China, Olympics and Taylee

With the summer Olympics on our heels everyones attention is on Beijing, China. It was nearly seven years ago on September 13 the World heard the announcement that the games would be held in that great city. As I looked out from my hotel room I witnessed a country ecstatic about being selected for the games. Thousands like I have never seen before were walking, running and biking all towards Tienanmen Square to celebrate as a country. Banners the size of buildings, were unrolled as I stood watching, a nation wild with hope. It was like ants gathering around a gum ball. People were everywhere, even on the ledges of tall buildings!
The city of Beijing is like most cities in the US. Grand pristine buildings fill the sky with modern architecture of marble and glass. Business men clothed in suits and ties, cell phones were common place and from my hotel room everything looked quite the same as the country I had just left.
I stayed in a very grand hotel not far from the Square. Yet, the very next day I would learn that within one city block was poverty like I have never witnessed. People were cooking their breakfast of steamed rolls on the sidewalk in front of extremely modest, jam packed housing.
It was the year before I was to get Taylee. I was given a glimpse of her heritage in those two short weeks. A gentle people who understood what community meant, a richness we in America have lost in our wealth and independent spirits. I was saddened by what I saw most of the time because the poverty was staggering and so hopeless to me. I felt the oppression of the false worship and the hopelessness of being lost in the worst possible way. These people had to live this way...forever. I was to go home; I could escape the paucity and deficiency of living there. I felt such an ache in my heart for these people yet they smile. They truly seemed content. Why is it, that a country so great as ours can be filled with such discontent? We have so much and want so much more. We live to get, whereas the people in China get to live and are happy about that. In so many ways, they are the richer country.
I feel so blessed to have my Taylee girl. She is the greatest gift from a great country. She was a national treasure and if they only knew what they gave away, perhaps they would have thought twice.
I thank God for China. This is a good time to remember all of our brothers and sisters who love the Lord and for God who is raising the greatest cloud of witnesses within that country.
God bless the Chinese people.
Wo ai ni
(I love you in Chinese)
pronounced wal-i-knee

DONE...enough

This weekend has put me back in the totally operational mode. The plumber arrived at 8:30 am Friday morning to install my sink and hook up my dishwasher. Evan took off the day to do some last minute odd jobs around the kitchen and even though we have a few more things to do, I am back. My first dinner guests will be Monday evening, where I will be using real plates and real glasses. My trash level will dramatically decrees and the environment will be given a break from all the disposable things I have been using. I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to have my kitchen back. Come see!
More later!