My oldest daughter, McKenna, just returned from China. She is home for Christmas after 4 amazing months of teaching English and touring China. She missed home while she was away, but now she misses the sweet children of China.
In her own words, here is a glimpse of what McKenna discovered in China:
Tomorrow is my last full day at the school. By Tuesday, I head to Shanghai to go home. I can't believe how fast my time flew, and my heart is in pieces having to leave my china life behind. I've learned so much about how to better myself gradually every day. I'm incredibly grateful for the experiences I've had and the friendships I will cherish for the rest of my life. This was my first time living away from home, and it has taught me about responsibility and liability. The kids and my roommates taught me to love unconditionally. And China taught me that life's okay. I'm okay and I will be okay. No matter the circumstances, I can get through it. Not only have I learned while being in China, I grew, lived, and loved.
I guess you could say,
I was Made In China.
I am so proud of my daughter and I know that her Father in Heaven is proud of her too.
Some additional thoughts I have had the past few weeks:
Early morning hours often give us more time to think. The dark and quiet walls of this house provide a moment of peace and contemplation. A chance to ponder and pray and reflect on so many things I am grateful for and all those that I love. Happiness comes from the simple things, and I thank a loving Heavenly Father for so many of them.
More often than not, the secret to happiness is appreciating what you have.
Sometimes we forget that life is full of hard trials and few escape this. Like the changing seasons, trials often come in phases. In your season of trial, never doubt that God both recognizes your suffering and waits to comfort you. Trust God and turn to Him, accepting adversity, not as fate, but as a crucial part of a divinely ordained plan. It may not ease the pain, entirely, but it gives purpose to your suffering. Then, when the hardship passes and the harsh season has ended, you too will testify that a merciful and loving God never abandoned you.
There will always be those who complain when it rains or when it snows or when the wind blows. There will be plenty of missed green lights and long waits at red lights. There will be plenty of spills on new shirts or clean carpets. Your favorite teams may even lose, your stocks may go down, your taxes go up. You may have back aches or head aches or constant other aches, but life isn't about conditions or consequences. You have a choice. You can choose to concentrate, too much, on all the negative conditions around you, or you can choose to fall in love with the people and positive things that surround you. It's your choice.
As often as we are encouraged to ask and answer the following question "What would Jesus do?", at this time of year we might also add an additional question: "What do you do for others?" The answer might be as startling as the question. #whatcanidoforyou?
Having good manners is more than simply please and thank you: it’s how we behave around others and how we treat others. Being a peacemaker includes good manners, but it requires so much more. Those who strive to be peacemakers don’t try to cause arguments or contention; they avoid lashing out or yelling. They don’t swear at or swear around others. They avoid being cruel or hurtful in speech and action. They are positive even when situations seem negative. They are watchful with what they say and do, not because they are afraid of others, but because they aspire to a higher level of kindness. A peacemaker never mocks or pokes fun of others, but always wants to err on the side of kindness and generosity towards all those that they might meet. The peacemaker is full of Christmas cheer, love and compassion, because they understand that peace and joy and love are worth every effort and every sacrifice. Fill someone's heart with these gifts this Christmas. You will be much happier, and so will they.
If we, in the exercise of our faith, base our faith in conditions or results, our faith may be shaken if the conditions or results don't go according to our plans or desires. But when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, and exercise faith and trust in Him, our faith is strengthened whatever the outcome may be
I have hope in the final outcome because I have faith and hope in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect brightness of hope!
Merry Christmas!
