An American Day

Today, for Annie, we had a very all-American day.
* church- we hung out with the high school group
* fire station- she played with the kids on the fire trucks and Marc and his colleagues were so nice to explain every piece of the station and equipment to her. She loved it, especially wearing all of the gear.
* roamed the streets of Chinatown in Portland. She was eager to see the place that Americans called "Chinatown"......frankly, I think we both were a little disappointed.
*Saturday Market- can't get much more culturally diverse than that place....just like America.
*Baseball Game- went to the Keizer Volcanoes Stadium to watch the all-American sport. She had never seen a game before and had no idea about any of it.
*Hot dog- tonight at the game she consumed her first ever hot dog. She devoured it and then exclaimed, "delicious!"

It was a great day!

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when He could do something about it.... But I am afraid God might ask me the same question." ~anonymous

My China Girl

This is our second year hosting an exchange student from China. The girl chosen for our family this year is Anni (in the middle of the backseat in picture above), a sweet 16 year old from Chongqing, a small town of about 30 million. She has been here for almost a week and it has been an adventure. A good adventure.

Overall the adventure so far has been sweet. There is something very special about living with and getting to know someone from a culture totally opposite of and so different from my own. I have been to China. I have seen the sights, smelled the smells, and tasted the food. But this experience is different....my senses aren't on overload....I am in the comfort of my own home and the only piece of China that I get to think about right now is the heart of a 16 year old. A precious girl created by our heavenly Father, just like me. That may be the only thing we have in common.

I have really been enjoying getting to hear about her life in China. Here is a glimpse:

* she goes to school Monday-Saturday. She goes to school from 7:30am-10:30pm with a two hour break for lunch which she goes home for. Dinner is served at school where she eats with her friends.

*The only meals she eats with her family, not to mention the only time she interacts with her family, is on Sundays.

* when asked why she goes to school so much she says, "society puts pressure on us".

* she does not know one person who goes to any kind of church, she thinks she might know where a Buddhist temple is....

* she does not know any teenager who is allowed to date, she says they must all wait for "the university"

* she said she has heard about "God" mentioned in school as "American culture". (oh, my.)

Everyday I learn so much more from her......I am pretty sure I am getting more out of this situation than she is. I do wonder what she is thinking. She is still pretty quiet. I am working on getting her out of her shell......

As for now, I am so thankful for the opportunity to have my mind stretched outside of my little middle-class American brain. She will be with us for 2 1/2 more weeks.

Thank you, Lord, for this adventure.

Sad

Today my heart is sad. I went to a friend from high school, Brian M., dad's funeral. My heart aches for my good friend who has lost his dad so suddenly and so young. The pain and sadness in Brian's face and in his hug will be with me for a while.

Death is bizarre, it hurts, it is inevitable.

I cling to the Lord and his Word at this time. I pray that Brian will too.

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Psalm 97

My cousin and Aunt have introduced me to and intrigued me in the author, Joel Rosenberg. The following is a quote from him that my cousin had just posted on his blog. I want to share it too. Here it is:

What if?
From his latest book, "Dead Heat", author Joel Rosenberg asks some important questions."What if the political debates that so obsess and divide us prove one day to be trivial pursuits, distracting us from the most important and pressing issues of our time?

What if in the midst of presidential campaign seasons that invariably consume so much of our nation’s time, talent, and treasure we find our- selves one day blindsided by gathering evils we either do not see or fail to fully appreciate?

What if the great fortunes we are trying to amass do not protect us from the weapons being formed against us? And what if in our never-ending national hunt for power, prosperity, and celebrity we somehow gain the whole world, but forfeit our souls?

A new evil is rising. I feel it. I fear it. Let us awaken, before it’s too late. "Joel C. Rosenberg November 2007 Washington, D.C.