rude or curious?

I just got back from the supermarket and felt more comfortable with the stares and strange looks. It never does get familiar to be stared at. But because we are different, I will forever receive this treatment. The people aren't being mean...just curious. Their curiosity is refreshing in a world where intrigue has been usurped by "progress." The more I live here the more I desire to redefine progress. Is that a goal in which we should be striving? Joy in the simple is usually stripped with our desire to suceed and see things change.

There must be a balance in there somewhere...

Need or want information?

we wrote earlier somewhere I thin kabout "needs" vs. "wants". This has been a big theme this past year. A big key to joy is discerning and then acting upon the knowledge of what is a "need" and what is a "want". As we are confronted with this Asian culture, we see that one areas we often confuse as a "need" is information. Think about it: "I need to know..." "If I don't have this information, then...." so much of the time, we'd do just fine without the information. We heard someone in Asia jest about Americans: want to appease an american, just give then any information, no matter how trivial. We can see that this is true in us. the news often is more entertainment than construstive help to the day. But we are learning in this culture, which is less concerned with information, that we can and need to be able to live with ambiguity. That can be so tough.

green tea blizzards at DQ?!?!

Week 1

Between the green tea blizzards at diary queen, the green pea pies at mcdonald's and the unknown meat that was probably blissfully minding its own business just 15 minutes ago, it's no wonder our stomachs have met together and decided to revolt. We've all been sick for a week or so now, but consider this just par for the course. Strangely enough, I've missed the spitting and the pick and flick-not referring to basketball :)-the stares and the looks of amazement at our blond haired children. The people are beautiful, mysterious, communal and endearing.

Another joke

Why don't cannibals eat clowns?


Because they taste funny.
:)

tonight

Tonight, I was asked, "Do you love me?"
I am so thankful that we can love because he first loved us.
How wonderful. How freeing.

Perspective

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
--Jim Elliott

Why are we going?

Some people ask us why we are traveling so far, with the whole family, to live among a people with whom we'd be strangers....among other reasons....It's for joy.

Thoughts before leaving

This time, we find ourselves more ready and prepared to depart to China. Last time, there was so much uncertainty and novelty. This time we have a real view of what's ahead and find ourselves looking forward to getting on the plabe more and more every second. We've had some extraordinary time with friends this summer. This past year has been a very full year--a year of many difficult circumstances and trials but a great maturing, a new son, and a new sense of freedom in life. I think we are less attached to some things than we were before, which is good. It allows us to enjoy life a little bit more fully and accept the changes that come. We get on the plan in about 40 hours, 2 kids, 7 trunks, 2 cameras, 1 laptop, 1 more carry-on, and a pack-in-play crib.

Dumb Dad Jokes

Periodically, I (Brad) may put goofy dad jokes on the blog, not that they'll be funny to everyone but some of them will be. It's hard to give a good delivery over the internet, but hey, I'll try. Email me any jokes you'd like to see posted for others to enjoy...like this one:

Two peanuts met on a road. One got asalted.......The other got aroasted.
(I know, I know...bad joke..but that's what makes it funny)

Carrie disagrees and objects to all my "dad jokes" :)

almost there

this summer has been really good. I don't think we've ever had such a short period of time where we felt like we connected with so many people so well. We have had some really meaningful times with friends and family. We are so excited now to be leaving back to China. We know better what to expect than we did before. I think that is helping us to better keep in view our work ahead and the tasks required to live in a foreign culture. We're really looking forward to meeting our teammates. They sound wonderful. We leave in 6 days and so this week is packing and last minute stuff. We hope that this last week is more relaxing than the last time we left. Brad had something like 12 ulcers in his mouth and Carrie was exhausted by the time we got on the plane. We have one more kid this time but since we leave late at night, hopefully, they'll sleep some more.

Grace that suprises

We can often be quite short with people, not giving the kind of grace that we've received. The really transforming grace is that which suprises. When it is "espected", it tends not to be grace b/c it usually follows our doing something that makes us "deserving", thus we expect it. Grace ought to never cease suprising us. Likewise, we must look to suprise people in our life with that same kind of grace.