等了半年的房子，十月初终于拿到了钥匙，搬家两个礼拜之后，终于有了网络。快一个月没更新了，也不知从何说起。这几个月经历了很多变化，好的变化。更加感谢上帝，就光是上个礼拜发生的一桩桩琐事便全靠上帝赐予的平安，力量和智慧。Lincoln Park的studio我们用一天加两个晚上的时间重新粉刷一新，希望很快能租出去；网络和电话在礼拜六跟Ethan准备出去庆祝生日之前修好了---辗转了一个礼拜无休止的客服电话，就像是上帝的礼物一样，一下解决了大头难；新家的马桶修好了，大部分东西都整理好了，只是很多东西我们都有两份，两个写字台，两个咖啡桌，他的单人床不得已被塞在储藏室的顶上，幸好结婚之前我把我的沙发卖掉了，现在准备在Craigslist上买个二手书橱把地上一堆堆的书清理掉，其他该清理掉的东西也是长久之计，慢慢来吧。最近在厨房做了很多新的尝试，发现烧饭不难，只要能follow recipe, Scallop potato, meat loaf, 意大利面酱还有些中式菜， Ethan边吃边说，没想到我老婆是大厨，呵呵。

 

又一个生日，非常感激上帝赐予的丈夫: 生日礼物是我喜欢的Christian Author Dr. Gary Chapman的两本书The Marriage You've Always Wanted 和 Love As a Way of Life，一套舒服的抱枕和毛毯，冰淇淋和他烤的蛋糕。

 

现在边typing边在线听Moody Radio采访Phil, Ethan和我在教堂的朋友。我们认识的Phil是个非常虔诚的基督徒，活跃在教堂各项服侍中。他这周三做捐肾手术，受益的患者是Phil的大学教授。当他毕业多年后听说自己敬仰的老师身体状况时，他的心里很沉重，在不断祷告中上帝给予他平安并让他做出了一个勇敢的决定: 捐肾。但我们都知道，不论多么的勇敢，有这样的决定是一方面，肾源是否符合匹配是另外一回事。神奇的是，在几率很低的情况下，医生的测试结果是: 肾源匹配！不得不否认上帝的大能和神迹。目前为止，Phil的身体状况指标一切良好，愿上帝保佑他，手术一切顺利，术后恢复一切正常。

 

说到拯救生命，还有一个好消息跟大家分享，一个新生命在上个礼拜诞生了。表姐生了个baby boy，跟我一个属相那哈哈！现在又多了一个想回海的理由拉，拜访我的外甥宝宝，很好奇他们会给他取啥名。。:)

 

芝加哥的秋天很美很短暂，昨天在小区里走了走，很静。邮件里收到了家人感人的贺卡和讯息，现在的心很静。生命在延续着，上帝的见证在延续着，他的平安和祝福胜过一切。

Ethan的垒球赛季结束了，正好其中一名队友家里经营芝加哥的观光游轮, 于是每年赛季结束后所有成员都会被邀请去免费的观光游。去年本人不是家属没好意思跟着去，于是这次作为家属头一次在轮船上好好浏览了一番Downtown Chicago的建筑，并在密西根湖上第一次完整地看了城市的skyline。 今天没什么阳光，湖面比较凉爽。昨晚去Diana的新家聚会，密西根湖面的冷风吹得突然让我意识到夏天已经过去了。秋天很快就会过去然后冬天就要来了。不知道今年的冬天会不会像去年那样天寒地冻，不过对我这种在芝加哥夏季的晚上街头都会叫冷的人，冬天总是会难熬的。现在只是希望快点搬进新家，这样我的秋装就能拿出来穿了。

 

说到球赛，我们的排球队赢了这个赛季的总冠军。只可惜最后一场总决赛正好是我们度蜜月的第一天。结婚前夕我们赢了playoff，知道总决赛不能打心里很痒痒。不过好高兴啊！教堂给冠军队的每位队员发了件The Moody Church Sports League Championship Tshirt, 下礼拜六决定穿着冠军T恤去给老公新的足球赛季加油！

Many times people are living in the way they are content with and hoping there isn't a God. But are you sure there isn't one? What if there is one? Have you ever thought what if? Don't you not fear? at the end what's gonna happen? .... Truth is something we should be longing to but not what our flesh is leaning to...

几个礼拜没更新了，也不知道从何说起了。最近的典型生活大概就是：随身备记事本备忘录，calendar上大大小小的圈，邮件一封接一封的回，电话左一通右一通的打，东西到处买。下班回来，跑步，洗澡，烧饭吃饭，弄弄九点钟再开始忙婚礼的事。这是一个很琐碎的过程，确是见证上帝的经历。很多非常恳切的祷告在上帝的安排下都巧妙的简化了或者实现了，很感谢朋友，朋友的朋友帮忙和提供信息，更感谢家人和Ethan的帮助，分担的感觉很好。一天天日子过得好快，芝加哥也迎来了真正的夏天，今天明显感到湿度很大。

 

两样事值得庆贺，第一，自从在Arizona 2miles的最高纪录到现在坚持一个礼拜锻炼至少三次，每次跑2到4 miles，外加每周的沙滩排球，终于逼着自己开始动起来。身边的朋友一个接一个的跑马拉松，实在觉得佩服。第二，Regulation过了，于是婚礼完了再考两门cpa就暂告段落了，期待ing。

 

上礼拜看完的一本书The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman, 一位Christian author, 很畅销的一本写给婚姻中的夫妻和希望了解自己及另一半，增加双方有效沟通的书。有兴趣的，或者正在恋爱并朝婚姻方向发展的朋友可以参考借鉴。

 

Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians4:6)

The Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. (Deuteronomy 20:4)

We don't become victors by conquering the enemy. We become victors through surrender to Christ. We don't become victors by our independence from the enemy. We become victors by our dependence on God. --Beth Moore

非常喜欢今天的天气，阳光暖暖却不刺眼，华氏７０几度，搁置已久的锻炼计划今天头一次施行。但是我懒人不喜欢一个人在湖边跑步，于是好容易周末睡个懒觉爬起来换上行头到Ethan家，他去打垒球我边看电视边蹬脚踏车，一个小时之后大汗淋漓，爽。回来冲把澡熬上一锅绿豆汤，两年没喝过的绿豆汤，好香啊！下午去婚纱店约好量尺寸修剪婚纱，然后帮我可爱的花童Maddie把裙子搞定，小家伙比新娘还挑剔，还硬要跟我穿一个款型的裙子，看着四岁的小孩套着大人穿的那种婚纱的缩小版，太搞笑了。当然最后买下童真版搞定。然后回来路上跟Katie,Angie去吃了寿司，Dragon Roll永远是我的最爱！晚上回来把婚宴菜单大体定了，上礼拜把蛋糕定了，下礼拜要把摄影合同寄出去，还要。。。 还要。。。。To do list很长，时间过的很快，加油！

 

刚看完一本书 One Minute after You Die，By Erwin W. Lutzer，强力推荐。

 

我们的生命在一分一秒不停前进着，下一站是什么？我们的终点是什么，终极目标是什么？什么又是终极？永恒又意味着什么？太渺小，胆敢不俯伏敬拜。

I'm sure you won't regret hearing this story: http://christopheryuanvideo.blogspot.com/

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought, ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees; Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two, Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death; Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Praise the Lord for the mercy and love! Thank you Lord to save us, and chose us. We would have been dead if not because of your Son Jesus Christ, we would have been walking in the wilderness without hope and peace.

 

I'm so proud of my friends, so proud that I have such great friends that I can witness God's work on them and get encouragement from them.

 

 

Above All- Michael Smith

 

Above all powers above all kings
Above all kingdoms
Above all nature and all created things
Above all thrones
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
Above all wonders
You were here before the world began
The world has ever known

Above all wealth
Above all kingdoms above all thrones
And treasures of the earth
Above all wonders the world has ever known
There's no way to measure
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
What You're worth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

Quote:

"Knowing how to fight is critical to your survival as a happy couple. Love itself is not enough to sustain a relationship in the jungle of modern life. Being in love, in fact, is a very poor indicator of which couples will stay married. Far more important to the survival of a marriage, research shows, is how well couples handle disagreements."

Thank you for the surprise. I love the flowers and gift. Have you ever thought that the thing you bought in China will one day be given to a Chinese girl? Thank you for your understanding that I need to postpone our celebration till next weekend. Thank you for the meal. I'm grateful that God brought you to my life too. I love you.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

 

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

Thanks for the new born King that we can live in life and hope. Because of Him, now I see.

 

Just had a niice late dinner at China town with Rong and Qing, it was very nice meeting old friends. And we started to talk as we did before the minute we met. Time doesn't change us.

 

 

Beautiful snow outside. Seeing the snow through the window from argo tea, it was calmness and contentness. A thin layer of snow on the way back, only my own footprints along the side walk. I enjoy such a snowy night...

It was nice to know that there is a place to stop by and have a pleasant meal when I was tired and waiting for the bus with hunger and chill. It was a nice surprise seeing him make a special trip at such night and found me in argo tea to give my cellphone back. Yes, restaurants, theaters or flowers present romance. But I know the romance to me means more than that, trust, reliance and respect.

 

I heard a very beautiful testimony from a sister tonight. Very encouraging and amazing. God's plan is always unthinkable. And his promise is always more than we asked for.

A lot of interesting things happened after the last entry.

The topic from the moody radio today when I was listening was "forgiveness".

The book I was finishing today talked about Abiding in the Lord. Answered more than what I was asking. 

 

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37:5) 

Dependence on the Spirit does not mean inactivity, but it does mean activating our faith before we activate our wills.

----Bill Thrasher, A Journey To Victorious Praying

 

Thanks for my sister who gave me guidance last night when I'm stuck with my own philosophy:)

Praise the Lord, that was a quick answer!

I'm still excited and can't fall asleep right now. Thank you so much for all the suprises and the wonderful present. So happy to spend my birthday on church day!

Great Seafood!

Broadyway Show

Thanks so much for the cross...

Surprising home-made cake... 

红烧土豆牛肉，第一次自己做这道菜，油盐酱糖，老抽生抽，料酒全凭感觉放。。。结果。。。。非常好吃！！！

上照片----土豆和牛肉貌似有些分不清楚，是因为最后浇上了汤汁:)

结束语：一目了然，只有难得下厨不常研究美食的人才会因为烧出这么一道大众菜而如此兴奋。。。

一个只靠法律和没有条文的道德标准来约束的社会是不能解决人类劣根本质的。经济发展社会反而沦陷。

 

有幸为国内来的医疗界代表团做翻译，整个过程强烈感受到某种文化差异。作为中国人，我当然不会句句都翻给美方听，怕脸红。某家世界500强全球总部会客大厅里，英文：“这面照片墙上的孩子都是世界各地的员工子女或者我们的产品挽救的生命或是我们参与的公益事业救助的孩子们。”另一个声音：“肯定还不就是随便找几个小孩的照片，看看这张不错，啪，就贴上去了呗。”这是什么逻辑？？哦，对阿——立马想到奥运会上天使般童音的小姑娘因为换牙长的不齐硬是被换成另一个脸蛋更漂亮的孩子上舞台假唱。一次在脱口秀节目上看到老美拿小姑娘的照片作为丑小鸭的代表，心里的那种痛。。。。——所以这是用自家的逻辑来揣摩别人的行为。荒诞！

演讲完毕，演讲者请各位提问。鸦雀无声一度冷场。于是演讲者救场，英文:“能不能请中方的各位院长代表谈谈现在国内医疗或医院面临的挑战和压力？”。一个声音:“干吗让我们先说阿，让他们先说说他们的问题吧。经济危机对他们的股票什么冲击阿？”一目了然，不多加评论了。

 

在仲裁委员会，深切体会到在一个国家非native-speaker总是占劣势的。纯粹扯淡瞒天要价的原告，和我可怜的客户，不会说英文普通话也很难听懂的被告。翻译过程趁机狠狠瞪了原告几眼。被attorney说看不出来我才23岁，看上去professional, 当然一身黑是一方面，还有我就是要给中国人打气的，弄得像小孩一样不更让你们好欺负了！！！

 

语文水平急剧下降。。。很多感触却写不出来。。。

The scripture reading from today's service:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

---Romans 5:1-5

Thanks for reminding me, Michelle! It's been one year since we stepped on this new land of America. I still remember our first lunch was in P.F. Chang's and you ordered noodle, which is not authentic Chinese noodle at all:)))

Time flies so fast and I experienced so many things in the past one year, more than any single one year before. The most wonderful thing is that I met God, and know something about eternity.

I feel that I look much older than I was in China, or mature...? I've no idea. Just feel like constant 5hr sleep in past several months make me getting old fast. I learned from what I experienced, now I know more about patience, about money, about earning a life, about respecting different backgrounds and about God's mercy.

I've been asked how do I like this city. Now here is my answer: I fell in love with this city and in this city. 

房租赚回大半了，不至于老在家闲着了。一切都简简单单，没有大风大浪，清静舒坦。碰到一些事，处到一些人。鸡毛蒜皮，不足挂齿。

累到站不稳的时候也有人扶一把，很欣慰。在公园看了露天电影，听了露天贝多芬交响乐，这个城市还是很有意思的。

很喜欢现在small group里的姐妹们，只是有时候就又想起了Tempe的兄弟姐妹，愿大家一切都好。

每每祷告，都盼望有足够的耐心和信心。在等待中培养品格。上帝的计划，我静心守候。