following an unknown path

great is the Lord

Running through my head this morning:

"Great is the Lord, He is holy and just, by His power we trust in His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true, by His mercy He proves He is love."

"For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods" (Psalm 96:4).

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, Great is the Lord! (Psalm 40:16).

i delighted in the lord . . . and he gave me YOU

I love you Lawrance!!  I thank God daily for making you my husband.

What a privilege to walk life next to you, with you. What great joy is mine . . . all because God is kind and gave me to you and you to me.

Happy 1st  Anniversary, LaoGong!!

my groom sings to me

I am SO excited by what a good friend handed to me last night!!  She passed on to me a CD of videos from our Taiwanese wedding!

Here is the first thing I saw . . . Lawrance singing to me a song entitled "Vows" after we had exchanged our vows.  I got giddy just listening to it last night!! 

My Groom Sings To Me from amanda wu on Vimeo.

I LOVE listening to him sing . . . and I often ask him to sing me to sleep.  I am blessed!

野地的花 wild flowers (aka the flowers of the field)

A beautiful song . . .

My unpoetic English translation:

Wild flowers wear beautiful clothes
Birds in the sky have never had to be "busy"
Merciful-Loving Heavenly Father daily watches over us
He so loved the people of the world that he prepared a path to everlasting life

Every single need the Heavenly Father already knows
If your heart is full of troubles, allow him to get rid of them for you
Each day Merciful-Loving Heavenly Father is taking care of us
He is the All-powerful Lord: Blessed are the people who depend on Him

___
The original BEAUTIFUL Chinese version:

野地的花，穿著美麗的衣裳，
天空的鳥兒，從來不為生活忙。
慈愛的天父，天天都看顧，
祂更愛世上人，為他們預備永生的路。

一切需要，天父已經都知道，
若心中煩惱，讓祂為你除掉。
慈愛的天父，天天都看顧，
祂是全能的主，信靠祂的人真是有福。

___
Here is an a capella version of the same song recorded in Taipei during the Franklin Graham conference last fall.  (The first 30 seconds is talking that can be skipped in order to get to the song.)

unity cermonies (part two)

In addition to the sand ceremony, we also choose to do a "cord of three strands ceremony" too.

I have no idea how I found this, but I do know I found it while surfing for ceremony ideas, and that I ended up here, which is a site that explains the idea and sells the cords. This was probably the last thing we added to the ceremony. 

Lawrance loved the idea.  It was also something that we could easily do in both the American and Taiwanese ceremony, and something we could frame and keep for a long time.

I braided the three cords while Lawrance held them, and then he tied the end of the braid together with a small wire when I was done braiding. 

Here is what we put in the program to explain the symbolization of this unity ceremony:

Ecclesiastes 4:12 illustrates the importance of Christian companionship. Two Christians that are bound together in Christ are stronger than the individuals themselves. We believe that Christian marriage is about more than the union of one man and one woman. The Bible teaches us that God performs a miracle in our marriage, uniting us together in a covenant relationship with Him as one. The Cord of Three Strands is a symbol of that sacred union created today.

The gold strand symbolizes that we have invited our Lord Jesus Christ to the position of authority in our marriage relationship.

The purple strand represents the groom. It illustrates the majesty of God as head over the husband. As Lawrance submits himself to the Lord, the Lord in turn will hold the marriage together through him.

The white strand represents the bride. It illustrates the purity of the bride of Christ. As we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are cleansed through Christ.

(Some of this wording came from the site where we got the cords.)

Here is also what my dad said before we started to tie the cords: 

Lawrance and Amanda have also chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord. A "threefold cord" is a symbol of union. Where two are closely joined in love and fellowship, Christ will, by his Spirit, come to them, creating a threefold cord.

In braiding these three strands together, Lawrance and Amanda are demonstrating that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with God as well. They are choosing to allow God to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it.

As I started braiding the cord, Lawrance told me I was going too fast and needed to slow down.  So, I slowed down a lot just to tease him.  Well, apparently to some of our guests the exaggerated movements I made as I slowed down seemed to them that I was flirting with my groom during the ceremony.  That wasn't the case . . . but we both did laugh at my silliness in taking his slow down command very seriously. :)

While we tied the cords, we had "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us" playing.  We used 4Him's Hymns: A Place of Worship CD.  This song was my mom's suggestion--she always thought this was a great hymn to use at a wedding, and we agreed.  We thought about using it for the recessional, but it just wasn't "peppy" enough.  However, I do love the words of the song, and I am glad we found a place for some of it to be heard during our wedding.

Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will;
Blessèd Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

(Words attributed to Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1836)

fragrant rice

My neighbor friends were watching a new music video this weekend.  As I watched it along side them I loved how very much it captured what is TAIWAN. 

I asked my husband (how fun it is to say that!!) to help me find the video online.  And he did.  As we watched it together he exclaimed several times how very much this video was "Taiwan" too. 

If you are remotely interested in Taiwan, take a look at this two minute music video that shows scenes that are just pure Taiwanese.  Even if you don't know Chinese I think you can still understand the story and enjoy the views of Taiwan shown in the video.

The song is entitled "Fragrant Rice" (稻香) . . . and basically says "if you are feeling like a failure and don't know what to do follow the smell of the rice back to your roots and find your family who will love you and support you no matter what.  Come back home and remember the simplicity of where you came from."

The song is by Jay Chou (周杰倫), a rather well known Taiwanese musician.

33

Thanks to Marianne for sharing this beautiful song entitled 33 by Corrinne May.

Corrinne, new-to-me muscian, grew up in Singapore; she wrote this song as she reflected on turning 33.

amanda is ok too

Thank you to all of you who inquired about me and (as eija put it) my "bday funk."

I'll get totally honest here for a minute and explain my more cryptic statement from the original post the day after my birthday.  This one:

It is so easy to become envious of others . . . it is so easy to see what I think I lack . . . it is so easy to be selfish . . . it is so easy to sin.  Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

See, it is not really turning 30 that bothered me.  I have been feeling older (especially with my knee giving me trouble, but more about that on another day), but I don't feel "old" yet. 

The center of the matter is that I was turning 30 and still single.  I've seen all kinds of "mommy blogs" in the past few months where women turning 30 talked about how blessed they were with their loving husbands and cute kids treating them so special on their big day. 

Many people are quick to remind me that "yes, you're single but look at how God is using you."  But, there are also married women who are thirty years old with several children who are overseas missionaries too.  This position is not limited to single women.

Although VERY well meaning . . . comments like that only feed one of the myths we single women are led to believe: "God views me more as a useful tool than a beloved child."

People have often told me, "God has allowed you to be single so you might do these things for Him!" While I know these people are seeking to encourage me, my gut reaction is, Why me? It's true that God may set us apart for a season of singleness, but that doesn't mean He is indifferent to our dreams.

Matthew 7:11 says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" God views you a cherished child — never a utilitarian object. A loving Father will give you good gifts at just the right time.

My comfort in being 30 and still single can not come from whether or not "God is using me."  It must come from who He is . . . God of all creation, the Author of my life's story, the One who clears this unknown path I am walking on.  My comfort and hope must come only from trusting the One who is eternally both all-good and all-powerful.

See, the problem on my 30th birthday was this: my eyes were one me.  "Why so downcast, O, my soul?"  Because I was not placing my hope where it should rightly be.  And, honestly, I didn't want to either--I wanted to "just this once have the right to be discontent."

Praise the Lord for being quick to forgive!

And, praise Him too for, once again, placing a song in my heart! :)

Well I wanna thank you now
For being patient with me
Oh it's so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I'll have to trust
And just believe what you say

(This is the chorus of the awesome song "Make My Life a Prayer" by Keith Green, one of my all time favorite musicians.)

tonight!!!

Last year, I discovered one of my students had been singing on TV.  But, because I didn't have cable, I only watched a few of the videos of her on YouTube.  I told her I had seen her singing and was impressed.  It was then that I found that what I had watched was small potatoes . . . . and that she had sung at other times on other shows too--as recently as just that past weekend.  But, she didn't tell me exactly what or brag or go into details. 

So, fast forward to this summer when I moved to Tainan and a typhoon blew through at the same time.  As I sat in my friend's apartment locked safely inside and utterly exhausted, I flipped through the channels . . . and I SAW HER ON TV!!!  I was shocked.  I mentioned it to my friend and found out that my student entered a "Taiwanese Idol" show on a major TV network. 

There are currently three different "Taiwanese idol" shows on prime time right now here in Taiwan.  My student is on the one called 星光大道 in Chinese.  They call it "Million Star" in English but a better translation of the show's name would be "Path to Stardom" or "Avenue of the Stars." 

So, ever since August of last year, I've faithfully watched this "Taiwanese Idol" show on TV each weekend.  It starts on Fridays at 9:30 and lasts till midnight.  Good thing for me they replay the last two weeks of shows back-to-back again on Saturday and Sunday.  So, in total I have four extra chances to see each show in case I miss the Friday night one or if I fall asleep on the couch before Rachel, my former student sings (she graduated last year).  (By the way, if you remember Judy from this summer, Rachel and Judy are best friends.)

Well, they have it down to the top five and tonight the show is live as they determine the ranking of the top five and declare a winner.  Rachel has consistently received high scores throughout the show.  And currently is in first place from the last 3 weeks of "top 6" competitions when they started adding the scores together for the top 6 and not just kicking off the low achievers! 

So, no doubt that tonight I will be watching this show and cheering on my former student!!! 

Here she is in a couple of her most recent performances on the show (the first one she is in a duet with one of the judges in a fun song called "it doesn't matter"):

listen here!

Kathryn Scott, from Northern Ireland, is one of my favorite worship leader.  Her CD Satisfy was with me through some really rough patches.   

She has just released a new CD with eleven original worship songs she wrote called "I Belong." And, right now, if you register at Integrity Music you can listen to the ENTIRE CD online through streaming media.  (Their player is down at the bottom of the page.)

I am not certain because I've not taken the time to look around more, but it seems that Integrity is streaming lots of their CDs.  So, go ahead and take a browse to find a new worship leader or old favorite!

whatever my God ordains is right

Whatever my God ordains is right
In His love I am abiding
I will be still in all He does
And follow where He is guiding
He is my God, though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all

Whatever my God ordains is right 
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know He will not leave me
I take content, what He has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently I wait His day

. . . read the rest

This beautiful seventeenth-century hymn is on Sovereign Grace's latest CD: In a Little While, a father and son project.  I love the gentle melody and simple but powerful truth of this song! Plus it matches my path theme. ;) 

I've listened to it over and over.  What a great addition to my "Trusting God Playlist" (which started after reading about Carolyn McCulley's list)!

You can listen to a minute long clip of the song online.

To give credit where credit is due: the original was written in German by Samuel Rodigast in 1676. Catherine Winkworth translated it to English in 1863.  Then, Mark Altrogge updated the English for the CD and wrote new music for the song.

redeemed, redeemed!

I woke up this morning singing this . . .

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

Refrain
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

Refrain

I think of my blessèd Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.

I don't even know when is the last time I actually heard this song being sung or played, but I tell ya it was ALL I could think of this morning!!

Just in case you were wondering, it is one of the thousands of hymns penned by Fanny Crosby.

one of my students sings on tv

On March 19 of this year, one of my students (whose English name is Rachel) appeared on TV to sing a song as part of a contest show. 

You can watch her in the following youtube video and see a little of Taiwan TV culture at the same time. :)  She even gives an acapella encore.  And the audience even claimes to get "chicken skin" or as we say in English "goose bumps."

She has an awesome singing voice in my unbiased opinion.

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!!

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.

my love affair with music

Beth and Ashely at Onward & Upward posted a fun little musical meme to add a little music to the party (my 1st party post).  What a great idea!  I love music and totally agree with them about a party is no party if there is no music. 

HOWEVER!  I could not choose my FAVORITE song for a bunch genres any more than you could tell me which child of yours is your favorite.  You just don't.  You just can't.

AND . . . all those 80's songs that were on the radio when I was growing up--I never heard.  All those 90's songs that were on the radio when I was in high school--again, never heard.  Let me tell you why . . .

Childhood
When I was a kid, I had all 6 Psalty the Singing Songbook tapes that were out at that time.  I listened to one side of one tape each night to fall asleep (which started a music listening habit that didn't stop till I got to college and had roommates).  Although I loved all 6 tapes, Kid's Praise 4 about being a servant and Kid's Praise 5 about a camping trip (casting our cares on the Lord) were played most often.  I LOVED Psalty.  These cassettes introduced me to worship and faith and showed me that praising God is a very real, everyday in everyway kind of thing.

I remember my parents listening to Keith Green and the Maranatha! Praise Team . . . these too had a powerful impact on my love of music and heart of worship.  Psalty, Keith Green, and the Maranatha! Songs hold an incredibly special, tender place in my heart.

Teen Years
When I was in sixth grade, I woke up on Valentine's Day with a terrible case of chicken pox.  It was a terrible catastrophe to me. 

As a result, my mom and dad both sympathized and spoiled me.  I clearly remember my dad buying me my very own bottle of Diet Pepsi--a glass bottle that was my very own to drink all by myself.  (By the way, I kept that bottle till 2003, which I decopoged with stickers and filled with pennies).  And, one day during my three weeks home from school, mom brought me a walking yellow helium doctor balloon and two cassette tapes--Michael  W. Smith's The Big Picture and Twila Paris' For Every Heart.

Little did I know this was part of her great plan to help me "grow up" (not the chicken pox--the tapes).  She had decided that I needed to "move past" Psalty.  When we moved at the end of that year, she helped me to finally release my Psalty tapes into the world to bless someone else. 

I spent my babysitting money and allowances on building a CD collection of contempary Christian pop music . . . in addition to Twila and Michael, I bought CDs from muscians like Steven Curtis Chapman, Point of Grace, Amy Grant, 4Him, and NewSong. I also had a several various praise and worship CDs. 

College Years
I had built quite a collection of CDs by the time I entered college.  And it had become an addiction of sorts . . . I needed to buy new music. 

My first sememster at college, I realized I was addicted to buying music.  Really--I was convicted.  So, in 1997, I didn't buy any new music at all.  I "fasted" from purchasing CDs (I'm not even sure my parents knew about this; at the time I only told my roommate LeAnn about it).

After that, I didn't really enjoy comtempary Christian music anymore.  I listened to a lot of Dennis Jerrinagin, Don Moen, and the Passion worship leaders and bands.  I longed for meaning and substance.

Now
Since I can now buy music with a single click anytime night or day,  I still have to be careful because I have a serious weakness for buying music.  I have thousands of songs stored on my external harddrive and enjoy enjoying them.  (I do not, however, want to think about the fact that that means thousands of dollars spent.)

I also enjoy a variety of sounds and styles now too. In my post-college years, for the first time in my life, I started listening to "non-Christian music."  I enjoy a little jazz or country now and then.  I look for and enjoy many indie artists; I like listening to sounds that aren't quite so "polished."  I also enjoy songs with meaningful lyrics--I like it when the singer is also the song writer.  I also prefer bands over solo artists.  Oh, and I also listen to music in Chinese.

My itunes and mini ipod most frequently play in "random shuffle" mode, but some of my current most played songs include songs by (in no particular order). . .

• Barlow Girl (love the song Enough),
• Building 429,
• The Swift,
• Tree 63,
• Bebo Norman,
• Third Day,
• Switchfoot, 
• Ginny Owens,
• Todd Agnew (totally loved his Christmas album),
• Soverign Grace Ministries,
• David Crowder Band,
• Caedmon's Call,
• Sixpence None the Richer,
• Sarah Groves,
• Julian Drive,
• Telecast,
• Bethany Dillion,
• Kathyrn Scott (blog),
• Matt West,
• Charlie Hall,
• Brian Doerksen (great stuff!!!),
• Jim Brickman,
• Mercy Me, and
• several Taiwanese singers/groups.

I could type another 20 or even another 40 groups/singers 'cuz, well, I LOVE music. :)  Nope . . . there is no way I could ever pick a favorite song or group.

How about you?  Know a group I should try out? 
Is music an important part of your life?  Why or why not?

O Come All Ye Faithful

My friends, a Taiwanese pastor and his wife (Peter and Mary), sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" in Taiwanese on this video:

 

This Sunday, December 17th, Hokkien Harvest missionaries will be joining Peter and Mary's housechurch to worship Jesus in a public park for a Christmas celebration.  I invite you to join me in praying for this time. 

(HT: video posted by Mary Agnes, one of my good friends and a missionary in Taiwan)

Christmas Music & Me

Come on ring those bells!
Light the Christmas tree!
Jesus is the King, born for you and me.

Come on ring those bells!
Everybody sing!
Jesus, we remember it's your birthday!

This song is hands-down my all-time favorite Christmas song.  And, I would guess it is my sister's favorite too--if a recent message on my answering machine of her singing it in full to ask me who sings it is any indication. :)  (gotta love my sister)

I don't know why we both like it OH SO MUCH.  Here is what I reckon, we liked it as children because:

--it is simple and catchy,
--it is a call to worship a child can understand and participate in, and
--it connected lighting the Christmas tree to worship of the King.

And, I reckon we like it as adults because of all of the above, plus the fact that it invokes warm memories of our childhood.

Have you ever heard it?  I would suggest you go listen to it on itunes (or your preferred online music resource)--one version of the song is only 48 seconds, listening to the free 30 second sample would let you listen to almost the entire song. :)  Of course, you might not "lub-lub" it as much as me and Sarah, and that's ok.

Christmas has a lot to do with expectation and waiting.  And, I like the idea of waiting for some of the joys Christmas-time brings--expecting them.  So, I have to FORCE myself to wait till the day after Thanksgiving to start listening to Christmas music.  Then for 24-7 for the next month, it is non-stop Christmas music.  It is something I long for!  It is something I love!!

Christmas music is full of memories.  Listening to certain songs sung by certain artists invokes special feelings that only come out once a year.  The songs bring back great memories of childhood--of innocence, peace, delight, hope, expectation, of being with family and friends.

But, more than being full of warm-fuzzy memories, I like Christmas music because it is worshipful and joyful.  It is a celebration.  What we have been waiting for--a Savior--has come!  It is a time to be rejoice!  Strike the harp!  Ring the bells!  Light the tree!  Let's go!  Worship the King!!!

In addition to bringing back memories and allowing me to worship the Prince of Peace, Christmas music also lets me witness to my students.

I can teach them Christmas carols and talk about what they mean.  We talk about the Christmas story.  It is great!!  What a blessing to have this tool to use for sharing Jesus!

I remember the first time--oh about seven years ago--when I was in a Taiwanese department store and I heard the Good News through Chirstmas songs being proclaimed over the storewide speaker system.  It floored me first of all that they were playing "real" Christmas music.  When I recovered from that shock, I was saddened by the fact that those around me had no clue what they were listening to--it was only in English, not Mandarin.  To them it was just pleasant sounding tunes.

Michael Haggard, a friend who is also a tentmaking missionary here in Taiwan, blogged recently about this same phenomenon of English language Christmas music in public places--like McDonald's--here in Taiwan.

I invite you to pray for the people of Taiwan during this holiday season--may they come to know the Reason for the season personally and join us in worshipping Emmanuel!!  And, I hope that as Christmas carols fill your home this season, may you respond to the call to worship "God with us" as you ring the bells and light your tree! :)
____

This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty sponsored by Sallie at A Gracious Home.  This week the theme is The Beauty of Christmas Music and is hosted by Susanna at Through a Glass.  Join us next week for The Beauty of Salvation.

祢是最好的神!

I was listening to my "Trusting God" playlist on my ipod while I ate lunch yesterday afternoon.  Mostly I had been enjoying songs from Soverign Grace Music, when suddenly I heard a worship leader proclaim:

"哈利路亞!! 來讚美祢! 祢是好的神! 祢是最好的神!"

(Translation: Hallelujah!  We've come to worship You!  You are a GOOD God.  You are the best God there is!!)

I didn't expect to hear Chinese while I munched on my chicken in my parent's home, nor did I expect my reaction to hearing the Chinese:  I broke down and cried. 

I miss Taiwan.  And, at the same time, I am thankful that we really do worship the God who is greater than all other gods!

祢真是最好的神! 祢是主! 哈利路亞!!

the 5 browns

I was searching for some classical music on itunes last night, and I stumbled upon a group called "The 5 Browns."  They are 5 siblings (2 brothers, 3 sisters) who are all Julliard-schooled concert pianists. 

You can actually watch a clip of them all playing together and listen to clips on their site.

I am no music critic, but I am enjoying my newly purchased music!! :)