lately

I've really missed celebrating this season of Hope with my family. As much as I love Christmas music, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" has sent me into tears more than once thinking about people I love and familiar gatherings. In light of those moments, I know that the Lord has purposed these days so I am choosing to press into the Father's heart and desiring to know him more. There are a few things that have made this HK Christmas memorable already:

Revisiting the age old art of decorating seasonally shaped cookies.

Fatih sharing a few pieces of baklava that his brother brought from Turkey.

Watching the construction of the tiniest gingerbread village.

Caroling at local nursing homes.

Truth that keeps my heart in check. The miracle of miracles, prophecy fulfilled...

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, a son will be given to us; and the government shall rest upon his shoulders; and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

We have to continue to grasp the idea/truth that our lives reflect something. It honors someone or something. It is eternally, infinitely important that we reflect Jesus.

asleep or not asleep?

If you ever find yourself on a bus here in Hong Kong you will very likely find yourself seated next to a person who is sleeping, or pretending to sleep. It's a incredible thing really. People can be fully alert walking to their bus stop, interacting with others while awaiting the bus' arrival, but then as soon as they hit the seat in the bus their eyes are closed and their head tilted downwards. The best part is that they know exactly when they need to get off without lifting an eyelid. The awkward part is when the bus makes a wide turn and the person next to you really is asleep, you find yourself leaning way farther than you normally would to avoid being mistaken as a pillow. Sometimes I just want to wave my hand in front of their face to see if they would look up, but after some logical processing through that thought I realized that in the chance that they did open their eyes, it would be difficult to explain why my hand was in front of their face and not seem like a creep. Perhaps they enjoy a little power nap while in transit. Perhaps they are really perceptive and don't need visual cues to get places. Perhaps they are narcoleptic. Perhaps it's just a little game they like to play to pass the time: am I asleep or not asleep?

taking time

If you know me well, you know that I love to look back through old journals and pictures that seem to capture time as it passes all too swiftly. As our team gathered together this week, we collectively practiced looking back on our experiences together this fall and what the Lord has done right before our very eyes. While many of the things mentioned were repeated as we shared, I didn't grow tired of hearing them time and time again. It seemed as if those very memories grew my appreciation and understanding for what He has done among us. He used the same situation to speak much into us as individual children and as a team. For it is only in and through and because of Him that we are satiated by His grace and provision. What a joy it is to look back and watch him make good of all that has come.

I hope that you feel connected to this portion of my journey thus far and in my desire for you to feel that I wanted to share a couple of the things that found their way from my memory to my paper:

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him [Jesus]. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

{before my eyes}

• He has provided for all we need {Matthew 6:25-34}
• He has most certainly prepared the way before us in a way that we must rely on him {Isaiah 30:21}
• the soil of hearts softening {Matthew 13:18-23}

{in me}

• a deeper desire to know him {Jeremiah 29:12 & 13}
• opportunities to exercise trust in who He is {Hebrews 4:14-16}
• burden for the nations {Matthew 28:16-20}

sway

reason # 812 i really enjoy taking walks here. always a little gem along the way.

david platt

"The most dangerous place for you to be may be right in the center of God's will."

"God rid us of the idea that that which is the most comfortable and the easiest to accomplish must be the will of God."

"Success in the Church is about the unstoppable uncontrollable Spirit of God, and the people of God, advancing the gospel of God to the ends of the earth."

christmas music is O.K. now.

I know I'm a couple days late. But I hope that Thanksgiving Day was filled with rich conversations and a deeper appreciation for the goodness of the Lord.

As you can imagine, Hong Kong doesn't have an official holiday to celebrate Thanksgiving so on Thursday our team gathered at the Dean's to celebrate. Yes, we even had a Turkey!

A week or so prior to turkey day we were reminiscing and brainstorming over all-too-familiar Thanksgiving dishes, and divided up culinary responsibilities to cover everything. As we brought together different family tastes and traditions, the array of food yielded a feeling of familiarity and a little glimpse of home.

Mom, Dad, Teresa, Carl, Meg [yes, I'm going to name all of you], Ash, Zach, & MC : I missed you so much. Holidays will forever bring memories of each of you. Thank you for celebrating with me what the Lord is doing and for your constant encouragement.

I love and miss each one of you so much.

Of course it was different, but I count it such a blessing to celebrate the Lord's provision here in Hong Kong. When I begin to think back about my journey here and how God has done nothing less than shower goodness upon us, this year's Thanksgiving will be treasured as a day tangibly marked by his provision for a vision.

Looking forward.

Time to turn on Christmas music- my favorite time.

it's almost that day

thank·ful

Pronunciation: \ˈthaŋk-fəl\

Function: adjective

Date: before 12th century

1 : conscious of benefit received 2 : expressive of thanks 3 : well pleased : glad

some of my favorite moments...

...look a lot like this.

white elephant & hot pot

Yesterday we were able to introduce our friends in English class to the ever-so-seasonal game White Elephant. The gifts in our circle ranged from USB key chains to the pieces of a board game. While the game itself is entertaining to play with friends, my favorite part of the afternoon was commentary from Chris. After explaining to him that you try and solicit gifts to others if you don't want the one you unwrapped; he echoed "this (whatever happened to be in his hand) is so useful!" at the start of each person's turn. His efforts were met with a "steal" a few times, but the remainder of the time he brought us lots of laughter. I ended up with a plastic Quaker tupperware container.

Did I "steal" it from someone? Sure did. Twice.

After church, Cat & I met our friends Gillian & Cecilia for dinner. They had invited us over for an authentic Chinese meal at their home. The meal they prepared is called hot pot, and if you've never heard of/tasted it before, the name explains it pretty well. I wish I could tell you what all they mixed in the soup that we cooked our meat & veggies in, but they told us they just made it up as they went. Honestly, I was somewhat nervous about what we would be eating before we arrived. When you experience dining in another culture, you soon learn that things aren't always what they appear to be or seem to be on the menu. But Gillian & Cecilia did an amazing job, dinner was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. I think Cat & I ate 90% of the potatoes on the table, successfully used our chopsticks the entire meal, and laughed a lot.

I'm so thankful to be here.

in transition

This little snapshot is a part of my everyday. {Disclaimer: If you think this is my version of Where's Waldo, you can give your eyes a rest; there is nothing particularly special about this photo. But it does give you a small glimpse into the view that spurred the following thoughts.} This little intersection, like most of Hong Kong, is a place of transition. When I happened to peek over the railing to capture this view, it was early in the afternoon and traffic was low. But as I stood there for a moment I realized that no one stopped. Everyone was in motion, in constant transition: going, coming, to here, from there; and in this particular place, I do the same thing. I don't think about stopping because there is really no reason to. Yet, whenever someone pauses in the midst of the sea of people, my eyes are drawn into what they are doing and I reason that they must have a purpose for taking on a new role as a blockade to the oncoming flow of people. People don't just hit the brakes when life beckons them to do the opposite. But what if there was a reason to stop. Stop moving so fast. Stop talking so much. Stop traveling on autopilot through all too familiar places. What if there was a reason to stop and listen?What if there was life to be gained and love to be known? What if no one took the time to stop and speak truth, how would they hear? What if it meant there was risk involved? My heart sank in my chest as I became overwhelmed with the thought that most of the individuals scurrying past my line of vision were of the ones whom have not heard. As my life continues to unfold alongside them, I don't want to miss knowing who they really are. But what if, what if I stopped, what if they stopped and listened? Not to draw attention to myself or become a blockade, but to speak of the One who loved them before time began. The One who has pursued them relentlessly with his grace. Oh the great privilege it is to tell the story of redemption in Jesus.

If I have lost you in the middle of my analogy, I apologize. If you are worried that I am on my way to the MTR station with a bullhorn and a box to stand on, rest assured that is not the case. The point being that we move ever more swiftly through this life. And as we are equipped with the gospel, we can not continue on in silence. We must take the time to stop and share.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ...

Romans 10:14.

new friends that you should meet.

changing me

psalm 33:13-22

The Lord looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,

he who fashions the hearts of them all and observe all their deeds.

The king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

The war horse is a false hope for salvation,

and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

handwriting

I peeked in the mailbox this morning to find a gray envelope & a little surprise from my big sister. I'm not sure what it is about handwritten words, but they get to me every time. I guess it's just the thought that goes into the whole process. It's one thing to think of something that you need/want to say. But it's a whole different ball game to pick up a pen and take time to write them down and mail them around the world. Thanks so much to family & friends who have taken the time to send handwritten words. They mean more than you know.

shades

Yep, I broke another pair. I'm hopeful that one day my sunglasses and I will have a friendship that last longer than a couple weeks before they are lost or broken.

comma problem

Main Entry: com·ma

Pronunciation: \ˈkä-mə\

Function: noun

Etymology: Late Latin, from Latin, part of a sentence, from Greek komma segment, clause, fromkoptein to cut — more at capon

Date: 1554

1 : a punctuation mark , used especially as a mark of separation within the sentence [2 : pause, interval ] 3 : any of several nymphalid butterflies (genus Polygonia) with a silvery comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hind wings

I just love a comma. Over half of the commas I use when I write are not necessary, or in, the, wrong, place. If this misappropriation has irritated you, caused frustration, given you urges to punch your computer screen, or caused your finger to move that mouse over the [X] on the corner of the screen and click out of my blog before you could get past the first paragraph; please know that these efforts of misuse are not intentional. In all honesty, I just place them where my thoughts take a pause. I always heard that commas were like a pause in a sentence, so there's my simple (most likely way off base) logic. If you've noticed my misappropriation of the comma, please except my apology.

thursday

"Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

[Daniel 6:19&20]

On Thursday morning at Island, there is a group of women who have joined together to study the book of Daniel. This week we found ourselves in an all too familiar story of Daniel in the lion's den. Of course there is much life to be found in the way that our Sovereign God chose to shut the mouths of lions and spare Daniel's life. But Thursday morning my spirit was pierced by the steadfast nature of Daniel's integrity and the holy habits that he had formed over his lifetime. While still surrounded by a pack of lions, Darius shouts down to Daniel and acknowledges the living God whom Daniel serves. I love that he calls to Daniel and accompanies this acknowledgment. He also included a key word when he spoke of his service: continually. Daniel didn't decide to turn to the Lord when he was being lowered in the lions den. His heart had met infinite love and as he lived and walked and loved in light of the Love he knew, he served continually. I pray that this feeble self can be found steadfast at the end of my days. Thursday afternoon yielded incredible time with the women on my team. We joined together to talk through what we've been learning lately, and take time to sync our hearts around truth for these days. The evening ended with lots of laughter and encouragement from precious cards that came to us all the way from Atlanta, GA.

[Annie & Ellie: thank you so much for your encouragement, you are both so thoughtful!]

As another week is bringing itself to a close, the days have seemed to pass so quickly, but they have been rich and I'm looking forward to surprises yet to unfold in the month of November.

wed nes day

These boots were made for walkin', and since I had a lot of walkin' to do Wednesday, they made their debut. The morning was full of reading and preparing for bible study Thursday morning at Island ECC. I met Vivien for lunch at Festival Walk. And after a few minutes of deliberation in the middle of people scurrying all around us in the food court, she decided on McDonalds. If you know much about my childhood you know that I survived off of McDonald's chicken nuggets and french fries for most of my childhood. If you have any inclination that I was a picky eater, you would be correct. So, at lunch I defaulted to my childhood delight and shared great conversation with Vivien. After lunch my boots took a little stroll towards Admiralty into Starbucks where I spent the later half of the afternoon sharing my story with another dear friend, Kathy. On a far less significant side note: someone asked me for directions as I was making my way home. Perhaps it was because they assumed I could speak English, or perhaps it was because they figured someone wearing boots was walking in a familiar direction. I'll let you decide. That evening our team gathered together for our first official HK BBQ. We had the great joy of introducing our friends Rick & Rob, who were visiting, to new friends here and watch them connect. We were also able introduce them to some classic American staples such as hamburgers and marshmallows.

tuesday

my toes tapped across campus to lunch with a few wonderful new friends. it was refreshing to sit and listen to their hearts unfold as we talked about their future. on the outside looking in, there seems to be one barrier after another preventing us from truly understanding one another. the obvious: there's a language barrier; a big one that would seem to hinder a depth of conversation. the not-so-obvious: cultural barriers that each one of us carry from our inheritance. as i approach these barriers, i'm beginning to realize that there is choice to their hindrance in our friendships. so instead of letting them separate us, they have now become points of conversation. it's a joy to gain deeper understanding and see how our differences no longer assume misunderstanding. for now they have begun to yield connection and compassion.

a week in my shoes : monday

with feet fitted in shoes that remind me of places already tread; living life in this city of new experiences alongside familiar faces is becoming wonderfully familiar and all the more surprising. yesterday i found myself sitting around a squared table with incredible individuals that i get to call friends. as we recounted God's promises in light of what we are all learning, i was humbled at what he has already done in our midst in the past few months. this meeting was followed by lunch at one of our favorite places that we like to call "Tommy's", Tommy just happened to be one of the first waiters that communicated with us in english so the name has stuck ever since. we rarely stray from our favorite dishes. but my theory is, when the food is that good i suppose there is really no need to branch out when i can't read the menu. the day ended with jason and i going on a treasure hunt with 3 precious little munchkins. time with them always includes laughter. the treasure hunt last night included making a crown and when i asked caleb if i could take a picture of his crown, this was his default pose. monday was lovely.

saturday mornings

i love that saturday mornings usually look a lot like this. one thing i don't love about saturday mornings is stepping on my cup of coffee that was sitting next to my bed. not just a nudge, i stepped on it. the bright side is: the coffee, in it's entirety, has been soaked off the floor and has left a lovely coffee shop aroma for my room. i can just close my eyes and pretend i'm at an actual coffee shop reading, but i suppose that wouldn't be too conducive for actually reading. hope you have a lovely saturday wherever this may find you. watch your step.

my portion for today

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

He will bring your righteousness forth as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him...

"green"

Call it "green", call it environmentally conscious, call it "I never felt shameful about carrying a plastic bag home from the grocery store till I shopped in Hong Kong". I have to admit that my minimal efforts would not qualify me to fit into any of the "green" categories. While in Auburn I did manage to form good habits of separating cardboard, paper, and plastics; and yes, I even drove them to the recycling center. I'm sure that the fumes from driving my carefully separated recycled goods only canceled out my attempts at saving the planet. Nonetheless, over the past couple months I have found myself avoiding carrying a plastic bag at all costs. Perhaps an example scenario would help to elaborate my point. Let's say I am in the market to buy some vegetables. In the U.S., I would hop in my car, drive to Kroger, stroll through the isle with my over sized cart that rolls whichever way it pleases [still one of the great mysteries in my book-why shopping carts always seemed to roll sideways or roll normally until you were trying to pass someone and would inevitably jolt into the side of their cart-I digress...] after selecting said veggies, proceed to the self-checkout, dig through my purse for my wallet, place my produce in plastic Kroger bags and waltz out to my car without thinking twice about it. In Hong Kong, hop on the lift, walk across the street to the store, pick up a basket, try desperately to run into as few people as I can while maneuvering through the smaller isles towards the vegetables. After spotting what I need from the second row of people huddled around the desired item, I try to grab whatever I need as quickly as possible, apologizing and reaching across 4 sets of arms in the process, then when I reach the check out I begin to dig through my purse with hope that I packed my compact shopping bag so I don't have to face the look of requesting a plastic bag, after the grocer packs my items I swiftly move along for the next customer. But hypothetically speaking, let's say I forgot to put my compact little shopping bag in my purse one afternoon and instead of asking for a plastic bag to carry things home, I paid for my vegetables and just put them in my purse-hypothetically speaking of course. In the U.S. if a grocer even hinted at the idea of stuffing vegetables in my purse instead of a plastic bag I would have thought they were a little extreme, or so "green"if you will. In the midst of making light of a legitimate concern in a big city, I have to laugh at myself defaulting to broccoli in my purse over a plastic bag.

what's in a name

Last night I found myself huddled around a table with new friends.

As you can see, they enlightened me about a few differences in our names.

I'm learning that embracing, and celebrating, cultural differences yields to deeper appreciation.

I hope I never grow weary of embracing whomever is before me.

flashback

Sitting in the flat in HK looking out over the city.

Listening to the "Shine" series from Encounter last fall.

Thinking back through what I was learning this time last year.

Watching the Lord intertwine all that he has done, and is doing, in my heart and the community around me.

Humbled by Philippians 2.

Orienting myself around the truth that: "A surrendered life that is intended to glorify God is lived out in sacrifice."

conversations to be had

Before arriving in Hong Kong, my knowledge of Cantonese and Putonghua [Mandarin] was minimal at best. Hong Kong is a unique place because so many cultures meet in the context of this ever growing city. For the most part, maneuvering around can be accomplished if English is your only means to understand signs/MTR stops. But there are times when I am become so frustrated with myself that I am not able to communicate well with those I'm interacting with. A couple positive thoughts have stemmed from this frustration with myself: the first is a fresh eagerness to learn the language well and to practice languages I already have some knowledge of; the second is an excitement for today, and for the future, for conversations that could be had after learning a language. And in the midst of my frustration stemming some seemingly propelling thoughts, Cat and I caught a glimpse of the language barrier breaking down. We were on the way to a photo-taking-excursion and we saw our friend Ling. She stopped us to show her latest investment: a translator. If the first picture that popped in your mind was Ling flipping through the pages of a handheld dictionary, you have far underestimated Ling. Her translator is nothing short of fancy. I would try to explain to you the intricate features and seamless way it works, but my lack of technological lingo would most certainly fall short to do it justice. But the point is not the technologically advanced gadget we used to communicate, it is Ling's desire to communicate well and her initiative in that desire. The tiny blips of sound that echoed through the lobby as we typed back and forth will be etched in my memory for a long time to come. As we waited for her to respond to questions, it was exciting to see the look on her face as she read our words in her native language. Her eagerness to communicate beyond simple greetings gave me a new perspective on connecting with people here. Perhaps if you find yourself in HK one day I'll have the joy of introducing you to this sweet friend. All that to say, I'm looking forward to conversations to be had.

today's the big day

There is something so special about wedding days. But today is extraordinary because today, my best friend is marrying Mr. Mike Bailey. The ceremony is one she's always envisioned, and is sure to be nothing short of gorgeous. As I write this, Trace is probably getting her hair/make-up done and checking the clock to see if the hours would just rush to 6:00 already. I can just picture in my head all the last minute details being tied together and everyone bubbling with anticipation as the day unfolds. Mike & Trace are such a joy to know. You don't have to be in a room with them very long to know that they care deeply about one another and have so much fun together. It has been so neat to watch them walk alongside one another in their relationship so far and I feel blessed to call them friends.

[Pacey: I need you to know how absolutely thrilled for you today. I wish I could be there beside you running last minute errands and making sure you have a Diet Coke close at hand. I hope that today is everything you have hoped it would be and more. As much as it saddens be not to be there with you on this milestone day, I couldn't be more happy for you and am excited to walk through these next months and years as you and Mike experience life as husband and wife. Thank you for being the friend you are to me. I love you so much.]

right, left, then right again

There are actions and reactions we all learn as we grow up. Obviously those lessons are relative to your family structure growing up and your culture. One of the first lessons i learned growing up was to look both ways before crossing the street. As I would sprint towards the door to go outside, even before my hand could turn the door knob, my parents were gently reminding me of this. At first the application only happened through a conscious effort. As my toes paralleled the edge of the sidewalk, I would stop, look right, left, then right again; and if the coast was clear, make my way across the road. Eventually, I began to chime in as my parents repeated this lesson; not only hearing the lesson over again, but echoing it aloud as well. It began to happen naturally. It was most certainly ingrained in my mind. I heard, I was reminded, I echoed, I learned, and I acted. Lessons learned have all seemed to eventually play out this way. But as my toes parallel a new sidewalk on a new latitude and longitude, I feel as though this lesson has applied itself in a fresh and deeper sense. The sight of this great city and all it entails finds me running towards the door eager to experience what is just beyond the door frame. The lessons I've learned echo through mind, and I find myself repeating them aloud as my hand stretches for the door. But before I act, I draw back to what I know to be true. And today and in this season, I find that I am functioning out of a foundation that has been built over years preparing me for these very days. I've had time to evaluate my roots. Light had been shed on the things I need to purge from my life and things that stir my heart. I have heard the Lord's voice so clearly, and as I continue to learn, I want my life to be in sync with those words that give me life. I elaborate all this to say, that I desperately don't want to learn how to live and forget why I'm living. For if I lose sight of why, I have lost the heart behind my living and my living will amount to nothing more than a robotic skit played out to imitate what I am truly created for. As my hand turns the door knob opening up my heart to something so new, Isaiah 30:21 turns itself over in my mind: 'Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

humbled

by no deserving measure of my own, i get to adventure around hong kong with these lovely ladies. each bringing to the table unique perspective and experiences, the scope of compassion and knowledge to be gained from these friendships is immense. i cherish time spent with them and look forward to conversations to be had over coffee or on the mtr just processing through life here and what it means to live a life spent for the sake of the gospel; loving our neighbors all along the way.

143 million

things that keep me up at night...

approximately 143 million children in the developing world are orphans.

James 1:27.

to my dear friend christi

parking spaces are pricey around here.

but no worries i found yours.

typhoon koppu

I do love the rain. But I feel as though I was pretty clueless to what a typhoon was until Koppu decided to grace us with it's presence this week. The city did such an efficient job of educating everyone on it's approach. I felt very aware of what time I needed to be on the MTR and what level the rating of the typhoon was at. It did not hit Hong Kong directly, but we knew we would be catching a lot of rain and wind. So, all things considered I packed my umbrella in my bag every morning just in case, I was prepared. False.

Tuesday night I headed towards Mong Kok to Our Restaurant, a Turkish place that Orme found and a few of us decided to tag along each Tuesday night to enjoy some of the most amazing people and some of the best food here. I made my way to the station's exit and saw that the bottom of the looming clouds had broken open and it was time to use my umbrella. As I approached the exit, I zipped up my bag feeling so appreciative of my umbrella and priding myself my remembrance of such a helpful device. I began to open my umbrella and the little latch wouldn't catch to keep it open. I was getting very close to the exit and a more nervous with each step. As I examined my umbrella I realized that two of the branch-like structures [I'm sure there is a more technical name for this] that keep your umbrella opened nicely above your head were unfolding 3 different directions, one of those including the opposite direction that it should be- up. In this moment, I was flustered. Thousands of people, small sidewalks, thousands of working umbrellas, rain, humidity, an umbrella that was half collapsed on my head and did I mention lots of people? It was a "bless her heart" moment for sure. Finally I gave up trying to let it function on it's own and kept it open by holding the latch together. I made my way to the restaurant, trying to predict which height people would lift or lower their umbrella as they approached because we were most certainly not both going to fit side by side with their normal umbrella and my origami umbrella. I made it there mostly dry, and with a new little piece of wisdom: to check your umbrella's opening capability before stepping out into a typhoon. Typhoon Koppu, I appreciate the rain and the slightly cooler weather you brought. But I have to admit that I enjoyed waking up to this view being absent from out of my window in the morning.

thinking outside the cup

I fear that some days I have restricted experiencing the Lord to the time it takes me to finish two cups of coffee.

He is not bound by time, nor the time I've allotted to be still for that matter.

He desires to speak to his children.

He has a future and a hope for me.

He loves his children with a love that is infinitely wider and deeper than my mind can fathom.

He has grace that abounds beyond my capacity for understanding.

His word is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart [Hebrews 4:12].

As his word is teaching me and changing me, I hope to have eyes that see and ears that hear what he is doing right in front of me.

My heart's desire is to be a woman who is constantly engaging in who He is.

memory

A few days ago we were listening to Ravi Zacharias speak and he raised a question in reference to worship. That question being: "What kind of memories are you building with your life?", and as answers begin to flood through your mind, do those memories prompt you to worship?

the past few days through my favorite side of the lens

all the boxes checked

Yesterday we returned to our apartment with all the boxes on our to-do list checked off. As we are still transitioning into daily life in Hong Kong, it is a rare occasion that we get everything done that we set out to do at the beginning of the day. Granted, most of the things we want to do are not absolutely pertinent, but they don't need to be neglected either. I'm starting to learn the careful balance of structure and flexibility here. I have found that the day goes much smoother if you can embrace the unexpected, enjoy the moments that extend beyond your schedule and in the same thought, enjoy when there is a surprise catalyst set into lengthy processes.

Among the many things we did yesterday was getting haircuts. Because I have the world's best beautician as my mom this was most certainly a different experience. I have been spoiled in this arena because my wonderful mom always let me be too picky and fidgety when she cut my hair. At 'Salon Red Hair' I had to sit still and trust that the girl cutting my hair was able to translate my hand motions that I tried to produce for my lack of Cantonese. The shampoo before the hair cut was worth the visit in itself. They took 20 minutes to wash our hair, aka: massage our head. It was lovely, slightly weird at some points, like when the guy started tapping my forehead, but overall lovely. Following the wash, I was led to the chair and with my picture in hand I tried again to explain as simply as I could what I wanted. She nodded and I hoped for the best. She took a while to cut my hair. Carefully sectioning off different layers eight or ten times throughout the whole cut. I kept trying to peek up through the front of my hair that was swept in front of my eyes. But as soon as I would even slightly lift my head up higher or tilt it farther than she wanted she would gently use both hands to correct it's positioning. Taking deep breaths, I just closed my eyes and sat patiently till she started to cut the front. Just when I thought

she was about to be finished she started lifting different parts of my hair and running the scissors down both sides. I guess that is the replacement for thinning shears here in Hong Kong. All I could see was thick layers of hair falling all around the chair. Again, deep breaths. She blow dried it for me and after she was finished she asked what I thought, this is what I found in the reflection...

It's different, definitely shorter and thinner than ever, but I'm getting used to it. I was nervous because last time I had really short hair was in my early years of high school and I looked like I had a pumpkin for a face and no one intervened to tell me until WAY later. Years later.

Today has started out great as well. Took my first adventure alone to run some errands and made it back safely with most of the things I was looking for. Now I'm off to the pool with two of my favorite girls, Miss Katie and Mrs Catherine. Looking forward to family dinner tonight at the Deans!

[mom: thank you for always being so patient with me when i was wiggling around and being so particular when you cut my hair. you are SO talented at what you do. know that you are loved and appreciated. wish you could have experienced my haircut adventure with me]

waiting

"There is a love that's expressed in waiting. There is a trust expressed in waiting.

Love doesn't always know what's coming around the corner; love doesn't always know exactly why this particular thing is happening, but love trusts, love is patient to wait."

.David Platt

longing to live a visionary life

About a week ago I was on a plane somewhere in between Newark and Hong Kong. And today I found myself on a ferry crossing the Hong Kong harbor:

This first week couldn't have been completed on a better note than attending Island ECC this evening. Brett did a great job of directing us back towards the truth that we need vision and guidelines in and over our lives. We all long for them. As children, that need showed up in not-so-subtle temper tantrums and over time has presented itself as the incessant repetition of the question, "Why?". During the first part of the message my brain reeled back through classes at Auburn when we learned the importance of teaching children boundaries early and the benefits it has for the family over time. In pure form, guidelines are made with our best interest at heart. They are not meant to be experienced as something that restricts us from experiencing life, but as direction for us to experience true life and a Love we don't deserve. The message tonight wrapped around what it means to live a visionary life, based on Micah 6:8. This particular verse talks about three things that the Lord requires of us; to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. The end of the teaching did not lead us to merely stare at the surface of those three charges. But to look deeper into what living those things out in our lives really means. A visionary life is one that is counter-cultural. A visionary life does not function out of guilt, but rather from a heart changed by grace. A visionary life is evidenced by a response to injustice. Our response can not merely be a membership to a facebook group about ending world hunger, but bringing light to the darkness that exists within our eyesight. Our sensitivity to these things is felt in the condition of our hearts and our response to our environment. A visionary life is responding humbly to an invitation extended to us by the Almighty. The God who spoke creation into being has invited us to walk alongside him. My little brain can not fully understand the weight of the invitation. And I must confess that I do not daily live in recognition of that precious invitation but I long for it. I pray that we come to recognize this gift more with each day we're given.