A Quote? Indeed.

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps. . . perhaps. . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden hearted rose slipping from its green sheath."

  ~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

Interesting Find

Owl City

A new musical interest of mine: Owl City. . . . Check it out (if you haven't already done so, of course). I relly like the song "Fireflies."

Interested

Have you ever begun a discussion on one topic and ended on one that was totally unrelated?  Well, last night I began talking to my mom about one thing and ended up talking about something that was slightly related, but not really.  Fortunately, this topic of discussion hasn't left my thoughts: being interested in in other people.  When I began thinking about it I realized some of the people that I am closest to are interested in my life; they want to know what's going on, what I'm doing, how school is going, etc..  This, naturally, endears me (I believe all humans experience this to some degree) towards these people.  By being visibly interested in me, asking questions and learning about me, they become a part of my life. They are putting their thoughts, time, and energy into me.  That should make anyone feel special.  The big question for me. . . am I interested in others?  I would say "so so". Definitely not to the extent that I hope to someday be.  One of the biggest parts about seeming and being interested in someone is by asking questions.  Inquiring gives the person a clue that you are wanting to know more about them. The next step, which is where I tend to falter, is when they began to supply your questions with answers (enlightening you, and inviting you into a small part of their life--small, but still significant)  and you aren't really listening and learning. They know if you are listening and learning or not; including children. They know that if you are really listening that you must really be interested.  If they see that you are not listening, they immediately understand that your supposed interest isn't genuine.  So, the key seems to be that being a good questioner comes first, and then being a good listener second. The most excellent example of a good listener would be a lady I have been given the privilege to know.  No matter what you are saying to her, and no matter who walks up on your conversation, she looks you in the eyes and gives you her full attention. She doesn't suffer from the fault of looking over your shoulder to the next person, which I believe to be also key.  She wants to invest in you and learn about you.  I have been finding how important this concept is. I have, to my dismay, been able to look back at certain situations in my life that I know I wasn't being a good questioner or listener. I remember them very well.  I'm praying that this will be a turning point for me, and that I will easily detect within myself  feelings of disinterest and mortify them on the spot.  Just like the many example of good listeners God has given me, I want to be known and remembered as someone who was genuinely interested in others.

Pot Roast 2

No one died, or threw up, and I think it is safe to safe it was a success! It wasn't as tender as I had hope it would be, but I kinda have an idea of what I could do differently next time.

Pot Roast

I am in charge, which means I must provide food for all four of my brothers.  This can be quite testy because they are rather picky when it comes to "real food". I enjoy cooking and except the challenge of avoiding their starvation. 
They eat spaghetti, which is pretty easy, so I made a good bit and froze it. Tonight--roast! Oh, yes, I am attempting to make a very large chunk of meat be edible. Hopefully they won't throw up or something.  You are supposed to cook it for 5-6 hours on high, or 10-12 (whoa) hours on low.  I have heard that the meat will be more tender if it's cooked slowly, but I didn't put an exorbitant amount of brain work into the planning of timing and having it fully cooked by dinner time cook.  To have cooked it slowly, I would have had to put it in the crock pot last night, but since I didn't, I had to take the speedy route. 5-6 hours on high.  

There and Back Again... China 2009

Well, I have officially been to another country, and flown over many others.  China was incredible.  Unexplainably incredible.  I believe we actually landed in Hong Kong October 2, went to Fanling and exchanged our money into Chinese and Hong Kong currency, and traveled by train  from there into Mainland China.  My first time crossing the border was very overwhelming.  There were incredible amounts of paperwork-mostly health forms, which declared that we had not been in contact with anyone carrying or possessing the symptoms of swine flue.  Now I feel like I could surely fill out the many forms in my sleep.

We spent our first night in Shenzhen, but left the next morning by train to worship with the Chinese Believers in Guangzhou.  The Saturday before the Sunday meeting was spent touring around Guangzhou.  We went through the street markets, into small shops, looked around in a hotel the was way expensive (also the same place where Chinese children are adopted), and went to a huge shopping type of plaza (pictured above) that was so crowded that I found myself walking under someone else's umbrella with them.  And this was a slow day.

Worship with the Chinese was beautiful.  They have this glow about them that could easily single them out in the crowds of millions.  They are so passionate that even in light of persecution they will not stand down.  One of the guys we saw frequently during our trip spoke a little english and was so excited and on fire that it was contagious. When he found out we were leaving Monday he began to get very excited and was bubbling over and said "We will all be together in Heaven . . . forever."  Then, just before he left, he prayed for us in Mandarin--it was so special and unforgettable.

To back up a bit . . . my interesting experience on my second trip through the border:

I got very hot during our walk from the apartment to the train which, obviously, raised my temperature. I didn't cool of very much, even on the air conditioned train ride, on the way to the border.  I passed customs leaving Hong Kong with ease and no problems, but on passing through the health checkpoint two Chinese women wearing masks (everyone who worked in the border and some citizens wore medical masks) stood up and pointed at me from behind the computer screen laden desk.  One walked over to me, grabbed my passport, which was in my hand, and lead me back in the opposite direction from where we needed to go.  She took me to a desk and wrote a note on a piece of paper and stuck it to my passport.  The other medic at this desk began pulling a mask out and tried to communicate to me to put in on.  Where did I go next?  No where else but the hospital in the border!  I was being quarantined!  My dad tried to come with me, but they wouldn't allow it.  Thankfully, he could still see me.  They sat me in a chair, and stuck a thermometer under my arm and said "Five minutes."  I sat and sat waiting and trying to figure out why in the world I was even there.  Then I realized . . . because of how hot I had gotten outside they thought that I had a fever, and which automatically registered to them as swine flue. My poor dad, standing at the end of the hall not knowing what was happening.  Then Ray, the guy who lead us every where, told him that he had never seen anything like this.  I was in there worried that somehow they would conclude that I was sick and give me some unneeded shot that would make me sick for real.  Finally they took the thermometer, but didn't say anything.  They still had my passport, and were looking over some paperwork.  I tried to ask one of them if I could go but he spoke basiclly no english and insinuated that I had to wait.  They stamped an arrival card (Oh, don't forget I'm wearing a mask this whole time) with my temp and handed me my passport and told me to go.

From then on customs was the least of my worries.  Looking back it was really a funny experience that I'm glad I had.  I even still have my mask!

Being careful with my wording . . . we were 100% successful in transporting the items through the border.  Over 1,100 were carried through.  Praise the Lord!

China will forever be on my heart and often on my mind, and I hope that God has planned for me to go back.