I'm Late..I'm Late (thankfully, not too late)...for an Important Party!

"Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will." ~Jonathan Edwards

Welcome to my blog! Hope you are not too exhausted yet from party-hopping . My name is Urailak (aka "LivingforGod" in the blog world and "Fruit Bearer" on Facebook). Please make yourself at home looking around and enjoying music from my playlist. I'm so glad that you're stopping by to visit. This blog is my main blog. I also have two other blogs: My Father's World (my photo/creation-themed blog) and Fruitbearers (my homeschool-related blog). I am a Christ-follower, Bible-believer, daughter & servant of the King of kings, helpmeet/blessed wife of my beloved Godly husband (we'll celebrate our 20th anniversary in Sept.), blessed homeschool mom of three precious blessings (17 yo daughter, 12 yo son, & 9 yo son), sister in Christ, and friend to all.

If you're new here and wonder what this blog is all about, please check out My Favorite Posts on my sidebar. I also blog about product reviews and giveaways. Whatever I do including blogging, I desire to do it all for God's glory.

Just in case anybody is curious to know more about me :)...here are 12 random facts about moi:
1. My parents are Chinese; I was born and raised in Thailand. I married an American whose ancestors were Scandinavian.
2. I came to the U.S. on September 14, 1989 (to study for my master’s degree). More than half of my life, I've lived in America.
3. I take the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) seriously and hope all other Christians do, too. If you're a Christian and you have not watched the video on top of my blog yet, please do so.
4. I am passionate about reaching the unreached with the Gospel (Romans 15:20) and about saving the unborn.
5. I desire to memorize more and more of God’s Word. (Psalm 119:11)
6. I wish I could adopt all the orphans in the world.
7. I knew/studied 5 languages (French, Japanese, Chinese, English, and Thai). "Knew" is the key word . Now I only speak the last two.
8. My Thai first name "Urailak" means golden appearance. Don't let the name fool you :)!
9. My nickname is "A" and my brother’s nickname is "B." Wish my parents had all the way to "Z" !
10. In Thailand, I was a contestant in a TV game show similar to Wipeout. I got through to the last challenge and lost.
11. In Thailand, I also appeared in two different music videos.
12. 12 is my favorite number :).

Note: I'm currently hosting 2 fantastic giveaways on this blog: Win a Magdalena: Through Her Eyes (the story of Jesus from Mary Magdalene's perspective) DVD package from Campus Crusade for Christ and Win a copy of Rebecca St. James's new CD, "I Will Praise You". My two other blogs are also having giveaways: here and here.

Thanks for stopping by. Really...I'm not expecting many visitors because I'm late in linking my party post. Please leave a comment here and come visit again when you recover from blog-hopping marathon. If you have no idea what I'm talking about and would like to join the Ultimate Blogging Party 2011, visit here.

Friday's Fave Five #8

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Great bargains.  We bought a bike for our 11 yo son for $2 and a bagful of nice clothes for $1 at a church's rummage sale. We also got 24 DVDs for $20 at our local Hollywood Video store which was closing down.  After we watch them, we'll trade the ones we don't want to keep on DVD Swap (I mentioned about that last week).

2. Fun family time at Wunderland (an arcade).  On Tuesday, my husband took a day off and spent time with us (so glad we homeschool and can take a day off whenever we want to).  We all had lots of fun and only spent about $15.  My husband was extremely good at one of the games and won us tons of tickets which we traded in for several cool toys (worth more than $15).

3. Simple joys are the best!  My boys can spend hours folding paper airplanes and testing them out.  I enjoyed watching them help each other and I enjoyed trying their planes out, too.  We also love doing Mad Libs (a great tool for teaching parts of speech).  Laughter is guaranteed to follow :).

4. Chili paste with basil leaves (product of Thailand).  Whenever I go to an Asian grocery store, this is the first thing I'm looking for.  It's a staple item for me; it makes everything taste good :).  It reminds me of Thailand (where I was born and raised).

5. My music playlist.  I like to visit my blog because I enjoy listening to the songs on my playlist :).  Right now, I'm listening to You Put This Love in My Heart by Keith Green.  What is your favorite song on your playlist (if you have one)?  If you don't have a playlist, what's your current favorite song (I might want to add it to my playlist :))?

Have a blessed Good Friday and Resurrection Day weekend, everyone!  Jesus paid it all for you and me so that we can spend eternity with God!  He died on that cross to save our souls.  Because He lives, we can face any day, any trials, anything.  We're victorious in Christ! There is no defeat...no despair...no death when we are in Christ.

What Really Matters

Have you noticed some division among Christians regarding Christmas? Some strongly oppose celebrating Christmas because of its pagan roots. Others try hard to keep Christ in Christmas. And then there are those who incorporate more and more worldly stuff in their Christmas celebration. In my opinion, just because something has pagan roots...this does not automatically make it pagan. I think the early Church succeeded at replacing Roman pagan traditions with the celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas. Why do I say that? Well, how many people really remember or even know that Christmas started out as a pagan festival? Billions of people in the world know (even if they don't really have the right focus) that Christmas is about Christ. Four names of our days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) are named for Viking gods. We don't stop using these names just because they have pagan roots. To me, each day is a gift from God. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24) It's how we spend our day that matters...honoring/ pleasing God or dishonoring/sinning against God. That goes the same for what we do with Christmas (another day that the Lord has made).  I personally believe in celebrating/honoring Christ daily by the way we live.

In Thailand, Christmas provides a great opportunity for Christians to share with non-Christians about Christ. (In fact, I myself came to know Christ and received the free gift of salvation during Christmastime of 1985 in Thailand.) I believe that's what many churches in America are also trying to do. If people are saved because of the Gospel being boldly shared during Christmastime, then we should rejoice. God can certainly use any events, including holidays that have pagan roots, for His glory. Christ's birth is the beginning of the ultimate love story that never ends (John 3:16). If at Christmastime, people tend to share Christ's love more and talk more openly about why Christ came, then we should be glad and encourage them so...and hopefully, they will carry on sharing Christ's love and the Gospel throughout the year (you can see some ideas from my post titled, "Christmas According to Scrooge").

All these thoughts led me to write the following poem last year.

It doesn't matter if you do or don't celebrate Christmas
What really matters is that you believe in Jesus
It doesn't matter if Dec. 25th is not Christ's actual birthday
What really matters is that He was born to save us from a debt we cannot pay
It doesn't matter if you don't trim a tree
What really matters is that you know & worship the Son who sets you free
It doesn't matter if you don't give gifts to one another
What really matters is that you give your heart and your life to our Savior...our Redeemer
It doesn't matter if you don't hang up any lights
What really matters is that you follow the Light of the World day and night
It doesn't matter if you don't get to go caroling
What really matters is that unto the Lord you joyfully sing
It doesn't matter what eloquent words on Christmas cards you write
What really matters is that you spread the Good News of Jesus Christ
It doesn't matter if you bake the best or the most cookies
What really matters is that you help the needy and feed the hungry

I recommend two insightful articles:
- "Is Christmas Christian?" by Hank Hanegraaff, the President of the Christian Research Institute
- "The Origin of Christmas" by Bodie Hodge, Answers in Genesis.

~Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts. Thanks so much to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week. Have a blessed day in the Lord, everyone!

My Half & Half Day

Today is my "half and half" day :). It's hard to believe that I have already spent half of my entire life in America.  I spent 20 years growing up in Thailand and I have now spent another 20 years in the U.S.  I first came here on Sept. 14, 1989 to study at Oregon State University for my master's degree.  After I graduated, I got married (Sept. 7, 1991) to my sweetheart.  We met on my campus (Chulalongkorn University) in 1988.  He went with Campus Crusade for Christ on a summer mission project and I was helping Campus Crusade for Christ in Thailand as an interpreter.  Some day, I will post about our love story's details.  I believe in "arranged marriages" (arranged by the Lord). 

I miss Thailand (Land of Smiles), but I would probably miss America, too, if I were away from here for a long period of time (like 20 years :)).  My husband and I hope and pray that someday we will be able to go back to Thailand as full-time missionaries (if it's God's will).  I am looking forward to seeing what plans God has for my life and my family from this point forward.  I don't know what the future holds but I know Who holds the future! (I know it's a cliche but it's true.)  Living for God is an exciting & rewarding adventure; it's the best way to live!

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.  Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." Ecclesiastes 7:14

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Thai Version of Wipe Out

My friends and I were contestants in a TV game show similar to Wipe Out. I am the one on the right. I have no idea why we posed like that :). Probably just being silly/goofy! I was one of the last two final contestants and I lost on the balance challenge (we had to stand and try to balance ourselves on a log in a pond while trying to knock our opponent off with something (I can't remember what we used). I got knocked off first.

Previous Friday Photo Flashback:

- My Graduation Day in Thailand

My Graduation Day in Thailand

This is my first time to join the Friday Photo Flashback. I think I'm supposed to only post one picture but all these three pictures were taken on the same day (my graduation day in 1989) so I hope it's okay :).

The King and I! :) I received my diploma (Bachelor of Arts degree) from King Rama IX of Thailand (previously called Siam).
I stood in front of the picture of King Rama V who founded Chulalongkorn University (where I attended).

The gentleman in blue suit is now my husband of almost 18 years. The Love of my life! The one with the blue tie standing next to me is my brother. The other two were friends.