#25- 火鸡 Update - The Tale of Pocahontas

A reenactment

She wasn't alone in her deliciousness!

Thanks to everyone who made Thanksgiving great! Very thankful.

#24 - 火鸡 (revised)

That is pronounced Huǒ jī - "fire chicken" or Turkey

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for Pocahontas ...

(photo and Turkey care thanks to Adam Erickson)

... and her last day... today.

#23 - Me and my significant other

I have a Skype meeting every now and then with about 5 others. Eveyone else in the meeting has a picture with their significant other or family as their profile picture. This is my profile picture on Skype. Been the same since 2006.

Me and a friendly from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

#21 - Meeting together with friends

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Heb 10:25

Last weekend we were able to gather together with several people not only for a marathon and the paparazzi as seen in the previous post, but also some gathering and singing. It was great to see everyone together and to share the LS together.

We love visitors in Hangzhou, so come visit! And I think you will love Hangzhou and all the great things that happen here. More on that to follow. Just wait for Turkey Day! Hard to believe that's only 8 days away. Its going to be 80 degrees one day this week!

#20 - The Paparazzi

Being foreign can make you stand out in China. Being tall and white and American can make you even more of a rarity. We had many friends in town from other cities for the Hangzhou Marathon this weekend. Here is a little bit of the scene after the race.

#19 - 11.1.11

It is a special day. It’s such a special date. Yes, 11.1.11 is a pretty cool date to look at. But what really makes the day special is that it is the day after Reformation Day. Many Chr-stians around the world commemorate the day Martin Luther posted the 95 Thesis. It's not a day that focuses on Luther. Instead, on that day they thank G0d for keeping His Word pure in the midst of persecution and struggles throughout history.

11.1.11. - 10.31.17 - About 500 years after a re awaking started, people are still standing and fighting for what G0d and His Word really means for us. I am so thankful that G0d gave us faithful men and gave them the faith and courage to understand and explain the truths that are found in the B1ble. That J-sus died for you. That this gift is free. That it is by G0d’s grace. That heav-n is gained by fa1th alone. This is found in Scr-pture alone. Those reformers did many things to change the world. They put the Book into the writing of the people, so they could read it themselves. And they took a stand and wrote down their beliefs and shared them, so that this belief and understanding could be passed down to their children and their children’s children. And in turn so I can have those same beliefs.

Luther and those after him took a stand and wrote down what B1ble said even though it was against what many people believed. In the last few weeks we’ve had a unique opportunity to talk about Truth, specifically Chr-stian Truth. The truth that is taught in the world is very different. This world questions if there could even be truth. Today’s world says one of the worst evils is to say that someone else is wrong. Even if what is thought of as “standard truth” goes completely against G0d and what the B1ble teaches. The theory of evolution and questions about morality are just a few examples.

A few of us were able to ask questions that many people here had maybe never heard before, or at least in the manner that we asked them. We talked about our consciences and morality and nature, and ask if they might make us ask, “Is there a G0d?” We even had the chance to talk about who G0d really is, because He shows who he is from the B-ble and who he is through J-sus. I was extremely thankful for the opportunity and thankful to be given the words to share.

During the discussion after the presentation I was talking to a few st-dents. They asked me how long I had been reading the B-ble. I said since I was a child. They told me they had been learning and studying evolution since they were children. It certainly made me stop a little and think. It certainly made me thankful for the parents and education I have had. While in the US we study evolution in schools, we also hear the other side of things. People over here may have never heard about creation and the Creator. Sometimes they just need to hear the Word.

After all of this we were talking to a st-dent who the week before brought many questions and objections about the idea of a G0d. He was very certain that God was just another name for what we think perfection might be. We discussed this idea and the topics the presenter had put forth about truth. I told him to think about a few things and we’d discuss more next week. After our second presentation he thanked us for our time and our words. And then, after a little pause, he said, “And I really think I am starting to believe there may be a G0d. I really want to look into this B1ble some more.” It is a special day.

#18 - Chicken Feet

So I personally don't love chicken feet. They're a little boney and chewy and feety. But I love the fact that you can find them... everywhere. You can find them at the store. You can find them on the street. You can find them in your soup. This was at one of our friendly neighborhood noodle shops. Chicken feet actually have a lot of flavor, but not much to chew on or eat.

Nate enjoying his chicken feet.