After a rough two months on the race (rough physically, spiritually, emotionally, all of it) Thailand is so very welcomed. After leaving Honduras, I thought for sure Asia would “fix me.” Then we got to Malaysia, and I still wasn’t feeling it. I wanted nothing more than to just pack up and fly home. But Thailand…
I had been waiting for Thailand since I first applied to the race a year ago. So I made a decision heading into Thailand: I will not be miserable this month. I will not hate it, I will not let it bring me down. I WILL enjoy this month. I got excited about Thailand, and let me tell you, Thailand did not disappoint. But was it really Thailand that made the difference?
During one of our first nights here, our host family told us about a Thai festival that was taking place down the street, and it only lasted about 3 days. So the fact that we were here while it was taking place meant we obviously had to go. Our host family went with us and showed us the good and bad of the festival. When I say festival, you can imagine a state fair. It literally was the exact same thing, except with Thai culture instead of American. This place had everything from bumper cars, to corn on the cob, and fried bugs to the selling of legal porn.
And that’s when it hit me. Life is like a Thai festival. You can choose to go to the vendors selling porn, or eat pig balls – yes, pig balls, eat fried bugs, or watch a snake show where they are calling upon the spirits to protect them. Or, you can find the coconut ice cream, barbeque chicken on a stick, a native Thai tribe dancing, or the blind singing beautifully in the middle of all of it. Life will always give you two options: good or bad. What will you choose?
Growing up my dad had a phrase that he would say to me literally every morning before school. When I got to college, he’d call me just to say the same thing. To this day he still says it. The phrase? “Make it a great day.” Not “have a good day”, or “hope your day is good to you”. But go out and make it be a great day.
Your life is not defined by your circumstances, but it’s defined by what you choose to feel in your circumstances.
Thailand is not amazing simply because it’s Thailand. Thailand has been wonderful to me because I decided it would be. And every moment I suffered in Honduras or Malaysia was ultimately because I chose that, too.
I’m not saying to not be sad or to not suffer. There are times for that. There are times when that is healthy and good. But there are other times when we let it overcome us and take away our joy. My experience at the Thai festival could have been terrible if I had chosen to linger at the places that I didn’t enjoy, but I chose to move on to the places I’d rather be. My past two months were miserable because I didn’t move on. But I chose to make this month, this day, this hour better. You have that choice to.
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:12-13
Funding update: I am currently $596 away from being fully funded. Can I get a “Praise the Lord!!” ?!?! My final deadline is about 3 weeks away, so if anyone feels led to contribute to that last little amount, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks to everyone who has donated along the way, and those of you who have been praying since before I even left. I love all of you!
