February 27th, 2011

A last chat with Jing Ni and Melissa on Skype... Jing Ni suddenly burst into song and her sweet voice reminded me:

It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer;
It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer.

Not my mother, not my father But it's me,

oh Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.

It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer;
It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer.

Not my brother, not my sister But it's me, oh Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.

It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer;
It's me, it's me, oh Lord Standing in the need of prayer.

Apple Pie...and Poetry

So today I was in the kitchen and realized that we had several apples that really needed used, one of the joys of living with a community kitchen, and so an apple crunch was in order. I was standing there cutting apples when I came to one which was particularly shriveled and I could not help but smile and think of my Grandpa Bywater who used to entertain us so often with the poems he had memorized and there it was...with each slice I could hear his voice as clear as could be, "I despise Dried Apple Pies" So I had to find the poem and share with you.
Dried Apple Pies

I loathe, abhor, detest, despise,
Abominate dried-apple pies.

I like good bread, I like good meat
Or anything that's fit to eat;
But of all poor grub beneath the skies,
The poorest is dried apple pies.
Give me the toothache, or sore eyes,
But don't give me dried apple pies.
The farmer takes his gnarliest fruit
'Tis wormy, bitter, and hard, to boot;
He leaves the hulls to make us cough,
And don't take half the peeling off.
Then on a dirty cord 'tis strung
And in a garret window hung,
And there it serves as roost for flies,
Until it's made up into pies.
Tread on my corns, or tell me lies,
But don't pass me dried-apple pies.

- Unknown

P.S. In case you are wondering the crumble turned out very good and well, there is nothing left of it so the apples must not have been to dried.

February 23, 2010- In the News

This morning one of my ayis came in with a big smile and handed me a couple of the local newspapers from New Year's Day (February 3). She said she needed to show them to her friends before she gave them to me...So as you can see we made the local news or rather we modeled for the local news. The reporter called the day and said he would be out to take some pictures and gave our director very specific directions for the "photo shoot" of "What Foreigners Do to Celebrate New Year in China." He arrived the next morning as scheduled and even brought some of his own props. It really was just modeling for the already written story, it brought us many laughs as they posed us, told us where to stand, how to hold things, and even had us put on certain clothes for certain shots. Smile BIG!

Happy Valentine's Day

February 14th, 2011
"Beloved, if God so loved us, let us love one another."
-I John 4:11
















A special breakfast filled with lots of pink and chocolate...
Mikey, Lu Lu, Caitlin, Rhea, Abby, and LillyBelle

February 12, 2011

Mom- I must have been thinking about you today when I visited the flower market because I came home with the most beautiful purple and yellow! I love you!

February 10, 2011- It's Snowing

February 10, 2011

Dear Ones,

It’s Snowing!!! The first snow we have had this winter here in Luoyang, everyone is excited. It is the first moisture, rain or snow, since October and in a community that depends greatly on the produce they grow to feed their families and gain income no rain is not good. So when the snow began to fall yesterday afternoon everyone stood at the windows with big smiles talking about how good it would be for their gardens. I of course headed for the roof top with a cup of cocoa and just stood there letting it fall around me. Did I mention that I really love the snow! It snowed steadily all through the night and this morning the world was covered in a sparkling blanket of white. As soon as I had a chance I once again headed for the roof. I pulled out a chair and settled in to have some quite time. Quiet is not a common thing at my house, as you might imagine. I gazed around me at the transformation that a blanket of snow can make and I was reminded of all the times when God gives us glimpses of His salvation in the world around us.

Isaiah 1:18 says:

“Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD,

“Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”

I could look around and tell you that just a few hours earlier the scene before me had been grey, dirty, bleak and anything but beautiful. What a picture, just as I know that there is mud and dirt under that blanket of glimmering, glittering white I also know that I am a sinner, I always will be. But God! By the grace of God, I am a sinner saved by the unmerited favor of a gracious and loving Heavenly Father. Washed clean in the blood of the Lamb and now when God looks at me he sees the blanket of His Son gleaming and sparkling white.

^{Psalm 51:7-8
7}Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

So now as I consider the women at the windows excitedly talking about the water that was being spread on their little gardens and when I think about my house full of little ones and the promise that God has made to care for them, to love them, to defend them, and to provide for them I had to think of God’s words in Isaiah that my siblings and I memorized together so many years ago…

Isaiah 55:9-11

⁹"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
¹¹So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

I hold on to His promises, His salvation, and His timing moment by moment as He teaches me daily more of His heart. I pray that in this New Year you too will grow closer to His heart for you and that His blessing of snow will cover your life.

Xin Nian Hao! Happy New Year!

With love for each of you,

Mariah

Daily Bread...Good Moments

February 7th, 2011-
"Man shall not live by bread alone..."
However there are days when bread is a highlight! This afternoon we had some bananas left from the 6kgs we nurses were given as a New Years gift and they were really in need of being mashed, so my brave little toaster oven and I went to work. Then we along with several helpers made short work of a loaf and a half - it wasn't out of the oven 20 minutes and everyone showed up saying, "We could smell it baking all over the house!" Good moments... breaking bread together.

Xin Nian Hao- Happy New Year

January 2nd and 3rd- Fireworks like you have never experienced...unless of course you live in China and have the opportunity to sparkle and blast in the Lunar New Year!!!

Happy New Year's Eve

February 2, 2011- It was time to begin celebrations...Mikey made all our days brighter by bringing us flowers from the market, we made cookies with our best effort at rabbits as this is the year of the rabbit.



















Then it was time for making dumplings, or as we call them jiaozi, and LOTS of them- the cooks said we made close to 4000 this year so that everyone could share in the family tradition.

January 30, 2011

There were bright rays of sunshine and a wonderful fragrance in my room when I arrived home as the bulbs I had started were in full bloom! I am so glad that God made flowers for us to enjoy.