Changsha for the last couple weeks before winter break.
Hunan countryside traipsing-about for Chinese New Year week.
Life has been steadily shifting since late October. The spring school semester began yesterday, Friday. Maybe 'normal' starts now? A semblance of habit? Schedule? Rhythm?
Many are the stories to be relayed to you! Let us begin now at the most illogical nonconsecutive moment possible, a random stab from February 8th: Titus & Mike were in a wedding.
Hongjie and Lin have been our friends for a few years. We met when they were both hanging out at a coffeehouse bookstore where I was facilitating a group. Lin had grown up hearing the message from her grandmother and continued in the way as an adult. She and her grandmother are the only believing ones in their family. Hongjie first encountered the message as a graduate student; Drew and I became friends with him and got known him as he grew through stages of ignorance - skepticism - ambivalence - discovery - transformation - belief -- over the course of a couple years. Now Hongjie and Lin are married!
Mai Mai liked his handsome clothes so much he wanted to wear both the red bow tie and black tie option at the same time, and sleep in the suit. Of course I let him.
counting the graces
thank you Father
nothing is constant; you are constant
refuge of prayer
cell phone screen repaired, and cheaply
perfect birthday gift for snow birthday party
Auntie Wang's smile
desperation for you
happy Titus with big smiles and jokes
boys requesting and reveling in bike rides to the stadium or the swan ponds
