Sunday, August 23, 2009
Everyone Needs Compassion
About a week ago, I was sitting in my window seat reading the Word. I was a little distracted by what was going on in the parking lot below me. There were people walking, cars driving past and workers going about their task. I observed one lady dressed in green doing yard work. Here, they all wear a light green uniform if they are working in the yard. This particular woman was climbing up and down a laddar, trimming vines on the side that did not really seem to matter. That side faced an open field, and the vines were not bothering anyone! She seemed hot. Her pants were rolled up, she was wearing a hat and she repetitively wiped her brow. I just sat there thinking, "I should go and buy a water downstaris and take it to her." I even consulted my Maker, and asked if I should. I felt the nudge. I was too selfish though. Worried. I'm not sure what I was worried about. It still is weighing on my heart. I know that there is grace. I know that I am full of many faults. I think it will serve as a great reminder during the rest of my time here. I can't waste a moment. I can't waste an opportunity. When I feel the nudge, I need to act. How many times have I let opportunities go by. I, by myself, am a shy person. BUT, I am not my own! May I decrease, so that He may increase more and more.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Selflessness
May the Father bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May He bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May He bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may He bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
- A Franciscan Benediction
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May He bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May He bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may He bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
- A Franciscan Benediction
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Rest and Restoration
Today was a day of rest from work. All of the staff went to Hui Du for a day of fun. There was bowling, ping pong, card games, billiard games, swimming, and badminton.We also had a delicious lunch at a five star hotel. A nice treat, for sure.
I decided once I returned home in the afternoon, that I did not need to go back to doing lesson plans and fretting about August 31st, the first day of school. I went and sat on my window seat and spent quality time with my father. I also read a book titled Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. So far, it has been a great blessing. In all honesty, I didn't really want to read it. Obviously the prince of this dark world did not want me to read it.
The first chapter is about the lies we believe as women. Many of us feel frazzled, exhausted, burned-out, overwhelmed, confused, angry, frustrated, discouraged, defeated, depressed, ashamed, emotionally unstable, uptight, insecure, lonely, fearful and yes, even suicidal. There is HOPE! The bondage that we are in may be bondage to our past, bondage to the "fear of man", food etc. The Son of Man said, "I have come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly." Are we experiencing abundant life, or are we just coping, struggling, existing, surviving? We can be free, joyous, contented, loving, radiant, confident, gracious, peaceful, and stable. Isn't that what we would like to become?
In her book, Nancy goes back to the beginning of time and the fall. She states the obvious: you and I have been lied to; we have been deceived. Deception was and still is crucial to the father of lies. ...was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (Jo. 8:44). We need to OPEN OUR EYES and evaluate what is going on around us. We need to take time to see a lie for what it is, rather than accepting it without thinking about what we are allowing to be planted in our hearts.
Nancy also points out the progression of deception that leads to bondage. Listening to things that are not true is the first step toward ultimate bondage and death. After we listen, we dwell on the lie. We begin to consider and engage the Enemy in conversation. After we dwell on it, sooner or later, we believe the lie and then act on it. It's like a seed that takes root, is watered and eventually bears fruit. Only, it isn't good fruit. It's spoiled and rotten. How do we get rid of it?
We need to identify the area of bondage, identify the lie(s) at the root of bondage and then replace the lie(s) with TRUTH. Afterall, the truth will set you free!
I have to say that I am going to be walking through this process myself. I have already begun to identify areas of my life that are not truthful. I hope that the light shines forth in my heart to expose more. I have to let go of what is comfortable. To truly be free, I have to let go of myself. I die to myself, that He might become greater and I might become less.
I decided once I returned home in the afternoon, that I did not need to go back to doing lesson plans and fretting about August 31st, the first day of school. I went and sat on my window seat and spent quality time with my father. I also read a book titled Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. So far, it has been a great blessing. In all honesty, I didn't really want to read it. Obviously the prince of this dark world did not want me to read it.
The first chapter is about the lies we believe as women. Many of us feel frazzled, exhausted, burned-out, overwhelmed, confused, angry, frustrated, discouraged, defeated, depressed, ashamed, emotionally unstable, uptight, insecure, lonely, fearful and yes, even suicidal. There is HOPE! The bondage that we are in may be bondage to our past, bondage to the "fear of man", food etc. The Son of Man said, "I have come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly." Are we experiencing abundant life, or are we just coping, struggling, existing, surviving? We can be free, joyous, contented, loving, radiant, confident, gracious, peaceful, and stable. Isn't that what we would like to become?
In her book, Nancy goes back to the beginning of time and the fall. She states the obvious: you and I have been lied to; we have been deceived. Deception was and still is crucial to the father of lies. ...was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (Jo. 8:44). We need to OPEN OUR EYES and evaluate what is going on around us. We need to take time to see a lie for what it is, rather than accepting it without thinking about what we are allowing to be planted in our hearts.
Nancy also points out the progression of deception that leads to bondage. Listening to things that are not true is the first step toward ultimate bondage and death. After we listen, we dwell on the lie. We begin to consider and engage the Enemy in conversation. After we dwell on it, sooner or later, we believe the lie and then act on it. It's like a seed that takes root, is watered and eventually bears fruit. Only, it isn't good fruit. It's spoiled and rotten. How do we get rid of it?
We need to identify the area of bondage, identify the lie(s) at the root of bondage and then replace the lie(s) with TRUTH. Afterall, the truth will set you free!
I have to say that I am going to be walking through this process myself. I have already begun to identify areas of my life that are not truthful. I hope that the light shines forth in my heart to expose more. I have to let go of what is comfortable. To truly be free, I have to let go of myself. I die to myself, that He might become greater and I might become less.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Transportation
Getting from one place to another takes a long time here. Your options are either to get a taxi (which starts off at 8 kuai...about a dollar and some change), take a public bus (which stops frequently), or ride your bike. Unless it's far, far away, I prefer to ride my bike.
Currently it is the rainy season here in Kunming, so my investment in the XXXL poncho has proved to be worthwhile! I have learned my lesson though, and that is to travel light. I like to pack everything I can in my backpack, but on long bike rides, it hurts your back. The basket on the front of the bike can't hold that much weight either.
I think the funniest thing about bike riding is when people that are riding on their bike decide to keep up with my pace, just to ride next to me. It's kind of awkward, but I think it's hilarious!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Fang Xiang (Directions)
August 4th-5th, 2009
I woke up about 45 minutes after I had fallen asleep last night to mom crying in my doorway. She then proceeded to move the stuff off my bed and crawl in bed with me. She hugged me and said she “wasn’t ready to do this yet.” A couple hours later, it was time to get out of bed and prepare for a very, very long day! I made sure that I shoved everything in that I could, dressed comfortably and gathered all the much needed documents.
We left the house about 15 minutes past what we wanted to. When we went to curbside check-in, the e-ticket I had printed was not working. I had tried to do something about it the day before, but Delta would not let me check in early on their website. I kind of figured it would be a problem. We got it all situated easily once inside, and even though my big bag was 50lbs over, they didn’t charge me. (yay!)
The flight from Miami to New York was interesting. I sat next to a Jewish lady and her son. She was reading the book of Psalm. She said that by the end of the month, she will have it finished. We got to talking about some things (politics being one of them...), but I think His reason for sitting me next to her was to get me in the Word on that flight.
Once I got to New York, I did not have a boarding pass printed, so I knew I needed to figure out where Air China was located and get there. I had fun talking to lots of people along the way to make sure that I was headed in the right direction. They assured me that I was, and eventually I came down an escalator and voila!....there was Air China right in front of my face. I ended up sitting at the gate for a bit and talked to a girl from Ohio State. She is returning home for a bit while she writes her thesis for her Masters Degree. This other dude joined us in conversation too. We ended up meeting up again in the Beijing airport when we landed.
On the stinkin’ long plane ride to Beijing, I found myself surrounded by children. In any other situation, I would be pretty excited. I just knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep. Almost immediately though, I got over it and enjoyed conversing with the little boy next to me, Ivan, and his mom Stephanie from Brooklyn, NY. They were voyaging to her hometown in China for 40 days. I have to say that this soon-to-be 1st grade boy was extremely active and was rather mouthy! I asked her if he said stuff like he was saying before he entered Kindergarten in the public school system, and she said no. Interesting! Of course, he is being raised in Brooklyn. That probably has something to do with it! There was a little baby girl traveling back to China with her grandparents. I was pretty certain that the grandmother did not speak any English, so we smiled at each other a lot. The little baby girl did so well on the plane—she slept for most of it, and when she wasn’t sleeping, she would sooth herself by rubbing her head or her back. It was pretty cute. I also saw her afterwards at baggage claim, and she was strapped on the back of her Granny. Cute stuff!
Anyway, I’m sitting in Beijing airport now. I rushed through the quarantine checkpoint where they check your temperature with infrared and a computer—that was pretty crazy! Then I went to get my final boarding pass with Air China for the flight to Kunming, and they informed me that I had to re-check my bags for a domestic flight. Oops! I did that and then asked the lady at the counter which gate I was at. My pass did not have a gate number on it. She whispered something, and I couldn’t hear her, so I asked her to repeat. She did so, and I still couldn’t hear her, so I just shrugged and walked where everyone else was walking. I ran into an officer next, and asked him where to go. …Long story short: I just had to go through security because the whole terminal was designated for domestic flights. Yea, they think I’m a stupid American, I’m sure. I’m waiting for the flight to Kunming (it’s late), and I’m anxious to see what He has in store for me—on this flight and in the next week, month, year, and beyond!
I woke up about 45 minutes after I had fallen asleep last night to mom crying in my doorway. She then proceeded to move the stuff off my bed and crawl in bed with me. She hugged me and said she “wasn’t ready to do this yet.” A couple hours later, it was time to get out of bed and prepare for a very, very long day! I made sure that I shoved everything in that I could, dressed comfortably and gathered all the much needed documents.
We left the house about 15 minutes past what we wanted to. When we went to curbside check-in, the e-ticket I had printed was not working. I had tried to do something about it the day before, but Delta would not let me check in early on their website. I kind of figured it would be a problem. We got it all situated easily once inside, and even though my big bag was 50lbs over, they didn’t charge me. (yay!)
The flight from Miami to New York was interesting. I sat next to a Jewish lady and her son. She was reading the book of Psalm. She said that by the end of the month, she will have it finished. We got to talking about some things (politics being one of them...), but I think His reason for sitting me next to her was to get me in the Word on that flight.
Once I got to New York, I did not have a boarding pass printed, so I knew I needed to figure out where Air China was located and get there. I had fun talking to lots of people along the way to make sure that I was headed in the right direction. They assured me that I was, and eventually I came down an escalator and voila!....there was Air China right in front of my face. I ended up sitting at the gate for a bit and talked to a girl from Ohio State. She is returning home for a bit while she writes her thesis for her Masters Degree. This other dude joined us in conversation too. We ended up meeting up again in the Beijing airport when we landed.
On the stinkin’ long plane ride to Beijing, I found myself surrounded by children. In any other situation, I would be pretty excited. I just knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep. Almost immediately though, I got over it and enjoyed conversing with the little boy next to me, Ivan, and his mom Stephanie from Brooklyn, NY. They were voyaging to her hometown in China for 40 days. I have to say that this soon-to-be 1st grade boy was extremely active and was rather mouthy! I asked her if he said stuff like he was saying before he entered Kindergarten in the public school system, and she said no. Interesting! Of course, he is being raised in Brooklyn. That probably has something to do with it! There was a little baby girl traveling back to China with her grandparents. I was pretty certain that the grandmother did not speak any English, so we smiled at each other a lot. The little baby girl did so well on the plane—she slept for most of it, and when she wasn’t sleeping, she would sooth herself by rubbing her head or her back. It was pretty cute. I also saw her afterwards at baggage claim, and she was strapped on the back of her Granny. Cute stuff!
Anyway, I’m sitting in Beijing airport now. I rushed through the quarantine checkpoint where they check your temperature with infrared and a computer—that was pretty crazy! Then I went to get my final boarding pass with Air China for the flight to Kunming, and they informed me that I had to re-check my bags for a domestic flight. Oops! I did that and then asked the lady at the counter which gate I was at. My pass did not have a gate number on it. She whispered something, and I couldn’t hear her, so I asked her to repeat. She did so, and I still couldn’t hear her, so I just shrugged and walked where everyone else was walking. I ran into an officer next, and asked him where to go. …Long story short: I just had to go through security because the whole terminal was designated for domestic flights. Yea, they think I’m a stupid American, I’m sure. I’m waiting for the flight to Kunming (it’s late), and I’m anxious to see what He has in store for me—on this flight and in the next week, month, year, and beyond!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Zai Jian
I have had a wonderful time at home preparing for this journey I'm about to embark on. I leave in just a few hours...nine to be exact. Soon I'll be at the airport saying, "Zai Jian."
Tonight, we went to Prime Catch for dinner. Grammy and Granddaddy came too. We had awesome meals! Then, Grammy gave me some di-cut letters she came across and the map of the world that she had finished sewing together for me. I bought the map, so that it could go in my classroom on the wall. I envisioned it on a wall with faces of the kids in my classroom posted on it next to their passport country. Now, it looks like it would make a perfect blanket. hmm... She did a beautiful job, as always. After we all decided that hanging out in the parking lot was a little toasty in this wonderful hot month of August, we voted on coming down to the house and playing Sequence and making fruit smoothies for desert. (Great idea, whoever that was)!
Saying goodbye has proved to be harder than I thought it would be. I mean, I knew it would be hard, but I didn't think I'd be battling homesickness this soon. I haven't ever really been homesick. Squeezing family and listening to their muffled sobs in my ear isn't helping. I'm so thankful that I have family to cry with and rejoice with. To SING with and laugh with (by the way, tonight during Sequence, we were all playing some sort of game, that only we would understand...singing lyrics to any song, humming tunes and guessing lyrics, and making random noises with our mouths). I love my family, and I will miss hugs back rubs. I'll miss singing together and talking in the kitchen. I'll miss borrowing a purse or a shirt from Jamie's closet and watching Jared get taller than Jamie. I'll miss you all so much! Wo ai ni (I love you).
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