Steven & Diane, Our Guests

Drew's most senior boss, Steven the CEO of the company, and his wife Diane came to our house for supper! I don't know how they cut out time -- they work 24/7/365. Basically. It meant a lot to us.

While I was preparing the meal and house, a simple desire to care for this couple steered my whole attitude. The significance of this change calls for an explanation: When Drew's work schedule infringes on my idea of what our family time boundaries ought to be, I start grumbling in my heart and trying to place the blame, "Workaholic bosses! No regard for family life! My husband is overworked! Underpaid!" But God changed my attitude 100%. I had one desire: to care for their hearts a bit, offering a simple, relaxing evening of honest friendship.

Diane is about the same age as me. We got to know each other side-by-side in the kitchen. She's getting ready to move toward motherhood.

Over a slow-paced cloth-napkin meal, we shared childhood stories, love stories, parenting experiences, cross-cultural observations, current life challenges and dreams for the future. We both expressed our appreciation of each other. Connection was unpretentious and sincere. 

And, Steven and Diane gave our boys the two largest box sets of Legos known to mankind. Steven admitted that he was jealous. Legos are way cool.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

ropes course at the park with friends all morning, free fun, and picnic together

teaching the boys how to dive in the deep end (against the rules but lifeguards don't care when the pool's empty)

Drew and me connecting in a quiet cafe all afternoon, bike ride home together

pumpkin pie custard

rest: nothing more urgent than to lie on the couch and read books

a loved one in the shop working on the car

holding Olly's hands while he practices walking, coaxing him to crawl up the playset outside

drinking water delivery

stories and updates about Jonathon written by his mom

Rethinking the Message Presentation

Last post I described our annual summer camp for students. As is typical, this year I again brought my students through the biblical narrative, Creation to Christ (C2C). We actually don't begin with Adam when sharing with neighbors and friends...never, not ever. Not as the starting place. But in Sunday school it makes sense, right!? That's how all the children's story books are arranged. Start at the beginning. Describe how it was. Describe where the problem started. Describe the solution. Very intuitive, logical, linear, personal and...Western!

I had to laugh because just as I was automatically using this C2C model this in my class, a brilliant writer on contextualization, Jackson Wu, was criticizing this very approach with a compelling argument -- which you should definitely read in just a moment...

Allow me to illuminate the problem of beginning with Adam from my class experience. Let's imagine the story from inside the ears and brain of my half-listening, it's-summer-break-why-am-I-in-class, when-is-our-watermelon-break student.

Welcome Dear Student Who Has Never Heard Any Of This Before,

God made the world... and blah blah blah... people were naked.

(Embarrassed laugher erupts as boys and girls now imagine classmates, teacher, granny and everyone walkin around nakey.)

Bad snake tricked Adam and Eve into eating fruit.

(Talking Snake! What's wrong with eating fruit?)

Now the whole world is broken and I am going to hell.

(WHAT.)

It's not necessary to fling these obstacles and confusing problems at my student just as we are introducing this Story. There may be a better way!

If you're interested in thinking more about how we share the Message, I highly recommend thinking over Jackson Wu's biblically-formed insights on contextualization, our starting point and beyond -- applicable in both Eastern and Western contexts, I think.

Why does Adam's fruit fixation send me to hell

Don't Adamize the [Message]

Furthermore...

Sin is personal because it is social

The Biblical Story is Collectivistic

(Mis)understanding Honor, Face or Shame?

Do you want "face"?

Why China Matters for Doing Theology

counting the graces

thank you Father for

close friendship, understanding and inside jokes with LJ

running while the boys biked, and they did so well

Drew's growth as a B teacher/study facilitator

quiet, relationally less-intense weeks at the end of summer

moments to make my boys feel special, important and loved each day -- listening, hugs, ice cream cones

breakthrough freedom and authenticity in leading worship for our group

vision for worship album

being invited to Paul's Marine ball

Carrying this Message to young lives, our joy and privelege

This year's two-week summer camp at our local Chinese church was the best yet, since the inaugural camp three summers ago.

The two-week, 6-day a week camp for elementary and middle school students took place in July. This year I taught 4 days a week (while the boys were in basketball camp or with our Auntie Wang). My class size was delightfully small, about 15 students. Communication of the message was clear. Interaction with students was a pleasure. Partnership with other teachers and leaders enhanced the whole thing.

I was moved by the joy and privilege of carrying this precious message to these young'uns with great potential stored up inside each one.

Sampling of our students -- quirky, smart, naughty, helpful, active, sleepy, hungry, bored, earnest, thoughtful, bright, mature, immature. We had it all.

Asking that the message will be deeply rooted in each one. Do you feel the weight of this? 

counting the graces

thank you Father for

pretty green-peeled oranges to float in the ice water pitcher for guests

return of friends to Changsha, and their stories

cool of sleeping on bamboo mat

clearest, cleanest air ever which made everything appear vibrant, greener and sharper

zillions of dragonflies whirring high over the campus grass field

heart-matter talks with WZM

good, trusted neighbor friends (who kinda owe me, haha) to babysit my boys while I had dship time with L&N

phone call from Mandie

Cheung Chau Island

presenting Hong Kong island

historical pirate cave, Pirate Zhang Baozai late 1700s - early 1800s

our cabin, 1949

evening dinners with all guests at Bethany

"Hey son,  be a good sport and take a picture of Ma and Pa kissing on the beach."
(I love that son's toes appear on the bottom left!)

"There's Ye-Ye's hometown."

Drew and I both cherish childhood memories from our regular family summer vacation spots. For Drew's family that place was Crosslake, MN at his grandparents' cabin. My family vacationed just 30 miles down the road near Hackensack, MN at my dad's coworker's log house; we called it Randy's Cabin. Northern Minnesota in the summer: Fishing, hiking, turtle races, s'mores, junky aluminum motor boats, orange life vests, dragging sand in, chapter books, feeling afraid of meeting a bear, loons, ladyslippers, bonfires and ice cream.

Cheung Chau island is turning out to be the equivalent of northern Minnesota for our kids. Impressions? Salty sea water. Shark nets. Sea glass. Ferry boats. Junks. Giant ships. Giant snails that come out and cross the paths at night (seriously, so big they look like hot dogs in a bun). Buddhist temples and burning incense. Pirate cave. Geckos in the cabin. Dim sum. Western treats like cold cereal for breakfast. Blue skies over endless seas, green mountains and puffy white clouds. Wind.

Our third visit to Bethany, it's beginning to feel like coming home. This summer we had an entire week, an entire cabin all to ourselves. Our intentional goal was to focus vacation on relationships. You know how sometimes vacations can be driven by destination, sight-seeing, shopping, restaurants, whatever. None of that. We moved between cabin and beach, beach and cabin, reading, cooking and hiking in between. Drew and I took an afternoon and evening to reflect, pray, mark out our goals and focus for the next season. Each evening we shared family-style dinner with other guests at Bethany, hearing their stories from all around East Asia.

My favorite moment? Night swimming, arching my body back and floating lifelessly in the black cold ocean, waves rocking rhythmically, staring up at black sky. Ears covered in the water, soundless, immense sacred space. I tell you, that's a good place to physically sense your frailty and finiteness, and what it is to be held by an endless, eternal God.

(Right about then husband and sons launch a dunk attack!)

It was restorative. Whole -- with creator, spouse, children, nature, family of believers. Drew breathed easy and didn't touch any office work. We basically just played. Together. For a week. And I think Jesus was delighted to be there with us watching us unwrap his astounding gifts.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

all learned, observed and accomplished at BH this week

talks with Auntie Wang, her questions

cancelled plans

new song inspired by Psalm 131 and Ecclesiastes

S, a new friend

boys: hanging mobiles with Titus, Mike's affection, lego creations, expressions of pleasure and gratitude over noodles and milkshakes

"Crown Him...see how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but it's own"

vision and set list for fall concert of prayer

quiet nights all to myself while Drew is away on business

VACATION!!!

We have arrived at Bethany House on Cheung Chau island, Hong Kong. Glorious!

This darling white cabin, constructed in 1949 by a Norwegian fellow, is our home for the week.

 Catch up with you when we return to Changsha this coming weekend -- 'til then, to the beach!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

biodiversity of this island

night swim: husband, two children, visible stars because the air is clean, clean ocean to swim in, Hong Kong city lights across the water!

warmest welcome and kindness of Sue & Mike of Bethany

Drew gets his mind off work and sleeps in!

darling white cabin that's bigger than our own apartment, with a kitchen, two baths, two bedrooms, everything for living

gleeful and brave little swimmers -- diving under legs, dog-paddling to rafts out in deep water, running across the sand to jump in the waves

new games and books to try out

cooking in the cabin kitchen and family meals at the dining table

getting to lead music worship -- guitar & violin -- for our informal Sunday gathering

a room full of new friends that who are fascinating and chatty

it's not so hot here with this lovely, clear, sea breeze