Sunday Thoughts: December 28th, 2008

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."

I love music, but I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the old hymns. There are times when I can learn more about our Father from the lyrics of one song than I can learn from hours of reading. This week I was blessed to find a hymn that I had forgotten, "Hiding Place."

Hiding Place

Amidst the sorrows of the way
…, teach my soul to pray
Let me taste Thy special grace
And run to …, my hiding place

You know the vileness of my heart
So prone to act the rebel's part
And when you veil your lovely face
How can I find a hiding place?

…, guide my wandering feet
Draw me to Thy mercy seat
I've nought to trust but sovereign grace
Thou only art my hiding place

How unstable is my heart
Sometimes I take the tempter's part
And slight the tokens of Thy grace
And seem to want no hiding place

But when Thy spirit shines within
Makes me feel the plague of sin
And how I long to see Thy face
'Tis then I want a hiding place

…, shine and then I can
Feel sweetness in salvation's plan
And as a sinner plead for grace
…, the sinner's hiding place

Our hiding place is His sovereign grace!


Why we are grateful this week:

1) Jessie and I spent the first days of this past week in Beijing celebrating our 3rd Anniversary. We had a good time visiting the Forbidden City for the first time and eating dinner at TGI Fridays afterwards.

2) We spoke with the administration about our pregnancy this week and everything went well. Jessie and I should both be able to leave by May 30, and we'll only need to make up one week of classes. They were also receptive to the idea of us returning next year with our child.

3) Our college hosted a Christmas Eve celebration on Wednesday night. All five American teachers sang "Joy To the World," followed by the girls singing "Silent Night" and Peter singing a Chinese rap song. We also announced to the students that we are expecting a child, and they were very excited.

4) We had a great time in Baoding celebrating Christmas with the IECS team! We met Wil and Courtney on the train and arrived in Baoding on Christmas night, ate Christmas dinner, and exchanged gifts. The next morning we had a "candlelight" service, which was organized by Peter, Shannon, and Jon. We spent the rest of our time playing games, going to KTV, and eating plenty of leftovers.

Please continue to "think" about us:

1) Please continue to keep our future plans in your thoughts. We are still trying to sort out where the Father is leading us for the upcoming year. There are some opportunities in the States that we are investigating, and we have not ruled out returning to China for a third year. Most of all, we want to follow the Father's blessing.

2) We will met again with the College's administration this Wednesday to decide on the details of next semesters schedule. We are hoping that they will allow Shannon to teach the Bible class that they offered last Spring.

3) We don't really have any big plans for New Year's Eve, but since our classes are finished, this week should provide plenty of opportunities to spend time with our students. Some of the activities we are hoping to do include baking with students, guitar lessons, basketball, watching movies, and maybe hosting a small concert. We are excited to have three weeks to spend with students, free of teaching obligations, before we leave for our IECS Conference.

4) Also please continue to think about the Philip Hayden Foundation. You can look at the pictures from our most recent trip at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=66486&l=1e0c6&id=674697810

Following His Blessing,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: December 28th, 2008

"Religion that...our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in there distress..."

Every time we visit the Philip Hayden Foundation orphanage, I leave feeling like I have been given a gift far greater than anything I could have given to the children who live there. Before we go I feel like I will be a tremendous blessing to the children, but I walk away feeling like they have blessed me far more than I could ever bless them. I start by thinking "they need me," and I leave knowing I needed them! My only wish is that I could realize this need from the beginning.

I have often wondered if I approach the Father in the same way? Do I approach him thinking "He needs me" only to realize my need for Him? Wouldn't it be better if I was humble from the beginning so that I could enjoy the blessings throughout the entire process?

"Humble yourselves before Him, and he will lift you up"

Why we are grateful this week:

1)Jessie and I finished our classes this week. Jessie had a full week that ended up being 26 credit hours so that she could finish, but now all we have to do is turn in our grades by mid-January. We are excited about the final week of December and the first weeks of January because we will have plenty of time to spend with students.

2)We visited the Philip Hayden Foundation yesterday and as always it was a great experience. Peter, Jessie, and I took three students: Cassie, Felicia, and Pan. We stayed for about two hours, and my favorite part was listening to Pan sing Christmas songs to the children.

3)Jessie and I will be celebrating our third wedding anniversary on Tuesday. We will once again spend our anniversary in Beijing.

4)It snowed last night and left about a inch. Around 9pm we went out and played in the snow with many of the students. It was great engaging in various random snowball battles!

5)Jessie's appetite has returned and she has dealt with very little nausea this week!

Please continue to "think" about us:

1)On Wednesday night we will be participating in the college's Christmas Eve celebration. Peter will be singing a Chinese rap song with another student, the three girls will sing "Silent Night" acapella, and all five of us will sing "Joy to the World." We are excited and a little nervous about this evening; last year there were over a thousand students and faculty at this celebration.

2)At the end of the week, we will be traveling to Baoding to celebrate Christmas with the IECS team. We will leave Langfang on Thursday, and return on by the end of the weekend. Please keep our travel in your thoughts.

3)Please continue to keep our future plans in your thoughts. We are still trying to sort out where the Father is leading us for the upcoming year. There are some opportunities in the States that we are investigating, and we have not ruled out returning to China for a third year. Most of all, we want to follow the Father's blessing.

4)We are planing to tell the administration about our pregnancy this week. We are not entirely sure what to expect for the upcoming semester, and their reaction will also help us make an informed decision about where we might be next year.

Following His Blessing,
Brad

December 21, 2008: Look at the Stars

“Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you.” -Gen. 12:1-3

Dear Friends and Family,

It is amazing to study the Word and see how the lives of the patriarchs instruct us how to live our lives today. Abram was asked to “Leave…and Go,” even though he did not know where he was going. All he knew was that he had great reward waiting for him…a nation, a name, a blessing for him and for all people. When Brad and I decided during the fall of 2006 that we would leave our jobs as teachers in obedience to the call the Father placed on Brad’s heart, we did not know where He was taking us. We only knew that great blessings come to those who obey when they are led.

Four months later we agreed to come to China, to the land He showed us. Maybe our name isn’t great, but to 500 or so Chinese college students, we are pretty great teachers and to a few we are great friends. In the last 16 months we have done our best to bless our students and friends. Maybe ALL people haven’t been blessed through us, but we do know that our time in China has broadened our circle of influence to include this nation (and specifically this college) we once knew so little about. We have been blessed beyond measure, and we hope that in every way possible, we have been a blessing to those around us in China and at home. “Leave…and Go”--a simple command and a simple promise. It’s so rewarding to live in the will of the Father!

What follows is a weekly summary of our past month. Thank you for your part in supporting our work and life here in China!

November 29-December 6

On Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving with Team IECS here in Langfang! After an afternoon of flag football, we had a huge Thanksgiving dinner! 15 people ate as much as they could of their favorite American dishes, followed by discussing the things we are thankful for. On Sunday we had a morning service together (rarely this large!) and after lunch together we wished our friends goodbye. In the afternoon we watched ELF together. During the week we put on the finale of “Bubble Boy” at English Club and I gave a speech on the topic of “Love” based on the Four Loves by C. S. Lewis. Much of the week was filled with planning for exams as we neared the semester’s end. Shannon, Shamblee, and I began a new Beth Moore Book Study and we’ve been enjoying that together. On Thursday Danielle and I had lunch together, and on Saturday, Cassie and I watched “Runaway Bride” together. Danielle surprised me by telling me, “I know you have a secret, and I want you to know that I haven’t told anyone. I know that you are going to be a mother.” I laughed and asked how she found out, and she said that she’d found our blog from an e-mail. Suffice to say we swore her to secrecy, but she loves being in on our little secret.

December 7-14

On Monday the girls met with Carol and Sunshine for our weekly Book review, and had a great time working our way through the TMS and learning about our friend John. Tuesday was the English Association Talent Show, for which Shamblee was a judge (a.k.a. Simon Cowell). The 10 finalists were fantastic, performing American songs, dances, plays, and political debates. I kept busy this week grading 100 undergraduate resumes for my Business English students. We also spent the week decorating for Christmas, Christmas shopping, baking Christmas cookies, and of course Brad and I went into Beijing to get a glimpse of our 2 ½ inch bundle of joy. Friday was the second season finale of “Bubble Boy,” and I gave my “Love” speech again. Danielle and Pan came along for the ride to the western campus and had a great time with us. I also had 7 articles of my clothing mended by local seamstress for a whopping 18 yuan (about $2.50). I was delighted when Brad decided to rearrange our living room, and I got an “art desk” out of the move. It’s made it a lot easier to find my supplies to create notes, cards, Christmas countdowns, and drawings. He also surprised me by mopping the bathroom ceiling…in the ongoing battle against the mildew in our bathroom.

December 14-20

As I entered Week 12 of pregnancy, I was delighted to see my energy and appetite return in spades. I went from feeling nauseous at the thought or scent of food, to eating twice as much as I usually eat. My energy returned just in time, as I taught 22 hours of class/finals last week and 26 hours of class/finals this week in order to have the week of Christmas free from obligations. With the additional energy I also swept and mopped for the first time in a month (gross, I know) and cleaned everything that needed cleaning. I was able to cook again, wash dishes more often, and get through classes without excessive nausea. What a blessing and a relief! Thank heaven for the second trimester! Danielle and Cassie took the CET-4 (standardized test) this week, but Cassie was able to get away long enough to bring her friend Felicia with us to visit the Philip Hayden Foundation orphanage together. On Saturday night Brad hurried us all outside to a wonderful surprise—SNOW! We ran, slid, danced, wrote, and threw snowballs at one another and then joined the kids for fun in our winter wonderland. In the morning we awoke to about and inch of accumulation, a perfect Christmas gift from our Father.

December 21-27

This upcoming week promises to be a good one! Tonight we will dine with the faculty at 6pm to celebrate Christmas, and tomorrow Brad and I will go to Beijing for two days to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. It’s hard to believe we’ve been married three years already! Brad hopes to take in the Forbidden City, Houhai district, and the Laoshi Tea House among other things. On Wednesday we’ll be back in time for some last minute Christmas shopping and then we’ll head to the students’ Christmas Eve Party where we will be singing some songs for the kids. On Thursday we’ll head to Baoding for Christmas dinner, and then on Friday morning we’ll have Christmas breakfast and exchange our Secret Santa gifts. On Saturday night we’ll return home to Langfang again.

“He took him outside and said, “Look at the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed Him, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

Father, wherever you lead us, whatever we leave behind, wherever we go…may we follow you obediently, believing that you will do what you have promised to do. Thank you for blessing us so that we can bless others. Thank you for daily calling us to follow you.

Always,
Jessie

December 14, 2008: Sing in Exultation

“Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my Father.” Ps. 22: 9-10

Dear family and friends,

Yesterday was a memorable day for the Distad family! Brad and I went to Beijing with Jess Shamblee, for our monthly appointment at the Beijing United Family Hospital. From 11:45 to 1:30 we had a great time learning about our firstborn child.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were immediately ushered into the ultrasound suite where we waited next to a pretty young blonde girl for our turn. As we began to talk to her, we found out that her name is Kristin, she is from Ontario and that this is her second year in China. She told us how she had flown in from Wuhan, in central China. As we exchanged information, we were surprised to find out that she is a graduate of Calvin College! She and her husband studied there (Elementary Education and Physical Education) and graduated in 2007. They now teach at the International school in Wuhan, and she is 7 weeks pregnant with their first. What a small world! We had a fun (though brief) time talking about being pregnant in China before she was called for her ultrasound.

After Kristin's ultrasound, we parted ways, and then it was our turn. It was immediately obvious that the baby grew quite a bit in 5 weeks! Last month we could barely see our little progeny, and the technician judged that it was about 2 days behind its due date. This time the hungry little leach had more than devoured its share of my body's resources, and measured in at 3 days ahead of its due date. So it made up 5 days of growth in the last 5 weeks. This is great news of course...a big baby is a healthy baby! On the monitor we could see the over-sized head, small body, tiny arms and legs, and a twisted umbilical cord. We could see its little nose, lips, chin, and ears. We could also see the little heart beating a fuzzy blur in the abdomen. It was so exciting! Brad snapped lots of photos of our 2 ½ inch miracle.

After the ultrasound, we went upstairs for our appointment, only to find out that Doctor Bian had to leave for the airport. So we were assigned to Doctor Chang, whom I immediately liked better. She has kind eyes and a warm manner, and spoke comfortably and fluently in English. She recorded my medical history and then explained to us what would happen in this and upcoming appointments. Brad was particularly eager to know the sex of the child, but she assured us that will have to wait until a sonogram at 15-20 weeks reveals this information. Brad and I laughed though when she explained that some people believe that if the mother becomes more beautiful, then the baby will be a girl, and if the mother becomes more ugly (acne and a wider nose and lips), then the baby will be a boy. She also said that some believe a big appetite or an appetite for foods with vinegar means a boy, and a smaller appetite for more papery foods means a girl. Oh China!

After our little conference, she invited me to lay on the exam table so that we could listen to the baby's heartbeat. She took out a special stethoscope with a speaker on it. Brad videotaped these first sounds for posterity. There was a lot of static at first, and then the rapid but steady sound of a heartbeat. I gasped when I heard the sound, and then got quiet so that I could hear every beat. To me it sounded like a sucking sound, and it sounded like it was underwater, but there it was. Doctor Chang said that it sounded like a train, and reminded me that our baby's heart beats much faster than ours.

After the heartbeat, I was subjected to the typical OB exam including a culture, urinalysis, and blood tests. Even having blood drawn from both arms (I have tricky veins) didn't dampen my spirits. We saw our baby and heard its heartbeat! It was incredible! What a relief to know that despite 5 weeks of food-aversions, nausea, and vomiting, we still have a healthy and strong child who is growing ahead of schedule. What a beautiful and awe-inspiring experience it is to bear witness to new life!

Thank you Father for watching over our baby, even when it is hidden from our sight. Thank you for being its Father even before it knows the voices of its own father and mother. Thank you for using my body in amazing ways to create an hospitable environment to nurture new life. It amazes me that you could use my womb to comfortably cradle our child in perfect warmth with a steady supply of nutrients and the necessities for growth. How could I even fathom the details of your most intricate creation? Thank you for doing what I could never do, even I knew how. You are the Giver of Life, the Creator of All Things, the Great Artist. Thank you for painting your most complex masterpiece on this canvas, beneath my ever-expanding waistline. You are AWESOME. Thank you for allowing us to witness this miracle.

Love,
Jessie

Sunday Thoughts: December 14th, 2008

“All our righteous acts are like filthy rags”

Apart from the Love of the Father we are nothing. Our burnt offerings and deeds are nothing but “filthy rags,” and only by his grace are our rags made holy.

“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

We were made to love and be loved, so we share our knowledge of the Father by loving Him first and others second. It’s not about what we do, but about who we love; the greatest evangelist is Love!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Why we are grateful this week:

1) Last Tuesday night the students invited us to their talent show. It was hosted by the English Association. We didn’t realize how big this event was going to be! About 500-600 students attended, and Jess Shamblee was asked to be a judge. It was run a little like the final round of an American Idol contest, and we were exited that we knew about half of the final contestants. It was a great evening.

2) Our final English Club of the Fall semester was on Friday night at the Western Campus. Again it was exciting to see the energy that they bring every time we hold an English Club for them. Jess spoke again about the “Four Loves,” and this time she did not have to fight though nausea during her talk; it was only before and after Club.

3) Saturday we visited the hospital for another baby appointment. They said that even though Jessie has been feeling awful lately, the baby is completely healthy at this point. In fact, they said the baby was about three days ahead of schedule. It’s amazing to me that they can be that specific!

4) We also did some Christmas shopping on Saturday and then visited Texas Pete’s for the best Burger and Milkshake in Beijing.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Please keep our future plans in your thoughts. We are still trying to sort out where the Father is leading us for the upcoming year. There are some opportunities in the States that we are investigating, and we have not ruled out returning to China for a third year. Most of all, we want to follow the Father’s blessing.

2) The upcoming week will bring the end of classes for the fall semester for Jessie and me. While my week looks relaxed, Jessie week is packed with about 24 credit hours.

3) We are still concerned about next semester’s schedule. We will be telling the College about our pregnancy by the end of December so that we can start to organize our spring schedules. The biggest problem will be that Jessie will need to return to the United States at the end of May, and our classes will continue for about another two weeks.

Following His Blessing,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: December 7th, 2008

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

A lamp for my feet? Is that enough?

Just a lamp for our feet, that is the promise, and we can step forward in faith & courage because the light is trustworthy. The light illuminates more of our path with every step until we have reached our destination.

I stumble most when I am focusing too far along the path, when I look beyond what the lamp has revealed. Sometimes all we are shown is the next step and all we need is the courage to move forward.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) We had a great English Club on Monday! Jessie spoke on the “Four Loves” by C.S. Lewis, and Bubble Boy came to a conclusion.

2) Our jet-lag has finally subsided, and we are happy that we are spending the weekend in one place.

3) Jessie’s nausea has been better this week. She is finding foods that she can eat and her flu-like symptoms seem to be disappearing.

4) Jess Shamblee had a great weekend. She visited a student’s family and hometown, and I’m sure she will blog about it. We highly recommend you check out her blog at: http://shambleegoestochina.blogspot.com/

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Finals start next week for our Oral English classes. After that we will have some free time to spend with students until they leave for the winter break around mid-January. We want to finish the semester strong!

2) For Christmas, we will be traveling to Boading to celebrate with the rest of the IECS team. Please keep our travel plans in your thoughts.

3) Last Sunday, while traveling back to Tianjin, Will Corder lost his passport on the train. Please remember Wil and Courtney, as they go though the process of applying for a new passport.

4) Newt and Claire will return to the United States tomorrow. Their visit was a tremendous blessing for all of us! Please keep their travels and recovery from jet-lag in your thoughts.

5) We will go to the Western Campus on Friday for their final English Club of the semester on that campus. It will be the same as last Monday; if all goes well we will have a video ready to post a couple days later.

6) My parents are hoping to visit us at the beginning of January, but that is dependent on my mom’s recent bouts with vertigo. She is seeing the doctor again this week, and hopefully they will tell her it is okay to fly. You can be thinking of her healing as the vertigo prevents her from going about her daily activities easily, especially driving.

7) We are a little concerned about next semester’s schedule. We have not told the College that Jessie is pregnant, and we are not sure how that will affect her schedule. The biggest problem will be that she will need to return to the United States at the end of May, and our classes will continue for about another two weeks.

All in His name,
Brad

December 7, 2008: Sing for Joy

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Ps. 5:11

Dear Family & Friends,

The last three weeks have been a blur of fun and excitement and a pleasant distraction from the ills of first trimester pregnancy. Life got very interesting for Brad (and others) when almost three weeks ago I returned from class and informed him that I really wanted to go home with him to the United States for the week. I was nauseous 24/7, homesick, and dying to share the joys of my pregnancy with family and friends at home. Although I had felt this way for some time, and been dropping subtle hints for awhile, this was my first (albeit last-minute) direct attack. Thankfully for me and for Brad, he is a pretty mellow and flexible guy. After talking to our travel agent, our deans, our foreign affairs department, our parents, and my siblings, I joined Brad for the international flight from Beijing to Washington 48 hours later.

Our arrival in America was not without incident. We arrived in the U.S.A. on Wednesday 11/19 where Bonnie and Ed (Brad’s parents) picked us up from the airport. Getting through customs was an adventure, as I discovered “citrus” (a.k.a. oranges) in my bag, and was ratted out by a customs official and a K-9 cop. We were informed that my citrus would have to be incinerated, lest I had carried toxic fruit juices from China into America. We were directed to the “Agriculture” desk, where a bored and unhurried clerk eyed our fruit and promptly dropped it in the very average-looking trashcan behind him. Not exactly the fires of Hades I had been expecting. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed.

The time at home was so refreshing. I spent all day Thursday talking to my Mom, digging up her old pregnancy books, asking pregnancy questions, trying on maternity clothes she’d bought for me, and eating Josh’s homemade chocolate chip cookies. For dinner, Mom, Dad, Josh, and I had spaghetti (my favorite) together, before I headed back to Hagerstown for the night. (Bonnie generously gave me the keys to her mini-van while we were at home, and thanks to low gas prices, I could conveniently enjoy my visiting.) On Friday Brad spent the day with Mr. Bair and Brian Montgomery, two of his best friends, who took the day off just to be with him. Brad hung out with the guys all day while I went maternity shopping with Ed and Bonnie. It was funny trying on the clothing in “Motherhood” where they give you a stuffed pillow on a belt to imitate your big belly for maternity clothes. On Friday night the guys returned from their adventures, and the four of us played a new version of “Settlers” (Brad’s favorite game), which was a Christmas gift from Brian.

Saturday was spent following Brad through the JFK. For those of you who aren’t from Washington County, Maryland, the JFK is a 50-mile ultra-marathon beginning at Boonsboro High School (where Brad attended), then following the Appalachian Trail, Potomac River/C&O Canal, and ending at Springfield Middle School. This year Brad ran his 10th JFK, and joined the esteemed “500 Club.” After a year of using a Hal Higdon advanced training schedule for ultra-marathons, and having lost 35 pounds in the last year and a half, Brad took more than an hour off of his personal best time. Despite the freezing 19 degree starting temperature, Brad finished in 9 hours, 40 minutes, and 43 seconds. His achievement buoyed his spirits even in his fatigue during recovery. In addition, the Hagerstown Herald Mail reported on his story, and acknowledged that he was one of the few to be so successful despite the terrible cold. For Bonnie, Ed, and I, the day was simply spent meeting Brad at various points along the trail, supplying changes of clothes, reading books while we waited, and most importantly—keeping warm inside the van. Toward the end of our trip we picked up a girl named Abby who was hypothermic and in tears, and unable to convince her to finish the last two miles after she’d warmed up, we drove her to the finish and handed her over to the capable EMT staff.

On Sunday, Brad and I visited Tristate in Hagerstown, and caught up with our friends there. We laughed when we walked in, only to hear Randy talking about Brad and I in front of everyone. We joined him at the front, where again he talked to everyone about us and about China. Afterwards, Brad and I went upstairs to hang out with our “Young Marrieds” class, which has spent the last few years morphing into the “Young Families” class. It was great to talk about pregnancy with the girls who have been there so recently, and to see the adorable children that resulted from the whole thing. It’s great to know there’s an end in sight! Brad and I had to leave early to help with dinner, which was a good thing. Bonnie had a Thanksgiving feast planned at home, and it was a great day, full of warm memories, and the exchanging of Christmas gifts. My parents and Josh joined us (fresh from 2 days in Ocean City!), as well as Brad’s sister Nancy, her boyfriend Brian, her daughter Becca, and Brian Montgomery. I enjoyed hearing about pregnancy from Nancy, and swapping stories.

Monday and Tuesday were quieter days than those that went before. On Monday Brad printed letters, stuffed envelopes, and mailed letters at the post office. He topped the day off with Monday night football, and yet another soak in the hot tub. I spent the day downloading photos off our old camera, organizing our belongings and mail, and preparing a speech for English club. On Monday afternoon we stopped by Boonsboro High School and caught up with Mr. Bair and our former Club kids who were at play practice. Afterwards, Mr. Bair had us over to dinner with him and his three young sons, and then Brad played “Settlers” with the guys until the wee hours of the night. Tuesday was much the same for Brad, and I went into Frederick for a doctor’s appointment to investigate the cause of my six weeks of coughing. One of the joys of pregnancy is the inability to take any common medication because it might hurt the baby. So she prescribed a baby-friendly allergy-type pill, and my coughing has pretty much ceased. I spent Tuesday afternoon doing last minute shopping and then Brad and I drove down to Bethesda to meet his cousin Joanna and her fiancé Joe for dinner. We had a great time catching up and solving the world’s problems before heading back home for the night.

Wednesday, for me, was Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled into one. I was up early packing for our trip back to China, and running into Hagerstown for a few last purchases. My mom picked me up around noon, and I got to spend the afternoon listening to Christmas music and hanging out with my sisters, Kerri, Kristy, and Karilyn. Thanksgiving dinner was served at 5pm, and Brad, Bonnie, and Ed joined us for the occasion. The food was fabulous, and we all ate until we were stuffed. We talked until late, and then exchanged Christmas gifts with my family, before packing up for our early morning flight. After 2-3 hours of sleep, our alarm clock rang at 3am. My parents drove us to the airport, and we made it in plenty of time for our 7am flight to San Francisco and then Beijing. Saying goodbye was really difficult, especially after such a brief taste of home, but it was also great knowing that it will only be 6 months until we see each other again.

So, thank you to all of you who made our visit home such a delightful time! It was great to see so many familiar faces and to be greeted with so much love and understanding. Thank you Mom and Dad and Bonnie and Ed most of all, for opening your homes, cars, refrigerators, and schedules to a couple of vagabonds whirling in from China. You guys are awesome! Thank you to Mr. Bair, Brian Montgomery, Joanna Charron, Joe Portnoy, Kristy Head, Kerri and James Frederick, and all others who changed your schedules in order to make time to be with us. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family and so many great friends. You fill us with joy and gladness and rejoicing. Your thoughts and love that goes the “distance” to China encourages us, and makes our time away from home so much more bearable. Thank you for encouraging us to follow our dreams to China, and for always greeting us with open arms when we return home. You all amaze us. We love you.

Always,
Jessie and Brad

“I am thankful every time I remember you. In all my thoughts of all of you, I am always full of joy because of your partnership in this from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until that Day.” Ph. 1:3-6

Sunday Thoughts: November 30th, 2008

“Our father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains”

Just a taste of home has made me consider the gifts and blessings that I have taken for granted for so many years: good home-cooking, friends & family, easy transportation, great fellowship, Monday Night Football, hot water from the tap, and toilets with water in them! We have been blessed with so many great gifts, but sometimes I wonder if we spend too much time focused on the gifts and not enough time focused on the Giver. Do we pursue the “blessings,” or do we pursue the Father?

An anonymous gift is never quite as sweet; we always want to know who to thank. The same is true of our Father. The blessings of life are never as sweet if we don’t know who is responsible for those blessings.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Why we are grateful this week:

1) This past week was extremely refreshing for Jessie and me. On Monday I had the opportunity to catch up with friends as we watched Monday Night Football. On Tuesday, we had dinner with one of my cousins, and Jessie got to see her doctor in Frederick. On Wednesday we had Thanksgiving dinner at Jessie’s parents’ home with my parents and her brother and sisters. Afterwards, we exchanged Christmas gifts, and then hurried to bed for 3 hours of sleep before we woke up and went the Dulles International Airport Thursday morning.

2) Our return flight to China was okay. We made our connection in San Francisco, and landed in Beijing on Friday afternoon at about 4:30pm. The turbulence didn’t help Jessie’s nausea, and she was sick the entire time. But we made it in one piece, and we were happy to see Tony’s friendly face when we landed.

3) For the Thanksgiving weekend the entire IECS team visited Langfang. We slept in Saturday morning, and around noon we played a game of flag football. After the game we all prepared different parts the meal, and 16 of us squeezed into our apartment for an amazing Thanksgiving feast!

4) On Sunday, it was great to spend the morning with the entire team as Newt taught and shared some words of encouragement. We really cherished this time since it is rare that we have the opportunity to meet as a large group.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Please keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts. She is still dealing with nausea. It has been difficult for her to eat consistently.

2) Tomorrow will be our third and final English club on the main Campus. Our “run-on” play will come to a conclusion, and Jessie will be speaking about the topic of “love.” We will go to the Western Campus on December 12th for their final English Club.

All in His name,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: November 23rd, 2008

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in His sight”

Sometimes I wonder how wise I think I am. Lately, I have been reminded that my strength is weakness in His sight, my love is compassionless in His sight, and my wisdom is foolishness in his sight. However, it’s not my strength, love, or wisdom that are being questioned, but rather it’s my focus. It’s the word “my” that attracts too much of my attention.

“My” strength is weak compared to His strength. “My” Love is compassionless compared to His love. “My” wisdom is foolishness! In fact, I am learning that my weaknesses are much stronger than “my” strengths when they are in His hands. When it’s my weaknesses that are being exalted I can accept no credit; the glory is His.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) As many of you know, our travel plans changed at the last minute, and Jessie decided to come home with me on Wednesday. Our flight went extremely well. We decided to stay in the United States a couple extra days. Our return flight is now scheduled for 7am on Thursday morning. We will celebrate Thanksgiving on Wednesday night at Jessie’s parents’ home and then leave for China early Thursday morning.

2) My race went extremely well, and other than the bitter cold, I have no complaints. I finished in 9 hours 40 minutes and 43 seconds, more than one hour faster than my personal record. I placed 272 out of 922 runners, and now have the privilege of joining the “500 Club” for runners who have completed the race 10 times.

3) It was great to spend time with family and friends for the past few days. We played games, did some needed shopping, and ate good food!

4) We are also looking forward to spending Thanksgiving weekend with all of the other American English teachers in China. Newt will be visiting, and the other teams will come to Langfang for the weekend.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) You can continue to keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts. She is dealing with daily nausea and fatigue.

2) Please continue to keep our travel plans in your thoughts.

3) The Monday after Thanksgiving will be our third and final English club on the main Campus. Our “run-on” play will come to a conclusion, and Jessie will be speaking about the topic of “love.”

All in His name,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: November 16th, 2008

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the His glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from Him”

Unveil me? …Unveil me!

Unveil me to reflect your glory; strip everything away, and transform me. Everything that is of me, strip it away. Everything that is pride, arrogance, envy, slander, and folly…strip it away. Everything that is unclean, strip it away! Strip it away, and replace it with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Strip it away and replace it with those attributes that best reflect your glory. Not my glory, but yours! Please Father, less of me and more of you.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) We had a game night with students on Tuesday, and we had a blast. 11 of us played “Signs” and “Spoons” (with chopsticks!) for about two hours. It was good to laugh and play together!

2) Tony visited this week on Wednesday and spent the night. The team went to dinner and lunch with him and the students. It was encouraging to spend time together.

3) Friday night’s English Club went well. About 250 students packed the room, and Shannon gave an awesome talk!

4) Jessie had a great time eating lunch with some of her favorite students this week: Catherine, Cassie, and Lily. After observing Jessie and I interacting in our home, Catherine told Jessie, “I think that you are the happiest woman alive!”

5) The heat has been turned on in our apartments! No more cold nights until mid-March.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) I will be traveling to the United States on Wednesday the 19th for one week. I should arrive in DC around 7pm on Wednesday, and I should be landing in Beijing on the following Tuesday night. It will be a quick turn-around so please keep my travel plans in your thoughts. I am looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family.

2) Jessie already has lunches scheduled for next week with Catherine, Joy, Sally, and Danielle. Please be thinking of her during these times.

3) You can keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts as she is often nauseous and finds most foods unappetizing. She continues to feel fatigued and coughs a lot due to a bad cold.

4) Next Saturday Jessie will be going to the Philip Hayden Foundation with Peter, Shannon, Jess Shamblee, and Wil & Courtney Corder. We know it will be a great experience for all involved.

All in His name,
Brad

November 5, 2008: Dailiness

“I work daily. For me, writing is a nonnegotiable. I do not wait for the right time or the right mood, I simply do it. It is like exercise. There are days when our body craves it and it is a joy. There are other days when the body resists and each step is a challenge. Writing is the act of motion. Progress, even if that progress is in baby steps, is what writing is about. It is a place of transformation. Daily writing doesn’t have to be fancy. It is my belief that any regular practice is a good practice. We can all do it. All that is required is that we show up on the page.” ---Julia Cameron, The Right to Write, “Dailiness” pgs. 149-153

Dear Friends,

Over the past few months I’ve been reading a book by Julia Cameron about writing. I’ve been impressed at so many points by how her descriptions of the writing life parallel our Walk with our Father. In the last few days, I’ve been reminded of a concept she describes as “dailiness.” Dailiness for her is showing up, practicing, exercising, progressing, doing, and witnessing life regularly. It’s not about getting every word perfect, or always using beautiful techniques. It’s about applying yourself daily to a task, whether it feels good or not. I like this concept. For me, it aptly describes my Walk. Some days are downright rotten, and some days I feel like it’s effortless. There are dry spells, and there are times of richness and depth. Sometimes I drag through the valley, and other times I enjoy the view from the mountaintop. Yet through it all, I continue walking. Learning. Growing. Transforming.

What follows is a breakdown of our daily activities for the month of October. Please be thinking of us as we daily read and study our Books, think about our students, grow our relationships, and live a life full of “dailiness.” We hope that we may make a habit of applying ourselves to our tasks daily, like a runner training for a marathon, no matter the weather or the mood. We hope to continue the discipline of moving forward to follow our Leader, wherever he leads. Thank you for all of your encouragement and support.

Always,
Jessie

October Update

September 27-October 5: National Holiday Vacation

October 2: Hot Air Balloon Festival & Fruit Picking (Wayne), Motor Cross Demonstration, Big Lunch with Officials

October 3-5: Andy & Daniel Visit, Wil & Courtney Visit, Granola Baking

October 5: Chongwenmen All-IECS Meeting, Birthday Cake for Peter, Pearl Market, Xu Mei English Faculty Dinner

October 7: English Club on the Main Campus (Bubble Boy Skit!)

October 8: Peter’s Birthday (Popcorn Party, Gifts, & Cards)

October 9: Tony & Lily’s daughter Xi Mei is born by C-section

October 10: English Club on the Western Campus, Brought Danielle & Pan, (Bubble Boy Skit!), Taught Business Students about Table Manners using a Table Setting

October 11: Peter’s KTV Party (Allie, Allen, Jonathan, Carol, Forrest)

October 13: Shopping for Paint, Roller, Brushes, etc. with Cassie (3 hours!)

October 14-16: Took Sophomore Students to Yuan Chen Super Market for “Super Market Sweep” Scavenger Hunt for American Foods

October 18: Beijing English Club, All 12 IECS Teachers together, Team Meeting—Shannon Shared Her Story, Overnight in Qianmen Hostel (Allie, Allen)

October 19: Beijing Marathon (Brad & Peter ran and achieved Personal Bests), All 12 IECS Teachers together to run or cheer! (Allie, Allen)

October 24: I gave an Education Lecture to the English Faculty: “IECS Oral English Education”

October 25: Pregnancy Test Positive! Philip Hayden Foundation Orphanage for Special Needs Children (Felix, Laura), Halloween Ball (Dancing, Performances, & Jack-O-Lantern Contest)—Brad Performed a John Denver Song

October 27: English Association Club (Olympic Oscars)

October 29: Haircut & Wal-mart with Lily & Cassie (Shorter Hair Than I Expected!)

October 30: Lunch with Vivian

October 31: Brad tutored a math student in Calculus who needed to know some English Math Vocabulary for acceptance into a Canadian university.

November 1: Jess Shamblee’s Birthday—Dinner, KTV (Sunshine, Victory), & Cherry Cheesecake!

Weekly: Sunday Team Meeting & Lunch, Monday Meeting with Carol & Sunshine, Tuesday Girls’ Lunch, Tuesday Team Dinner with Students (Vivian, Forrest, Lindy), Thursday Team Meeting & Dinner, Friday Lunch/Art with Danielle, Friday Guys’ Lunch with Pan & Forrest, Friday Chinese Chess with Wayne (Brad), Friday Date Night

“Reality happens in daily doses. Writing gives me the chance to see past my first perceptions. We find ourselves witnessing life. We find ourselves learning. In writing about my life I cherish it. I value it. I see it. Writing is the act of opening the eye to the absolute beauty of ordinary things. That is dailiness and dailiness is sanity.” ---Julia Cameron, The Right to Write, “Dailiness” pgs. 149-153

Sunday Thoughts: November 9th, 2008

Day to day I wait. Eight more months! Who can wait that long? For me, it’ll just be eight month to fester worry. Do you ever wonder why we worry? I saw the first picture of my child yesterday, and a flood of worries came over me. My concerns were not for myself, but for my wife and the young child growing inside her. What will happen in the next eight months of pregnancy? What will our children be like? As I stared at the sonogram for the first time I was filled with joy, but later I looked at the picture, and I was anxious about everything.

I wonder how the Father looked at his children during the creation? Did he worry about anything? Did he worry about a creation that would not trust him, but betray him? Did he worry for his Son while he was in this world--his Son who would bear the pain of the world? Did he worry about everything, or did he worry about nothing? Did he worry about the loneliness that his son would feel in the final hours when no one would stand by him?

I’m sure I will learn more from my children than I will ever be able to teach them. I’ve already learned more about prayer in the first six weeks of pregnancy than I have in the past ten years, and it is my petition that I would never stop learning about the Father with my family. The greatest gift my children will ever give me is the fact that I will understand the Father better by being a father. As Thanksgiving approaches, this is why I am grateful.

I present my life and my family as an offering, servants to be used for Your requests, and my worry is replaced by Your peace. So day to day I wait. It will be another eight months, but I can’t wait to know Him more, and I can’t wait to meet my child.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) We had a great time celebrating Jess Shamblee’s Birthday last week! We had dinner at Jade Harbor (the Rainforest Restaurant), then went to KTV, and then we came back home for cherry cheesecake and gifts.

2) English club went well on Monday night. We sang songs, played silly games, and Shannon gave a great talk. I’m hoping to post a video of club by next weekend, after our trip to the western campus.

3) I had fun sharing some of my favorite movies with our neighbor Joseph this week, and Jessie helped her student Sally to prepare for an upcoming job interview.

4) Jessie and I went to Beijing yesterday for our first checkup on the baby. The hospital was great, and after filling out the paperwork we had our first sonogram. It was an amazing feeling to see a small child growing inside my wife. The doctors told us everything looks great, and we are scheduled for another checkup in five weeks.


Please continue to “think” about us:

1) We are counting down the days until November 15 when the heat will be turned on!

2) The semester is rapidly coming to a close. Most of our final exams are conducted like interviews during our class time. That means we only have about one month before our regular classes are complete. We do not want to allow this time to slip away from us; we want to make the most of every opportunity we have with our students.

3) Next Friday night we will be heading to the western campus for English Club! It will be the same club that we just organized for the main campus, but there will be many more students.

All in His name,
Brad

November 6, 2008: Dear Baby

“Get comfortable and then number from one to five. List five trite, cliched, and heartwarming topics that are very ‘human.’ The goal of your list is to come up with what you might call the ‘Reader’s Digest’ quotient, that is, a topic almost anyone can relate to. Choose one of your topics. Set pen to page and allow yourself to be detailed and human for one hour. Do not worry about being hip. Do not worry about being sentimental. Recall to mind in precise detail what is memorable and lovable about your subject.” --Julia Cameron, The Right to Write, pg. 192

Dear Baby,

Today you are only the smallest of things…a little ball of cells gradually becoming more human (and less tadpole-like) each day. Circulatory system, heart, kidneys, lungs, brain, spinal cord…dents for eyes and ears, buds for arms and legs. You’re not much to look at yet; in fact if I didn’t tell anyone, they’d never even know that you existed.

I know you exist. I am reminded every time I race urgently to the bathroom, drag myself out of bed with fatique, or struggle to find a comfortable position for sleeping because of my changing shape. I notice you when my moods swing, and when common smells give me uncommon feelings.

Your Dad and I are so excited for your arrival! I’m not even showing yet, and he kisses my belly and talks to you. I think he’s going to like you a lot. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a happier father-to-be. He talks about teaching you soccer, and spending all his spare time with you. I spend my spare time reading books, studying the Internet, asking questions, and pondering your name. We can’t wait to meet you for the first time!

We are so excited to teach you all that you will need to know. From speaking and walking and tying your shoes, to the love your Father has for you and the great plan He has for your life. You will be an amazing child, with unique gifts and a unique personality. We look forward to helping you discover who you are and what you want to do and be. Whatever you choose, we will always love you, because you are our child—a blessing from our Father.

We are already making preparations for you, even thought you are only six weeks created. We think of you daily, and hope for your health and safety before and after birth. We’ve scheduled an appointment with the best hospital in town, to see that you get the best care possible. We’ve talked to my parents about staying with them when you are born next summer, and we’re trying to decide where to live and work next year that will be best for you and for us. I want you to know that our Father’s will for us is our first priority though, and we will go wherever he leads us. I also want you to know that your Dad and I will always love each other—even more than we love you. You are a dream come true for us, and a wonderful result of our love for each other, and our Father’s love for all of us.

I love you,
Mom

October 12, 2008: Sketching

Take 10 minutes to describe where you are and how you are. Sketch the room you are writing in, the mood you are writing in, anything delightful or interesting that catches your attention. Julia Cameron, The Right to Write, pg. 75

I’m sitting in our living room, listening to the Dave Matthews Band covering the Almond Brothers, while the college computer hums steadily. Brad clicks away on the mouse, and the sun casts the pointed shadow of my pen across the paper. It moves quickly across the paper, scratching out my seismic motions in neat cursive rows. A cat, and then two cats, cross the tiled terracotta rooftops on the other side of our enclosed garden. Jess Shamblee calls one “Pancake” and the other “The Mean One” because it bullies all the others. The sun already seems close to setting, and it’s only 2pm. It goes down early these days—before 6pm. It’s warm here, and a nice slow Sunday afternoon. Brad is haggling with videos and photographs that he’s trying to load, with a frustrated remark now and then directed at the ancient computer. The easel in front of me overflows with sixteen drawings, four photographs, and a newspaper article from the China Daily about a Chinese photographer. I’m in one of our two living room chairs, resembling a piece of lawn furniture. I’m wearing baggy blue jeans, a favorite cream-colored t-shirt with a screen-printed bird, and comfortable socks. My shaggy bangs are held back with bobby pins and a hairband, my neck is encircled my a necklace of pink, brown, and white polished stones…

Sunday Thoughts: November 1st, 2008

“But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed I cannot.”

Sharing our lives with our friends in China is a little different! We can tell them about hope, love, peace, and joy. We can talk about the “Fruits of the Spirit,” and we can discuss the purpose of life, but how can we separate the creation from the Creator?

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”

I have found it difficult to share about topics such as “joy” without sharing about the One who first created joy. The same One who first smiled, laughed, and cried for the joy of his creations.

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

However, our words are not our proclamation, our lives are! Our lives are the words that we cannot use. Our lives speak when he are mute. Our lives reveal the “fire that is shut up in our bones!” And we share our lives so that our friends might know Truth.

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the Truth but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

Why we are grateful this week:

1) The student-led English club went well last Monday. We played games, acted like Olympic Champions, and I spoke about setting goals and having dreams.

2) There have been many blessings that we have been thankful for since we arrived in Langfang in September. Here are a handful:

• It has been great to have a new member on our team, Jess Shamblee.


• I have enjoyed seeing many of my students on the main campus rather than only seeing them on the western campus like last year.


• I have loved the opportunity to organize our own clubs on both campuses this year.


• We are also excited that our team has grown from four teachers to 12. We have been blessed by the presence of Ryan Bettwy, Jon Allison, Tim Phillips, Amelia Martin, Emily Green, and Wil & Courtney Corder. We also enjoy reading all of their blogs!


• Most of all I am grateful for the opportunity to share deeply with a couple of students.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) I have been getting frustrated by the cold nights and mornings. It got below freezing at night this week, and we’ve still got a couple weeks before the heat will be turned on. We are still battling minor colds but, the good news is that next week is supposed to be warmer.

2) My math tutoring has turned out to be a lot more difficult then I realized. As it turns out the student is not a boy, but a high school girl who will be taking a college level Calculus class next semester in Canada. I will be spending Friday afternoons trying to help this student understand Calculus, and I will be spending the rest of the week trying to relearn Calculus.

3) Tomorrow we will have our second IECS English Club on the Main Campus. Shannon will be speaking.

4) Finally, as many of you know by now, Jessie is pregnant! She is about seven weeks along. We are very excited about this, and we are also happy that she is due in July, when we can be around family. Other than a minor head cold and a few random pregnancy symptoms, Jessie has been feeling great! We are hoping to go into Beijing next weekend for our first checkup.

All in His name,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: October 26th 2008

It amazes me how consistent our Father is:

Before we were created, “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

When He walked the earth, “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

When my Great Grandfather was working as a doctor in China, “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

When my friends first introduced Him to me, “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Now that I am working in China, “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

My entire world had to change for me to realize that He is the only true constant. Whether I’m in China or America, speaking Chinese or English, walking or driving, eating rice or pizza, He is still the same.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) Peter and I have completely recovered from the Beijing Marathon and I have already started running again in preparation for another race.

2) Last Friday afternoon was filled with fun. Jess Shamblee went to lunch with the same 9 girl that she taught to make pancakes. Peter and I ate lunch and studied with a couple students, and Jessie Distad prepared for her education lecture. Around 2:30pm, I went with Jessie to her lecture to help with the question & answer section and run the power point for her. About 50 English teachers were in attendance. It reminded me of a WCBOE In-Service Day, but the Chinese administrators and teachers loved it.

3) Our trip to the Philip Hayden Foundation went well. Jess Shamblee, Jessie Distad, and I took three students and spent about 2 hours with the children. We have already scheduled a second visit on November 22nd.

4) Saturday night we went to the Student Union’s annual Halloween Ball. We judged dancing, costumes, and jack o’lanterns. We danced with the students and posed for pictures like celebrities. Peter & Shannon preformed “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and I performed “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” because they love John Denver!

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) The leaves are starting to fall off the trees and the temperature outside made it down to 34 degrees Fahrenheit last night. The heat in our apartments and classrooms will not be turned on until mid November. Shannon and Jessie have been ill this past week, Shannon with a sinus infection and Jess with a bad cold, but they appear to be recovering.

2) This Monday night, we have been invited to another student led English Club. The students are a bit worried because their club is being evaluated by the college administrators that night.

3) I will be spending at least a couple Friday afternoons each month learning how to play Chinese Chess. The Assistant Dean of the English department has volunteered to be my tutor. It’s different then Western Chess, and I’m excited to learn, but most of all I’m happy that I’ll have more time to spend with our administrators.

4) Our administrators have also asked me to tutor a graduate student in math. He’ll be going to Canada for his post-graduate degree, but he needs to improve his math scores first. They assure me that his biggest weakness is understanding the English math vocabulary. I’m a little worried because I’ve never taught above Calculus, but they tell me that there are no other English teachers in our city that know upper level math.

5) Next Monday we will have our second IECS English Club on the Main Campus.

He has come that we may have Life, and have it to the full,
Brad

PS: Feel free to click on anything in blue to learn more about us!

Sunday Thoughts: October 19th, 2008

“Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to The Son.”

Running a marathon is all about two things: lightening your load and fixing your eyes on the finish line!

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on The Son, the author and perfecter…”

As I ran the Beijing Marathon yesterday, I was reminded of these two things. I saw runners that were weighed down by backpacks, large water bottles, and jeans, and thought, “How can they effectively run the race when they are burdened by all the extras that they think they need?”

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize…”

I also noticed runners who did not seem to know where the finish line was. Before the race, there were runners jumping around to an intense aerobic workout, they had fixed their eyes on the spectacle. At the start, many runners sprinted ahead, only to fade within the first ten miles; they had fixed their eyes on the first couple miles. In the end, it was those who had their eyes fixed on the finish line that finished strong.

Throw your cloak aside, jump to your feet and go to The Son!

Why we are grateful this week:

1) Peter and I finished the Beijing Marathon on Sunday without injury, and we both had personal bests for a marathon!

2) The entire IECS team, along with a couple of Chinese students, came to Beijing for the weekend. We met for dinner on Saturday night, had a time of sharing, and toured the city. While Peter and I were running on Sunday, they traveled along the course to encourage us. At the end of the day we took a train back to Langfang with the Corders, and the Baoding team made it home safely.

3) On Friday afternoon, Jess Shamblee had about 9 students visit her to learn how to make pancakes. They ate and played games for a couple hours.

4) Last Monday, we were invited to the “Non-English Majors English Club.” It is called the VAN English Club, although nobody seems to know what “VAN” stands for. We had a great time; Jessie and I organized the games, while Peter, Shannon, and Jess Shamblee led the music.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Peter and I will be sore this week as we recover from the marathon. Most of all, we do not want our soreness and weariness to affect the way we care for our students and our team.

2) This Friday, Jessie Distad has been asked by our administration to give an Education Lecture to the Chinese faculty of the English Department.

3) Next Saturday we will be visiting the Philip Hayden Foundation with students. Wil and Courtney Corder should also be able there, and we are looking forward to spending more time with them.

He has come that we may have Life, and have it to the full,
Brad