A Slower Start

 Finally, it is the alarm that wakes me up.

This is welcome even though the time is 4:15 a.m.  Jet lag has been particularly significant this time, and I am delighted to have been able to "sleep in" this long.  And not have been coughing.

It is Saturday and now a full eight days since our arrival, but in some ways, on this morning of sleeping in, it feels like things might just now be getting started.

Sam and Jaroen wait for service to begin.

Perhaps it's because we didn't go to the mountain for New Years, which admittedly was a huge let down.  Perhaps it's because the children went back to school on Wednesday, which admittedly makes things much quieter around here.  Perhaps it's because our visit to the local schools with ESL in hand is waiting, as scheduled, for the arrival of our third team member, Bill, which admittedly postpones some of the sense of 'purpose' for being here.   And to be honest, I think some of the slower start has been because I've been kinda sick with this nasty cough, and for the first day at least, with a fast but furious visit from the traveler's bug (and here's where I spare you the details) that has left me feeling just a tad cautious about going out too far still.  So slower and sticking close to home has suited me fine on that point.

On all points actually.

One of our 'graduates' Fruk was just 7 when we first came.

It's a slower way of life here anyways.  And I welcome this.  Even on a morning when the alarm finally wakes me at 4:15 a.m.  Slower is Thai.  Slower is good.

I've seen farangs here trying to speed things up.  Meetings or services don't start on time.  It takes forever to gather a group.  Going for a haircut can take an entire day.  People get impatient.  I've seen farangs lose composure, try to force things to a Western way of time-orientation, micromanage their Thai friends.  I've been that farang.  And I guess, at times, as much as I hate to admit it, I can still be.

But not right now.  Right now I embrace this slower start.  Slower start to the trip.  Slower start to the year.  Slower start to what I think might be a slower next step of my life.  (Oh there is so much more to write on that!)

Having said that, it's not like there's been nothing to do. 

Elephants celebrating Christmas.

Preached first Sunday here for New Year's Eve.  Preaching this coming Sunday.  And every evening there's the combined Bible and English lesson with no end of creative possibilities to make the learning both fun and logical.  Spent one day doing a thorough clean up of ESL teaching helps; cards and pictures and books etc.  And we've started our Hot Springs book club so there's no end of reading and being read to happening.  Work at home doesn't come to a complete standstill either, and there have been emails and schedules and updates to write.

But it's nothing like the reckless, what now feels insane pace of the four months that have preceded this.  This is slower.  This is Thai.  This is good.  And very badly needed.

And it strikes me again how badly I need this.  To be reminded of what being a human 'being' looks like, Thai style.  To let a little Thai style sink into my spirit more deeply again.

Here at the beginning of a slower start that's okay by me.