"He was not in the wind...He was not in the earthquake...He was not in the fire...and after the fire came a gentle whisper..." 1 K 19:11-12Dear Friends,
In the past few weeks I have been learning about the importance of making the time to listen for the "still, small voice" of the Father. In our hurried generation, education, careers, families, relationships, traveling, and other obligations distract us from listening to His voice. Like the seed "choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures," the Word of the Father is choked out of us, and we "do not mature" (Lk 8:15). I hope that all of us can learn to reduce our obligations and "enjoy the silence," listening to hear what the Father has to teach us. I encourage you to make time in your day for the most important relationship you will ever experience.
What follows is a brief summary of our lives for the past few weeks:
3rd Wedding Anniversary (December 23): Brad and I celebrated our 3rd Anniversary with a romantic getaway to Beijing. On Monday we checked into the Chongwenmen Hotel and then had lunch at the local bakery. We finished our Secret Santa Christmas shopping at the Pearl Market, and then had dinner at Starbucks. We completed the evening by enjoying a soak in the hotel bath tub (our apartments don't have this luxury) and watching the movie "The Pacifier" on TV. On Tuesday we slept in and then went back to the bakery for breakfast before heading out to the Forbidden City. We spent a few hours exploring the many corridors, rooms, and gardens of the ancient structure. After a brief stop at the Pearl Market, we went to the Silk Market for foot massages, and then finished the day with dinner at T.G.I. Fridays. We were exhausted as we returned home, but the two days were a great chance to talk, reconnect, reflect, and make new memories together.
Campus Christmas Activities: On December 20 we were blessed with the Christmas gift of snow! About an inch of snow covered Langfang in its beautiful blanket. Students and teachers rushed out into the night to dance, play, chase, and snowball fight in the beauty. On December 21 our Dean invited us out for dinner, and we were treated as honored guests at the local restaurant. On December 24, our team performed for the annual Christmas Celebration. All five of us sang Bebo Norman's "Joy to the World," and then the girls sang "Silent Night" together. Peter and Forrest Gump choreographed and performed a Chinese rap song that thrilled the crowd. Brad and I also took the opportunity to announce to the student body that we are pregnant, relieving the team from keeping our three month old secret!
IECS Team Christmas in Baoding (December 25-27): All 12 foreign teachers and Tony Zhang gathered in Baoding for a wonderful celebration of the Son's birth. Brad and I exchanged gifts in the morning (jewelry for me, bookshelves and a scarf for Brad). Then we took the train to Baoding, chatting with Wil and Courtney on the way. Emily and Amelia hosted Christmas dinner (delicious!) in their apartments, and then we had our Secret Santa exchange in the campus hotel. Some of our favorites were a bathrobe for me and a Starbucks gift certificate for Brad. Friday morning we had Christmas breakfast, and then our Christmas service, led by Peter and Shannon, reminding us of the "reason for the season." What scandalous love was shown on that day long ago!
The rest of the weekend passed in a blur. I hung out with the girls for most of the time, and Brad hung out with the guys. We went to McDonald's for lunch (during which one of our taxi cabs caused a huge bicycle accident), and then had pizza for dinner at an Italian restaurant where the pizzas were cooked in a huge brick oven. Then we went to KTV for a fun night of dancing and singing at the top of our lungs. On Saturday morning, we ate breakfast together, and ate Christmas leftovers for lunch. The girls went out together for back massages and drinks at a local coffee shop, while the guys played Settlers and hung out together. Altogether, the weekend was a great time of fellowship, encouraging, and sharing about our common experiences, struggles, and triumphs throughout the fall semester.
New Year's Eve in Langfang: New Year's Eve was a quiet evening in our apartment here in Langfang. Jess Shamblee and Shannon gave exams during the day, and around 9:30pm we all gathered together to drink homemade egg nog, eat Magnum Bars (ice cream) and cheesecake, and watch "Ferris Beuller's Day Off." At midnight we toasted one another, hugged, and kissed. Brad and I finished typing up our New Year's resolutions, and then posted them on our closet doors as daily reminders.
Spring Scheduling: December 25 and 31 were spent talking with our administrative faculty about plans for next semester. Brad and I informed the faculty of our pregnancy and began to talk logistics. Wayne told all of us about the class offering for next semester, and we all shared our preferences for classes and students.
Time with Students: With the completion of classes and finals in progress, the students have schedules ranging from free to too busy for friends. We've been trying to work with their schedules. Brad and Peter invited Okay and Cole over to watch "Sahara" together, and they had a great time. Danielle and I had lunch together last week and then watched "Seven Pounds" and "P.S. I love you," and tomorrow she will join Brad and I in Beijing for our sonogram and OB/GYN appointment. Sally and I made No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies together on Saturday, and Cassie and I made granola together and watched "Hitch" on Monday. Vivian and I are also planning a lunch together. Tonight Brad and I will show "White Christmas" to the English students as a special extracurricular activity.
Traveling: Yesterday Brad and I went to Tianjin to visit with Wil and Courtney Corder for the day. We had a great time eating Chinese lunch, and McDonald's dinner with them, playing spoons in their favorite coffee shop, exchanging books, and watching "Enchanted" together. Wil's friend Edward joined us for the day, and we had a great time getting to know him too. We've been talking about seeing some of the other sites we've never seen around Beijing, like the Summer Palace and Hou Hai, so maybe we can make it out there sometime soon. Our friend Andy came to visit from Qinhuangdao for two days, and brought his friend Heather, a Spanish teacher from Ohio. They took us to an orphanage on the other side of Langfang for children with brittle bone disease. The family who run the place inspired us with their servant hearts and obedience to the Father. We look forward to going back there again in the future.
Miscellaneous: The vacation time has also allowed Brad and I the time to do more around the apartment than usual. Brad has begun a new indoor work-out routine, and I've begun a daily yoga video series. I've been coloring past artworks, and working on new creations. We've both been reading a lot, and Brad continues to add new guitar songs to his repertoire. Brad's gone vegetarian for the month of January, so I've been adding new recipes to my repertoire. We're both trying to help Brad's parents to plan their upcoming visit to China (February 1-14) and anticipating that reunion.
Thank you all for your thoughts and support over the first half of the school year. We hope that you have all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009! We look forward to a spring full of listening and growth, silence and song.
Always,
Jessie
"Quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the king in his beauty deigns to walk." --Charles Spurgeon
