My how time flies! So I’ve definitely discovered in these past two weeks that blogging for me is a lot like going to the gym. That first day is the hardest, but I’m fine once I get in the rhythm of going everyday. It actually makes me more productive! But, once I stop going, even for a couple days, it’s really, really hard to get back in the swing of things! So in an attempt to get my “blogging workout” going again, I’m going to post a few pictures from my trip to China a few weeks ago. SO much has happened since then that sometimes it feels like it was all a dream! Considering I’ve bought a home, sprained my ankle, been to two weddings, a baptism, AND attended a retreat since then, it might as well have been a dream!

Great women on the Great Wall!

Learning how they make silk

"Helping" make a silk comforter at an extremely touristy silk factory

My mom by a giant stack of tea!

A picture of me getting my picture taken at the Forbidden City

Did I mention I'm tall?

So is my mom :)

Recognize these from the Olympics? My hotel was right across the street

Elephant Trunk Hill

I had to get a picture of this

On the Li River

Hands down the best breakfast of the trip

Floating on the Jade Dragon River

Me CLEARLY excited about being reunited with my pea ice cream (I LOVE this stuff!)

Hike up to Moon Hill

Moon Hill

Self portrait while riding a bike....I do not recommend doing this!

Hong Kong Ferry

Dim sum aftermath

Dueling match with Bruce Lee in Kowloon
And, just in case you doubt that I even went to a conference…here’s your proof:
Nothing screams China like a giant wall sized poster of your conference!!
All in all I was pretty nervous about going back to China, but looking back it was a great trip, my Chinese did come back (enough of it at least!) and I had a MUCH better time than my last visit. I had a great travel partner and we had a really good time together, plywood beds and all! In that Great Wall pic, I’d even venture to say we look alike!
Maybe you’re not so bad after all, Chinar…
I’m glad you’re back on here! The pics are great!
Wow, what great photos and what a fun trip! I might be in China next summer for the first time. You’ve been there before?
Thanks for your comment on my evangelicals longing for the sacred post… I agree with you, I think that if a church filled with liturgy and ritual is worshipping God, it’s simply the challenge of the family and the leaders to do their best to help the children encounter God personally and understand the significance of it all.
You’re right, most people question and many people leave their own faith traditions when they become an adult, and to a certain extent I think it’s mostly because They are searching for a fresh way to approach God, something that seems meaningful and different than what they grew up with.
Interesting…
wow, sorry for the delayed response! yes, I have been to China before, although I definitely prefer other parts of Asia..
I’m not sure about the “fresh way” to approach God reason necessarily so much as a more fulfilling way. Many people “lose it” during the teenage years anyway so it will naturally take some rediscovering, although I don’t necessarily know if its “different” or if its “deeper” that they’re looking for.
How could I forget that you can speak Chinese? Now, is it Mandarin or Cantonese?
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