Jeri's Blog

A Serendipitous Match Made in Heaven

2024-05-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

A Serendipitous Match Made in Heaven

It's hard to believe it's been over 21 years since I first laid eyes on my beloved husband, Ted. The story of how we met is one I cherish dearly, a testament to God's perfect timing and the power of faith.

Back in the winter of 2000, at the age of 27, I found myself at a crossroads. After several failed relationships, I fell to my knees and poured my heart out to the Lord, asking Him to bless me with the Christian man He had destined for me. I remember vividly laying my hands on the monitor of my computer and pleading with God to bring the right partner into my life. Little did I know, He was already putting the pieces in place.

Around that time, I had written a detailed list in my journal of the qualities I desired in a spouse - a man who was spiritual, caring, and compatible with my own values and dreams. I tucked that list away, doubting that such a perfect match could truly be found. How wrong I was!

A few months later, I stumbled upon a profile on oneandonly.com that immediately piqued my interest. The man in the photo, while a bit blurry, mentioned attending one of the largest churches in Sacramento - Capital Christian Center, a place I had visited and loved. Sensing a divine connection, I reached out, and soon after, Ted and I met in person at a local California Pizza Kitchen.

Our first date was a bit awkward, as we tentatively got to know each other over the course of a three-hour movie. But there was an undeniable spark, and over the next few months, our bond only grew stronger. Though I wasn't entirely sure at first if Ted was "the one," by that July, I knew without a doubt that he was the man God had handpicked for me.

When Ted shared the news of our engagement with his Canadian family, they were understandably hesitant, as I had been previously married and divorced. But from the moment I met them in December 2002, they welcomed me with open arms. Meanwhile, my own father, who lived in Thailand, flew all the way to California to meet Ted and walk me down the aisle that June.

Some may have thought us unconventional for not living together before our wedding, but Ted and I were steadfast in our decision to honor God's plan. We wanted to start our marriage on the right foot, with Christ at the center. And oh, what a beautiful day that June 2003 wedding was, surrounded by the people we loved most.

Through all the ups and downs of the past two decades, Ted has been my rock, my partner, my best friend. While we're opposites in many ways - he the pragmatic introvert, me the expressive extrovert - we've learned to balance each other perfectly. We've weathered storms, softened each other's rough edges, and grown ever closer in our faith and love.

As I reflect on our journey, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude. Who would have thought that a random chance encounter on a dating website would blossom into a lifelong, God-ordained union? There are no coincidences - only the fingerprints of a loving Creator who knows the desires of our hearts better than we do ourselves. Ted is the fulfillment of that prayer I uttered all those years ago, and I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds.

A Girl Named Peach: Story of an American Thai Woman

2023-05-14T20:09:00.012-07:00

A Girl Named Peach 🍑

Chapter 1: A Fruitful Beginning

My name is Jeralynn Peach Kawewong, and I was named after the fruit tree growing outside my baby room window. It's funny how something as simple as a tree can shape one's identity for life. Looking back, that tree represents the beginning of my journey, a life filled with love and pain, faith and hope.

I was born on a warm May day in 1973 in Los Angeles, California. My parents were immigrants from Thailand, where their families lived in rural areas. My father, Pat, an architectural draftsperson obtained his degree in Thailand in the early 70s before moving to California to continue his career.

My mother, Ratree, was a homemaker who loved gardening and cooking Thai dishes. Her sweet demeanor and loving nature endeared her to everyone who knew her. Unfortunately, my earliest memory is of her suffering from postpartum depression and having several delusional episodes that caused stress in my parents' marriage.

Despite this setback, our family expanded its love when we brought Racy into our home. Racy was a half Greyhound/Whippet breed who loved to race and run around the backyard and the neighborhood too. My father's passion for architecture supported us financially but never denied us of simple pleasures like playing fetch with Racy.

Tragedy struck us one night when Racy lost his life in a dog fight with an aggressive dog in the neighborhood. I remember crying myself dry over his limp body lying motionless on our porch. Looking back now at all that had happened since then made that night as gentle as any breeze I remembered feeling since.

As time passed with more responsibility placed on Pat by his clients over the years plus Ratree’s state of mind led our family into deeper valleys than we ever thought it will take us.

And yet, through it all, that small tree outside my room still bore fruit every year and reminded us of the good times we had as a family. Despite all the hardships we faced, it was never too late to start anew.

Chapter 2: A New Home

In 1983, when I was eight years old, my father made the decision to move us from our humble home near Compton to a small town called Cameron Park. We went from living in a predominantly Hispanic and African American community to an almost entirely caucasian, middle-class town.

It was a huge culture shock for me. The kids at school bullied me for being Asian, teasing me about my almond-shaped eyes and calling me names like "ching-chong." I remember feeling alone and insecure as a child. My father did his best to reassure me, but it was tough being the only Asian family in town.

Despite the difficulties we faced in our new town, my father threw himself into his work at an architectural firm nearby. He became best friends with his boss and his wife - Marianne and Herb - who would regularly invite us over for dinners. They became like family to us.

I grew fascinated by American teenage culture eventually in Cameron Park and begged my dad for permission to go to school dances and music concerts and to also buy trendy clothes, cosmetics and jewelry. My dad tried his best to understand my interests but had trouble reconciling them with his upbringing in Thailand.

As time passed, I made some friends who didn't judge me based on my ethnicity or where I came from. However, I still struggled with adjusting to life in Cameron Park. It wasn't until my mother joined us again after a few years of staying with family back in Thailand that things began to take a turn for the worse.

My mother's mental condition seemed worse than ever before she left Thailand all those years ago; we should have known this would happen when I saw the look in her glazed eyes hadn’t changed. She struggled with mood swings and delusional episodes, which took a significant toll on our family.

As her condition worsened, my dad's focus on his work increased. I was left feeling neglected and alone, leading me to seek comfort in other ways. It only got worse when Ratree committed suicide the year after she returned to live with us.

My grades plummeted, and I started sneaking out to party with my friends. I felt lost and helpless as I struggled to come to terms with everything that had happened in such a short period. Little did we know that there were more trials ahead of us.

Chapter 3: A Father's Struggle

After my mother's suicide, my relationship with my father was strained. I blamed him for not being there for me when I needed him the most. I felt like he had abandoned our family in favor of his work, leaving us to deal with my mother's mental illness on our own.

As a teenager, I rebelled against everything my father stood for. My grades continued to suffer, and I found myself in trouble more often than not.

My father tried his best to understand what was going on with me but seemed helpless in the face of my rebellion. I couldn't see it then, but he was struggling too. He felt like he had failed as a husband and a father and didn't know what to do to make things better.

One day, after yet another argument between us, he pulled me aside and opened up to me about his struggles. He told me how hard it was for him to be an immigrant in a foreign land while trying to provide for our family. How much work he put into building his career while also adjusting to life in America.

He explained how difficult it was for him to watch his wife suffer from mental illness and how helpless he felt in the face of it all. He wanted nothing more than to give us the world, but at times it felt like the weight of it all was too much.

I listened as he spoke, tears streaming down both of our faces. For the first time in a long time, we were communicating with each other honestly and openly.

That night marked a turning point in our relationship. We began to understand each other better and work towards healing old wounds.

My father encouraged me to pursue my interests while also teaching me about Thai culture and traditions- something that once made no sense now seemed essential. We also were assigned a family counselor by the school to bridge the gap between us. It wasn't a quick fix, and things were still hard, but we were starting to heal together as a family.

Chapter 4: A New Hope

As I entered my teenage years, I struggled with depression and the loss of my mother - something that continued to impact me heavily. From age 12 to 15, I was suicidal and depressed and hated myself. I thought I was ugly and unattractive because I was mocked and made fun of by peers (with decreasing rejection every year as peers became friends with me and vice versa).

I also got into the occult: satanic music, horror movies obsession, ouija boards, tarot cards and horoscopes. I read this book called “Demons in the World Today” (Demons in the World Today: A Study of Occultism in the Light of God's Word. Click below 👇🏽 to read it!) because it had a creepy book cover!

https://archive.org/details/demonsinworldtod00unge/page/7/mode/1up

The first chapter I read was that the things I was into (the occult) opened the door to the enemy/devil/Satan and that was what caused the oppression in my life. Also, here’s a podcast I did with an ex-new-ager and former astrologer: https://youtu.be/nzLuUArB4UQ

I cried tears of repentance and joy and asked God/Jesus to come into my life. I was never the same ever since. Jesus filled my empty heart with his spirit and life and the darkness lifted. Even people noticed my attitude and countenance changed for the better. I went from death to life, darkness to light, and sadness to joy.

Later, I started going to church, reading the Bible and, most of all, praying to Jesus. I was active in my church and shared the gospel with other people and helped those in need. I was raised as a Buddhist but it never “took” (to Buddhists: Jesus made 100% merit for our debt). Jesus is the only One who is confirmed by secular scholars and historians to raise from the dead. I found out that Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross was the only propitiation for our sins so that we can be forgiven by God and is the only way to heaven. Jesus is God made manifest in the flesh as well as the Son of God (see Trinity information: https://creation.com/jesus-christ-our-creator-a-biblical-defence-of-the-trinity)

I started attending church regularly and found comfort in the people there. They welcomed me with open arms and provided a safe space where I could grow spiritually and emotionally.

It was through my involvement in the church that I found new hope; hope for a brighter future, one where I could overcome my struggles and become the person that God created me to become.

I began to take school seriously again, putting in the effort to improve my grades. My father was proud of me, and we celebrated each small victory together.

I also began serving the community through volunteering programs at our church. I was amazed at how helping others made me feel fulfilled - something that I had been searching for all along.

My newfound faith helped me find inner strength, courage, and peace. The support of my church community gave me the sense of belonging that I had been searching for all this time. For once it felt like everything was going okay.

With time, things improved between myself and my father too. Our relationship grew stronger as we learned to communicate better and understand each other's perspectives fully. He shared stories with me about his life growing up in Thailand - his experiences, his traditions, culture- without imposing them on me.

They became stepping stones instead of roadblocks to our relationship; just like Peach trees can serve as supports instead of hindrances if pruned enough for their fruits to flourish.

In hindsight, it's amazing how much growth can occur when we open ourselves up to new impressions- both within ourselves but also outside.

The road wasn't always easy, but I found that we have the capability to change our lives from the inside out. We aren't merely victims of circumstance, but we can control how we respond to what life throws our way. With my new found faith and hope, I had no doubt that things would continue improving for us. I had learned to overcome my struggles and turn them into stepping stones rather than blocks at my feet.

It was a new beginning for both me and Pat- one filled with hope, faith, love, and forgiveness.

Chapter 5: Reflections and Gratitude

Looking back now, I'm amazed at how far I've come since those tumultuous years of my life. The lessons I learned during that time laid the foundation for the person I am today.

As my faith grew stronger, so did my compassion for others. I found myself drawn to helping those in need, whether it be through volunteering or simply offering a listening ear to someone who needed it.

I also developed a deep appreciation for the culture and traditions of both Thailand and America. This understanding helped me connect with people from all walks of life and break down cultural and ethnic barriers.

My relationship with my father continued to improve over time, and we built new memories together that overshadowed our dark past. Reflecting back upon our journey together, we knew that things would never be perfect or easy in life but they could be shared between us together- even the ebbs with its flows.

I moved out of the house when I was 20 and my father eventually returned home to Thailand and retired from his American architectural firm after 25 years of employment in the USA but continues to do work for architectural clients as a freelancer in Thailand. Together, we worked on building bridges between cultures by sharing stories and experiences about our upbringing.

I went through some dark times from age 20 to 28 but, thankfully, the Lord has blessed me with administrative and clerical jobs to support myself.

I met my wonderful Christian husband, Ted, through the Internet in 2001 when I was 28 and we had gotten married when I was 30 in 2003. This June, we will celebrate our 20 year anniversary. We have also gone through ups and downs, ebbs and flows, hills and valleys, especially with my husband’s health crisis, in which he had to have pacemaker surgery recently. He now is recovering with each new day bringing more healing to his heart and blood pressure.

Even though my father and stepmother in Thailand and family there and my husband and I are thousands of miles apart, we are in each other’s hearts.

Looking back at that small Peach tree outside my baby room window seems like ancient history - yet its significance will forever be deep-rooted within me as a symbol of where it all started.

Through the pain and struggles we faced as a family came forgiveness, healing, love, hope, community support but most importantly endurance. Withstanding through hardships had refined us like coal under pressure forms diamonds.

If there's one lesson I've learned from this journey through life thus far (still continued), it's the importance of having hope in tough times; boundless hope that carries you forth until you reach a place bright enough to keep moving forward without fear- like sunlight shining above cloudy skies.

Thankful for my family who amidst many shortcomings remained connected by the jolts that comes with life while always putting in efforts to communicate, express love, and fuel toward a better tomorrow.

Interview with renowned investigator, researcher, author & attorney Wiliam Ramsey-Strange O'Clock Podcast

2023-01-02T20:04:00.001-08:00

William Ramsey & Strange O'Clock Podcast link

Detox protocol for vaxxed and unvaxxed from Graphene Oxide

2021-11-28T11:27:00.001-08:00

https://www.nutritruth.org/single-post/graphene-oxide-detox-protocols-for-the-vaxxed-unvaxxed

COVID nasal swabs examined by scientists reveal danger

2021-10-27T17:56:00.005-07:00

https://rumble.com/vnwt2p-covid-nasal-swabs-examined-by-scientists-reveal-danger.html

Vaccine editing out God in our genetics

2021-10-10T10:38:00.004-07:00

https://www.bitchute.com/video/CrirtKcUgQtH/

Spiritual decline after vaccination

2021-10-10T10:37:00.004-07:00

https://stateofthenation.co/?p=85921

Father Savvas Agioritis shares testimonies of spiritual decline after taking the vaccines! (Video)

Posted on September 24, 2021 by State of the Nation

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Are the Vaccines Affecting Our Spirituality? | There May be More to it Than We Think

Father Savvas Agioritis shares testimonies of spiritual decline after taking the vaccines.

There are many accounts now of detrimental effects after taking the COVID vaccine that has left not only a physical toll on thousands of people, but also a spiritual one.

As the vaccines are rolled out more and more, additional information/data/studies have come to light, with an abundance of the population now experiencing vaccine-remorse. Amidst all of the adverse side effects, deaths, and vaccine-remorse, are also guilt-plagued individuals who are sure that this vaccine has damaged their spiritual/soul connection.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there have been predictions and studies of this very effect being caused by vaccines by several theologists, researchers, doctors and scientists, which I will link to after the following video.

In the below video, Father Savvas Agioritis shares experiences of his fellow members who have taken the COVID vaccine injection. It is a chilling and unnerving account; and there are others who are experiencing the same despair.

Thank you to Father Savvas Agioritis for bringing this testimony to awareness. And a huge thank you as well to whoever added the English subtitles to the video.

Source: odysee | Mulato Man Gabe | Father Savvas Agioritis: What is to come for those who are vaccinated

The video has been transcribed below using the subtitles from the video. Slight spelling alterations (vaxxine-vaccine) and embellishment has been added for emphasis.

Father Savvas: “I would like to present to you a personal testimony of a Priest-Monk, who made the mistake of getting vaxxed. This is his confession. If anyone wants to know his name, I can tell you privately. He is a priest under Archbishop Ieronymos of Greece. I will be reading directly from the publication. Which fortunately, it is still on the internet.

[Priest-Monk]: “With a few words, I will relate my experience after taking my first dosage of the Pfizer vaccine.

God obstructed me with many signs before taking the vaccine, due to shortness in time I will not mention all of them.

As I was heading towards the vaccination center, right before I was getting into the queue I felt something was obstructing my approach. As I approached, I felt (smelled) a stench that surprised me.”

Father Savvas: “Said the monk. You see, God cautioned him and he still went ahead.”

[Priest-Monk]: “While I was taking the vaccine, others were waiting outside. As I was leaving I was unable to wear my Kalimafi (priest hat).

I felt a great shame within myself, and left holding my kalimafi in my hands.”

Father Savvas: “As you can see, he began to feel the demonic influence right away. As he was ashamed to wear his Kalimafi even though he is a priest.”

[Priest-Monk]: “Arriving home, I went to the bathroom to wash my face. Upon looking at the mirror, I was frightened at my face due to the expression I had.

The next day I went shopping at the supermarket and since it was still the period after Pascha (before the leave-taking), I would normally greet the shopkeepers with “Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen!)” or respond “Alithos Anesti (Indeed He is Risen)”.”

Father Savvas: “So as you know, for 40 days after the resurrection, we refrain from saying “Hello/Good day”, and replace the phrase with “Christ is risen”. And the other Christian should respond “Alithos Anesti” and not say “likewise”.

[Priest-Monk]: “As a Priest monk, I was surprised to discover that I was very ashamed to say “Christo Anesti” to the shopkeepers. This greatly overwhelmed me.”

Father Savvas: “He began to realize more intensely that something was not going well in his soul.”

[Priest-Monk]: “A day later I went and attended a divine service at a local church, but not to liturgize the service as the priest.

Upon entering the Altar I felt as if I was dead.”

Father Savvas: “You see a living spiritual person notices the difference straight away.”

[Priest-Monk]: “The joy I used to feel at the divine service was lost. It was as if I was not entering the altar of a Holy Church, but as if I had entered a room in a house. All these things surprised me, but at the time I did not believe they stemmed from the vax.

I saw familiar parishioners turn their faces away from me.

The next day I found out that my conscience was causing me terrible pain. It is as if I had been pierced in my heart with such pain that I had never felt before in my life.

I told this to a fellow Archimadrite (Monastic Priest), of what I was feeling, and he consoled me. He told me words along the lines of: ‘It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.’

Upon leaving, I found that this pain in my conscience was relentless and was deepening further within me. After that day forward I was in a deeply troubled state which lasted 13 days. I could not sleep or quiet down.

Now allow me to explain the most terrible part. Day and night I constantly saw Satan in front of me, his face 20mm distance from mine.

I went to sleep at night, and felt him hugging me, and I would get cold all over.

I would read the Salutations (Χαιρετισμούς) to the Virgin Mary and I would feel as if my blood was burning in my veins. I felt a foreign presence within me and it was judging me.

I felt a horror as if someone was saying: “You belong to me now.” “

Father Savvas: “Do you understand how terrible these things are? And very true because we personally know this person.

In turn, this proves another experience of another Priest-Monk who was doing exorcisms. And the demon being pressed told the truth while having a monologue: “Why am I telling you this? I don’t want to tell you this, but I am being pressed.”

The Priest-monk replied, “I am not pressing you.” The demon replied, “I am being forced to tell you.”

So the demon told him thus: “We did a ceremony at a Lodge in America for the vaccines.” The satanists performed a ceremony for the vaccines. Furthermore the demon said: “Those who take this vaccine will be unable to repent.” Now this may seem too harsh.

The Priest-monk then asked, “Why won’t they be able to repent?”

The demon responded, “Because I will be inside of them.”

You can see a correlation with the initial Priest-monk who was saying the same thing, that he felt Satan inside of him and saw him 20mm away from his face telling him, “you belong to me”.

The Priest-monk performing the exorcism, was having a dialogue with the demon. The demon was speaking through the demon-possessed person.

The demon told him: “Those who took the vaccine cannot repent because I am inside of them.” The Priest-monk asked, “How are you inside of them?”

The demon answered, “With the blood of the aborted fetuses.”

We have mentioned previously, that fetuses were used in the vaccine and were purposely murdered for their cells. These cells were extracted from the living fetuses by these atheist scientists and doctors who don’t hold anything sacred and holy.

They also remove the organs from a living fetus. If the fetus is dead, the organs and cells are useless. Therefore, they were not taking the fetuses from the waste bin. Which even if they were, does not make it morally right, as an abortion had taken place. However, in this case, these fetuses were specifically prepared for an abortion.

So the devil confesses, “I am already inside those who took it via the blood of the fetuses.”

So this confession of this demon, correlates with the Priest-monk who was seduced into taking the vaccine.

So as we previously read; he was saying he was ashamed to wear his kalimafi, to say ‘Christos Anesti’, how he felt dead whilst being in the holy altar, how everyone turned their faces away from him because his face was altered… how for 13 days he could not sleep or settle down, and most terrifying of all, day and night was seeing the face of Satan from his face at a 20mm distance continuously… and how he felt Satan hugging him, and though he was trying to read the Salutations, his blood was burning in his veins, and he felt someone saying to him, “You belong to me now.”

Thus the Priest-monk continues:

[Priest-Monk]: “I had stayed at my family home in case of an adverse reaction, after a few days I left.

At the Monastery where I currently reside, at the Divine Liturgy, I found that I could not understand a thing.

I felt as if I was dead, I was constantly rushing through the service, felt great anxiety, not a speck of joy, I felt as if I was not a priest or even a baptized Christian!

I reached a point unable to speak as if I had lost my voice. I felt my life was dark and a constant state of despair.”

Father Savvas: “You see this person made this mistake and is being humbled. This means he has an ecclesialogical conscience. This is very important.

As there are others who have made this mistake, and after seeing this mistake do not confess it, so that they may warn others.

Let’s continue reading.”

[Priest-Monk]: “While I was in this hopeless state, a familiar family came to visit the monastery. I spoke with the mother.

She said to me, ‘Father, why are you speaking like this? Many people after taking the first dosage, do not end up taking the second dosage. So you too, should not take second dosage!’

Father Savvas: “She gave him some courage.”

[Priest-Monk]: “As she was telling me these words, I felt a certain refreshing dew entering my soul.”

Father Savvas: “This was from God.”

[Priest-Monk]: “I was consoled by God’s grace.”

Father Savvas: “Because he had begun to repent. God sends people to console us, to inform us. This is how God works during such situations. Just a word, though many times irrevlevant, shows us the way.

So she said, “Ok, you made a mistake. Don’t make the next mistake.” i.e. don’t take the second dosage.” Let’s continue:

[Priest-Monk]: “I find it unnecessary to mention the despair I went through and the tears I shed. I don’t know whether it’s a coincidence or not, but exactly 40 days after the vaccine I started to feel the grace of God again.”

Father Savvas: “After 40 days he began to feel that he was baptized again. He came back with repentance.

So he confessed his sin, received the rite of forgiveness, and shed many tears. As it is written here; He cried continuously for 40 days and only then did he begin to feel the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

[Priest-Monk]: “I began to feel peace and consolation, that God had forgiven me for what I had done, even though I had no knowledge of what this vaccine actually was.”

Father Savvas: “Sadly there are many people like this, not everyone is indifferent, there are others who are directed by tyranny and fear… or by pressure, by their children or doctors, etc.

However, when you have the correct information you don’t submit to all of this. This poor fellow was seduced, but now he has corrected his actions.

So after 40 days he began to feel the forgiveness of God.”

[Priest-Monk]: “I do not dare or want to know what would have happened to me if I had taken the second dosage of the vaccine. The only thing I can say is that God felt sorry for me.

Even though now I feel better, I have not recovered to the state I was in prior to taking the vaccine.

In my humble opinion, this vaccine by Pfizer that I took is a mark (seal), but not the final mark. Most likely a forerunner for the final mark of the beast (Book of Revelations).”

Father Savvas: “This last statement correlates with another remark made by a demon during another exorcism. A close friend of mine, a respectable Priest-monk had told me. He had a dialogue with a demon during an exorcism.

The demon told him, “Yes, this vaccine is not the final mark (stamp), but it is still a mark, a forerunner… And those who are like you, when they take the vaccine they lose their light.” The demon continued, “A short man had burned us with these exorcisms!” This short priest (Elder) is well known and performs exorcisms… The demon continued, “Now that he (the short Priest) took the vaccine, he has lost his strength. Now I am able to approach him and kiss his hand!”

Previously, the demon would tremble with this Elder. But now that the Elder has taken the vaccine, the demon is able to get his blessing. This correlates with the Priest-monk we have been reading about: “Even though now I feel better, I have not yet recovered to the state I was in prior to taking the vaccine.”

As you can see, these vaccines not only cause physical (biological) harm, but spiritual harm also.

We have read this testimony as an example, and it is from a person living a proper ecclesiastical (church-minded) life. Because as we previously said, when someone makes a mistake that is impacting many others, it’s most beneficial to correct this mistake publicly. This is in order to protect other members of our Holy church from making the same mistake.

As St. Chystostomos says, “The lukewarm Christians are living in comfort.” The lukewarm are those who want to combine everything; the world, Christ, hedonism (love of sexual pleasure), avarice (love of money), the external appearances (vanity)… to not be disenfranchised (segregated), go to Church, take Holy Communion, Holy Confession, etc. These lukewarm “Christians” cause the most damage to the church.

And they don’t admit to their mistakes, as they think they do everything correctly. If they make a mistake, they don’t correct it. They do not publicly repent of their sin so they may protect those around them.

As it is written in the book of Revelation, these are people that God will spit out (vomit them out). It is best to be hot or cold, never lukewarm. The one who is spiritually cold may at one point understand their spiritual blindness and become hot. God wants us to be hot. However, the lukewarm are comfortable.

Sadly, most people nowadays are lukewarm. As mention by Father Athanasios Mitilinaios, most Christians are lukewarm. We too are lukewarm and need to stop being lukewarm.

To a faithful person of God death does not exist, this is the reality. We have forgotten this and we presently fear death. Not only do we fear death, we also fear being fined, possible imprisonment, and prosecution. In NO case can a person call themselves a Christian if they fear death. When a person fears dying, they become an idolater or an atheist.

Instead a Christian should long to die. The saints wanted to die. The reason why Christians truly want to pass away is so they can be fully united to the Lord they worship and love above all else. They want to go and are joyful when they are passing away. However, they never cause death to themselves, they do not commit suicide. But when the opportunity arises to become a martyr and confessor for Christ, they do this without fear of death.

Unfortunately, these things are not being heard from the Preachers, Bishops and Priests, but as you know are heard from the demons.

A well-respected Priest-monk who perform exorcisms, once told me what a demon said to him. The demon said to him, “How are you Christians fearful of death? I have seduced and deceived you into taking the vaccine with the fear of death!” A demon again confesses that the vaccines are his doing. In fact, he says, “We did a ceremony at a Lodge in America for the vaccines.”

See what the demon confesses! The demon continues: “What did you fear? For you (Christians), death does not exist.” For Christians, death does not exist. Do you understand, fellow brothers and sisters, where we’ve come to?

In the Gospels, Christ said something correlating with our present situation. When He entered Jerusalem and the children were calling out, “Hosana! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The children were proclaiming Jesus as the awaited Messiah. And others who were indignant were saying to Jesus, “Are you hearing what they are saying to you?” Christ responds, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

So correlating with today’s situation, now that the Priest and Archpriest are not proclaiming that death has been conquered, the demons are proclaiming it instead: “How are you Christians fearful of death? And are all running to take this vaccine?”

Which isn’t really a vaccine, but rather a gene therapy/technology, with the aim of oppressing humans. This is the aim, which is why there will be more dosages. In fact, there are many people who say there will be 7 dosages. The demons also state that there will be 7 dosages.

Those who were deceived into taking the first or second dosage, hopefully, will not take the remaining dosages. May they repent, weep and go to confession, because their salvation is in danger. We all ought to be vigilant of this.

I’ll read another Priest-monk’s testimony to you all, which was published on the internet unless it’s now been erased. Because whatever is true these days, is usually censored on the internet. As you know the internet is Satan’s. Unfortunately, the internet is not governed by God’s people. Whatever they want they remove, as much as possible they eliminate anything that is good and right.

So this Priest-monk who published his testimony on the internet said, “I considered taking the vaccine was nothing. So I went and got it. But after I got it, I lost my prayer. I felt Satan coming and hugging me. For 40 days I could not even say ‘Lord have mercy.’ ” This Priest-monk has testified this publicly. I personally know him. He is from a Monastery in Peloponese. He also urges everyone not to make his mistake (of getting vaccinated), and whoever has already taken it, to not take any further dosages, which will cause more harm for both body and soul.

In conclusion, these are the things I wanted to say to you, brothers and sisters in Christ. As you can see, there are many testimonies from many individuals. God even caused the demons to give a testimony. Remember what the demon was saying to Priest-monk during the exorcism?

“Why am I telling you all this?! I do not want to tell you, but I am being pressed.”

We must also remember that the devil lies too, however, there are many times when the devil says the truth, especially when forced with the prayers that are read during an exorcism. Likewise, we read in the gospels, the demons saying the truth to Jesus, “You are the Son of God!” The demons confessed that Christ is God.

Let us take these things into account so that we don’t fall into this trap of Satan. Which as you can see, Satan is using much force to direct all of humanity into this trap. So he can kill as many as possible. This is the murderer (man-killer) that Satan is. This is now all coming into fruition with what is happening globally.

The devil wants to take as many souls as possible, this is his final goal. If all these things (vaccines) were good why would they make them mandatory? Something that is good is not forced. You see Christ, whenever He went to heal someone, He would ask, “Do you want to become well?”

These rulers nowadays are trying to force us to be well. That’s what they think. However, they don’t want to make us healthy, quite the opposite is occurring actually. Because we know these vaccines cause sterility and thousands of other adverse reactions. Over 2 million adverse reactions were recorded in Europe. And over 600,000 adverse reactions in America. Over 21,000 deaths in Europe, and 14,000 deaths in America. These are all mainstream statistics that you can find online.

Therefore we do not need to eat idiotic grass and sleep with our boots on (greek expression; We don’t need to be idiots). Under no circumstances are we to accept these things that the evil one is selling us.

May God bless us all. May John the Baptist guide us. To not only cease committing evil, but to call out evil when we see it. Whoever cowers and is silent before sin, becomes an accessory and an accomplice to sin. So what I tell you, you need to tell others, inform all our siblings so that they may not fall into this trap by Satan, and lost the kingdom of God. Amen.”

End of transcript.

I am a believer of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, there are things in the Bible that, while I do not agree with every prospect mentioned – whether due to misunderstandings/possible mistranslations/or it just doesn’t resonate with me (despite reading the apologists’ reasons) – there are many aspects of the Bible that I do believe in.

I have had many experiences and synchronicities that are all pointing to the same thing – which ultimately led me to becoming a spiritual person and a believer in Jesus Christ – and that is, we are literally in a spiritual battle between GOoD and evil.

These are the ONLY two options. The good, holy, righteous path, or the immoral, wicked, sinful path. There is no in-between.

Now, with that being said, and having had first-hand experiences with “unexplainable occurrences”, I have come to believe in the phenomena that “demons” are REAL.

The Bible testifies of Jesus casting out demons from many people. It’s not hyperbole.

And with many people speaking up throughout the years about this widely unaccepted point of view, risking their reputation and credibility to do so – for no monetary or personal gain other than that out of pure, genuine concern for humankind – we need to rethink and reconsider our own belief structures as to how this “world” operates.

” – people will invent a vaccine to influence the organism as early as possible, preferably as soon as it is born, so that this human body never even gets the idea that there is a soul and a spirit.”

…

“I have told you that the spirits of darkness are going to inspire their human hosts, in whom they will be dwelling, to find a vaccine that will drive all inclination towards spirituality out of people’s souls when they are still very young, and this will happen in a roundabout way through the living body. Today, bodies are vaccinated against one thing and another; in future, children will be vaccinated with a substance which it will certainly be possible to produce, and this will make them immune, so that they do not develop foolish inclinations connected with spiritual life — ‘foolish’ here, of course, in the eyes of materialists.”

Sources: Fall of the Spirits of Darkness | Fall/Darkness: Lecture 5: Changes in Humanity’s Spiritual Make-up
Fall of the Spirits of Darkness | Fall/Darkness: Lecture 13: The Fallen Spirits’ Influence in the World

[ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2262126/ ] – “Experimenting with Spirituality: Analyzing The God Gene in a Nonmajors Laboratory Course”

FUNVAX – Revisited

The Bible doesn’t say:

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Ephesians 2:1-3

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

1 John 5:19

for no reason.

It is telling us, this is how the world is. You either choose to go the way “of the world”, or follow God/Love/Truth.

For the many people who may feel ashamed after taking the vaccine like the Priest-Monk did, please know that Forgiveness and Repentance is extremely important. Not only for others, but for oneself as well. If I, a complete stranger, can have empathy and love for someone who has been misled about the vaccines, then I know God’s mercy far exceeds my own. But if someone doesn’t repent and doesn’t feel ashamed about it, or doesn’t think it’s wrong, that’s where I believe they will have trouble finding salvation.

Also keep in mind, true repentance means not continuing to make the same mistake. If you feel in your heart that taking these vaccines is wrong, but you have already done so, then by all means, DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER ONE! And most certainly, DO NOT SUBJECT YOUR CHILDREN TO ANY!

And despite the “demon” saying that those who have taken the vaccines will be unable to be forgiven or to gain back their spirituality, as we can see from the Priest-monk’s account, he was indeed able to reconnect with that light source and begin to heal from his guilt and torment. It was his sincere repentance and prayers that reached out to God that allowed him to come out from that darkness.

Other notes to consider:

This post was exceedingly hard to write. Earlier the very same day I came across this video:

Source: odysee | Sasquatch | Dr. Stan Plotkin testifies about the number of aborted fetuses used in the development of vaccines

without any foreknowledge of the video I was to later watch; the one featuring Father Savvas Agioritis. His video does not indicate where the testimony is going to lead. And I only found his video by looking up correlations between spirituality and vaccines, which was my goal. So to hear Father Savvas Agioritis talking about aborted fetuses, right after I watched the one above with Stan Plotkin, was incredibly eerie to me; and to hear both of these videos describing the horrific actions taken on live babies (they are babies to me – whether fully developed or not) was almost too much to bear. It physically hurts my heart to hear how these precious life forms were treated.

Now, there’s one more subject I want to bring up that may shed some interesting, and even further bizarre connotations, especially when considering the relationship between vaccines and demonic interference that Father Savvas Agioritis alludes to, not to mention the proclamations that Rudolf Steiner mentioned in his lectures.

“A mysterious disease condition known as “anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis” that exhibits symptoms similar to demonic possession is increasingly striking young women in the United States of America. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is described as a definitively neurological condition with an external cause.
…
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is said to be an inflammatory and “mysterious” condition with no known cause or cure. Further investigation exposes vaccines as a likely cause of the condition which, as it turns out, can even occur in young boys.
…
In a review on Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis, Teresa Conrick from AgeOfAutism.com explains how a 2010 study published in the Journal of Neurology identified a link between the condition and vaccines. Not surprisingly, symptoms of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis were observed to appear not long after children received routine vaccinations and booster shots, suggesting a likely connection.”

Source: Mysterious disease with symptoms of demonic possession striking young women

“There was first the strange story of a 14-year-old boy admitted in 1949 at the Alexian Brothers Hospital (Saint Louis, MO) for frightening behavioral disturbances (original description attributed to Rev. William S. Bowdern, SJ). Clinical manifestations included explosive episodes of rage, extreme auto- and heteroaggressivity, speech deterioration, sudden “shouts in unknown tongue,” and bouts of contorted postures into seemingly impossible shapes,” propagating vibrations, and even “movements to surrounding pieces of furniture.” The patient recovered soon after an exorcism procedure. This case report, popularized by the famous novel and movie The Exorcist, presents striking clinical similarities with most manifestations of anti-NMDAR encephalitis.”

Source: In Search of Lost Time From “Demonic Possession” to Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis

[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30016535/ ] “Anti-NMDAR encephalitis as a serious adverse event probably related to yellow fever vaccination”
[ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28106787/ ] “Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis and Vaccination”

Combine all of this with actual studies that link anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis to symptoms that present like “demonic possession”, and then with the connection of the vaccines to the anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis illness, with the rise of excessively pushed vaccines and more people testifying that they feel as if they’re losing their spiritually, well, I’d say there’s enough substantial evidence here to warrant a full investigation into vaccines and the ACTUAL effect it’s doing to people.

Instead of all of the gaslighting, manipulation, censoring and name-calling that the supposedly “professional experts” are engaged in to silence any opposing opinion on the vaccines. Would an educated, professional, nothing-to-hide individual/organization go to all of these lengths to suppress information? Wouldn’t they rather say, “Investigate to your heart’s content. We know these are beneficial. We have nothing to cover-up.”

…I think we all know the answer to that.

Fact checking is extremely important. I want to reiterate not to take everything at face value; no matter what you read, where you read it from, or who you hear it from. And to be clear, do not rely on “fact checking” websites to give you accurate information either. These are just as likely, (if not even more likely…), to feed false information and false debunking accounts to manipulate the reader. Please take everything into consideration before adhering to a certain narrative – and always keep your mind open to other possibilities.

Fair use disclaimer: Some of the links from this article are provided from different sources/sites to give the reader extra information and cite the sources, but does not necessarily mean that I endorse the contents of the site itself. Additionally, I have tried to provide links to the contents that I used from other sites as an educational and/or entertainment means only; if you feel that any information deserves further citation or request to be clarified, please let me know through the contact page.

Featured image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Adverse physical effects after vaccination

2021-10-10T10:36:00.001-07:00

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUptpqclrPL/

What is really killing people

2021-09-21T17:09:00.004-07:00

https://youtu.be/5wCf2X0kL90

COVID VACCINE

2021-05-24T16:04:00.005-07:00

https://www.infowars.com/posts/bombshell-nobel-prize-winner-reveals-covid-vaccine-is-creating-variants/

Near Death Experiences You Tube discussion

2020-12-29T16:04:00.002-08:00

https://youtu.be/X1Gf5hO2OD8

Former Kundalini Yoga Teacher Shares His Story

2020-12-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

https://www.spreaker.com/user/mxpw/former-kundalini-mike-shreve-audio

https://youtu.be/1QmVx8vrqvo

Dr. Joye Pugh interview

2020-10-15T21:25:00.003-07:00

https://youtu.be/kTLErwBF2KY

Transhumanism and the New World Order Agenda

2020-09-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

https://youtu.be/Y-A3u_TbyR8

Join Ja Nicholson of Nicholson1968.com (125,000 You Tube subscribers) and Jeri Kozak of Thai Girl 4 God Radio as we discuss transhumanism, clones, uploading consciousness to cloned bodies, Mark of the Beast, the Temple of God, DNA manipulation, fallen angels, demons, Nephilim, aliens, secret societies, etc. from a biblical worldview.

End Time Dreams: Zombies, Chem Trails, 9/11, Mark of the Beast, BLM, Rapture

2020-08-11T11:50:00.021-07:00

I just wanted to share something with you what’s been on my heart/mind for a long time. I have discussed various apocalyptic and end time dreams from the Lord in a prior podcast but I haven’t illustrated it before. Ever since I was about 15, I started having end-time dreams.

Believe me, I was not a Christian at age 15 and knew hardly anything about the Bible (was not raised a Christian) and was interested in typical teenage girl stuff: worldly things like high school, dances, music, movies, parties, friends, and boys. What I’m about to tell you was the furthest thing from my teenage girl mind:

I had this dream several times and I always wondered what it was about. The dream was that I was walking among zombies. I was alive in my spirit and was not ‘zombiefied’ but, to blend in and not be eaten by these zombies, I acted and talked like them (but didn’t think like them and was alive). Then, the dream morphed into finding others (a small group of people) who were also alive and not zombie-fied. We tried to help those who were zombies. We met together frequently to figure out a way to help them out of their state with a cure. So, the Lord showed me that, in hind sight, when I became a Christian at age 16, the zombies were a metaphor of those who are still dead in their sins and I was alive in Christ. Then, the other people who I met were others who were alive in Christ and we were trying to help those who were dead spiritually with the cure: by telling them about the Savior, Jesus Christ.

The second dream I had around that time, concurrently with the zombie dream was that I saw an airplane overhead emitting a gaseous fog. Then, the people on the ground started breaking out into rashes ands sores. I’ve prayed and wondered about this dream for years. This dream was about, quite possibly, the chem trails that people around the world have complained about as the cause of their rashes that have been caused by biological agents or genetically modified organisms that has caused a mystery illness (one that the medical community is slowly accepting or outright denying as real called Morgellons) in which the rashes have fibers growing out of them. They complain of crawling, biting, stinging, etc. I, myself, have suffered with these issues since 2010 but not the fibers but I’m praying for and believing for healing in Jesus’s name!

The third dream was in 2000 when I was 26 or 27. I was backslidden and Revelation and apocalyptic movies and images was the last thing on my mind. Did I read Revelation before this? Yes, years before as I was not, like I said, living for the Lord and backslidden at the time. I won’t go into detail about how I was backslidden but you can guess what a Prodigal Son (in this case, Prodigal Daughter) does. Perhaps God gave me these dreams when I wasn’t living for Him so nobody can claim, “Well, you dreamed this stuff because you were reading the Bible, specifically in Revelation!” someone might retort. Trust me. The way I was living then, the Bible/Revelation was the last thing on my mind! I dreamed that I was in an urban area on the street with sky scraper buildings all around. I looked into the ominous distance and the clouds were darkened due to locusts (and not clouds). I heard a low hum or buzz that grew increasingly louder as a hoard of locusts flew near.

I saw huge, gigantic locusts devouring everything: buildings and people and people were scrambling and running away from these demonic locusts as fast as they could. It was one of the more scarier dreams I’ve had. The Bible, in hind sight, states several times about locusts. It was always a judgement on fallen/sinful mankind. In Revelation 9:3 it states “and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.” Also, there are other scriptures that talk about locusts with the faces of men, hair like women, wings, breastplates of gold, etc. but I won’t get into those details because I didn’t see that in my dream. I just saw they were huge/gigantic locusts. Perhaps God may have been showing me 9/11 before it happened. A person may ask, “Then, if you knew it was about 9/11, why didn’t you warn somebody?” As if anyone would pay heed if I did tell someone! Plus, at the time I didn’t know what the dream was about.

If you’ve never seen a Zebra before but you dream of a black and white four-legged horse-like creature but you can’t figure out what the animal is but you can describe it and then later you actually go to the zoo or Africa and see a Zebra, your dream would make sense. Likewise, I think God was showing me, in hind sight, that the locusts symbolized the terrorists and the buildings and people that the locusts were devouring were the 9/11 victims. Ironically, the Koran talks about the locust as a sign of Allah’s favor upon Mohammed as a locust alights on him, interestingly enough. Did I know this stuff at that time of the dream? No, absolutely not.

Fast forward to 2013 before I became a Christian “truther” and found out about vaccines and the Nephilim. A dream I had November 1, 2013 (I remember the date because I posted it on Facebook the following morning) was that I was pressured by militarized government officials to receive an injection. I instinctively knew in the dream not to take it for some reason because I saw that the people who had received, willingly, the injection were brainwashed, controlled, and their heads were elongated and they were dwarfish. It made them something between human and creature for some reason. I fled the city with my husband to evade capture so I wouldn’t be forced to take the injection. I’m not saying that people will appear necessarily like the human hybrid creatures I saw in my dream: instead the change will be under the skin (genetic and spiritual changes). Just like the people around me didn’t look like zombies per se, but that was their spiritual condition.

Little did I know that the Corona Virus was going to become a pandemic or Plandemic to cause mandatory compliance to wear masks and then receive a vaccine eventually. How do the vaccines relate to what I just posted regarding the injection turning people into hybrids? The answer? Please watch https://youtu.be/GVd-T2dZD3I especially note time stamp 14:36 onwards.

After you watch the video, the rest of what I’m posting will make sense. If you don’t watch it, what I’m about to say next will not make sense.

In November 2014, my friend told me about the Nephilim in Genesis 6 that (paraphrased) states that the fallen angels saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and married who they chose and their children were the Nephilim/Giants. Anyhow, many people believe the Giants were all wiped out in the flood but there was a second incursion of the Giants/Nephilim in the land of Canaan (promised land) as well as Goliath (like in the biblical account of David and Goliath).

So, we don’t see extremely huge beings of 15 feet plus necessarily, but their hybrid blood (of fallen angel/human) is still in the gene pool and they are alive and well today. They are hidden/concealed among us. Anyhow, this is an extensive topic so it’s best to do your own research if you already haven’t regarding the Nephilim and how they are a cross-breed between human and fallen angel. The elongated heads in my dream, in hind sight, resemble the skulls of the Giants/Nephilim found in archaeology.

So, what is in this injection/vaccine that the powers that be want to inject everyone with and want people to demand it? What is in the vaccine that the powers that be (like Bill Gates teaming up and funding the CDC to deposit a tracking microchip within the vaccine) want to vaccinate 7.5 billion people the world over? Also, there’s an excellent article from Skywatch TV regarding how the vaccine may be the Mark of the Beast:

https://www.skywatchtv.com/2020/04/12/could-a-vaccine-really-produce-the-mark-of-the-beast-read-excerpts-from-two-best-selling-books-the-milieu-and-forbidden-gates/

A dream I had in 2015 was that I was in line to be martyred because I was not going to deny Christ and receive the Mark of the Beast and live with the temporary benefits (like being able to buy and sell) but then ultimately receiving the wrath of God in this life and in the next. There was another line parallel to mine of people waiting to receive the Mark of the Beast. There was a man that got out of our line to be martyred for Christ to receive the Mark of the Beast and I cried, pleading, and using scripture to persuade him to stay in this line and how if he receives the Mark of the Beast, he will be condemned in this life and in the next. Revelation 14:9-10:

9Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb

I woke up crying. It was one of the most intense and disturbing dreams from the Lord I have ever received.

Also, sometime late last year in 2019, I had a dream of a black panther (no, I didn’t watch the movie right before this) and that I was locked into a body outline cage around my silhouette hanging above an open flame. I felt that God was showing me the riots and protests of the Black Lives Matter movement (please do your research, if you haven’t already, to see that some rioters are paid off by George Soros to stir chaos and destruction). Also, I felt that the cage I was in was the fiery trial that I’m going to go through from current and future events.

A few nights ago, I had a dream of children in heaven somberly singing (in an unfamiliar song and melody I’ve never heard before) “war” in harmony and unison to a crescendo. I was puzzled as to what this could’ve meant. Yesterday, I believe God showed me what it meant when Canary Cry Radio put out a podcast called “The War on Children”: it was about childhood sexual abuse and child human trafficking. You can listen to it here:

https://www.listennotes.com/fi/podcasts/canary-cry-news-talk/war-on-children-Gw7xgzekVop/

Also, I wanted to leave you with this positive dream that was probably in 2015 while I was in Thailand. I had a dream I saw a big, beautiful boat that was giving off light/luminescence/glow. The boat contained the people that had given their lives to Jesus and accepted Him into their hearts and it was spiraling into the air (like a celestial, airborne Noah’s Ark) and I heard the loud, booming, authoritative voice of God that said 1 Corinthians 15:52: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

The Bible states in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 that “then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Ironically, I was born at 4:17 am. I wonder if the Lord is trying to show me that this in indication of the rapture that’s in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Here’s a diagram that shows the timeline of biblical prophecy and events including the rapture.

There’s some people that state the rapture is not a biblical concept because the word “rapture” isn’t in the Bible. It’s not, but if you use deductive reasoning from 1 Thessalonians 4:17 as well as Matthew 24 how (paraphrased) that two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill: one will be taken and the other left. Basically, the Bible is stating this is the rapture or being “caught up” to meet the Lord. So, why would we need to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air if this is the same thing as Jesus’s second coming? Jesus would be coming down for the second coming whereas these scriptures state that we will be snatched or caught up like a “thief in the night” which is different from when “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him!” (Revelation 1:7).

Really, it’s up to us as to if we want to live our lives ready for Jesus like the 5 wise virgins in Matthew 25 verses 1 to 13 ready for our groom’s (Jesus) return or are we like the 5 foolish virgins who are not ready for the groom to return? If we are not ready, we will face the Great Tribulation, which I pray, dear reader, will not be your fate.

The Mask 😷 Cult

2020-08-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Check out my friend’s podcast about masks!

Masks, Vaccines and the Depopulation Agenda

2020-07-30T11:52:00.018-07:00

To wear a mask or to not wear a mask, that is the question. It has definitely divided the nation and the world. Some believe the narrative that is pushed by the media: it is best to protect oneself and the people around you with a mask. Then, there are some people that believe alternatively: if you wear a mask, this is counterproductive to health, actually amplifying the viral load within the mask that you breathe in and infecting yourself even further with your own carbon dioxide.

People that don’t want wear a mask usually also believe that it is against our constitutional rights and it is about control rather than public safety and health. Will I wear a mask to enter a store or a restaurant? I would rather not because I fall into the latter camp. I would rather not wear one because it is against our civil liberties and it is ineffective anyway. There have been experiments that show that if a person coughs or sneezes through the typical mask that people wear,it goes straight through.

The pro-maskers want to, supposedly, amplify the protection the mask wearer has by telling them to sneeze or cough in the corner of their elbow. They also say that if two people are wearing a mask, that greatly decreases the transmission of it.

I don’t doubt that there is a Corona virus that has been manipulated in a laboratory that has not been unleashed in humanity before, however, there are so many viruses, bacteria, and parasites that have a far deadlier/lethal component and higher mortality rate statistically but they are not highlighted in the media. So, the reason why I believe that the statistics are exaggerated and skewed in the media is because people have come forward in the medical profession stating that they have been approached with a monetary incentive (anywhere from $12,000 to $38,000) to skew the statistics of positive COVID-19 cases. I have a text message from a friend saying that somebody in his family who is in the medical profession was approached with an incentive of $12,000 to skew the COVID-19 results. Also, a friend of Vall Owens said that he walked into a clinic, didn’t take the nasal swab test and walked out. Then, he received a notification that he has COVID-19.

Also, the common cold/flu is a type of Corona virus. If a person has contracted the common cold then they will rule it as COVID-19. If a person dies who has been in contact, allegedly, with somebody who has it, they rule the cause of death as COVID-19. Things are not as they seem. Someone told me many years ago to believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see. I didn’t understand that statement until just recently.

We have to realize that the people that are the global elite who want to depopulate the earth down to 500 million (see Georgia Guide Stones expose video) want to do so by utilizing vaccines as one of their methods. Reference Bill Gates Ted Talk in 2010 in this video below:

He actually said that population reduction will occur through the use of vaccines. A lot of people don’t realize that vaccines contain heavy metals and biological organisms that shouldn’t be in the body and, believe it or not, aborted fetal parts. It’s horrifying to say the least. Why do they want to inject something that is lethal in us? The answer is the world is run by Luciferian, satanic global elite people from the top. If you do your research, you will see that they have an agenda which is to depopulate the earth through any means necessary. Vaccines are just one of the examples. Some other people have said chem trails, abortions, genetically modified food, and eventually World War III.

Lastly, the persecution/slaughter of anybody who will not comply with the New World Order, specifically those who live for Jesus. The reason why they want to target Christians is because eventually there will be a mandate to comply with worshiping the Anti-Christ/Anti-Messiah and receiving the Mark of the Beast (microchip implant with biometric and financial data, I believe) who will rise to prominence and preeminence as the solution/remedy/cure for all mankind‘s problems (see Revelation 13:16-17 (16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name) and Revelation 20:4: (And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years). So, for those who do not worship the One World leader, we will be seen as dysfunctional dissidents, counterrevolutionaries, and subversive to the harmony of a one world unification/ecumenism/government.

So, the mask as well as the vaccines that will be eventually mandated to enter establishments, workplaces, etc. will be mandated as a means to the depopulation end. They do not have your best interest in mind. Even though they have the guise, persona, and outward appearance of caring for humanity, do your research and see that the United Nations actually said that nobody will be able to enter the New World order unless they worship Lucifer.

Anyhow, I wanted to share information from another news site who stated speculation why we are forced to wear masks to enter establishments and walk in public. Heck, they even want us to wear the dreaded muzzle in our cars, houses, etc. So, this author from another alternative news agency said that the possible reason why they want us to wear a mask is because the global elite who are Luciferians draw their occult mystical religion from Egyptian mysticism/mythology and they want us to unknowingly participate in an occult ritual.

Basically, when the Egyptian occultists who were in that society would have a birth or death, they would wear a mask. The pharaohs all wore masks. So, he said the reason why they’re forcing us to wear a mask is to unknowingly participate in an occult ceremony which is the death of Christianity and the birth of the New World Order. It does make sense given that they don’t have our best interest in mind and want us to follow their plans like lemmings off of a cliff. Hopefully, dear reader, rather than being a lemming, that you would run the other direction towards truth and liberty.

A dream I had in 2013 long before the pandemic:

I'm podcasting now!

2016-10-17T22:04:00.007-07:00

Please check out YouTube.com/user/thaigirl4god

Hi everyone! Click to view You Tube photo montage of our trip to Vermont, New Hampshire & Montreal

2014-07-28T19:46:00.002-07:00

Click to view our 11 year anniversary photo montage

Hello world!

2014-04-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hi, I haven't blogged in a while because I changed my phone # and phone and, of course, Google set it up so that I had to receive a special code in order to access my blog. So, it's not that I didn't want to blog...it's that I couldn't until now: a year and a half later approximately.

Our Thailand Trip Dec. 28th to Jan. 19th

2013-01-21T20:09:00.001-08:00

“Wai” hug?

In America, people who haven’t seen each other for any length of time usually hug (the intensity and duration of the hug is usually parallel with the length of time the huggers haven’t seen each other). As some of you may know, my mother died in 1986 and, since then, I have only seen my aunties and cousins twice since then (once in 2001 and the second time, a few days ago in Bangkok) on my mother’s side of the family. In spite of this, I knew that my aunties who were raised old school Thai would only “wai” (hands placed together with fingers pointing up with a slight bow) to the only niece of their beloved sister whom they had scarcely seen in 30 years. I had to shift affection gears from my huggy self and only did a “wai” when I saw the aunties. One auntie, in particular, who is the youngest of my mother’s sisters looked especially like my mother. I just couldn’t refrain myself and I had to hug her and she hugged me back. Growing up as an American girl had molded me into a huggy person (when I first meet them after a long conversation or if I hadn’t seen them in a few weeks, months or years). I missed my aunties (even though they spoke very little English and I speak minimal Thai: we communicated by“Thaienglish” – a combo of Thai and English) and I “wai’d” them out of respect. One even drove several hours just to visit with me and I knew I only could “wai” her. Perhaps one of these days, the Thais can also join the westernized form of affection and give a half-“wai” and half-hug: like a “wug” or something. Perhaps bowing with one hand and using the other arm to hug the beloved family or friend. Maybe I should start a “wug” trend for the younger Thai generation?

Paying for Squatty Potties and BYOTP

I never heard the term “squatty potty” until a few years ago. I wish I had known this phrase to describe squatting while performing one’s business in the restroom, bathroom, loo, or w.c. Raised in the U.S., I had taken the luxury of sitting down on the porcelain receptacle for granted. One can usually read the newspaper, read a chapter of a book, take a call on the cell phone, etc. all from the comfort of the porcelain throne. Not so in most restrooms that have squatty potties in Thailand. When Thailand became more westernized and modernized (usually upscale homes and establishments), they replaced the squatty potty with the toilet. I am truly relieved (in more ways than one) when I see a modern toilet in which I can rest on and become disconcerted when I see the dreaded squatty potty: both because it’s truly uncomfortable for me to balance and also because toilet paper usually is not within reach (or usually not available at all) which brings me to the second point. Most establishments (especially gas stations) that are older (built before the 2000’s) don’t offer toilet paper in the loo. In lieu of the toilet paper in the loo, they might (if you’re lucky) have a single roll of toilet paper on the outside of the entrance of the “rest”room (called “hong nam” which literally means “room of water”). So, you’re basically forced to prepare for your bathroom business by detaching from communal toilet paper and, heaven forbid, you should run out of the toilet paper after you perform your duty. Most people bring toilet paper with them in their purse or satchel wherever they go. Ted and I have joined the toilet-paper-toting Thai masses. Some places charge 5 or 10 bahts (30 bahts equal $1 USD) to use the toilet. Now, I can understand if they charge 5 or 10 bahts to use a sit-down toilet, but for a squatty potty (in which you have to flush the squatty potty manually with a bowl full of water floating in a nearby basin), the concept is pretty crappy, quite literally. Alas, it does cost money to operate the lights, water, etc. of a bathroom, so one has to pay the (bathroom) piper somehow. Ted and I actually considered nearby trees, bushes or fields considering the alternative to pay for usage of the toilet. Now, I realize that establishments – due to vagrants who would actually camp out in the bathroom just to drink the water from the faucet and have a roof over their heads – actually charge a nominal amount of money not only for operating costs, but to stave them off so that they do not scare away paying patrons.

It’s All Thai To Me

It’s interesting that there are several ways to say the same thing in English versus in Thai language (usually the phrasing/words are conceptual). For instance, if you wanted to ask how much the cost of an item is in English, you would typically ask, “How much is that?”, “What is the cost of that?” or “What is the price of that?”, “How much does that cost?” or something similar. In Thai, two words capture the thought, feeling or notion: “Talay, ka?” (or “kup” if you’re a man). Talay means “price”. I can understand why people, whose English is a second language, have a difficult time with grasping the English language because of all of our phraseology: adjectives, adverbs, verbs, nouns, pronouns, etc. Even after all these years, I have to keep apologizing to Thai people that even though I’m of Thai origin, I can barely speak it (and definitely can’t write it or read it). In the last several years, my dad has sent me 3 or 4 Thai language CD’s (wanting me to get in touch with my Thai roots so I can communicate effectively and so that family members can stop pestering him as to the reason why I can’t speak Thai fluently). Each time, I have had some reason why I couldn’t study the CD. I am going to make a concerted effort to learn Thai so people don’t have to switch to “Thaienglish” when they talk to me.

Confrontation and Courtesy

I notice that in the U.S., people are much more confrontational (they will confront you if you walk, drive, or speak too fast/too slow, do things differently than them, etc.). Here they basically just live and let live, which is not to say that people don’t get into arguments. People argue, but they don’t normally argue or yell out to strangers. In America, if a person cuts another person off while driving or cut in front of them while in line, someone will hear an ear-full. In Thailand, this is not the case. They just basically feel that if they are cut in front of while driving or walking, the other person must have a good reason. Amazing how different cultures are. In America, there’s more individualistic thinking and in Asia (and other countries) there’s more collectivistic thinking (doing things for the greater good of one’s culture or family).

One thing I found interesting is that each hotel or store that we went to, people were more than accommodating to my dad and stepmom and even took several minutes (or hours) to converse in a jovial manner. Whether we were in an upscale community or the slums, people treated us the same: with respect and courtesy and were more than willing to shoot the breeze with us.

Foreigner Two

Even though I am 100% Thai, I still get curious looks (Ted and I both do) from Thai onlookers who can’t decide if I’m half-white and half-Thai or half-Thai and half-something-else. Perhaps it’s my height. Perhaps it’s my weight (I’m in the correct BMI at 140 pounds, but a little curvier than most Thai girls/women). Perhaps it’s both. Even when I speak Thai, the Thais switch their language to “Thaienglish” so I can understand. Maybe it’s my semi-puzzled or “deer-in-the-headlights” look when I try to decipher 50% of what they are saying. Ted naturally gets looks because blonde hair/blue eyes is not usual in a sea of black/brown hair and brown eyes. It’s interesting that Asians are still the minority in the U.S. and even more so in Florida (in which there are only .5% Thais and 2% Asians total) and people think I’m Latina usually so I don’t really garner curious looks. Here, we both do. It has made us wonder: “Do we look funny to them?” “Is something on our face?” “Are we not blending in enough?” The answer to why people are looking at us is simply that we look, behave, and speak differently from the Thais. It was humorous that at a New Year’s Eve party, a Burmese man walked up to Ted and shook his hand (in the evening) and said, “Good morning, sir!” He was honored to shake the hand of an American (whom he thought, naturally, was a missionary or a teacher (which is what the Thais presume most “fulungs” are in Thailand).

My Kup Runneth Over

Ted wondered why men say “kup” and the women say “ka” at the end of almost every sentence. In polite and courteous Thai conversation, one can hear “ka” or “kup” several times. For instance (like certain other languages) men and women start or end their sentences according to their gender: men say “Sawadee kup” and women say “Sawadee ka” for “hello”. Men say “Kup koon kup” and the women say “Kup koon ka” for “thank you”. My father would say “kup” several times while speaking on his cell phone to family and friends. Out of curiosity, Ted asked what this meant. I said, “It basically means a combination of how southerners in the U.S. say “Yes, sir”/“Yes, ma’am” and “If you please” at the end of their conversation or every few sentences. In fact, if they don’t say “kup” or “ka” at the end of every other sentence, it’s considered brash, bold and rude.

Driving us up the wall

New York….LA….Chicago….Miami…when drivers think of the “Carmageddon” that usually occurs in rush hour traffic, they shudder. Bangkok is 10 times worse. Not only do they drive on the left side of the street (like England), but they also drive on the right side of the car. Talk about becoming disoriented. When I got in the car with my father sitting on the right front seat and Ted sitting in the left front seat, I was shocked that Ted wanted to drive in the Bangkok bedlam, but then I realized that my dad was the driver because he was seated on the right. In a discombobulated mass of confusion and chaos, tuk-tuk drivers (the word “tuk tuk” means “suffer suffer” in Thai and I can see why. The guests sit in the back of what resembles a golf-cart with slight railings to keep the patrons inside and the driver who sits up front drives a motorcycle. It’s like a motorcycle-golf-cart of chaos with no seatbelts, taxis (non-seat-belted, of course), motorcycle taxis, bicyclists, and busses zipping and whipping back and forth. In spite of the hustle and bustle, drivers are relatively calm and even compassionate. Hardly anybody honks at another person (like in the U.S.A. in which people just honk if you look at them funny) unless the other driver does something egregious or to let the other driver know that you are next to them. They seem to accommodate one another and hardly ever cut each other off. As we hang on for life and limb in my dad’s car ride in Bangkok (that would rival a Universal Studios ride), we thank God for arriving safely to our destinations (with the help of “Nancy”, our GPS guide).

Superstitions and Sanitation

I was dining with my dad, stepmom and husband (Ted) at “The Floating Restaurant” near the Bridge at the River Kwai (the site where the Japanese forced WWII POW’s to build the bridge, resulting in multitudes of heroic soldiers’ deaths from the UK and the United States). As we were dining (for dinner) I had a crab salad and beef kabob. I then felt a splash on the left side of my wrist. To my utter disgust was a black liquid substance resembling bird manure on my wrist. I was hoping it was something other than bird manure. I was wrong. I looked up and, confirming my repulsion, were little birds perched on the rafters, jutting back and forth. I was taken aback at the thought that these little birds were allowed to perch (there wasn’t much that the Thai restaurant staff could do to prevent these little birds from doing their unwelcome business in and on the restaurant patrons and their food) there without some type of Thai FDA shut-down and red-tape. Alas, part of the ambience is that it is an outdoor restaurant. My dad and stepmom – even though I was repulsed and shocked and squealed: “Eeeeeeewwww! A bird crapped on my wrist!” They were laughing with delight and said, “Chokedee!” (meaning that being crapped on by a bird or any other animal was a form of “good luck” and that the powers that be would bless me with a large sum of money) and encouraged me to play the lottery. Even in jest, they were serious. In Asian superstition, if someone has a dream (or in reality) that they are immersed in crap (whether the crapper is animal or human) then it foretells of an auspicious amount of money that is about to be bestowed upon the crappee. So, the next time someone says that they are “crapped on” by someone (as a figure of speech), the Asian notion is that they will be finally fortunate, indeed. My father also told me about the instance in the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” in which the main character falls into a puddle of human excrement and, hilariously enough, uses it to his advantage to repel the doting fans of his favorite action movie hero so he could obtain his autograph. Will I win a large sum of money? Only time will tell. If I do, I will also thank God for His blessings that the bird didn’t crap into the food that I was previously eating before I hastily shoved it away. If it did, as the adage goes: “more protein”!

When I was a child living in Thailand in the early 80’s, I took no thought of eating from street vendors in Thailand and I lived to tell about it. Just like in the U.S., they sell food on carts. The only huge difference is that the food vendors are not required to obtain a food or vendor license or FDA approval (to sell food or any other belongings on the street, for the most part). Considering that all a person needs is a cart, a way to store the unprepared food (usually the unprepared food is stored at outside temperatures, which is a breeding ground for bacteria and the like. Rarely do I see the beef, chicken, or fish on ice) and a way to cook it (with or without adequate sanitation) the prospect of eating from a vendor can be truly risky. Each time my family, husband and I walked the streets of Bangkok, I was so tempted to purchase fish ball skewers (pureed fish rolled up in a ball, a little larger than the size of a big gumball) I would mention, longingly, how I wanted to purchase them at a little less than 50 cents USD. Seeing that I was determined to live on the edge and buy a fish ball skewer anyway, as a cautionary warning, my father told me how most vendors leave their carts outside when they retire for the evening and then the scavenger rats come and lick the equipment and the food (of course, the vendors, unbeknownst to them of the previous night’s rodent feast, just continue vending in the morning). He performed an experiment in such that he left a soup ladle inside his own kitchen and a huge rat - the size of a New York sewer rat or a tiny dog, as he described - emerged from the crevices of the wall and then lapped up the remaining soup residue off the ladle.

In an unrelated event, we were at a New Year’s Eve party that one of my father’s friends held and the servers continued to bring out Chinese-inspired Thai dishes. My father, in particular, warned us to be careful because some “fulungs” (foreigners to Thailand of the Caucasian persuasion) have actually died because of food poisoning due to uncooked or undercooked meats. Ted, erring on the cautious side, decided to eschew the seafood-laden salad in spite of my pleadings that it was ok. My father also said that the safest bet – in terms of sanitary food – was to eat at a restaurant. Considering there isn’t any FDA intervention, is it a safer bet? I wonder what the USFDA would have to say about the little birds in the rafters and their protein-adding behavior at the outdoor restaurant? Needless to say, we ate our dinner gingerly, eyeing every meal with suspicion after that.

Tummy Troubles

Unfortunately, since the 7^th day of our visit, I’ve succumbed to the “deli belly” of Thailand. One morning a few days ago, I knew that the food of my culture (that is adored by the culinary world) had caused my stomach to turn upside down with gurgling, burbling, nausea, pains and alas, had given me “issues” so to speak. Tummy troubles in a foreign country (in which 90% of the toilets are squatty potties) is especially troublesome, let alone in your home country. I’ve been battling this digestive dragon with apple cider vinegar ever since the culprit has colonized my colon. Two steps forward and two steps back. If you’ve ever had apple cider vinegar, it is not for the faint of stomach because holding one’s nose can give you minimal relief from the acidic smell and the taste of it thereof. I’ve been drinking about ½ cup 3 times per day and I can feel the apple cider vinegar actually clean my stomach only to have my stomach retaliate with new food. I just have to remember that “this too shall pass” and I hope quite literally pass through my gastrointestinal system soon! Thankfully, my father was prescribed antibiotics by a doctor two years ago for such a time as food poisoning….and saved my stomach (along with Thai super yogurt, loaded with friendly stomach bacteria).

We Are Family

We were so blessed that my cousins, uncles, and aunts got together with us for a wedding reception (10 years later or an early 10-year wedding anniversary party. You can take your pick whichever one you choose that sounds the best J). I actually had no idea of the heart-felt connection I had with them even though I am not fluent in Thai. We all ate a la carte meals of tasty Thai dishes including yum nua (beef salad), fried fish (bla tod), coconut chicken soup (tom kha gai), etc. Thai food can be a commonality in the U.S., but authenticity is unusual. To top it off, my uncles had stood up and had given us a commemorative speech (my father being the Thai to English translator and vice versa) about how they all welcomed us to Thailand (and Ted to the Kawewong family) and congratulated us for our 10-year wedding anniversary (or late 10-year reception). There was live music in the background and, unbeknownst to me, they expected me to sing karaoke (of course I didn’t mind because I enjoy it) in spite of my forewarnings that my best singing originates from the shower and not from a stage. I sang “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis Presley. Yes, I became Peachy Presley (my nickname for the night). My dad immediately followed with a Thai love song. One of my uncles followed suit with a karaoke Thai love song of his own. They also presented us with a beautiful (and tasty!) cake that had coconut filling. It was a wonderful evening filled with family love and laughter. Each set of my uncles/aunts/cousins also topped the evening off with monetary gifts for our anniversary. It definitely was an unexpected, pleasant occasion!

Borders, Burma, and Boat Rides

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXWiYq1hLRA&feature=youtu.be

My stepmom decided to stay in the car because she was feeling sick and tired while my dad, Ted and I took a boat across the Mekong River that separates Laos and Thailand. A few things made us feel a bit nervous: the fact that Laos is a communist country, but does allow foreigners to visit for commerce at the flea market at the border and the boat that took us across the river was literally a small motor boat. When we got to the border of Laos and Thailand, we were given orange life-preserver vests and, to my surprise, it was not a water taxi (barge that can fit several dozen people), it was a canoe-looking motor/speed boat. I was unprepared for the rough ride as we were sprayed by river water (to my dismay since I dressed up in a dress, hose, and heels because I thought we were going to stay in the city and meet my cousins/uncles/aunts on my dad’s side at a Thai restaurant first). I was half-expecting to – by accident – tip over into the Mekong River so I was holding onto my purse (which contains my U.S. and Thai passports) and snuggly pressed my feet against the boat side so my shoes wouldn’t fly off into the water. Despite my concerns, we arrived safely at the other side to Laos. There was a man who helped dock the boat (by simply reaching out his hand and pulling the boat closer). My dad made the mistake of giving him $100 baht. Concerned, I asked my dad why he didn’t tip the “boat chauffer” and he said it “was the same company”. Looking closer at the man who pulled the boat closer, I saw that he was homeless with rotted teeth and tattered clothing. My dad just “tipped” a Laotian beggar instead of the boat chauffer! We laughed about this and then we were greeted by poor Laotian children who kept chanting “Hoy baht! Hoy baht!” as they were panhandling, looking for $100 baht (equivalent of about a day’s wages in Laos and $3.50 in USD). My dad also gave a few bahts to the children and then when we saw the Laos border office, a sign stated: “Do not give begging children money.” I can imagine why as, unfortunately, traffickers take advantage of children – knowing full-well that tourists feel sympathy for the children and take all the children’s money that they panhandled in exchange for agreeing not to physically abuse or kill them or their family members at worst. Ted and I were tense because – in addition to being eyed and stared at by SE Asians for looking/acting/talking differently – they seemed to be sizing us up (especially Ted) as a “rich” foreigner who is useful for spending cash on the wares that they were hocking at the border Laotian flea market or giving money to panhandlers. After I bought a purse/backpack for $570 bahts (equivalent of $18) and Ted bought a few souvenirs, we were eager for the boat ride back to Thailand.

When we went to Burma, there were numerous checkpoints in which we (my dad and I) had to show our temporary Thai border pass. We only had to pay $30 baht at the Thai border and $10 baht at Myanmar (the official SE Asian name for Burma) and Ted (feeling price-gouged due to his “fulung” status) had to pay $500 bahts. In contrast to our visit to Laos, they actually held Ted’s passport at the border patrol office until he left, which made him feel very nervous and insecure, considering that he wouldn’t be able to get help from a U.S. embassy if he needed it and wouldn’t be able to fly back home to Florida. In contrast to Laos, children weren’t panhandling us; however, we were greeted, this time, by many cigarette vendors (Burmese men – and few women – that carried a basket-full of cigars and cigarettes in front of them). One man actually became fairly aggressive to Ted and tried to persuade him (as he looks like a “rich” foreigner) to buy cigarettes. In irritation, as we were walking through the crowds and vendors, Ted retorted, “I DON’T SMOKE!” The man backed off and said, “Oh. No speak English?” then the vendor tried to persuade me by touching my arm and uttering something in Thai and I said, “My ow, ka” – meaning “I don’t want it, but thanks.” Ted (and not me as much) was tense and terse in Burma as my dad – in a relaxed state – bought Burmese movies (movies that are for the SE Asian DVD system but not for U.S. usage) at a cheap price. When we crossed over the border, the Burmese officials asked Ted what hotel he was staying at tonight and, since we were driving three hours to my parents’ house in Chiangmai, he beckoned me over (after my dad and I crossed) to tell the officials the address of where he was staying (thankfully, I was gazing at the scenario from a distance). Concerned, I ran over to my dad and told him to tell the Burmese officials his home address (or else they wouldn’t let Ted go!). We were very relieved to walk back to Thailand.

Along Came A Spider

Many people have folklore about the size and ferocity of Southeast Asian insects such as the large flying red and black ants, moths, etc. Ted, however, was a bit suspicious of the rumors of large insects until this morning. We stayed at a cottage lodge in Chang Saen (sp?) and Ted was about to take a shower when he nonchalantly walked out of the restroom and told me to call my father on his cell phone to ask him if we could use his shower. Puzzled, I asked him why? He responded that he is glad that he is a calm person and that he will notify me after I call my father. Apparently, while he was shaving, he saw a huge, black spot out of the corner of his eye – thinking that it was a trail of ants on the bathroom wall (as is their usual behavior). Unfortunately, it turned out to be a gargantuan spider the size of the length of my hand (about eight inches in diameter). I ran outside to tell my father because he wasn’t answering his cell phone and my dad beckoned a hotel employee to get rid of it. I saw a Thai employee with a broom approach our room and Ted balked at the idea that a broom could rid us of the unwanted bathroom guest. I decided to wait outside when the young woman came out with the remains of the Godzilla spider scrunched up in a napkin. It takes a lot for Ted to become choked up and usually has no problem squashing a bug inside our house (regular North American size pest) so I realize that this spider (although I didn’t see it with my own eyes) must have been rather imposing if he wanted to switch restrooms with my parents to shower.

Bargaining in Bangkok and Floating Foreigners

We went to the world famous “Floating Market” (in Thai it is called “Dallat Nam” which translated literally is “Market of Water” in which people pay a water boat “chauffer” to use a motor-operated boat or paddle through the rivers teeming with wide-eyed foreigners and their Thai hosts looking for a deal). Stores are built on stilts in which vendors sit from 8am to 12pm selling their (usually) hand-made products. You can purchase souvenirs such as Thai novelty dolls, jewelry, clothes, purses, bags, fruits, food, etc. for a third or fourth the cost of what you’d pay at an indoor mall. Most of the items don’t have a label with a price listed on them because everything at this curious floating flea market is up for bargaining. My stepmother (“Lek”) drives a hard-bargain. She’ll usually cut them down to 25% to 50% of their cost and – as opposed to me who gives in too easily – will walk away if she doesn’t get her way. She will ask “Tumaye pang?” which means “Why so expensive?” She usually will bend if they charge her about 10 bahts (and no more) above her asking price. She could teach a class called “Bargaining in Bangkok”! Kudos to my stepmom. J For a little lady, she can pack a discounting punch! Almost everything is up for bargaining (even hotel rates) unless the person you’re bargaining with doesn’t have any clout and is an employee with no leverage power.

Fish Therapy?

The first time I saw fish therapy was in the movie “Mirror, Mirror” with Julia Roberts (in which she plays the nefarious stepmother of Snow White who seeks to woo a prince with bizarre beauty treatments, including a bee-sting on the lips and scorpion stings on the skin for collagen increase, and being slathered with bird manure to soften and detoxify the skin which, I found out, is also a modern-day treatment for the wealthy) and one of the pampering treatments she gives herself is a fish-nibbling manicure. We were all amused at the night bazaar (it should be called night “bizarre”, which is a fancy way of saying Thai “flea market” with the various vendors selling food, clothing, etc.) when we spotted two large aquariums (probably 100 gallons at least) full of tiny fish and a Caucasian young male tourist with his legs/feet reclining in the tank with the little fish nipping at the dead skin on his feet and legs. Apparently, there are certain fish that only find dead skin and callouses a delicacy. The Thai vendor of this curious “fish therapy” charged around 300 bahts or so (around $10 USD, but I honestly don’t remember accurately) for a dip in this aquatic pedicure environment. I said the word for “dirty” in Thai (which is “soak-a-poke”, humorously enough) to my parents and my stepmom agreed. Basically, if you paid for this curious therapy, you would be soaking your feet in an aquarium that probably doesn’t get cleaned out often in which dozens of other tourists have also soaked their legs and feet. Again, the USFDA would be fit to be tied (or should it be “fish to be tied”?) because the fish could spread harmful microorganisms from one customer to the next. Eeeeewwww! It does sound a bit relaxing and I was tempted, but after I concluded that the hygiene of this therapy was fishy, I quickly stopped fishing for my bahts to waste.

Cold Temperatures in Thailand?

Through connections, my parents were invited (for free!) for a stay at the Inthanon National Park. I was forewarned by my dad to bring cold weather clothing. Semi-balking at the idea that Thailand could be cold, I brought minimal clothing for frigid temperatures because I thought “cold Thailand” was an oxymoron. Situated at the highest peak of Thailand, the temperatures plummeted to the coldest I’ve ever felt (and have never felt) in Thailand. I thought it was curious that the country Thai folk were wearing cozy hats, scarves, gloves, clothing, etc. for cold temps. Realizing that I was in for a rude temperature awakening, I bought a pair of socks. Little did I know it was 0 degrees Celsius and when we sat outside our lodge, we could see our breath. The impossible was made possible as I have always thought that Thailand was almost unbearably and intolerably hot and humid in the summer (when I’ve always visited). To our dismay, the lodge we all were staying at did not contain any heater. Just a medium-thick blanket on the bed was all that shielded us from the cold. The bed was the hardest and firmest we’ve ever felt in our life. It was a little softer than a box-spring. In fact, I think it was just a box-spring. I had leggings and sweats on, socks, two pairs of sweaters, a jacket, and a fuzzy hat and I was still cold, as the cold reached its icy fingers to my body inside the bedroom of the lodge. Of course, I’ve felt 30 to 40 degree temperatures in the U.S. and Canada (and colder), but I was astonished by the plummeting temperatures in one of the hottest countries in the globe. We were surprised that we slept a wink while shivering. Thankfully, my parents had three extra sleeping bags and loaned us two on top of the blankets that we had. I couldn’t figure out if it was better to put a blanket on the bottom of the bed to make the stone-bed softer or put it on top of me. It was a beautiful, picturesque, scenic, mountainous area with a stunning view, but we were glad to thaw out in Chiangmai, a south-ward city.

This Is Your Brain on Opium

When Ted told me that my dad was going to drop us off at the Hall of Opium (an opium museum), I didn’t know what to think. It sounded as if the museum was praising the virtues of illegal opium usage and nothing could be further from the truth. The Hall of Opium (considered “edutainment”: educational and entertainment) was built about ten years ago and there’s a luxury hotel on the premises. I was stunned to observe, along the walls, various posters, documentaries, mannequins, artifacts, etc. to illustrate the detrimental (and some beneficial results from morphine usage in the medical field) effects of the psychotropic poppy flower, which blocks pain receptors and increases endorphin (pleasure hormones) uptake. How people get addicted is that the absence of the Opium (or any drug) causes such severe withdrawal symptoms that people will risk everything to get the next euphoric high from it. It was an anti-drug commercial on steroids at the impressive Hall of Opium. It was a cautionary warning museum mandated by the King of Thailand and the royal family themselves. The opening to the museum was a long, dimly-lit hall with wood carvings of grotesque, tortured faces and bodies, showing the torment of Opium addicts. Out of all the poppy species, only one poppy creates Opium. There were illustrations of Opium usage (medicinal and addictive) throughout history that stretched mainly in Southeast and Far East Asia (especially in Siam – the traditional name of Thailand – Burma/Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, the border of China, etc.). There were wars and battles fought, commerce and merchants that had opium dens (in which customers would recline on an uncomfortable, angular, porcelain pillow and wood “bed” to make the Opium addict uncomfortable while they smoked in a reclining position to make room for the next customer), labor, farming, laws passed mandating its usage and criminalizing users and vendors (especially in Siam as early as the 15^th century), etc…..all in the name of Opium. There was also an illustration of the penalties and criminalization that occurs in modern countries (the U.S. being the most lax concerning usage and dealing, including financial penalties and various lengths of prison time for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd offenses. The most serious penalty is life in prison) such as in Singapore and other Asian countries: possession and usage results in death or life in prison. No pass, go or collecting $200. Any possession and/or usage of the drug will cost that abuser or pusher dearly with their life. No wonder why Singaporeans have the least drug problems in the world. Another area showed modern-day illustrations and photos of some ways people who have smuggled Opium into and out of countries such as cutting open the torso of a Teddy Bear and filling it with bags of Opium, soaking peaches or clothing in it and then boiling them and taking it off the top of the water, filling condoms with it and then having the perpetrator swallow the condoms in hopes that they will pass through their gastrointestinal system out the other end (often times, the smuggler will die because the gastric juices will eat away at the condom lining, releasing the lethal dosage of Opium into their system), and other means. Close to the exit were photos and newspaper articles of famous people and celebrities infamous for their drug addictions which have died due to overdose (very politically incorrect according to the U.S.). At the exit, there were pillars that were etched with a spiritual proverb, including one from the Bible, interestingly enough, about self-control and restraint versus indulgence and moral laxity. Overall, it was an informative, yet unsettling visual of the history of Opium usage.

A Mouse By The House

My parents live in a beautiful house that’s on a quasi-farm in Chiangmai (Northern Thailand, about 4 hours away from Bangkok). There are hens, roosters, and baby chicks roaming around, crowing at all hours of the day (and night, to our surprise. Thankfully, we had ear-plugs). There are several koi in a pond by the entrance to the door in which there is a small wooden bridge that crosses over it. In the morning, before our trek to another city, I decided to explore their backyard. My stepmom had stated there was a “noo” (Thai word for mouse) in a cage outside. I have had mice, rats, and rabbits for pets and would love to have a ferret as a pet. Delighted to see their pet mouse, my pet-loving mental balloon burst as they promptly told me that the cage was a mouse trap. Inside, I saw what appeared to be a large field mouse with brown, black, and white markings. It looked rather content in the cage with the piece of food that was set inside to trap the poor little rodent. My dad said that he was going to just leave the mouse in the cage to let it die/starve to death during our 2-day trip to Chiangrai to see my uncles, aunts, and cousins and visit Burma and Laos. I intervened and said, “No! You can’t just leave him in the cage to die! He doesn’t even have any water!” Then he told me that my stepmom – seeing how distressed I was – said that they were going to take him with us to the foot-hills en route to our destination and set him free. Seeing this was a better alternative than starving and becoming dehydrated, I was relieved. My parents had cut open a large water bottle and placed the mouse inside it and taped it shut (and even poked a few holes for it to breathe). The “noo” (in the large water bottle) had the sentence of death and fear etched into its little face and I felt sympathy for it. I then placed it in a plastic bag and put it in the back of the truck. When we arrived in the foot-hills, my dad removed the tape from the water bottle and it jumped out and ran for its life into the bushes. It didn’t even turn back to have a bite of the banana that I placed in front of the bottle! Free at last! My dad did advise me that when they catch mice with the mouse trap (a metal cage about 10 inches in length, in which the opening shuts when it senses vibrations), they usually set it free like they just did, but sometimes if they get lazy they would leave it in the cage with its last supper until it dies. They don’t even ask the mouse what it wants for its final meal. ;) I hope that by my intervention that they will continue to drive the rascals to the hills so that they are no longer considered city vermin, but country mice in which they fend for themselves.

Thai Food

My relatives can create Thai culinary dishes from their own cranium without having to read instructions or to follow directions on a packet of Thai food mixture (like I do). My auntie made the highly coveted (by us, at least) Thai appetizer when she visited (my stepmom’s sister, Auntie Chaunpit, who is a Thai cook/chef) which is the chicken satay with peanut sauce (she soaked the pieces of chicken – to be grilled on skewers – in a tasty marinade all night). Usually these are about 5 skewers for about $8 to $10 in the U.S. at a restaurant. Not so with Auntie Chaunpit! My stepmom is equally as talented as she also made Pad Thai (like a Thai pasta dish), Yum Nua (Thai Beef Salad), and other assorted dishes. People tend to ask me if I make Thai food for Ted and my reply, to their disappointment, is that I only make it on special occasions or only once or twice a year (if he’s lucky). The last time I made it was in Christmas 2011 for my sister-in-law, Lana, and her husband and three of our nephews. They didn’t know what to compare it to, so they ate it with glee (even though I made it accidentally super-spicy). To the untrained Thai food connoisseur, I am a chef….which is why I usually make Thai food just for non-Thai family and friends (so they don’t complain that I follow a recipe on the back of the powder mix).

Accents

It’s funny that we as North Americans parody the accents of people who are ESL (English as a Second Language) because they may not be able to pronounce the “r” like in river or “g” as in “go” or say words or phrases in an awkward, humorous, or humorously awkward way. I remember, as a child, my parents kept having to apologize for my lack of fluency in Thai and I don’t think I will ever sound like a native Thai speaker and no matter what CD or class I take in Thai, I will always speak Thai with a North American/Californian accent. It is interesting that we as Americans (who have a “midland” accent which is another way of saying those from the west coast don’t really have an accent, so to speak. Au contraire! We have an accent to those who are from the Midwest, South, Northeast, etc. in the U.S.) I read that the linguistic center of one’s brain becomes more solidified equivalent to the amount of time that a person spends in a country for the first 12 years of life. Imagine if someone was born in Asia and spent the first five years there, then moved to the Middle East for 3 years, then Africa for the next 3 years, then South America for the next few years, and then the U.S. (Texas, Boston, Oklahoma, and California). What an eclectic mix of accents that acculturated person would have! This would certainly be the cure for xenophobia for sure.

Love Is In the Air(waves)

Even though I couldn’t understand about 70 to 80% of Thai, Ted and I watched Thai music videos or TV shows (most centered around a love theme). It’s interesting that from culture to culture, there seems to be songs centered around love, heartbreak, relationships, falling in it and out of love, etc. Love is the universal language. For the Thai music video countdown, I observed one music video and the story line was fairly easy to decipher because of the people’s gestures, character interaction and dramatization. I remember when I was a child, I was within frequent earshot of my parent’s favorite love songs. I even mentioned, when I was a kid, to my parents that I hear the same words over and over again such as “shewit” (meaning “soul” in Thai), “hooah jai” (meaning “heart”) and “seah jai” (“sadness”). People are relatively similar around the globe, just with a different appearance. I heard Thai alternative rock, rap, contemporary music, and (eek!) “country” music (which my dad loves. It’s not what you think). U.S. country music is very dissimilar to Thai country music. Check this out on You Tube for music my dad likes. He even criticized the Thai modern music (that was quasi-listenable to us) and said that the lyrics were too superficial/shallow. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The King and I

I found it quite interesting that after the movie previews but before a showing of one of the latest American movies in the Bangkok IMAX movie theater, a musical montage of photos of the King of Thailand was displayed (along with Thai people praising the virtues of the King). Immediately, all the people in the movie stood up (like Americans do at the singing of the national anthem at a sporting event) to pay honor and homage to the king. There were various photos of the king providing advancements to various Thailand communities that showed his benevolence. Albeit, the photos were about 20 or so years old when he was a younger man (he has become ill, unfortunately). Ted asked me what everyone was doing and I said, “They are standing up to honor the king.” Neither of us were briefed about the nationalistic requirement to stand up during this video montage. We just went with the Thai flow. Actually, while I don’t remember standing up in a movie theater for the king when I was a child watching a movie in the theater in the early 80’s, I do, however, remember that, to conserve energy, the television channels (there were only a few) would show the Thai flag waving in the air with a Thai national anthem before they shut off around 9pm to open up again around 6pm. Now, of course, the Thai airwaves have operational channels 24/7 and don’t necessarily display this nationalistic montage. The king and royalty is adored and honored by the Thais. In fact, if he is seen in his royal carriage (car) in the city or country, the Thais bow down and perform a “wai” (hands placed together in an upward direction) and, in the Thai language, state something to the effect of asking the king to rule and reign over their very life in a worshipful manner. This concept is really foreign to us Americans as we have a democratic (and not monarchistic) society in which the presidents are elected and the presidency, obviously, doesn’t go to the next male heir. In fact, if anyone is seen dishonoring the king in any way, shape, or form, they could be imprisoned for up to a life-time. In contrast, in American politics, people are free to elect whomever candidate floats their political boat and speak publicly against the candidate that was elected whom they don’t agree with (political cartoons, jokes, radio and television talk shows, campaigns, newspaper/magazine articles, etc.). Even though the concept of standing up in a movie theater to honor the king is foreign to us, it still is preferable over the North Korea communistic dictatorship any day of the week in which people can be imprisoned or killed for not looking mournful enough at the passing of Kim Jong Il. What a contrast! “My country tis of thee! Sweet land of liberty!” I will stand and I will “wai” (nod and hands placed together in greeting fashion) but I will not bow to anyone except Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, the true King.

Shirt Tales

I have been custom imprinting shirts and mouse-pads since 2006 (and other imprintable items) and, while my parents visited us in 2010, someone took a picture of the four of us on a Duck Tour ride in Miami. My father requested that I emblazon two red shirts (one for my dad and another for my stepmom) with this particular photo. I was shocked to learn that after I mailed these shirts that someone (either in the U.S. or Thailand or en route between) had confiscated, stolen, or destroyed my shirts that I sent him in 2011 for his birthday. Why would anyone want to wear a customized shirt with a strange family on the front, smiling? I wonder (if they were stolen) if the thieves ever wore the shirts and had people question who the family was on the front? Would you want to wear a shirt with an unknown family on the front, let alone want to keep the model family photo in a new photo frame? Thankfully, while we were here, we had a nice photo taken of the my dad, stepmom, Ted and me that I will newly create when I return home….and will send it via Fed-Ex or UPS in which the courier must guard and deliver it with my dad’s signature (or else that company pays me for the customized shirts).

This Land is Your Land

One of the main reasons why we visited (besides seeing my family) is so that I could inherit the land that my grandmother on my mother’s side has bestowed to me in her will (among the other cousins). To do so, I needed to jump through the legal hoops of renewing my Thai passport (even though my Thai birth certificate was destroyed in an earthquake in LA in 1994) in Miami as well as getting my Thai I.D. (there were other complexities involved with this undertaking both for my dad and for me). The long-awaited day for the property to be transferred in my name arrived and we went to the city clerk office in Ayuthaya (by Bangkok). When my father drove us to the land, it was in a rural/country area where my mother grew up. It was an unpaved dirt/stone road with miles of rice fields and paddies. The people knew of my mother in the village and they kept saying that I looked like my mother, which was a compliment. There was a banana tree growing nearby. I did have an opportunity to have my uncle sell the land and give me about $3,000 USD for it, but then the money (even if we save it) will one day be spent as opposed to owning a portion of land that my grandmother bequeathed to me in the area that my precious late mother grew up in. My fraction of the property was indeed quite interesting as I didn’t know what purpose I’d use it for (except to build a retirement house for Ted and me). Perhaps God will reveal the purpose of this land shortly. I have never owned property/land (other than jointly with Ted in a house) in my life until today. This land is finally my land that my father desired me to have. If there is a worldwide food shortage of rice, perhaps people will turn to my rice fields!

Shower to Shower

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-thai-shower-there-two-types-shower-6888978.html

One of the things (among many) we had to get used to were that the shower was part of the toilet and sink. What I mean is that the shower didn’t have a separate enclosure (closed off by a curtain, tub, or glass) so that everything gets wet (in most bathrooms) so it’s impossible to have a change of clothing or a towel hanging up because, more than likely, it is going to become damp with shower water. There is one central drain in the middle of the (usually small to medium) bathroom that drains into a pipe or directly underneath the house onto the ground. Thais (and foreigners, too) usually prefer to wear shower shoes to protect one’s feet (and also to shield one’s feet from getting wet again should you need to re-enter the bathroom). We quickly understood the need for “shower shoes”.

En-light-enment

I noticed immediately that all of the facial creams and lotions that purport to make one’s skin soft and supple all have one thing in common: they are designed to whiten one’s skin. In stark contrast to the U.S. in which fair-skinned ladies go to tanning booths by the droves (or at least desire to look “healthy” by “getting some sun”). Some even are “tan-a-holics” that get a euphoric “high” when they are exposed to the UV lights of the tanning bed to the point of looking charred to a crisp (like the “tanorexic” mom) with an unnatural leather brown shade to their skin. I always wondered in the U.S. why fair-skinned ladies desire to look tan/brown when they have naturally beautiful ivory skin. All things westernized (including beauty) have become the standard of beauty in Asia, including lighter skin. My late mother was from Southern Thailand (Ayuthaya/Bangkok area) and she was beautiful and darker than me and my father is from Northern Thailand (Chiangmai) and is lighter than me so I came out with a skin shade of olive in between. Every model that I see adorning the commercials, billboards, magazines, television, etc. is fair-skinned. When I was getting my hair done I noticed that there was a beauty service for lightening/tattooing the lips (and breast) skin pink! I never thought pink skin was an upper echelon standard of beauty in Asia until I saw these particular services and products. I can understand why women would want to tattoo their lips mauve (so they don’t have to wear lipstick), but they desire to have their lips look pink naturally (as if they were fair-skinned) as opposed to brown/olive lips. Anyhow, I tried to not become offended by the Asian desire to look fair-skinned at all costs (to the point of wearing face visors to shield their faces from the tanning effects of the sun). Changing one’s skin from light to dark or dark to light in excess (while considered the beauty flavor of the era), needless to say, can be quite detrimental. The Asian desire to have lighter skin reminds me of the Victorian beauty standard of light/pale skin. It almost sounds unbelievable that ladies, at one point in American history, desired to showcase a waxen pallor on their epidermis. One of the detrimental practices of the Victorian ladies was to actually swallow arsenic pills to reduce the oxygen in the blood to create the pallor. In fact, to have darker skin (something coveted by many U.S. women) was considered characteristic of the lower class (spending too much time in the sun performing manual labor). I am reminded of the Song of Solomon in which Solomon’s wife had said she was “dark and lovely”. I wish that others would also see that if they have darker skin they also are considered lovely as well. Also, I am reminded that we all are “wonderfully…made” in the eyes of God, no matter what skin color: light, medium, or dark.

Knock-Offs

A Coach purse for under $20! Incredible…or is it? Various factories are strewn throughout Asia and other continents that copy (based on available materials and accurate “blue-prints” of the design) brand-name purses, clothes, jewelry, movies, accessories, etc. One of the things that tans my cousin’s hide (off her purses) - who is a manager for Coach purses in China (legitimately!) are knock-offs. Knock-offs, while illegal manufacturers and their workers try to legitimize their copying – put companies and employees out of work eventually. Also, there is an uncertain amount of knock-offs that are unfortunately forged in the heat of sweat-shops and labor human trafficking. How on earth do they have DVD movies for sale in SE Asia that are still available in the theater? Reason #1: There are some movies that are available in Asia first and the rest of the world second. Reason #2: More than likely somebody had snuck in a video-cam into the movie theater and recorded it and burned it onto a DVD, even with the understood threat of financial penalty and/or imprisonment. Even though copyright laws are universal, the laws are difficult to enforce when the people behind the illegal DVD-recording and burning are obscure, sparse and hard to track down. I recall a friend who was recanting a story of her friend who used to buy knock-off purses from a Chinese woman (in the U.S.). The Chinese woman was about to strike another deal selling her knock-off purses to my friend’s friend when she said, “Oh no! I got to go! Police here and they raiding us!” followed by the woman slamming down the phone. I recall a movie called “Knock-Off” with Jean Claude Van Damme about – you guessed it – knock-offs. I recall that the shoes he was running in, although they looked appealing because he thought they were brand-name, the sole of the shoe started to peel off from the rest of the shoe. I admit that I did buy a purse (not brand-name) that looked like it was classy for about $18 in Laos only to have it fall apart in a few days. You definitely get what you pay for. I guess that’s how most things in life are. If you invest a little, don’t expect to get a lot in return.

Universal Plugs

If only I had done my research on electrical outlets (plugs) around the world before I burned out my hair-dryer and other appliances. I plugged in my hair-dryer and it did work; however, after a few days in Thailand, I started noticing a burnt carbon smell emanating from the hair-dryer. Concerned that my hair-dryer might spark into my hair (and heaven forbid, it would be a worse scene than Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire in the Pepsi commercial), I quickly unplugged it and allowed my hair to go wet. When I complained to my dad about the electrical outlet issue, he notified me that Thailand emits 220 volts of power and most U.S. appliances only can take about 110 volts, thus the burnt smell of the fuse in the hair-dryer caused my short fuse. When I used my dad’s adapter/transformer in which I plugged in my U.S. hairdryer on one end of it for 110 volts and plugged it into the outlet in Thailand, it worked! When we were in a Finland hotel, we thought mistakenly since we were in Europe, they would also share the same type of outlet (3-prong). Ted couldn’t charge his electrical razor or tooth-brush, so he went fuzzy today. Knowing that we had about 6 hours due to the delay in flight in the Helsinki airport, I knew I had to distract myself so the hours would glide by while surfing the Internet. We tried to plug it into the outlet at the airport to no avail, unfortunately. We went to the electronics store in the airport and I asked if they had an adapter to adapt a 3-prong plug into a 2-round prong outlet (I am sure there are more technical names for these plugs). I bought the adapter for 13.95 Euros (around $16 USD) and went back to sit down at the terminal to plug the adapter in and lo and behold, that adapter didn’t even work. So, we went back to the store to get a refund or exchange and I told them it didn’t work and then they directed me to a 3-prong adapter for U.S. appliances (apparently not all 3-prong plugs are equal). Alas, that finally worked. Apparently, there are several types of outlets in the world and so far we have experience with 4 types of them: the Asia outlet that is 2-prong and round, the European 2-prong that is round (maybe they are one and the same?), the European 3-prong that is also round, and of course, the North American and Canadian plug that is 2 or 3 prong and flat. So many plugs and so little time!

Movies and Books based in Thailand

There have been various movies that have been filmed in Thailand, mainly in Bangkok, which is like the Los Angeles of SE Asia. Both Los Angeles and Bangkok, respectively, are called (in English) the “City of Angels “ (in Spanish and Thai). Ironically, my parents went from one “City of Angels” (Bangkok) to another (L.A.) when they immigrated to the U.S. Usually, there are action films and a few that are comedy. Apparently, to amplify the exotic”ness” of the film, Bangkok is the place to hold martial art and kick-boxing (Muay Thai) fights; have assassins change their mind about their dangerous activities; have car, motorcycle and foot chases from bad guys; and of course, the new Bourne Identity was filmed there (the last segment). There is a new movie called “The Encounter 2: Paradise Lost” that is also filmed in Thailand (written by my friend, Sean Paul Murphy, and starring David AR White who used to star in “Saved By The Bell”). I am slightly flattered and fascinated that movie producers and screenwriters want to work with the accommodating people of Thailand to create a movie there that eventually is worth millions of dollars. Also, there have been several books based in Thailand (although I can’t think of any of over them right now). Want to create a movie on the land I now own in Bangkok due to my grandmother giving it to me as an inheritance? All I ask is for 10% of the movie proceeds. Ha ha. ;)

Final Thoughts

I wish that my family lived close by (like down the road) so I don’t have to be separated from them for long periods of time due to economic, employment, business and logistical road-blocks. The pangs of longing when I hear other people getting together with their families often and especially around the holidays (like my in-law family) often intensifies my desire to family connection (even though my in-laws are also my family). It had been a little over a decade since I saw many of my cousins, uncles and aunts (and a few who haven’t seen me since I was an 8-year-old kid). Even though I speak a little Thai and they speak a little English, and all they expected and gave was a “wai” (slight nod with hands placed together upwardly) in terms of physical affection (when I really want to hug each of them), the family bond was strong and I could feel their love and vice versa. I do enjoy the people, the food, and the sight-seeing. We will be making our descent into New York for a connecting flight to Miami (not only worlds apart geographically, but culturally) and will have culture shock once again. I have to ignore the fact that some clerks and people here in the U.S. don't even greet or say "hello" to you whereas we were accustomed to receiving a warm, welcoming "Sawadeeka" or "Sawadee kup" wherever we went in Thailand. I will have to explain myself a little more because people will be more outspoken, confrontational, demanding, and self-oriented of which I am not necessarily looking forward to, so I need to shift gears from the attitude of my polite Thai counterparts that I had become accustomed to for three weeks and switch gears to becoming more assertive once again. Each culture has its set of wonder as well as woe. As I wear both my American and Thai hats that have different textures, I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of both cultures.

Interracial Dating Among Teens

2012-08-17T22:26:00.001-07:00

“On June 12, 1967, the landmark decision in Loving v. Virginia legalized interracial marriage across the country” (Patria, 2007, para. 5). Even after more than four decades have passed since the ban on interracial marriage had been lifted, there is a disparity between adolescent views versus parent/older adult views on this topic (specifically if their adolescent were to date interracially). In a nation that is considered a “melting pot” of various ethnicities and cultures in which there is an increasingly heterogeneous mixture of people; older adults (especially parents) are still reluctant to accept their teen dating someone of another race.

As American adolescents interact with other teens in culturally-mixed settings – neighborhoods, schools, extracurricular activities, churches, and employment - there is a much greater probability (than prior decades) that they will befriend, date, and marry someone outside of their ethnicity. Dating outside one’s own race (especially for children of immigrants) can be a source of cultural conflict (Santrock, 2012, p. 320). This essay will examine the sociocultural factors and beliefs that contribute to the gap between adolescents’ permissive views on dating interracially as opposed to parents’ restrictive demands (or wishes) that they date and eventually marry someone of the same race.

Origin of Issue

As aforementioned, in America’s checkered and jaded past, interracial dating and marriage was viewed as a “black and white” issue: basically if someone were to date and marry someone outside their own race it would go against the grain of social and/or legal prohibitions. In modern days, even though interracial marriage is no longer outlawed, parents that are U.S. citizens as well as immigrants still are uncomfortable, question, or straight-out prohibit their adolescent son or daughter dating outside their own race.

“…when an immigrant adolescent wants to date outside his or her ethnic group, dating can be a source of cultural conflict for families who come from cultures in which dating begins at a late age, little freedom in dating is allowed, dates are chaperoned, and adolescent girls’ dating is especially restricted” (Santrock, 2012, p. 320)

In Dr. Root’s (clinical psychologist) book titled “Love’s Revolution: Interracial Marriage” (2001) she performed research and interviewed 200 people from various cultures and ethnicities. The interviewees discussed their perspectives and experiences and they affirm that prejudicial viewpoints towards interracial dating are slowly deteriorating; however, they also describe the pain of rejection that kin, peers, and judgmental strangers caused.

Also, adolescents and young adults generally have embraced and have been more positive towards interracial relationships than people that were “older” (Wellner, 2005, p. 8). The author of this report asked her Facebook friends (age range: 30 to 45 years old) how they felt if their son or daughter were to date interracially and these are some of the positive responses:

“My 18 year old daughter is dating a great kid who is black. To me black and white are not different races, we're all part of the human race. Color is just a color. Where I see more issues are of cultural incompatibility which transcends color. One could make broad generalizations about cultural ties to color but there are absolutely exceptions in every area. Love is love. If he's good to my daughter, I don't care what color he is” (Trevor Dierdorf, 2012, Facebook status comment)

“My son's first girlfriend was Black. (He's white). I had a hard time with the fact that they were so young, but not the race factor. She was a very nice girl from church. (And still is.) Although I was surprised because all his crushes in the past have been on little pale blonde gals. White is the minority where we live. It's mostly Asian (most of them Phillipino) and Hispanic. If I wanted him to only date white girls I'd have to move! :)” (Tonya West, 2012, Facebook status comment)

Anderson Cooper interviewed three sets of parents of interracially-dating adolescents: an African-American boy who dates Caucasian girls only, a Caucasian boy who is interested in dating black girls, and an African-American girl who has dated Caucasian boys (Cooper, 2012). In each interview, the parents stated that they desired that their children befriend other adolescents of different races, but have different issues with their own teen dating outside their own race.

The African-American boy’s father stated that he became concerned that his son only dates “white” girls and wanted to be sure that his son did not find anything displeasing about “black” girls. The African-American boy said that he doesn’t really know why he has an affinity or attraction towards Caucasian girls, it’s just that they gravitate towards him and vice versa out of friendship.

The Caucasian boy stated that his parents would be concerned about him dating outside his race with a “black” girl because the implication is that since their families would intertwine eventually and the African-American girl’s family of origin is unknown, that would be a cause of consternation.

Lastly, the African-American girl stated that her mother would not have an issue with her dating Caucasian boys; however, if her brother were to date a “white” girl, then there would be a double-standard which would cause a rift simply because the mother would feel that a “black girl” is not “good enough” for her African-American son. The mother actually jests, as an example, the “silky, straight hair” that “white girls” have can be achieved, through straightening, to resemble a “white girl”.

Cooper’s study highlights some of the concerns and issues that parents have with their teen dating outside of their ethnicity. “Black females may also hold strong objections to black male-white female relationships. Black females often view these relationships as rejections of the black community and the beauty of black women” (Kreager, 2008, p. 887). This is the probable cause of the African-American boy’s mother prohibiting her son dating Caucasian girls.

Also, the Caucasian boy’s parents concern that any potential African-American girl’s family may not mesh with theirs because their culture is basically unknown is a common issue for families on both sides of the racial coin. The potential in-law parents are concerned that their adolescent’s mate’s family will not share the same values, traditions, culture, etc.

Bob Jones’ University (Christian university) lifted a ban against interracial dating in 2000 due to their former unbiblical perception that interracial dating was unbiblical (“Bob Jones University Ends Ban on Interracial Dating”, 2000).

There are still some misinformed Christian parents who prohibit their adolescent from dating interracially due to misinterpretation of various scriptures that discuss God’s commandment for the Israelites not to miscegenate or intermarry with (idolatrous) people. Some people actually quote the Bible as a justification for not dating or marrying interracially.

One racist website actually summarizes some “white Christian” views on interracial dating (that are still held by a dwindling percentage of people and, unfortunately, a view that many “white Christian” Americans held prior to the 70’s):

“The Apostle Paul: Acts 17:24-28 says that God made man "and hath determined the bounds of their habitation." Genesis 28:1, says that the Canaanites (blacks) were the "servants of servants" and Isaac called Jacob and said unto him, "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan." (Interracial Dating, Interracial Marriage, Right or Wrong?, nd)

Some misinformed people actually believe that Adam and Eve and the “chosen” people were completely, 100% “white” and that the Canaanites were “blacks” (which have no biblical basis whatsoever). Thankfully, the majority of parents do not ascribe to these beliefs (aforementioned) but there still lingers a racial bias against their teen dating interracially.

Also, adolescents whose parents disapprove of their interracial dating will most likely “sneak date” (Santrock, 2012, p. 320). In research conducted by Wang, Kao and Joyner (2004, p. 435), adolescents more than likely will not introduce their significant other (of another ethnicity) to their parents for fear of disapproval. Therefore, interracial relationships among adolescents are less likely to be supported by parents.

Also, minorities are increasingly gaining a similar socioeconomic status as Caucasians due to increased education of minority U.S. citizens and educated immigrants with degrees. There is a higher probability that minority adolescents will have greater interaction with Caucasian teens in a similar socioeconomic community. Just a few decades ago, mainly Caucasians occupied higher socioeconomic status and now there is more equal opportunity and greater interaction (Wang and Kao, 2007, p. 146). The writer of this essay actually went to a high-school with 99% Caucasian adolescents in an affluent community due to her father earning a degree in architecture from Thailand. Thankfully, she did not have much stigma from parents or peers in interracial relationships due to the mostly homogenous (Caucasian) culture. If her father wanted her to date intraracially they would have had to move to another city altogether!

Statistics and Facts

The majority of young adults approve of interracial marriage between African-American and Caucasian couples: “According to a 2002 Gallup survey of 1,360 U.S. adults, 86 percent of people ages 18 to 29 approved of marriage between blacks and whites, but just 30 percent of those ages 65 and older approved of such marriages” (Wellner, 2005, para. 8). The explanation for the ideological chasm between young and older adults could possibly be explained by the aforementioned prejudice towards people of other races (held by Caucasians) prior to the lifting of the ban on interracial marriage.

“A 1997 Gallup national survey of people ages 13 to 19—found that nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of black, Hispanic, or Asian teens who had ever dated and who attended schools with students of more than one race said they had dated someone who was white. (This poll is the latest comprehensive survey of U.S. teens on the topic of interracial dating.)” (Wellner, 2005, para. 9)

The majority of teens had dated outside their race in 1997. Since this research was conducted 15 years ago, my hypothesis is that this percentage of teen interracial daters would be much higher in 2012 since the attitudes towards interracial dating have become even more accepting.

“Teens surveyed also had an overwhelmingly positive view of interracial dating. For instance, 72 percent of teens surveyed thought people dated people of other races because they cared about the other person, while less than 20 percent thought their peers interdated as a rebellion against parents or as an attempt to "be cool." Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of white students who had not dated interracially said they would consider dating someone who was not white, while 58 percent of black students would consider dating a nonblack” (Wellner, 2005, para. 10)

Perhaps the slight disparity between the views of Caucasian and African-American students dating outside their race (Caucasians being slightly more open than African-Americans) is that there might be a heavier stigma for an African-American to date interracially due to parental influence (not wanting to offend one’s own African-American parents to cause them to think that “black” girls or “black” boys are not good enough for their preference).

Possible Solutions

As a response to parents who are concerned that their teen partner’s family culture, traditions, and values may not mesh with their own, the suggestion is to connect with that family by inviting them over to dinner or at a social event to get familiar with them. A girl or boy from an African-American family has as much probability as someone from a Caucasian family of having similar values as one’s own family. Embrace the unknown to make it known.

As far as being concerned that a person of the teen’s own ethnicity is viewed as inferior or not “good enough” for one’s son or daughter, more than likely the teen just happens to connect with members of another particular ethnicity and is not spurning or rejecting members of one’s own culture.

Yancy’s book “Just Don't Marry One: Interracial Dating, Marriage, and Parenting” (2003), is an anthology of various essays of differing perspectives on interracial dating. The commonality between all of the interviewees is that it is rooted from a biblical viewpoint. The book highlights interracial couples and marriages in the Bible as well as historical and personal accounts.

The most enlightening person in the book is Ken Ham, biologist, founder of the Creation Museum who scientifically proves and discusses that everyone is related to Adam and Eve (Ham, 2000, “Where Did The Races Come From?”). This is in stark contrast to the racist philosophy of evolution, which states that the Aborigines (Australoid) Africans (Negroid) and the Asians (Mongoloid) are less evolved than their whiter counterparts (Rushton, n.d., “Race in Today’s World”). In fact, scientists now admit that there is little genetic variation between the “races”.

???

“However, all human beings in the world today are classified as Homo sapiens sapiens. Scientists today admit that, biologically, there really is only one race of humans. For instance, a scientist at the Advancement of Science Convention in Atlanta stated, “Race is a social construct derived mainly from perceptions conditioned by events of recorded history, and it has no basic biological reality” (Hotz, 1997, p. A3)

Teachers and counselors (as well as pastors) should create an atmosphere of racial tolerance through a curriculum (in DVD and workbook format) and then offer it to schools nationwide. That way, they are better equipped to handle situations when an interracial couple is being hassled or bullied by peers (or have the disapproval of parents).

Perhaps integrating an elective course (starting in junior high) about racial tolerance and a subsection about interracial dating (perhaps excerpts from the aforementioned book) would be appropriate. Also, to prevent parental ire at this course being offered starting at junior high level, a parental authorization form could be signed. During the course, the main teacher could speak about racial tolerance while showing Powerpoint slides and videos (maybe even movies?) as well as inviting various speakers to give the adolescents a diversified perspective. A question and answer session would also be beneficial as well.

Since stress resulting from family and peer conflict affects a student’s academic and socioemotional functioning, teachers and counselors should be aware when racial bias does occur towards teens because of their interracial relationships.

Christian Worldview

People, as aforementioned, will try to twist scriptures to imply that people shouldn’t date or marry anyone outside their race. One scripture, taken out of context to justify banning interracial marriage, is Deuteronomy 7:3: “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons”. It was a commandment from God to the Hebrews in the Old Testament so that they are not swayed to worshipping the gods of the people that inhabited the surrounding nations. It was not a prohibition against intermarrying based on race, but due to religion because God wanted the Hebrews to have a devoted, committed and worshipful heart towards Him. God also knew the practices of the various people around the Hebrews were sinful (such as worshipping their gods as temple prostitutes in Exodus 34:16 and sacrificing babies to their god – Moloch - in Leviticus 18:21) and did not want those practices to rub off on them.

There were instances of Hebrews that intermarried with people of a different race who converted to Judaism such as Rahab, the Canaanite (Joshua 2) and Ruth, the Moabitess (Book of Ruth) as well as Joseph (who married Asenath, an Egyptian woman, Genesis 41:45-50; 46:20) and Solomon married a black woman (Song of Songs 1:5). Also Jews and Gentiles intermarried and their offspring was the Samaritans and Jesus praised a Samaritan in the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37).

Some people also use 2 Corinthians 6:14 to also imply that people should not interracially marry: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” This scripture is clearly not referring to light-skinned (“white”) people to not intermarry with darker-skinned people but the condition of the believer’s regenerated spirit (“light”) with an unbeliever’s unregenerate one (“darkness”).

As to the biblical so-called “sanction” for slavery and treating the African race as subservient or inferior (or not worthy of intermarriage) because Noah cursed Canaan: the Canaanites were not “black”. The Cushites were “black” and not part of Noah’s curse. “Cushites were black; Canaanites were not black. Canaanites were cursed while the black skinned Cushites were not cursed. Therefore black skin is not related to the biblical curse. Again: Cushites were black. They were not included in the Noahic curse” (Miller, 1992). Also, the Canaanite curse was already fulfilled when Canaan “was occupied by both Semites (Israel) and Japethites (ancient Philistines).”

Conclusion

Modern adolescents and every successive generation, historically, has and will continue to progress upwards towards cultural acceptance. The dream of Martin Luther King is gradually coming true, that one day his four little children will “one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” (Mounts, 1995). Due to the “melting pot” of America, more adolescents than ever are coalescing and interacting at public institutions (such as school, church, work, etc.) and, as a natural result of this melding process, are interracially dating and marrying.

Even though there are a lower percentage of parents and adolescents that are against interracial dating and marriage in their own lives as well as influence the lives of others, the majority of people are racially tolerant. Some parents, as aforementioned, have issues regarding their adolescent dating interracially because they are concerned that members of their own are not considered sufficient for their adolescent’s dating preference or up to par physically, mentally, financially, etc. compared to the racially different object of their affection. They also may be concerned that the family of origin of the racially different partner may be too unfamiliar or at odds with their own family culture. Finally, some parents use the Bible as justification to prohibit interracial marriage.

We are, thankfully, equal in the eyes of God who created all of us and views us as precious and valuable. We all are descended from one common ancestry (Adam and Eve) and racial heritage should not be a significant factor in the selection of a mate as much as the content of their character. Just as the Lord made diverse and multitudinous animals, plants, etc. the Lord has also created the beauty of physical, emotional, and cultural diversity in one human family.

References

Bob Jones University Ends Ban on Interracial Dating. (2000, March 30). CNN. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://www.articles.cnn.com/2000-03-04/us/bob.jones_1_racist-school-ends-ban-bushs-visit?_s=PM:US

Cooper, A. (2012, April 5). Parents Confront Interracial Dating Views. Anderson Cooper 360. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://www.ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/05/parents-confront-interracial-dating-views/?hpt=ac_bn2

Ham, K. (2000). Where Did The Human Races Come From?. Christiananswers.net. Retrieved August 18, 2012, from http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/race-definition.html

Hotz, R. L. (1997, February 20). Race Has No Basis In Biology. Cincinatti Inquirer (Cincinatti), p. A3.

Interracial Dating, Interracial Marriage, Right or Wrong?. (n.d.). The Truth At Last. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://www.stormfront.org/truth_at_last/archives/interracial.htm

Kreager, D. A. (2008). Guarded Borders: Adolescent Interracial Romance and Peer Trouble at School. Social Forces, 87(2), 887-910. Retrieved from http://www.search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/229853586

Kozak, Jeralynn(2012). In Facebook [Facebook status comment]. Retrieved August 17, 2012 from http://www.facebook.com/JeralynnKawewongKozak

Miller, F. (1992). Christian Attitudes and Racial Problems. Retrieved from http://www.moellerhaus.com/christat.htm

Mounts, S. (1995). The I Have A Dream Speech. U.S. Constitution Online. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html

Patria, M. (2007, June 14). Groundbreaking Interracial Marriage. ABC News. Retrieved August 17, 2007, from http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3277875&page=1

Root, M. (2001). Love's Revolution: Interracial Marriage. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Rushton, J. P. (n.d.). A Life History Perspective. Race, Evolution and Behavior. Retrieved August 18, 2012, from http://www.harbornet.com/folks/theedrich/JP_Rushton/Race.htm

Santrock, J. W. (2012). Adolescence. (14th ed.). New York , NY: The Mc-Graw Hill Companies, Inc.

Wang, H. and Kao, G. (2007), Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Increase Contact Between Minorities and Whites? An Examination of Interracial Romantic Relationships Among Adolescents. Social Science Quarterly, 88: 146–164. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2007.00451.x Retrieved from: http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6237.2007.00451.x/full

Wang, H., Kao, G., & Joyner, K. (2004). Stability of interracial and intraracial romantic relationships among adolescents. Social Science Research, 35(2), 435-453. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2004.10.001 Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/science/article/pii/S0049089X04000882

Wellner, A. (2005, June). U.S. Attitudes Towards Interracial Dating are Liberalizing. Population Reference Bureau, Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://www.prb.org/articles/2005/usattitudestowardinterracialdatingareliberalizing.aspx

Yancey, G. A. (2003). Just Don't Marry One: Interracial Dating, Marriage, and Parenting. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

All those sexy Axe commercials

2012-08-10T09:57:00.001-07:00

Who can forget the sexy Axe ads for grooming products for men (or shall I say, boys?) such as body sprays/colognes, body washes, shampoos, deodorant/antiperspirants, etc. The intended audience for this advertisement is young adolescent and young adult men, ages 13 to 25-years-old. For their market research, the makers of Axe products (Unilever) actually took observer notes on 100 males, ages 15 to 50-years-old that were in pubs (Lindstrom, 2011, para. 3). The link to one particular commercial which features a young man showering with (of course) Axe body wash and the bikini-clad young women are uncontrollably jerked into the same motions, mimicking his washing motions. The “punch-line” at the end of this commercial is that he notices that the young women are mimicking him by the Axe irresistible force and then he attempts to disrobe their top, in which the young ladies shake their head in flirtatious refusal (TheComicalChannel, 2011).

The commercial’s overt and suggestive theme is that if a young man bathes in Axe he is going to have a bevy of beautiful, young, bikini-clad women at his beck and call. It is similar to a sexualized “Simon Says” game. If he slathers and lathers the Axe body gel shower lotion, young women will mimic his motions and be (almost) tempted to disrobe their tops and flaunt themselves. Although, the commercial ad stops short of the young women disrobing their bikini tops, the implication is there for young men: if you shower with Axe, young women will “show” themselves.

Young women watching this commercial would probably be more skeptical and perhaps “roll their eyes” at these Axe commercials showing beautiful, young, scantily clad women coming out of nowhere, either disrobing themselves, approaching seductively, French-kissing or devouring them (the Axe chocolate commercial in which young women suggestively are devouring the young man after he is transformed into a literal chocolate man). I believe that young women will view the commercial as a ploy to pump up young men into believing they can morph from “Zero” to sexualized “Hero”. If the advertising shoe were on the other foot and the commercials were geared towards young women finding love and romance for using Axe products, their young minds would probably be more impressionable and influenced by the message: using their products will fulfill your inner-most desires (for love/romance for girls or sex for boys).

All the young women, of course, in this commercial are slim and svelte, flat tummies, no extra weight on their thighs or derrieres, medium to larger breasts, etc. Since the average size of girls and young women is size 14 to 16, this depiction of every young woman on the beach being size 0 to 4 is extremely skewed and inaccurate. Commercials such as this one by Axe feed into the male mind-set that young women ought to look size 0 to 4 without an ounce of extra body fat.

The advertisement is appealing to adolescent young men because they want to feel accepted and sexually desired. Also, the fact that adolescent boys are dousing themselves with Axe products (erroneously considered just as powerful as sex-attracting pheromones) to the point of assaulting the nasal passages of teachers and other students also proves that Axe is preying upon the basest of indulgent instincts which is to attract beautiful, skinny young women so they can have sex as often as desired (Lindstrom, 2011). Also, since adolescent self-esteem for boys takes a dip in junior high and high school (based on their feelings of inferiority due to appearance) (Santrock, 2012) Axe offers the perfect (placebo) solution for their adolescent sexual self-esteem angst.

Just one of many hundreds of advertisers that prove that “sex sells”: Axe products have sky-rocketed in multi-million dollar sales (Lindstrom, 2011). The combination of the location, which is an exotic beach evokes a feeling of excitement and relaxation, the scene of the young man showering on a beach with the shower gel makes the viewer feel invigorated and refreshed, and the host of disrobing, slender, sexy young women cause men to, of course, desire the products because they think they will, likewise, have the same luck as the young man in the commercial.

Body image for the adolescent is influenced by a number of factors: media, school, family, and friends. If an adolescent compares and contrasts their figure to that of an idealized body (it starts with a gradual infusion of idealized media images of the perfect body such as the anatomically disproportionate “Barbie” and then escalates through photoshopped images like that in Vogue or in commercials such as in Axe). If the adolescent receives support, respect, and esteem for their body and in general by family then their self-esteem will be good. “Social contexts such as the family, peers, and schools contribute to the development of an adolescent’s self-esteem” (Santrock, 2012, p. 138).

The most important factor that should influence an adolescent (and all people in general) is how the Bible describes their self-worth, which should not be contingent upon how their body measures up to the latest rail-thin (or Axe) model, but on how God, the creator of bodies views them. The Bible states that adolescents and everybody are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, NIV). Also, the scriptures state that "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30, NIV). Also, as the professor in the Liberty video “Christian View of Adolescent Body Image” points out, she (paraphrased) states that there is an undue, excessive and obsessive emphasis placed on body images and proportions during adolescence; however, this body that we take so much pride or inferiority from is a “jar of clay” (like the Bible states) and the “outward man/woman is wasting away”. If we will eventually obtain a new body (in the celestial kingdom of heaven with Jesus) like a butterfly, should we then put so much emphasis on this decaying cocoon? Her statement is not to imply that we shouldn't take care of ourselves by eating in a healthy manner and moderately exercising because our bodies are the temple of God, but it is a temple that is wasting away day by day and will be completely renewed in heaaven. Nobody can look perfect forever, even though they try with tummy tucks, liposuctions, face-lifts, and Botox injections (even an increasing amount of adolescent girls are resorting to these unnecessary tactics) unless they put their faith in Christ. Then, they can look forward to a perfect body in heaven for all eternity.

§ Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” This scripture illuminates how God has created each individual person in a “fearfully and wonderfully” fashion. “Fearful” in this context means reverential or awe-inspiring. God’s creation (the adolescent’s body) is an awesome, inspiring work of God. God does not make junk!

§ Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but the woman who fears the Lord shall be praised”. This scripture helps adolescents and women in general to realize that beauty is vain and self-centered. The true beauty lies beneath in one’s actions and words.

§ 1 Samuel 16:7: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” So often we focus on the outward appearance of people and not enough on the heart of people. This scripture illuminates what every adolescent should put their concentration on: viewing themselves and other people the way God perceives them.

§ 1 Peter 3:3-4: “Do not let your adorning be external – the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear – but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” This scripture is a wonderful reminder that adolescent girls (and all women) should adorn themselves with good deeds and a gentle, quiet spirit. So much emphasis is put on the outward appearance: clothes, jewelry, hair, etc. in modern days and also when the Bible was written. The same need to look and feel beautiful resound throughout the ages and this scripture emphasizes that true beauty is from the inside.

§ Ephesians 2:10: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Just as a skillful artisan, craftsman, or carpenter crafts and creates a chair or a table, we are also his craftsmanship or his workmanship. As a table has a function (not just to look good, but to serve a purpose), we also have a purpose in Christ Jesus, which is to produce good deeds.

§ “Connecting with Health and Well-Being: How Can Adolescents’ Self-Esteem Be Increased?” (Santrock, 2012, p. 139). This particular article in the textbook focuses on ways that adolescents’ self-esteem can be increased. Ways in which the adolescents’ self-esteem can be boosted is identifying the roots of low self-esteem and the areas of competence that are significant, give emotional and social approval and support, bolster achievement, and aid teens to deal with life issues.

§ “More Beautiful You” by Jonny and Gwendolyn Diaz. This book is aimed towards young women that describe the struggle for fulfillment and self-esteem in an era in which idealized body images is pushed into the psyche. Jonny Diaz originally wrote the song “More Beautiful You” and thousands of girls, young women, and more mature women have written to tell him how his song helped them to overcome their feelings of inferiority because of the lyrics about how God views them as beautiful and perfect.

§ “Christian View of Adolescent Body Image”. This video is perfect for adolescent young women and men who struggle with a low self-esteem based on feeling that they don’t measure up appearance-wise to others. She utilizes thoughtful, scriptural analysis of the low self-esteem problem that plagues young people.

§ “Dove Evolution Advertisement”. So often we become green with jealousy and envy over the beautiful images of women gracing the covers of magazines. This video shows exactly what the majority of the superficial ladies’ magazines and advertisements directed towards women originate from: photoshopping to change their appearance to be ideal.

§ “Girl Perfect: An Imperfect Girl’s Guide to Finding True Perfection” by Jennifer Strickland. This book is a true account of a high-fashion model who toured the world doing run-way and print modeling. However, the glamor and glitz did not suffice the deep longing of her heart. In this book, she candidly talks about “her journey from fashion to faith, the principles of true beauty and proper body image shared by professional model Jennifer Strickland will shatter the illusion that worldly beauty and success satisfy.”

§ “Beautiful in God’s Eyes: Book and Workbook” by Elizabeth George. This book is about inner beauty. It’s also about how to achieve one’s goals and to succeed in life more productively. The guide also aids the young woman to utilize the new methods and principles in a practical way every day.

§ “Body by God: Owner’s Manual for Maximized Living” by Ben Lerner. This book helps the adolescent eat nutritiously, minimize stress, and to stay “fit for life”. In an era where teen-agers (boys and girls alike) are binging and purging food, taking diet pills, following the latest fad and crash diets, this book encourages adolescents’ healthy lifestyle habits.

§ “Designed by God: Honest Talk about Beauty, Modesty, and Self-Image” by Regina Franklin. Young girls are bombarded with media sensation on how to dress, look, and act. This is a book about how God views true beauty, modesty, and self-image.

§ “Mom I feel fat: Becoming Your Daughter’s Ally in Developing a Health Body Image” by Sharon Hersh. This is a book to mothers about how to nurture their daughter’s self-esteem and body-image. It’s also a book to navigate through the rough waters of adolescence in which teenage girls fall prey to peer pressure and the media to become anorexic.

§ “Find Your True Beauty In Christ” website by Shelley Hitz. Shelley has been ministering to teen-age girls in regards to their self-esteem and true beauty advice. Also, on her website there are biblical dating tips and principles as well. She is also a book author and speaker.

References

TheComicalChannel (Poster). (2011, December 13). New, sexy Axe shower gel beach

commercial [Video] Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=09nayGHVc9I

Lindstrom, M. (2011, October 24). Can A Commercial Be Too Sexy For Its Own Good?. The Atlantic. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/10/can-a-commercial-be-too-sexy-for-its-own-good-ask-axe/246863/

Santrock, J. W. (2012). Adolescence. (14th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill

Companies

Teens and Internet Usage

2012-08-10T09:52:00.002-07:00

The benefits of Internet use are that adolescents have access to a vast array of information for academic research purposes/reports/essays/presentations when they conduct a Google search and they can connect with others, such as family and friends, that they normally wouldn't be able to necessarily connect with that are long distance or in another country (on Facebook or Twitter). They are able to share pictures and information with those family and friends on social networking sites. Also, they are able to instantly connect with family and friends through instant messaging such as Yahoo or Windows Live. I happen to connect with family members in Thailand and friends on the west coast (California) and, had it not been for Facebook, there would be little to no interaction at all (except for visitations or for rare phone calls). If I were to have children, that would be the case as well.

However, the dark side of Internet usage is that children are exposed to sexual predators as well as pornography: “According to a survey performed by the London School of Economics (2002), 90% of children between ages 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet” (Louge, 2006, p. 2). Also, “A nationwide poll showed that half of teens ages 13-18 often communicate through the Internet with someone they have not met in person; one-third have talked about potentially meeting someone face-to-face whom they have only met through the Internet (Polly Klaas Foundation, 2006).

How we can apply 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NIV) which states, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” in a practical manner to parenting? When I think of this scripture, I think of the strict training that the Olympians have undergone years before the event. One way is to become much disciplined in what you allow your children to view on the Internet (as well as television and other media sources). As the article states, it is essential to monitor adolescent’s Internet use by putting the computer (even if it’s a laptop) into a common, family area (not in their bedrooms); that way their usage can be monitored. Also, it’s important to download Internet filter software which blocks inappropriate websites and pictures (that are X-rated). The Apostle Paul drew a visual parallel between the disciplined athletic training of Roman athletes to one’s spiritual life in pursuit of the high calling in Christ Jesus.

In Daniel 1, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are chronicled in the Bible as asking the Babylonian chief official, who was to oversee their diet so that they can be productive for the king, to withhold the meat and wine that would “defile” them. Hence, they were physically and spiritually healthier than the other boys in the king’s court. In an analogous sense, since we are Christians living in the world (like the Hebrew boys were living in Babylonia) we are also to feed ourselves with a steady diet of God’s word to discipline ourselves to likewise filter out the corrupt information and images that would defile our souls through the doorway of our eyes. King David states in Psalm 101:3 (NIV): “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile” and neither should our impressionable adolescent children be exposed to anything that will put them in harm's way physically or spiritually.

Is Your Child Meeting Predators Online?

2012-03-09T20:56:00.003-08:00

The Internet, like other forms of media, is not necessarily intrinsically evil, but it depends on how and what its used for. Before the advent of the Internet, children basically went to the library and researched encyclopedias and now many children use the Internet to research for school assignments as well as for social networking and on-line chatting. One way the Internet poses dangers to children is when they uncautiously use social media such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. Also, while children (and adults alike) enjoy the instantaneous nature of connecting with people via instant messaging, it also poses dangers and threats to children's safety and well-being. Also, when children are typing in key words for assignments, they will inevitably stumble upon unsavory chat-rooms. Ephesians 5:11 states “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” and that should be the responsibility of every caring parent: to open up communication and dialogue with your children about the important topic of their online life and expose the tactics of online predators.

“A picture is worth a thousand words” the old adage states, conveying the idea that one's picture tells their life-story. Well, sort of. These days anybody – as we all know – can upload any photo as their profile picture and fill out their profile to portray anybody at any age they'd like. Many child molesters and predators are using Facebook to prowl for innocent children who will befriend them because their profile and picture indicate that they are a cute, young boy or girl. There are thousands of instances ripped from the headlines that a child or teenager meets someone on a social networking site who they think is their age in a clandestine manner and are raped, molested or worse yet, killed. Also, on these social networking websites, they may be giving away too much private information about not only themselves, but you and your family. Private photos and information that you would only share with your most trusted companions and family are, perhaps, out in the open for the world – and predators – to see.

The show “To Catch A Predator” (sting operation conducted by Dateline NBC which has volunteers disguise themselves as children online – usually young, teenage girls and sometimes boys – to expose child predators) illustrates the methods and mentality of online predators.

“In a survey conducted by The Intelligence Group, Dateline questioned 500 teenagers across the country, ages 14 to 18, about their computer habits. When asked if they chat online to people they’ve never met before, an overwhelming majority said “yes,” whether it’s “all the time,” “sometimes,”or “not very often.” When asked if someone they’ve met online has wanted to meet them in person, 58 percent said “yes.” And 29 percent said they’ve had a “scary” experience online.” (“Many Teens Say They've Met Someone Online”, 2006, para. 3-6)

Many children and teenagers have Yahoo accounts which also have the option of Yahoo instant messaging. Yahoo, of course, is among dozens of email providers that provide instant messaging (including Facebook). While many children connect with family and friends through instant messaging, many online predators also use instant messaging to target children. Many times, people, including children will put their instant messenger address on their Facebook for public viewing. This is easy ground for predators to copy and paste their instant messaging address and message the child, pretending to be a friend of theirs or someone that is around their age that likes the same hobbies, games, sports, goes to the same school, etc. If a child trusts someone and has developed an online rapport with an instant messenger “friend” that you are unaware of, this should raise red flags.

When someone types a fairly neutral word into the Google search engine – as you know – if there isn't a filter on the search, many questionable and unsavory websites pop up that have nothing to do with the key words that the child originally typed in. Pornographic websites and “adult” chatrooms will pop up. This of course, leads children unwittingly to the lion's den of child predators. “Chat rooms and instant private messages are two main tools pedophiles use to contact children on-line” (Shocking Facts About Child Abuse, Scary Facts Sheet, para. 5). “There are 40,000 chatrooms where children can meet child predators” (Shocking Facts About Child Abuse, Scary Facts Sheet, para. 2). Also, “There is 100% chance of a child meeting a predator in a chatroom” (Shocking Facts About Child Abuse, Scary Facts Sheet, para. 6, FBI, 2002).

How do we keep children safe? This particular website: http://www.noslang.com/parents.php states that, as a parent, you should block “porn sites, set up filters, and even have a monitoring program to let you know if your kids are talking about sex, or porn, or meeting up with “Uncle Bob” from the chat room” ("Keeping Your Kids Safe Online, para. 1). Also, this website discusses youth “slang” or code language that kids use to hide/disguise/conceal information from parents. This website http://www.noslang.com/# offers a free Internet slang decoder/translating service. You just copy and paste questionable content that your teen is im'ing ("instant messaging" for short) and there is a translation so you can monitor your kid's activities! It's best that you – as a parent – add your children as a friend onto their Facebook account as well as instant messaging services. Tell them that either they can allow you to have full viewing privileges of their profile, their “wall”, and their friends or they can use the Internet without participating in social networking sites. Inductive questions like “What are some things you can do to keep yourself safe?” and “Let's just say you know for a fact someone is stalking you. What would you do differently on the Web? Would you remove anything from your blog?” are a doorway to effective communication (Sullivan, 2006, questions 3 and 5). This would help them to consider (without feeling threatened or punished) the consequences of their online actions in light of their personal safety. The inductive questions and discussions are meant to help your child realize that you are a concerned, loving, yet authoritative parent who only seeks to support them with safe online habits.

References

Bible, The (NIV). (2002). Zondervan NIV Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Internet Slang Dictionary and Translator. (n.d.). No Slang. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www.noslang.com/#

Most Teens Say They've Met Strangers Online: New Nationwide Survey Reveals Teens Interact With Strangers On The Web. (2006, April 27). Dateline NBC. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12502825/ns/dateline_nbc/

Shocking Facts about Child Abuse. (2009, September 29). Dream Catchers for Abused Children. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://dreamcatchersforabusedchildren.com/abuse/statistics/

Sullivan, B. (2006, February 3). After The Show, Talk To Your Kids: Predator Series An Excellent Chance For Dialogue. MSNBC TV. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11115502/ns/msnbc_tv-101/