因为在神没有一件事是不可能的

A few days ago I had some friends over for dinner. I made shepherd's pie; MingMing and LingLing (pictured left and middle) brought some fish soup and cooked some vegetables. ZouNan also made a simple cucumber dish.

After dinner MingMing and I played a little guitar.

By the way, MingMing and LingLing have the cutest names for a couple, don't you agree?

It was an eventful year. And a non-eventful year. Old friends left, new friends came. A whole lot changed, and nothing changed. It seems like things became vary monotonous, but at the same time much more enjoyable. Only two big things went down this year.

• I got a better job than I ever expected when first coming to China a year and a half ago. I've been able to be with the same students and teachers for a year now, and it's great to see how my students are growing, mentally, physically, and spiritually. And I've signed another contract with the school so I will stay in Yantai at least another year.
• And the biggest, and most significant, happening of the year was finding a great place to fellowship. A small place with other like-minded people. A place to serve on Sundays, and keep my spirit sharp. At first I just attended, then shortly after they learned of my background in music I became worship leader. As they knew me more, and as circumstances changed, I became a teacher in regular rotation with the other leaders. Now I preach every other week, and am stretched beyond what I ever thought possible. I'm not worthy, nor ready, for where I am and where I am going. I only know that His grace will continue to abound through it all. I've made countless mistakes, and am unfit to be in the leadership position he has placed me in. Yet still, the service is growing spiritually. As relationships are built, bonds are made. A community of followers in The Way from every corner of the world (Philippines, Brazil, Korea, and America) is growing closer to Him as we commune together. What a wonderful year it has been. I can only ask Him for one thing as we enter '09: Encore.
  

I want your imput. I want a dog -- good idea or bad idea?

I'm going to stay in Yantai another year. In China longer than that. Most likely in Yantai longer than that. I've no reason to leave, and several to stay. But you never know. I've already been here a year and a half.

As I get more settled and see myself staying here even longer I see the reasons for not having a dog become less and less valid.

I know I had a dog once. I didn't buy it, I didn't want it, it wasn't my choice, so I got rid of it. This is totally different.

I also had a cat that I loved dearly, but she ran away when I moved. I looked for her for a long time beforethe taxi driver threatened to leave with all my things. I actually have a suspicion that one of my neighbors stole her because several of them really adored her. In any case I hope she's still well.

All in all I'm getting a hankering for a big furry four-legged companion; a big commitment that I can hold onto for many years. Maybe even see my children play with one day. (Did I just say that?!)

After talking to a vet today I told him I would continue thinking about it and get back to him after vacation. Yes, you talk to vets when you want to buy a good healthy dog. He told me that with the kind of dog I want I would have to tell him in advance and he would find one somewhere in Shandong that they could send to me. It would cost from 1000-3000 RMB. It's expensive and hard to find because small dogs are all the rage in China and this particular gentle giant is not very popular.













I want a Great Dane.

• I got my first two rolls of film developed. Made some very obvious beginner mistakes when shooting. Digital had spoiled me. But a few pictures look great.


• There was no power at school all day yesterday. That meant no lunch. So everyone had instant noodles. No one was happy. I also had two extra classes. No heat + no power + extra classes + bad lunch = terrible day.


• Today is the first snow of the winter. I should buy a heater today.


• I didn't pay for heat in my apartment, but for some reason it's on. Maybe I can wait on the heater...


• I'm working on recording a song. It'll take a while though, so busy.


• The end of the school year is coming, and with it comes tests. Lots of tests. Lots of tests means lots of work


• My winter travel plans are almost finalized.


• I'm exhausted. My weekends are not restful. I spend Saturday getting ready for Sunday and it's taking a toll on me for sure. I need a break. I need a Sabbath.


• I bought a new guitar. Just 350 yuan, about 50 USD. It's something to travel with, beat up, and not worry about. It sounds surprisingly good.


• Life is good.

Well at 4:45 today I'm going to Qing Dao with some friends. I excited about going, but a little bummed at the same time. I'm going to miss a good friend's birthday. I gave her her present last night, but it would still be nice to be here for birthday because she doesn't have anything to do. Oh well.

I'll make sure to take pictures. I'm not forgetting my camera this time! I did forget the charger though, and my spare battery is dead. I'm too busy to remember all these things, I didn't have time to pack until this morning because I got home at 11:30 last night.

Other than my absent-mindedness I'm doing better than ever!

This weekend went by far too quickly! Here's a run down of basic events (With photos!)

On Friday our school had a huge field trip to Happy Land. Yes, it's actually called Happy Land. And surprisingly enough it does not live up to its name. Though we did have some fun.

I made some delicious sandwiches to bring. I had never made a Monte Cristo before, but it came out really tasty.

Here are some photos:

On Friday night I had to play guitar for a guy who will judge the competition I'll be in later. The audition was on Sunday so I couldn't go to that, but he agreed that if he thought I was good enough I wouldn't have to audition. Of course it wasn't a problem. I'm actually going to see him tonight to jam together. So maybe I'll have some original songs in Chinese soon!

Saturday was pretty busy also. I had to get up early (9:00) to teach one of my students guitar. You know, it's easier for me to teach something I'm not particularly interested in (English) than to teach something I love (guitar). In any case, she practices and seems interested so I won't be the first one to back out.

Then I had to run some errands, buy some food for dinner, get a new sim card for my phone, nothing special.

At 5:00 a few friends were supposed to come over to my house to play. (Alright, I realize a 23 year old talking about playing with friends is strange. However, I've gotten used to saying it because it's used so commonly in Chinese.) They were late. Really late. But with a legit excuse, they were at the hospital because a friend broke a tooth... or something.

Then they finally call me and for me to come meet them at the gate. So I go meet them. We walk back to my apartment and I realize that I locked myself out! I usually carry two keys. One on my key chain and one in my wallet because I never leave the house with one or the other. Well, almost never.

So I pay 150 RMB for some guy to come open the door. I'm totally embarrassed because this is the first time for me to meet two of these people. They are my friend's friends. But we all have a good laugh.

I make some pasta, the girls make some fruit salad and after our delicious meal we play card games for a while. Over all it was good fun.
They went home at 9:00 and I went to Prince Coffee to meet some friends that came from Penglai for the weekend. They didn't have a place to stay so they were going to go to an internet cafe and stay there all night. Instead I got them to come crash at my place.

Look at me being all hospitable!

And that was the end of Saturday.

Sunday rolls around and I finally get to sleep in. Wake up at 11:00. You know, I love being able to sleep in on Sunday and not miss church. Best of both worlds.

It was my week to teach, on top of leading worship, and I've been going through James. This week we went over 2:14-19. All about faith and deeds being inseparable. It stuck me how practical our faith is. Following Jesus is a very hands-on experience. Some people would like to limit it to completely invisible, spiritual, things. But when it comes down to it, who's more spiritual: the guy who gives food and clothes to someone in need, or the guy who prays that God would give food and clothes to that person?

So what? We should pray less and do more! Not really, but you know what I mean. If someone is going through a tough time don't just pray for them, do something about it!

I haven't shaved in 2 years. Ever since I came to China I've had people tell me over and over again to shave. Chinese guys don't really have any hair so it's follows that it's considered more handsome to have a clean face. Then I came to the Korean school. They're even worse. Nearly ever day someone tells me I should shave.

(And my girl said she wouldn't kiss me if I didn't shave. Just kidding! Haha!)

I finally broke down and shaved.

Alright, I've lived in my new house for about a month now. I finally have a few pictures for y'all. This as after a rough day of cleaning.

No internet at home, so I'm in an internet bar now.

First a little story. I was just relazing at home today when this lady came to my house. She said that one of my neighbors had told her I play guitar. At this point I was a bit worried because I do tend to make a lot of noise. But she went on to say that CCTV is in town doing auditions for the next music competition (Chinese Idol???) and wanted me to come down for an audition. I told her I was busy and couldn't so she gave me her number and told me to call her back about the next audition. She explained it has a 10 yuan entry fee, but if I win my fame and fortune would easily make up for it. So what do you think, should I give it a go? I seriously doubt I could win seeing as how I can't sing Chinese songs, but if I made it past the first couple rounds I'd be on Chinese TV. Then people would stare at me even more on the street.

Before that happened I took a few shots of my new area. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of my house...

This post should have been put up on the 4th of July. That was the day I arrived in China in 2007. But my lack of time on Friday kept me from writing.

I've learned a lot about myself, God, and people in general over this year. I've been challenged in nearly every area of my life and come out on top only to be challenged again.

Not everything is serious, of course, there are the humorous things like being better with a pair of chopsticks and a fork and knife. Asking people what they earn and expecting them to answer. Rolling my pants up to my knees whenever I sit down. Looking in other foreigners shopping baskets to see what a foreigner eats. Not wondering why people are staring at me, but wondering why somebody isn't staring at me. Having to ask somebody if they speak Chinese (in Chinese) to shake them from assuming they won't understand me. Spitting bones and anything else out directly onto the table. Trust me, the list goes on and on!

Those are just the little things though.

We'll start with other people. If anything I've learned that I can't trust people nearly as much as I would like to. I would like to just be able to believe what people say but it doesn't work that way. There are always two sides to everything. It's true that nothing is as it seems and out here that rule seems to be multiplied by a gazillion. I've had more people try to rip me off than Solomon had wives.

Now let's move onto self. I've discovered that I still have no discipline. Sure I run sometimes and I study sometimes and I read sometimes. None of those things are something I do all the time though. It seems like the only thing i can be disciplined with is music. It took me a year out of college to figure that out. Once I'm not forced to do something is when i will find out how much I actually want to do it.

Now on to God and more directly, fellowship. I can't remember if I wrote about this or not. There is a huge difference between not going to church just because and not going to church because it's just not there. I was completely without any like-minded friends for about 8 or 9 months and I don't think I have ever been closer to Him than I was during that time. We're told not to "forsake the gathering of the saints" but it says nothing about not having any saints to gather with. Now it's a little presumptuous to compare China to jail, but i imagine that while it was impossible for the early saints to fellowship in jail, God was closer to them then ever. It's the attitude of staying faithful when there is no one else around. He comes even closer in those times. I almost wish I didn't find a church because now I don't feel as close to Him (call me blasphemous if you want).

Over all it's been a wonderful year and I look forward to many more in Asia.

I'm back to 100%! No bad food can keep this little train from chugging along. Here's the recent happenings:

• I'm working on getting my visa renewed. It's a bit more troublesome than I expected. I needed to get letters from my old work that I honestly didn't expect they would give me. But I'm still on good terms with the boss so it wasn't too much trouble.


• Then I figure out that it's pretty hard to get a residence permit if I continue live in Kaifaqu. It will cost me about 2000 yuan more than if I lived elsewhere in Yantai. So I opted to move. That is a mixed blessing. It will be a little more expensive, probably a little larger also. It's much closer to work, but much farther from church. Closer to some friends, farther from others. I should buy a car...


• Only two more weeks of school. One week of tests and another week of nothing. We'll sort of teach, but the students won't want to do anything knowing that the tests are over. It'll be a lazy week. Then summer school starts. I think I'm going to do that. It's only three weeks and it's decent money. It'll make up for the money I will have spent on moving.


• I forgot how silly high school drama is. As I get closer to my students I find out some pretty ridiculous things their girlfriends do. I'm so glad those days are past.


• I've written a couple more songs. I'm planning on recording them this weekend. I don't know what will actually happen though.


• One of my student's had their electronic dictionary stolen right before class. I was pissed off. I nearly took some kids heads off! Not really... I was able to track it down in about an hour. I couldn't find the culprit though. The girl was so happy. She told me that if she had just told her homeroom teacher nothing would have happened. I don't know how they could just let a student be violated like that and do nothing! I nearly had every seventh grader in the school empty their bags and pockets. Luckily I found where the little punk hid it before it came to that. I don't think the parents would have been to happy if I searched their children.

And that's the end of that.

There was a trip with some of the new teachers at the school last Saturday. We went to Weihai for a little sight seeing. It was such a blast. It was really good to get a bit closer to some of the Korean teachers I haven't had a chance to talk with.

Language is a problem as always. We are forced to break out our crappy Chinese. But it makes for some good fun. I'm dabbling in Korean a bit, and as I do so I realize that it is probably the harder than Japanese or Chinese. It's like Japanese grammar with stranger sounds than Chinese... in my humble opinion.

We went to a couple places. First we hit a temple. It's really famous for Koreans because of some great Korean general who killed loads of pirates or something. There were too many people to get many decent photos. But here are the cream of the proverbial crop.

Unfortunately this Saturday will not be as much fun. I have to give another mock TOEFL test. At least I'll get paid a bit for it. And it should also be the last Saturday I work all year! So I guess it's not so bad, but I did want to go out a bit tonight. Sigh.

It's such a good thing to be able to hang out with other believers. There's such a different attitude towards everything. Night and day. I love it.

Today I went to the Chinese church at 8 instead of 10. I decided to go to the service in Chinese. Which was intense. I've been studying a lot harder recently, but I still didn't understand about 95% of what was going on. Everyone was lovely though.

(It's also good to be the only foreigner there. I don't know why I'm the only one. I know of many people who come here for religious purposes, but then they all end up hanging out with each other! Missionaries crack me up. They act like they have this great thing going on, but they all end up talking to each other. It's like they expect Chinese people to learn English so they can talk to them. It's a completely flawed way of thinking. They create this little bubble that resembles what they left behind. I got out of the stinking bubble for a reason! Get out of the bubble, people!

It really shocked me when they told me I was the first foreigner to ever visit their church. I don't know how that's possible with all the people I hear about that come here for exactly that reason! Are they too scared? To set on what they thought would happen? Have they just gotten lazy? I can't figure it out. Any ideas?)

After the Chinese service we went to a house the church owns near by. One of the staff lives there to keep it clean. But it's mostly used for prayer meetings and the like. I think it actually might be where they first started meeting (the church has gone from 10-20 to 100-150 in the last year, if I remember correctly) We moved our English study over there today.

The study went a little long, then we made a big lunch for everyone. It was so much fun. I need to take my camera again sometime.

I left there around 2:30 because I had to take the bus back to my house and get ready for the Korean church.

That was fun. I was actually late because one of the Korean highschoolers made me go out and grab a couple drinks for her mom. Then one of my friends came late so I had to leave the service again to meet her. I felt a little bad, but no one cared.

This Friday we're having an afterglow at 9:30 to whenever. That should be a lot of fun. I'm expecting great things.

This Sunday I'm doing everything. Worship, offering, scripture reading, teaching, announcements and welcoming, etc. A little in over my head, but i know to expect great things from G-d as He has blessed me with opportunities like this.

Why does serving G-d rock so much?

Life is so unreal sometimes. I feel like I'm in some incredible dream. Without that annoying alarm to mess it all up. Just when I think things have gotten as good as they can get — which happens quite often — they just get better.

I'll be perfectly honest and say that I don't write - publicly - about 80% of what happens out here. No matter how much I explained it and how much I wrote about it there is no doubt in my mind that it would be misinterpreted. You can take the little controversial bits of what I write and multiply it by ten and that might come close to what you don't get to read.

But what I will tell you is something pretty awesome. On Easter Sunday I was given the chance to lead worship and teach in the Korean church I go to. There is a Korean teacher I work with that plays piano very well, she actually plays there every week. I was surprised by how good she is! I've only played with maybe two or three people who can really pick things up and sound good. She's the third. As for teaching, apparently the pastor liked it because he asked if he could put me on a regular rotation with a couple other pastors.

Work is a bit crazy. Don't get me wrong I love my students, but sometimes they cross a line. This week I've cracked down a bit. They don't like it. Then there is the administration — which is completely ridiculous. They told all of us today that we need to turn in a class schedule for the entire year by the end of the week! That gives me three days to create five different lesson plans for the whole year. On top of my regular lesson planning, teaching, and wild partying.

So there's 20% of my life over the last week. Take it for what it's worth.

Go read about Tibet on CNN.

Then pray.

I've been extremely sick for the last two weeks. Not to mention the headaches that I have been causing my user.

I would like to know how it is possible for you to make such a poor operating system the most commonly used worldwide? How am I expected to function properly when, before my user has time to download anti-virus software, I am infected with a virus that causes me to reboot every two minutes? If I don't happen to get infected with that particular virus I am infected with one that prevents the installation of any new software, making it impossible to download anything to get rid of my virus. Your operating system was reinstalled at least 10 times over the last 10 days. You can imagine how this hindered my user's productivity at work.

The only reason I am able to write you this letter is because my wonderful user has installed Ubuntu. Linux has saved my life and saved hours of headaches for my user. Thank you for making such a backwards, difficult, ugly operating system that forced my user to switch to Linux.

Sincerely,
Mark's Work Computer

I am reminded how good it is to have Sunday off every time it rolls around. I'm still able to have my lay in on Sunday morning. Which is very good. I have time to make some breakfast, drink some coffee, and read a bit before I head out.

The English(ish) service at the Chinese place starts at ten, officially. In reality it doesn't start until 10:30 or so. Today it didn't start until 11. I showed up at 10:15 and the Chinese service was still going. He was working in a really great way this morning. I don't know if they do this every week but because the service went long I was able to take communion. I've decided I'm going to start attending the Chinese service so I can start learning some of the songs and Chinese vocabulary. I learned baptize this morning because the girl I sat next to in the back wanted to make sure I had been baptized before I took communion. She had to describe it to me in Chinese and I was so excited that I understood!

By the way, Chinese hymns are beautiful!

The church is full of mostly older people. There is a young adults meeting on Thursday night that I might go to sometime. Actually this Thursday I'm going there at 8:00 to help them learn an English song. I think they want to learn As The Deer. I really want to teach them something more hip though. The building they are in now is new so next Sunday is like the dedication of it or something. Anyway, the English group wants to sing an English song for it. As the only foreigner attending I already get blessed with the chance to help out with things like that.

After the English service I usually go out to lunch with some friends. Then, as you all know, I go to another service at a Korean place. Even though I had my camera I didn't take any photos. Sorry.

Please keep both these places in your thoughts. That more people would come to know the Truth, and that we would be able to effectively share it is my dream. But first I need to speak the stinkin' language! So keep that in your thoughts too!

I love both places. The youth are good fun at the Korean place. I feel like a kid with them again. Always causing trouble. But the heart at the Chinese place, it's just instant family. Like no place I've been.

I really like G-d.

Perseverance. I tend to have a lot of it. If I start something I generally see it through. In the case with finding a fellowship out here it has payed off big time. I'm really amazed with the ministry that He has blessed me with now. It's nothing different than the kind of things I did at CCBC but it's so much more meaningful. At CCBC if you didn't do something there were ten people to take your place. Don't get me wrong, I loved it — most of it — but it was a joke.

This is real. Why G-d chose me to come out here, I don't know. But I'm loving it.

I've just finished a huge project. You see, I've been blogging for many years. I think I started my first blog on Tabulas in January 2003. Over the years I've moved through several different sites. Xanga, Livejournal, and now blogger. I would have stayed on lj if it were easy to use in China. It's blocked out here though so I switched to blogger and I'm planning on staying with blogger. So I have spent the last couple weeks transferring all my posts over to blogger. For some reason there is about a six month gap in my posts. I know that I didn't quit posting but I have no idea where they are!

If you are really board, if you enjoy bad grammar, if you want a history of Mark, and if you want to see how much I've changed you're welcome to check out my old posts. There is the occasional post full of angst, stupid opinions, and misled rants. Don't say I didn't warn you!

But it's made me think. For instance, I would say with 100% confidence what i was going to do in the next couple months. When I read those months I wasn't even in the country I promised to be in! How quickly things can change! I say with confidence that I will be in Yantai for another year but how can I know what will happen? That's why I don't post travel plans up much anymore. I don't want to have to eat my words later. I could tell you what I think I will do a year from now, but I don't want to end up a lier.

It will remain a mystery to us all.

Changing topics slightly, I start working at my new school tomorrow. I hope all goes well!

Remember when I mentioned the dude handing me a tract? Well I went to that place this morning. The tract said they had an English service at 10:30 so I figured I would give it a go. It wasn't quite what I expected, but it's exactly what I want.

First off, it was a pretty big place, really nice sanctuary and all, big pulpit, nice sound system, the works. That was my first surprise. Then I asked somebody if they had an English service and they said it was up in the front of the sanctuary. As I headed up there I noticed the place was full of old ladies staring at me. I wish I could talk to them better!

At the front there were about 15 or 20 people sitting around talking in Chinese! Not a single foreigner was there! Exactly what I want... but was it really an English service? Then the guy who gave me the tract jumped up introduced me to everyone. It's not quite a full English study, it's kind of half English, half Chinese. I would say about 35-40% of the people sitting there didn't speak any English.

They go through a chapter a week. Everyone is responsible for studying it through the week and preparing something to share. This week was Matthew 12. After they had me introduce myself the leader says, "So Mark, why don't you start us out this week. What do you think about Matthew 12?" Be ready in season and out, right?

(Pastor Tom, if you're reading this I highly recommend you make students do more spot preaching. haha)

I asked G-d for some help and figured I'd go for it. I read the first 8 verses of chapter 12 and taught it through. I don't think it was anything fantastic, but His Word is incredible on it's own anyway. What's really funny is that I had a feeling when I woke up this morning that I would be teaching. G-d was totally preparing me.

Then some other people shared some things they had prepared. Some in Chinese, some in English. We had some time for questions and discussion, then finished up. Then they gave food to everyone still there, which was a lot of people. Loads of old people just hung out while we talked. After that they had a time for everyone to share how their spring festival was. How they were able to serve their family and whatnot. It was such a blessing. It's really great to meet like-minded Chinese people. I'll be going there every week.

As for the Korean place I've been going. I'm finally starting to settle in. Getting to know everyone at once is hard. I can't even remember all their names! But next week I'll be leading worship, and a few weeks after that I'll be teaching. It's really fun to be back with like-minded people.

I need to hit the books hard, I want to be able to teach the Word in Chinese!