surprising resurrection...

Yesterday was Easter. I was reminded by a friend about how Easter is like swimming in a big fountain. Splashing around like children, dipping our heads in the cool water, and being made clean. What a wonderful image to worship by.

Since living away from home these past few years, I have been challenged to re-define my spirituality and look at how I observe Christian holidays. Easter seemed to come as a surprise this year. To be honest, I sort of forgot it was happening, and a week before on Palm Sunday, I remembered Easter was coming. While I felt disappointed with myself, I was immediately reminded that Jesus arrival was surprising. He came to Jerusalem on a donkey and I'm sure he caught many people off-guard. Not to mention his surprising resurrection!

Easter this year reminded me that I need to look for Him and wait on Him. The beautiful part of this is that He surprises us in ways we never expect. I go to an amazing church here in Beijing. Its a church for foreigners like myself. This in itself brings a sort of unique community that I have never been apart of. The night before church on Sunday, I had a song in my heart and I felt like I needed to share it with my congregation. While I was scared to ask, the next morning at church, one of the music leaders asked me to sing from the piano. I still don't understand why I get put in these positions, but somehow God continues to speak and move in ways I will never understand. He finds me wherever I am in this world.

Knowing this, my days are shaped differently now. I find myself living in anticipating from one moment to the next. Wondering what I will learn about His character and His plans for my life.

Here are the words from the song that was on my heart:

Elohim – the Creator

Jehovah Shammah – the Lord is there

My Master – Addonai

El Elyon – the God Most High

Yahweh – You are the Lord

Jehovah Raah – My Shepherd

Mekkodishkem – Who Sanctifies you

The Lord our Righteousness – Jehovah Tsidkenu

Worthy is your name

Worthy of all my praise

El Roi – the God Who sees

You are my banner – Jehovah Nissi

The All-Sufficient One – El Shaddai

Jehovah Jirah – You will provide

Rapha – The Lord Who Heals

Shalom – You are my Peace

The Lord of Hosts – Jehovah Sabaoth

El Olam – The Everlasting God

Words and Music by Laurell Hubick © 2004 Nectar Publishing (SOCAN)

www.laurell.ca

these are the things that i miss...

This past week, I had the great pleasure of seeing a good friend of mine who I had not seen in the past 5 years.  We met working in the mountains of Canada during university, and since both of us ended up being in relatively same corner of the world at this point in our lives, she decided to hop on over to see me. I remember saying goodbye to her 5 years ago, and having this peace that even if we didn't see each other for a while, we would be seeing each other again in the future. I never knew that it would be in China!

You know, there are certain people in our lives, who even if we haven't seen them in a long time, we can just pick up where we left off? My friend is one of those people. We had so many things to catch up on and in the short time we spent together, and all the coffees we had, it was as if no time had passed. We talked about jobs we've had, people we'd met, places we had traveled, and experiences we had. We laughed until our sides hurt, cried a little, walked around the streets of beijing, and talked until our mouths were dry and needed yet another coffee.

I remember the summer we worked together, and both of us had similar ambitions and dreams about what we wanted to do in our lives. I felt so proud of both of us, in a way, that we are doing the things we have always wanted to do. So many of my experiences here, I feel like I'm constantly trying to absorb and take in everything and don't have alot of chances to output them. My friend and I hashed out ideas about the cultures we have come in contact with, exchanged ideas, shared in the struggles we have had, and the new realizations that have come about. 

I was 21 the time I met her. Now being 26, I feel like both of us had grown, and are becoming the women we want to be. Its really strange to me how 5 years in your 20's seems to be such a leap. You find out so much about yourself and in ways you never thought you would. At 21, I saw myself finishing my undergrad, going onto my masters degree and finding a stable job. I never thought that I would be living in Beijing, China. Still travelling, enjoying teaching and discovering as much as I can about...well...whatever comes my way. While continuing with school is something that is still a goal of mine, my friend reminded me, "Jane, you will do it. You can do whatever you put your mind to. I believe you."

So good to hear these words. 

My friend's visit couldn't have been timed more perfectly. I'm learning to pay attention more to these moments, where timing is so evident. Where the people we love say the things we need them to and life continues to unfold as it does.