"I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
The group of ladies I study with every other week has been memorizing Ps 121 together as part of our study homework--and let me tell you, right now I'm feeling the need more than ever to lift up my eyes to those hills!!! I truly HATE to admit it, but over a year and a half into living in a different country and I still marvel (almost daily) at how I can feel the differences, feel the strain of trying to adapt to a new culture. The weight of struggling to become proficient in the language, the frustration of not being able to communicate with others the way my heart desires, the irritation over so many cultural differences that oftentimes rub me the wrong way, the sheer number of people I am constantly bumping into and "competing" with just to check out in line at the grocery store--it has yet to become my new normal! And how desperately I want to be there; the point that the little things don't frustrate and even anger me, the ease of being able to communicate fluently in the heart language of the people I am growing to love more and more, the sense of finally having "arrived" at being able to find peace and refreshment at just "being" here in China. I wonder when that day will come? And will it be all of a sudden--one day that the little things just don't seem so big any more? Or will it be such a gradual progression over the years that I don't even notice that I am changing? And if that is the case, then what does that mean when I return to the US and interact with others there? Will I be totally unable to fit in to either culture? (And this isn't even mentioning my kids, who are truly experiencing the effects of living in two or more cultures in a way that even Kevin and I am not!) Ah, to lift my eyes to the hills and trust in Him who neither slumbers nor sleeps.... I truly delight in the knowledge that He who has planned each step of our journey promises He will not let our feet slip. In the midst of so much uncertainty, in feeling like such a foreigner so much of the time, what more can I ask for? What else do I need?
The longer we spend here in China, the more convinced I am that we are exactly where we are supposed to be--in spite of my former "ramblings" of the challenges that accompany us on this journey! The highs are vastly higher than anything Kevin and I have experienced--thus, perhaps, the reason for our sheer exhaustion at the end of most days? The emotional energy we feel we expend on a regular basis is unlike anything we've known before. Maybe a little of what Paul is referring to when he talks of being "poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service" of another's faith?
So along this pilgrimage we are so thankful for the fellow sojourners He has given us! This weekend we enjoyed a morning of fellowship with 7 other ex-pat couples (or families, as some have children) who came over to our house for play time and lunch. We were refreshed by the time of relaxing and bonding with our dear friends. Kevin had come back from an incredibly long day on Friday. We went to Beijing, leaving our house at 5:30am to catch the train and then meet a friend who had set up for Kevin to help teach baseball to a bunch of Chinese businessmen/women. It was GREAT language practice for Kevin, and of course a totally "China experience" (meaning crazy, compared to what we previously considered normal!). Kevin and his friend Tony met up with the two companies who were participating in the baseball activity for the day (the reason being team-building exercises within the company for its employees) and rode the bus with them for about an hour and a half to their destination--which was a "baseball field" located in a facility in between a driving range and an ostrich/reindeer petting zoo! Kevin was given the privilege of entertaining the employees on the bus during the ride to their destination, so after he ran out of things to say in Mandarin, he switched his approach, singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" into the microphone! How I wish I had that one on tape.... :) He returned that night by about 9pm, exhausted but feeling like the day was a success overall.
The first two photos are of one of the exercises during the day--taking turns jumping over a baseball bat--and one of the third basewoman taking a call on her cell during the game!
The rest of our weekend was spent relaxing for the most part. The photo is proof that kids are really creative in where they are willing to play! This one is Hudson in the bathtub with his Legos; for no reason other than he thought that would be a fun spot to play! We had the blessing of some really warm weather last week, so we had lots of great outdoor play time. But another cold front has come in, with the highs the last several days in the lower 50's with pretty strong, cold winds. Our heat was turned off yesterday, so we're on our own now to bundle up, pull back out the long undies, and wait patiently for spring to arrive in Tianjin! We're hoping that the next week or two will bring temps in the 50's or 60's and maybe even some buds on the trees?
We also purchased plane tickets to return to the US this summer! We are thrilled to have 2 months to spend there, visiting friends and family as we'll travel 'round the country! The kids are really excited and already planning out some of the things they're most excited about--Chick-fill-A, Chuck E Cheese, swimming pools, etc.! We're hoping and counting on the time to be a chance to recharge and gear up again for some more cross-cultural adaptation!!
