December 14th - On the Road Again

Another beautiful start to our day. 

There are yurts as well as cabins here. 

One final photo of the whole group before the five day couples take off and the rest of us keep going. 

Juniper saying goodbye to the stray dogs she’s been feeding the last couple of days. There are hundreds of strays in Thailand. We’ve seen so many on our journey and she wants to take them all home. 

We head out of Doi Inthanon National Park towards our destination of Mae Sariang, close to the Burmese / Myanmar border. Today’s route takes us deep into the heart of rural Northern Thailand (much of the day in territory where Thai visitors are a rarity, let alone people from overseas!) some people film us as we go by and the children run and giggle and wave at us. Towering trees, steep hills and more than a few sharp curves are the order of the day and as always, stops to enjoy the surroundings, stretch our legs and keep stocked up with excellent coffee!

An unusual begonia 

It says: “Here, Mae Chaem”

We stopped here for a pit stop and coffee. Most all of the toilets are squatty potties on the floor. Ugh! They don’t flush so you have to reach in and get the scoop from the bucket and scoop some water into the toilet. Major gross. 

We passed mile after mile (I guess it’s really kilometer after kilometer since we’re here) of agriculture. Beautiful farmland. 

And surrounded by the mountains. 

Eastern gladiolus

The mountain almost covered by clouds is the one we were on yesterday. 

Juniper trees

Workers in the fields 

I don’t think I mentioned that these Tuk Tuks were hand built specially for the Tuk Tuk Club. 

A yurt resort 

Toadstool 🤣

Mae Chaem River 

We stopped for lunch at a little cafe where we ordered from the menu for the first time. Of course everyone ordered something different. I had pork fried rice. 

Juniper had spicy pork salad 

After eating, I went back to the toilet and wished I hadn’t seen all of this. 

The living conditions here are deplorable, but the people are happy. There’s a lesson there. 

We stopped here for gas and another pit stop. 

Juniper found the tiniest macarons, 

About the size of her thumb nail

I bought a coconut ice cream bar. It was like having real coconut ice cream on a stick. So soft and creamy. The Dubai “style” chocolate was old and very much a knockoff. 

Juniper had a Thai tea ice cream bar. She wouldn’t have it again. 

We arrive in Mae Sariang by late afternoon and check into our pleasant riverside accommodation for the night, complete with riverside swimming pool. Mae Sariang is a fascinating mix of Thai and Burmese culture (Mae Sariang is home to many Burmese Muslims), and Temples. It’s a larger town than we’ve been staying in so to get to the markets, we can take a bicycle. After checking out the swimming pool, we opt instead to walk down by the river. 

Malay rose apple

African tulip tree

This is a TALL palm tree

Yellow bells

Coconuts

Yuam River

Parakeet flower

Cacti

Bananas

Great Morinda

Castor plant from which we get castor oil 

Star fruit

Looks like they’re building a road in the middle of the river. 

Papaya

Cassia or pink shower tree

Another papaya

Cape Leadwort - Plumbago

Glow vine - trumpet vine family

Silver cockscomb

Graveyard flower - plumeria 

Desert rose 

Cananga tree - ylang ylang

I can’t believe we walked a short way and saw all of these plants and trees, most of them growing in the wild. Back in the hotel room, it was really nice to have a proper shower. The rest of the group is going out to dinner at 7 but we’ve decided to skip since it seems like all we’ve done is eat for the past 5 days. After showering and resting for a bit, we decided to walk over to the 7-Eleven to pick up some drinks and snacks for the road tomorrow. 

I bought two soda waters, some chips and three different kinds of chocolate for $3.71. Astounding!

Would anyone like a barbecue pork big poo bun? None for me thank you. 

It’s not much of a sunset but it’s all we can see. 

We drove 7 hours today and tomorrow will be about the same. The self-driver isn’t confident driving the Tuk Tuk so we have to go slower and often almost stop to wait on him. He’s in the middle of the pack to keep an eye on him. 

Born to reign in us forever

As I think about those words, I wonder where they will take me. What scriptures will the Holy Spirit lead me to today? As it turns out, there were several. Oddly enough, He took me to the story of Melchizedek, king of Salem: Genesis 14:17-20, Psalm 110:1-4, Matthew 21:1-9, Hebrews 7:1-3, 11-28, and a few others.

But before I get there, I have to go back to Abram. In Genesis 12, out of the blue (in our eyes), God tells Abram “I will make you a great nation.” What an amazing promise, especially for a childless man. Seemingly, there is nothing particularly special about Abram. The Bible doesn’t provide a resume or a tribute video for him. The simple description for Abram was that he believed God and obeyed what God told him to obey. In Genesis 15, God sets forth his covenant with Abram and tells him about Isaac and all of the descendants who will call him father.

Between the two chapters, though, is an interesting scene, one in which you wouldn’t expect to see a picture of Jesus. We see Abram’s interaction with Bera, the King of Sodom (king of greed) and the King of Peace, Melchizedek. Without going into the whole story, what does Abram do? He does the right thing. He acknowledges the place of Melchizedek and gives him a tenth of everything without any prompting. Isn't that interesting? A tenth (tithe).

The story here would be interesting but forgettable if Hebrews didn't pick up on it. As the author explains, Jesus has a unique connection to Melchizedek, a High Priest greater than Aaron. The book explains how Jesus is the better sacrifice, the better Moses, the better Sabbath rest, and here, he is described as the better Priest in the order of Melchizedek who provides us access to a better covenant.

Yet Jesus is so much more than Melchizedek. Jesus is the high priest who meets our needs, the “one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26). Not only that but He Himself became our sacrifice. What priest could ever do that? Jesus sits “at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in heaven” (Heb. 8:1), interceding for us in front of the Father.

Advent isn't just about the central character in a nativity scene that we set out on display every year at this time.. It also points us toward a King who is coming again. The humble Savior is going to make a second appearance, this time as a conquering King. Instead of a temporary sojourn (my favorite word) on earth, Jesus is coming to rule and reign forever! 

The question becomes, what do we do until then? Two words come to mind: active waiting. As we wait, we work to fulfill the mission Jesus started in Bethlehem. Jesus was born to reign for eternity, and we are called to demonstrate His rule in our lives every day until He returns. “Born to Reign in Us Forever!”