Journey to the Heart of Taiwan: 12/01/2007

"Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

I'll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams"

Well, as you can see, I have been busily "redecorating" my room for Christmas. It has been so much fun! I am really starting to get back into the "Christmas Spirit" thanks to my Family and Friends. They have all been super supportive - especially during this Holiday season. =)

This is an interesting year. I am trying to figure out if it is because I am away from my family for Christmas or if it is because I don't "feel" in the Spirit.

But this is where I had to stop and think.

These last few days I have been trying to get into the "mood/feeling" for Christmas by decorating, singing, and such. However, as of recently, the Lord has really been showing me that this season was made, not for the lights on the tree, but the One True Light who came down to earth.

I have made the decision that I am going to start spending more time in Him and in His word - remembering Who this season is really about - and less time trying to simply get in "the Mood" of things.

(decorating is still lots of fun though.) =)

(OK, and as a "side note" this is my "family" picture. From L. to R. = Mommy (Jay), Auntie (Ede), Baby (me), and Granny (Ruthie). Yeah, I know, that was totally random)

God is so Good!!

I have had so many amazing experiences within these last few weeks and days. OK, lets see...where do I begin?

~The orphanage visits have been awesome! The last one, however, was quite interesting. We got there and the kids, as always, were super excited to see us. There were others there as well, but they were from a Buddhist place. They did a story and then showed a "slide show" and sang a Buddhist prayer. It was very disturbing - they had all of the children bow their heads and put their hands together. It was so sad because half of the children didn't even realize what they were doing, it was just what they had been taught throughout their whole life. I felt such a burden to reach out to them, but I didn't know how - I just pray that they are starting to see the difference that is in us. =)

~Tonight we had our team meeting, but instead of staying in the E.V. we went out to a nearby mountain and we all got to walk around and pray by ourselves. The mountain was a lookout peek to the city of Taiyuan (the place where I live). It was such an eye-opener. Just thinking about how many people lived here, how many people didn't know the true savior, and how many people are living by "tradition" and not really by what they have decided for themselves. =(

~Monday started off wonderfully (Mondays always do!). Anyways, I woke up early (about 7am) and had breakfast with my friend before she left for school. After she left I went downstairs to go help prepare for our school here at the E.V. - there was some stuff that needed to be put into the store classroom and Trevor, Sarah, and I were the only ones up and ready to help set up stuff before the children came. Well, as we were putting things on the shelf a can dropped from the top shelf onto my hand (which was on the ground) and split my finger nail in half! I didn't feel too much at first, but then pain came in like a flash flood!! I thought that I was fine, but the next thing that I knew Sarah was telling Trevor to help pick me up because I was going to pass out. I told her that I wasn't going to, but then I blacked out! The next thing that I knew was lying in the Library classroom and people were standing over me and asking me if I was going to be OK. Well, to say the least, it was definitely a humbling experience. I was asking God later "why?" and he stared to show me what it is like to fully dependent on Him. When I was out I had to be fully dependant upon Trevor and Sarah. I couldn't walk or even think because of the shock - I had to be willing and trust them completely, I didn't have a choice. ;-) In the same way, God really wants me to fully rely upon Him and trust Him completely. That's a hard decision, but it is totally worth it! =)

~Last, but not least, a few days ago some friends here (OK, Andrew, Trevor, Sarah, and Ashia) decided that they wanted to bless some of us by having a "Dinner Party" in the Drama room. We had no idea what we were in for...