Thursday thread

* After a few days of sunshine, the rains have returned.
* Tickets to Kota Kinabalu (in East Malaysia on the island of Borneo) for our November trip and tickets to Chiang Mia, Thailand, for Christmas, are now purchased and in hand! YIPPEE!
* Tim had an accident yesterday on his motorbike (OK, all the mothers....deep breath....don't panic...). It was raining out so streets were slippery. Tim was in the middle lane going straight through an intersection when the fellow on the motorbike to his immediate right decided to turn left. WHAM! BANG! Tim managed to remain upright on his bike but the other guy and his passenger dumped, along with their cargo. Tim sustained a sore ankle and a couple of bruises and his bike's right foot brake is damaged. The other fellow said it was Tim's fault; Tim then pointed out that this guy had failed to signal plus cut in front of him. So the other fellow walked over to his bike and flipped on the turning signal!! Neither decided to press charges - that's how its done here. This is one reason we ask for your prayers of protection and are very grateful for the Lord's careful watch over our coming and goings.
* The staff ladies are playing our girl's softball team next week so I took time at practice yesterday to get some time in batting. I'm glad to report that I still remember how to swing the bat as I got two homeruns! I didn't knock it out of the park - just into the rainforest :) I'll let you know how the game goes - the staff team doesn't have a pitcher yet.
* Tomorrow Tim and I have the day off as a spiritual retreat day. This year, each dorm staff couple gets two Fridays off every semester to spend time with the Lord, rejuvenate, renew, think, pray, read, sleep, evaluate - whatever it takes to dig deeper into His word and grow closer to Jesus. I'm looking forward to it. We plan to take the Funicular railroad up Penang Hill to a quiet, shady spot to read and pray. If it rains, we'll probably end up going to Park Royale Hotel to use their gorgeous lounge. Then we'll spend time in the evening with Kaleb and Annie going over our family values and goals to see where we are at and how we are doing.
* Great quote to end with : "Often freedom is seen as the ability to do whatever you want. But freedom isn't being able to have whatever we crave. Freedom is going without whatever we crave and being fine with it." Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church and creator NOOMA