned on the radio, but too many statics. So, I turned it off, continuing with prayers and practicing my speech to be presented in less than seven hours. As, I enter North Carolina, it started to rain-hard. “Okay, Lord, I know that you are good. I’m just going to trust that this is just a test and you are going to get me there safely. You know how much I do not like to drive in the rain,” I prayed and continued with positive mantras. And soon, the rain stopped. I was very confident by now. I was not even afraid to speak. So I thought.
At the Hotel
I arrived at the hotel in less time than the Google map estimated. Is this the hotel. Am I lost? I looked up at the post, and there it was, the She Speaks signs. “Lord, you are so good,” I cried out, feeling confident and joyous. I saw a few women carrying their bags and luggage into the hotel. Yes, I’ve found the hotel. Thank you, Lord. I am going to rock this weekend. I got out of the car carrying the three bags I had with me, I looked to the left, then to the right, okay I think I’m safe now. I walked to the doors where the posters were posted, and by this time I’ve forgotten about the speech because my focus was on registration process. That was until, I saw this lady standing in between the posts. Oh, my goodness, what are you doing here? This is for real. There are real people here. You think you’re going to pull this whole thing off? You’re—open the door you.
I opened the door and walked in. Signs were everywhere, so I walked up to the registration desk, I lined up at the line with the letter of my last name, but the girl on the other line next to it called me, so I walked over, announced my name and she couldn’t find my envelope. I was afraid this would happen. Lord, surely your goodness and joy follows me wherever I go. Help me now. I looked down on her sheet with the lists of names, I found my name and pointed it out to her. She picked up a pen and crossed it out. She was nervous. I was nervous. She turned around and asked another girl, then she looked over to the right and there it was my envelope laying on top of a thick binder. “There it is, what it it doing over here?” she asked. No one answered. They just give her the look. And, she handed me the envelope with the schedule book.
Eager to unload my bags, I took them from her and began to search for my room key. Well, there’s no key. How do they expect me to find my room without the key? And when do they give out the key. Feeling kinda stupid, I picked up my things and found a chair to sit down. I went through the envelope one more time and searched through the book to find direction on how to obtain my key to the hotel room. Nothing. I looked over to the next chair, and this lady with the She Speaks t-shirt was sitting smiling at me, “excuse me, where do I get my key for my room?”
She pointed to the long winded hallway, “You’ll have to go register over there.” I thanked her and gathered all my stuff and walked over. I registered and they told me my roommate has already arrived. They gave me my key and the directions to the hotel things and the elevators.
Finally, I arrived at the room. The housekeepers were just finishing up and rushed out of there because I told them that was my room. But, they told me my roommate is already here? How is it that they're still cleaning my room? I inserted my key in-no green light. That’s weird. I looked at my key enveloped, looked up at the door. Ooops! That’s the wrong room. Move over. So I moved over and opened the door. There was my roommate sitting at the sofa trying to rest.
“You must be (well, let’s call her ) Sandy,” I announced. “I’m Shoua.”
“Nice to meet you, Shoua,” she said as she reached out to shake my hand. I dropped my bags, walked around the room, inspecting everything.
“Wow! The room is so much bigger than I expected it. And, look, there’s kitchen sink. How nice!” I exclaimed. She was probably thinking I was shallow which I was, but too polite to show me. She just smiled. I poked my head into the bedroom, “Oh-?”
“There’s just one bed. Well, this is a fold out bed. So, I will sleep here,” she said with both of her palms on the sofa.
“Oh,-I can sleep on the sofa, there’s no problem. I’m a sofa girl.”
“So am I. I really don’t care either. I’ll just take the sofa. I brought my own pillows,” she insisted. She was very genuine and real nice. I sat and we talked and found out we had so many things in common, including our families. The Lord had answered my prayers and sent me the perfect roommate. She indicated that she was not much of a mingler, neither was I. But, this was her second year so she kind of knew her way around the conference pool. She stuck with me, so I wouldn’t feel out of place. I couldn’t have asked for a better roommate. She was perfect.
~to be continued~
“Can you get my shoes? They’re by the door,” I pointed toward the front door. My son got the shoes, I closed the door. I grabbed my shoes and my bags and squeezed myself through the crowded garage. I dropped one of my bags so I can open the garage door. Then, picked up my bag again, open the refrigerator in the garage, took a bottle of water and rushed to the car. “Where is my key? Aaawg, you crazy lady.” I ran back inside, pounded on the door again.
“What you forget now?” My daughter asked.
“I forgot my key,” I said as I paced back and forth from the door to the bedroom. Then I stuck my hand into my pocket and there it was. Finally, I left. I put everything in the car. I started the car, and you bet-I couldn’t find my insurance card. I searched all the bags I had with me, no insurance card. I took a deep breath, prayed and just sat there for ten minutes. I turned to look at the clock, and it was 12:10. So, I shifted the gear to reverse and drive. I was finally leaving, still thinking I was crazy. I didn’t know a soul.
On the Road
I prayed. I turned on the cd’s that I brought with me, but too restless to listen. I turned on the radio, but too many statics. So, I turned it off, continuing with prayers and practicing my speech to be presented in less than seven hours. As, I enter North Carolina, it started to rain-hard. “Okay, Lord, I know that you are good. I’m just going to trust that this is just a test and you are going to get me there safely. You know how much I do not like to drive in the rain,” I prayed and continued with positive mantras. And soon, the rain stopped. I was very confident by now. I was not even afraid to speak. So I thought.
At the Hotel
I arrived at the hotel in less time than the Google map estimated. Is this the hotel. Am I lost? I looked up at the post, and there it was, the She Speaks signs. “Lord, you are so good,” I cried out, feeling confident and joyous. I saw a few women carrying their bags and luggage into the hotel. Yes, I’ve found the hotel. Thank you, Lord. I am going to rock this weekend. I got out of the car carrying the three bags I had with me, I looked to the left, then to the right, okay I think I’m safe now. I walked to the doors where the posters were posted, and by this time I’ve forgotten about the speech because my focus was on registration process. That was until, I saw this lady standing in between the posts. Oh, my goodness, what are you doing here? This is for real. There are real people here. You think you’re going to pull this whole thing off? You’re—open the door you.
I opened the door and walked in. Signs were everywhere, so I walked up to the registration desk, I lined up at the line with the letter of my last name, but the girl on the other line next to it called me, so I walked over, announced my name and she couldn’t find my envelope. I was afraid this would happen. Lord, surely your goodness and joy follows me wherever I go. Help me now. I looked down on her sheet with the lists of names, I found my name and pointed it out to her. She picked up a pen and crossed it out. She was nervous. I was nervous. She turned around and asked another girl, then she looked over to the right and there it was my envelope laying on top of a thick binder. “There it is, what it it doing over here?” she asked. No one answered. They just give her the look. And, she handed me the envelope with the schedule book.
Eager to unload my bags, I took them from her and began to search for my room key. Well, there’s no key. How do they expect me to find my room without the key? And when do they give out the key. Feeling kinda stupid, I picked up my things and found a chair to sit down. I went through the envelope one more time and searched through the book to find direction on how to obtain my key to the hotel room. Nothing. I looked over to the next chair, and this lady with the She Speaks t-shirt was sitting smiling at me, “excuse me, where do I get my key for my room?”
She pointed to the long winded hallway, “You’ll have to go register over there.” I thanked her and gathered all my stuff and walked over. I registered and they told me my roommate has already arrived. They gave me my key and the directions to the hotel things and the elevators.
Finally, I arrived at the room. The housekeepers were just finishing up and rushed out of there because I told them that was my room. But, they told me my roommate is already here? How is it that they're still cleaning my room? I inserted my key in-no green light. That’s weird. I looked at my key enveloped, looked up at the door. Ooops! That’s the wrong room. Move over. So I moved over and opened the door. There was my roommate sitting at the sofa trying to rest.
“You must be (well, let’s call her ) Sandy,” I announced. “I’m Shoua.”
“Nice to meet you, Shoua,” she said as she reached out to shake my hand. I dropped my bags, walked around the room, inspecting everything.
“Wow! The room is so much bigger than I expected it. And, look, there’s kitchen sink. How nice!” I exclaimed. She was probably thinking I was shallow which I was, but too polite to show me. She just smiled. I poked my head into the bedroom, “Oh-?”
“There’s just one bed. Well, this is a fold out bed. So, I will sleep here,” she said with both of her palms on the sofa.
“Oh,-I can sleep on the sofa, there’s no problem. I’m a sofa girl.”
“So am I. I really don’t care either. I’ll just take the sofa. I brought my own pillows,” she insisted. She was very genuine and real nice. I sat and we talked and found out we had so many things in common, including our families. The Lord had answered my prayers and sent me the perfect roommate. She indicated that she was not much of a mingler, neither was I. But, this was her second year so she kind of knew her way around the conference pool. She stuck with me, so I wouldn’t feel out of place. I couldn’t have asked for a better roommate. She was perfect.
~to be continued~
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
She Speaks
Wow! That’s it. Wow!
Before the Conference
My heart was restless. My thoughts were cloudy. And my confidence was shaky. All the while, I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with me. Surely this is weird to be so clumsy. I was late to every appointment and forgot to pick up at least one item that I went to buy at the store. No, I’m not nervous about the conference. I’m just going to go and give two speeches for evaluations. It’s no big deal. It’s not like I’ve never spoken before. So, I thought.
Then, the letter came with confirmations of my reservations and the name of my roommate. Great! You mean, I don’t get my own room? I have to share room with someone else. I hope I don’t have to share the bed too. That’ll just be too weird. Oh, God, what if the sink is in an open room and I have to brush my teeth in front of her? That will just gross her out. I am going to become a total gross out freak. What if she is prejudice against Asians and she doesn’t converse with me? Okay, girl you are freaking me out. Stop it. Stop it. Just stop it. “Lord God, please help me. I pray that the hotel will have a closed up bathroom, that there will be two beds and not one.” Oh, maybe I should pray for my roommate to like me, too. “Lord, I pray that she will like me. Oh, please protect her while she travels to the conference, wherever she’s coming from.”
I hope she’s not my next door neighbor that I just happened not to know her name. Then, if she doesn’t like me, I won’t have to face her again.
The Day of the Conference
The Enterprise driver picked me up and we went to pick up two other persons. The first person was a man, so I didn’t talk much. The next person was a woman. She had pink on. Her luggages were pink, her purse was pink and her shoes (ooops! I don’t remember). Maybe, she’s going to She Speaks, too. I turned around to ask, “so where are you heading?”
“Charleston, to see my daughter,” she said.
Shoot! Too bad. I thought you were going to the She Speaks conference. You look nice enough to maybe even carpool. Then, maybe we can share the cost instead of going in individual cars. Who knows we could’ve been good friends, but too bad. I found out she was a grandma already. So, I turned around and told her she doesn’t look old enough to be a grandma.
On my way back from the rental car, I was about half a mile home and this terrifying thought came over my head; What if you came home and your house burned down and it swept your family members. And, you have no more children and no husband? What will you do? Then, I will have a stronger story to tell, I thought with tears in my eyes. Okay, now you are a total wreck. You’re letting your imagination run wild. “You stop it. My children and husband are under the Lord’s care. He will not let it happen because you can’t handle it. He is a good God.
Finally, I arrived home and my two little girls were dramatic about my leaving and so it became annoying to watch them hung on to me like I was going to drive off the cliff and never returned. You better take some pictures just in case the house does burn down and this is the last time you see them. So, I lined them all up on my couch and took their pictures. My son was upset and didn’t want his pictures taken, so he closed his eyes. I looked at the time and it was a little before 12:00pm. Ooops! I better go. “Okay, kids, hugs and kisses! I got to go.” I opened the door to the garage and realized I have no shoes and no key. I pounded on the door and started to speak Hmong real loud to get my children to open the door.
Sorry, but you’ll just have to wait. I have to take my daughter to help distribute fliers for the VBS. But if you return tomorrow, I’ll continue.
Before the Conference
My heart was restless. My thoughts were cloudy. And my confidence was shaky. All the while, I couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with me. Surely this is weird to be so clumsy. I was late to every appointment and forgot to pick up at least one item that I went to buy at the store. No, I’m not nervous about the conference. I’m just going to go and give two speeches for evaluations. It’s no big deal. It’s not like I’ve never spoken before. So, I thought.
Then, the letter came with confirmations of my reservations and the name of my roommate. Great! You mean, I don’t get my own room? I have to share room with someone else. I hope I don’t have to share the bed too. That’ll just be too weird. Oh, God, what if the sink is in an open room and I have to brush my teeth in front of her? That will just gross her out. I am going to become a total gross out freak. What if she is prejudice against Asians and she doesn’t converse with me? Okay, girl you are freaking me out. Stop it. Stop it. Just stop it. “Lord God, please help me. I pray that the hotel will have a closed up bathroom, that there will be two beds and not one.” Oh, maybe I should pray for my roommate to like me, too. “Lord, I pray that she will like me. Oh, please protect her while she travels to the conference, wherever she’s coming from.”
I hope she’s not my next door neighbor that I just happened not to know her name. Then, if she doesn’t like me, I won’t have to face her again.
The Day of the Conference
The Enterprise driver picked me up and we went to pick up two other persons. The first person was a man, so I didn’t talk much. The next person was a woman. She had pink on. Her luggages were pink, her purse was pink and her shoes (ooops! I don’t remember). Maybe, she’s going to She Speaks, too. I turned around to ask, “so where are you heading?”
“Charleston, to see my daughter,” she said.
Shoot! Too bad. I thought you were going to the She Speaks conference. You look nice enough to maybe even carpool. Then, maybe we can share the cost instead of going in individual cars. Who knows we could’ve been good friends, but too bad. I found out she was a grandma already. So, I turned around and told her she doesn’t look old enough to be a grandma.
On my way back from the rental car, I was about half a mile home and this terrifying thought came over my head; What if you came home and your house burned down and it swept your family members. And, you have no more children and no husband? What will you do? Then, I will have a stronger story to tell, I thought with tears in my eyes. Okay, now you are a total wreck. You’re letting your imagination run wild. “You stop it. My children and husband are under the Lord’s care. He will not let it happen because you can’t handle it. He is a good God.
Finally, I arrived home and my two little girls were dramatic about my leaving and so it became annoying to watch them hung on to me like I was going to drive off the cliff and never returned. You better take some pictures just in case the house does burn down and this is the last time you see them. So, I lined them all up on my couch and took their pictures. My son was upset and didn’t want his pictures taken, so he closed his eyes. I looked at the time and it was a little before 12:00pm. Ooops! I better go. “Okay, kids, hugs and kisses! I got to go.” I opened the door to the garage and realized I have no shoes and no key. I pounded on the door and started to speak Hmong real loud to get my children to open the door.
Sorry, but you’ll just have to wait. I have to take my daughter to help distribute fliers for the VBS. But if you return tomorrow, I’ll continue.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Busy Summer
Dear Readers,
Thank you for your support and encouragements. I know I've not written anything for the last several weeks. I've been busy with personal engagements, but I want you to know everything is well. The Lord has been good.
If you are reading this, perhaps God is directing you here to pray for me and my family. We are all well. Everyone is doing fine and healthy. However, I can use your help in praying for focus.
I promise you are not forgotten. I will come back and continue with our talk on Our Jealous God. For right now, I'm going on a tangent.
This weekend was a mix blessing. My husband has had gout for the last two weeks. So, he couldn't cut the grass. I decided that I was going to cut the grass so it won't look so scary. You know when your neighbors start to dump their coffee cups, napkins, and papers on your yard, you know it is time to cut the grass and trim the trees. So, I proceeded to cut the grass, but I couldn't get the motor running on the lawnmower nor the trimmer. Poor me, right. No poor my husband. He had to walk like a crab outside to get the lawnmower started. I finished cutting the grass and proceeded to trim the weeds, but couldn't get that started either.
After several times of trying to get it started, I prayed, "Lord, help me. I am trying to be a good and supportive wife. But, I can't if you don't help me right now, because I can't get this started. Please, don't make me go get him again. I was sweaty and thirsty and my children were urging me, "mom, that thing doesn't work anymore. Why don't you just go get dad."
"Leave me alone," I said as I turned and proceeded to pull the string one more time. My daughter came out and asked me if she could help me. "Go, get your dad!" I let out a desperate cry. Yes, the poor man came out and got it started the first try. He gave me a strange look that communicates, "It's so easy." I threw my hands up in the air and gave him the look, "yeah, I probably exhausted it enough it was going to cave in anyway." So, now the grass are cut and the weeds are trimmed.
I came inside to prepare dinner. As we were eating lunch, my children asked me what we would do after lunch. "We're going to trim the trees and bushes. Are you going to help me, Honey?" He nodded "yes".
Well, we got our old fashion tools and went outside to cut the trees. He didn't go far and had to go back inside. It was too much for him. So, I went to the front and started to trim the trees in the front yard. I just had lunch so I was not cranky or angry. But, as I was trimming, my neighbor came outside, "excuse me, I just cannot let you do that."
"What?" This is my yard, why are you prohibiting me to cut my own trees?
"I cannot let you cut those with that thing. I can't watch you. I got something better. Just wait a minute, I'll get it." A couple of minutes later, he came out with this long branch trimmer (that's my name for it. I don't know it's name), showed me how it worked. He went back home to eat his dinner and came back out about five minutes later with another tool. Thank goodness for good neighbors, my trees and bushes are nicely trimmed. God showed Himself as He promised in Psalm 34:15. His eyes were on me. He heard my cry for help and He sent my neighbor to lend me his tools . Praise Him and thank Him for His faithfulness.
God bless you all and I will write when I return from She Speaks!
Thank you for your support and encouragements. I know I've not written anything for the last several weeks. I've been busy with personal engagements, but I want you to know everything is well. The Lord has been good.
If you are reading this, perhaps God is directing you here to pray for me and my family. We are all well. Everyone is doing fine and healthy. However, I can use your help in praying for focus.
I promise you are not forgotten. I will come back and continue with our talk on Our Jealous God. For right now, I'm going on a tangent.
This weekend was a mix blessing. My husband has had gout for the last two weeks. So, he couldn't cut the grass. I decided that I was going to cut the grass so it won't look so scary. You know when your neighbors start to dump their coffee cups, napkins, and papers on your yard, you know it is time to cut the grass and trim the trees. So, I proceeded to cut the grass, but I couldn't get the motor running on the lawnmower nor the trimmer. Poor me, right. No poor my husband. He had to walk like a crab outside to get the lawnmower started. I finished cutting the grass and proceeded to trim the weeds, but couldn't get that started either.
After several times of trying to get it started, I prayed, "Lord, help me. I am trying to be a good and supportive wife. But, I can't if you don't help me right now, because I can't get this started. Please, don't make me go get him again. I was sweaty and thirsty and my children were urging me, "mom, that thing doesn't work anymore. Why don't you just go get dad."
"Leave me alone," I said as I turned and proceeded to pull the string one more time. My daughter came out and asked me if she could help me. "Go, get your dad!" I let out a desperate cry. Yes, the poor man came out and got it started the first try. He gave me a strange look that communicates, "It's so easy." I threw my hands up in the air and gave him the look, "yeah, I probably exhausted it enough it was going to cave in anyway." So, now the grass are cut and the weeds are trimmed.
I came inside to prepare dinner. As we were eating lunch, my children asked me what we would do after lunch. "We're going to trim the trees and bushes. Are you going to help me, Honey?" He nodded "yes".
Well, we got our old fashion tools and went outside to cut the trees. He didn't go far and had to go back inside. It was too much for him. So, I went to the front and started to trim the trees in the front yard. I just had lunch so I was not cranky or angry. But, as I was trimming, my neighbor came outside, "excuse me, I just cannot let you do that."
"What?" This is my yard, why are you prohibiting me to cut my own trees?
"I cannot let you cut those with that thing. I can't watch you. I got something better. Just wait a minute, I'll get it." A couple of minutes later, he came out with this long branch trimmer (that's my name for it. I don't know it's name), showed me how it worked. He went back home to eat his dinner and came back out about five minutes later with another tool. Thank goodness for good neighbors, my trees and bushes are nicely trimmed. God showed Himself as He promised in Psalm 34:15. His eyes were on me. He heard my cry for help and He sent my neighbor to lend me his tools . Praise Him and thank Him for His faithfulness.
God bless you all and I will write when I return from She Speaks!
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