Suki soup

There is a certain dining experience I never had until I moved to Cambodia. It's called suki soup. Basically, it is what I call the Asian version of fondue. They put hot coals in front of you, then bring raw meats, vegetables, and noodles. Then you cook your own dinner. I actually enjoy it more than fondue.

These are the people who introduced us to suki soup. The couple, Ray and Christine, lived in our apartment building when we arrived. They have since moved back to Canada to have a baby, buy a house and start a "normal" life for a season. On the far right of the photo is Jenni. She lives in the same apartment building between Lesley and I. She is from the US and part of the ladies group I hang with.

I enjoyed suki soup so much that I took my dad to eat some on his recent visit. When he was leaving Cambodia he said it was one of his favorite things. I knew he'd like it.

On my recent field visits, I went with some of my colleagues to eat suki soup in the province. They introduced seafood to my list of suki soup experiences.

doing stuff rather than buying stuff

I recently read an article in the New York Times that highlights how Americans are changing their lives in this global recession. Rather than buying the latest gadget, clothing trend, or fashionable toy - Americans are spending the money they have on experiences. They are going to museums, picking up hobbies, spending time at low cost activities as a family. I'd say this is a healthy trend. A quote from the article says:

Psychologists have been saying for years that shared experiences like vacations lead to more long-term happiness than the latest bauble. And perhaps the change was inevitable — to be expected when a shopping-spree nation trades a glut of credit for layoffs and furloughs.

What are your thoughts on this reported trend? Is your family spending more time together doing stuff rather than buying stuff due to the recession?

abounding kindness

My mom once told me the best marriage advice she ever received was to "out do one another with kindness." I think love is best exhibited through kindness. I say this realizing how hard it is to practice - in reality, it takes a tremendous amount of energy and intentionality to live this out.

Acts of kindness do not come naturally to me. A few years ago, when I was early in my humanitarian aid career I took my dad with me to India. We spent the time with orphans, widows, families ravaged by AIDS or poverty, and with people groups that are discriminated against simply because of the family they were born in to (caste system in India, but, every civilization has their prejudices). I spent a lot of time playing with kids, holding the hands of women and crying with them, and generally trying to figure out what I could possibly do to help. At the end of one of these days my dad said with tears in his eyes, "when you were younger, I would have never imagined you doing this kind of work." We both knew what he meant. I started off life very ambitious and focused on what I could get out of situations. I'd been hurt deeply and my heart had grown a hard protective barrier, it was cold, but not dead. Over the years, God has worked a miracle on me. He healed hurts, he restored hope, he inspired me to share this love with others in need. I am still ambitious, but now I try to pursue eternal causes rather than selfish ones.

My inspiration scripture for this year is, Proverbs 14:31. It says:

Whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

I want to do both these things - be kind to the needy and honor God. I believe the definition of needy is broad. Yes, it includes those suffering in poverty or difficult circumstances. But, we all need attention. We all need someone to listen. We need kindness.

Mark Twain has a quote about kindness being a universal language - "kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." I think kindness is key to help tear down cultural barriers, which is important since I now live in a foreign country where I don't speak the language and make errors in custom and communication daily.

Since I believe in authenticity, I will also be practicing this at home. It is my intention that Kenyon, also, be the recipient of abounding kindness.

What is your new year's resolution or theme for 2010?

reflections: the year of greater love

If you've been following this blog for a while, you know by now that I don't make new year's resolutions. Rather, I have a theme for each new year. The theme really functions more as a developmental plan for my life. It includes spiritual, relational and physical goals. I always choose a fruit of the spirit I'd like to develop further to (hopefully) become part of my character, my being. 2009 was the year of Greater Love. Here are a few thoughts on what I learned:

• Love is the only force on earth I know of that is truly powerful enough to change the world - one person at a time. It has changed my life and I have watched it change many others.
• Love is not a commodity to be held tightly and locked away. It is most valuable when shared and given freely to others. I feel love most when I am giving.
• True love requires sacrifice.
• We use this word often in our world, but we don't often experience or encounter true love. When we do encounter it, the experience feeds our soul.
• Love is shown by being there, present, in the moments of life that matter.
• Simply put, love, true love, is not about us and what we get or how we benefit. It is focused on others and how we can serve them or meet their needs.

Because it is now January and I am coming to the end of the year of greater love, does this mean that I have it all figured out? Not even close. But, I do think I accomplished my goal of developing deeper, lasting love in my life. This quality is important both for my personal relationships, but also to be effective in my profession.

Come back tomorrow to find out the theme for 2010. Do you have any guesses on what it might be?

Quoteable Quotes

One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
Andre Gide