Spring Status and Testimony

This week we got together with some of our friends before we run out of time. If I haven't told you, we are expecting Andy to arrive around early May since he is already in 88 percentile by weight. Emily and I had lunch with my previous co-workers. We also went to Debra and Lance's family adoption shower. Then we had dinner with Fred and Fang on Saturday. David has been actively cleaning and organizing the garage. I took care of some basic baby things for Andy. Emily continues her journey of potty training. She has been on cloth diapers for a couple of weeks. Now we started to put on her split-bottom pants so that she will be more aware of her elimination. She feels more and more comfortable sitting on the big potty. We are making good progress.


We are also attending the Relationships Matter seminar held by Prestoncrest. Can you believe that when the old Texas Stadium was tearing down, Jerry Jones was speaking at Prestoncrest? :-) Jerry and Lynn Jones spoke for six sessions on Sunday. We attended most of them and the Monday night session. Hopefully we can make it tonight and Wednesday night. Emily did better and better at nursery. The teachers commented how well she did for the last couple of weeks. Last night we heard "She was happy". We are so proud of her. At 17th month, Emily also started to stack the cups or blocks on the top (she only knocked them down before); experiment to say "NO" and "Yes" (I have to say that it was so precious to hear those first childish "No"s and "Yes"es); help daddy with gardening (she loves being outside); and help mommy to close the doors and drawers. She began to like the pouched eggs and meat. Below is a picture of her eating ribs at SpringCreek BBQ:




Our friends in Beijing Andrew and Jamie sent us a testimony of a Chinese lady who was baptized this Easter to translate into English. It was a great testimony. I wish every new Christian could articulate and share his/her stories like this. Here is the word-by-word translation that I'd like to share with you:

God created everything. Of course the four seasons are God’s wonderful creation too. I don’t know what your favorite season is. Mine is Spring.

I like Spring. I was born in the morning on a spring day. So my parents gave me the name “spring morning”.

I like Spring. It gave me a curious childhood. Remember when I was a child, every early spring, when I saw the budding grass from the corner of the wall and the side of the road, I would run to them with joy, keel down to watch it in wonder for a long time. The surrounding area was still yellow and dry. The wind was still cool. But the grass extended their head to welcome the first spring wind and the first warm sunshine.

I like Spring. It brings me hope. As I grew up, I realized that not long after I saw the first grass, the whole earth would be clothed in green. The yellow flowers would show their smiling face. I knew that before long mom would put the long-waited flower dress on me.

I like Spring. It represents new life and symbolizes hope. After I went to the middle school, I learned the essay from Mr. Zhu, Ziqing called “Spring”. He described Spring so beautifully that I liked it more. I knew that it would bring the new life and hope.

I like Spring. I was married in Spring. I knew that he was not the best man in the world. But he was the best one for me.

Now I like Spring more. In this spring, I gained new life and became a child of God. I was so happy, and so proud. I know that God created everyone. But not everyone can become his child. I thank God for loving me so much and choosing this spring to give me a new life!
When I came out of the water, I knew all of my sins were forgiven and I was saved. I became a Christian and a new member of God’s family.

Before this, I was like a blind person. I didn’t know God and didn’t understand God. My education from my childhood, my family, my friends and co-workers prevented me from knowing God sooner. Every time when I had difficulties, I was lost and alone. I tried to solve the problems on my own. But I couldn’t. Sometimes I just thought, everyone had their own problems, not just me. But when the problems got bigger and bigger, I had no choice and I was in a dead end. What was the purpose of my life? What was the meaning of life? How should I resolve my problems?

Earlier this year I met Andrew. He brought me to God. At first he didn’t push with a big theory. He just gave me a Bible and told me that it could help me. I was in doubt. But after I read just a few pages, I was grabbed by it. I read the Bible every day to get more from it. At the same time I saw many people’s sermons on the website. They helped me a lot. I felt I was a dry sponge trying to absorb every drop of water (just like the dry land trying to absorb the rain drops). At that time, I asked myself why I hadn’t read the Bible earlier and why I didn’t know there were many sermons on the Internet. Was I too late? But I believe all these were arranged by God. He let me to know him when I needed him the most. After that, I had many questions when I read the Bible. Every time when I asked Andrew, he would explain it to me in great details and encourage me to learn more. He told me that we can’t understand everything in Bible. Some people still have questions after a whole life of studying. But it doesn’t affect their love to God and God’s love to them. I participated some activities from the local church. The Sunday sermons helped me to understand more about Bible. The sisters’ singing often touched me deeply. Sometimes I felt that I was lack of confidence and belief. I asked Andrew to pray for me. He told me that he had already prayed for me many times. He said I could pray to God also and God will hear my prayer because He loves me. I’m so thankful for God’s love. I’m thankful that God didn’t abandon me. Gradually I learned to pray to God, just like a child talking to the father. I admitted my past mistakes and sins. I asked for His forgiveness. I told Him my problems and difficulties. I asked Him to help me. Little by little I saw the changes happened in my life. It was a true joy to see that. The joy reminded me of the feeling when I saw the first grass in the early spring days of my childhood. I believe and I know that there will be greater change in the future. Thank you God! Thank you for loving me!

Now I am a new born baby. I know that Satan knows about my weakness. He will attack me at any time. So when I ask God to protect me, I also need to learn more about how to fight Satan’s attack.

Thank you Andrew and Jaime, thank you the brothers and sisters in JingSong church! Thank God for He loved us!