Good Disease

At a study this past week, one of our friends gave a different spin on things. We have been working through the book of Mark and talking about various healings and miracles which the Messiah did while he was on earth.  This particular section ended with something like "and word of him spread throughout the whole region." The Son told those He healed not to tell anyone because He didn't want to become famous for healing but rather for His message and the fulfilling of the OT. Maybe with diseases and ailments on his mind, my friend Edward said about the Lamb's popularity, "So, it was like a good disease. It kept spreading more and more." Yeah, I guess it was kind of like that. A good disease. I am trying to infect as many as I can and even though Edward remains skeptical of the truth, I continue to ask the Father for Edward to catch the "bug." - the good disease of the good news that has spread all over the world. Help us out by asking that the Dove would infect many more, including Edward, with this good disease. Soli Deo Gloria!

KTV and Titanic Tears

While I was skyping with my sister and niece this weekend, I told her that I had gone to KTV with a couple friends. KTV, what's that? Gather a couple friends up, go into a comfortable party-ready room, select your favorite songs to sing, and karaoke until your voice gives out. This is not your average karaoke experience. You have plenty of snacks, drinks, and fruit at your disposal (with a higher than normal price of course). We usually bring our own stuff. They have all of the classic hits you wanted to sing usually with non-original, 80's recorded music videos playing on the TV screen. Some of the English words are not right, but you sing, dance, turn on some flashing lights, and have a KTV party! Here are some pics of what the average KTV room looks like. It's a great way to spend time with friends.

I went to see Titanic in 3D yesterday. As Rose held on to Jack in the freezing waters saying, "I'll never let go," the room was filled with sniffles and crying and tears. I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit to myself. I had not seen the movie more than twice and the last time was quite a while ago. It wasn't that moving of a love story, for me at least. After we exited the theater, my two friends, my two male Chinese friends who were along confessed to crying . . . more than once. I was surprised. One cried twice, the other had a steady stream of watery eyes and pitter-patter tears from time to time. Maybe I don't have a heart. These are just some of the things that keep me busy on the weekends here. Not a bad gig. Spending time with friends and building bridges to share some life-saving good news with them. May you continue to finds ways to share the joy you have with others around you.

Panda Lanterns

What is China famous for? Pandas and lanterns. There might be a few more things but . . . Even though pandas are not roaming free everywhere you turn, they are famous in the city of Chengdu. I visited there earlier this year and now Chengdu has come to visit me in Wuhan. But, they didn't bring real pandas. They brought giant lanterns, some in the shape of pandas. Out on the gorgeous East Lake were giant floating spectacles. They came all the way from Chengdu, a traveling show of sorts. Lots of lanterns, a Chinese staple. These red lanterns are everywhere you look. Some are put up for festivals and never come down. The Chinese hope they will bring good luck to the house or place of business. If you were to take a gander around here, you would more than likely find a red lantern dotting the landscape.

This little get-together with friends was another wonderful cultural experience: lots of food options, lots of people, and lots of curious stares directed at the foreigners. The food choices were anything from your typical noodles and rice to some stinky tofu, barbecue (meat on a stick), chicken feet, rabbit head, or fried anything. I didn't go too wild with my food selections but still enjoyed the wide variety of foods. The rest of the time was spent walking around the park and snapping some pics. I've included some of the many different luminous displays from this past weekend. It was a great night to spend with friends and enjoy the nice weather.

Another evening many years ago, some friends were also meeting. They met behind locked doors because they were afraid. Suddenly, He came in and was among them saying, "Peace be with you!" With all of the strange things that had happened very early that morning, their Friend was there again and they were overjoyed. He is risen, just as he said! He is risen indeed! Now we can experience the joy of knowing the Son before our joy is made complete in the presence of the Lamb around his glorious throne. Death has been swallowed up in victory! It holds us no more! Where he has gone we too shall be!

Traffic Cam

I shot this amateur action film from the second level of a double-decker bus on my way home from school one day. Sorry for the poor quality. Take it in and enjoy the mass amount of traffic and people in the bustling metropolis of Wuhan. The flow of traffic is much different from America. When space is free, you take it. You also merge into the correct lane at the last possible moment. These four marked lanes expand into six closer to the intersection, but lines don't matter here. Enjoy! This is China!

Love

As I make it up the stairs on my way to another class I am greeted by two or three excited little voices saying, "Darin, Darin, Darin!" Before I make it to the top one has come to hug me, another is grabbing my arm, and still another is jumping up and trying to touch my face. This is how it goes everyday at school. Once I make it up the stairs, more kids realize who has come and soon they are fighting for position. My students certainly love me and appreciate my lack of proper Chinese discipline. I did not ask for this love and I don't always appreciate the inability to simply walk from one classroom to the next. Yet, as I was surrounded by children screaming my name I thought of someone else.

He came and was loved by many too. He loved them back and had more than just a temporary relationship with them. These were people he walked with, taught, ate with, healed, laughed with, and patiently dealt with their lack of understanding. Yet, a few days after he humbly rode in to the sound of their cheers and shouts, they shouted, "Crucify!" He was surrounded by those he loved, but they were not returning the love, they were deserting, they were hiding, they abandoned him. Then they led him out and the pain pressed into his head, his hands, his feet. The sin of all people of all time was clinging to him, weighing him down, putting him through hell. Then, the Father left him too. All alone with no one to help. It was for you that he did it alone. It was for you that he endured the mocking, rejection, pain, and abandonment. This is the greatest love of all: the Son of God laid down his life for sinners. Christ died for you. He cleansed you in the blood of the Lamb and now you are free from sin, death, and Satan. By his wounds we are healed. It is certainly a Good Friday!

Spring in Wuhan

The lovely weather has finally returned to this part of creation! I've had opportunities to sit outside in a park and bask in the warm sunshine while reading a book and appreciate the beauties of His handiwork. The colors and smells on display this time of year are magnificent. Most recently the Chinese holiday of qingming (ching-ming) was upon us. This meant some time off from teaching those wonderful first-graders! Unfortunately, qingming is a sad holiday here. It translates as tomb-sweeping holiday. Families will go to the tombs of relatives and spruce them up, put flowers out, burn some candles, say some prayers, and burn paper money and other things that their ancestors may need in their afterlife to keep them comfortable. It's another reminder of the constant need for workers in harvest fields all over the world.

I spent the holiday with friends seeing the spring beauty around Wuhan. Trees were blooming and the nice weather gave us an opportunity for a picnic. Some members of the fellowship here invited a bunch of us to a picnic lunch at the Agricultural University. We walked around the very large grounds of the campus taking in some of the pretty trees and flowers. I've included a smorgasbord of them in this post. The next day was rainy, but that didn't stop our group from seeing the world famous cherry blossoms of Wuhan. That's right, Washington D.C. isn't the only place on earth to see these pretty trees. Wuhan of all places has the third largest amount of trees in one place behind D.C. and somewhere in Japan, where the trees originate. The trees were a little past their prime, but a lot of blooming flowers were still struttin' their stuff. I even saw some young ladies posing for pictures in traditional Tang dynasty clothing. As I walked around, it felt like something out of a book or a movie. The misty air and the quiet and calm of this beautiful forest transported me to different times and places. I was surrounded by hundreds of beautiful, white trees. My thoughts jumped also to Genesis and the Garden. How beautiful and marvelous it must have looked. I was staring at one of the finer things in creation and this is still in a sin-stained world. How did this look when it was absolutely perfect? Thanks be to Him for nice weather and all the beautiful things around us that make us stop and kneel before the Creator of all things. He is powerful and marvelous! Stand in awe at all His hand has accomplished!