Temporary Home

I'm cheesy when it comes to music. I like sappy love songs, inspiring songs, songs with meaning, etc. So naturally, I love country music. I downloaded Carrie Underwood's newest album a few months ago, and one of my favorite songs on there is "Temporary Home." Every time I hear it, it gets me thinking.

I'm in China, away from "home," so my first thought is always that China is just my temporary home and that I'll get to go back to my home culture soon, where my family is, where things are familiar and comfortable. Often when out shopping, especially when we first got here, I will see something that I like, but decide not to get it because, after all, this is just a temporary stay and I don't really need it. Also, when I get frustrated that I look different, that I can't understand what people are saying, that I don't know what's going on, that I can't find what I'm looking for, it is a great comfort to remember that this is not my real home. When I get home, I won't stand out in a crowd, I'll understand what those around me are saying...things will just be better when I get home.

And then it hits me. The way I feel about living in China is how I should feel about living on the earth. You see, no matter where I am on earth, I'm not going to fit in. I'm going to look a little different. I'll be away from my Father. I won't understand why people say and do certain things. I won't be able to find what I'm looking for. All this because this is not really where I'm from. This is only my temporary home.

I've mentioned before that I get butterflies every time I think about going through the customs line when I land back on U.S. soil and hearing those beautiful words, "Welcome home." As wonderful as that will be, I cannot imagine how amazing it will be to finally get Home and here my Father say, "Welcome home, child."

It breaks my heart to see my sweet students who wake up every morning thinking this life is all there is. There sole purpose is to find a good job, make money, and try to be as happy as they can be. There is no hope. There is no true joy. I pray every day that the Father can use me to show them that this is only temporary, and that He's waiting on them, longing for them to come Home.

It Works!

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you that have been Thinking of us. You should know that it's working! The Father has been overwhelming us (in a good way) with opportunities. He is keeping our spirits lifted. And we are beginning to see small pieces of fruits from our (and the Father's) labor here.

Last semester, we felt like we were working very hard with little to no results. But this semester, we made a decision to focus more on Thinking. We have been Thinking more ourselves, mentioning specific people we are building relationships with. Michael and I each have a Thought Network back home, who Think of us daily (and also mention specific names of those we are working with). We are spending more time Thinking with our team. And the Father has been responding in kind.

Last semester, it seemed like we had to knock out and drag someone to have lunch with us or spend time with us outside of class. Now we eat with a student at least three times a week. Michael has a group of guys that ask him to work out with them and play basketball with them at least three times a week. We are texting and talking (outside of class) more with our students now than we ever have before.

We are busy and we love it! Our Father is so good! And He listens when His children talk to Him. So please continue to Think of us and mention us to the Father. Please ask Him to use us in any way He wills as instruments for His work here in China. And thank you for remembering us in our work here. We thank Him on all remembrances of you!

This Makes No Sense

Sometimes the Chinese people will do things that, as a foreigner, make absolutely no sense to me. Okay, maybe the word here should be "Oftentimes" instead of "Sometimes."

One example occurred just 2 weeks ago.

It was Monday morning. 8:30AM. First day of classes. We hear a knock on our door. We were awake, but are not accustomed to people knocking on our door that early in the morning. Michael's first class was not until 1:30pm and I don't teach on Mondays, so we had not yet taken showers or gotten ready for the day. Michael opened the door to find a small Chinese woman waiting. She spoke no English. We're used to this, so we tried to figure out what she wanted through sign language. She just kept talking and pointing to the bathroom and we just could NOT figure out what was going on. So she pulled out her cell phone and called a friend who could speak English and translate for us. She communicated to us that the school wanted to remodel our bathroom. They would have to bust out all the tile, lay new tile and grout, and allow it to dry. We would not be able to use the shower for 3 days. Please keep in mind that this is the first day of classes - and the fact that we had been gone for 6 weeks, which would have been, in our minds, the perfect opportunity to re-tile our bathroom. But, what can you do? This is life in China. We made do with the sink for a few days until we got the okay to use the shower again. It was frustrating at first and I don't understand why they had to do it this way, but now that it is all said and done, I am thoroughly enjoying our new shower that now has a drain of its own (instead of the whole bathroom floor getting wet).

In a way, I guess this is a good lesson about our Father. We spend our time in the physical. He is from somewhere different - the spiritual. So there are times when He asks us to do things that make absolutely no sense to us. We may think we know a different or even better way of doing things. But in the end, He knows what He is doing, and we are left to enjoy the great blessings of going with the flow and following in the way that He wants us to do things.

Blessed Beyond Belief

When I was about 12 years old, my parents were going to take a trip to Florida for their anniversary - just a short getaway without us kids. In response I exclaimed, "You never take me anywhere!" My parents laughed in my face, as well they should.

When I was 4 months old, my family and I moved to India. By the time I was 5, I had seen more of the world than most people will see in a lifetime. During our 16 years in Henderson, Tennessee, my parents provided opportunities and encouraged me to take opportunities to visit more of the world.

I don't say these things to brag. This has not only changed who I am, it is why I am who I am.

In 1985, there was no internet. India had no washing machines, microwaves, McDonalds - in fact, they barely had electricity. Yet my parents counted the cost and made the move, taking a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old with them. They could not talk to their family or friends anytime they wanted on facebook or skype. It took 3 days to place a call to the US. And they didn't have any teammates. They were the only white faces in a city of over 15 million.

They are my heroes.

It is through them that I understand that you cannot call yourself a Christian and never leave your comfort zone. It is through their example that I know, no matter how difficult it is to leave everything and everyone behind, it can and MUST be done.

I got to see my parents over our winter holiday. My dad spoke at our conference in Beijing. I've heard all of his "rants & raves" before, but I'm still inspired by the words the Father speaks through him. He has devoted his life to the Creator and I only hope that I can be used in such a way.

A few days after we returned from Beijing, my mom came to Hangzhou to visit and see where we live. She uplifted my sagging spirits and help point me in the right direction. She is my best friend and the one I always aspire to be like.

I am so blessed to have parents such as these - parents who not only taught me about the Son, they showed Him to me. I do not imagine that it is easy to see your children move across the world. But I also know it must not have been easy for one particular Father to send His Son away from home to earth. I have wonderful earthly parents, but above all I am blessed beyond belief to be the daughter of the King.