Christmas greetings 2009

Below is my holiday greetings letter for family and friends. I thought it'd be relevant to post on this blog as an update of my "sabai sabai life." Enjoy for yourself a merry Christmas, no matter where you might be.

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Dear family and friends,

It's almost time to flip my 2009 calendar to its final page, and if December is like the other months of this year, it will have passed by before I realize it. I guess that makes now the prime time to write an update on what has transpired in one year's time. Without further ado, here is this year's version of "Things you should know about my life since the last time I wrote this letter."

1. At the end of December 2008, I got to make a little checkmark on my list of lifelong goals by completing my first marathon. The months of training (including weekly long runs that started before 5:30AM) helped me regain both discipline and joy in my running. Two downsides of running the marathon in Chiang Mai were the 4AM start time for the race and the lack of crowd support. Two benefits were the very flat course and the opportunity to place well with a smaller field of runners. I managed to nab the fifth place trophy in the men's 18-39 age division with a time of 3 hours and 35 minutes. Would I do it again? Definitely.

2. Again this year I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to some unique places while living in Thailand. In January, I enjoyed a week in Cambodia, traveling through the capital city Phnom Penh as well as the massive temple ruins of Angkor Wat. In April, I spent a little time traveling in Laos, including the beautifully tucked away Luang Prabang, a World Heritage City. On my final visa run in June, I flew into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with just a few days to explore the city.

3. The early months of 2009 were full of big changes that challenged me to rely more fully on God. I formally decided in January that I would return to Wisconsin after my second year in Thailand instead of staying on for a third year with the mission. In February, my girlfriend and I parted ways after almost two years together. In March, one of our students at the Bible Institute died in a tragic motorbike accident in his hometown. On the first of May, the Thailand mission received news that it would no longer be financially supported by the stateside church synod, which has strong implications for the future of the mission work in Thailand. These were all things that have necessitated time for adjustment, but I take comfort that I have seen the LORD working through all these things to His glory. If our God is one who can use even these tough times to carry out His good plan, then He certainly is a God worthy of my praise!

4. Since the end of July, I've been finding novelty in my reintroduction to life in the U.S.A. I didn't waste much time getting two "necessities" that I never had in America prior: a cell phone and a car. For the first time, I also have to cook and clean for myself in my Milwaukee apartment. All of these are good additions to making me feel like a more responsible adult. Wow, can I really start calling myself an adult?!

5. There are plenty of things I miss about life in Chiang Mai. I miss my Honda Dreams motorbike, inexpensive Thai massages, the ultimate frisbee club team, and warm soy milk and pumpkin juice. I especially miss my Christian brothers and sisters still living on that side of the world, and saying those goodbyes was one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced. On the other hand, there are plenty of great things to keep me occupied in Milwaukee: I'm still able to ride the same bike I've had since about the age of 10; the city has a great network of parkways for running and exploring; and I'm able to tickle my fancy for singing through having joined the Lutheran Chorale of Milwaukee.

6. My job as an ESL (English as a Second Language) instructor at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee has helped solidify to me that working with international education is something I really enjoy. I teach a small but very diverse group of language students, and I learn a great deal from them as I help them improve their ability to communicate in English. Some of my favorite perks to the job are the access to a great library system, a free coffee machine at the college, the morning chapel service each day, having a job within a 15 minute walk from my apartment, and the daily interaction with so many uniquely gifted people.

7. I love being back with family and friends in Wisconsin. It seems that every week I run into a few more people that I haven't seen in years, whether it's friends from the hometown area, college, or camp. Living far away from loved ones is not easy; it really is a sacrifice. I'm doing my best to cherish the time I do get to spend with my family and friends, and I continue to keep close in prayer those who aren't near enough to spend time with regularly.

Altogether it's been a year that has helped me grow tremendously in my relationship with my LORD and in my relationship with those around me. I have learned a lot about myself in the process, and I know that I'm continually a work in progress. There are plenty of hopes and dreams I have for 2010, but I'm striving to live each day with joy in the knowledge that God's grace is already sufficient for me, and that living for Him foremost is far better than living for myself. May God's grace richly bless your life, health, and prosperity in the coming year.

Love,
Eric