Just a Little Rest

Today marks four months in Thailand.

July 16 seems like forever ago. But I also cannot believe the month of December is only two weeks away.

It turns out that making an international move will cause one to realize how much he or she does not actually have it all together, whatever that proverbial it may be.

So here I am, living in a city of 15 million, allowing myself to get lost as much as I can. I also have been staying busy with the things that I really haven’t needed to be occupying my time but have been, regardless. At this specific moment in time, I have three letters of recommendation to write, about four college application essays to critique, a revised thesis write-up to submit, a revised thesis write-up that needs to be developed into a formal proposal, and a whole pile of second quarter papers that need to be graded and submitted before grades are due on Wednesday.

At the same time, I have stepped away from quite a bit of media. I still spend more time stalking Facebook and reading blogs than I should, but I am pretty unplugged otherwise. Instead, I feel like I’ve been letting the last three years of life slough away. I wouldn’t trade the last three years for anything, but they were hard. As the saying goes, I experienced some of my highest highs as well as my lowest lows. 

If only the lows weren’t quite so dark and heavy. Those are the hardest to completely shed.

But God is good and gracious, even when I am not. As much as I would love to say that I have spent the last ­­­­­­­­sevenish weeks in Bible study and prayer, that wouldn’t be true. I have been blessed with a church where I show up each Sunday and receive the teaching. I am blessed to work for employers who begin each morning with a spiritual devotion. I have spent some time in Bible study and prayer, but not as much as I would like to think.

I have spent a lot of time just being and thinking and learning. I have been learning about my new school, my new job, my new students, my new friends, my new country, and myself.

My time has not all been wisely spent, but the time away has been much needed.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in [lack for God is my perfect sustenance]. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside [waters of rest], he restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-2 [Emphasis mine]

I took this picture on a riverboat tour at a floating market outside of Bangkok. I visited on Friday of my first week of orientation and it was the first time I looked around and thought to myself "Hey, I'm really in Thailand!" I love the bright flowers in contrast to the weathered shack. Beauty in the simplicity of existence.

25|| SMH and LOL... As Said by the American Teen

Grab a guest post! Swap blogs with someone, and share about anything. :)

I am cheating a little bit today. Kelly asked me to guest post and am sharing the same post with my own readers because, honestly, I think this is too great to keep from anybody!

Both Kelly and I are English teachers, both of us work with high schoolers, and both of us have heard quite the funnies from our students.

As grown up as high school students try to be, they are still such kids at heart and leave Kelly and I in stitches at the end of the day. They also leave us in tears, both literal and hypothetical, at points as well, but the memories of the laughter are what bring us back after the particularly rough days.

I am in my fourth year of teaching so I, by no means, have everything figured out, but I do have a solid list of funny things my students have said “over the years.” (Have I even earned the right to say that?) I have also included some funny moments with the elementary kids I have coached because they were just too good to keep to myself. Clearly, nothing is off limits with kids. They tell it like they see it, which is both entertaining and frustrating.

Without further adieu, I share with you ten of the funniest moments in my teaching (and coaching) career.

10. Junior boy: Hey Miss McNary, when is the State B Boys' Basketball Tournament?

Me: Like March third through the fifth?

Boy: (To his study hall) Hey guys! It's March 34th and 35th!

9. A Very Shocked Freshman girl: (Reading her teacher-revised essay) Seriously? You're 

    telling me that a fetus and a feces aren't the same thing?!

8. Fifth grade girl: Ms. McNary... My sister (who I taught in English 10) and I googled you 

            last night.
    Me: Oh? What did you find?
    Student: You are on Pinterest.
    Me: Yes, that is true. Anything else?
    Student: No... You're really as boring as you say you are. But Google has pictures that 

            really are you!

7. A Very Enthusiastic Third Grader: Miss McNary... I really like your outfit today! It's 

    better than some other days. Did your mom pick it out? My mom always picks out my 

    best outfits!

6. Seventh grade basketball player: When I have the basketball, am I an offenser or a 

    defenser?

5. Freshman girl, now Valedictorian candidate: Miss Aubrey! I can't find the antecedent 

    for my verb!

4. (With a 4th grade basketball player)
    Her: Coach, did you know my sister (who I taught in English 9) got a new boyfriend?
    Me: How nifty! Do you like him?
    Her: Yeah, I like him a lot better than her last boyfriend.
    Me: Oh?
    Her: Yeah, her old one bit her neck all of the time. I don't know why she'd want a 

          boyfriend who 

did that. I mean, that's not even fun to get bitten. My sister says 

          that's just what you do when you get a boyfriend in high school.

    Me: Uhh... Umm... They should play video games or read a book instead.

3. Student: The clothing was cucumbersome and heavy.
    Me: Uh... You mean "cumbersome"?
    Student: (Turns incredibly red and puts his head down on his desk) I can't believe I just 

          said that!

2. Student: Is Mark Twain Shania Twain's husband?
    Me: Yes, of course.
    Student: Huh... And I was just being funny. I really am smart!

1. Student 1: Miss McNary, is today Fat Tuesday or Super Tuesday? 

    Student 2: Today is Taco Tuesday and that's all that matters! 

(It was Super Tuesday.)

Bonus! Junior boy: Ms. Aubrey, your Thai accent isn't very good and your Mandarin    

          accent isn't very good either.

Me: Yeah... Those weren't really skills necessary to thrive in North Dakota.

I have quickly learned kids are kids... Be they in Thailand or the States. I count it one of my greatest blessing that God has given me this season to work with the youth of this world. 

May your day be blessed. :)

24|| A Little Fall Fun

Your fall bucket list. What do you want to do before winter rolls around?

Seeing as I now live in the land without fall, I am a little bummed that I can't make a more seasonal list. Instead, I am simply going to make a uber lame bucket list of what I need to get done in this current fall season.

One. Host "Happy Birthday, North Dakota! and Grandma too!" night. Starches, carbs, and dessert shared amongst friends... It will be a fun night indeed!

Two. Finish my thesis proposal. #Epicfail #Willnottalkaboutit

Three. Finish setting up house in my apartment. I am short one piece of living room furniture and then I will be good to go!

Here's to find at least a little autumnal spirit in the eternal tropics!

19|| Be Your Own BFF

I can about feel my sister rolling her eyes at me right now. This is the third "Blog Every Day in [Whatever Month]" challenge I have attempted and I had been doing so well until this last week. And then I caught the flu bug that has been circulating amongst the teachers and ended up with six days of body aches, headaches, fevers, chills, etc. I feel about 85% better and have a chiropractor appointment on Tuesday to hopefully get the rest of this crap out of my system. She has probably assumed that I fell off the bandwagon again, but I'm determined to finish this one out... And I'm still trying to make up ground from starting late!  Here's to a weekend of playing catch up in all areas of life after six days of just trying to survive...

If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

Be the friend to yourself that you are to other people.

(via)

Why is it that we are all too willing to extend patience and understanding to our friends and family (and even people we don't like...) but not to ourselves? Why is it that grace covers a multitude of other's sins, but not our own?

(via)

I saw another quote on Pinterest but didn't grab it because I was at work and didn't want to show that I was cruising Pinterest at work. #Ashamed #ItwasFridayafternoon I've gone back to look for it a couple of times since and can't find it, but it posed a question similar to this:

If you had a friend who said the same things to you that you say to yourself, how long would you keep that friend around?

Psht... That person would be kicked to the curb, hard and fast. I'm not talking about the friend who speaks truth into my life and pushes me to be a better person, but about the one who criticizes me for my eyebrows not being done and my stomach looking too pudgy while feeding my thoughts of insecurity and self-doubt. Nobody would keep such a funsucker around, so why do we do it to ourselves?

Remember... Be the friend to yourself that you are to other people.

16|| Now You All Can Know

"Most people don't know this but..."

... I really don't like cake. I think it's too much chewing for too little flavor. I much prefer pie and brownies for those very reasons.

... my pinky fingers are obnoxiously short on both hands. Each pinky reaches just the second knuckle on the ring finger of each hand.

... when I was little, my mom had me convinced I couldn't go to kindergarten unless I learned how to tie my shoes. A Saturday afternoon at McDonald's with grandpa helped solve that one. To this day, I don't tie my shoes the "normal" way and the only laced shoes I own are for workout purposes.

... when I was little, my dad told me that eating too much burnt popcorn would give me a bellyache. Now I know he didn't want me to eat too much so he could eat the rest of it. #Yooooouuusneakydad!

... when I worked with the youth group during one of my college summers at home, I convinced a couple of the boys that I was third in line for the role of Christine. I had to decline the second understudy role, though, because I couldn't miss that much school. #Asif 

... I also convinced one of my high school classes that Canada had bought the internet. That one didn't last too long, though. Clearly I learned my devious ways at a young age from my parents.

... I thought my parents were going to die of old age when they turned 40. I had an elaborate plan to move my siblings and I to my grandma's house 3 hours away. I had money set aside for bus tickets and notes written to our teachers explaining what was going on. It never dawned on me that my grandma was older than my parents. I was a proactive, albeit neurotic, third grader.

... I really love fresh cut flowers. Orchids and tulips are my favorites. I also love begonias and mums.

... I still cannot keep track of which is the independent and which is the dependent variable. A psychology minor and two years of graduate school still haven't solved the matter for me.

... I'm pretty sure I saw Bill Murray at the BTS station a couple of weeks ago. I didn't stop to ask because I wasn't 100% sure at the time. Now I am really wishing I would have.

14|| Blogging Because Everybody Else Did

When did you start blogging and why?

Blogging really is a curious practice if you stop and think about it. Whoever decided it would be a good idea to start writing whatever came to his or her mind at that moment and then share it with the world? I remember many a television show from my youth that was centered around a girl hiding her diary in the perfect place, out of the reach of the pesky younger sibling, lest the older sister's secrets be divulged.

(via)

Now, that same older sister may be sharing her secrets with the internet, all in the name of authenticity and transparency.

I'm not knocking the practice. I partake in the practice myself. I just find the whole thing a little baffling.

I started blogging because everybody else was doing it. Seriously. For somebody who tries to make her own way in the world, I totally succumbed to this trend. I've messed around with blogging for the last five years or so, but I have only recently decided to really make a go of it. I'm not saying I am any good at it yet (or that I will ever be), but I am enjoying what I'm doing and that's good enough for me. I never was good at keeping a diary when I was little, so I enjoy having this space to look back on. Maybe it will only ever be for myself, but maybe it will be something for my family someday. My prayer for this blog is that it points others to Christ and is a tool for sharing my faith. Anything else that may or may not happen along the way is just a bonus in the journey.

13|| It's a Gift... Let It Be a Blessing!

Your current relationship status. If dating/married, give us a glimpse of your story! If single, share about this special season.

Being the good Midwest girl that I am, I assumed I would go to college, meet a guy, get a ring by the proverbial spring, and marry in the months following graduation.

That didn't happen during my undergraduate years and since I have done the majority of my graduate school online, the likelihood of meeting somebody in these years is pretty slim too.

I would be lying if I said I haven't struggled in coming to terms with my singleness, but I can truthfully say that by the grace of God I have arrived at a place of comfort and acceptance.

The church can be a very harsh place for singles and I wish so desperately it wasn't that way. I know I am not the first person to make this comment, nor am I the first person to feel this way, but it is the truth-- maybe even moreso for women than for men. In too many eyes, a Christian is not truly an adult until he or she is married with the intention of children on the way. As single adults, we are quickly lumped with the college students because they theoretically haven't started their lives either because they are not yet married and not yet with jobs. I can attest, though, that I am in a much different place at 26 than I was at 21. Even if I don't act like it all of the time.

I have spent far too much of my twenties hurt and confused as to what my position is in the church and the faith as a single woman with no prospects on the horizon. It has only been in the last couple of months, and even this last week in entirely complete disclosure, that God has really helped me reconcile some of my thoughts and feelings.

Will I get married some day? I don't know. Is it the desire of my heart to get married? Yes. Am I in a unique place in life as a single woman? Most definitely.

(via)

(via)

As such, I am working to make the most of my time as a single woman. Although I am discouraged at times, I am also grateful for this time God has given me to do life outside of marriage. And even if marriage never happens, that's okay too because we are all going to be single on the other side of eternity any way!

I take comfort in the knowledge that singleness is a gift from God (1 Cor. 7:7) and God does not give bad gifts. Likewise, both singleness and marriage portray the gospel. One is not better than the other, although we all too often feel inferior as singles. After all, singleness portrays the Christian's identity in Christ (Isaiah 54, John 3, Revelation 19) as well as the Christian's eternal identification with the church (Genesis 2:18). My gift of singleness may last for a season or it may last for my earthly life. Either is just fine with me because marriage itself is only temporary-- once we pass from this life into the next, we will be united to Christ (Matt. 22:30).

Take heart, my dear sisters. The single journey can be a tough one, but, like marriage, it is a worthwhile one that garners its own unique heavenly reward.

May your day be blessed.

Soli deo gloria.

12|| Many Summers in Medora

Tell us about a favorite tradition. It could be a family tradition or from a holiday, university, you-name-it. What makes it so special?

My favorite family tradition is our annual getaway to Medora, ND. I know my mom knows the exact number of years we have gone but I have recently lost count. I know we have gone (at least!) eighteen summers in a row.

I still remember the moment mom and dad told us we we're going to Medora for the first time. I'm pretty sure it was the summer before I went into fourth grade. The picture above is from one of those first summer we went. I still remember the shirt I was wearing. I also had another one in the same pattern, but it was in shades of greens and purples. My habit of buying the same shirt in every available color started at a young age. #Sorrynotsorry

We have done most everything Medora has to offer throughout the years. I am in my third-ish year of college and my sister and I ran the Bully Run that morning. I enjoy walking around to the various shops and just being there. Things move a little slower in Medora and I don't mind one bit.

Another evening at the Burning Hills Amphitheater. I wish I had a better view of the scenery. And the sky. Dear heavens-- the stars are just amazing.

When we first started going to Medora, they had a shooting gallery. A couple of years into our summer sojourns, the shooting gallery closed and our hearts were broken. But just a couple of years ago, the shooting gallery appeared again and you can bet your bottom dollar #Punintended that it is again one of our most anticipated stops. I'd also like to point out that these two shooting gallery pictures are from two different years, three years apart. I am just wearing a purple shirt both years. See my above comment about buying the same shirt in different colors? I also buy the same colors over and over again. #IknowwhatIlike

As our family has grown in size, more people have joined us on our summerly adventure. Sometimes we go for a weekend, sometimes for just a couple of hours, but the popcorn and musical remain the same. It's the people and the memories that count.

11|| In the Little Things

How do you stay inspired? Who inspires you most?

As uncreative as it may sound, I find much of my inspiration from the little things in life. I am surrounded by so much beauty and detail all of the time-- I really want to see it.

I find humor in the little quips my students make and their little laughs throughout the day.

I get completely lost in a starry sky.

(via)

I am reassured by a simple smile.

I find joy in the symmetry of a flower.

(via)

Inspiration is all around. I don't want to be too busy to see it. I'm reminded of the quite from August Rush.

(via)

9|| A Little Innie, A Little Outie

Let's talk personality types. Introverted? Extroverted? Unsure-troverted? ;) If you know your Myers-Briggs type, tell us about it!

It sounds like I just started talking about belly buttons.

As I have talked about before, I really don't like being in front of a crowd or being the center of attention. I'll do most anything to get a laugh, but I act ridiculously to bring joy to other people... Not attention to myself.

I have really only realized in the last couple of years that I am an introvert. I enjoy being around people, but I like smaller groups and I think small talk is entirely exhausting. When I get too tired, I just peace out for a spell and reenergize in the quiet. #Don'tIjustsoundlikeaGeorgiapeach I also feel like the world is generally black or white although exceptions can (and should) be made when needed, pros and cons lists are legit, and I like to take a step back to analyze after everything has come to be.

An INTJ I suppose that makes me.

And because I'm an INTJ, I don't really have much else to say on the matter. May your day be blessed. :)

Edited to add: I found this TED talk earlier this fall and found it very valuable in understanding my own thought process as well as those of many of my students. Susan Cain presents some very valuable thoughts and ideas of what it is like to be an introvert in a seemingly extroverted world.

(via)

8|| Favorite Tunes as of Late

Music that moves you. Are you a Spotify addict or a Pandora guru? Tell us your favorite artists/stations!

I'm not sure I would have called myself a Pandora addict, but I will admit to having been a heavy user. In fact, one of the first things a student pointed out to me after I shared I would be moving was the fact that Thailand does not have Pandora. He was genuinely concerned for me.

I definitely miss it overseas. I've tried iTunes radio and I am grateful to have it as an option, but I still don't think it's the same.

My music tastes are all over the board. Instead of talking about them all, I figured I would just share a couple of my current favorites. Love them all, hate them all... I'll just be over here jamming out!

7|| Books... Books... Books!

What's on your current reading list? Or what have you read that you recommend?

For most of my life, I have been a bookworm. I went through a slight spell as an adolescent where I quit reading, but I now consider those some of my most ignorant years. I'm only half kidding there. #Teenageangst I never really intended to major in English, but I didn't mind having an excuse kick back and read literature for homework. I definitely read some of it more closely than other literature, but I suppose that's to be expected. I am also a person who has more than one book started at any point in time. I'm actively reading four books for pleasure and then my thesis and teaching material. It's not that I don't find my thesis and teaching material pleasureable, I just don't find it as pleasureable as much as my other reading. 

So what am I currently reading? I have five books I'm working on. Let's see here...

Through my Kindle app, I am reading Beth Moore's 

(via)

I find Beth Moore to be an easy to read, yet very wise author. I have already pulled out at least two pieces of thought that I know are going to stay with me for a long while and I'm only 32 pages into a 282 page book!

Through my library's Overdrive app, I am reading Jonathan Safran Foer's

(via)

I started this book about a year ago and the writing style makes it a tough read for me. I'm definitely going to finish it, though, because I find Oskar's thought process and verbalizations very intriguing... Even if it does make for a tough read.

I am also reading Dorothea Benton Frank's

(via)

This was a random read I just pulled off of the library database, but it has me pulled in very early. It's different from the steady diet of YAL I have been reading as of late, so I'm enjoying it if for no other reason than that. 

The last of my online library books is Alice Sebold's

(via)

I haven't started this one yet but it's up on my queue so I'm hoping to get going by the end of the week! I have already seen the movie and it made me sick to my stomach for so many reasons. I'm looking forward to reading the book and revisiting the story line in that way.

Bringing up the rear of my current reading load is Tsh Oxenreider's 

(via)

I feel like I no longer have any excuse to live like a college student, so I'm doing my best to set up a real adult household... Even if I am just faking it until I make it.

Clearly I could talk books for many an hour. The English teacher in me is never satisfied... I always think the world needs more books. I don't think I could ever declare five (or even ten!) must-read books, but if I did have to give just five titles to read, I would recommend the following:

                         1. Crazy Love. Francis Chan.
                         2. To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee.
                         3. Just Do Something. Kevin DeYoung.
                         4. The Harry Potter Series. J.K. Rowling.
                         5. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis.

I am just over a third done of my 100 books before 30 goal and I also have my book board on Pinterest. 

I have come to accept that I will never get everything read that I want to, but that doesn't mean I won't try!