We are in Shiyan, getting our old apartment in order. There were many things that disappeared over the summer, a few things needing taken care of ... and since we are here for Christmas, we thought we'd give these as gifts to the tenants of our old place.
Merry Christmas to all! Happy New Year!
I'll be posting more upon returning to Beijing or when the school decides to give us the gift of internet.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Cookies, Christmas Party, and More Cookies
Jaime, Sunni, Li Shan, and Nikki (and I) made something like 700+ cookies (most were bit size). We gave them to floors 30-13 in our building. We ran out of cookies, so when we return from Shiyan, we are making more and blessing the rest of our building! We then attached this little note to the baggie that held 5 little cookies:
The Christmas Party was great! I juggled... it was a lot of fun. There was a professional violinist, another musician was 15 yrs. old - she played an ancient Chinese "guitar", then there were a couple of singers, but the most precious were the kids from the orphanage. There were tiny, some of them only 4 and up to 6, they did two little dance numbers to Chinese praise songs.
Worship was great too! We had so many blessings from God throughout this day... I'm sure I'll remember this for the rest of my life. One day I'll finally be able to talk with some of my Chinese friends about it too.
It says:圣诞快乐!新年快乐!邱安路 Andrew Hill 先生 (86)15901173497; inspiresme@gmail.com
希珍米 Jaime Hill 太太 (86)15901173498; jaime.myjourney@gmail.com
我 们是基督徒。我们住在望京新城418-2203。我们给您这个礼物因为耶稣给我们他在十字架上的生命。我们为您祷告，上帝给您爱，给您平安，很多祝福。如 果您有圣经的问题或者想学习英语，我们家每星期三晚上七点有英文的圣经学习小组。我们还在同一时间有全中文的圣经学习小组。
Last night we invited them to our Christmas Party that was this afternoon! And for the ones we handed out tonight, we invited them to our study. If their English wasn't great we gave them Gary's info!Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!Chinese name, English name, Husband/Wife; mobile phone, email address
We are Christians. We live at 418-2203 Wangjing Xincheng. We give you this gift because Jesus gave his life for us on the cross. We pray that God gives you love, peace, and many blessings. If you have any questions about Christianity or English, we have an English small group Bible study in our home every Wednesday night at 7. At the same time, but in another place is another small group meeting in Chinese.
The Christmas Party was great! I juggled... it was a lot of fun. There was a professional violinist, another musician was 15 yrs. old - she played an ancient Chinese "guitar", then there were a couple of singers, but the most precious were the kids from the orphanage. There were tiny, some of them only 4 and up to 6, they did two little dance numbers to Chinese praise songs.
Worship was great too! We had so many blessings from God throughout this day... I'm sure I'll remember this for the rest of my life. One day I'll finally be able to talk with some of my Chinese friends about it too.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Wedding & 2 New Sisters
On Sunday we were triply blessed... a wedding and two new sisters! I'll have to post some photos sometime soon.
I've begun a new blog, just for me, Daily Disciplines is about making the changes I desire. I often think about how people (others) should be, the type of person I want to inspire me. I think about those that have lived faithful lives in the Lord's service and that is who I want to be. I want to be an inspiration to others... I want to live a faithful life, a life worthy of imitation, a life I want my children to have, but haven't been keeping the habits that make for this kind of life. So... time to get serious!
I am using that blog as a way to be intentional, to have accountability, to keep a record of my spiritual maturity, and if it is a blessing to others, bonus!
I've begun a new blog, just for me, Daily Disciplines is about making the changes I desire. I often think about how people (others) should be, the type of person I want to inspire me. I think about those that have lived faithful lives in the Lord's service and that is who I want to be. I want to be an inspiration to others... I want to live a faithful life, a life worthy of imitation, a life I want my children to have, but haven't been keeping the habits that make for this kind of life. So... time to get serious!
I am using that blog as a way to be intentional, to have accountability, to keep a record of my spiritual maturity, and if it is a blessing to others, bonus!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
10 Steps to Goal Getting by Zig Zigler
I like Zig Ziggler! I think I have listened to a few of his books, read a few others, and heard him quoted a few thousand times... Bruce Stopher just posted this list on Facebook. I have been struggling with getting some goals accomplished, so I am going to take these ten steps seriously and hope you will too!
These ten steps will help you achieve your goals now or as you make them for 2009.
1. Make the commitment to reach your goal. "One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest." Mary Crowley.
2. Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Record your progress toward your goals every night, and list the six most important things you need to do the next day. Daily discipline is the key to reaching your goals.
3. Build your life on a sold foundation of honesty, character, integrity, trust, love, and loyalty. This foundation will give you an honest shot at reaching any goal you have set properly.
4. Break your intermediate and long-range goals into increments.
5. Be prepared to change. You can't control the weather, inflation, interest rates, Wall Street, etc. Change your decision to move toward a goal carefully--but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.
6. Share your "give-up" goals (i.e., give up smoking, being rude, procrastinating, being late, eating too much, etc.) with many people. Chances are excellent they're going to encourage you.
7. Become a team player. Remember: You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
8. See the reaching. In your imagination see yourself receiving that diploma, getting that job or promotion, making that speech, moving into the home of your dreams, achieving that weight-loss goal, etc.
9. Each time you reach a goal your confidence will grow so that you can do bigger and better things. After accomplishing any goal, record it in your journal, Weekly Planner or Palm Pilot.
10. Remember, what you get by reaching your destination isn't nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals--what you will become is the winner you were born to be!
--------
There are many things I already do that have become wonderful habits, others not so good that need curtailing. Here are the items I need to work on a little more diligently. Anyone up for accountability? I mean real accountability?
Daily Goals:
Weekly Goals:
Monthly Goals:
Yearly Goals:
Do you know of any other goals I should have?
These ten steps will help you achieve your goals now or as you make them for 2009.
1. Make the commitment to reach your goal. "One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest." Mary Crowley.
2. Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Record your progress toward your goals every night, and list the six most important things you need to do the next day. Daily discipline is the key to reaching your goals.
3. Build your life on a sold foundation of honesty, character, integrity, trust, love, and loyalty. This foundation will give you an honest shot at reaching any goal you have set properly.
4. Break your intermediate and long-range goals into increments.
5. Be prepared to change. You can't control the weather, inflation, interest rates, Wall Street, etc. Change your decision to move toward a goal carefully--but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.
6. Share your "give-up" goals (i.e., give up smoking, being rude, procrastinating, being late, eating too much, etc.) with many people. Chances are excellent they're going to encourage you.
7. Become a team player. Remember: You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
8. See the reaching. In your imagination see yourself receiving that diploma, getting that job or promotion, making that speech, moving into the home of your dreams, achieving that weight-loss goal, etc.
9. Each time you reach a goal your confidence will grow so that you can do bigger and better things. After accomplishing any goal, record it in your journal, Weekly Planner or Palm Pilot.
10. Remember, what you get by reaching your destination isn't nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals--what you will become is the winner you were born to be!
--------
There are many things I already do that have become wonderful habits, others not so good that need curtailing. Here are the items I need to work on a little more diligently. Anyone up for accountability? I mean real accountability?
Daily Goals:
- Pray, read portions of the Bible and another good book, and journal it. (30 min.)
- Mandarin study. In class time (3 hours) and studying outside (3 hours). Going to class is easy, studying outside will require accountability - anyone interested? I should spend 3 hours to preview, prep, and review. Then I want to study other material for an hour or so... maybe this is unrealistic.
- Fitness - going to the gym at minimum 3 times each week.
- Check Facebook, email, and such less than 2 times a day.
Weekly Goals:
- Take a Sabbath (12 hours at minimum)
- Call family
- Email Newsletter
Monthly Goals:
- Have a full Sabbath day
Yearly Goals:
- Read the Bible through - accomplished in daily goals
- Take a relaxing vacation with Jaime
Do you know of any other goals I should have?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Distinction
What do you think about this idea, "We have to keep our (insert your brand of Christianity) traditions or else we will not be different from other religious groups."
In thinking about this comment, what is this person's worldview? (My idea: If people are serving God, loving God, and don't get everything just right... wait, that is all the people of this world who serve and love God. So, I will do my best to relate to them in love, while learning from them and sharing my understanding of the Gospel with them.)
The point is this: We, believers in Jesus, are to be distinct from everyone else, non-believers, on this earth ... but how?
This is the most important distinction for us today. God must be in our presence, we must daily seek the presence of God.
Seeking God's presence brings humility into my heart. It helps me to admit my weekness, my sin, my pride, then God is able to heal those broken places so that I can in His confidence love and bless others. Yet, God has placed his confidence in us. He gave us the message of the Gospel. He told us to become like Him. He thinks you and I are able to be like Jesus! I think that is the most ridiculously amazing thing ever. God thinks I can be like Jesus. I have a long way to go, but God says it is so, so it must be so!
God, our Savior, Master, and Friend, we pray that you will lead us into your presence each day. May we search for you, may we know you, may we demand your presence in our lives. We ask you Lord to bring revival to our hearts, to bring a daily hunger and thirst for your Word, for your Spirit. Heal our hurts, bless us with your love, so that we can help others to know you and your love for them. In the name of Jesus - Amen!
In thinking about this comment, what is this person's worldview? (My idea: If people are serving God, loving God, and don't get everything just right... wait, that is all the people of this world who serve and love God. So, I will do my best to relate to them in love, while learning from them and sharing my understanding of the Gospel with them.)
The point is this: We, believers in Jesus, are to be distinct from everyone else, non-believers, on this earth ... but how?
Then he (Moses) said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?"
_Exodus 33:15-16 (NASB)
This is the most important distinction for us today. God must be in our presence, we must daily seek the presence of God.
Seeking God's presence brings humility into my heart. It helps me to admit my weekness, my sin, my pride, then God is able to heal those broken places so that I can in His confidence love and bless others. Yet, God has placed his confidence in us. He gave us the message of the Gospel. He told us to become like Him. He thinks you and I are able to be like Jesus! I think that is the most ridiculously amazing thing ever. God thinks I can be like Jesus. I have a long way to go, but God says it is so, so it must be so!
God, our Savior, Master, and Friend, we pray that you will lead us into your presence each day. May we search for you, may we know you, may we demand your presence in our lives. We ask you Lord to bring revival to our hearts, to bring a daily hunger and thirst for your Word, for your Spirit. Heal our hurts, bless us with your love, so that we can help others to know you and your love for them. In the name of Jesus - Amen!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Sacrifice & Honor
God calls all to sacrifice and honor.
Whether we are senior saints, middlers, or preteens we are to become more and more like Jesus. Which means we are increasingly sacrificial. We are called to sacrifice our wants and wishes for others.
So how do we determine who receives greater honor? Jesus taught that the one who sacrifices the most, that is the slave of all, will be the greatest. Does that mean they receive the greatest honor? If so how do we honor them? Or is it God that truly honors them and we just struggle with them?
There are others that receive great and abundant honor...
1 Corinthians 12:22-26:
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Who is it that "seems" the weakest? Why is "seems" so important? What about that "deem(ing)"?
When one member is honored ... we are all honored! So, does it matter who is honored? We are called to rejoice! We are also called to suffer, but does that mean we murmur about something we don't like? Or does it mean we sacrifice and keep our preference to ourselves?
May God be gracious to us all. May we all learn to sacrifice. May we all put Christ at the forefront, center stage, and follow his lead.
Whether we are senior saints, middlers, or preteens we are to become more and more like Jesus. Which means we are increasingly sacrificial. We are called to sacrifice our wants and wishes for others.
So how do we determine who receives greater honor? Jesus taught that the one who sacrifices the most, that is the slave of all, will be the greatest. Does that mean they receive the greatest honor? If so how do we honor them? Or is it God that truly honors them and we just struggle with them?
There are others that receive great and abundant honor...
1 Corinthians 12:22-26:
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Who is it that "seems" the weakest? Why is "seems" so important? What about that "deem(ing)"?
When one member is honored ... we are all honored! So, does it matter who is honored? We are called to rejoice! We are also called to suffer, but does that mean we murmur about something we don't like? Or does it mean we sacrifice and keep our preference to ourselves?
May God be gracious to us all. May we all learn to sacrifice. May we all put Christ at the forefront, center stage, and follow his lead.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Harmony Outreach
www.HarmonyOutreach.org - a great ministry for special needs orphans, foster care, major surgeries, then adoption. They also assist with the basic needs of many orphanages throughout China.
I randomly met Lisa and 4 of her children at Bite-a-Pitta here in Beijing. We got to talking about how we came to China, ministry, and so much more in a rather brief conversation. Then Jaime and I met with Wayne Barnard, a board member, for dinner at Peter's Tex-Mex to talk about getting involved in the work of Harmony Outreach.
Everything we have heard has been positive. They are well publicized, but the ministry is quite expensive, considering all the surgeries and daily costs. The Bentleys continue to step out on faith as they partner with a number of other orphanages throughout China.
Here are some wonderful video links about the ministry of Harmony Outreach.
John Bentley, a co-founder, talks about their story, ministry, and life in Beijing.
http://www.youtube.com/user/harmonyoutreach
Lisa Misraje Bentley, John's wife and co-founder, talks about Levi.
http://www.lisamisrajebentley.com/index.cfm?pg=doc&id=261
I have committed to raising $480 for Harmony outreach before January 1st. If you are able to help with a few or few hundred dollars, that would be great!
https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?cause_id=59784&fundraiser_id=1262&m=a8965384
You can also donate via the Stateside site:
http://www.harmonyoutreach.org/pages/donate-now/
I randomly met Lisa and 4 of her children at Bite-a-Pitta here in Beijing. We got to talking about how we came to China, ministry, and so much more in a rather brief conversation. Then Jaime and I met with Wayne Barnard, a board member, for dinner at Peter's Tex-Mex to talk about getting involved in the work of Harmony Outreach.
Everything we have heard has been positive. They are well publicized, but the ministry is quite expensive, considering all the surgeries and daily costs. The Bentleys continue to step out on faith as they partner with a number of other orphanages throughout China.
Here are some wonderful video links about the ministry of Harmony Outreach.
John Bentley, a co-founder, talks about their story, ministry, and life in Beijing.
http://www.youtube.com/user/harmonyoutreach
Lisa Misraje Bentley, John's wife and co-founder, talks about Levi.
http://www.lisamisrajebentley.com/index.cfm?pg=doc&id=261
I have committed to raising $480 for Harmony outreach before January 1st. If you are able to help with a few or few hundred dollars, that would be great!
https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?cause_id=59784&fundraiser_id=1262&m=a8965384
You can also donate via the Stateside site:
http://www.harmonyoutreach.org/pages/donate-now/
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Best Cancer-Fighting Foods
The best cancer-fighting foods
A doctor with a malignant tumor changes his diet to stave off his disease
by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, Prevention
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26559677/?pg=1#Health_EdibleHealing
I was diagnosed with brain cancer about 16 years ago. I received chemotherapy and went into remission, but the cancer came back and I endured two surgeries and 13 months of chemotherapy. I asked my oncologist if I ought to change my diet to avoid another recurrence. His answer was perfectly stereotypical: "Eat what you like. It won't make much difference."
He was wrong.
The extensive research published in the last decade alone proves that what you eat can have a profound effect on your protection against cancer. But my doctor's answer was hardly surprising. It's a little-known fact that nutrition is barely taught in med schools, where the solution to most problems is a drug. And doctors don't trust patients to make lifestyle changes. I recall a conversation with a fellow physician at a conference after I spoke on the importance of a healthy diet in fighting disease. "You may be right, David, but people don't want to change," he said. "They just want to take a pill and forget about it." I don't know whether he's right, but after all the study I've done, I know it isn't true for me.
I spent months researching the healing powers of food before I fully grasped my own natural cancer-fighting potential. I met with a variety of researchers, scoured medical databases, and combed scientific publications. I traveled all over the world and consulted experts from nearly every continent.
In my quest, I discovered that the list of anticancer foods is actually quite long. Some foods block natural bodily processes such as inflammation that fuels cancer growth. Others force cancer cells to die through a process that specialists call apoptosis. Still other foods assist the body in detoxifying cancer-causing toxins or protecting against free radicals. But most of them attack the disease on a variety of fronts. And they do it every day, three times a day, without provoking any side effects. To avoid the disease, it's essential to take advantage of this natural protection, and nurture it.
I've learned that the anticancer diet is the exact opposite of the typical American meal: mostly colorful vegetables and legumes, plus unsaturated fats (olive, canola, or flaxseed oils), garlic, herbs, and spices. Meat and eggs are optional. Through extensive research, I devised a list of the most promising cancer fighters, along with recommendations on how to make the most of their potential. Include at least one, and preferably two, at every meal, to maximize your protection.
To date, there is no alternative approach that can cure cancer, and I believe that the best of conventional medicine — surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and soon, molecular genetics — must be used to treat this disease. But to neglect your own natural cancer-fighting capacity is folly. I've kept cancer at bay for 8 years now, and I attribute my survival largely to the changes I've made in my diet and lifestyle. I exercise and meditate more and eat wholesome anticancer foods on a daily basis. Still, the medical establishment is slow to embrace this approach. After my last screening at the university's cancer center, I stopped at the cafeteria and discovered eight different types of tea: Darjeeling, Earl Grey, chamomile, and several fruit-flavored herbal teas. Sadly, there was not a single packet of green tea in the lot.
Japanese green tea
Green tea is rich in compounds called polyphenols, including catechins (and particularly EGCG), which reduce the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors. It's also a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier (activating enzymes in the liver that eliminate toxins from the body), and it encourages cancer cell death. In the laboratory, it has even been shown to increase the effect of radiation on cancer cells.
Japanese green tea (sencha, gyokuro, matcha, etc.) contains more EGCG than common varieties of Chinese green tea, making it the most potent source on the market; look in Asian groceries and tea shops. Black and oolong teas, commonly used to produce popular tea blends such as Earl Grey, are less effective because they've been fermented, which destroys a large proportion of their polyphenols. Decaffeinated green teas, which retain the polyphenols despite the process of decaffeination, are also an option if you're sensitive to caffeine.
How to drink it: Sip 2 to 3 cups a day within an hour of brewing. Green tea must be steeped for at least 5 to 8 minutes — ideally 10 — to release its catechins, but it loses its beneficial polyphenols after an hour or two.
Pomegranate juice
This juice, which tastes like raspberries, has been used in Persian medicine for thousands of years. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are well confirmed; studies show it can substantially reduce the development of even the most aggressive prostate cancers (among others). In addition, drinking it daily slows the spread of an established prostate cancer by more than 50 percent.
How to drink it: Have 8 ounces daily with breakfast.
Ginger
Fresh ginger, or gingerroot, is a powerful anti-inflammatory that combats certain cancer cells and helps slow tumor growth. A ginger infusion can also alleviate nausea from chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
How to use it: Add grated fresh ginger to a vegetable stir-fry or fruit salad. Or, make an infusion by slicing a 1-inch piece of ginger and steeping it in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes; drink hot or cold.
Turmeric
Found in curry powder, this spice is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory available today. It encourages cancer cell death, inhibits tumor growth, and even enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Some research shows that turmeric is most effective in humans when it's mixed with black pepper and dissolved in oil (olive or canola, preferably). In store-bought curry mixes, turmeric represents only 20 percent of the total, so it's better to obtain ground turmeric directly from a spice shop.
How to use it: Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with a teaspoon of olive oil and a generous pinch of ground black pepper and add to vegetables, soups, and salad dressings. Use a tablespoon if you already have cancer. If it tastes too bitter for you, add a few drops of honey or agave nectar.
Cabbages and other cruciferous greens
Cabbages and other cruciferous greens
Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower all contain sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinols (I3Cs), two potent anticancer molecules. These molecules help the body detoxify certain carcinogenic substances and can help prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors. They also promote the suicide of cancer cells and block tumor growth.
How to prepare them: Cover and steam briefly or stir-fry rapidly with a little olive oil. Avoid boiling cabbage and broccoli, which destroys their cancer-fighting compounds.
Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives
The sulfur compounds found in this group (the alliaceous family) promote the death of colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer cells. Epidemiological studies also suggest a lower risk of kidney and prostate cancer in people who consume the most garlic.
How to eat them: The active compounds in garlic are released when you crush the clove, and they're much more easily absorbed if they're combined with a small amount of oil. Sauté chopped garlic and onions in a little olive oil, mix with steamed or stir-fried vegetables, and toss with black pepper and turmeric. They can also be consumed raw, mixed in salads, or layered on sandwiches.
Soy
Compounds called isoflavones (including genistein, daidzein, and glycitein) prevent tumor growth and block the stimulation of cancer cells by sex hormones (such as estrogens and testosterone). There are significantly fewer breast cancer cases among Asian women who have eaten soy since adolescence, and when they do have breast cancer, their tumors are usually less aggressive with higher survival rates. Isoflavone supplements (in pill form) have been associated with an aggravation of certain breast cancers, but whole soy, eaten as food, has not.
How to eat it: Replace conventional milk products with soy milk or soy yogurts for breakfast. Also, use tofu, tempeh, and miso in soups and stir-fries.
Fatty fish
The risk of several cancers is significantly lower in people who eat fish at least twice a week. Several studies discovered that the anti-inflammatory long-chain omega-3s found in fatty fish (or in high-quality purified fish-oil supplements) can help slow cancer cell growth in a large number of tumors (lung, breast, colon, prostate, kidney, etc.).
How to eat it: Have a seafood-based meal two or three times a week. Choose small fish, such as anchovies, small mackerel, and sardines (including canned sardines, provided they are preserved in olive oil and not in sunflower oil, which is too rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats). Small fish contain fewer environmental toxins such as PCBs and mercury. Wild salmon is also a good source of omega-3 fats, and the level of contamination is still acceptable. Choose fresh over frozen whenever possible, because omega-3 content degrades over time.
Citrus
Oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruit contain anti-inflammatory compounds called flavonoids that stimulate the detoxification of carcinogens by the liver. Certain flavonoids in the skin of tangerines — tangeritin and nobiletin — can also help promote the death of brain cancer cells.
How to eat it: Sprinkle grated citrus zest (from organic fruits) into salad dressings or breakfast cereals, or steep in tea or hot water. Eat whole fruits out of hand, toss with other fruits in a salad, or use in a salsa to season grilled fish.
Strawberries
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries contain ellagic acid and a large number of polyphenols, which inhibit tumor growth. Two polyphenols found in berries, anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins, promote cancer cell death.
How to eat them: At breakfast, mix fruit with soy milk and multigrain cereals. (The best cereal options combine oats, bran, flaxseed, rye, barley, spelt, and so on.) Frozen berries are just as potent as fresh.
Dark chocolate
Chocolates containing over 70 percent cocoa provide a number of antioxidants, proanthocyanidins, and many polyphenols. In fact, a square of dark chocolate contains twice as many as a glass of red wine and almost as many as a cup of green tea properly steeped. These molecules slow the growth of cancer cells and limit the blood vessels that feed them.
How to eat it: Enjoy about one-fifth of a dark chocolate bar a day guilt free. Milk chocolate isn't a good alternative because dairy cancels out the cancer protection of the polyphenol compounds.
Adapted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. From "Anticancer, A New Way of Life" by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, published in September 2008. Copyright by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, 2008.
A doctor with a malignant tumor changes his diet to stave off his disease
by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, Prevention
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26559677/?pg=1#Health_EdibleHealing
I was diagnosed with brain cancer about 16 years ago. I received chemotherapy and went into remission, but the cancer came back and I endured two surgeries and 13 months of chemotherapy. I asked my oncologist if I ought to change my diet to avoid another recurrence. His answer was perfectly stereotypical: "Eat what you like. It won't make much difference."
He was wrong.
The extensive research published in the last decade alone proves that what you eat can have a profound effect on your protection against cancer. But my doctor's answer was hardly surprising. It's a little-known fact that nutrition is barely taught in med schools, where the solution to most problems is a drug. And doctors don't trust patients to make lifestyle changes. I recall a conversation with a fellow physician at a conference after I spoke on the importance of a healthy diet in fighting disease. "You may be right, David, but people don't want to change," he said. "They just want to take a pill and forget about it." I don't know whether he's right, but after all the study I've done, I know it isn't true for me.
I spent months researching the healing powers of food before I fully grasped my own natural cancer-fighting potential. I met with a variety of researchers, scoured medical databases, and combed scientific publications. I traveled all over the world and consulted experts from nearly every continent.
In my quest, I discovered that the list of anticancer foods is actually quite long. Some foods block natural bodily processes such as inflammation that fuels cancer growth. Others force cancer cells to die through a process that specialists call apoptosis. Still other foods assist the body in detoxifying cancer-causing toxins or protecting against free radicals. But most of them attack the disease on a variety of fronts. And they do it every day, three times a day, without provoking any side effects. To avoid the disease, it's essential to take advantage of this natural protection, and nurture it.
I've learned that the anticancer diet is the exact opposite of the typical American meal: mostly colorful vegetables and legumes, plus unsaturated fats (olive, canola, or flaxseed oils), garlic, herbs, and spices. Meat and eggs are optional. Through extensive research, I devised a list of the most promising cancer fighters, along with recommendations on how to make the most of their potential. Include at least one, and preferably two, at every meal, to maximize your protection.
To date, there is no alternative approach that can cure cancer, and I believe that the best of conventional medicine — surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and soon, molecular genetics — must be used to treat this disease. But to neglect your own natural cancer-fighting capacity is folly. I've kept cancer at bay for 8 years now, and I attribute my survival largely to the changes I've made in my diet and lifestyle. I exercise and meditate more and eat wholesome anticancer foods on a daily basis. Still, the medical establishment is slow to embrace this approach. After my last screening at the university's cancer center, I stopped at the cafeteria and discovered eight different types of tea: Darjeeling, Earl Grey, chamomile, and several fruit-flavored herbal teas. Sadly, there was not a single packet of green tea in the lot.
Japanese green tea
Green tea is rich in compounds called polyphenols, including catechins (and particularly EGCG), which reduce the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors. It's also a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier (activating enzymes in the liver that eliminate toxins from the body), and it encourages cancer cell death. In the laboratory, it has even been shown to increase the effect of radiation on cancer cells.
Japanese green tea (sencha, gyokuro, matcha, etc.) contains more EGCG than common varieties of Chinese green tea, making it the most potent source on the market; look in Asian groceries and tea shops. Black and oolong teas, commonly used to produce popular tea blends such as Earl Grey, are less effective because they've been fermented, which destroys a large proportion of their polyphenols. Decaffeinated green teas, which retain the polyphenols despite the process of decaffeination, are also an option if you're sensitive to caffeine.
How to drink it: Sip 2 to 3 cups a day within an hour of brewing. Green tea must be steeped for at least 5 to 8 minutes — ideally 10 — to release its catechins, but it loses its beneficial polyphenols after an hour or two.
Pomegranate juice
This juice, which tastes like raspberries, has been used in Persian medicine for thousands of years. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are well confirmed; studies show it can substantially reduce the development of even the most aggressive prostate cancers (among others). In addition, drinking it daily slows the spread of an established prostate cancer by more than 50 percent.
How to drink it: Have 8 ounces daily with breakfast.
Ginger
Fresh ginger, or gingerroot, is a powerful anti-inflammatory that combats certain cancer cells and helps slow tumor growth. A ginger infusion can also alleviate nausea from chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
How to use it: Add grated fresh ginger to a vegetable stir-fry or fruit salad. Or, make an infusion by slicing a 1-inch piece of ginger and steeping it in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes; drink hot or cold.
Turmeric
Found in curry powder, this spice is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory available today. It encourages cancer cell death, inhibits tumor growth, and even enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Some research shows that turmeric is most effective in humans when it's mixed with black pepper and dissolved in oil (olive or canola, preferably). In store-bought curry mixes, turmeric represents only 20 percent of the total, so it's better to obtain ground turmeric directly from a spice shop.
How to use it: Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with a teaspoon of olive oil and a generous pinch of ground black pepper and add to vegetables, soups, and salad dressings. Use a tablespoon if you already have cancer. If it tastes too bitter for you, add a few drops of honey or agave nectar.
Cabbages and other cruciferous greens
Cabbages and other cruciferous greens
Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower all contain sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinols (I3Cs), two potent anticancer molecules. These molecules help the body detoxify certain carcinogenic substances and can help prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors. They also promote the suicide of cancer cells and block tumor growth.
How to prepare them: Cover and steam briefly or stir-fry rapidly with a little olive oil. Avoid boiling cabbage and broccoli, which destroys their cancer-fighting compounds.
Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives
The sulfur compounds found in this group (the alliaceous family) promote the death of colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer cells. Epidemiological studies also suggest a lower risk of kidney and prostate cancer in people who consume the most garlic.
How to eat them: The active compounds in garlic are released when you crush the clove, and they're much more easily absorbed if they're combined with a small amount of oil. Sauté chopped garlic and onions in a little olive oil, mix with steamed or stir-fried vegetables, and toss with black pepper and turmeric. They can also be consumed raw, mixed in salads, or layered on sandwiches.
Soy
Compounds called isoflavones (including genistein, daidzein, and glycitein) prevent tumor growth and block the stimulation of cancer cells by sex hormones (such as estrogens and testosterone). There are significantly fewer breast cancer cases among Asian women who have eaten soy since adolescence, and when they do have breast cancer, their tumors are usually less aggressive with higher survival rates. Isoflavone supplements (in pill form) have been associated with an aggravation of certain breast cancers, but whole soy, eaten as food, has not.
How to eat it: Replace conventional milk products with soy milk or soy yogurts for breakfast. Also, use tofu, tempeh, and miso in soups and stir-fries.
Fatty fish
The risk of several cancers is significantly lower in people who eat fish at least twice a week. Several studies discovered that the anti-inflammatory long-chain omega-3s found in fatty fish (or in high-quality purified fish-oil supplements) can help slow cancer cell growth in a large number of tumors (lung, breast, colon, prostate, kidney, etc.).
How to eat it: Have a seafood-based meal two or three times a week. Choose small fish, such as anchovies, small mackerel, and sardines (including canned sardines, provided they are preserved in olive oil and not in sunflower oil, which is too rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats). Small fish contain fewer environmental toxins such as PCBs and mercury. Wild salmon is also a good source of omega-3 fats, and the level of contamination is still acceptable. Choose fresh over frozen whenever possible, because omega-3 content degrades over time.
Citrus
Oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruit contain anti-inflammatory compounds called flavonoids that stimulate the detoxification of carcinogens by the liver. Certain flavonoids in the skin of tangerines — tangeritin and nobiletin — can also help promote the death of brain cancer cells.
How to eat it: Sprinkle grated citrus zest (from organic fruits) into salad dressings or breakfast cereals, or steep in tea or hot water. Eat whole fruits out of hand, toss with other fruits in a salad, or use in a salsa to season grilled fish.
Strawberries
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries contain ellagic acid and a large number of polyphenols, which inhibit tumor growth. Two polyphenols found in berries, anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins, promote cancer cell death.
How to eat them: At breakfast, mix fruit with soy milk and multigrain cereals. (The best cereal options combine oats, bran, flaxseed, rye, barley, spelt, and so on.) Frozen berries are just as potent as fresh.
Dark chocolate
Chocolates containing over 70 percent cocoa provide a number of antioxidants, proanthocyanidins, and many polyphenols. In fact, a square of dark chocolate contains twice as many as a glass of red wine and almost as many as a cup of green tea properly steeped. These molecules slow the growth of cancer cells and limit the blood vessels that feed them.
How to eat it: Enjoy about one-fifth of a dark chocolate bar a day guilt free. Milk chocolate isn't a good alternative because dairy cancels out the cancer protection of the polyphenol compounds.
Adapted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. From "Anticancer, A New Way of Life" by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, published in September 2008. Copyright by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, 2008.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday...
Today is Wednesday... but what is new about this Wednesday?
1. Gary Jackson is having back surgery.
2. I am excited about Cross Fit (www.CrossFit.com) and p90x.
3. I am ready to seriously start my Chinese schedule.
1. Gary Jackson is having back surgery.
He should be out any time soon. So many people are praying for him. I pray that he will recovery quickly! He is an active guy, he needs to be active. :-)
We have all been praying for him since the beginning of his pain. We pray everyday, all day long for the Father's Spirit & strength to be with him.
2. I am excited about Cross Fit (www.CrossFit.com) and p90x.
I have begun getting ready for some intense workouts. Not that I am going to be doing any major competitions, but if I am going to the gym I want to see results. I am not one for playing sports lightly, I compete with myself to always improve. Naturally results will be needed in the gym. Eating habits are getting modified so that weight can be added (for the first time in my life). This weight will be muscle mass.
3. I am ready to seriously start my Chinese schedule.
I have established a serious schedule of 7-8 hours per weekday of studying Mandarin. I will be getting this into high gear really soon. I have had delays all this week - needing to add pages to my passport, getting my schedules all synced, visiting friends, etc. I will probably need to make a contingency plan, because schedules always get interrupted, changed, and mangled.
Hope you all are excellent! May He provide for all your needs!
1. Gary Jackson is having back surgery.
2. I am excited about Cross Fit (www.CrossFit.com) and p90x.
3. I am ready to seriously start my Chinese schedule.
1. Gary Jackson is having back surgery.
He should be out any time soon. So many people are praying for him. I pray that he will recovery quickly! He is an active guy, he needs to be active. :-)
We have all been praying for him since the beginning of his pain. We pray everyday, all day long for the Father's Spirit & strength to be with him.
2. I am excited about Cross Fit (www.CrossFit.com) and p90x.
I have begun getting ready for some intense workouts. Not that I am going to be doing any major competitions, but if I am going to the gym I want to see results. I am not one for playing sports lightly, I compete with myself to always improve. Naturally results will be needed in the gym. Eating habits are getting modified so that weight can be added (for the first time in my life). This weight will be muscle mass.
3. I am ready to seriously start my Chinese schedule.
I have established a serious schedule of 7-8 hours per weekday of studying Mandarin. I will be getting this into high gear really soon. I have had delays all this week - needing to add pages to my passport, getting my schedules all synced, visiting friends, etc. I will probably need to make a contingency plan, because schedules always get interrupted, changed, and mangled.
Hope you all are excellent! May He provide for all your needs!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Working Out
This is our first week to go to the gym. It is a real gym, with a swimming pool, nautilus style machines, treadmills a plenty, and of course free weights. I have begun designing a regiment for a rotational full body workout and soon will be over that initial pain of starting physical conditioning. Then sometime later, I hope to do a p90x workout...
Language school is another kind of workout. My brain feels like it is going to pop in class - my teacher's liquid fast procession of Chinese gives me a serious workout. I am amazed at how much I understand, but I'm still translating everything. I want to push past that. The good thing about the linguistic workout - my brain won't actually pop. A physical workout can snap-crackle-pop muscles from their connective tissues... but I can keep cramming stuff into my brain for a long time. However, the more that goes in, the more tired it makes me. Language learning really takes a toll on the entire body.
Here is something fun - when I first start working out my body doesn't know how to handle it. I don't have much extra energy hanging around on my body, so I get really jittery and need to eat every couple of hours. I eat fruit when I wake, breakfast with Jaime, a mid-morning snack, lunch, then something mid-afternoon, and a nice simple dinner. I feel like a Hobit: They enjoy at least six meals a day, when they can get them - breakfast, elevenses (sometimes known as 'second breakfast'), luncheon, tea, dinner and, later in the evening, supper.
Language school is another kind of workout. My brain feels like it is going to pop in class - my teacher's liquid fast procession of Chinese gives me a serious workout. I am amazed at how much I understand, but I'm still translating everything. I want to push past that. The good thing about the linguistic workout - my brain won't actually pop. A physical workout can snap-crackle-pop muscles from their connective tissues... but I can keep cramming stuff into my brain for a long time. However, the more that goes in, the more tired it makes me. Language learning really takes a toll on the entire body.
Here is something fun - when I first start working out my body doesn't know how to handle it. I don't have much extra energy hanging around on my body, so I get really jittery and need to eat every couple of hours. I eat fruit when I wake, breakfast with Jaime, a mid-morning snack, lunch, then something mid-afternoon, and a nice simple dinner. I feel like a Hobit: They enjoy at least six meals a day, when they can get them - breakfast, elevenses (sometimes known as 'second breakfast'), luncheon, tea, dinner and, later in the evening, supper.
Friday, October 10, 2008
First Day of School
Monday was the beginning of New Bridge, our language school. Jaime and I are finding that being a student again is a lot of work. Jaime is in the beginning class and I am one level up from that. With all of our classmates being Korean, we are doubly challenged. Koreans are taught 1,000 Chinese characters as children and use them to some extent in daily life. They are ahead of us to put it mildly. Imagine a Korean taking Spanish classes with a bunch of Texans... that's about the equivalent.
We have already met with fellow teachers & new friends from Shiyan! We went to Pete's Tex-Mex near the Lido Hotel - a Holiday Inn that is famous, very famous, yet many people have never heard of it - go figure. Then we met up with Yulin, a friend and LST Reader from the University at Buffalo work. And a few of our Chinese friends/students from Shiyan are here in Beijing studying or doing internships. We hope to get a group going from these friends - one of them is a faithful brother.
We are working on preparing our home for all of you to come visit us! We will have an open house policy something like this: 1. Tell us when you are coming to visit, 2. Consider working with www.LST.org (a separate apartment is provided!), 3. We will arrange for your arrival with a special reception and tour.
We are still needing to spend a good couple of days buying small appliances and most everything for the kitchen. The kitchen came with a fridge and a cooktop with two gas burners - that tells you how much we need to shop! However, we like to eat cheaply in the local hole in the wall restaurants, so the kitchen isn't super important - until you realize our next endeavour.
We are wanting to establish ourselves in our building and community. The building has 30 floors with 10 (?) apartments each. Let's say that 75% of those apartments are rented. 300 x .75 = 225 families in this building. If we made a dozen cookies for each family, that would be 225 x 12 = 2750 cookies... I don't know that we'll be able to do that. 12 is a good number in the states when making cookies, but 8 is a good number here! What if we only made 8 cookies for each family? 1800 cookies? That is still a lot of cookies!
Our friend and family member told of his cookie conversion. "When I ate the cookies that Marcus & Julia made, my mouth opened and my heart opened, and I began learning about true Love from the Creator. I kept eating cookies, the cookies changed me, but the Creator's Love changed me more." (This is a very poor translation of a great story!) This is why we want to make cookies... we'll start with the families on our floor, that'll only be 72 cookies.
Many of our friends in the States are asking how they can get involved in the work here. Some are wanting to come to China as teachers, others with Let's Start Talking, and still others just to visit. We want you to know questions are welcome, we would love to share more with you, and to share China with you! So bring it!
We have already met with fellow teachers & new friends from Shiyan! We went to Pete's Tex-Mex near the Lido Hotel - a Holiday Inn that is famous, very famous, yet many people have never heard of it - go figure. Then we met up with Yulin, a friend and LST Reader from the University at Buffalo work. And a few of our Chinese friends/students from Shiyan are here in Beijing studying or doing internships. We hope to get a group going from these friends - one of them is a faithful brother.
We are working on preparing our home for all of you to come visit us! We will have an open house policy something like this: 1. Tell us when you are coming to visit, 2. Consider working with www.LST.org (a separate apartment is provided!), 3. We will arrange for your arrival with a special reception and tour.
We are still needing to spend a good couple of days buying small appliances and most everything for the kitchen. The kitchen came with a fridge and a cooktop with two gas burners - that tells you how much we need to shop! However, we like to eat cheaply in the local hole in the wall restaurants, so the kitchen isn't super important - until you realize our next endeavour.
We are wanting to establish ourselves in our building and community. The building has 30 floors with 10 (?) apartments each. Let's say that 75% of those apartments are rented. 300 x .75 = 225 families in this building. If we made a dozen cookies for each family, that would be 225 x 12 = 2750 cookies... I don't know that we'll be able to do that. 12 is a good number in the states when making cookies, but 8 is a good number here! What if we only made 8 cookies for each family? 1800 cookies? That is still a lot of cookies!
Our friend and family member told of his cookie conversion. "When I ate the cookies that Marcus & Julia made, my mouth opened and my heart opened, and I began learning about true Love from the Creator. I kept eating cookies, the cookies changed me, but the Creator's Love changed me more." (This is a very poor translation of a great story!) This is why we want to make cookies... we'll start with the families on our floor, that'll only be 72 cookies.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
IKEA
We went to Ikea... it was great, it was horrible, it was too much, yet not enough.
We have been going through a lot of discussions about all the things we need, want, and have differing opinions about. If you have ever done a lot of purchasing all at once, you know that it is a great opportunity to learn about preferences, ways of making decisions, and build a deeper relationship, if you are willing to work through all the underlying issues.
There is always a wonderful anticipation in going to Ikea, then the prices get in the way. Then the choices get in the way. Then the reality of needing to get it all into a taxi, out of the taxi, and into the house in one trip gets in the way. We would like to have a lot of stuff from there, however we are not made of money.
We got a few things for the apartment: rolling end tables that will triple as storage, coffee table (together), and computer work station (did that somehow quadruple?). Let's add some excitement and talk about the food! We got some lingonberry jam, huge round crackers, and a small assortment of cookies.
Dinner was nice - hotdogs, sadly without relish. Oh, how I relish my relish! Hotdogs seem to be best when they have a good mustard and relish combo. We shared the soda fountain cola.
Oh, back to the stuff - a set of dishes, silverware (which we only use when eating non-Chinese foods), cute smallish coffee mugs with little saucers... let me just say we got some good deals and will have some nice things.
So this blog is named "Inspire" - but what is inspiring about all of this? Maybe you can help me out, provide me with some answers, comments, questions, something. I am trying to revive this mostly dead blog, maybe qouting from The Princess Bride will help!
Miracle Max: He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him.
Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk.
Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.
Inigo Montoya: What's that?
Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.
We have been going through a lot of discussions about all the things we need, want, and have differing opinions about. If you have ever done a lot of purchasing all at once, you know that it is a great opportunity to learn about preferences, ways of making decisions, and build a deeper relationship, if you are willing to work through all the underlying issues.
There is always a wonderful anticipation in going to Ikea, then the prices get in the way. Then the choices get in the way. Then the reality of needing to get it all into a taxi, out of the taxi, and into the house in one trip gets in the way. We would like to have a lot of stuff from there, however we are not made of money.
We got a few things for the apartment: rolling end tables that will triple as storage, coffee table (together), and computer work station (did that somehow quadruple?). Let's add some excitement and talk about the food! We got some lingonberry jam, huge round crackers, and a small assortment of cookies.
Dinner was nice - hotdogs, sadly without relish. Oh, how I relish my relish! Hotdogs seem to be best when they have a good mustard and relish combo. We shared the soda fountain cola.
Oh, back to the stuff - a set of dishes, silverware (which we only use when eating non-Chinese foods), cute smallish coffee mugs with little saucers... let me just say we got some good deals and will have some nice things.
So this blog is named "Inspire" - but what is inspiring about all of this? Maybe you can help me out, provide me with some answers, comments, questions, something. I am trying to revive this mostly dead blog, maybe qouting from The Princess Bride will help!
Miracle Max: He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him.
Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk.
Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.
Inigo Montoya: What's that?
Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.
Starting School
Jaime and I started school on Monday. Mandarin classes in Mandarin with very little English. We are at different levels, but the same style of teaching is employed. First we listen to the teacher read all the new words twice as we recite them. She adds more words for us to know and use, while she tells stories using an almost pantomiming body language to illustrate and explain everything. They constantly ask, "Ming bai ma?" which means, "Do you understand?" If you don't get it... they do it again a little differently.
These teachers have great attitudes! Jaime and I are the only Americans in our classes, the others are all Korean. We live in Little Korea or Korea Town or whatever the Chinese would call it.
We signed up for a year of language classes, so tomorrow we'll go get our physicals for the visa in the Haidian area - about an hour from us. The exams will take about 2 hours, starting maybe at 8:30am, we'll get done around 10:30 and need to hurry back for our 11am class.
Today, our landlord had the painter come to fix a set of cabinets in the kitchen. He mixed up something very foul smelling to smooth out the cracks, then painted a base coat. That foul smelling compound was rank, I really wish I could share it with you, like a glass of sour milk - "Hey taste this, isn't it awful?"
We are truly thankful here - so many opportunities. We met up with our friend Yulin from Buffalo - she lives here in Wangjing, just a few bus stops away. We invited her to our Sunday meeting and she accepted.
We are working on connecting with our other friends from Buffalo, Shiyan, and everywhere to see about getting a group together for learning more about our Wonderful King.
Let us here from you! We are so thankful for your petitions on our behalf, support, and general relational encouragement.
Of course I am going to plug our favorite way to visit us: www.LST.org - Let's Start Talking uses conversational English to share the Good News with people all over the world. Are you interested in visiting us and sharing the Good News? Check out www.LST.org!
These teachers have great attitudes! Jaime and I are the only Americans in our classes, the others are all Korean. We live in Little Korea or Korea Town or whatever the Chinese would call it.
We signed up for a year of language classes, so tomorrow we'll go get our physicals for the visa in the Haidian area - about an hour from us. The exams will take about 2 hours, starting maybe at 8:30am, we'll get done around 10:30 and need to hurry back for our 11am class.
Today, our landlord had the painter come to fix a set of cabinets in the kitchen. He mixed up something very foul smelling to smooth out the cracks, then painted a base coat. That foul smelling compound was rank, I really wish I could share it with you, like a glass of sour milk - "Hey taste this, isn't it awful?"
We are truly thankful here - so many opportunities. We met up with our friend Yulin from Buffalo - she lives here in Wangjing, just a few bus stops away. We invited her to our Sunday meeting and she accepted.
We are working on connecting with our other friends from Buffalo, Shiyan, and everywhere to see about getting a group together for learning more about our Wonderful King.
Let us here from you! We are so thankful for your petitions on our behalf, support, and general relational encouragement.
Of course I am going to plug our favorite way to visit us: www.LST.org - Let's Start Talking uses conversational English to share the Good News with people all over the world. Are you interested in visiting us and sharing the Good News? Check out www.LST.org!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Finding Health
I struggle, yes, I sin
In my travels I have been made more self-aware. I recognize my own struggles more easily and openly these days. I want to be transparent, but I also want to have nothing for you to find when I am transparent. We all want others to be honest, but are fearful of being too open ourselves.
In worship last week I thought deeply about these ideas as the preacher talked about the heartache he brought to God throughout his life and how he really loves God and doesn't want to hurt Him. I realized we usually don't say too much about our personal struggles, other than that we have struggles. When do we admit we aren't perfect? Many times we wear masks and attempt to look like we have it all together.
So there is a message I want to share: "Saints are Sinners Saved by Grace"
The message goes something like this...
Please note to yourself where you have failed this past week, let's start with "The 7 Deadly Sins":
Romans 1: 28-32
"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (ESV)
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (ESV)
Revelations 21:8
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (ESV)
There are other lists... but I think you get the point. We all struggle, we all need forgiveness and grace. God knows this, individually we know this, and collectively we know this, however we struggle to admit it for fear of ______ (fill in the blank). Are we afraid others will know our secret - that we are not perfect? Or is it that we are afraid we'll have to admit what that struggle is to another person? What are we afraid of really? Being judged by others? I think there are many more fears and concerns I haven't addressed, and all of these are why we prefer to simply talk with God and only God about our struggles.
We need to purify our hearts and minds. We need to find a friend that can be our confidant - someone that isn't just keeping a secret (that would be far to simple), but someone who can encourage us to grow in God's grace and love. Someone who will bless us with God's blessings of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and accountability.
Talking with a new friend she said it like this, "What is the most popular isle in the store? The discount isle - the ones with all the stuff that has been used, nicked, dented, scratched, broken, worn and returned, all these things are really desirable. The same goes for people." The ones that are broken in, well worn, aware of their flaws and accepting of others - these people are also desirable, not just to other people, but to God.
Humanity Wrapped in Humility
An older preacher friend told me about his ministry before failure - it was nonexistent. He didn't really connect with people. They thought he was too perfect. Then he went to Africa and failed. The team he was on didn't get along and they all came back early... and he immediately was able to connect to the people around him.
Why? Because he was more aware of his own failure and so were they. They could see he had experience as a human being that was real, not something he learned in a book. They could see it on his face, they could hear it as he preached, they could watch him live in God's grace daily. His life was meaningful because he could embrace his humanity with humility.
Focus
What I propose is this... don't focus on your sin, focus on God's grace! Recognize your sin, accept that you are a person and therefore sinful. Seek God's grace and mercy through forgiveness and if needed baptism into Christ. Then keep your focus on Jesus. Think more about your goals than the gutter. When we focus on the gutter that is where we will end up. If we focus on our fears - they will arrive. However if we focus on our goals of godliness then they will be our destination.
I write all of this because I have been afraid of becoming like so many others - sick, sinfully sick to the point of utter life failure. I am reminded again and again that I need to focus on health, not my fears. I need to find healthy spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical goals that represent a balanced approach to life.
So, I ask for your prayers, encouragement, and blessings as I journey towards Jesus focusing on a healthy hearing of His word and obedience to His Spirit.
Find the Vice, then find the Virtue to focus on:
Lust vs. Purity = Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of body and thought through education and betterment.
Gluttony vs. Self-control = Practicing restraint, self-control, abstention, moderation.
Greed vs. Generosity = Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.
Sloth vs. Diligence = A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Putting forth full concentration in one's work
Wrath vs. Patience = Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners.
Envy vs. Kindness = Love, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice and for its own sake.
Pride vs. Humility = Modest behavior and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.
Injustice vs. Justice = Honesty, and the giving of righteousness. Being fair or telling the truth. Doing what is right and not what is wrong. It is the light of truth that conquers the dark of the wrong. Equity, impartiality.
Accepting God's Grace
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)
Romans 3:21-28
"Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life's blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. What is left for us to brag about? Not a thing! Is it because we obeyed some law? No! It is because of faith. We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law." (CEV)
Matthew 28:18-20
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" (CEV)
In my travels I have been made more self-aware. I recognize my own struggles more easily and openly these days. I want to be transparent, but I also want to have nothing for you to find when I am transparent. We all want others to be honest, but are fearful of being too open ourselves.
In worship last week I thought deeply about these ideas as the preacher talked about the heartache he brought to God throughout his life and how he really loves God and doesn't want to hurt Him. I realized we usually don't say too much about our personal struggles, other than that we have struggles. When do we admit we aren't perfect? Many times we wear masks and attempt to look like we have it all together.
So there is a message I want to share: "Saints are Sinners Saved by Grace"
The message goes something like this...
Please note to yourself where you have failed this past week, let's start with "The 7 Deadly Sins":
- Lust
- Gluttony
- Greed
- Sloth
- Wrath
- Envy
- Pride
Romans 1: 28-32
"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (ESV)
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (ESV)
Revelations 21:8
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (ESV)
There are other lists... but I think you get the point. We all struggle, we all need forgiveness and grace. God knows this, individually we know this, and collectively we know this, however we struggle to admit it for fear of ______ (fill in the blank). Are we afraid others will know our secret - that we are not perfect? Or is it that we are afraid we'll have to admit what that struggle is to another person? What are we afraid of really? Being judged by others? I think there are many more fears and concerns I haven't addressed, and all of these are why we prefer to simply talk with God and only God about our struggles.
We need to purify our hearts and minds. We need to find a friend that can be our confidant - someone that isn't just keeping a secret (that would be far to simple), but someone who can encourage us to grow in God's grace and love. Someone who will bless us with God's blessings of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and accountability.
Talking with a new friend she said it like this, "What is the most popular isle in the store? The discount isle - the ones with all the stuff that has been used, nicked, dented, scratched, broken, worn and returned, all these things are really desirable. The same goes for people." The ones that are broken in, well worn, aware of their flaws and accepting of others - these people are also desirable, not just to other people, but to God.
Humanity Wrapped in Humility
An older preacher friend told me about his ministry before failure - it was nonexistent. He didn't really connect with people. They thought he was too perfect. Then he went to Africa and failed. The team he was on didn't get along and they all came back early... and he immediately was able to connect to the people around him.
Why? Because he was more aware of his own failure and so were they. They could see he had experience as a human being that was real, not something he learned in a book. They could see it on his face, they could hear it as he preached, they could watch him live in God's grace daily. His life was meaningful because he could embrace his humanity with humility.
Focus
What I propose is this... don't focus on your sin, focus on God's grace! Recognize your sin, accept that you are a person and therefore sinful. Seek God's grace and mercy through forgiveness and if needed baptism into Christ. Then keep your focus on Jesus. Think more about your goals than the gutter. When we focus on the gutter that is where we will end up. If we focus on our fears - they will arrive. However if we focus on our goals of godliness then they will be our destination.
I write all of this because I have been afraid of becoming like so many others - sick, sinfully sick to the point of utter life failure. I am reminded again and again that I need to focus on health, not my fears. I need to find healthy spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical goals that represent a balanced approach to life.
So, I ask for your prayers, encouragement, and blessings as I journey towards Jesus focusing on a healthy hearing of His word and obedience to His Spirit.
Find the Vice, then find the Virtue to focus on:
Lust vs. Purity = Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of body and thought through education and betterment.
Gluttony vs. Self-control = Practicing restraint, self-control, abstention, moderation.
Greed vs. Generosity = Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.
Sloth vs. Diligence = A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Putting forth full concentration in one's work
Wrath vs. Patience = Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners.
Envy vs. Kindness = Love, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice and for its own sake.
Pride vs. Humility = Modest behavior and the giving of respect. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self.
Injustice vs. Justice = Honesty, and the giving of righteousness. Being fair or telling the truth. Doing what is right and not what is wrong. It is the light of truth that conquers the dark of the wrong. Equity, impartiality.
Accepting God's Grace
John 3:16
Romans 3:21-28
Matthew 28:18-20
"And Jesus came and said to them,
Monday, May 12, 2008
Earthquake!
We are thankful to report that no one we know was injured during the earthquake. If you haven't heard, it was West of us (Shiyan, Hubei) in the Sichuan Province. Most of China felt the earthquake, even most of Asia. Here is the AP article: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gBr_dOzJ9Pnc_U9gSgtTgE-cR-KwD90K8VFG0
Please pray for those still trapped and the families of all the victims.
We are currently finishing our semester here at the medical college. When the quake struck Jaime and I were both at the very beginning of class. Jaime was not sure what was happening, her classroom didn't move as much. I was in a different building and felt the earthquake a little more. The video projection unit mounted to the ceiling began swaying, then the ceiling fans, and finally everyone felt it and we all became a little quiet. The duration was about 2 minutes, then I began teaching.
There was no damage or injuries here. The students immediately began receiving text messages from friends and family from all over China. Everyone was reporting on their experience and warning that more earthquakes were scheduled to arrive later in the evening, probably 7:30pm (like you can schedule earthquakes).
Please pray for those still trapped and the families of all the victims.
We are currently finishing our semester here at the medical college. When the quake struck Jaime and I were both at the very beginning of class. Jaime was not sure what was happening, her classroom didn't move as much. I was in a different building and felt the earthquake a little more. The video projection unit mounted to the ceiling began swaying, then the ceiling fans, and finally everyone felt it and we all became a little quiet. The duration was about 2 minutes, then I began teaching.
There was no damage or injuries here. The students immediately began receiving text messages from friends and family from all over China. Everyone was reporting on their experience and warning that more earthquakes were scheduled to arrive later in the evening, probably 7:30pm (like you can schedule earthquakes).
Monday, April 21, 2008
Driving without lights
The Earnshaw Vault
Driving without lights
Posted by Jeremy Goldkorn, April 18, 2008 12:58 PM
Graham Earnshaw was the Daily Telegraph correspondent in Beijing from 1980 to 1984, and he's been looking through his clippings, which seem to prove both that China has changed completely and also that China has stayed exactly the same. This spring and summer, Danwei will be publishing a series of these reports from the past. This is today's resurrected item:
Legal hazards facing drivers in Peking
March 5, 1981
By Graham Earnshaw in Peking
A good way of causing a traffic accident in Peking is actually to drive according to the letter of the law.
Not only is it illegal to drive at night through the Chinese capital's dimly-lit streets with headlights on, but trying to respect the law on pedestrian crossings appears to only increase traffic chaos.
As a test, I drove down the length of Peking's busiest street, the Avenue of Everlasting Peace, trying to stay within the law. I failed, and probably avoided an accident as a result.
Zebra crossings were painted across some of the main roads last year and regulations enacted which state that drivers must give way to pedestrians on the crossings.
But no driver in Peking takes the slightest notice of the regulation despite the law's clear warning that any accident involving an injury in a zebra crossing is automatically assumed to be the fault of the driver.
My attempt at driving lawfully not only failed, but I also caused confusion amongst the pedestrians uncertain of why I was stopping, anger amongst drivers behind me convinced that I had the right of way, and impatience in the case of one policeman who testily waved me on as I stopped to let pedestrians cross.
One car almost ran into me as I slowed to remain within the law.
The utter confusion which reigns on Peking's streets appears to be getting worse despite attempts to deal with the problems.
For years the biggest hazards have been swarms of jay-walking pedestrians and the cyclists zig-zagging amongst the traffic in death-defying fashion. Few Peking citizens seem to realize that cars can kill.
But the twin nightmares of serving cyclists and darting pedestrians have been joined recently by another danger - a corps of novice taxi drivers conscripted on to the roads to help deal with a recent influx of foreign
tourists.
Driving at night down Peking's dark thoroughfares is particularly hair-raising because of the law banning headlights.
When asked the reason for the curious ban on headlights Chinese officials have said that it is to stop the cyclists being dazzled.
- - - - - - -
Author's note: At the time, there were almost no cars on Beijing streets except for a few buses, army jeeps and the occasional Red Flag limo. It was all bicycles. It was possible to drive very fast, and I once did Jianguomen to Beida in 15 minutes. Madness. At night camel trains of several camels, as well as donkey carts, would pass along Jianguomenwai Dajie, so deathly quiet after 9pm that it was possible to clearly hear the Peking station clock playing the East is Red on the hour every hour. Another explanation given for the ban on headlights was to prevent giving the US imperialists or Soviet revisionists guidance on any possible bombing run.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
At 13 months old she started reading!
I just want to share an excerpt of this amazing story!
...
Katy Barrett and her husband, Michael, are speech pathologists, and when Elizabeth was born they started teaching her sign language along with spoken language. They read to her often, and her favorite television program — the only one her parents let her watch — was a PBS show called “Signing Times,” which teaches kids sign language.
Yet, as much as her parents worked to stimulate her language skills, they were as astonished as anyone when she started picking out words and reading them, especially as they never attempted to teach her to read.
“We tried to do everything we could to try to stimulate her language growth,” Michael Barrett told Curry. “From day one Katy has been using sign language with her. We think anything relating to language is a good thing to nurture.”
Even so, he went on, that wouldn’t be enough to teach Elizabeth to read. “I think there’s more to it than that,” he said. “I think she has some special abilities that have just been a fortunate thing she’s been born with.”
“This is something we never expected,” added his wife. “We didn’t teach her this. We don’t sit down and drill her on words. She loves reading books.”
...
In fact, they said, the reason they called their local NBC affiliate with their daughter’s story was because they wanted to reach out to experts who could help them deal with Elizabeth’s abilities.
On Monday, they were surprised to discover that Elizabeth had talents they weren’t aware of. While Schwartz was talking, Curry wrote a word in script on the back of a sheet of paper, then showed it to Elizabeth.
“That’s cursive,” Michael Barrett started to say.
“Ba-by,” Elizabeth interrupted.
“She reads cursive?” Curry exclaimed.
Replied Katy Barrett, “We didn’t know that.”
The full story! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23556514?GT1=43001
...
Katy Barrett and her husband, Michael, are speech pathologists, and when Elizabeth was born they started teaching her sign language along with spoken language. They read to her often, and her favorite television program — the only one her parents let her watch — was a PBS show called “Signing Times,” which teaches kids sign language.
Yet, as much as her parents worked to stimulate her language skills, they were as astonished as anyone when she started picking out words and reading them, especially as they never attempted to teach her to read.
“We tried to do everything we could to try to stimulate her language growth,” Michael Barrett told Curry. “From day one Katy has been using sign language with her. We think anything relating to language is a good thing to nurture.”
Even so, he went on, that wouldn’t be enough to teach Elizabeth to read. “I think there’s more to it than that,” he said. “I think she has some special abilities that have just been a fortunate thing she’s been born with.”
“This is something we never expected,” added his wife. “We didn’t teach her this. We don’t sit down and drill her on words. She loves reading books.”
...
In fact, they said, the reason they called their local NBC affiliate with their daughter’s story was because they wanted to reach out to experts who could help them deal with Elizabeth’s abilities.
On Monday, they were surprised to discover that Elizabeth had talents they weren’t aware of. While Schwartz was talking, Curry wrote a word in script on the back of a sheet of paper, then showed it to Elizabeth.
“That’s cursive,” Michael Barrett started to say.
“Ba-by,” Elizabeth interrupted.
“She reads cursive?” Curry exclaimed.
Replied Katy Barrett, “We didn’t know that.”
The full story! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23556514?GT1=43001
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Man was made to serve.
Genesis 2:8; "The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed."
Now check out Philippians 2:7; "(Jesus) ...emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men."
What am I getting at?
I have heard it before, but connected it again this past Sunday: Man was made to serve.
God made man. God made the Garden of Eden. God put man in the garden. God gave man the responsibility of taking care of the garden (and everything else in the world). God gave us power over all living things. God also gave us choice.
So, we were made to serve God and each other. Adam served Eve, and vice versa. Adam was made first, Eve as his helpmate (perfectly matched companions, responsible to each other).
But we exercised our choice to eat the fruit. By doing so, we experienced pain for the first time. Some want to say we got smarter, but, no, we just realized we cut off our ability to have eternal life, sadness. We realized our nakedness, shame. We realized the inherent power structure, slavery - or so we thought.
We tried to compensate for our sadness, shame, and slavery. We sought out a variety of coverings, like masks, just hiding the wounds, until we came to know God's providence through sacrifice.
Now check out Philippians 2:7; "(Jesus) ...emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men."
What am I getting at?
I have heard it before, but connected it again this past Sunday: Man was made to serve.
God made man. God made the Garden of Eden. God put man in the garden. God gave man the responsibility of taking care of the garden (and everything else in the world). God gave us power over all living things. God also gave us choice.
So, we were made to serve God and each other. Adam served Eve, and vice versa. Adam was made first, Eve as his helpmate (perfectly matched companions, responsible to each other).
But we exercised our choice to eat the fruit. By doing so, we experienced pain for the first time. Some want to say we got smarter, but, no, we just realized we cut off our ability to have eternal life, sadness. We realized our nakedness, shame. We realized the inherent power structure, slavery - or so we thought.
We tried to compensate for our sadness, shame, and slavery. We sought out a variety of coverings, like masks, just hiding the wounds, until we came to know God's providence through sacrifice.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Trip to the States...
While visiting at my mom's we were blessed to get together with all my brothers and meet my oldest brothers fiance. We had a great time near the New River Gorge, staying in a very large cabin/house. We cooked, cleaned, and updated her computer. Jaime was able to visit with her friends from college and a friend from the AmeriCorp. I just finished reading The Heavenly Man, very interesting. What are your thoughts?
Since the beginning of the year I have also read or finished reading Clarence Thomas' Memoir My Grandfather's Son and Saving Fish from Drowning, Searching for God Knows What, The Heavenly Man The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun, God's Secretaries The Making Of The King James Bible.
After staying at my Mom's, we visited with the Prestoncrest C of C in Dallas! This was a great experience. We met many nice people, had some great BBQ, and got support for our time in Beijing!
While at Jaime's Mom's... I did a little reading, some of those mentioned above. I also studied Chinese sometimes, watched TV, took the dog for a walk, cooked and washed the dishes, cleaned her car, and shoveled the drive.
Since returning to China, I have begun studying Chinese more frequently. I want to be able to speak to people... I really look forward to living in Beijing, studying the language full time, and sharing Him with the wonderful people there.
I was talking with our friends here about how much time I plan to spend studying the language. I said I'll take the minimum from the language school 1.5 hours a day and hire someone to practice talking with me 1 on 1 in our home, but then I started thinking about it more. I can do better than that... using Rosetta Stone, the language books I already have, the many practice books for writing characters, and Pimsluer, I could easily occupy the entire day. So, as always I'll work out some grand scheme for how to best do this and it'll be phenomenal, then I'll scale back to something realistic.
Since the beginning of the year I have also read or finished reading Clarence Thomas' Memoir My Grandfather's Son and Saving Fish from Drowning, Searching for God Knows What, The Heavenly Man The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun, God's Secretaries The Making Of The King James Bible.
After staying at my Mom's, we visited with the Prestoncrest C of C in Dallas! This was a great experience. We met many nice people, had some great BBQ, and got support for our time in Beijing!
While at Jaime's Mom's... I did a little reading, some of those mentioned above. I also studied Chinese sometimes, watched TV, took the dog for a walk, cooked and washed the dishes, cleaned her car, and shoveled the drive.
Since returning to China, I have begun studying Chinese more frequently. I want to be able to speak to people... I really look forward to living in Beijing, studying the language full time, and sharing Him with the wonderful people there.
I was talking with our friends here about how much time I plan to spend studying the language. I said I'll take the minimum from the language school 1.5 hours a day and hire someone to practice talking with me 1 on 1 in our home, but then I started thinking about it more. I can do better than that... using Rosetta Stone, the language books I already have, the many practice books for writing characters, and Pimsluer, I could easily occupy the entire day. So, as always I'll work out some grand scheme for how to best do this and it'll be phenomenal, then I'll scale back to something realistic.
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