All Done

In an effort to update people, I would like to say I am finished with first semester. I took my last exam a couple of minutes ago online.

No more:

-Thursday nights with Rebecca and philosophy discussions.
-Chapel to Evangelism to Philsophy and not catching my breath in between.
-Hebrew ridiculous Wednesdays that I never was really sure why I was going.
-Hermuentics and the haunting of Wake Forest Coffee Cups- although Dr. Thomas will be brought to mind each time I see one.
-Library days with people stealing the book I was using.
-Being loud in the library with Kelly, Stacey, Michelle, Alex, Emily and Rachel.
- Sitting in Barnes and Noble talking about important life issues with Kelly and Emily.


It's over. I am sure the next few months and years will hold many more great memories but for now-

It's time to celebrate.

Being Thankful

Brrr.Coldness has come.
1st semester is almost done.
Thanksgiving and Christmas to be celebrated in the states.
Learning to love new people without a language barrier.


I have mixed emotions about it all.

So today I will celebrate being thankful.

I am thankful for:
Jesus.
My family.
My friends (Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, China, Austria, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia... and the many places I am missing. Come visit).
My roommates.
A dryer.
My job (I love the Neffs. When/ If I leave North Carolina I will miss them like crazy!)
Christmas in the states this year.
My church and the way they have allowed me to get involved.
My lovely little car.

This year my list may not be that long but every single thing listed is important and special to me. I have mixed emotions about celebrating Thankgiving this year.... but I can be thankful the One I serve has provided beyond my imagination.

Changes

It's fall. Almost winter. The leaves are beautiful and my jacket/ sweater collection has been expanding. With this weather comes papers, finals and the general feeling of warmth that Thanksgiving and Christmas brings.

It's my first Thanksgiving and Christmas in the states since coming back from China. I will admit that I have been missing China more than usual. I miss my students, my friends, my family there. A lot of things changed when I left. My New Zealand friends were moving to a new city, my roommate moved back to her hometown, a new mall was being built. I try to picture it in my head- but then I remember it was China and nothing stayed the same for long.

Here in Wake Forest, it feels the same. New business are being built, a new semester will start and the overall look of North Carolina starts to dim as winter comes. I keep wanting to go back. Go back to the warm weather. Go back to when things where nice and beautiful Go back to when the days invited me to be lazy and celebrating in the sunshine.

But in my heart I know- I understand- I can't go back. I can't turn around and run to my small apartment with the small dilapidated bed and my space heater and my comforting $.25 cent movies. I have to move forward. It's painful and hard- especially when I feel like I am failing at juggling my life.

Nevertheless, I am here. And changes are good. I love the fall colors although I hate the cold. I love the pumpkin spice lattes, but I hate the frost on my windshield in the mornings. I love the fact that God is changing my heart into one that is more like His, but I hate the painful process it becomes and the feelings of failure it brings.

The thing about changes- they bring hope. Hope for something better, something greater, something lovelier. Fall and winter give way to spring and summer.

So while I sit and enjoy the small coffee and try to finish up my papers and online quizzes- I can be hopeful because with change there is newness. So I am coping with the change believing that something beautiful will come from it.

New People Have Entered My Life

I have thought all week about something to write about. I came up with nothing. So I decided to write about the people that 3 months ago I would have thought were crazy.

1. Kelly. I met her at matriculation. And then again in chapel. And then finally learned her name at the dumpster. Kelly has probably become one of my best friends here at Southeastern and I am sure that she would disagree saying she has no best friend currently. We have both spent time overseas and share and addiction to coffee ever though I enjoy mine with more milk than she does. Kelly was been one of those people that I prayed for while I was in China. I knew I needed people in my life who were relaxed and loved to laugh. People who encouraged me and saw the sunny side of life no matter how dark things have gotten. She has been willing to talk about anything and I have kept her awake until the wee hours of the morning on more than one occasion.

2. Rebecca. My Thursday Philosophy partner. My Tuesday night study buddy. My recently addicted to Dollhouse friend. I am not quite sure what I would be doing on any given day without receiving a text from her. We met through a Bible study that neither of us attend anymore. She has read through papers and joined me on random outings to Wal-Mart and Chick-Fil-A. She was another person who I prayed for in while in China. I knew I would need someone to challenge my way of thinking and offer me a different view on things.

3. Emily. My quiet friend. I think she is the one that I text versus actually talk to. We share a love of similar movies, TV Shows and music. She reminds me of Cara, my American friend in China. Quiet and thoughtful but with an interesting past that I could not even begin to imagine. She hates coffee but is still gracious and easy to laugh with.

4. My roommates, Seintje and Erin. These two are much older than I am.... and MUCH quieter than I am. I think that its good that we were thrown together. Seintje and I don't have much in common but I feel like I can learn from them.... and maybe they don't always think that way but something about them makes me wonder if God didn't put us together because we needed each other this year.

5. Alex. Alex and I are not good friends- yet. In fact, Alex talks about his dreams for the future more than anyone else I know.... Alex is one of those people who I am not sure about yet. He lives downstairs and next door to 2 of my good friends. I met him through my roomate and this is what I know: I know he wants to be a pastor/ biblical teacher. I know he is a neat freak. And I know that for some reason. until God tells me not too, I am to pray for him.

6. Lane. Lane is a non-christian Starbucks barista. 18-years-old, musician and a seeker. Lane and I had a very interesting conversation today at Starbucks while he was working. He writes songs and wants to be back in a band. He lives in Youngsville and does not go to church- but in interested in spiritual things.

7. The Launch team of Essentials. I still don't know this group as well as I should. And quite honestly with all the other churches (with semi-okay singles programs) in the area, I am not exactly sure what drew me to Essentials. Even though it's hard to see the why- I am confident that this church is going to do great things in Wake Forest, Raleigh, North Carolina, America and the world.... and all I know is I needed to be a part of it.


These are the people that God has put in my life at the moment. The people who I am to serve with, laugh with, love with, pray with. The people I am to serve, love and intercede for. My heart is burden for these people on a daily bases- I want them to succeed- to see their love abound more and more until Jesus comes. I still am vague on why some of our lives have started to become interconnected. Nevertheless, these are the new students and people that God has chosen to intertwine my life with. There is no going back to China or Suffolk or Lynchburg. I miss and love my friends in all of those places (and I look forward to catching up with EVERYBODY)- but

I am here. And I love my new friends.

Essentials

Water. Food. Sleep. Family. For Grad students, Coffee.

Those are the essentials of life.

My church- a wonderfully small church plant right in the heart of Wake Forest a wonderfully small town- is called Essentials.

I will be honest. I like stuff. I like the extras. The things I don't actually need. I like the new shoes that I will only wear once. The new book that I bought that I could have checked out from the Library.
When I lived in China- there were things that I always felt I needed. Comfort foods, a space heater (turns out I need it more here in Wake Forest than I did in China), younger, single friends. I still feel like I need stuff in Wake Forest. Comfort foods (which are more abundant), a space heater and younger, single friends.

Tenth Avenue North has a new (or new-to-me song) called By Your Side. One of the lines in that song is "Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?"
If I were honest with myself, I would have to admit that I am constantly looking for things to fill me and truthfully, most of these things are material.

So maybe going to this church is a good thing because it reminds me that the only thing I will ever need is Jesus. The most essential part of my day is Him. I can't keep searching other things because He is enough.

Personally, I think that everyone should have the Essentials.

Today

Today I miss:

- Dinner with Joel, Cara and family. Playing with Isaac and Autumn afterwards.
- Walking down the street to the kindergarten knowing when I got there 120 faces would light up.
- Da Fu Yuan and wondering around the back practising Chinese.
- Bus trips to Macau.
- The end of immigration in Macau, wlaking outside and breathing deeply before heading to a bus and into the mass of gamblers.
- Dinners with Andrew, Andrea and company- followed by Catan.....or Bible study.
- Vanguard.
- The Shangri-La- the way it smelled when I walked in and use of the internet there.
- My fellow teachers.
- Yuki.
- Jiao zi.

I don't long to be back in China. I don't long for the lack of space, the lack of people my age, the lack of freedom to drive, the hot weather 10 months of the year. I don't long for the trash on the sidewalks or the spitting.

I wonder if life in China would have been easier this year. I wonder why God put me here- knowing in my heart I am where I should be- but my mind is wondering why nothing has worked out as planned.

So today- while I don't long to be back in China- I do miss it.

Finding Compassion

Thursdays are my long days. I have chapel and then 2 three hour classes. And I love it- especially my Evangelism class. I generally call my parents in the 10 minutes that I have between my Evangelism and Philosophy class just to say how much I was challenged and encouraged during my Evangelism class.

So when class was canceled because my professor was out of town- I was experiencing a little bit of disappointment. However, I did want to use the time wisely and read for my Philosophy class. By the time that was done I still had about 2 hours before my class, so I took out one of the my Evangelism books- Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman- and began to read the chapter about how to show compassion to those who are angry, bitter, unsure, hurt, and have various skeptical reactions to the gospel.

What I read began to break my heart. I have been on the phone with my family every day for the past week complaining about my new job at Steak and Shake. Believe me- it is not a pleasant job. I get yelled at on an hourly bases and want to quit after every shift. I feel defeated and discouraged when I walk out and wonder why- when I hold a Bachelor's degree- I can not seem to find a better job. The people there are unfriendly and I really, strongly dislike it. I keep comparing it to my days at Chick-Fil-A, which although unpleasant, I never walked away in with the attitude of "Why am working here? Why should I pray for them?"
The book I was reading gave the example of the man who owned a field and then hired people at different times- however all were given the same wages and the people hired first complained that they should receive more money. I have always thought of this as unfair- but many times I have heard the story with regards as God seeing as at equals.

Today- I was presented with a different challenge. The parable is unfair. Those eleventh hour people should have gotten less money. The first group was right! I should have a better-paying job that matches my skills. I shouldn't have to work with illegal immigrants or people under the age of 20 making more than I am.

The story is no longer about God seeing us as equals- but of God's grace. The beauty of the cross that I can never be more knowledgeable, skilled, or worthy of what He provides out of goodness. Yes, it is unfair. Unfair that He had to pay my price. Unfair that I- in my pride- feel like I deserve something more. But more than that- why do I think of myself as better than those whom I work with because I have a degree and they do not? Where is the compassion- the realization that Jesus didn't just die for me- but for all?

So in addition to classes and work- I guess I need to get my attitude and prayer life straight- just another reason why I love my Evangelism class.

Balancing

I at one point wrote an e-mail from China about balancing and how much time it takes.

It's a lesson that I am still learning. Only today instead of balancing the needs of my classroom- my balancing act has taken on new heights and I am jungling several things- a job, a social life, a ministry and classes. It's a struggle and I am terrified that at any moment I will slip, fail and fall. My dad use to put me on his shoulders and I remember the exhilarating feelings that I really was on top of the world. I remember being scared that I may fall but somehow comforted that my Dad would do everything in his power to protect me and catch me if I fell. The coolest part was that I think I could hear him more clearly when I was on his shoulders and I knew when he smiling even though I couldn't see.

There is a new song that plays on the radio that I really identify with called "Free to be Me". In it the singer takes about how perfection is the enemy and how on our own we are clumsy.

I suppose my downfall is just that. I moved to Wake Forest with the idea of things should go and since they haven't gone that way- I feel like I am tripping over myself and stumbling in areas that I thought I had a handle on. But the reality is things going my perfect way doesn't matter and in the end my way is clumsy and hard.

The end of the song talks about how God takes us on his shoulders and there we can see that we we are truly free. Free to be ourselves, to live life fully and to rest in his care. Free to believe that He will do everything to protect us and catch us when we fall.

My balancing act will take time. Until then- I will rest in knowing my Father is right there and that if I just bend my head closer I can hear hear His voice and feel His smile..

The Plasma Place is Closed

Several years ago- when I was looking for an on-campus job at Liberty- one of my friend took me to the plasma donation shop. I never actually donated- but the idea that if I was ever in need of cash appealed. Until they shut it down. Even though I had a job- albeit low paying- many of my friends were unemployed and went to this palce as often as they could.

One day- my friend Ashely and I were in her car and I was listening to her moan about her financial. I tried to encourage her that God would provide when she turned and said, "How is God going to provide? The plasma place is closed."

In the past couple of weeks since moving to Wake Forest, I have been struggling with the same question. I have rent due, too high of a credit card bill, people that I adore and want to see and a car that needs gas. And after 3 interviews, several applications and little interest, I feel like this little search is taking more time and focus from me than what I would like it too. I feel drained and emotional- wishing for China, my chinese kids and my steady (albeit low paying) job.

I find myself asking, "How is God going to provide?" and hearing myself ask it in a way that is less excited to see that He WILL provide and more in a way worried that He won't. I find myself having to be reminded that as much as I would like to be overseas and go on short term projects- I am to be obedient in what I am doing here and I feel my heart break a little more.

I am sure that many people have had just as trying weeks as I have had and probably even harder experiences than what I am experiencing. But I guess even if the answer is a closed plasma place- the reality is that He can and does provide every need. The church I have been going to has been talking and proverbs and the pastor recently said that just because we can't see Him working doesn't mean we are on the wrong path. It just means I need more trust. Trusting that the One who took me to Asia and back will be here. Trusting that the One who provided family who is loving and supportive of His call will continue to be faithful.

Apparently, Lord, I am still a mess when it comes to believing your goodness.

Finishing

I have been back in the states for about a week now. And what a hetic week it has been. 4 flights, several cities and a couple of stops at a Chick-Fil-a, I made it to Wake Forest, N.C.

When I was in China, I always thought about this last letter. About what I would say, what I could write, what I could communicate about the heartbreak I was sure would happen when I left. I was never really sure what to say. Many times, I would watch the ending scene of the Lord of the Rings triology and think " I know exactly what Frodo is talking about". How unsure I was coming back to a place where my old life and friends had changed to where I vaguely remembered it.

This past week I have enjoyed talking to many people. I have enjoyed seeing my family and talking around the dinner table with people that I love, adore and look up to. But part of me doesn't exactly know where to I fit yet. I think when I left college- I thought I knew. Turns out China changed what I thought I knew.

Today- I miss walking down to the Vanguard store (the orange store as it was affectionately labeled by me in my first week in China), walking into the kindy and hearing my students yell my name and reach up for a hug, going to the basement of the mall to buy videos, dinners with Joel and Cara, the crazy International group whose doctrine I almost never agreed with, Autumn and Isaac begging me to let them dance to Christian Rap, my increidble Chinese friends who let me make mistakes. I miss the familair faces and stares. The boys who let me interupt their game of badmitton and teach me how to play. I miss going home and stopping by Sky's house and playing with her and her baby sister.

I miss the people. The people who taught me that I need to love more. To learn more. To live more. I went to community group last Sunday night- which was wonderful to be sitting in room of singles and being able to talk and share openly without a language barrier. In the wonderful-ness, it was ackward- in the first meeting kind of way. But- much of what I thought I know has changed. Now, I am more aware of how small I am. How small I think. How small I make God. I am more aware that family can be found in very strange places. I am more aware that although I am not there to see and witness the amazing things that will happen- that it does not mean God has stopped working.

So in this strange home- where I stop in the middle of grocery stores and look at the variety of non-seafood favored chips- where I will try "to pick up the old threads of an old life" as Frodo would say- I can recongize that the same God who led me to Asia- is there, Alive and working in hearts- has brought me here to Wake Forest. And being in His hands- trusting Him fully- is the place where I best fit.

Finally

I am FINALLY in Hong Kong.

Here is my schedule over the next week:

Monday: Fly to Beijing
Wednesday: Fly to LA
Late Wednesday night: Fly to Philly
EARLY Thursday morning: Fly to Newport News
Thursday and Friday: Attempt to put together sentence for the people who want to see me.
Saturday: Move to Raleigh.


The best part about the schedule? Facebook and blogspot FREEDOM!!!!!!

Fine Chocolate

Chocolate is amazing. I am not gonna lie- I love it in any form. But having your first test of a fine gourmet chocolate is something that sticks with you. You compare it to every piece of chocolate you eat forever. People compare it to a fine wine- how the first sip isn't something that you simply drink- it's something you experience. Thats how it was when I first tasted New Zealand chocolate. I have heard good things about European chocolate- but this- this was like gold melting in my mouth. Since then- every small piece has been compared.

I am 3 months away from coming back to the US and my boss is already starting to plan goodbye parties. My students are starting to learn their dances for our end of the year program and when I get back from Hong Kong in 2 weeks- they will start to learn their English lines. My roommate has made the decision to leave in August as well to pursue the dreams that have been given to her. The team that I have worked with, struggled with, celebrated with, worshipped with- our time is starting to dwindle and it is unlikely we will ever be in the same place at the same time in this life. It brings a certain level of sadness to our weekly meetings and Sunday fellowships.

But for me- with all the struggles that China presents, it has been my fine chocolate. More than a job- a life-changing experience. It's hard to remember my life before China. I am sure I was less liberal- in my friendships, in my giving, in my love. I laughed less. I forgave less. I cried less. I owned less. This experience has changed me. It has affected the way I view church, work, God, the world around me, family, myself, everything. I'm blessed to have had such an experience. Just like most people in the world don't have the luxury of clean water (much less good chocolate), I think many people don't get to experience life in this way, for this long. I have been irreversibly changed.

I'm not saying I won't have good work or church experiences again. In fact, I will probably have harder, more challenging with greater blessing experiences. But this time- these past 2 years- is probably what will be brought to mind in each experience.

I'm so thankful for this group of people- that trust me with their children, that listen when I ramble on about life problems, that don't judge my cooking skills- and this experience and the people who made it possible for me to come over at all. If I leave here with one emotion, it will be greatfulness.

So Thank You- to the kindergarten and language school, to the International fellowship, to the people in the US who believed in One greater and made things possible by praying and giving- for 2 years of fine chocolate.

GST for Thursday and Friday

Yeah- I am a slacker. Sue me.
I am sick with a nasty cold and what feels like the flu. I am still going to work but have cancelled all my night time activties because my classes are wearing me out. But here is my GST anyway-

1. Sweet people in the US giving towards my computer fund.
2. Being able to use the computer at school for about an hour and no one bothered me- often times I am kicked off if another teachers needs it.
3. Slept really well last night.
4. Watching lots of TV yesterday afternoon. Rest is GREAT!
5. Fidning out that my drivers liscense issue is taken care of and I don't have to stand in line at the DMV when I get home.
6. it's FRIDAY!
7. The rain. It cools things down.
8. The girl who shared her umbrella with me on the walk home yesterday. She spoke no English and I am still limited in my spoken Chinese.
9. Leftover lunch for when I get home.
10. Getting an e-mail for someone that warmed my heart.

Mahlia

Mahlia is one of my favorite students. She is my bosses 4 year old daughter and I love her.

Today this the conversation we had:

Me: Mahlia, you smell like watermelons. Why do you smell like watermelons?
Mahlia: Because I was eating fish.

It is moments like these I wish I had longer than 4 months. Don't get me wrong- I am THRILLED to be heading back to school and a bit of normalcy in my life. But funny conversations with Mahlia and Liam and my other sweet children- makes me never want to leave.

GST 11

I just got the sudden urge to go to bed. I am exhausted and am THRILLED that Monday is a holiday. We have 4 weeks off for Chiense New Year and although that sounds great- I think I would rather those weeks be spread out over time. I am ready to sleep and do nothing on Monday.....even though it will probably be a pretty day and I should do laundry and clean.

Leslie in on 33 of 365. I am on like 11.

1. Trading in a box set of movies given to me by a friend for 3 new movies that I am really excited to experience.

2. Learn how to make biscuits and gravy. From scratch.

3. Oliver Twist was just okay. Who know Dickens was so violent in his stories? Even thinking about A Christmas Carol- it was violent. Still- it went late and I was glad for a good night sleep as well as being able to wake up this morning.

4. Poptarts from my American family here in China. I am going to miss them in August.

5. Boiling down my reason for going back to the US to "God told me too" and "I love Jesus and He loves me so I follow Him" and then explaining that my 3 year old class. Also being able to use the gifts my mom gave me last year for my classroom as an excuse to share and show God's love to that class.

Conviction

It has been a rough week. I am sure if you have been reading my blog- you may understand a bit of what I mean.
I think on the outside- I have managed to smile and pretend my way through the week- but yesterday on the phone I realized just how horrible I had been.
At the risk of sounding whining, I will give you some lowlights of the past week.
1. Our school scored very low on the education department review. Thats bad. Really, really bad.
2. My classes were just okay this week. I am struggling and am not really sure what I am struggling with- making it hard to explain and ask for help.
3. My computer died and I have no idea the cost it will take to fix it.I simply do not have the funds to fix my computer (even though it is in the shop) and pay for a car and pay for an apartment when I get home. Even with saving the majority of my pay from now until August. Money will be extremely tight.
4. I feel very alone. No computer means no talking to friends on skype. Friends here try- but it is so hard to develop deep friendships with people who have children and husbands and home lives that are much busier than mine.

With all that said- I made it to International Fellowship this week. My boss was speaking and honestly, sometimes I don't like it when she does because she tends to fall more on the liberal side of things and I don't always agree. I will admit though a lot of my thoughts have changed in that I now understand what I should be liberal with (my time, my limited finances and my Savior's love), even if I do not always practice it. She spoke about the dinner where the Savior's feet were anointed by Mary. She talked of how Judas complained and how Mary had learned that it was about worship- more than money or status. I was convicted more than once- earlier that we had sung about how nothing compares to the promise that we have in Him. I have sung that song a THOUSAND times and maybe more. And yet today, I thought about the words- how nothing can compare to the Promise. Not even the relationship or the joy that we have been given but the promise in and of itself. The promise that He would meet every need and even if He choose to withhold blessings- He had promised His eternal life. And nothing can compare to that. Not a great review, a working computer, a friend to ease the loneliness. Nothing compares. Easter is fast approaching and I am reminded of why I gave up facebook. I am looking forward to celebrating with my International group and taking time to think abut the cross. The way that was made. The promise that no matter how He answers my prayers- He loves me and willingly laid down His own life- so that I could live-with or without a computer. And the promise of unconditional love and life? Well, nothing compares to that.

7 Quick Takes #?

My weeks are starting to FLY! I can not believe how busy I am and how much I am really looking forward to next Monday when we get a day off of school.

1. It's almost APRIL! Seriously, my mind has been stuck at new years and already we are half way down with this term. In some respects I feel very very far behind. I am ready though to get into April. Sad to say- but I am over the month of March and am antsy for this month to end already!

2. April 11th- I am going to be back on facebook. It's strange though- I thought I would miss it more than I have. It will be wierd to get back on and I am hoping that even though I will be on it, I will continue to use my time wisely.

3. May already holds the promise of being a great month! My birthday, getting to go to HK- albeit for my visa again but still, my New Zealand friend Kristen who I met 4 years ago is coming at the end of May. Kristen is one of my favorite people and I am really looking foward to her coming and staying with Daisy and I.

4. My Monday night crew is AMAZING. I love them. This week the food was just okay- btu the conversation and the games were great. I am hoping that next year when Cara and Joel decide to do another home class that most of my group will head over to their house and to learn more specifically about Jesus.

5. I made Leslie's chicken enchiladas last night. It was my first night in a LONG time that I have been able to sit at home and not have to worry about babysitting or meetings. I went to bed super early and then woke up this morning feeling rested and ready for my Saturday.

6. My computer is being fixed. I am nervous about how much it will be to fix it and what the problem is. Thankfully I did not have to go to Macau or Hong Kong. I took it to a store here in town and they were able to get it fixed! I added something Friday to my busy schedule that I will be needing my computer for. Hopefully I will get it back soon.

7. Thursday was a bad day. We had the education department come to review out school and unfortunately they were not playing fair. They sent a neighboring principal to review us and she marked us VERY low. All of the teachers and my employer were HIGHLY upset.The good news is that Friday came anyway and the world did not stop. I am hoping and praying the teachers and staff have a restful weekend and do not give up because of this. Although we were marked low, the kids there need and deserve the best possible care.

Okay- I think thats all. Hope you have a great weekend!

525600 Minutes

525600 minutes. In a year. Thats right. The broadway musical RENT taught me that.

I have about 4 amd half months left in China.

My mind is thinking about housing in the fall, how to pay for classes, and what to do about a vehicle when I get back. The physical necessities. My mind is also thinking about the emotional and spirtual needs of getting back into a culture that has changes- into a life that is not how I left it.

Yet- today I was reminded that I only have about 198765 minutes left in China and those are slipping away- wasted by me focusing on other things.

198765 minutes.

In the words of RENT- how do you measure a year in the life?
It's my precious little student Charlie's and my precious friend Yuki's birthdays. Today for atleast some of those minutes- I plan to celebrate them.

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I remember growing up whenever Mr. Turner would come and talk to us in chapel, he and Mrs. Turner would read us this story. I don't remember the entire thing but the gist was that this little boy had a very very bad day.

I wanted to move to Australia yesterday.

My computer decided to have issues, my allegries decided to flare, the taxi driver over charged me, Daisy's computer did not want to play the last 10 minutes of our movie and gosh darnit my smoked chicken did not turn out the way it should have.

Plus I had to wake up this morning.

I need to move to Australia. Apparently there are no bad days there. :)

GST I think I am on like 6 of 365

1. The warm sunshine making me want to play outside all day with my students.
2. Having my oldest class sing the song we have been learning to my employer and watching her reaction.
3. Learning a new breakfest recipe from my friend Joanna's blog http://eslteachertravels.blogspot.com/ and hoping I can try it soon.
4. Getting a e-mail from my best friend and getting more and more excited to hopefully go and see her when I get back to the states!
5. Sleeping in for 15 minutes this morning. It was needed and great!

#4

Alright so it's Tuesday not Friday but whatever. It's the first day in a week that I have had time to sit down and write anything. 

So here are my seven quick takes:

1. This week has been CRAZY! Monday night I had dinner with some newfound friends from the Pharmacy school. I got to share a little bit. Please, please keep praying for them. They have many questions and I want to answer as honestly as I can. They will be coming over to my house for dinner this Monday night.

2. Wednesday. My bosses birthday. So in honor of that, I bought a small oven. I LOVE it. I wish I would have invested in one sooner. I made her a cake with cookies on the top and little pieces of melted dove bar inside. Needless to say it was AMAZING. The night before my roommate and I had practice making a cake- she was so excited to use the measuring cups I had found in Macau. I am hoping to give the oven to her when I leave.

3. Thursday night. Oh Thursdays. I love Thursdays. My friend, Cara, was spending time with her friends from the US so my roommate and I hosted Thursday night at our house. It was great! I had a blast playing games, cooking dinner and talking with these incredible ladies who want to learn. 

4. Friday. I taught my students a fun song from my childhood- a Mr. Turner song- and it was so much fun to hear them laugh and sing along. Then I got to play mommy to three incredible kids while their parents were out of town. Thankfully, I did not have to take care of them overnight but for the 6 hours I did have them- it was lots of fun hearing their conversations and watching movies and playing legos with them.

5. Sunday. I watched a video with my International fellowship about a man who was born without arms and legs. It was a moving testimony followed by a great conversation and great food!

6.  The following Monday. I hosted my first English corner at my apartment. The broccoli was too salty and I started cooking too early- but the apple pie was incredible! We played UNO for a couple hours and the college students all had a lot of fun. I was tired afterwards, but it was worthwhile to develop new friendships with great people. I am having them over again next Monday. Hopefully the dinner will be better :)

7. Tuesday. I am celebrating today but updating my blog, baking a cake and waiting for my roommate so we can make cheesecake and watch Friends. Yay for rest! Tomorrow starts the craziness all over again.  

#3

1. I bought my plane ticket. One way westward. I will be home Thursday, August 13th, at around 10am. I almost cried though when I saw the price. I know hard times are going on worldwide- but honestly I am struggling not to revert to my old self and worry about finances. Trusting sounds so simple, cliche and easy. In reality, it hard to let go of things and remember that I can be confident He has the world completely under control.

2. March. I love March. Spring time. I have been really happy about the weather here and have mentioned it a few times in recent updates. Then China had to go and let me down. It has been raining and cold (okay like 60's) for the past 3 days!! AHHHHHHHHH! I was so upset. I realized that my mood generally is effected by the weather. It has been hard staying awake through the day without wanting to watch TV or a movie- which would put me to sleep and defeat the no nap policy that I have recently implemented in my life. I find I sleep better at nights without a nap.

3. No more mice! The men came and did whatever people do in order to rid the world of rats, mice and other disgusting disease carriers. Cats are still hanging around but I am hoping that by the time I leave they will have moved on to pester someone else.

4. Thursdays. I love Thursdays! It is a tie for my favorite day of the week with Wednesdays. Followed by Sundays and Tuesdays. Thursdays I go over to my American families home for dinner and an English corner hosted in their house. This past Thursday we did a craft activity and if you know me well you know I don't do creative craft making at all because I am not very good. Shockingly I made a very pretty card that I was quite proud of. This Thursday we are not having a get together and I am sad.

5. When Daisy, my roommate and I, started talking about what to do on Thursday we decided to have the group come over to our place. Now our apartment is not the cleanest in the world mostly because Daisy and I are really busy or really tired. So this weekend and Monday and Tuesday our goal is to clean the entire apartment. It's a bit scary...

6. In addition to hosting Thursday night, we will also be cooking dinner. No joke. I don't cook. That's why Wednesdays and Thursdays are great. Because I don't have to figure out how to feed myself. Daisy doesn't cook- unless you count hard boiling eggs. After talking about it for about an hour we came up with a menu. Daisy will teach me how to make Chinese dumplings and I will be making vegetables, cookies and mac and cheese. I feel like a bit like Holly Homemaker and have decided if this is what I want to do with the rest of my life (meaning that I am considering an interesting graduate program and have just about settled on it) sharing, inviting and learning, then I better start practicing now.  It is a blessing to have them because although they are not what I pictured when I asked for friendships, they are very special and play important roles in my life.

7. April 2nd promises to be a good day. It's a Thursday so of course it will be a good day- but I was invited to join with my New Zealand family and my Thursday night group to go see a London Drama Company perform Oliver Twist. I know the story from Wishbone on PBS but can honestly say I have never read the book. It's on my to buy list when I go to Macau on Tuesday afternoon in order to UPS some things to my parents.

BRRRRR

Just when I thought spring had arrived and I could put away rainy day/cold weather clothing.... China has to go and change it's mind. You would think I would be use to this country's indecisiveness. I'm not. 

It's yucky outside and damp in my classroom. I am not a fan. 

My GST today may be done with a twinge of bitterness as my laundry has yet to dry. Grrr.

1. Eating friend rice for lunch. One less meal I have to figure out.

2. Missing one class today because they went on a field trip.

3. Discussing my love of chocolate with my employer and finding out she made chocolate cupcakes that would be shared when I went over for Wednesday night meeting.

4. Wednesday nights and being able to share and to learn. I will really miss them when I leave.

5. Watching "Horton Hears a Who" with Mahlia and Liam and laughing through it. 

A bonus- the weather is suppose to be sunny and 70 tomorrow on Thursday. I believe I will celebrate if and when that is true.

Autumn

Autumn, my favorite 2 and half year old, and I were playing the English room on Sunday after church. The conversation as we were getting ready to leave went like this:

Me: Autumn can I come play at your house?

Autumn: No.

Me: Well.... Why not?

Autumn: Because I don't like your shirt.

I laughed.... pretty hard. 

Tuesday GST:

1. Watching my oldest class have a BLAST today in English and knowing that they were learning.

2. Funny text messages that make me smile. Even though the messages are suppose to be serious. 

3.  Watching Madea goes to Jail and laughing a lot throughout the movie. Truthfully the endings in Madea always seem unrealistic for a "realistic" movie- I prefer the plays. 

4. Not having a lot to do and finding that I should clean my room.

5. Cleaning my room didn't take a long time. :)

GST

Leslie had a better explaination for GST than I could come up with. Here it is:

Grace in Small Things "exists because we are choosing not to allow the noisiness of life to rob us of the time and energy to be mindful of ourselves and those we love and to recognize the grace that exists in small things....it is a challenge for every day, because there's no time like the present, tomorrow, never comes, and some other cliche about seizing the day.  Oh right: carpe diem" (http://graceinsmallthings.ning.com/).  The idea is to find five things everyday where we can see God's grace and be thankful for those 5 things. 

Here are mine for the weekend. Be advised that I will probably not do this every day as I should. 3/4 of 365.

1. Honest conversations with my friend Cara about my future and knowing she not only listening but semi-caring about  me rambling on about my life.

2. Inviting myself over to Cara and Joel's on Sunday and still having a great afternoon.

3. Sunday morning worship. I always wonder if our churches in the US were to lose everything how real would we be- Sunday mornings prove that we can worship without things that make usually make life more comfortable.

4. Making Hamburger Helper and having leftovers for at least 2 days.

5. Sleeping in later that I probably should have on Saturday. Needed and incredible.

6.  Reading the rest of my book on Sunday evening. Kind of weird Paulo Coelho.

7. Talking to Leslie and Annie in the same day.

8. Finding plane tickets to NJ to see my best friend when I get back to the states in August.

9. Finishing 2 pages of scholarship stuff and only having 1 more left!

10. Knowing all my lesson plans are done for the week so I could relax in the weekend.

7 Quick Takes Friday

1. The Mickey Mouse Saga. Last week I mentioned that a mouse had taken up residence under my couch. I then spent Thursday and Friday trying to convince my roommate that something was under there. Finally on Friday we found it. 4 adorable kittens and one less than pleased momma cat. Watching my roommate and I try to get these out from our apartment would have been fun. She whacked the broom and I with no gloves attempted to capture them. However the plan backfired as I grabbed one and it bit me. Needless to say I throw it down hard and now believe cats should only be in cages. The story then takes a strange twist as the next day I was in my kitchen fixing lunch when I looked out my window to see the largest RAT I have ever seen. I then wondered where all the cats were.

2. Thursday nights are starting become my favorite night of the week. My American family has me over for dinner followed by working with 5 or 6 Chinese students on their English. I have enjoyed getting to know these students and am really looking forward to working with them!

3. Classes at the kindy are still going well. I am starting to get a bit nervous due to the fact that my middle class is so spread out in their English levels that I am not really sure how to handle it. I will be talking to my boss sometime this next week to see what we can do.

4. Sundays continue to be a joy. I actually really disliked going to International Fellowship because it was held at the kindy. I know it's complaining but sometimes it's hard being in a place 6 days a week and sometimes 7.  But the people they make it worth going every time. We have 2 very new believers with very honest questions- I always looking forward to hearing other peoples answers and even though at times I have my own- I love seeing things from a New Zealand, French or Chinese perspective.

5. March is around the corner. The weather is changing and I love every second of sitting outside in the 85 degree weather and drinking kiwi strawberry Snapple that I recently found in the supermarket.

6. Plans for attending Seminary seem to be falling into place. I am working on getting all of my financial aide applications in and filling out that kind of paperwork has been to be more annoying than filling out the application for admissions. Don't ever just wish someone would give you a million dollars no strings attached? Until that day I must answer 4 questions that are exactly alike give or take a word. And I find it annoying.

7. In a world with possible rabies infected cat bites (no I don't think I have rabies). paperwork that makes me want to scream and classes that tire me out, I have been reading my friend- who lives in Budapest- Joanna's blogspot. She has decided every day to list 5 things which she labels Grace in the Small Things (GST). So today that is what I decided to do:
    a. Not having my first class today because they went on a field trip.
    b. Watching 24 online uninterrupted by cats or rats or animals in general.
    c. Being able to communicate and have a conversation with a Chinese woman in the grocery store. I know have I lived here for 2 years- but being able to have a conversation is still a big deal!
    d. teaching my 2 youngest classes and watching them have fun.
    e. sitting outside for 2 full hours in the warm sunshine reading my good- but very unique- new book.

Facebook and Freedom

I am a frequent facebook user. I am not really sure how I got here. I am sure that it happened in college- but I am not sure that in those days I check it or play around on it as much as I do now. I use the excuse that I am "keeping in touch". Although I am really unsure about how that happens considering I am 12 hours ahead of people. 

In the past few months, I have watched people write politic notes and change their status to mourning the historic event that will happen in D.C. today. I have read things that make me embarrassed to be grouped with these believers. I have watched many friends join different groups saying that they are against our new President. I will be the first admit that he was not my first choice- but a part of me is proud. Proud of the freedoms that our country gets. Proud that our country is somewhat able to move past race. Proud that people cared enough about the troubles we are in to vote- even if I disagree with his policies.

My newest Chinese friend and I were talking today and comparing China to the US. She mentioned that she thought one day China would become more like the US. I chuckled a little bit knowing that China would probably never be as tolerate of race, religion, or any of the things that the US has made progress on. 

I know that today is a sad day for most people. Sadness because of the pro-lifer, the small government, and the socialism-is-evil side of a person that is screaming this is wrong. But my hope is that people can see the freedom of the day. The freedom to not only pray for our president but to pray in general. The freedom to that in four years- those who are not satisfied can change things. The freedom that many around the world want and few have. Freedom to believe what we do- and know that because of Who we believe in we can have true freedom. If anything today should not make us sad- but to remind us that no matter what happens we have One greater on our side, still in control.