Playing in HK

Considering the demands for a new blog post (thanks Liz), and the fact that I'm trying to stay up late enough tonight to beat jet lag (went to bed at 830 last night), I'm going to post.  

While in HK, I've seen some interesting things.  It would be fun to show you pictures, but Logan currently has the camera and is also currently in country.  So...I'll try to paint a picture w/ words if at all possible.

I would have probably taken a picture of all the men w/ their newspapers around lunch today.  Across from our flat there is a multi-story shopping center, and on the second story sidewalk today, the whole length of rail for as far as I could see down was lined w/ men reading newspapers.  It was interesting.  Men of all ages, just sitting or standing there w/ newspapers.  

Or maybe I would have taken a picture of the Filipino ladies chatting and eating in the area between our flat and the above mentioned shopping center.  HK has a labor law that states that live-in household help is required to leave their employers' homes on Sunday from 8-5 to ensure rest and privacy for the employer families.  Almost all the household help ladies are Filipino, and so on Sundays they gather in parks or in the mall, or just wherever, and hang out together because they can't be in the homes that they live and work in.  

Maybe instead of a picture, I could tell you about how crowded the mall was yesterday...and how I was pushing the stroller.  And that while pushing said stroller, a young lady cut me off and I, unable to stop the stroller and myself w/o hindering the flow of traffic behind me (which was probably the same amount of people as the population of Silverton--where I'm from), and also out of a bit of spite (maybe), continued moving and hit her straight in the heel/back of her leg.  Which caused her to jump a bit, but other than that she was so not phased by it.  And since she didn't have a problem w/ cutting me off, I wasn't convicted about it at all!  (If you read this Kayla, that statement was for you.)

And I might show you or tell you about the subway...and how I absolutely love it!

Or about how there are so many buildings here that you can rarely see the sky unless you are looking straight up.  Although, there are some super cool parks here...one we went to yesterday had a huge playground, lots of walking paths, tons of big trees and flowers (technically not a botanical garden, but absolutely beautiful!), and even an aviary.  

So, time in HK has been fun.  Its warm and humid and super crowded and sometimes all of those things combined are a bit overwhelming...but all in all, things are good.  And hey, its now 9:45, and I can justify going to bed.

Love,

da

we love to travel w/ american airlines....

So...Logan already posted this morning about the delay in Lbk....an hour we waited for our flight.  When we got to DFW, all was well b/c we still had about an hour to change terminals, go to the bathroom, eat lunch, get coffee, and then sit for 15 minutes before boarding.  We even got to board in the first group this time!  It was awesome....until they informed us that we would be waiting to take off for another 2 hours...due to something in Chicago....weather, or something.  We had the option to get off the plane, but we'd have to take all the carry on luggage w/ us, and we (I) didn't want to carry 3 carry ons and a mandolin off the plane and then back on.  When we finally left the gate 2 hours after we had boarded, we then sat at the end of the runway for another 20 minutes...and I don't honestly know remember why.

Finally, we get into Chicago, all of our luggage arrives, and then we hire a shuttle to take us to our hotel.  A little bit costly, and a little bit of a drive, but we were able to finally get to our hotel...about 3 hours after I thought we would be here.  Now it is nearly 11:00 pm (way past my bedtime), but we just ate deep dish, real Chicago style pizza, and I'm stuffed....and not too ready for bed.

Anyways, really all of that is to say that Logan and I, when flying together, have never had a trip go off w/o a hitch.  We either miss flights, I get sick, or there are "hazardous materials" on the plane (read previous post.)  You seriously don't want to fly w/ us.  

Oh well, all's well that ends well...or something like that.  We are looking forward to another fun day of flying tomorrow!  :)

love, 

da

Lubbock International Airport... Delayed

Well we are sitting in our favorite spot in Lubbock International Airport. Our flight was delayed 40 min. Hopefully this will not turn into a 9 hour wait like it did the first time we took this journey.

I love how safe flying american is. I think I heard that they had to delay the flight because it was just too dang sunny outside. I hear that reflective glares off the windshield of the plain could result in an emergency landing. I recall another time when we boarded a plane and an announcement came over the loud speaker that 'hazardous material' has leaked in the cargo part of the plain. After about an hour of waiting for the CIA or someone to clean it up and analyze it we found out that it was shampoo. Wow, who knows what that could have resulted in if we had actually taken off!

Anyways. We are doing well. Father gave us both good rest last night. We look forward to hearing from all of you.

Why driving is better than flying....

As many of you know, we finished our training on March 26 and now have about a week and a half between Silverton and Lubbock before flying out.

Logan and I decided in January that driving to Virginia would be worth it if we got to see a few people and places along the way there and back. On our way home to Texas, our first stop was in Louisville, Kentucky, to visit Southern Seminary and few friends who are there. This is where we definitely want to go to school in a few years!

After leaving Louisville, we traveled down to Mammoth Cave National Park. As a third grader, I had to do a report on a national park of my choice, and randomly selected Mammoth Cave. As a result, I have always wanted to visit the cave. I thoroughly enjoyed our two hour tour of only a small portion of the world's longest cave. If you are ever in the area, I would recommend it. It isn't a really "flashy" cave w/ stalactites and stalagmites, but something about walking down to a point 200 feet below the surface is slightly amazing.

Our next destination was Dayton, TN, where we stayed w/ friends Hayden and Callie, who graciously opened their home again to us. (We stayed w/ them on the way to VA.) On Monday night, we made the quick trip to Chattanooga to attend a Punch Brothers concert....a delightful mix of mostly bluegrass w/ a hint of classical and jazz. We had so much fun! Check them out. I think you will enjoy them.

After that, we had a 13 hour drive to OK City, spent the night there, and then continued on to Silverton. We'll spend a few days here w/ my parents and then go to Lubbock to see friends there and repack all of our 8 bags. We should have fun...if not repacking then w/ friends and family there!

The ebb and flow of our emotions...

This morning DA and I were reflecting on the emotional highs and lows we daily seem to go through. We are less than a month away from leaving the land we know and the people we love. With this comes surges of intense excitement, deep sorrow, unnerving anticipation for the things to come, and quiet satisfaction with where God has us.

In the midst of all this I am reminded of at least two things. First, that all the great lives that have been lived were lived in the context of extreme hardship and sacrifice coupled with great joy and satisfaction in God. I am convinced that to flee the former is also to deny the later. The second thing that I am reminded of is that the very God who holds our life in his hand is the same God who never changes, he will be 'the stability of your times' (Is 33:6). What a comforting thing to rest in. Although this world and our lives are in constant motion and in a constant series of hellos and goodbyes . One thing remains the same, the very God that loves us and gave his life for us will never leave us or forsake us, and will supply everything we need to finish the task he has put our hands to.

In all the joy, sorrow, hardship, and sacrifice. I know that in the end we will be able to say with countless others... 'It was worth it'.

St. Patty what?

“I am a servant of Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Patrick

HT: MD

How will we look on your fridge?

Valentine's Day, Botanical Gardens, and Snow!

The month of February flew by!  And w/ the coming of March we are much closer to being done w/ training.  3 weeks left!  Then back to Silverton and Lubbock for time w/ family.  

We've been pretty busy w/ class, but otherwise lead a fairly dull life.  Not to say that we're not having fun or are dying of boredom, there's just not much to tell you.  We really sit in class all day....there's not much else to tell you.  

We have had some highlights.  Valentine's Day brings a tradition around 8-10 years old.  My Dad has, for the past 8-10 years (I honestly can't remember when it started, he might comment and correct me!), sent me flowers on Valentine's Day.  I wasn't going to be super sad if he missed this year, considering we're across the country right now, but I have to admit I was going to be a little disappointed.  However, there was no need to, b/c Dad sent me flowers!  Here's a picture.

The next weekend, Logan and I went to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.  Although it was a bit too cold outside and too early for lush, beautiful gardens, they had a great conservatory, complete w/ an orchid room.  I love these flowers.  Maybe our future home will provide a better climate to grow these...I have no idea, that's a question for Logan, the horticulturist of the family.  We got to see lots of varieties of orchids, and then on the other side of the conservatory there was a room that had tulips and other early spring flowers.  The last of the botanical garden pictures is that room.

On Sunday, it started snowing around 1:30 in the afternoon.  It snowed and snowed and snowed!  I don't think it really stopped until Monday around lunch.  Regardless, it is Wednesday, the sun has shown for two full days, and there's still a lot of snow left around.  This isn't the greatest picture, but you can get the idea and be jealous or sorry for us, depending upon how you feel about snow.  It was fun to watch the kids (and adults) play Sunday night as it just kept coming down.  I prefer a book and a cup of tea while warm inside the house.....

We are doing well.  The current sessions in training deal w/ security, so its been an interesting week, but also helpful.  We have class all day for the rest of this week, including Saturday.  I will try and be better about posting, however, there's just not a whole lot to tell you.  And as a disclaimer, I still don't know the best/easiest way to post pictures, and this blog design is kind of frustrating at times, but at least we're posting (words and pictures!), right??  

Hope you are all doing well!  And now I'm off to lunch......

Love, 

da

That One Great Truth.

[On the cross] Jesus drank eternal justice so that we might have the cup of the Father’s joy.

- Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God

Drank eternal justice because God is holy and all wrong must be rightly punished. Not that Jesus had anything wrong about him, but his people do. He gave his life in this way so that his children might have the cup of the Father's joy.

True lasting joy is found by men and women only because of the truth of the Gospel. The best place to be in the world is clinging to the cross on which Jesus died.

LRH

Book Love and Slight Update

Here is an article that I read today that seemed to help justify my (our) love for books.

In other news, we are doing well at "school." The weather has been absolutely fantastic. Some classes are really enjoyable and helpful for the direction that we are headed in, and some classes are just simply helping us express what we believe, and why we believe it. (You can take that sentence how you want to. I'm only trying to be positive.)

We live in a world where I don't have to cook, we don't have much of a house to keep clean (we live in a dorm), and there's no job to come home from and therefore talk about. We eat meals in a cafeteria, often with six other people at our table. We are in class from 8-3 (usually) Monday-Friday, and usually have the weekends off. We worship together in small groups on Sunday morning, which is similar to how we did small groups in our home church. Life is different, but not necessarily better or worse. Just different. New place to live, new things to learn, new people to get to know, but life goes on. And we'll pick up in 2 months and move somewhere else, where we'll start all over again. But life will inevitable keep going on. Just as it is going on for you (our 4 readers) wherever you may be.

love,

dh