It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

We started December in a festive way with a Girl's Christmas Party. We had dinner, made some Christmas crafts, played some games, and watched "Beauty and the Beast Christmas." Normally we encourage giggling at our girl's nights, but this time we "prohibited" it by making any giggler wear the Santa hat, which actually caused us to giggle even more. As always getting together with the ladies of the grapevine inspires and encourages me, and this festive beginning to the holiday season was no exception.

Who? What? When? Where? Why? COW?!?

November 21-22 2009

About two weeks, 39 courageous grapevine friends drove off to the mountains for our annual Khao Yai retreat. As always we enjoyed the fellowship of new and old friends, as we climbed rocks, took pictures at the waterfall, performed skits, and sand songs around the campfire. This year we asked our student leader Bank to share his story focusing on the question,

"Is Jesus worth it?"

That's not the only question we asked, the theme for the retreat was FAQ's, so we kept asking, and asking and asking. Finally, we came up with an answer. Most of you who've grown up going to Sunday School already know this, so let's see who can say it first. What's the answer to EVERY question in our lives?

- JESUS!

Chicken Day?!?

Alright so we didn't have TURKEY on Thanksgiving, but. . .

We had 53 reasons (new and old) to thank God during our 2009 Thanksgiving Dinner. Every year, the dinner draws in plenty of students who want to experience a "real" Thanksgiving holiday with Farang. For many, it's the first time they've eaten mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and stuffing. Sometimes, the students love the food, and sometimes it's just a little too different for their taste buds. Regardless of our feelings about the food, we all agree that we have so much to be thankful for in a place to love and be loved.

The School for the Blind.

A couple of weeks ago, 15 grapeviners met up at the School for the Blind in downtown Bangkok.

Although we didn't get to hang out with the kids since they're mid - year break falls at the same time as ours, we did get to help out. Some of us went the garden and playground where we helped to haul sand, cut shoots, and plant them. The rest helped to illustrate books by outlining pictures with puffy paint. I felt encouraged that many of our students would take time out of their break to serve others, and hope that this is only the beginning of our outreach with this organization.

Girls Night

Some of my favorite memories at Grapevine happen during girls nights.

During our last night we had a "Spa" theme. We scrubbed our hands raw with a homemade

hand treatment, soaked our feet in water ("my water's too cold" or "my water's too hot") and refreshed our tired skin with facials. We ate fruit pizza and watched some America's Next Top Model. We laughed and talked and had a good ol' time.

What did I like the most? - Being with the girls that I love so much.

Sending in support is easy as 1 -2 -3!

1. Click on this link http://cmfi.org/michal-ruth-penwell

2. Click on "give"

3. Enter your info and send!

You can give one time payments, or set up an automatic monthly payment. 

Thank you SOOO soo much for the support that you have all given to me. The CMF office works hard to make the process easy and reliable. I hope to that you are blessed in your giving, and that you experience the truth of the words, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." I, too, seek to give with a good pressed down measure, especially in this time of financial stress. You (and the U.S. economic situation) are in my prayers. 

If you haven't been to our website, you should check it out. Here's a link below to a really cool video about Grapevine. Enjoy!

http://www.clubgrapevine.com/The_Grapevine/Who_Are_We.html

4th of July

grapevine style

We watched some BEAUTIFUL fireworks (above)

and our summer intern taught us some line dances! (below)

 It was a great night for celebration

with old friends and new. Here I am with some 

alumni Nui, Pat, and Jah.

What a whirlwind! We've started the year off wonderfully with a great kick-off party, and two Souper Tuesday Bible studies. We've had record attendance and have met so many new students I can't remember all their names. You can check out these pictures (and if you've got Facebook, join our group to see TONS more!)

An Artist's Reflection on an Unguarded Moment in which the Overflow of the Heart Spoke 

(Notice the difference between the right and left eyes.)

I do not like to think of myself as a sinful person. I go to great lengths to make my sin seem less sinful. I often use terms like "personality flaw," or "mistake" or "a regret" to describe the vices in my life. I "little white lie" to myself to make my sin appear less intense. To make my sin appear less black I dollop a little white (not my own white) into the pallet. To my eye, and to the world's eye, my sin no longer looks black, but gray. I have succeeded. For just a moment I step back from the portrait of my life to get a better view.

Unbidden the words of my high school art teacher fly into my foremost thoughts, "If you want to make glass sparkle, you must paint the blackest black next to the whitest white." 

Contrast. It brings out the twinkles of the eye, and the shimmers of the water. Without a full and rich value scale, a picture always lacks pop. Lack of contrast robs a picture of it's glory. 

Upon stepping back from this portrait, I see that I have robbed this canvas of a vital element - contrast. Pride, an evil which God detests, has refused to let black be black. Self-interest, not only in my life but in the entire history of humanity, has stolen the glory of the masterpiece that The Artist wishes to create. 

And that is shameful.

I drew this self-portrait as an illustration of this truth. I drew this picture to remind me that humility and vulnerability in my own life, may make me seem wretched, but allows for God to receive His deserved glory for His absolute perfection. Honest confession also primes our hearts to receive His perfect grace, which draws us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. I drew this picture as Augustine wrote his Confessions to, " remind myself of my past foulnesses and carnal corruptions, not because I love them, but so that I may love You, my God. It is from love of your love that I make the act of recollection. the recalling of my wicked ways is bitter in my memory, but I do so that You may be sweet to me, a sweetness touched by no deception, a sweetness serene and content."

*note the difference between the left and right eye is, you guessed it, contrast.

In March and April we helped out at our church with their annual education camp, which is 4 weeks of extra learning for middle and high school students from the rural part of Thailand called Easan in the province of Roi Et. The grapevine has had lots of great interaction with these students over the years through camps in Bangkok during the summer and camps in Easan during the school year. It's a great way for our college students to reach out to those in need, gain some useful experience, and grow as a community.

This year I was able to teach 9 high school students everyday, and we developed very close bonds. Please pray for these students as they continue to participate in our church's ministry in Roi Et. Pray that the seeds that have been planted during these summer will grow and take root in their hearts, and spread to the lives of their family and friends.