Wednesday, January 20, 2010

home sweet home

i made it.. the 4 hour flight before the sun from Hong Kong to Tokyo.. the 12 hour flight from Tokyo to Atlanta.. trying to keep my eyes open and make it through the hustle and bustle to get on a normal domestic flight after 30 hours of traveling makes for a long, loooong day.

these last several weeks were beyond wonderful on so many levels. when i think about another transition my stomach starts to turn and i don't really want to go through it.. but nonetheless, it's coming.

i borrowed a friend's description of home:

"when i think of home, i think of sweatpants. i'm thankful for jeans, but after a busy day, i like to be comfortable and warm. when i think of home, i think of coffee mugs. i'm thankful for paper cups at starbucks when i'm on the go, but using a mug means you plan to stay for a while. when i think of home, i think of washing my face. i'm thankful for make-up, but at home, nobody cares if i have a breakout or blonde eyelashes. when i think of home, i think of honest conversations. i'm thankful when people ask, "how are you?," but aren't they slightly annoyed if you say something other than "good"? at home, when someone asks how you're doing, they expect to hear it all. it's a place where people want to get excited for you or get upset with you."

but most importantly:

"john 15 (the message), christ says, "make yourselves at home with me." he goes on to say, "i've loved you the way my father has loved me. make yourselves at home in my love."

"he invites me to put on my sweatpants, wash my face, find a coffee mug i like, and sit on the couch with him, telling him all about my day.

..do i get that? do i desire that? or am i the cool college student that thinks i can go a whole semester without going home? am i willing to let myself get that comfortable and honest with him?
"

so in the midst of transitioning ... this is where i hope to be: home.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

stanley



today scott, catherine and i went to stanley..

we left the craziness of the island and got on a bus that took us over to peaceful stanley. it is beautiful.. maybe one of my favorite places in HK.

Monday, January 18, 2010

trolley, sunset, peak


these are from the back of a trolley on the island
the peak at sunset
the view of the harbor at night from the peak

victoria harbor




Saturday, January 16, 2010

take a hike

we did.. this is the mountain behind the castello (where most of the team lives) it's a steep hike up but beautiful at the top. it's hard to believe this is their backyard! it is so quiet and peaceful up there away from the buses, taxis and people

the buildings are the view on the way down.. headed back into the craziness of Sha Tin

Friday, January 15, 2010

tangibility.

from the front lines: www.benandkatieinhaiti.com

seeing faces and knowing names makes it even more real.. praying for these friends and the people they are serving..

turned loose..

today i put my camera around my neck in full tourist fashion and headed towards the harbor. it was a beautiful day.. i didn't get lost and thanks to these words painted on the pavement, knew to look right before i crossed the street. here are some sights from the day:
avenue of stars
the harbor

sunset from the flat

Thursday, January 14, 2010

a few more pics

the bus ride back from the island.. kind of smoggy but pretty neat that to get to the island you take a bus and go under a mountain and under the water to get there
the bird market.. lots and lots and LOTS of birds.

the flower market.. beautiful. unfortunately they had a lot of the flowers not out on the street because of the 60 degree "freeze" in HK.

Monday, January 11, 2010

pace.





..in a place that is constantly moving, buying, changing, selling, walking, riding, gathering, and eating... moments in the corner of a coffee shop, hearing someone's story about knowing God despite her cultural and family rejections of it, causes everything slow down..