Category: Uncategorized

I can’t say off the top of my head how many blog drafts I have on my account currently.  It’s a lot. 

Silence doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to say, it just means sometimes there is too much to say, so it’s better not to say anything.  Those who know me know what my thoughts and feelings are, so there’s no need to blast it out to the world.  Some things are sacred, some things are kept deep in the heart.

Often, I think about pivotal decisions in my life; turning points and forks in the road in which I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was calling me down a different path.  Those moments are few and far between for me, but it’s a familiar feeling.  They are moments in which when I look back, I wonder why I wasn’t scared shitless.  I wonder how in the world I felt so much peace.  And I guess that’s just it.  Peace. These moments are marked with peace, regardless of what the decision was.

Sometimes God speaks through other people, sometimes he speaks through circumstances, and sometimes, it’s simply finding a quarter.  (Weird, I know, but true in my case.)

I cannot say what the future holds, but all I know this life was meant to be lived, and that what God has for us is beyond anything we could dream up for ourselves.  Read Ephesians, it will change you.

This is a journey, not a destination.  This is about knowing God in a deep way, as we walk through seasons of life, and are drawn closer to him.  It’s less about being happy.  More about him.  Less about us.  Think about it.

 

In an attempt to avoid writing my huge paper on the Kingdom of God, and to get ahead on homework before Portland and Colorado, I’m going to write a few album reviews for those looking for some new music:

Snow Patrol: A Hundred Million Suns.  I was a huge fan of their first album, but delayed listening to their new album for a while… but it’s EXCELLENT!  It proves that they can still continue making great music, even after the first hit album.  I don’t listen to the radio, so I’m not sure what tracks are singles now, but this album is a MUST to check out!!

Chris Taylor: Take Me Anywhere. I don’t know much about this new-comer to the Christian music scene, but he’s really good!  Actually, just read he’s been around for a year.  Whatever.  Anyway, he’s good, listen to him.

Keith Urban: Defying Gravity.  I know it’s been out for a little while, but I just got around to listening to it.  Of course it has the single, “Sweet Thing”, which was written for his wife, Nicole Kidman, but I LOVE every single song on the CD!  It’s so good, people, even if you hate country music, you gotta love Keith!!  Check out: “If Ever I Could Love”, and “I’m In” especially.

Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies).  Lots of great dance tracks on this album.  BEP.. they’re back people!  Enjoyed the energy on the album, but younger listeners, there are several tracks with language.  Anyway, all in all, love the grooves and beats on the album.

Alright, that’s my review blog for you all.  Check out the artists, and get some new tunes for the summer!  I’m outie!

Hey,

I just wanted you all to check out the Worship Conference I will be attending in about 3 weeks!  I’m attending the conference with my church in Redding, and the conference is in Colorado!

New Life Worship Conference

It’s strange, for the past two summers, every June I’ve boarded a plane and headed to East Asia or South-East Asia. This time, I am not.

Truthfully, it will be nice to be home for a summer. The last time I was home for summer was in 2006, so weird.

Well, so far this is a really boring blog, and I’d be impressed if you made it this far. Anyway, I have a summer of worship and ministry ahead of me, which I’m really looking forward to. In about three weeks, I plan to head out to Colorado for a Worship Conference which I can’t wait for!

Okay enough of this lame blog.. hope you all are well, whoever reads my blog anymore these days!

Family and Friends,

I honestly have to comment one more time on how QUICKLY time is passing!  Maybe that’s part of growing old, I’m not sure.  But time here in Thailand is going by faster than ever.  I’m nearing my 4 month mark (in one week!) and I know the next weeks as we wrap up our first semester will also go quickly.

Today was a great Sunday, but unlike most of you back home, my afternoon was spent tanning (and burning) by the poolside.  It was a nice, relaxing way to begin the week, that’s for sure.  

This weekend, on Friday and Saturday, we had meetings for our “Professional Development” days, which were full of plenty of teacher stuff, and meetings.  GES has been trying to become accredited by the “MOE” or “Ministry of Education” which is the national education head of Thailand, for the past several years, and hopefully this year we will complete and pass all their requirements.  Anyway, for each grade, we have to put binders together proving in some way or another that we are meeting all the requirements for education here in Thailand.  Unfortunately, the task of putting the FIRST “Music” bider together goes to… muah.  This weekend, even though the only thing currently in my binder are all the printed standards, I felt I got some better ideas of how to prove I’m meeting the standards.  (You have to admit, it’s hard to prove I’m teaching the students how to “appreciate music” and learn how to read music, but I’ve got some great ideas from my dear friend Heidi, who has been teaching for almost 10 years, and is a PRO!).

Anyway, I do feel I haven’t had much of a weekend, since this morning we left early for church, and just returned about an hour ago.  Speaking of church, I’ve been leading worship more often, and from the people I’ve talked to, the seem VERY thankful to have me.  I was also approached today by our pastor and asked to lead worship at our church retreat in November.  It’s been such a blessing for ME to use my gift and serve others.  It’s something I can’t even begin to explain, especially with my LACK of getting to do so last year.

I’m not sure what else to report on at the moment.  We have about 20 days until we leave for our October Break trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.  There are 5 of us going, and we’re all looking forward to relaxing along the beaches of both countries.  (Here’s a visual aid to help those of you who aren’t familiar with SE Asia).Well, I’m about to call a good friend for a phone appointment, but I hope everything is well back on the home front.  Maybe I’ll discuss this in another blog, but it’s been quite interesting and left many of us somewhat in shock hearing about the economic crisis back in the States.  It’s definitely a good time to remember that our hope and trust should be in the LORD, not in money and investments.

Please continue to pray for me, and my fellow teachers as things get very busy over the next three weeks.  I’m doing well spiritually, and in many other aspects, but the culture shock does continue to get to me as I am in fact a foreigner here in Thailand, and the ways of their culture will never fully make sense to me.  Pray in general for strength, to do my job well, and to be able to relax from time to time.

Blessings.
Meridith Rae Johnson

This weekend as I rode through the mountains of western Thailand rain forests on my motorbike, I was reminded why I wanted to come to Thailand.  Yes, I love being able to teach and serve at GES, but this weekend while up in the mountains and waterfalls, I encountered God in a very real and tangible way.

I knew coming here that because I was going by myself, there would be potential to feel really alone, and to feel like I didn’t really connect with anyone.  I sill prayed for good friends, and people to confide in and a community to be apart of.  BUT, because of the potential for loneliness, my prayer was that this year would be a year of being on a journey with just God and I.    God answered that prayer, ten fold and I was thrown into a wonderful community of caring believers, and have made some great friends.  The only “problem” is that I continually find myself surrounded by people, and we are constantly making plans, and constantly keeping ourself so busy.  The past year wasn’t at all a social year for me, so having this many great people in my life that I spend almost 24/7 with is slightly overwhelming at times.

Anyway, this weekend reminded me of my hope and prayer when I left for this strange, far away place.  My prayer was to draw closer to the LORD, seek his heart, serve his people, and discover what his will is for my future.  The scenes were breathtaking this weekend, I can hardly put it into words.  I encounter the LORD in creation, almost as much as I encounter him worshiping to music.  It’s just another way I worship him, and find rest in his presence; because his creation was everywhere around me.  It’s much easier to “be still” and know he is God when you allow and create space for silence and reflection.

So now we’re at it again.  Another week that is (thankfully) flying by.  It’s already Wednesday.  Crazy how time flies.  Things are good, don’t get me wrong, but it would be nice to have a break.  Looks like we’ll be headed full-steam until the end of the semester, which is thankfully only 30 days away.  

Oh, and along with the hiking, I also ran a 10k on Sunday as well.  It actually went pretty well, though I haven’t really been training for it.  Running here in the city can be a bit of a challenge, but thankfully there is a park nearby that I often run at.  Not only that, but it’s been so hot and humid, it’s difficult to build up the stamina to run.  This weekend, since it was up in the mountains it was much easier to breath (never mind that the entire first half of the run was UP HILL).  

Anyway, I title this blog “why” because it was a good reminder of why I want to be here, and why I need to be here.  This has been such an adventure already, and will continue to be.  It’s amazing to see that God has created this world and us for his pleasure, and as we see his creation, no matter WHERE it is, we can see him… all around he world.

Continue to pray for strength.  Some days are such a headache, and the duties of being a teacher far stretch me thin.  I’m still wondering and praying about the future.  I don’t feel any special calling to be a teacher, but it just seems like that’s all I will do with my life (not to say it’s not a noble calling, I personally just don’t feel called to it).  My desire is to serve the church with my gifts in worship, and I just don’t know what that looks like yet.  At this point I’m praying about Liberty University’s online MAT degree, which I can begin to work towards starting this January.  The program will give me a lot of mobility, as I don’t know yet what the “next step” in my life will be.  Anyway, God knows, and I know in the right time I’ll feel a peace about what is next.

I’ll leave you all with lyrics of an amazing song by Phil Wickham, “Beautiful” which I had stuck in my head all weekend as we drove around on our motorbikes in the mountains and jungle of Thailand.  Our God is everywhere, and if we will only look, we can see his face and his beauty all around us.  All creation declares the glory of God..

 

 

I see your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say… You’re Beautiful

I see your pow’r in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
Its all proclaiming who you are… You’re beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are setting on your heavenly throne
Soon you will be coming home… You’re Beautiful

 

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing… You’re Beautiful

I think I can now officially call myself a “runner”, for several reasons.  Mostly because on a beautiful day when I wake up, the first thing I think of wanting to do is run, and also because I actually ENJOY it.  For the previous 5 years, I just forced myself to do it because I knew it would be good for me.  Now I’m logging 20+ miles a week, but that number has been quickly dwindling as the past couple weeks my shin splints have returned, as well as other body aches and pains.

 

The one thing that greatly helped my milage for each run gradually increase was something so simple; I’m saddened that I never discovered this earlier.  When I used to run, not only would I be mentally focused on the fact that I wanted the run to be over as soon as possible, but I ALWAYS looked down.  I would watch my feet move up and down as I simply endured the run.  Each.  Step.  Pain.  Suffering.  Never.  Ending.  But, as I said, since I discovered this simple mind trick, I’m able to run for miles without even thinking about it.

 

So the other day, I was running and enduring through the pain of my long lost shin splints, along with the cold rain, and several things hit me.  Any runner (Muang) knows that when you have shin splints the best thing to do is run on softer surfaces.  It just so happened that on this particular run, I was running on grass, and along with being in excruciating pain, I was also focused on each step I was taking, mostly because the ground was so uneven.  I didn’t want to deal with an ankle problem on top of my shins.  

 

Perhaps you already know the things I’m going to connect at this point, but bear with me.  Life can throw us things that make waking up each morning unpleasant, to say the least.  But the truth is, sometimes the best way to deal with hurt in our own lives is to simply take life one step at a time, because if we don’t, we may cause more injury to ourselves if we simply try and “buck up” and deny our emotions.

 

Maybe you’re going through a time when you’ve had to watch and count your every step.  Sometimes I feel this way of living isn’t encouraged by spiritual leaders in our lives.  I believe it’s in these “valley” times when we learn to hear what God’s voice really sounds like.  The most important thing to remember, is to look up every once and a while, just to be reminded of the goal.  To be reminded of why we’re enduring through all the pain.  

 

There is a reason we are given the things in life that we have.  It may not seem there is any rhyme or reason to it, but ultimately, it’s all in the hands of our creator.  

 

For those that wonder, my shins still are killing me, but when I run now, I find that the pain is eased just a bit if I continually look up and away from my own steps.  I can remember just where I’m going.

 

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