Back in the USA

For some of you who follow my blog, I am sorry I have not updated it in a lonnng time. But I am living in the USA right now. After long thought and debate I decided to stay here this school year. I will miss Thailand, and who knows maybe I will go back and work some day.

Right now I am working for the SEYC/Bible Workers and volunteering at Collegedale Academy. I am really enjoying this right now. It is nice to be active and interacting with students. Still working on organizing the members and students at the University for Bible Work.

I hope everyone is having a blessed time, both in USA and Thailand.

Blessing.

Ryan

Turning Thirty

Well, the day has almost come. Tomorrow I will be turning Thirty. The big 3-0. It looked worse coming in then being in. :) I never really thought of myself getting this old. I was always caught up having fun, working hard, and trying to enjoy life. But now I have found myself becoming an older man, not quite sure but I think I am starting to bald. Haha.

Anyways, this will probably be my most unique birthday ever or at-least the location. Most of my previous birthdays were experienced in Collegedale, TN.

I am looking forward to the close of this school year. I would like to kiss the bad good bye and look to a better tomorrow. We have three more weeks left, which are going to fly by and I will be on a plane flying to the States. I am looking forward to the possibilities for next school year, due to the fact that we are becoming organized in the PE Department.

I can't wait to see what God has planned for the next school year. I think there is so much potential here but there are few out spoken and strong Christians. I would even put myself in that category. Where there is darkness, we should be shining light. And I really haven't been shining any light lately. So there are some positives.

So as another year of my life has come to its close, I am looking forward to a new year, with possibilities! Can't wait to see family and friends from the States! God bless you all.

U13 Volleyball Tournament

(Nattamon, Nattaporn, Onjira, Pornchanok, Ramida, Angella, Lalita, Panjitra)

My Super Energetic and almost uncontrollable, talktive, and extremely, ADHD, but fun and enjoyable, sweet, U13 Volleyball Girls)

:)

This past weekend, I came off the DL (Disabled List) to take my U13 Volleyball Team to NIVA, which is one of our sister schools, to play in a BISAC tournament.  I was worried because I had not coached them in about two weeks, and I wasn't sure that I would be able to make it since I was coming back to action from being assigned to bed rest.

Well, I was hoping for a 7th spot with our girls, but we didn't get that, back in my mind I was hoping for more but realistically I think I knew.  We tried our hardest but we fell to the 8th spot out of 8 teams in the tournament.  Honestly I don't think we were that good to compete with the other schools.  My team consists of 6th graders and one 5th grader.  My girls have never played volleyball and I was teaching them from scratch.  While the other schools, had 7th graders or a whole team of them, they had been playing for 2 years and actually looked quite older than my little girls.  We improved so much through the year, but there is only so much you can do in one season.

The core 8 girls that went with me to the tournament were my top players and the ones that showed up to practices and have good skill.  So I knew we were putting our best efforts up.  I felt bad though, 2 of the girls cried, and I don't know what to say or do in that situation.  Plus, it is so hard to comfort them because as I do they get agitated and distant.  I feel helpless, and I try to explain, it's just a volleyball game.  But it's the BISAC tournament, the big one!

Anyways, we all survived, and hopefully I get a chance to coach them next year, and hopefully they will have a good rest of the year.  Here are a few pictures from the tournament.

God bless.

Another TED Video

Incredible... Electric cars... this is a good TED video.

Climbing Video (Old School)

Remember the days Scott???  Back in the day.

A Better Way to Live by Shawn Boonstra

Check out this nice Video. Shawn does this daily video blog that is very encouraging and well put together. Enjoy this one about Anxiety. Text taken from Exodus 15.

Videos from This Past Weekend

Breakfast Video:



Khao Yai:

Breakfast and Sunday Morning Muak Lek

Sunday Morning, we got up and had some Breakfast. It was great.

Later in the day we went up to Khao Yai, which means Big Mountain. We took a lot of good pictures and I have some neat video. Will put that up later. Enjoy the Pictures!

Slide Show from BAH Church

Story of my First Night in Hospital with Slideshow

Day 1 - March 30, which was a Sunday Night

Before going to the Hospital. I spent the whole day trying to rest, drink water, and take my medicine (which were antibiotics). I wasn't getting better and my throat was killing me. Nok's Mom and Dad came by later Sunday evening to see me and check on me. Nok was fixing some food for us to eat, macaroni and vegetables, with a soft marinara sauce. I was dying of hunger but my throat made me a little hesitant to eat. I only ate like three or four spoonfuls of soup that morning.

I was handed the bowl with my soup and macaroni. It was nice and hot, but burned so bad as it went down my throat. I could only eat like three or four spoonfuls. I felt bad and knew I was feeling uncomfortable. I also know that I have work tomorrow morning and need to get back sometime soon. During all this thinking, Nok's Dad said, "Well, lets get you to sleep at the hospital tonight." My first thought was, "oh great, I don't want to over react, I have been to the hospital twice now."

We talked it over with lots of Thai words thrown around, with me not really understanding it, and then Nok says, "Alright lets go." Her Dad had called the Mission Hospital and set things up, Dr. Nick, an American Doctor, works at the Bangkok Adventist (Mission) Hospital and is the first Doctor I have talked to that speaks English really good, it was quite nice.

The evening was fun and memorable. It was 8:30 PM when we left, and by the time we got to the hospital I think it was close 9 or 9:15 PM. Anyways, it took longer because of the DDS grouop. They are outside the Government building which is down the road. So we had to do a U-Turn and some fancy driving.

Doctor Nick came in and he did all the common check up agenda. He checked my throat and definitely saw how red and nasty it was, and obviously antibiotics were either not working or it was viral. My temperature was 37.7 C which is translated into 99.9 F. I didn't realize I had a fever. Anyways, I wasn't being able to eat much food and I was losing weight as well; I weighed 63.7 kg on Sunday, and weighed 62 Kg on Monday night. I also was very dehydrated. In Doctor Nicks' opinion, he thought I should stay in the hospital for a few nights. That became 4 nights.

I was taking to a hospital bed, and they put an IV in me. The only crazy thing was the stuff they put in my arm, they didn't tell me first, but it started burning, I felt like my whole arm was going to burst into flames. It slowly inched up my arm as I felt it going through my veins, but I was reassured that it was common. Come to find out the next evening, my had was a little swollen, and the nurse had cut my vein or whatever, and the IV fluid was seping out of my veins. That's what caused all the pain. Not cool, so I got my IV moved and felt much better.

By this time it is 11:30 PM in my Hospital Room, I gave mom a quick call to let her know what is going on. Talk with Nok and her mom and dad. The ready to go to sleep.

Day 2 - 4

Basically, every 2 hours the Nurse came and checked my blood pressure and my temperature. My favorite thing was to hear the nurse say, "No temperature." Like I was playing a lottery or something. It was funny to me. I eat three good meals a day. Nok came and visited, stayed over the last two nights. Melissa came to see me as well, and so did Nok's Dad and Mom. It was nice when people came over.

By the last day I was ready to go, but I did miss the food and the IV. Even though I had to use the restroom every 2 hours because of the fluids.

Enjoy the pictures.

Weekend at Muak Lek

After being in the Hospital for 5 days and 4 nights... I thought it would be a good idea to get some fresh air.  So I traveled with Nok's family up to their Muak Lek house.  We call it the Raveawan Estate or Resort.  :)

Anyways, pictures from the Hospital Stay and from this weekend will be up soon.  I haven't had internet for almost 8 or more days.  I haven't missed it but I haven't been able to keep up my blog and check my emails.  Plus, right now my camera battery is dead and charging.  Hopefully tomorrow night I will tell the story and have pictures, and video.

I love each one of you!

Back from the Hospital

This will be updated, but first of all I am back to my room.  This maybe a good thing or a bad thing.  I think it will be good.  But now I have to start taking care of myself.  :)

Anyways, a quick update:  I have infectious mononucleosis and was very dehydrated.

So I stayed in the hospital (Bangkok Adventist Hospital aka Mission Hospital) for 4 nights!  This is the first time I have ever had stay in the Hospital, for an extended time, for a sickness.  Anyways, I spent the time resting and soaking in the IV fluid, I think I had about 8 bottles, over the course of my stay.

I still feel tired but my throat is feeling better.  Keep praying, and thanks for your love.

Ryan

More pictures and a longer post coming soon, after my weekend at Muak Lek.

Sermon at SML

Watch first 10 Minutes of my Sermon

This is my third time to talk in Thailand, except for TNL, but my first Sermon that I prepared; I was given the 10th Commandment as my topic. My first thought of the 10th commandment was that most people look over it because it is the last one and not many people really talk about coveting. I didn't really even think about that much, I got right in there to find what I could about the topic. I didn't want to use the typical Exodus or Deuteronomy texts as my base text, so I choose Hebrew 13:5.  Hebrews 13:5 states, "Let our conduct be without covetousness (or "Love of Money"). Be content with what you have, because God said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

At first glance, it seems like these sentences do not fit together. Well, If God is with us, and will never leave or forsake us, then we should be happy, content, and it should show in our conduct and character. So this text really does make great sense to me.

Covetousness was translated into covetous from the phrase "love of money." This is interesting sense the Bibles states in 1 Timothy 6:10; "The love of money is the root of all evil..."

In Luke 16:13,14 we see this idea more developed.  Jesus is telling the Pharisees a story and how man can not have two Masters.  They will either love one or hate the other.  The last phrase in verse 13 Jesus says, "You can not serve God and Mammon."  When you go and check out the definition of Mammon you find that it is a medieval definition of the Devil of 

Covetousness (of money).

There is a Delimma we are in, and we have no choice whether we are part of this Delimma.  In Steps to Christ, page 73 we read that Satan is doing all he can to turn our focus from God and onto ourselves, our pains and suffering.  In the book Celebration of Disciplines, on page 65 the author explains how we are so distracted and that it is hard for people these days not to be connected to a radio or TV.  Some people even have to have a radio running when they read, etc...

Satan has got us so distracted and looking at others, looking for things to make us happy or content.  We forget that everyone on this earth is in the same boat, we are all in the same shape, we are all struggling, and have problems.  So lets stop looking at each other, 

lets look to God for our 

strength and focus.

This Delimma has another side though.  We may be distracted but God has a promise and the answer.  Check 

out 1 Timothy 6:6-8, and Matt 6:32-34;  Being content adds to our gain, and Seek ye First the Kingdom of God and He will provide those things you worry about right now.

Our Focus should be on God and His power not our weakness and worries.

We finished our Church service with burning those things we coveted, by writing them on a sheet of paper and lighting them on fire with a lighter.

Farang Kai Cafe

Well, if you can not pronouce the title very good, don't feel bad.  But it sounds like Foreign with a g at the end, guy, Cafe.

This is a little shop one of our chaplains started as a ministry here in Bangkok.  He has great food, and I usually go support them every Wednesday.

Here are some pictures:

Climbing in Thailand

Well, Daniel, Rebekah, Mister Danny, Nok, and I went to the Racquet Club, where they have a pool, weight room, and a climbing wall.  It cost us 500 baht each, for the day, which is kinda expensive.

Daniel and Rebekah are two teachers at EIS, who previously got married on before coming to Thailand.  Daniel teaches High School Math, and Rebekah is a 7th Grade teacher.  They are both high energy people and fun.

Mister Danny is a High School teacher, this year he has been working as the Administrator for Curriculum.  Very fun guy and always willing to go try and climb a wall with us young guys!

And then Nok and Me, well this was Nok's second time trying to climb, and she did fantastic.  She climbing all the way to the top three times and did the hard rock surface climb.  I think we may pick up top roping as a hobby.

Anyways, this was a great day and really enjoy climbing.  This place is to expensive, so we usually go climb at the National Stadium, where it is free.  The only thing is it is harder and higher.

March 14 Trip to Muak Lek

Two weekends ago, Nok, her Dad and I decided that we would spend the weekend relaxing as a family.. haha.. at there home in Muak Lek.  Then plans got changed a little, we had to go down to Pataya for a meeting with Nok's Dad and a church plant there.  So we spent one night there in Pataya, then drove 4 hours North to Muak Lek to relax for a Day... that is when I took these pictures.  It was early Sunday morning, and sunny.

Mark Bittman talks about American Eating habits in this TED.com Video

Mark Bittman sums up the problems we have in the States, and gives a great history of food and development of our problems with obesity and they way we eat in America.

Trip to the South (Part 1)

My long awaited tale of our trip to Ban Krut. Well, it was very nice. Like I said before, we planned on having 6 or 8 people, and so I called around to get a few more people, to try and save us money, and then we end up with 16 people on this trip. It was great and I really enjoyed getting to know the guys but I am more of a small group kind of guy.

So we traveled by Train:

We then arrived at Ban Krut after a long ride, playing games, talking and wondering if we would ever get there. I think we arrived around 12 or 1 in the morning after leaving around 3:30 pm.  When we go there we had to take a ride in the back of a truck to the hotel. It was nice to get to the place and relax and then go to sleep.

In the morning we got to see the place:

(Top: Hotel; Middle Left: Cafeteria; Middle Right: Beach; Bottom: Beach)

We stayed in the hotel pictured above and then every morning would walk down to the cafeteria for breakfast.  You could see the beach and the ocean from the cafeteria, something like the picture bottom.  Not in the picture is a road that separated the beach from the cafeteria.

The next day we took a motorbike trip with eight motorbikes, we looked like a bike gang as we traveled the roads.  I don't have any pictures from that but I do have some video, I still have to get it from Nok, so I will update that when I get a chance.

But here are some pictures from the hike we took at the waterfall:

To be continued...

So let's start talking to each other face-to-face, right? Let's get 100% of the conversation from now on.

Help the People in Malamulo

If you want to help than please contact me and I will get you more information.  Mindi traveled to Malawi, Africa to help the people there with getting water and is a dedicated person for helping those less fortunate. Help her as she tries to support and help out those people in Africa.

Thanks.

Vacation in Thailand

This last weekend a group of us here in Bangkok decided to go on a little trip south.

We had planned at the most 8 people and by the time we new it and we were traveling on the train to Ban Krut, we had 16 people (Kelly, Jorge, Nok, Ryan, Renee, Annet, Terra, Laura, Maile, Sangki, Ricky, Brandon, Rob, Robin, Supap, and Corey).  Hopefully I spelled all the names right, having this group was crazy but fun.  Two of the guys had just got to Thailand.  Anyways, Nok and I planned things out and paid for the train and lodging, and then collected money.  Nok got to be our translator, something that, if you think about it, would not be fun if everyone asks you every second to translate.  But I think over all the trip was fun and enjoyable for all.

I will have pictures up in a few days, hopefully tonight.  I will have a whole blog dedicated to the trip.  It was very nice.  We rented motor-bikes and road around and visited the area.  Our accomidation was set back from the ocean but the main road connecting the resorts was along the ocean, which made for a great scenic ride, when you're on a motor-bike.

On Sunday we took an hour ride to find a waterfall, and went rock hopping, something I learned as a kid and still enjoy to this day.  But I sure did miss the people that I used to go with, ie.. Scott and Bryce.

But now I am back at school, teaching and coaching.  Last night was our second TNL program.  We had 8 students come.  And I feel that it went very well.  I know that God wants to do something special with this group.  And I am glad to be apart of it.

To be continued...

Life in Bangkok

Last week beginning on Thursday, the 29th of January.  Our school hosted a tournament for our league called BISAC.  The tournament was for all the International schools in who are part of our organization.  There were 10 teams in total, the tournament was for the JV Girls which are our U17 teams.

The Tourny was played on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.  With the majority of the games on Sunday.  There were two pools where the teams got to play four games and then the top two teams of each pool got into the semi-finals.

The Championship game was between Shrewsbury and EIS.  It was a great game and in the end EIS came out victorious.  It was nice when the game was over, I had been up since 6:30 and left the gym by 6 PM that night.  I am still feeling sleepy from not getting enough sleep.

http://www.eis.ac.th//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=120&Itemid=1

Anyways.  This week is not busy at all, I have no classes till Wednesday at 1:30 PM.  I am doing some inventory of the equipment and that we have, checking to see if there are things we need for next year.

God please bless this week!

Later.

The End of January is Here

Well, January 2009 is almost gone and February is around the corner.  What has happened this month in January?

Many things have happened.  I have returned to Thailand, school has started, we have had two days off school already coming back from break.  There is another day or two coming up in February.  And then in March there is five or more.

The first week back from break I was busy going from meeting to meeting.  I am on atleast four committees; section leaders, curriculum, academics, and athletics committee.  Then I also meet for meetings like SML (Contemporary Church Service) every monday, on Wednesdays I have a meeting with the PE Teachers which alternates every other Wednesday, and then I also have meetings for a program called TNL (Tuesday Night Live--Youth Group).  I also have to fit in 15 hours of teaching, while trying to make sure we are getting equipment, keeping up the facilities and day to responsibilities for the PE program.  Oh and I coach basketball, and soon will be coaching volleyball in place of the basketball team.

It is fun and exciting when things are happening... but it gets busy.  I came home one day and was just exhausted.  I sleep like crazy.

This week I did my first program for the Youth.  I had great support from fellow staff, and teachers, but we had a low turn out of students.  We had only two show.  This made me think, were we doing the the things we were supposed to get the right students involved?  Or is there really no students that give a flip about God?  Well, we will see about next Tuesday and see if it is because there was to much going on this week or we didn't advertise good enough.

The other big thing happening this week was the BISAC JV Girls Basketball Tournament.  The great thing is I haven't had to do much for this tournament, besides give my thoughts and suggestions.  The Athletic Coordinator has been in charge of planning and communicating to the other schools.  We have 9 or 10 other schools coming and they will compete on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday; with Sunday being the big day and the majority of the games being played.

So all in all I am living and making things happen.  But it is busy busy.

Pray for my students and the faculty here.  That includes me.  The Administration will be going through some changes over the next year.  I will stick it out one more year at this point, to be faithful to the students and other faculty, and have to see how supportive the Administration is of PE from now till the end of next year.

God bless!

This is such a good song, and living in Thailand where the kids are so engrossed in the media scene and they like this kind of music... I do feel songs are away to talk to people and touch them, make them think. They might not listen to my words but with this guy, Brandon Heath, they might and maybe God will use songs like this to bring them to a realization... maybe, just maybe....

Lyrics:
Look down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight

Touch down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos

All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what’s underneath

There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, He's buying time

Pre Chorus / Chorus

I’ve been here a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just move and pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
I need a second glance
Give me a second chance
To see the way you’ve seen the people all along

Chorus

(Thanks to Melissa for these lyrics)
[ Give Me Your Eyes Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

My Address here in Thailand

If you are willing and if you care:

57 Soi Pridibanomyong 31, 37 Sukhumvit 71 Road

Vadhana District

Bangkok

Thailand

10110

Back in Thailand

Well, my time in the States was great.  There are pictures up on Facebook.. well, you will have to be friends with my girlfriend to see them.  Maybe I will get some up soon for everyone to see.  Anyways, We did a lot of things.  From going to the Aquarium to repelling down a 150 foot rock cliff, watching the ball drop and playing games.  It was nice to be with my family and friends.  It was soooo refreshing.

There are many things I did not get a chance to do or people I didn't get to see.  That was the only bad part about the whole trip.  If I didn't get to see you I am sooo sorry but if God is willing and things work out.. then I will get to see you very soon.  I will be coming back in July.

I am going to start leading out in a program here called TNL.  The name came from having their program on Thursdays and it was Thursday Night Live.  A play of the Saturday Night Live show.  Anyways, now it is called Tuesday Night Live.  I plan on reaching out to the Christians here at our school, empowering them to know who they serve, what He is like, and how they can share Him with their fellow students and friends.

It is an exciting program.  I pray that God is leading and that the students here will be blessed.  The first program starts January 27th and will be dynamic.  I will be showing the video, by Louise Giggilio, "How Great is our God."  If you haven't seen it click here.  This link will take you to the youtube video.  There are 5 parts, each one is 10 minutes long, except the last one.  The author's name is freaksavior.

We need prayer for this school and the students here.  I think they are willing but the students are very friendship oriented.  They will do whatever their friends think is cool.  Take basketball for example.  There are two or three really good basketball players a few years ago who wanted to play on the basketball team.  Well, they were friends with some other girls that did not want to play on the basketball team or did not make the team.  In turn the other good players did not play but now in their senior year, they are regreting the fact that they did not play those previous years.

That is one example of how they effect each other.  They are more likely to not play or be apart of a program if the majority of their friends do not participate.  One thing is they are affraid to be made fun of or be bulleyed they say.  They are also very close and take care of each other too.  So it is hard for them to turn in a fellow friend, as it is seen as "helping out a friend."  If you don't lie for your friend or give him your homework you are not being a friend and you're looked down upon.

Interesting life the students here live.