following an unknown path

worship in taiwanese

I've enjoyed the video clips of worship that are on this missionary blog: First Term on the Field.  So, this past Saturday night, I decided to capture a little worship in Taiwanese to share too. 

Nothing, not even babies, makes my heart leap higher for joy than listening to people worship the King of kings and Lord of Lords in their own language!

Did you hear it:  "gwa ay jew gwa bay ging by nee"? 

It means: "My Lord, I come to praise you!"

This video is actually of a group of Taiwanese Believers from Taipei who came down south to share the Gospel in Kaohsiung County alongside Grace Family Church for three days. 

Taiwanese sharing Good News with other Taiwanese in Taiwanese--How awesome is that!?!?

Ging by nee, Lord!!

my student's lunch

lunch, originally uploaded by charlotte727.

Oh, yeah, that's right . . . an edible teddy bear made of rice!

See what I mean?  How Creative!!

the creativity of the Uncreated One

I recently heard God called the "Uncreated One" in a song.  How neat is that!?! . . . I had never thought of that before.   I'd always thought of him only as the "Creator-God" without acknowledging that means He is also the "Uncreated One."

The bibical creation account ends with our uncreated God saying, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26).

The beauty of being made in God's image is that mankind is different from all other creatures and in that it reveals our family resemblance to our heavenly Father.

All over the world and throughout time humans have several characteristics which seperate us from all other creatures. For example: We are moral.  We are able to value beauty.  We long to know and be known; relaionships are central to who we are.  We are spiritual and are souls.  We have understanding and intellegence.  And, perhaps my favorite, we are creative. 

God's creativity never ceases to amaze me.  I am taken aback by how unique each of his creations are--how intricate and complex, how beautiful.  Travelling to other countries has given me the opportunity to see flowers I'd never seen before, eat crazy looking, great tasting fruits I'd never seen before, gaze upon colorful, unique tropical fish, and admire beautiful diverse landscapes that cannot be caputured on film or with an artist's paintbrush. I love watching the sun set and rise because each time is different from all the times before.  The Uncreated One's creativity streches beyond anything we can grasp with human minds. 

But, the Uncreated One has made us in His image, and He made each of us creative.  We each find different--unique--ways to express our creativity.  Some are excellent cooks.  Some are amazing architects.  Some are playwrites, authors, songwriters, coreographers, inventors, artists. 

We see humanity's creative charasteristic even in children.  They are perhaps some of the most creative among us.  I love talking to and playing with children because their imaginations are so active--they think of things I never would have.

Each one of the distinct characteristcs I mentioned above could be an entire blog post all on their own.  The depth with which this week's topic--the Beauty of Being Made in God's Image--could go made me not want to post on it at all since I don't have time to really dig into all that this means this morning.

So, please go visit Keziah on Wednesday at A Woman who Fears the Lord to see how creatively other women discussed the beauty of being made in God's image!  And, next week, just in time for Easter our theme is The Beauty of the Resurrection and will be hosted by Lindsey at Just Enjoy the Journey.  Consider joining us!  We'd love to have you be a part!

erhu at the park

This is a short video or me playing my ErHu at the park this past Sunday.  The pastor's wife is singing in Taiwanese while I play.

i really want one

This precious baby is my "Taiwanese nephew."  He is a few months old and, oh, so cute. 

By "Taiwanese nephew" I mean . . . my best friend's brother's son. :)  (My best friend's family treats me like their third daughter/sister.)

I LOVE babies!  And--as you can tell from the title of this post--yes, I still long to be a mommy.

empty

Empty classrooms in Taiwan.

The photo above was taken at a junior high school during a break time.

The photo to the left was taken at the college where I teach at the end of the day.  You can see the setting sun coming in through the back door.

There is always something thrilling about being in a classroom--whether empty or full.  Sometimes I like being in an empty classroom--it gives me time to pray for my students and envision all the possibilites.  But, I prefer when the room is full of students rather than empty--it is much more "alive."

Theme: Empty | Become a Photo Hunter | View Blogroll

May I suggest you visit my bloggy friend ejia's hunt?  I love the way she always quotes Scripture in her photo hunts.

ticking or twitching?

The clock in my living room held its two thick hands at 12 and 10 for about a week. 

But, the battery was--not dead--it was dying.  So, the second hand was--not ticking--it was twitching. 

With great effort but little success, the long, skinny second hand continued to try to reach for the that big nine on the left.  Twitch, twitch, twitch.

It still hung on the wall.  It still looked like a clock. 
It still told time, even if incorrectly.  It still was moving, even if unsuccessfully.  Twitch, twich, twitch.

Sometimes, I feel like my living room clock.

If my clock had feelings, I bet it was grateful when its battery was changed so it could tick like it was supposed to. No longer just stuck on the wall lying to anyone who bothered to glance at it, it is now ticking. It is now blessing those who look to him for help.  Tick, tick, tick.

I know it is that way for me.  I am, always, oh, so grateful for a charged battery so I can tick like I am supposed. 

So . . . how about you?  Are you ticking or twiching these days? 

If like my clock, you're struggling to reach that nine on the left, submit to your Maker so He can charge your battery and empower you to tick like you are supposed to.

random elevator conversation

Like I so often do, I had an unique elevator conversation this week.  Thought I'd share this one with you.

Student: I like your shoes.
Me: Oh, thanks.
Student: I have big feet too.

The Beauty of Photographs

I am a photograph enthusiast!  That is why I requested this topic when Sallie was asking for hostess a few months ago.  In my book, you can never take too many pictures!! 

You are in for a treat with some great posts this week! 

Please travel with me around the blogosphere as seven ladies share with us what is The Beauty of Photographs.  Don't forget to comment and let them know you stopped by.

Susanna @ Through a Glass
Thinking about photographs reminded Susanna of the ultimate photo album. Join her as she considers the beauty of photography.

Lindsey @ Reading Red Letters
Lindsey shares with us photographs of God's beauty that are just simply breathtaking! 

Barbara @ Fuel
Barbara writes about how once you've looked at a photo you need to start being honest about what it reveals in "Photographs Don't Lie but Sometimes I Wish They Would."

Patricia @ Pollywog Creek
Photography became the tool the Lord used to open Patricia's eyes to the abundant beauty that surrounds her every day, find out how.  Don't foget to check out her photo blog, beautiful in its time, which hosts some gorgeous photos, fine examples of what her CoB post is all about!

Blair @ Scribblings
A wedding photo sends Blair's Scribblings over "A Thousand Words."

Ashley @ Onward & Upward
Ashley takes a look into how photographs make the distances between us not so great.

amanda @ following an unknown path
And, finally, amanda shares with us how photos are like stones of rememberance, helping us recall how great is our God. 

Thanks for stopping by the Carnival of Beauty this week!!  Please join us next week over at Keziah's blog for The Beauty of Being Made in the Image of God.

remembering

One Saturday night my freshmen year in college, my roommate and I went to find ice cream at 10 pm in the middle of winter.  Finding none and forgetting that coffee contains caffeine, we opted for large coffees at a bookstore.  When we got back to our dorm room just before curfew, we tried to go to sleep, but obviously could not.

So, instead of fighting it we both pulled out photo albums of mission trips we'd taken during our high school years.  We sat on that bottom loft bed, side-by-side till the wee hours of the morning flipping pages, pointing to pictures, and telling each other story after story of God's goodness, God's power, God's love.  It was a night I will never, ever forget.

For me the beauty of photographs is that they help us remember who our God is . . similar to the stones of remembrance in the Old Testament.  Looking at pictures from days gone by . . . whether they be family photos, vacation photos, mission trip photos, or just old random snapshots . . . I can't help but remember how faithful God has been in keeping His promises.

Even photos from the "rough times" in life, still speak to how He was faithful to carry us through--that even in bad situations He still remained all-powerful and all-good.  Even photos that are before I was born--of my grandparents when they were children or of my parents on their wedding day--these older photos serve as a testimony of how God has worked in and through the various generations of my family.

For me, the beauty of a photograph is that it inevitably causes my heart to swell with praise and thankfulness to the Most High God for all that He has blessed me with and for all that he is.  Now isn't that a great reason to flip (physically or virtually) though photo albums!?!

a CoB Reminder

Don't forget to submit your post to me (amanda47 [at] gmail.com) by midnight tonight (Texas time).

The topic is The Beauty of Photographs.  Feel free to take a literal or figurative take on the topic--or even something in between. 

We welcome you to join us--find out how.

ouch!

My lower back started hurting this weekend for no apparent reason, so I went to a chiropractor this morning for help.

After he asked me a bunch of questions he asked me to stand up and show him where the pain was coming from.  He immediately said, "oh I can tell you now what the problem is." 

My pelvis is uneven.  The right side is higher than the left. Probably the result of a fall.  He sent me off to get x-rays, so he could see if the spine was involved too or just the pelvis.

Turns out my spine is involved.  It is crooked and starting to rotate.  Even me with my untrained eye could see it in the x-ray.

He is helping me to get back into line and even everything out.  Praise God for good doctors!  Praise God for English speaking doctors!  Please pray with me for healing. 

requesting reccomendations

I made the photo collage below back in 2003 on some photo software my dad had. 

I want to make a new version with pics from the last four years added to the set. I also would like to have a program to do more (in general) with my pictures--for instance, I am also interested in doing some digital scrapbooking. 

I like picnik.com (free to use, is online, and interacts with flickr) and have used picasa (free to download, interacts with blogger but not flickr).  But, I want more than just making a picture lighter, darker, controlling red eye, cropping it, and so on. 

I'd like some reccomendations on what software I should check out for manipulating photos.

What software do you use?  And, what do you think about it?

Please help.  Thanks in advance.

By the way, I can't look at the collage above with out my heart swelling with thankfulness for all God has done in my life to change and shape who I am.  How I long to glorify Him in all I do!!!!  He is such a wonderful, marvelous God!! 

How very undeserving I am!  I am eternally grateful.

active & effective sharing

If you are reading my blog . . . I have prayed this for you:

". . . that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ" (Philemon 6, ESV).

". . . that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 6, NIV).

thirsty?

Oh!  So many choices!! 

I took this at my local "grocery store" about a five minute walk from my apartment here in Taiwan.

Theme: Drink | Become a Photo Hunter | View Blogroll

it's like a pair of chopsticks

The ladies over at Titus2Talk have some excellent thoughts on praying for missionaries.  Their list of ways to pray for women serving overseas is an excellent one.

I would LOVE for people to be praying prayers like this on my behalf!!  (All of them hit the nail on the head, so to speak, but number four made tears fall.)

And, the analogy that the visiting missionary shared with her is so RIGHT ON!!  Just like you can't pick up food with only one chopstick, "in the work of missions, you need both the missionary out in the field and people at home praying." 

How much we value your prayers!!

what kind of intelligence do you have?

I saw this on the Girotti Family's blog, and thought it would be fun to try.  Here's what this little blogthing said about me. :) 

If you play along too, please leave a link or comment about your dominant intelligence.

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Hmmm . . . so is this why I love being a language teacher?  Is this why I love linguistics?  Is this why I have dreams about a PhD in Applied Linguistics?  Is this why I love writing and teaching writing?  Hmmmm . . . maybe just maybe . . . .

i love thursdays

On Thrusdays . . .

I get to teach my current favorite class "Internet English.  We are learning to blog in English right now.  Today's lesson in our awesome computer lab is on posting pictures.  How fun!!

I get to go to my erhu lesson.  I love learning to play the erhu.  I love making music.  I love my erhu teacher--she is so fun.

I only teach 2 hours (and did I mention it was my favorite class?).

And, it is the start of my weekend!!  (I have no classes on Friday.)

 

Oh, and this Thursday is even better than normal because yesterday Flickr released their "sets of sets" feature they are calling collections.  I am so excited about this feature!!  I only played with it for a little while yesterday . . . I can't wait to organize my photos with this.

Yeah, Thursdays are GREAT! 

The Beauty of Fragrance

This week's carnival is now up.

Please stop by and thank Blair for hosting this week. 

Then check out some neat posts on the Beauty of Fragrance!

Next week our topic is The Beauty of Photographs and will be hosted here.  If you've been thinking about joining us, next week's topic is a great time to do so (hint, hint)! :)

like incense rising

One of the things that many visitors first notice about Taiwan is the scent of incense that fills temples and homes.  It lingers in the air and can be quite overwhelming to someone not accumstomed to being around inscense.

For a long time, I detested inscense.  I hated the smell.  It was anything but fragrant.

But, then one day, as I was reading scripture I saw this verse: "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you" (Psalm 141:2a). 

This caught me off guard. 

My eyes stopped moving across the text so I could contemplate what I was seeing for the first time.

I didn't even realize on a conscience level that fragrant incense was used throughout the old testament to worship God.  Incense is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation:

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. (Revelation 8:3-4)

Our prayers rise before God like the smoke of burning incense wafts towards the sky.  The sweet aroma of burning incense symbolizes something pleasing and acceptable being offered to God.

The smoke from incense is different than smoke from burning candles, cooking, or camp fires.  The smoke visably lingers in the air as it twists and swirls its way upwards. Its distinctive aroma completely fills the air.  It is not quick and fleeting.  It is slow and heavy, deliberate and continous. 

Oh, how I want my prayerlife to be like that! 

Lord, may our worship, may our prayers, continually rise before You, God of heaven and earth.  May their fragrance be pleasant and pleasing to You.

[By the way, I still detest the worship of false gods, but my opinion of incense has changed.]

This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty. This week the theme is The Beauty Fragrance and is hosted by Blair at Scriblings.  Join us next week for The Beauty of Photographs here at following an unknown path.

teaching barefoot

I know I've told that in Taiwan we take off our shoes before we enter someone's home.  But, have I ever told you that I teach barefoot too?

All of my classes are in a language lab or computer lab; so, we must take off our shoes before entering the classrooms.  "Regular classrooms" do not require shoes be removed.

Why the floors of these rooms must be kept clean I will never know.  But, that is the school rule, so that is what we do.  And just for the record, the student's don't like it.

I love the fact that the school provides these nifty little shoe cases for the students to put their shoes, but that instead students just pile the shoes in front of the shoe case.

Outside of a computer classroom at my school: