Happy Thanksgiving!

It is Thanksgiving eve in the U.S.A. but here in Mukdahan, Thailand the holiday is another day like any other.     

My day started with the rooster crowing and turning on the bedroom light, it revealed thousands of tiny black ants all over the fridge, floor, in the shelf where we have staple food and on literally everything in that corner of the room.    After an hour’s work, taking wet paper towels and destroying most of them, I was already exhausted.    It was 6 a.m.   


With the dawn of Thanksgiving Day, there are no complaints because we are truly thankful for the many blessings we experience each and every day.    The necessities of life have always been there for us, the love of family and friends and the beauty of life and things that surround us.    Who could not look at the beautiful world, avoid the evil that exists, and not see the hand of God?    How could the world sustain itself except that it has a maker who still rules the laws of nature?    When the sun rises here in Thailand, I know the dusk of evening is beginning in the U.S.A.   


I have no computer work today so I am listening to soft music on YouTube by Tim Janis and relaxing.  I’ve washed some clothes, checked to see if more ants have decided to come visit us and done a few other chores.   A one-room living quarters doesn’t take much upkeep.


Ron is on the jobsite from early morning until late afternoon each day to see that the workers are doing what they are supposed to do.   Yesterday, they completed the clearing of the site and piled the topsoil in a corner where they will eventually have a garden.  The soil is not good quality for growing things but they are burning the small trees and debris to add to the topsoil.  They are now compacting the soil and checking it for the future foundation of the building.  It is progressing quite well in spite of workers not knowing a great deal about good construction.   Ron uses his phone to translate and communicate with workers so that has to be a slow and often inadequate method of getting instructions understood.    


Ron said there is a small house on the property next to the acre we have to build on and he suspects the people living in the house are squatters.    He went over to ask if we could tie into the electrical for temporary power on the job site.   The man gave permission but said he would charge 1,000 bahts which is only about $33.00.   I’m not sure how long a time that fee covers.   Ron suspects, however, that they are illegally tied into the power system and do not pay anything themselves.


Ron is very tired at night.   He comes in dirty from head to toe.  After a shower and some dinner, he is ready to rest.     He has not had many emails or things to handle so he is resting a few hours with soft music before sleeping.


We wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.    Count your blessings at this holiday and every day.

Please continue to pray for us, the work in Asia and the girls we care for, as well as our family back home.