Happy Holidays!

Grace and peace to you from G0d our Father and our L0rd and S@vi0r J*s-s Chr*s+!

I will once again begin this post with an apology as I have been very unfaithful in maintaining my blog. Let it suffice to say that I have had very little spare time that went unfilled over the past month or so; consequently, my blog has been seemingly neglected. As it is, I don't believe I've posted since before Thanksgiving, so I guess I have a lot to be thankful for.

I am thankful first and foremost for the true meaning of Chr*stm@s, and I would ask you to join with me and the Ch_rch in China in celebrating this wonderful festival. Marvel with me at the mir@culous mystery: that manger means matchless mercy for mankind, as by G0d's grace He has granted us the greatest gift of all. He sent His  Son to save s*nners, of whom I am the worst. Here in China, we celebrated the holiday with our Chinese friends at a special party on Saturday. It was lots of fun. I got to meet new people, see old friends, and sing some songs. More importantly, we shared the Reason for the season with almost 200 friends, all of whom are in some way or another connected with our work here.

Secondly, I also have been bl*ssed to share this story, the history of the first Xmas with many s0uls who have never heard of it before in China. I am continually in awe of the fact that I have been counted worthy of sharing this g0sp*l, even I, who have been nothing but evil since conception. Still, I know that it is not I who am worthy, but the Lamb who makes me worthy. This provides me great comfort, even while I am far away.

Third, I am thankful for my dear family, who have been supporting me from afar. Mom and Dad, thanks for raising me the way you did. I wouldn't be the man I am today, and I wouldn't be His man today, if you had not provided for me in all the wonderful ways that you did. Cindy, Chris, Carrie--you have all been wonderful older siblings for me (and here in China, I suppose I had better make a distinction between elder and younger siblings). Thanks for being role models throughout the years, for encouraging me when I needed it, and for providing your wisdom when I am not so wise. Ben, I am proud of the man you are becoming. It's been an honor to be your brother. Remember even when you struggle that He is with you. Corey, Cara, Dan--thanks for being such wonderful additions to our family. Aurora, Elijah, Gabriel--thanks for providing our family with so much joy. I suppose I could add Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, but then I would be writing a long time. I love you all very deeply, and I miss you here in China.

Fourth, I am thankful for my friends. Whether my friends at home in the States or here in China, I am thankful for all the people that He has placed in my life. I'm glad that we could meet each other and spur each other on as the Day approaches. I also appreciate the many friendships that I have. Thanks for the good times, and I look forward to more in the future.

Next, I am thankful for my students. I am thankful for both those who come to study the Word and those who study English at my schools. They provide my life with a purpose for the moment. I love them all, and I have been privileged to share with them the story of the first Chr*stm@s here over the last couple weeks. Even in the classroom, I have shared the Luke 2 account, sowing the seed and trusting that He will take care of the rest.

Finally, I am thankful for you, dear reader. I suppose you probably belong to one of the groups above, but those of you who know me understand that I am not simply flattering you; I simply wish to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all that you have done for me. You are a bl*ssing in my life, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

I suppose there are many other details that I could share with you about my life in China. My co-teacher, Ivy, has started an English corner at our college. Essentially, an English corner is an event where the students come together to practice their English a little more freely outside of a classroom setting. Our first night, Ivy and I were joined by my roommate David and Jess Gierach, another FoC teacher from the center of Wuhan.  It seems, however, that I was the star of the show. Many of my students joined us, and they were excited to meet my other American friends and ask me all sorts of questions about my life. I got to share a little bit about what I believe.

The first English corner was such a success (I think we had about 200 students talking to three foreigners and one Chinese teacher) that we decided to repeat it. This time, however, I was the only foreigner who was able to attend, and due to final exams there were far fewer students there. Ivy and I organized some activities, namely an icebreaker, speed-dating (which was an utter failure because after a couple minutes virtually all the girls tried to "speed date" me), and the game telephone. I hope we can organize more events like this in the future, because it gives me an opportunity to answer questions about what I believe and why I believe it.

That is, I suppose, a summary of my adventures thus far. I suppose I could write a post twice this long and tell you about my adventures car-shopping with my friend Liang Jun, or about our Thanksgiving parties,or about how I survived Doomsday, or about what I got for Christmas, or about my romantic interests in China (a hot topic, I know). Or I could leave that for those who are interested. If you wish to contact me, you know how to find me. If you're interested, I'll tell you. Here I have detailed the important things. I'm still enjoying my China life, and I am very bl*ssed to be here now.

I have had a wonderful day this Chr*stmas Day, and I wish all of you similarly a very bl*ssed Chr*stmas!