Grief: The Lack of an Answer

At almost 27 years old, I have been to more funerals than some people twice my age.  People I know and love have been taken by cancer, disease, accidents, and suicide.  I have grieved, mourned, comforted, and been comforted.

Whenever people speak of grief, I always remember Mandy.  To this day, I still mourn the loss of such an amazing friend.  I struggle with understanding how she was older than me, but I have now lived longer than her.  I don’t understand how this can be…I don’t understand…

So, even after all this time, the question still rages through my consciousness.  “Why?”  Yes, I did and still do ask the question.  I’m not afraid.  WHY?!

It seems that I will never be granted an answer, but I will cling to my conviction.

He is Good…yes, He was, is, and will be Good.

As these words whisper through my head and my heart,
The conviction always becomes…
The Answer.

Closed...Please come again.

Dear Friends,

I'm closing my blog for a short time.  I haven't stopped writing...I'm actually writing quite a bit, but it's time for a break.  You see, I started this blog to take you with me on my adventures in China.  Well, my adventures are changing.  Therefore, my blog will need to change as I change.  I love to write, I love to tell stories, and I love to make people laugh.  However, those are not reasons to inflict my writing on meandering readers. So, as I re-focus I'm taking a blog-break.  I'll still be on FB offering some one-liners and I'm of course available via email. 

All that to say, I'll be back...in some form or another.

Thanks for reading,
Lizzie

Conversations

Email from brother Eric: Is Mom with you?
My Reply: No, she is not in China with me. She's in Guatemala with Amy.

Call from brother Chris: Where is that box of DVDs we packed?
My Reply: Chris, I am standing on the Great Wall of China...can this wait?

Email from Dad: I'm going to Moscow on business.  Could you hop over for a visit?
My Reply: Dad, that's a wee bit more than a hop.

Some conversations highlight just how NOT normal my family is...these are just a few.  (We've apparently gone International)

Another Top 5 List

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Being a Foreign Teacher in China

5. No day is ever the same! 
4. I celebrate American holidays AND Chinese holidays.  Basically, I'm celebrating   something every other week.
3. I'm always learning.  Living in a different culture daily challenges my worldview and teaches me new things.
2. Baking is literally part of my job.
1. My Students!  They make every day worth it!

2nd Majors!

Freshmen!

Cold Medication

Dear Readers,

I am under the influence of cold medication.  For those of you who know me, you know this is never good.  Things have gone missing.  Sentences have gone unfinished, and I have stood in front of my gas burner for 10 minutes thinking, "Wow, I'm watching a pot boil...a watched pot boiling.  Who knew?"  Then I thought, who in the world let me use a gas burner while on cold medicine? 

Therefore, I'm restricting myself from writing any blogs at this time.  It just wouldn't go well...I'm sure.  So if you came to my blog hoping for a laugh, I'm redirecting you here.

I'll be back.  (That's a promise not a threat)

Sincerely,
Lizzie

Reading in Progress

I love traveling because I enjoy being stuck in my seat with the complete inability to be distracted by various tasks and to-do lists. For a multi-tasker like me, inability to complete tasks often results in reading euphoria.  For this current trip, I'm logging 15 hours of train time (aka 15 hrs. to finish some of the books I'm currently reading). 

This leads to my confession...I'm a book polygamist.  I usually have anywhere between 3-15 books in progress at a time.  I'm not kidding.  Free book reading, provided by ebookfling, has led to my wandering ways.

On the way to Beidaihe I completed the following:

• The Golden Compass
• A Voice in the Wind (Almost missed my stop while engrossed with this book)

Books I'm currently reading:

• Harry Potter - the Philosopher's Stone
• Surprised by Hope
• Generous Justice
• Heaven's Wager
• Pilgrim's Progress
• Absolute Surrender
• Pictures of the Mind

 Book's I've only taken out on one date (aka read only one chapter):

• Individualism and Collectivism
• The Robe
• The Purpose Driven Life (ironic, I know)

Books in the queue to be started:

• Perelandra
• The Hunger Games
• Anne of Green Gables
• The rest of the Harry Potter Series 

Are there others like me out there? Should I seek help for this?