Recession? Really?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/fashion/09fitness.html?_r=1&hp

Awareness

What is the point of awareness campaigns? In certain cases (environmental sustainability, i.e. getting people to unplug stuff they aren't using) I can see it working. But in almost all other cases I'm wondering what the point is? Generally, the people who attend awareness events aren't the ones who would be going to perpetuate said global crisis (i.e. child sexual slavery, genocide, etc).

Can someone walk me through this? What's the purpose?? I'm sure there must be one, I just don't know what it is.

Reincarnation

I'm with a friend who's watching a film called "Waking Life." Interesting film. But the opening scene talks about reincarnation as the collective memory-the idea that you aren't born just yourself, but the collection of what has come before you. This is very interesting considering that I currently live in a country where nearly every person's actions are governed by the belief in reincarnation-women who are in prostitution don't deserve help to get out or shouldn't hope to get out because they were bad in a past life and this is the price they pay, victims of motor crashes need not be helped because this is their fate and a bi-product of something done wrong in a past life.

I don't believe in reincarnation. The Word tells us clearly that we were each knit together in our mother's womb. But I do think it's a bit megalomaniac to believe that our experiences are all our own, that nothing came before us to make us who we are or to create the environment that we currently inhabit. I'm not sure each of us believes this fully, but to some extent I believe this is an American ideal. We're used to the New Frontier, creating our "own" way. But so much is lost in this way of thinking. This is when elders become useless in society, this is when community becomes a weakness.

So perhaps not reincarnation, but I think we could all use a dose of collective memory, collective experience, to in habit a bit more of our thought process.

Sweet Rain

Today it rained. Not for long and not hard, but it rained. For the first time in 3 months. Lightening, thunder, the whole deal. Amazingly, the King actually made it rain. This involves chemicals and small planes, but it is in fact possible. I have truly never been so thankful for a rain to wash away all the grim, the impurities, the grey.

We're throwing a Japanese-themed party this week for all the women who work in the bars. I am so excited for this. We've been planning for over a month. We're going all out. This is a big blow-out event to tell the women that they are loved and appreciate and that they are our honored guests. Finally a party like Jesus told us to throw!

Organic market day tomorrow! Steamed pumpkin and fresh tofu here I come! Newest, greatest recipe: fresh, raw tofu+Frank's Red Hot Sauce (Thanks, Ryan!)=amazing snack. Really, I promise. Just give it a try.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I spent a great evening at "The Pub" with some friends enjoying 100B Guiness pints. Hope everyone put on their green and celebrated life!

Friday...

What a day. The kids made thank you cards for the folks who donated the funds to buy this Drop-In Center. This is a miraculous story all unto its own: in Midland, Texas, from what I hear a fairly segregated church town, 35 churches decided to get together for a bit of unity. They each raised $1000, though for some that was a small amount and others it was a grand act of faith. They came together to create unity in their community, in the Body, and to provide 35 children with a safe place to play and be loved.

Nevertheless, half of the cards turned into "Thank you Midland, Texas. Here's an awesome naval battle scene that I drew to show you all my gratitude." Still trying to figure out how the two are related...

Any good ideas for how to exercise when the air outside is toxic? I detest the idea of joining a gym but apparently that's a popular way to stay fitting in ones clothes.

What a place this is. What a place.

How's the rest of the world treating everyone?

Selfish Selflessness

So I've delved into this "SexGod" book, in the hopes of really liking it despite it's being so popular. And I'm going to try to push through and finish it. But here goes my initial critique. Within the first chapter, Rob Bell is telling you why this book matters. And he goes through all the ways that humanity is connected and how people must be valued and appreciate. And I think that's where it should end. But then he must do the inevitable selling point, apparently feeding off the selfishness of human nature. He says "We don't respect the divine image in others just because we want to uphold their humanity. It isn't just about them.

It's about us."

Why? Why must it be about us also? Repecting humans is an end in itself. The very value of that should not be denegrated by suggesting that it's worth it mostly because it involves YOU, because it is better for YOU.

I know the man is trying to sell something-his book, the idea, his point. But don't do that. Don't take a good idea and then feed into the narcissism of humans by making it about the ME instead of the YOU or the US.

Loving others is the end.

Joy

At my job the working definition of joy is "happy to be together." The idea here is that one of the main works of God is bringing us together, reconciliation, with one another and with God. And Evil's main goal is separation. Defining trauma as a higher pain level than joy level, one way we emphasize for helping people overcome trauma is being happy to be with them.

Isn't that so beautifully simple? Suddenly, all the moments of lounging on the floor talking about nothing seem very important.

What do you all think about these definitions?

So We're Aliens?

I've been thinking about something for awhile that I can't seem to quite sort out. First Peter tells us we are aliens and strangers in this land (earth). But I've never understood this mindset that I hear reiterated over and again throughout The Church in the US. Are we not supposed to live abundantly here in this land? Is that not the reason that Jesus says He came? So how do we reconcile being told we're aliens here but that we're supposed to live it up in the mean time? I've learned a little bit about Nietzsche's assertion that Christianity was basically nihilistic. And this begins to makes sense to me in the context of living as aliens in this land.

I suppose one view could be that since our treasure is in heaven and what we store on earth will be stored in heaven, it is even more important to live well here. But does that still mean that life here has no inherent value? I don't believe that. God created us and all that surrounds us and said "It is good."

Thoughts?

I'm looking for book suggestions on this man that I can sink my teeth into.

Also, I know this is beginning to make me look like a Friedman fanatic, but I really do believe in the market in some ways. Or at least I believe that if you're going to say you (the U.S. Gov) believe in the market then you (Congress) shouldn't distort the way it's supposed to work. How much of a life line do you save to the drowning companies? Let them crumble and be reabsorbed into the market in different ways. In the mean time, fund people with ingenuity, especially at such a time as this.

A Great Woman

I know this has already been all over the news in the US. But this is a wonderful interview with Alison des Forges a few years ago. For those who don't know, she was killed in the Buffalo plane crash. She was a human rights activist who was heavily involved in trying to stop the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/interviews/desforges.html

Smart People

Well done, Maureen. Exactly what I was thinking. Thank you for finally saying it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/opinion/18dowd.html?_r=1&hp

Also, found this in the Times today. I try not to jump on the Friedman bandwagon, but I appreciate his thoughts on this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/opinion/18friedman.html?hp

Reasons I can never leave Thailand

Guava
Steamed Pumpkin
fresh baby coconut
guava
papaya
pineapple
jujubes
som tam mai sai nam tan
tui tui (this is not a fruit, this is an adorable, little boy)
khao ten (rice cakes, ok I guess we have an imitation of these in the US)
dried strawberries
guava seeds
my motorbike

Buddhism

Wow. There are so many things to say under this topic. But one positive thing I've noticed is that I respect the way some Buddhists so fully incorporate their beliefs into their whole life. I'm becoming more aware of the false teaching I heard sometimes growing up about "prioritizing God." I don't want to prioritize God. I want to incorporate God. I want to be enveloped in God, everything about me and my life and my thoughts and feelings. I want there to be no way to distinguish between God and my job and my friends and whatever else would be in my "priority list".

In talking with some Buddhist friends, I've been impressed with the way that their beliefs in the Buddhist way affect their whole being, their whole outlook. Inspiring.

All that to say, some of the women we work with believe it's their fate to be a prostitute and know that they're already working from a leg down by being a woman at all. Since being a man is closer to enlightenment. There is no way for this blog to properly convey the amount of ire I feel about that idea. I'm thankful to know that I am made equal to all other humans, all in the image of God.

why?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7877222.stm

A Perfect Saturday

I knew today was going to be beautiful. I was supposed to work all day but then some things changed and I had the whole day free. Sigh. My friend Cortney invited me to hike up Doi Sutep. When she first told me about it I thought she was crazy but with my draw towards insane things I was in. This is a 13 km hike up a steep, steep mountain.

I was out on my motorbike at 6.30a (haven't seen that hours in months) and on my way. Boy did I make a discovery! People are awake at that hour! And doing beautiful, wonderful things. I witnessed the giving of the alms (people feeding the monks) all along my route. I navigated my way through crowded markets (who's shopping at 6.30?!). I avoided getting in a wreck (had my first one yesterday). It was a great morning already!

I spent the two hours hiking talking to a wonderful woman named Hannah (no I'm not a narcissist, that's really her name). She is stunning and full of life and ideas and she's here teaching social science to monks. What a sweet job. We talked about everything and the hike was over before I knew it.

THEN (yes it gets better) we went to an organic market. Steamed pumpkin, bananas, fresh tofu (for 40 cents!), guava, snap peas. Wow. The best breakfast money can buy (and buy for $1.50). And I thought I was going to buy some cereal this morning... I love surprises.

So, if that wasn't a mass endorsement for living in Thailand, I don't know what will convince you. Oh! And we hitchhiked down. First time ever. I rode in the back with a chain saw and lumber, but it was a ride. Boy is this ever life in the sun...

Off to the flower festival.

Also, I have a real problem with this headline: STIMULUS DEAL REACHED: $780-827,000,000,000.00

Does that seem like a deal to anyone? Let's talk about this.

The Life Model

I am up and ready to walk to work (giving the ole' motorbike a break for the day). I'm going in early today for our weekly small group. My boss and some of our co-workers are going through a workbook called "Restarting." This is based on the Life Model (http://www.lifemodel.org/). This has been one of the most fascinating aspects of my job. We're learning about what happens to our bodies when we go through trauma. I cannot begin to explain how fearfully and wonderfully our bodies were created to protect us from trauma.

For example, your brain shuts down at the point of trauma. It basically closes in on itself, and Thank God, because otherwise you would likely die. But then what? What about when the trauma is over? How do you get your brain to come back out and find ways to view the world as safe?

In another twist, there has been research shown that ADD/ADHD increases in children who have been victims of trauma. This is partly due to the dissociation that happens between the body and the mind during trauma. People (esp children) leave their body because it is no longer classified as a safe place. But then how can you expect them to sit in their chairs and not stand on the table doing Muay Thai? I can't. There is evidence to show that they have little/no control over their bodies. This varies a great deal from person to person, but I find the whole study fascinating.

Thoughts? I'm looking for more info on this. Especially safe ways to help children encounter their bodies i.e. dance, art etc. Thank you!

P.S. Wear socks to bed. Warm ones. Even in tropical Thailand, it helps!

This one's for you, CD

Thank you, Maureen. My thoughts exactly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/opinion/28dowd.html?em

Also, I can't say that I'm totally surprised considering that this is Larry Summers we're talking about, but :

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/opinion/30brooks.html