following an unknown path

a CoB reminder

Don't forget to submit your post to Blair via her site by midnight tonight (Tuesday).

The topic is The Beauty of Fragrance.  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.

Web 2.0 vs 1993's Internet

Cool video explaining Web 2.0 in under 5 min.  Watch and learn.

Created by: Michael Wesch
[Hat tip: Josiah's blog]

Or, if you'd rather have a flashback, here is a 1993 intro to Internet (that's right, no definate article).

We've come a long way, baby!

check it out

I've really been enjoying a recent addition to my blogroll--The M Blog--a blog by Guy Muse a missionary in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

I cannot express in words how much pictures like this delight my heart!!

He also has an excellent set of quotes on church planting and the church planting movement.  These quotes are actually part of a series of posts done on The M Blog--if after reading the quotes you are interested in more--browse around you'll find some good stuff.

me and books

I LOVE books. 

Last week one of my students came in carrying a box of textbooks her class had ordered for another course.  The simple fact that there were books inside the box that I had not seen or touched made my heart go pitter patter. :) 

Seriously.  I kid you not.  I am like a kid in a candystore when I enter a bookstore or library.

Anywho, without further adieu, here are my answers to the book meme I first saw on Hiraeth and Lux Venit that has been going around recently.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback? 
Doesn't matter as long as it is a book.  Actually, the only thing that matters is the cost--cheaper is better.  But, I have to admit, I prefer looking at hardback books on my shelves--they are just prettier.

Online purchase or brick and mortar? 
Online.  I love bookstores, but will end up purchasing online. 

Barnes & Noble or Borders? 
Neither.  We don't have them here.

Bookmark or dog-ear? 
I have this great little magnectic bookmark that clings to my pages and never falls out.  I would never, no never, dog-ear a book!!

Mark or not mark?
I do highlight and underline in books.  But I am careful with the ink quality of the pens used to do so because I don't want bleeding, smearing, or fading to occur as the book ages.  And, I would NEVER buy a book marked up by someone else.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
None of the above.  Like the First Lady, I use Library of Congress numbers to order my books.  At one time, I even made little tags for the spines.  And would love to do so again for all the newer purchases I kept.

Keep, throw away, or sell? 
I either keep a book or give it away.  I don't particuarly enjoy reading novels or biographies again, so after reading them once, I pass them on for others to enjoy.  Most nonfiction I keep so I can reference it or read it again.

Keep dustjacket or toss it? 
Toss.  I love the pretty spines of hard back books.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
With.  Gotta keep that spine clean.  And, the inside flaps can be used as bookmarks.

Short story or novel?
Novel.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? 
Either.

Lord of the Rings or Narnia?
Hmm . . . I've only read The Hobbit.  But, I do own The Lord of the Rings series, just couldn't get past the first few chapters of the first book.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? 
Chapter breaks  . . . unless I fall asleep reading.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”? 
Either. :D

Buy or Borrow? 
Fiction and biographies--borrow.  NonFiction--Buy.

New or used? 
Does not matter as long as the book is not marked up or dog-eared.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? 
BROWSE!!!!!!!  And, sometimes by recommendation.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Cliffhanger is ok if part of a series, but not as the "final" ending.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or night time reading? 
YES!

Standalone or series?
Either ok.  Series reading is fun.  But, standalone is ok too. 

Favorite series? 
I can no more pick a favorite series than I can pick a favorite song.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? 
I would like to say Stepping Heavenward, but it seems like it is a popular book with the blogging community I hang out with.  I read it in 1999 and LOVED it.  It was the only English language novel in the Taiwanese Christan bookstore that I shopped at when I was an exchange student.

I also read an excellent, excellent biography on Abigial Adams my freshmen year of college.  It was one of the best books I've ever read.  But, I couldn't tell you the author unless I found the paper I wrote for class reviewing it.

Favorite books read last year? 
Again, I can no more pick a favorite book than I can pick a favorite song.  But, I did enjoy Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace.

Favorite book of all time? 
Ditto on the there is no way I can pick a fave--NO WAY.  (I know many others have answered this "the Bible."  But, for me, I've never really thought of the Bible as "a book."  It is in a different class.  It is the word of God living and active--no book is like that.)

Three questions I am surprised not to see . . .

Fiction or NonFiction?
I enjoy nonfiction much more than fiction.  Historical fiction is ok, and occasionally I love me some creative take-me-away chick lit, but overall I prefer reading nonfiction.  I love biographies.

One book at a time or have several in process at the same time?
Several.  A few to choose from at bedtime, a few in a drawer behind the dinner table (I live alone you know), a few in the living room, and at least one in the purse.

Crack the spine or leave it unbroken?
When I was young (around 8-9), my dad taught me how to "break in" a book.  How to work your way from the outsides to the center creasing the spine ever-so-slightly so that the book could be opened and read without leaving it traumatized.

It's funny because I remember how serious he was in teaching me this very important step in owning a new book, and I remember just how proud I was that he was entrusting this bit of wisdom with me.  I still do it to this day with every new book I get.  It is the second thing I do.  The first?  Flip through the pages and inhale--the smell of a book is, oh, so important.

Yeah, that's right, we are bibliophiles--not just readers, book-lovers.

And since Kim claimed to be feeling a little like Kermit . . . this meme was brought to by the letter B for Bookworm Bookmarks.

death is

"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" (1 Cor. 15:54)

DEATH is an outlet and an inlet to a holy man.

Death is an eternal outlet . . .
    to all sins,  
    to all sorrows,  
    to all shame,  
    to all sufferings,          
    to all afflictions,  
    to all temptations,  
    to all oppressions,  
    to all confusions, and          
    to all vexations.

Death is an eternal inlet into . . .
    the clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God,
    the sweetest pleasures,  
    the purest joys,  
    the highest delights,  
    the strongest comforts, and  
    the most satisfying contentments.

Death is the funeral of all a holy man's sins and miseries--and the perfection of all his joys, graces, and spiritual excellencies.

Death is not the death of the man--but the death of his sin.

Death is a Christian's discharge from all trouble and misery!

Death came in by sin--and sin goes out by death.

Death cures all diseases--the aching head and the unbelieving heart; the diseased body and the defiled soul. Death will cure the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers.

Death is God's gentle usher to conduct us to heaven.

Death to a holy man, is nothing but the changing of . . .
    his grace--into glory,
    his faith--into vision,  
    his hope--into fruition, and  
    his love--into eternal rapture!

Oh, who would not go through death . . .  
    to heaven!  
    to eternal life!  
    to immortality and glory!

Death, to a Christian, is . . .  
    a welcome guest,  
    a happy friend,  
    a joyful messenger!

"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" (1 Cor. 15:54)

(Thomas Brooks, 1662)
Compliments of Grace Gems!

architecture at the Lantern Festival

The two weeks that follow Chinese New Year are to celebrate the "Lantern Festival."

Along Love River in downtown Kaohsiung homemade lanterns are on display. 

Most of the lanterns, made by shool children, were either pigs (remember it's year of the pig) or about the 2009 World Games to be held here in Kaohsiung, but a few of the lanterns on display were famous buildings in Taiwan.

Here is a pig with the 85-story building in Kaohsiung (Yes, it does appear to be that the building and the pig are in a bathtub.  I have no idea why).

__
Here is a Taipei 101 lantern.  Taipei 101 is the world's tallest building.

See what architecture other photo hunters found.

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?

The Beauty of Saul/Paul

This week I get to host to three amazing posts on the Beauty of Saul/Paul.  Will you please join me in reading what these bloggers found so beautiful in this man?

Blair @ Scribblings
While reading through the New Testament this year, Blair considered the persecution of the early church.  Her Scribblings now lead her to the conclusion that when Paul was fighting against Christ, he was willing to kill to uphold his beliefs....However, when he surrendered to Christ, he was willing to die telling others about the day Jesus asked him, "Why do you persecute Me?".

Ellen @ MzEllen & Co
For Ellen at MzEllen.com, the transformation from Saul to Paul is the beauty of a changed life.

amanda @ following an unknown path
And, last but not least, here are following an unknown path this week, I had a guest blogger who believes that the subtle simplicity of the one-line autobiograghy Paul writes in Romans is well worth exploring deeper.  (Technically, the CoB is for women bloggers, but this guy is slipping in under the radar as a guest blogger on this gal's blog. ;)  Cutting him a little slack I am, since; well, he is pretty important to me.)

Thanks for stopping by the Carnival of Beauty this week!!  Please join us next week over at Blair's Scribblings for the Beauty of Fragrance.  Hmmm . . . it's already smells nicer.

a one-line autobiography

I have a guest blogger today who has been studying the book of Romans recently.  I'll let him take care of the introductions:

Let me introduce myself.  I am Amanda’s Dad.  That’s important to me: simple, short and concise.  I am proud of my three kids, and every time I get the opportunity I routinely assert, "My oldest daughter is a college professor in Taiwan, my baby girl is a victim’s assistance counselor with the Arlington Police Department, and my 13 year old son is a miracle birth."

I love the subtle simplicity of Paul’s masterful introduction of himself in Romans 1:1.  He identified himself as an instrument invited to be immersed in a mission with a message.  Or as the English Standard Version states it, "Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God."  Actually, our English translations of Paul’s first sentence covers seven verses, but what we call verse one, I call "a one-line autobiography" or a "masterful introduction."

Think about it for a moment, how we usually introduce ourselves. We use our vocation or personal significance, what we do or who we are, as the central statement of "this is who I am."  I am a plumber, pastor, mommy, single, divorcee, etc.  Prior to most speeches by a guest speaker, some chosen individual recites a litany of the speaker’s accomplishments to set forth the identity of the speaker and the authority their message carries.

The beauty of Saul/Paul’s introduction to Romans is found in a closer look at the words he used.  Notice the name that Paul chose to go by. He was born "Saul, of Tarsus," but he chose to use his Gentile name, "Paul."  Paul was formerly a Hebrew religious zealot; his new identity is that of one who seeks to identify with the audience he wants to reach, Gentiles.  He chooses one simple word, a name of identity to say, "I, too, am like you."

Now notice the second phrase he uses, "a servant of Christ Jesus."  Actually the original word he used was doulos (slave).  Writing to an audience in an Empire that was highly populated with slaves; he classified himself as an instrument of the Redeemer.  Slaves came in all sizes, shapes and varying degrees of expertise.  Many slaves in the Roman Empire were of notable education and culture.  It was with great pride that some could say, "I am a slave of the Emperor."  With humble gratitude, Paul could say that his will was consumed in bound servitude to Messiah Savior, the Redeemer.

Kletos apostolos, that is the next identifier, “called to be an apostle.”  The Greek New Testament uses two different words for "called."  Kletos is about invitation rather than election.  "Would you like to come over for dinner,” now that is an invitation. ‘Called to be an apostle," that is an invitation to be a messenger.

Paul also says that he is "set apart" (separated) for the gospel of God.  Most of us are familiar with the word gospel (good news). But it is this word aphorizo (set apart) that is so captivating.  The verb aphorizo is a compound word composed of two words, "from" and "horizon."  Literally, the word means "off horizon."  Donald Grey Barnhouse tells the story of how this word came alive to him.  The short paraphrase is something like this: Sailing between England and the U.S., he had the opportunity to climb to the crow’s nest of the ship and observe the sunrise.  The horizon was awesome; the blending of hues and the majesty of creation reminded him of baking cookies with his mother when he was a child.  Mom would roll out the dough on a marble slab and he would "cut out" the cookies. Or should we say "off-horizon" the cookies.  The idea is that of being removed from one circumference of influence into another horizon. Or just to make it real simple, God had ripped Paul out of his former life and placed him in the circumference of Almighty God and His concerns.

Paul identified himself as an instrument invited to be immersed in a mission with a message. Such statements of profound simplicity are the product of lengthy thought and analysis. What we often quickly read over in order to get to "the good stuff" is actually quite good in and of itself.  Paul’s careful choice of words was actually the result of years of careful contemplation. Choice words of identity, crafted by an artisan word-smith.

I am still proud to be "Amanda’s dad," but I think I will work on another one liner. I need a new one liner that is carefully crafted as a humble recipient of grace and as beautiful as Paul’s. When I come up with it, I will let you know. Until then, it was nice to meet you; thank you for allowing me to introduce myself.

To read more of my dad's profound words of wisdom, check out his blog The Pratical Pulpit which is all about subtle simplicity.

finally joining the blog party

I am finally joining the party . . . better late than never, right?

At first, I wasn't going to join in the party because well . . . I'm not a mom.  But Susan and Janice did say that everyone was invited AND yall looked like yall (can you tell I'm from Texas?) were having just way too much fun to be left out any longer.

Of course, Gilby, my little, white, Maltese ball of cuddely cuteness, says hi!  He just loves company!!

So, let's see what can I offer you?  How about some seaweed chips, a century year old egg, or a bit of my favorite pumpkin hotpot? 

To drink, I can offer you some traditional Chinese tea or a great green tea pudding drink.  If you have a sweet tooth, I've got either green tea cheese cake or some taro ice cream for you.

So, in case you can't tell by my party foods, let me just inform you that I don't reside in America.  I live in Taiwan, a little tropical island off the coast of China and home to over 23 million people.  And, yes, since you asked, I do speak Chinese--started studying it nearly 10 years ago! If you wanna know why I live in Taiwan, you can read this.

Probably the fastest way to get to know me better is by looking at what I did in 2005 or 2006 (12 pictures for each year, one per month).  Or, if you wanna look out my windows, you can; I don't mind--really.

Oh, and before you head over to some other blogs to party on (over 640 something to choose from as of right now--WOW!!), let me invite you to particiapte in the Carnival of Beauty . . . find out how here.  We'd love to have you join us.

Thanks for stopping by!  Feel free to dip your toes into the ocean if you want to before you leave--especially if you are in a "wintery place." :) 

"Yall come back now."

pet pigs

Some walk dogs (me) and some walk  . . . PIGS!!

This little pig and Gilby did not quite hit it off--Gilby just couldn't quite figure him out.

This is actually not the first pet pig I have seen in Taiwan.  And, awhile back, another pet pig made it into the English language newspaper. 

And, it is my guess that since this is the "year of the pig" even more Taiwanese will take in pigs to be their pets.  And, why, might you ask, would someone want a pet pig . . . well, it is claimed that pigs are clean, don't smell, are affectionate, and don't bark.

Wanna know more about "precious pigs"?  Read this.

The Carnival of Beauty (updated)

As you may well already know, Sallie at A Gracious Home has passed on the sponsorship of the Carnival of Beauty to me. 

The basic way that the carnival works will remain the same, and the topics and hostesses that Sallie has already lined up will also stay the same. 

The new "main carnival page" is now here.  And, the new logo is to the left (which is thanks to Sallie's husband, David).  So please update your links.

[Edited] This coming week's topic is The Beauty of Saul/Paul and will be hosted by me here at following an unknown path.  Please submit posts to my email address (in the sidebar, upper left) by Tuesday midnight (Texas time).

If you have not joined us yet . . . consider joining us this time!

photo hunt: salty

My students here in Taiwan LOVE chips!! 

However, I am not a real big chip eater (unless we are talking totillia chips loaded with salsa).  And, when the flavor happens to be Kyushu Seaweed, I don't even eat one!  Who wants fishy chips?

Other intersting flavors include "Thai Sweet and Spicy Prawn," "Japanese Teriyaki," "Seaweed" and "Chicken."

unknown paths

. . . in paths that they have not known
    I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,
    and I do not forsake them.

(Isaiah 42:16)