following an unknown path

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!

taiwan picture of the day . . . MINE!!

I recently added a widget that showcases a different photo of Taiwan from different photographers each day. See?  It's over there on the left-hand side.

I've kinda enjoy seeing the different views of Taiwan that I could never see all on my own.  There are just way to many beautiful treasures to discover on this tropical island. 

Anyhow, I decided to submit one of my own photos to Taiwan Picture of the Day a few days ago.  And guess what?  Today's picture of the double hearts is mine!!

If you've taken some unique pictures of Taiwan consider submitting some.  If you want to display a little touch of Taiwan on your blog you might consider checking out this widget.

I took this photo when I visited my student in PengHu.  A set of islands off the main Taiwan island.  Oh my!  It was breathtakingly beautiful!!  These double hearts aren't natural, but they aren't just for looks either.  They were created for a very practical reason . . . anyone know what that reason is?

i need help (cream of mushroom help)

What's a girl to do when the recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup . . . but she can't find any?

Can she easily make her own alternative?  How?  Any ideas on what can be used instead?  It's for a casserole I want to make.

Or, alternatively, anyone in Taiwan know where that same girl could actually find cans of cream of mushroom soup in Taiwan?   Do they carry it at Costco?

a cold joke

In Chinese the idiomatic expression "cold joke" refers to a cheesy or lame joke.

Monday one of my students was on his toes when he made a cold joke in the middle of class.

We were discussing onomatopoeia  for animal sounds.  You did know that dogs go "woof, woof" in English but "wang, wang" in Chinese, right?  Onomatopoeia is not only a fun word to say, but it is also a very fun thing to discuss with people from other cultures/languages.

Anyway, they were shouting out names of animals, and I was giving them their English sounds.  One of them asked for "deer."

And just like I said for rabbit and mouse, I replied "deer don't make sounds."  And another student said, "Yes the do.  They say 'honey.'"

Ha. Ha. 

But, actually for an EFL student to make a play on the words "deer" and "dear" right there in class is pretty impressive.

to my dear feedreaders

Salutations!  How are you doing these days, dear feed reader?

Just kidding.  I do, however, really want your attention for a minute.  I am nearing the completion of updating my blog and giving it a "blogover."  New colors, new header, new layout, making my past photos more prevalent, you know stuff like that . . . you really should just click over to take a quick peak. 

I know your feedreader is speedy and nice and convenient.  I love my g-reader (as I affectionately refer to it).  But, really now, can you call your feedreader environment pretty?  I think not. 

I've been making small changes with my blog design here and there for awhile now.  In fact, I've longed for a new header for about half a year.  But, I just didn't really see the point in shelling out the cash for something so digital and temporary. 

That is . . . until I read about a project that Sarah and Rebecca are a part of called Blogovers with Love. 

Both of these ladies are in the process of adopting a child from Taiwan.  And, while they are waiting, they are donating their time and design skills to raise money to help send needed items to two orphanages here in Taiwan. 

How could I resist now?  A beautiful blog header plus instead of shelling out the cash for something that viruses could destroy I get to make a donation to help bless orphans.  What a great combo!!

If you are wanting a new header (or a complete blogover if you are on blogger), I HIGHLY recommend you consider Blogovers with Love.  Sarah has been such a joy to work with.  And she created something that is totally me and that I just love to look at because it is just SO pretty.  I also really like some of the fabulous headers that Rebecca has designed.  Go take a look and see for yourself some of their other handiwork!!

Remember . . . I've already proven to you that I don't exaggerate.  ;)

proof i was not exaggerating

Yesterday, when I talked about all the fireworks and firecrackers and all the noise I could hear, I wasn't exaggerating for effect.  You don't have to take my word for it, you can actually see and hear for yourself.

Another foreigner living in Tainan also wrote about the temple celebrations that went on this weekend.  He even went to explore the reason for the celebration and took videos of some of it.

He reports: "that temples from all over Taiwan came to Tainan to throw a party for the 300 years birthday for one of the oldest temples in Taiwan - the Koxinga temple. Zheng Cheng Kung, Koxinga, is a Chinese-Japanese local hero who 'liberated' Taiwan from the Dutch during the 17th (?) century, and who [his] university is named after. Since they celebrate this event every 30 years, this was a 10th anniversary for the 30th anniversary."

He captured some of the non-stop fireworks:

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He also captured one of the idols being carried "over the firework remains in a strange go-forward go-left go-right go-back kind of dance."  This is in fact how all idols (that I've seen at least) are carried when they are marched down a street or go on a "god parade."  This carrying of the god can be seen about 30 seconds into this video:

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And, he also captured one of the dragon dances I guessed were happening:

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Right in the middle of the street!  This video is of fireworks and part of a god parade with some of the music I told you I could hear in my living room:

a very noisy 1st Sunday of Advent

I sit in my living room contemplating advent, thinking about hope and grateful for grace while candle light dances on the wall beside me and Christmas tree lights twinkle in front of me.

But, my home is not a quite place on this first Sunday of Advent.  No.  A Taiwanese god is having a birthday, and the temples of Tainan and making sure that he is well celebrated. 

From my back window I can hear worship instruments playing their song.  From my living room window I hear the sounds of an opera being acted out for the god to enjoy.  I hear worship drums being beat in a rhythm unfamiliar to me.

That is I hear these things only when the fireworks and firecrackers have subsided.  Since six this morning they have been worshiping all across town.  All day long firecrackers have boomed and fireworks whizzed and popped.  And, since they echo off the nearby high rise buildings the sound can be overwhelming.

And, from 10-11 this morning and then from about 9-10 tonight they shot fireworks and firecrackers for an hour straight each time--A FULL HOUR OF NON-STOP FIRECRACKERS!  I begin to think they might never stop.  They are still going strong as I go to bed at 11:30--however, now it is more random.  Like every five minutes one temple decides to pop something rather than all the temples all shooting off fireworks at the exact same time for an hour.

ALL DAY LONG these people have worshiped their idol with loud songs and amazing firework shows.  I didn't go investigate, but I assume their worship has also included sacrifices, burning of spirit money, colorful costumes, dancing, spirit possession, dragon dances, and there has probably been some blood shed as shamans pierce parts of their bodies with swords and daggers.  They probably have, are right now, or probably will go on a "god parade" dancing their idols through the streets so he or she in his or her different forms (one for each temple) has the opportunity to bless those nearby as the idols are returning from another more powerful temple where they went to get "recharged."

Less than two out of every one hundred Taiwanese are Christian.  Sunday as I sit in my living room, preparing my heart to celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, I am fully aware of this fact.   Lostness surrounds me, literally deafening me, making me sad . . . very sad.  When will the Taiwanese be able to share with us the hope we have in Christ?

My little neighbors and their mom join me in my candle-and-Christmas-tree lit living room to worship our Savior (I'm new to Tainan, but I've known this family for eight years).  We light a candle, read Scripture, thank Jesus for coming and for being our hope. . . . We worship the King of kings with very little display while the temples all around us worship an idol with great display. 

I will never forget the odd juxtaposition of this day  . . . the first Sunday of my first Advent celebration.

celebrating Advent as a single woman away from home

This is my first time to celebrate Advent.  And, I'm excited about it.  One of my biggest desires is to rebuild anticipation into the season . . . to recapture wonder and awe . . . but instead of directed towards the concept of Christmas as it was when I was a child . . . to direct towards love of my Savior. 

After being away from home for five Christmases so far I've come to the conclusion that being away from family at Christmas time is hard--uh, I probably could have told you that after just the first one.  And, I think that being single and barren at Christmas is also really hard--this is a family holiday.  So, what's a girl to do when she is single, childless, and living across the ocean from her family?

Once I tried basically ignoring it and pretending it didn't really matter.  A few times I tried to only focus on it on Christmas Day--to think about it for a whole month would just be too difficult.  But, last year, I changed. . . I made it a point to make it special and started to build my own traditions.  I also discovered Advent and decided that this year I would celebrate it.   

So, for the first time, I am fully embracing the holiday as a single adult on my own.  I am building my own traditions . . . that hopefully I will one day be able to share with my husband and children.  I am creating things now that I hope to use with my kids. . . and if I never have children, I will share them with my little neighbors and use them myself. 

But I am refusing to play the ostrich this year.  Sticking my head in the sand and pretending this holiday isn't really there--which is easy when no one around really celebrates it--isn't an option.  I will spend this month in awe and wonder  . . . in anticipation.  Christ has come and is going to return.  He is our hope. Our salvation.

Oh what glorious, wonderful news!

a mother's touch

       My thirteenth year of life was horrible.  I was changing from a girl into a woman, and I felt everything and everyone was against me. 

It was Christmas Eve and none of my clothes from the year before were fitting, and I could do nothing with my frizzy curls.  I cried for at least an hour after stomping up the stairs in utter frustration with my mean mother who did not understand me at all!  Then came the gentle knock on the door.  My mother had a red turtleneck and a beautiful white fuzzy sweater across her right arm; "May I come in?"  She came in and helped me dress; then we went to her room where she did my hair and even did my make-up.  She then let me borrow one of her necklaces.

Everyone was waiting downstairs for us to come down so we could open presents.  As I walked down those stairs, I felt like the most beautiful girl on the entire planet.  I felt like everyone on the whole earth was watching me descend down the stairs (not just my family).  I have never felt more beautiful in my whole life.       

The other day, I saw a picture of that Christmas Eve.  I remembered feeling so beautiful, but as I looked at the picture, I just saw a plain girl in her mother's sweater with frizzy curls. 

So what had made the difference? 

My mother's opinion of me.  Her time and attention and her care, along with a few complements, I'm sure, made me feel like a beauty queen.

Never underestimate the power of a mother's touch.