Its beginning to look a BIT like Christmas

So, its the mid/end of November and we have had some chilly days here in Taipei. Most locals busted out the winter coats and scarves to bundle all up for school and work. I even wore a sweater a few days this week to school. So, for a bit....it was beginning to look like fall. Which normally would make me quite happy, but with that chilly weather came days and days of rain (which can be a bit depressing as well). However, this weekend (November 22 and 23) we had the most gorgeous weekend. It was BRIGHT blue skies....sunny...and a warm 80 degrees!
So you ask...what did we do on this warm and sunny weekend?? we got ready for CHRISTMAS!
On Friday night after a half day of school, and then a Professional Development day on Pandemics (that would probably make quite an interesting blog in and of itself), the staff and their families had a fall/winter party. Some people decorated the school for Christmas and some baked and decorated Christmas cookies. Then we all had a wonderful barbeque out on the deck which was decorated in beautiful Christmas lights. We had grilled ham and pineapple, mashed potatoes, veggies, sweet potatoe pie, garlic bread, Christmas cookies, and grilled spiced apples. The time of eating and fellowship was followed up by Christmas carols......
I must have caught the bug then...because on Saturday I was determined to do some more decorating in our house! Cam got up and played basketball on Saturday morning and I stayed home, Skyped and cleaned. Then in the afternoon, after seeing the BEAUTIFUL blue skies from our window all morning...I decided we must get out. So, we took a nice long bike ride to the junk store to get some....CHRISTMAS decor! After hitting up two shops, heading to the school to steal some of the Christmas lights there, and getting some tea.....we were ready to head back home and it was getting dark by then anyways. So we spent our Saturday evening eating chili, putting up and decorating the tree, and eating Christmas cookies. I think it was a wonderful way to spend an 80 degree November evening!
Here are a few pictures of all the fun....more where they came from on picasa web!
Taipei is also decorated for Christmas in some spots....you would think we were shopping in NYC! Ok....maybe not with the 80 degree sunny day.....
The finished product!!! I ended up pleased :)

Oh, we also spent the weekend decked out in our opposite colors, cheering for our opposite teams....but as always, the BUCKS won again! Go O-H-I-O!!! I actually felt a little bad for the wolverines toward the end of the game!

Just an update: We will celebrate Thanksgiving at school on Monday and Tuesday (as we have feasts for our classrooms) and then on Wednesday we will be heading to Hong Kong! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

First Trip to the Hospital

At the beginning of this week Elisa and I decided that I should probably go see a doctor sometime soon because of this small lump that had been on my face/neck for a few weeks. The lump wasn't terribly big, about the size of a dime. At first I didn't think it was a big issue so I didn't tell Elisa about it. Then after a couple of weeks and it not going away or even getting smaller I decided to see what she thought. We waited another couple of weeks and then made the decision to get it checked out. We decided to ask people from our school for help to find a doctor that would be able to help us out (almost all doctors in Taiwan are specialists in a certain area so you don't just go to a general doctor). We talked to our principal and he said he would call a specialist he knew so that we wouldn't have to go through all of the hoops necessary for a normal visit. However, then on Tuesday I was in talking to the principal and he had some spare time so we decided to walk across the street to the hospital that is right next to the school.

Since we did not set up an appointment with the specialist my principal knew we had to go through all of the crazy hoops necessary just to see a doctor. First, we entered the hospital and we took a number. We had to wait for our number to be called and then we went to see the secretary ladies (there is not just one or two like in the states but about 10 different ladies). We tell one of the secretaries my problem, which means I am telling my principal and he is translating to the secretary. When she hears what my problem is she seems very confused so she starts discussing with some of the other secretary women that are there. Finally, it seems she had decided where I need to go. The second step is for me to get another number that includes a room number and floor to where I am supposed to go to next. I was on the 2nd floor and number 18. When we arrived to my room they were on number 11 so I had a little bit of a wait ahead of me. The way this part works is that there is a little waiting area just outside each room. Each room contains a specialist doctor. There were probably something like 20 rooms with people sitting in their designated waiting area. Anyway back to my visit, as my principal and I are waiting for my number to be called we are just talking and hanging out when I started to get confused about what was happening. I start looking around the hospital rooms and wondering if we were in the right place. My principal must have noticed my confusion and answered my question without me even asking it. He says "yes you are waiting to see the breast doctor." I had noticed on the outside of the door that we were waiting to go into that it said in English breast surgery and general surgery. I found out that this specialist doctor is the one that works with any type of flesh/skin problem and that includes breast problems I guess. We finally get called into the office to meet the doctor and the room was definitely a room for a breast doctor. I saw some pretty weird posters and manikin type people in that room. It was all a little strange. Back to the lump again I am telling my principal the problem and he translates to the doctor for me. The doctor examines my face for a full one second or so it seems and tells me that there is nothing to be concerned with and that the lump is not anything cancerous. He pretty much told me that I have a large whitehead/pimple that is trapped underneath my skin and will probably always be there, though maybe not always as big. So, I was happy with the fact that it was nothing serious, a little disappointed to spend about 15 dollars to find out I have a giant pimple trapped under my skin, and completely weirded out by my first visit to the breast doctor.--Cameron

Encountering God

God has spoken to me lately as I have been studying the patriarchs. This week, I have really been impacted by the story of Jacob's wrestling match with God. I feel that God has revealed to me new truths through this study and many more things that I will continue to contemplate and wrestle with. However, I was encouraged...challenged...andI wanted to share some of my study with you.
(Just a sidenote....most of this comes from the Patriarchs study by Beth Moore....Ladies, I would highly recommend it. Men, its great content....but her heart is for ladies ministry and it is evident in the way she writes her studies:)
Ok...so after Jacob has worked unfairly for Laban for years and years and years (with God watching over him and blessings him each step of the way with children and abundance in flock) its now time for Jacob to go back to his family. Going back to his family, means going to face Esau (his brother) whom he deceived and stripped of birthrights and blessings. Jacob is fearful of the reunion and what will happen when he and his brother meet again (seeing how the last time they were around one another Esau had claimed he was going to kill Jacob).
He had planned to pacify Esau with many gifts upon arrival and he had also planned to hide out in the back of the pack.
However, upon sending everything ahead of him to meet Esau, Jacob spent the night ALONE at camp.
This is where I was truly impacted.....the face to face encounter that Jacob had with God (Genesis 32 and 33):

First of all, Jacob was left completely and utterly alone! He was stripped of all he had (all that belonged to him). He had to come before God as just "Jacob". Many times, when we are having an encounter with God ....for it to be true and meaningful, we must be stripped of "our gang" and "our game". It must be an honest appraisal before God of who we really are without all the people and plans we have surrounded ourself with!

Secondly, in looking at Jacobs wrestling match with God...we see that it was an honest fight.
So, the story tells us Jacob is completely alone, at night, at camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until day break. And when the man saw that he could not over power him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
Beth Moore pointed out that the basic idea behind the phrase "could not overpower him" is that the man could not make him quit. God was teaching Jacob to face up and fight honestly. Jacob did not rely on game, he was not a dirty fighter who tried to do end it quickly and get on with things......Jacob was wrestling to figure it out.....
Sometimes we too, in the dark of our night seasons, we wrestle and struggle and we dont even realize who we are struggling with until the light begins to dawn.
When we realize (after all is stripped away) that it is God with whom we are encountering...."wrestling and struggling with"..... the fight is different. Its an honest fight. When God allows us (or sometimes even invites us....initiates it) to wrestle with Him, His constant goal is to make us overcomers! Even when God appears to be against us....he is FOR us!
GOD WANTS TO BLESS US....and SOMETIMES GOD HAS TO BRING US INTO A MATCH WITH HIM, HAS TO INJURE US/HURT US...FOR US TO ALLOW HIM TO DO SO......

So, the third point is.....that in every struggle we have.....God is there, trying to overcome us as we just keep powering through the match. It will be so painful, confusing, and troubling....and yet if we just HOLD ON...God will bless us!
In Jacob's story, Jacob stated "I will NOT let you go, until you bless me." This needs to be our mentality as we face life's struggles and encounter God deep in our hearts.

And in the end, Jacob confesses who he truly is (I am Jacob....a deciever, cheater, liar)....Jacob realizes that it is GOD with who he has encountered face to face....and God gives Jacob an honest name!
Beth Moore states that FEW THINGS DEFINE US MORE THAN HOW WE STRUGGLE. WHEN WE STRUGGLE THROUGH THE CRISIS WITH GOD ALL THE WAY TO THE END, WE ARE GLORIOUSLY REDIFINED.
God makes us entirely renewed!!!

Jacob's encounter with God refreshed him and gave him the courage to do the necessary things that lie ahead that he could not have done without God! Yes, I am sure that Jacob was still afraid....but he was probably more afraid of disobeying God than facing the mess that he was part of creating in the first place.
So now its time for Jacob to meet back up with his brother. And, instead of taking his spot in the back.....he goes to the lead. He limps his way to the front to meet Esau.
Now the Bible tells us, Esau ran to meet Jacob......

Beth Moore notes "God's presence is with Jacob....yet, He allowed His own child to limp while the other ran."
This is what makes following God (struggling and wrestling with Him) SOOOO difficult sometimes.
"Sometimes God will wound His own child to make him walk differently while the profane and ungodly seem to run with endless confidence and vitality."
As a child of God, I am challenged to walk as someone who has encountered God (and some of the most transforming encounters are wrestling matches). I have to remember that the lost of this world do not wrestle with God as nearly as much as we who belong to Him do. The lost people of this world, the profane and ungodly, they do not care to hang out and wrestle it out. We his children, often wrestle with Him most and at times we also seem to hurt the most.

BUT.....our wounding and hurt are only temporary! AND, they carry great eternal benefits! Gods word tells us in 2 Cor. 4:17 that...."our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all!"

Let us cling to this truth. Beth Moore states it so well "THOUGH OUR HUMANITY MAY BE WOUNDED, OUR SOULS ARE MADE WHOLE BY THE ONE WHOM WE WRESTLE".

I have been encouraged.....I have been challenged.....and I feel that I am entering a season of darkness in which I must go before God vulnerable. Yet, I have faith in knowing....that at the other end of my struggle....God is there to bless me and call me his own! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!
With love I share my heart with you today....hoping that I have encouraged some of you to hang on...your blessing is coming!
~Elisa

Franklin Graham Festival

This past week, Franklin Graham and his crusade team have been in Taipei sharing the love of Christ with all they come in contact with. Last weekend on Saturday they did a Children's Festival. Then this weekend (Thursday-Sunday), was the main festival. The event was at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. It was an absolutely wonderful venue for this event.
Cam and I went on Friday night to share in this experience. We had been praying for it for months and we were ready to see what God had planned! (Even my kindergartners prayed for the event this week at school. One of my students parents were going to serve as pray counselors after each service and so he knew the most about the festival. His prayers were so sweet and innocent that they melted by heart each time he spoke "Father God, please be with the Franklin Graham Festival and help the people in Taiwan learn more about you".)
As we walked the park prior to the event starting on Friday, we were already amazed by the crowds and the set up.
We took our seats thinking that we may not stay for the whole event. However, once it got started it was hard to leave! The first couple hours were praise and worship (mostly done in Chinese by local artists). Franklin Grahams team also did a few worship songs. For two of their songs they learned the Chinese to go with it. It was amazing to see them start singing in English and then about half way through the song switch to Chinese....the faces of the locals around was priceless. The people were so appreciative and proud to hear the foreigners singing in Chinese. (A side note, I decided that is how I need to learn Chinese...I just need to learn to sing more songs)
Franklin Graham spoke at the end briefly and to the point. On Friday he spoke on the financial crisis in the world and the void that people are trying to fill in their lives with money. He also talked about the parable in which the rich man came to Jesus and asked how to get to heave......
His sermon was direct and straight forward. It was not an emotional rollercoaster, it was not a lengthy explanation of verses and scriptures. Cam and I watched Franklin Graham just simply speak the Gospel message of Jesus' love and sacrafice for us! Hearts were open to this....
Thousands and thousands of people each night came forward wanting to accept Christ as their personal savior!
The message was spoken by Franklin and translated into Chinese by another gentleman...but the voice that was speaking to people's hearts was Gods.
It is my prayer now that this message fell onto soft hearts. I pray that as SOOO many seeds were planted this weekend in Taiwan that people will rise up to help nurish those seeds and help them take root. I am overjoyed with all the committments made....but I pray that there is enough people willing to reach out (churchs who reach out) to do the MUCH needed and vital follow up work!
I ask that you join us in praying for Tawian. Pray for those who made decisions...that people will be put in their lives to disciple them and help them understand what the gospel truly means (for many of them....it may have been the first time they EVER heard about the love to God for them). Pray that churches here really strive to follow up after this amazing evanglistic event. Pray that Cam and I can do our part in intentionally seeking ways in which we can make sure we are being light to this lost nation! Taipei was changed this weekend, but other areas in Taiwan are still unreached! Join with us in praying that Taiwan will become a Christian nation...pray for revival...pray that God's people continue to shine his light and share his love daily!

Apology

Well, I did get a few responses back by email of people who are reading my blog and would love to comment but cant! I have tried and tried to allow people to leave comments but cant seem to figure out the setting that I must have wrong! So, thank you to those who do read and would love to reply.....
I am trying still...and if you can shed any light on the manner it would be much appreciated!

You can leave comments on our picasa web picture site! So feel free to there!
I added LOTS more pictures this weekend! Enjoy :)

The Bad, The Good, and the DELICIOUS!

So, this week was a BUSY one. It was the start of our second quarter, Halloween (which translates to Book Character Parade at Bethany), parent teacher conferences, and much much more..... The week actually went amazingly well. We were very tired at the end of every day (going to bed at like 8:45 or 9) BUT our days were full of blessing after blessing. Our parent teacher conferences went really well. It was nice to have the whole day off to focus on them (it just made it seem more relaxing and the day actually went by rather quickly). Parents were wonderful and supportive. Of course you will always have a few frustrating ones mixed in the bunch...but overall they went very well! An answer to prayer! The book character parade was really fun too this week (even though it made me EXHAUSTED!) The kids were so excited to be in their costumes and they were very adorable! Cam and I got in on the fun. We dressed up as a good and a bad cowboy from the childrens book Gid the Kid (which was a theme book during reading month at our school).
Then after making it through the week and getting things done this weekend....it seemed like the perfect time to treat ourselves! I baked for the first time this weekend and we enjoyed some wonderful and delicious chocolate chocolate chip cookies! You can tell from the picture that I was very excited!!!
One other thing....we got to talk to my Grandparents (Herring) and I got to talk to Caressa (friend from GA) on Skype this weekend (plus a few chats with our families)....It was wonderful to catch up with people! I am SOOOO thankful for Skype!!! We would love for more of you to get it.... :) Just thought I would make that plug :)
Miss you all and thanks for staying updated!