Verses and Pandas

David and I lowered our standard on the scripture memorizing. We decided to improve the quality by remembering one verse per week. The verse for this week is Philipeans 1:1, mainly referring to the elders and deacons of churches. This verse is more for teaching rather than for assurance. I liked David's choices because it's more balanced and more other-focused.

Gary emailed that he and two other guys from the Beijing church were in the hospitals in ChengDu already. They sent some pictures of the earthquake survivors. It touched me to see the smiles on their faces although Gary said that was the most emotionally difficult day in his entire life. Heidi sent some pictures of the Pandas that were rescued. They were so cute!! That probably was the only earthquake related news/email that made me smile and laugh.

Our renter called that the air conditioner didn't work well. David went to meet with the technician after work. He bought me some CD/DVDs of the Children's Bible songs with Actions on the way. We had a conversation a couple of days ago that I wanted to learn some Children's songs before our baby arrives. Later we refused the opportunity of teaching the children's class because I was afraid I didn't have experience. I was so glad to see these DVDs and CDs. My husband is the best!!!

Dinner With Eileen

I got an email about the relief workers in China - over 150 were buried by the mudslide this morning. At the same time, one of my co-workers passed around an email to everybody about Brian Concar. Immediately people in my surrounding cubes began to get together and talk about him. I was sad that nobody in our office has talked about the people in China yet. But so many people were so interested in a guy who hit the firetruck! They laughed and expressed their opinions. The group topic turned to the orthodontics dentist somehow. One lady asked me about my orthodontics. Tears were still in my eyes and the tissues were still in my hand; I was a little embarrassed and joined in the conversation reluctantly. After providing the basic information, I turned back to my desk.

Fang called to ask which venue we went for the donation. She and Fred are going to take the kids to see Fred's dad this weekend. James Ma dropped by. He was still trying to decide where to donate the money and how. While I had some time, I read a little bit on Jewish circumcision. The article asked why God asked the Jews to circumcize the baby boy on the 8th day? It went ahead said the Jewish married women have 10% less chance to have the overies related cancers. The new born baby needs Vitamin K to produce blood in the liver. A 3-day baby only has 30% of Vitamin K needed. By the 8th day, he will have 110% and then later go back to 100%. In the time when medical was not advanced, God picked the best day to do the circumcision to protect the babies! I was in awe by His supreme love and care toward His chosen people!

We invited Eileen over for dinner tonight. David bought some Mexican fajita meat and marinated chicken. We had Mexican soup, Guacamoli, Mexican rice, etc. Everything was delicious. The conversation was great! We always enjoy hearing stories from our missionary friends. Time just flew by. Eileen asked us to say something to her church friends in Russia. David encouraged them to keep up with their good work. Walking out of the door with Eileen, we saw a neighborhood cat lying in our front porch. David fed him meat, milk, cake, ... A colorful meal was spreaded in front of the cat. But the cat didn't enjoy it. The flowers in the front yard were all gone in one day. David examined the plants and suspected that the bonnies ate them - We spent over $30 on the rabbit food! After we cleaned up the kitchen, David played piano for a while and asked:" Is it time for bed again?" I nodded. He was so disappointed that a day passed by so quickly! I admire my husband for being so energetic and excited everyday that he can't wait to start a new day - there are always so many things to look forward to each every day and he is always so productive!

China Meeting and Friendspeak

David taught the class again this Sunday. He did a great job leading the discussion and teaching across different books in Bible. His preparation paid off! After class, we bumped into Eileen. She said she wanted to make good use of her time here so she would attend the both services. We sat with Mary, Ted and Eileen in the back row. During the end of the service, Mary, Ted, David and I popped out to meet Leslie and Donna at Cheddars. We had a good meeting. David and I gave each of them a travel bag of stuff they would use and some culture training materials. They talked about the last minute assignment for everybody.

After we came home, I volunteered to give David a hair-cut. I was surprised that he let me. I was really touched by his trust. Luckily I didn't mess up too much (I guess I might have cut more than I was told. But David didn't complain at all. Well, this was the first time. Practice makes perfect.) Now we are even - he cut my hair and I cut his. David worked on the weeds for a while and jumped into the shower. Cathy, Richard, and Annabelle dropped by to gave me the radiation proof jacket they bought in Beijing. We wished we could talked more about their vacation in China. But we had to leave for Friendspeak.

Ted and David led a prayer for the Chinese during Friendspeak. I thought it was well-received. At least Maggie did. Maggie and I had a good study on Romans. She normally studies two or three lessons at once with other workers. But I sticked to one lesson at a time. We spent more time on discussion and the sharing of the book "The Voice of A Wanderer". I could tell she was learning!

David and I gave some of our kitchen stuff to Sandy and Hongyu. They told us that Peggy had a severe car accident. But she didn't have insurance or money to see a doctor. We planned to call her later. I was craving fish so we had spicy fish at a Chinese restaurant on the way home. We read from the Internet that most Americans don't have enough Omega-3 fat, which mainly comes from fish. Now I feel more balanced :-)

Prince Caspian

I came home a little bit late after picking up the clothes at the Cleaner's and a few groceries at WalMart. David was working in the backyard pulling out the weeds. He suggested we eating out at Olive Garden. He knew that I like the Italian food and we hadn't been there for a long time. We both were stuffed after the delicious meal. To help with the digestion, we decided to watch the movie "Prince Caspian" from "The Chronicles of Narnia".

We really enjoyed the movie, except for a few minutes, the fierce scene of fighting made us nervous. It was so happened that right before we went to the dinner and movie, I read the 12 Spiritual Lessons from the movie "Prince Caspian". Here are the summaries of them:

Time Really Is Relative: The use of time in "Prince Caspian" seems to be a metaphorical nod to the biblical concept found in I Peter: "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." The Pevensies learn that what may seem in important in the moment is not necessarily important many years later--yet Aslan, the God symbol, always remains the same.

Let Go of Great Expectations: Repeatedly in "Prince Caspian," C.S. Lewis examines the faulty assumptions and expectations of some of the characters (the mice, the four kids) as they rely on false information or take others at face value. The Bible is filled with stories of God choosing the small or foolish to demonstrate his power. Yet too often we continue to judge only by superficial qualities.

Faith Shouldn't Be Decided by a Majority Vote: Lucy is the only one who can see Aslan for a good portion of the novel. The majority rule that Lucy's sightings of Aslan are nonsense, and they proceed on their way only to regret their decision--and their lack of faith--soon after. It is always tempting to let other voices drown out the still, small voice of faith inside us. It is also easier to simply go along with the crowd when we know we should stand up for our beliefs. But just as Lucy let her faith be silenced and regretted it, when we do not act on our faith, it will likely not take long before we too reap the consequences.

Hang on to Faith in a Culture of Doubt: No one in this Narnia believes in talking animals, dwarves, or any of the other characters that originally graced the land. But when Lucy and the others try to tell Prince Caspian about the way Narnia used to be, he slowly begins to believe in the Narnia of old and wishes to meet the old Narnian dwellers who have been in hiding. In this sense, Narnia is an excellent metaphor for a postmodern society in which skepticism, narcissism, intellectualism, elitism, and any number of other "isms" have created an environment of doubt, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness that has choked out the beauty and mystery of the journey of faith.

Fear Not, for God Is With You: Aslan gently instructs Susan to stop listening to the voice of fear. Fear was one of the reasons she couldn't see him when he appeared to Lucy earlier in their journey. To help Susan refocus her energy and thoughts, Aslan then breathes on her. With that breath, fear loses its control of Susan's heart and she is able to be brave once again.

Be Thankful for Blessings in Disguise: we need someone like Trumpkin in our lives to remind us that our current situations could be far worse if we had made a different choice or refused to listen to a trusted friend.

Make Time to Enjoy God's Presence: One of my favorite scenes from the novel is when the old Narnians are reunited with Aslan, the creator of Narnia. Though there have been difficult times in the past and danger lies straight ahead of them, they take time to enjoy Aslan by literally playing and romping with the giant lion.

Actions Can Have Lasting Consequences: When the children uncover their gifts from their first adventure in Narnia in the treasure room at Cair Paravel, Edmund is once again reminded that because of his earlier betrayal of his siblings and Narnia, he does not have a special token from his previous journey. Even though Aslan willingly gave his life for Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," this does not mean that there are no consequences for Edmund's previous choices. God will willingly forgive us of our sins if we ask, but that does not mean there won't be long-term effects from our actions.

Vanity Corrupts Character: When Reepicheep finally has the opportunity to stand before Aslan, he can only dwell in the embarrassment he feels appearing before Aslan without his beautiful tail. While Aslan praises Reepicheep's acts of heroism and valor, he also reminds him that he places too much importance on something that is really an outward show of vanity, not a true reflection of inner character.

Loyalty and Sacrifice are valuable: Reepicheep's followers offer to cut off their own tails in solidarity if Aslan will not restore their leader's tail. Touched by the mice and their willingness to sacrifice on behalf of their leader, Aslan honors the request. This kind of devotion, rarely found in this world, is exactly the example of loyalty and sacrifice the Bible gives throughout the New Testament. As the passage from John states, "No one has greater love than this, that one lays down his life for his friends."

Stick Close to Your Spiritual Family: When he meets the Old Narnians, Caspian immediately feels a kinship with them that he has never felt before. These Old Narnians are his true, spiritual family. We may not have been born into a family situation that is caring and fulfilling. However, we can always choose to develop a spiritual family unit with people of similar faith and character to share our journey.

Leaders Are Made, Not Born: regardless of destiny or birthright, becoming a true leader is a process--and not an easy one. Both Caspian and Peter make mistakes. The two youngsters actually struggle to work together at first, and they need a lesson in humility and teamwork before they are finally victorious against the Telmarines. Perhaps the best gift we can give our leaders is to be more like Susan or Lucy and give our grace, encouragement and support as they learn and grow in their leadership skills.

John 5:24

John 5:24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. "

The reality of death makes us face the reality of life. Whether we will rise to live or to be condemned is decided now, in this life. Jesus said, "A time is coming and has now come" (v. 25). Salvation is for now, too, not just later. The "now-ness" of it begins when we hear His Word and believe. Then death's reminders become reminders of life. We will breathe our last if Jesus does not come first. Philippians 1:21"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." If we choose right, with death we live, eternally with Him.

I sent the link of the book "The Voice of A Wanderer" to some Friendspeak readers and my sister and brother. Three of them emailed back that they really liked the book. I hope all of them can find time to read it.

David and I were trying to find a Christian group to donate for the China relief work. We didn't hear any. Finally we went to American Red Cross through CA's matching program since the company can match 100% of the donation.

I received the Travel Document and the EAD card today. They have my new married names. So in the future I should be able to travel and change my job without any visa problems.

You Zi Yin (Voice of A Wanderer)

When we met Gary and Danita for the China meeting, they recommended a book written by a Chinese who graduated from Beijing University, Biology Department, and then got his doctor's degree at Michigan State University, now working as an established researcher at Winsconsin Medical Institute. The name of the book is called "You Zi Yin (Voice From The Wanderer)". They mentioned that many Chinese Christians were influenced by that book. Bobbie and Ling asked me where to buy it. I told them a Chinese Christian bookstore I know of. But I wasn't sure they could buy it there. Today, I went to the website trying to find out which bookstore had it. To my surprise, I found a link that we can download the whole book for free! The only thing is that it's in Chinese. http://www.livingwater4u.com/reader/b_youziyin/youziyindex.htm (I recommend to read the appendix first)

I was so happy about the discovery. I couldn't help reading it before I sent the link to Bobbie, Ling, and others. It was a fabulous book! I thought we should make copies for each FriendSpeak reader since the book was so true to every Chinese. I resonated with the author in many places. Definite a good reading. I'll see whether I can translate it into English for David later.

David went to Friendspeak. We were glad Jerry came back to study. I was still in the emotional state that a mere mentioning of "China Earthquake" would bring me to tears. So I stayed at home. After the dinner, I took a ten minutes walk. Then I wanted to go to the Impact fellowship to make better use of the evening time. I was glad I did. Every time I went there, I learned some new children's songs. That was what I needed to prepare for our baby! Matt gave a good lesson on God's creation - the fourth day. I came home fully relaxed and entertained by the kids. David had a great night at Friendspeak too. He brought home a book Paul Melton got for me about my hometown Xinjiang.

China Earthquake (2)

I'm still addicted to the Chinese website reading about the stories and the latest news of the China earthquake. Every time I read them, I had to take out the tissue and tab off the tears. It's said that pregnant lady's mood affect the baby. Maybe I should force myself not to go there. But how could I resist reading of how a teacher protected the school kids with her dead body; how a wife gave her life for her husband; how a grandma threw the grandson out to the safety before she was hit; how the soldiers left behind their wills and landed with parachutes; how a large performance show turned into a charity performance ... I dared not to go to any website with images or videos. These were enough!

I was glad to see how people were pulled together so quickly: the companies in China donated cash 2 billion (around $0.3 billion), 386 cars and buses in two days. The Houston Rocket start Yao Ming donated $290,000. Movie start Jackie Chen donated $1,420,000. Over 140 airplanes dropped tents, food, and soldiers non-stop. The Chinese organizations all over the world set up the donation account immediately. Every Chinese has a slogan now:" What can I do?" Maybe a new China is waking up soon!

I was sad that so many people lost their loved ones and all what they had. I was more sad that tens of thousands of people perished without knowing God's love. I thought about the disciples when Jesus was cruxified. They experienced the same disbelief, shock, and grief. But one thing they realized later was Jesus overcame death. They found peace in the midst of pain. Now fastforward to today. Have you found the peace yet? Have you felt the urgency of looking to a more eternal life? What if today is your last day on this earth? The shadow of death can strike us at any time, when we are in the elevator, when we are working in our cubicle, or while we are watching news, or browsing Internet. Are you prepared for death? Life is a precious gift from God and it's fragile too. Darkness will pass, but love and peace and God's glory will again shine on this earth, May GOD bless you and make your spirit soar!

China Earthquake

As soon as I got to the office, I read the email from our missionary friends Gary and Danita. They said that China had a major earthquake and they were fine. I looked up the news and there it was: 7.8 earthquake in central China Sichuan Province! That was right where Hongyu and Olivia's hometown. About 20000 people were buried in the collapsed buildings. 12000 confirmed dead! On a Chinese website, it posted a picture of the Chinese Premier holding a pair of children's shoes in hand with tears in his eyes, he commanded the Chinese army "to search for every life." The bridges and roads were destroyed. The heavy rain added the desaster. Many places could only be accessed by foot. Airplanes began to drop the tents, food, water where the life were possible existing. The new bridges were built with the fastest speed. People lined up to donate blood. The parents began to search their only child with a flashlight ... My tears came out; my heart went out to those families with only one child. At one middle school, 900 students (18 classes) were buried. At one plant, hundreds of workers were buried.

David sent emails to Hongyu and Olivia. Hongyu was angry. David tried to comfort him. As the tears still in my eyes, I saw millions of people offering their helping hands; I saw the families that used to pursue money, power, and material things realizing that there was something more valuable than those; I saw the Rich Fools losing what they accumulated in one second; I saw students searching for the real purpose of life; I saw a Father with a heavy heart ... A time like this helps people to redefine what's really important and how we shall live. Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that your light will shine through the dark clouds before men. Please send your angels and wrap your arm around those who were affected by the earthquake. Please offer them hope and strength to sustain the difficulties. And most of all, please send the message that there is a valuable gift, a far more valuable than their earthly life, awaiting for them to unwrap!

David and I read the first chapter of the book "Raising the kids of true greatness". The main point is that parents should have a clear goal of what kinds of kids they want to bring up. The true greatness is to be a godly servant. What the world would be if every parent raises their kids to be godly servants?! A thousand steps start from the first step. We are about to raise our legs for the first step ... By the way, today marked the end of the first trimester! I felt so much better than before. It's amazing!

Mother's Day

David got up early to prepare for the lesson. I cleaned up and had some breakfast before we left for church. We turned the radio on and listened to the worship music on the way. Right after we got to the parking lot, the radio mentioned "Mother's Day". "Hey, I was so busy this morning that I messed up everything" David said, "I have a Mother's Day gift for you in my car." We both laughed. I really didn't expect to get a gift since my newest title is only "mother-to-be". Thank David for thinking of me!

The first service ended late today. The classroom was empty when we got there. Later we found out we had two contributions and all the mothers received a flower. Plus Prentice preached. David and I were glad to see Maggie and Alex. They spent the weekend on Brookes' cousin's farm hunting and feeding the goats. David did a great job teaching the class. I was sure Maggie and Alex learned a lot. I learned something too: about the qualifications of apostles. We had lunch at Chili's with guys and I had my yearly hamberg. That was the hamberg of 2008.

Neither Hongyu nor Maggie came to Friend Speak. David and I read with two other people. After Friendspeak, David heard the voicemail from Hongyu. His car was broken and he said he might not come to Friendspeak for a while. David was discouraged thinking that he wanted to quit. "He can't stop coming to Friendspeak. Not yet. Not until he becomes a Christian. I want him to believe. But God wants that more, a million times, a trillion times more ..." After we came home, David called Hongyu. I prayed for their conversation. "What did he say?" I asked. David was all smiles:"Funny how completely opposite I can feel ... Hongyu said he and Sandy are more and more closer to God. They wanted to participate more in church activities. I gave him the first reading assignment this week!" We were so encouraged that we couldn't wait to share with them some good movies, good devotinals, and good websites that he would enjoy.

Sick Day (4)

How do you like being sick for four days in a row - sounds depressing! The Telynol bottle was almost empty. Maybe this was the day to get well! It was beautiful outside. David worked in the backyard pulling the weeds. Our backyard needs a lot of work, especially with the weeds. David enjoyed working on that!

I sold another book on Amazon. So I went to the post office to mail the book in the middle of the day. I have more erands to run. But my body told me "No". We just rested at home in the afternoon: for me, it was the real rest. For David, it was study - to prepare for the lesson tomorrow morning.

I began to feel better in the afternoon. Not just a little better, but much better. No pains, no fever. I saw the light!