Thursday (June 28) was my 27th birthday and I must tell you that this is one of the best birthdays I've had in many years. A few weeks ago, my team up north gave me an early surprise party at which I was genuinely surprised. They brought really nice gifts and provided my favorite type of cake (who could have known?) :). That was an incredibly sweet gesture! I have an awesome team!
On my actual birthday I had no idea what would happen, so I just let the day...happen :). If you want to know the highlights, read on!
That morning my parents called me and after talking with them on the phone, I went to get waffles (yes, we found waffles in China!!) at a local coffeeshop. In the coffeeshop I ate my waffles and read from a book that was sent to me ("A New Kind of C" by Brian D. McLaren). Very nice quiet time!
Later I went to the college and met a group of my favorite students of all time and had lunch with them. It's funny because these girls weren't in the same class before, but now they are all in the same class together and know each other quite well. It was totally fun...and one of the girls brought a cake (the first of four cakes I would receive that day :) ). It was such a great time with them, as if I have never left.
Following lunch (lunches in China can last until 2:00 and this one was no different :)) I walked around a lot, read a little, visited the dormitories, etc. Then all of a sudden I started feeling really down. I really have no idea, but in the middle of the basketball court I just started crying. That lasted for about 2 minutes and then I was fine. I guess I was missing my team in Siping (the north), and really missing my family, and feeling these mixed emotions about a relationship that had been broken and not having control over that situation. Five minutes later I was okay. Guess I just needed a good cry. I really don't remember the last time I cried :).
I was in good spirits by the time dinner rolled around. The custom in China is to invite all your friends to dinner and then you (the birthday person) pay for the dinner. So, while my pocket was completely empty by the end of the day, I received so much joy! It was kind of an odd group of people at dinner. In Chinese culture people also have a hard time interacting outside of the in-group. People say that this is a collectivist culture, and it is, but perhaps especially so within your in-group. I'm not saying this like it's a bad thing, just different. So, when I put a bunch of people in the same room that don't know each other very well then they don't talk. It wasn't until one group left that people began talking excitedly. Very funny. I knew that was going to happen but I didn't want anybody to feel left out from my birthday, ya know? So, after a great dinner with all my favorite dishes, the second cake of the day arrived. As we were just finishing up, three other girls came an hour late and brought the third cake. Good times :) :)
On my actual birthday I had no idea what would happen, so I just let the day...happen :). If you want to know the highlights, read on!
That morning my parents called me and after talking with them on the phone, I went to get waffles (yes, we found waffles in China!!) at a local coffeeshop. In the coffeeshop I ate my waffles and read from a book that was sent to me ("A New Kind of C" by Brian D. McLaren). Very nice quiet time!
Later I went to the college and met a group of my favorite students of all time and had lunch with them. It's funny because these girls weren't in the same class before, but now they are all in the same class together and know each other quite well. It was totally fun...and one of the girls brought a cake (the first of four cakes I would receive that day :) ). It was such a great time with them, as if I have never left.
Following lunch (lunches in China can last until 2:00 and this one was no different :)) I walked around a lot, read a little, visited the dormitories, etc. Then all of a sudden I started feeling really down. I really have no idea, but in the middle of the basketball court I just started crying. That lasted for about 2 minutes and then I was fine. I guess I was missing my team in Siping (the north), and really missing my family, and feeling these mixed emotions about a relationship that had been broken and not having control over that situation. Five minutes later I was okay. Guess I just needed a good cry. I really don't remember the last time I cried :).
I was in good spirits by the time dinner rolled around. The custom in China is to invite all your friends to dinner and then you (the birthday person) pay for the dinner. So, while my pocket was completely empty by the end of the day, I received so much joy! It was kind of an odd group of people at dinner. In Chinese culture people also have a hard time interacting outside of the in-group. People say that this is a collectivist culture, and it is, but perhaps especially so within your in-group. I'm not saying this like it's a bad thing, just different. So, when I put a bunch of people in the same room that don't know each other very well then they don't talk. It wasn't until one group left that people began talking excitedly. Very funny. I knew that was going to happen but I didn't want anybody to feel left out from my birthday, ya know? So, after a great dinner with all my favorite dishes, the second cake of the day arrived. As we were just finishing up, three other girls came an hour late and brought the third cake. Good times :) :)
My friend Michael then made me promise to be at his school at 8:30 because he had a surprise. So, I came, a little unsure as what the rest of the evening would entail. He had called a lot of friends (Chinese friends I've come to know over the years) and was having class at his English school that night anyway. I walked in and everyone shouted "Surprise!"- It was AWESOME to see various people from the past. There was the fourth cake and some dancing performances. When he wasn't looking I smashed cake (which was really whipped cream) into Michael's face. That got quite the response! :) By the end of the evening I was caked out :)The day ended with me heading back to the university to say goodbye to foreign teachers who were leaving the next day to go back to the States. Good things have been happening on this campus because of the light shining from them and I'm grateful for this group that has carried on in Hengyang (and to think I was so very worried about that last year at this time as I was leaving!!!). Also, a real gift was given to me when, after a year or so a broken relationship was mended and reconciliation was allowed to happen. I consider that as a birthday gift from God himself!
These past 27 years have been good. Thanks for all of you who have celebrated with me! Thanks especially to the the Giver of REAL life! I hope my life has given Him glory and honor, and where it hasn't I seek after His awesome GRACE!
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