Good Day All,
Happy December! It's crazy to think that we're nearing the years end. I'm struggling to wrap my head around how fast 2016 has gone, but I'm eagerly anticipating all that 2017 will bring.
Do you ever think back to when you were a kid and you thought, "I'm never going to do *this or that* like *insert name*!!" I did this alllll the time. Ahhhh the ignorance and stupidity of youth. What most of us didn't understand back then was that we're more like or just like the person(s) we swore we'd never be like...that's why we didn't want to be like them. Now, yes, there are some people who set out to not facilitate certain negative behaviors/ familial patterns that they experienced in their youth, and I admire that. However, today, I'm not referring to that.
When I was a little girl, I used to always say, "I'll never be like my mother" or "I'll definitely do *this* differently than my parents did..." WELP....here I am today, lovingly eating those words and slices of humble pie. I'm so much like my mother and I'm so grateful. I love my parents dearly and I'm so grateful for all the blood, sweat, and tears that they've put into raising and guiding me. I truly adore them and I'm honored to have been placed in their care by my Creator.
The older I get, I know I'm not that old yet- calm down, but the older I get the more I realize that when I was young I said I would "NEVER" do a lot of things or "NEVER BECOME" something...and honestly, as I reflect, I've become everything I said I wouldn't. I don't mean this in a bad way, I just mean that over the last several years, I've had my true heart revealed to me and I've learned that so much of who I really am is way more than I could have ever hoped or imagined as a young girl.
Never CHINA...
Never. Never. Never....NEVER! I've said this in posts before, if you were to have told me 5 years ago that I'd eventually live and love living in China, I would haven't mockingly and literally laughed in your face. From the time I was young, China was never on the "To Visit" list. It was the only place on the "Never Visit" list. Why, you might ask? Honestly, not 100% sure. I've always loved the food and culture, but I think the idea of communist China, the one-child policy, that they easily abandon their children and have little regard for those with disabilities (which isn't even true), the fact that governments is so involved in citizens lives... it intimidated me. So much to the point that I viewed China as this horrible place. I was stupid in my youth - I know. But lookey here, we have a redemptive God! Here I am living in China for over 2 years now, loving every moment, so high on the people and culture, so passionate about it's orphans and people affected by disabilities. I'm. so. passionate about China! My "Never China" attitude has turned into a "Only China" heart.
Never TEACHING...
Ok, this is a no brainer, but when I get on a topic that I enjoy - I like to talk...and sometimes too much! But I've recently come to realize that I love sharing my knowledge or sharing the life lessons that I've experienced with other people. Individuals who have interned under me know this all too well, sorry I'm not sorry guys, but I'm passionate about what I do, which in turn means that I'm passionate about educating those who aren't familiar with what/ how I do what I do.
Again, flashback to little Nai, when I was young, the ONE profession I didn't want to do when I "grew up" was become a teacher. Many of my friends wanted to be teachers, and many of them are. **Shout out to all my teacher friends! Y'all are awesome!** The idea of standing in front of a classroom of loud, obnoxious, talk-when-the-teacher's-talking, snotty-nosed, coughing, arrogant, and even sometimes toothless, children freaked me out! It never made sense to me how people liked relaying endless information to our future generations. Hey, I have nothing but MAD respect for teachers, trust me. You guys are literally teaching and shaping our future and that's incredible!
Last week, I was at Olivia's Place with two of our kids, and while we were waiting for our session I began doing some basic math (2+4, 6+4, type of stuff) and writing with Hector...and he was getting it! Now, yes, this kid is very smart, but still he got it. Something so basic that I had been showing him...and then the bricks hit my face. I've been a teacher all along. I may not teach English, Math or Science (thank God!), but I do teach my kids how to move, walk, use their appendages, voices, bodies, and devices appropriately. I teach them physically, cognitively, developmentally, and hopefully spiritually. I'm a 康复老师 (Kāngfù Lǎoshī). I'm a Therapy Teacher. Simple, I know. But yet another ground breaking reminder that He knows me SO much better than I know myself. I've literally become the ONE thing I NEVER wanted to be when I "grew up"... and I couldn't be happier. Only God...
Never A Real BELIEVER...
I remember accepting Christ as my Savior when I was young, 6 or 7ish, and it was very real to me then. But as I got older, my heart grew hard, I didn't really want to endure the cross and follow Him. I often compared my walk to those of the people around me and every time I didn't match up. Instead of striving for a stronger personal relationship with Him, I just threw in the towel. When life got hard, I was right there at His feet, praying, reading my Bible, etc... but when He worked it out, I was back to "Life according to Naomi". It was awful and I was miserable. I had heard stories of people having these very real encounters with God that resulted in forever changed lives, but nothing like that had happened to me, so it wasn't real. Then I came to this place I said I'd NEVER visit, and all of that changed. My eyes were opened. Jesus became real on a more personal level than ever before. I was engulfed in everlasting love. In ways that only He can, Christ used these precious little ones to touch my heart and make me realize my desperate need for Him. He made an unbelieving heart, a believing one. He took all of my "NEVERs" and made them "FOREVERs". He gave me more than I could ever deserve, He ignited my life's passions, inspired me to give my heart to these kids in the same way He so freely gives His to me every day. He changed me...and is still changing me.
I'm so grateful for all of my "FOREVERs" and all of the other "NEVERs" that he's waiting to transform in my heart. So in madly in love with this Crazy and Beautiful China life! Only Him...
Happy December! It's crazy to think that we're nearing the years end. I'm struggling to wrap my head around how fast 2016 has gone, but I'm eagerly anticipating all that 2017 will bring.
Do you ever think back to when you were a kid and you thought, "I'm never going to do *this or that* like *insert name*!!" I did this alllll the time. Ahhhh the ignorance and stupidity of youth. What most of us didn't understand back then was that we're more like or just like the person(s) we swore we'd never be like...that's why we didn't want to be like them. Now, yes, there are some people who set out to not facilitate certain negative behaviors/ familial patterns that they experienced in their youth, and I admire that. However, today, I'm not referring to that.
When I was a little girl, I used to always say, "I'll never be like my mother" or "I'll definitely do *this* differently than my parents did..." WELP....here I am today, lovingly eating those words and slices of humble pie. I'm so much like my mother and I'm so grateful. I love my parents dearly and I'm so grateful for all the blood, sweat, and tears that they've put into raising and guiding me. I truly adore them and I'm honored to have been placed in their care by my Creator.
The older I get, I know I'm not that old yet- calm down, but the older I get the more I realize that when I was young I said I would "NEVER" do a lot of things or "NEVER BECOME" something...and honestly, as I reflect, I've become everything I said I wouldn't. I don't mean this in a bad way, I just mean that over the last several years, I've had my true heart revealed to me and I've learned that so much of who I really am is way more than I could have ever hoped or imagined as a young girl.
Never CHINA...
Never. Never. Never....NEVER! I've said this in posts before, if you were to have told me 5 years ago that I'd eventually live and love living in China, I would haven't mockingly and literally laughed in your face. From the time I was young, China was never on the "To Visit" list. It was the only place on the "Never Visit" list. Why, you might ask? Honestly, not 100% sure. I've always loved the food and culture, but I think the idea of communist China, the one-child policy, that they easily abandon their children and have little regard for those with disabilities (which isn't even true), the fact that governments is so involved in citizens lives... it intimidated me. So much to the point that I viewed China as this horrible place. I was stupid in my youth - I know. But lookey here, we have a redemptive God! Here I am living in China for over 2 years now, loving every moment, so high on the people and culture, so passionate about it's orphans and people affected by disabilities. I'm. so. passionate about China! My "Never China" attitude has turned into a "Only China" heart.Never TEACHING...
Again, flashback to little Nai, when I was young, the ONE profession I didn't want to do when I "grew up" was become a teacher. Many of my friends wanted to be teachers, and many of them are. **Shout out to all my teacher friends! Y'all are awesome!** The idea of standing in front of a classroom of loud, obnoxious, talk-when-the-teacher's-talking, snotty-nosed, coughing, arrogant, and even sometimes toothless, children freaked me out! It never made sense to me how people liked relaying endless information to our future generations. Hey, I have nothing but MAD respect for teachers, trust me. You guys are literally teaching and shaping our future and that's incredible!
Last week, I was at Olivia's Place with two of our kids, and while we were waiting for our session I began doing some basic math (2+4, 6+4, type of stuff) and writing with Hector...and he was getting it! Now, yes, this kid is very smart, but still he got it. Something so basic that I had been showing him...and then the bricks hit my face. I've been a teacher all along. I may not teach English, Math or Science (thank God!), but I do teach my kids how to move, walk, use their appendages, voices, bodies, and devices appropriately. I teach them physically, cognitively, developmentally, and hopefully spiritually. I'm a 康复老师 (Kāngfù Lǎoshī). I'm a Therapy Teacher. Simple, I know. But yet another ground breaking reminder that He knows me SO much better than I know myself. I've literally become the ONE thing I NEVER wanted to be when I "grew up"... and I couldn't be happier. Only God...
Never A Real BELIEVER...
I remember accepting Christ as my Savior when I was young, 6 or 7ish, and it was very real to me then. But as I got older, my heart grew hard, I didn't really want to endure the cross and follow Him. I often compared my walk to those of the people around me and every time I didn't match up. Instead of striving for a stronger personal relationship with Him, I just threw in the towel. When life got hard, I was right there at His feet, praying, reading my Bible, etc... but when He worked it out, I was back to "Life according to Naomi". It was awful and I was miserable. I had heard stories of people having these very real encounters with God that resulted in forever changed lives, but nothing like that had happened to me, so it wasn't real. Then I came to this place I said I'd NEVER visit, and all of that changed. My eyes were opened. Jesus became real on a more personal level than ever before. I was engulfed in everlasting love. In ways that only He can, Christ used these precious little ones to touch my heart and make me realize my desperate need for Him. He made an unbelieving heart, a believing one. He took all of my "NEVERs" and made them "FOREVERs". He gave me more than I could ever deserve, He ignited my life's passions, inspired me to give my heart to these kids in the same way He so freely gives His to me every day. He changed me...and is still changing me.I'm so grateful for all of my "FOREVERs" and all of the other "NEVERs" that he's waiting to transform in my heart. So in madly in love with this Crazy and Beautiful China life! Only Him...
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