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SusieLynne
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Name: Susie
Birthday: 8/12/1985
Gender: Female
Interests: Learning to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength...and then, loving others with His love.
Expertise: I pretty much spill anything that can be spilled--except secrets.
Occupation: Office Manager/Photographer
Industry: HVAC/Photography
Message: message meEmail: email me
Member Since:
10/26/2004
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| ah, yes....Thailand.
Before we left for the rest of our travel, we had orientation.
  
 
then the guys did manly things....while I edited photos on the porch.
 
And here we are at the bus station after riding all night.
 
 
and in another bus, ready to head to the border, reading the Lonely Planets we had along.
 
Getting breakfast.
 
And on into the country of Laos.....
 
 
Changing money...and almost becoming millionaires.
Having devotions.
  
 
And then heading out to buy bus tickets. It was an interesting process, and Michael was no help. He just sat there with a grin on his face the whole time....oh, and he took pictures of us.
 
 
 
 
and, we got the tickets. :)
A Lao dumptruck
....and if I was feeling inspired there would be more captions on the photographs, but, unfortunately for you, I'm not.....so, you'll just have to deal with it. haha.
-Susie
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| Note: I did have clever captions for the photos (or at least I'd like to think they were...but, when I hit "post", somehow xanga felt it was it's duty to erase practically everything I had written....horrible thing.)
Day 1 begins with riding our bikes up the mountain to ride elephants. Elephants are big, and need to be fed a lot. They're also bumpy. especially the little ones, like the one Michael and I rode.
Like I said...they need to be fed a lot.
Heading into the jungle...
...and through a river....
Michael and I. on our little elephant. :)
...and our cool shadow as Michael feeds the elephant yet another banana.
After we rode the elephants we ate lunch and then rafted down the river on a bamboo raft. It was great fun, and there was no way I was going to risk my camera, so therefore, I have no photos. The water was frigid, and I was sure glad I managed to stay standing the entire way down!
Awww....
On day 2 Michael sent Verlyn, Derek, and I off on a scavenger hunt in Chiang Mai. First stop: a Bank, to change US money to Thai Bhat.
Looking for a songthaow....
Haggling with the songthaow driver about price...and letting him know where we need to go.
...and, of course, we got ripped off.
The market.
Trying to find some fruit we'd never eaten before.
It was hard work...
Finally, we found it...but I don't think Verlyn was too excited about testing it...
Derek, taking a bite...
Then we had to buy postcards and mail them home to our families...
 
Our next assignment was to find a wat...a Buddhist temple...we tried to follow the map. and saw this bridge...
Then we walked across the bridge....
and saw some Thai graffiti...
...and tried to get some help reading the map...
..and our efforts finally paid off....
we even went inside
Next up: getting our visa photos taken.
...and learning to count to 10 in Thai.
Then, while we waited for our photos...we went to a lovely little coffee shop and had some delicious tea...and talked about everything and anything.
We did manage to get our photos, and head back to the center. But before we got there, this guy shows up riding behind us. (Note the helmet in the basket. Brilliant, I say, brilliant.)
 '
And, ladies and gentlemen, that's all for now. Tune in next time for the continuing story...
-Susie
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| I've neglected my xanga site the last long while...I've been so incredibly busy, it's all I can do to upload a few pics to facebook every once in a while. I've been doing quite a bit of traveling and working long hours when I'm home, these past few months, which is good, because Carolita moved out in August to go to "Big College", which is incredibly sad...and leaves me as an only child at home (which is not all bad, because Mom spoils me. Really she does. In fact, after I returned from Asia a week ago, and went out to make myself breakfast in the morning, I started frying myself an egg, when she came out to the kitchen and said "I could make breakfast for you", and then went on to say, with a bit of regret in her voice, "but, I guess you're used to do things on your own now..." It made me smile.  My Mom is so cool.)
Anyway, my last big adventure ended last Sunday, when I returned from about 3 weeks of traveling in Asia. It was a fantastic adventure - not only because I got to travel, but because I was with Michael the entire three weeks. I didn't have time to post many photos on facebook, or blog, for that matter...because it just took too much time to be on the computer when I could be out having adventures instead. :)
I'll be going through my photos in the next few weeks, and may randomly post some...until then, if you're really interested, you may be able to access a few from my facebook.
One of the first days we were over there, Michael sent myself, and the two other guys traveling with us on a scavenger hunt in Chiang Mai....
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=91033&l=02d55&id=544112094
Some random portraits and such from my travels...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=87122&l=be527&id=544112094
-Susie
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| "As I walked down the street I heard them whispering. I knew what they
were saying: they were telling their children never to do what I did,
they were telling each other how horrible I was for living the life I
lived, and secretly they were patting themselves on the back for being
better than me.
I don’t refute what they’re saying. I
can’t. I know that I’m not a good person…and I’m living a life that
isn’t good. But, it’s all I’ve known. I don’t know how to change, even
if I wanted to. And, this job does pay the bills.
But, lately, I’ve been hearing this teacher, Jesus, and there
seems to be something different about him…something compelling about
what he has to say. He seems to teach about love, and the way he looks
at the people he’s teaching: wow. I wish he would look at me like that.
He’s not like the other religious teachers. All they talk about is
going to the synagogue and doing all their traditions. He doesn’t even
seem to mind if I stand at the edge of the crowd and listen to him
talk. His eyes seem so full of love for people, but I don’t think he
would look at me like that. Not after what I’ve done.
I’m just not good enough.
You know, I just had an idea. It’s a crazy one, and I doubt it
would work. But, I’m just so hungry for someone, once in my life, to
look at me like Jesus looks at people. If he could look into my eyes
maybe He would see something work saving. I doubt it, though, after all
the horrible things I’ve done…He would probably just tell me to go away.
But, I can’t help hoping. I know there’s such a small chance He’d
do it. I know if I went to one of the other religious leaders they
would just look at me with complete disdain. There’s seems to be
something more real about Jesus, though. Maybe He wouldn’t do that to
me.
Maybe….just maybe…..
I know what I’m going to do…it’s a crazy idea, but I have to do
it. If there is even a small, tiny bit of hope that Jesus would see me
with love, I have to go. I just have to.
But, wait, I can’t go like this. No, I have to do something big
for Jesus, to let Him know that I’m not just a fake. What do I offer
him, though? Everyone knows how horrible I am. If I do take him the
perfume it’s going to take all the money I have. Should I really buy
that perfume? But, maybe if he knows how much it cost when I give it to
him He wouldn’t think I’m completely bad. I have to…there is no other
way.
I bet this store owner is going to really think I’m crazy. I even
think I’m crazy. But, if this is what it takes, I have to do it. I have
to know…
Now that I have the perfume, I need to find Jesus. I wonder where
he’s at. Oh, no…He’s at a meeting at his place? I can’t go there! That
man hates me. He’s even told me to leave his meetings. Can it get any
worse? Why does it have to be all the religious people meeting there
tonight? It would be so much easier to do this if He was just teaching
out in the open somewhere. These men are probably not even going to let
me in the house. And, if I thought I had any self-worth, I’m sure
they’ll try to take it away from me by their words and looks. It
wouldn’t be the first time, either.
How can I do this? Can I just walk up to Him and give Him the
perfume? He probably will just brush me off and tell me to leave, like
all the others do. But, for some reason, I don’t know why, I keep
hoping He’s different.
I can’t do this. The servant is giving me such a look of disdain
now that I asked if Jesus was here. I feel so ashamed. Why did I ever
think Jesus could look at me with love? I can tell the servant doesn’t
want to take me in. But, I see Jesus sitting there. He’s not far away.
I could just sneak in there, give it to Him, and come back out. Just
one look….that’s all I’m hoping for.
Be calm; breathe….If I just keep telling myself that it helps. Now
that the servant is escorting me to where Jesus is, it’s hard to get my
feet to move. But, I’ve come too far to turn back now. There he is!
He’s talking to someone, though, and He’ll probably just tell me to go
away. Wait, is He looking at me? Is he really motioning me to come over
to Him? This can’t be happening.
Oh, wow. He did it! He looked into my eyes and doesn’t hate me! I
shouldn’t be standing here…I’m not good enough to be loved by this
wonderful man. I can’t just give him this perfume…I can’t. All I’m
worthy of doing is pouring it on his feet.
Why am I crying so much as I kneel here, wiping his feet with my
hair? I feel so unworthy…and yet, there’s another feeling that I don’t
know I’ve ever felt: one of being loved, truly loved. I know, deep in
my heart, this is not the kind of love men give me. No, this is
something much, much more powerful. It’s like we’re the only two people
in the room…wait, do I hear him saying something?
“….look at this woman kneeling here…” He’s talking about me! “When
I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust off my
feet, but she’s washed them with her hair. You didn’t give me a kiss of
greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again. You neglected the
courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet
with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins, and they are many, have been
forgiven.
Did he just say my sins are forgiven? Does he realize how much
I’ve done? How bad I am? Oh, I can’t look in his eyes, I just
can’t….but, wait, maybe I’ll see that love once again, and that would
be worth it. I know I can’t have heard what I just thought I did. Now
he’s looking right through me, and I know He sees everything I am and
everything I’ve done, and I still hear His words telling me my sins are
forgiven. Oh, Jesus, if you only knew how much I have longed to see
you, just to have you look at me with love…once. But here you are,
Jesus, looking into my eyes with that deep love, and telling me my sins
are forgiven! I never expected this. I feel clean. I feel pure. I
feel…..loved.
Jesus…..I love you, too.
Luke 7: 36-50
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for a meal, so
Jesus accepted the invitation and sat down to eat.A certain immoral
woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with
expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her
tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she
kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee
who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said
to himself, "This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really
sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a
sinner!" Then Jesus spoke up and answered his thoughts. "Simon," he
said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you." "All right,
Teacher," Simon replied, "go ahead." Then Jesus told him this story: "A
man loaned money to two people – five hundred pieces of silver to one
and fifty pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so
he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose
loved him more after that?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom
he canceled the larger debt." "That's right," Jesus said. Then he
turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling
here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the
dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped
them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss of greeting, but she has
kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. You
neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has
anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins – and they are
many – have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person
who is forgiven little shows only little love." Then Jesus said to the
woman, "Your sins are forgiven." The men at the table said among
themselves, "Who does this man think he is, going around forgiving
sins?" And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in
peace." | | |
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