Expecting Good

by Matt pound - 10:24 PM

Do you see it?

I See It!

Smoggy mountains are still pretty

Happy Thai New Year!

It has been a full season of life, and a good one. Life for our family in Thailand is ever evolving. There are great days, and hard days, and lots of just normal days. But stepping back a bit, we feel incredibly blessed as we consider the past, and incredibly excited about our future in Thailand and at Faithful Heart.

Have you ever woke up from bad dreams and felt that overwhelming sense of relief that it was, after all, just a dream?

I feel like seeing God is sometimes like waking from a bad dream to a welcome relief.

We encounter something even more real than our problems: Goodness Incarnate.

It is not closing our eyes to suffering, but opening them more fully.

In our 3 years in Thailand, more and more I feel like I am waking to a better reality.

And the result is I feel less and less afraid, and more and more full of anticipation.

There is a world of difference between waking up to a world of vague hopes and fears, and waking up to a world where Goodness dwells all around you.

Mien Church Easter Camping trip

The Tuk-tuk crash grame

Some Special Friends went on an adventure with us!

Do you ever find yourself almost expecting bad things to happen, even when things are going well?

I am often like an anxious mother, just waiting for something bad to happen so I can vent the fear in my heart and say; "See, I knew it, it was bound to happen!"

We stress about stress that isn't even here yet.

We fear what might never happen.

You may have seen the quote-- "90% of what we worry about never actually happens."

Part of the problem is that you can't argue with the 'what ifs.'

How do you disprove an imaginary fear, any more than an imaginary person?

And expectation often brings about what it expects.

If our faith has any substance to it at all, it ought to teach us the opposite:

To Expect Good.

One advantage of meeting people completely different from you in culture and language, is discovering that happiness is possible in situations and circumstances completely different from our own.

It helps us see more of God's largeness.

And His goodness.

If happiness is not a set prescription, but found in endless variety, then we too can have it.

Honoring your elders on the New Year...(I am sure Steve and Becky were mistakenly put with the old folks).

Dear Friends visiting from our Asian neighbor.

Thai culture has much to teach us.

Expectation has a lot to do with our happiness, and the good news is, it is something we have influence over.

Our circumstances may be beyond our control.

Relationships may be beyond our control.

But expectation is in the mind and heart, and there we do have some control.

What if you chose to view everything that happens to you today as a kindness from one who loved you?

Maybe some things would be impossible.

But what about the rest?

What if the sun rise was painted for your pleasure?

What if the cool breeze was a gift to make you smile?

What if a flower blooming was a lover wooing you?

What if hysterical laughs with your friends over coffee was an intentional design to encourage you?

What if that book was given to for just this time?

Celebrating 10 years at Faithful Heart!

Can't celebrate without some delicious food!

Family time in the Mountains.

How we choose to view our world, has a powerful impact on how our circumstances shape our happiness.

It costs us nothing to expect good.

And we are not delusional idealists to do so.

In fact, I think the more we practice this, the more true our perception of reality becomes.

We may not realize it, but we have been trained to expect bad things, trained to worry and fear.

There are industries and interests that profit greatly by our fearful expectations.

We may have to start by undoing what has been done.

But what freedom there is in enjoying each day, without fear of tomorrow!

Life is like Christmas, we go through unwrapping God's gifts to us.

Celebrating a great lady's Birthday.

Celebrating Great Friends!

Celebrating the love of my life!

And when sorrow comes, we meet it.

But it is not the rule, it is the exception.

How many days of health do we typically enjoy for every one day of sickness?

So we wake each morning and we look for God's face.

His face in the sunrise, in the face of our family.

We look for His face in the poor and the hungry.

And when we see Him, we wake from the dream.

He is here.

He has not left.

He has not changed.

We expect good, because we expect God.

Hot Spring, Hot Tubs (look closely at the center tub).

This little guy has been a champ. Lots of adventures and he has discovered car sickness like Mom & Dad.

Ez & Dad love the Creek.

These wonderfully busy weeks have held:

An Easter camping trip with our Thai friends at the Mien Church.

A New Year Festival and a water fight.

A 10 year anniversary, and a staff retreat.

And special visitors from America--Steve and Becky Storkel.

It has been a busy, fun-filled time for all of us. Ezra has been such a champ. As some of you may have heard, he will soon be getting a little brother or sister! Audrey is 13 weeks pregnant and we are growing more excited to meet this new addition to the family.

We keep moving ahead slowly with the land project. We are submitting paperwork this week. Please keep that in your prayers.

Dave and Shirley are preparing to go to America in May for 6 months. Continue to pray for wisdom for Matt as he gives leadership and direction while they are gone. Matt has been officially designated the Assistant Director at Faithful Heart and is very honored to serve in this way.

Thank you for your prayers, love and support!

Much Love,

Matt, Audrey, Ez, & Baby #2