Story of My Journey: November 2007

To all my faithful blog readers,
I don't know who you are. I don't even know if people read these things. But, if you do and you're wondering why it's been ages since I've posted, I'm back. At least for today.
Thanksgiving was last week and it was a typical Thanksgiving time in China. Of course, nothing is ever typical here, but I think you get the point. Absent from the meal this year, however, was the bird. My team found a big turkey at an import store that we bought to freeze until Christmas. They don't quite know how they are going to fit this 20 pound thing in a toaster oven, but fear not! because Michelle is here and she's done this before! :). Turkey will be served! :)
After a Thanksgiving meal with our Siping team on Thursday, we ventured on to the big city Changchun to gather with 50 others to celebrate the holiday. The guys played football in the snow until they were completely frozen and I did some Christmas shopping with some of the women and their children. We often forget that everything in China takes twice as long to do as it would in America, so we barely made it in time for the Thanksgiving potluck meal. Following the meal was a time of singing, fellowship, and reading songs of thanksgiving from the Good Book. We were exhausted when we came back. If I had to spend Christmas away from my family, I'd spend it with these guys, my team. Some days I want to wring their necks (much like we do with the poor turkeys), but I love them. It's nice to be able to set aside this time.
Most of the time when I have more energy, I then spend this time on a poetic way of highlighting all that I am thankful for. Don't we all? Isn't that what we are supposed to do at this time of year? But, I am more and more convinced that seasons of thanksgiving should not just happen once a year. I AM thankful, but hopefully for all seasons.
Try writing down five things you are thankful for every day, based on something that happened that particular day. It's a lot easier said than done. But, try it. It is the blistery cold days when students aren't participating and the technology you need for class isn't working and teammates are driving you crazy and your plumbing isn't working and you're tired of eating noodles for dinner AGAIN and you had a really bad language day and people keep cutting in front of you at the bank and you.... (wow, I think I just described my day :)-- It is on days like these that you need to make that list the most.
I have often heard phrases like how we, as Dad's children, are "blessed to be a blessing." This week I heard a new one- that "we are blessed with a burden." Because it is only in this way that we can be Dad to these people.