shine

A friend of ours introduced us to Micheal Thompson and Oneway.  We love the two beautiful worship CDs we got on itunes--Shine and a Brand New Day--that clearly worship the God of all nations.

Here is the title song from Shine; it's based on Psalm 67.  Enjoy!!

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

-Psalm 67

three calendars

My life revolves around three calendars.  Teachers have their own calendar.  Taiwanese have their own calendar.  And, then there is the American calendar too.  This means twice as many holidays, and three new years.

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s (Jan. 1) are the “American holidays.”  Then from New Year’s (Jan. 1) to the end of Lantern Festival (Feb. 17, this year) are the “Taiwanese holidays.”  This equals somewhere between 3-4 months of “the holidays.”

Quite frankly, that’s a lot of holidays!

Moreover, as a teacher at a university we have two sets of 18 weeks with breaks in between.  Which means our new year is in September, and the first semester goes to the middle of all these holidays.
Jan first comes right in the midst of the end of the semester.  So, while many may feel like they get a fresh start on Jan 1st, I feel like I’m in limbo till some unknown point in the future.

So, while my soul is longing for some time to sit down and reflect, to escape and refresh my spirit, the reality is I have finals to grade and essays to assess, then a winter camp to teach, and then a week of national holidays to celebrate with family and friends.  Then, finally, I might get a chance to rest.

There are so many longings within my heart, but I keep telling them “shh, just a moment more and then I  can acknowledge you.”

So, while I wait for that moment that Lord willing I’ll get a chance to retreat, I sing this song longing to be refreshed, placing confidence in the fact that the Spirit is not bound by any man-made calendar.

Popout

love unreserved

Lawrance is leading worship this Sunday at the bilingual church we are a part of, and below is one of the songs he’s using.  I think it is such a pretty song.

In fact, I first heard it when our friends sang it at our wedding.  There is another version with the lyrics changed to make a wedding version of the song.



Since the song originates from Hong Kong, I can only find it online in Cantonese and English.  (Well, I did find it here, but I think the Cantonese version is prettier.)









Lyrics in Chinese:

常聽說 世界愛沒長久，
哪裡會有愛無盡頭？
塵俗的愛只在乎曾擁有，
一刻燦爛便要走！
而我卻 確信愛是恆久，
碰到了你已無別求：
無從解釋、不可說明的愛，
千秋過後仍長存不朽！
誰人受 痛苦被懸掛在木頭？
至高的愛盡見於刺穿的手；
看！血在流反映愛沒保留，
持續不死的愛到萬世不休！
惟求奉上生命全歸主所有，
要將一切盡獻於我主的手；
我已決定今生再沒所求，
惟望得主稱讚已足夠！

Lyrics of the English version (not a direct translation, so it’s more “singable):

I’ve always been told love won’t survive
Promises will turn into lies
The world just thinks love comes and passes though
It never lasts pure and true
But I still believe can last
It’s your unfailing love that gives me rest
You were there when I needed you most
I’ll never walk all alone
On the cross you died and took away my curse
Love so wondrous no one ever could deserve
Your bleeding hands proved your love unreserved
You’re my greatest joy and treasure on the earth.
Make my life a fragrant offering I pray
Help me Lord to serve you truly every day
Through tears and joy I’ll give you all my praise
Let the whole world know your love and grace

on my heart today

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood

–Keith Green

Same song recently recorded at a church in Ohio.

laura story

Laura Story is a new-to-me artist, and I am loving her Great God Who Saves cd.
In addition to loving the style of music she writes and plays, perhaps another reason I like it so much is that I can relate SO well.

In fact, I think Laura has been peaking into my journal!  I mean seriously!!  The lyrics in her songs often capture EXACTLY what I’m thinking and feeling.

Here is my current favorite song that gets played over and over:

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused. I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my Father and mold me as my Maker.

[Chorus]:
I ask you: “How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down? And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?” And you answer: ” My child, I love you. And as long as you’re seeking My face, You’ll walk in the pow’r of My daily sufficient grace.”
At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You? I know I don’t deserve You. And that’s the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.

[Chorus] +You are so patient with me, Lord!

As I walk with You, I’m learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary.  So, instead of trying to repay You, I’m learning to simply obey You by giving up my life to you For all that You’ve given to me.

[Chorus]

You can hear several of her songs on her MySpace page.

great is the Lord

Running through my head this morning:

"Great is the Lord, He is holy and just, by His power we trust in His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true, by His mercy He proves He is love."

"For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods" (Psalm 96:4).

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, Great is the Lord! (Psalm 40:16).

i delighted in the lord . . . and he gave me YOU

I love you Lawrance!!  I thank God daily for making you my husband.

What a privilege to walk life next to you, with you. What great joy is mine . . . all because God is kind and gave me to you and you to me.

Happy 1st  Anniversary, LaoGong!!

my groom sings to me

I am SO excited by what a good friend handed to me last night!!  She passed on to me a CD of videos from our Taiwanese wedding!

Here is the first thing I saw . . . Lawrance singing to me a song entitled "Vows" after we had exchanged our vows.  I got giddy just listening to it last night!! 

My Groom Sings To Me from amanda wu on Vimeo.

I LOVE listening to him sing . . . and I often ask him to sing me to sleep.  I am blessed!

野地的花 wild flowers (aka the flowers of the field)

A beautiful song . . .

My unpoetic English translation:

Wild flowers wear beautiful clothes
Birds in the sky have never had to be "busy"

Merciful-Loving Heavenly Father daily watches over us
He so loved the people of the world that he prepared a path to everlasting life

Every single need the Heavenly Father already knows
If your heart is full of troubles, allow him to get rid of them for you
Each day Merciful-Loving Heavenly Father is taking care of us
He is the All-powerful Lord: Blessed are the people who depend on Him

___
The original BEAUTIFUL Chinese version:

野地的花，穿著美麗的衣裳，

天空的鳥兒，從來不為生活忙。

慈愛的天父，天天都看顧，

祂更愛世上人，為他們預備永生的路。

一切需要，天父已經都知道，

若心中煩惱，讓祂為你除掉。

慈愛的天父，天天都看顧，

祂是全能的主，信靠祂的人真是有福。

___
Here is an a capella version of the same song recorded in Taipei during the Franklin Graham conference last fall.  (The first 30 seconds is talking that can be skipped in order to get to the song.)

unity cermonies (part two)

In addition to the sand ceremony, we also choose to do a "cord of three strands ceremony" too.

I have no idea how I found this, but I do know I found it while surfing for ceremony ideas, and that I ended up here, which is a site that explains the idea and sells the cords. This was probably the last thing we added to the ceremony. 

Lawrance loved the idea.  It was also something that we could easily do in both the American and Taiwanese ceremony, and something we could frame and keep for a long time.

I braided the three cords while Lawrance held them, and then he tied the end of the braid together with a small wire when I was done braiding. 

Here is what we put in the program to explain the symbolization of this unity ceremony:

Ecclesiastes 4:12 illustrates the importance of Christian companionship. Two Christians that are bound together in Christ are stronger than the individuals themselves. We believe that Christian marriage is about more than the union of one man and one woman. The Bible teaches us that God performs a miracle in our marriage, uniting us together in a covenant relationship with Him as one. The Cord of Three Strands is a symbol of that sacred union created today.

The gold strand symbolizes that we have invited our Lord Jesus Christ to the position of authority in our marriage relationship.

The purple strand represents the groom. It illustrates the majesty of God as head over the husband. As Lawrance submits himself to the Lord, the Lord in turn will hold the marriage together through him.

The white strand represents the bride. It illustrates the purity of the bride of Christ. As we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are cleansed through Christ.

(Some of this wording came from the site where we got the cords.)

Here is also what my dad said before we started to tie the cords: 

Lawrance and Amanda have also chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord. A "threefold cord" is a symbol of union. Where two are closely joined in love and fellowship, Christ will, by his Spirit, come to them, creating a threefold cord.

In braiding these three strands together, Lawrance and Amanda are demonstrating that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with God as well. They are choosing to allow God to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it.

As I started braiding the cord, Lawrance told me I was going too fast and needed to slow down.  So, I slowed down a lot just to tease him.  Well, apparently to some of our guests the exaggerated movements I made as I slowed down seemed to them that I was flirting with my groom during the ceremony.  That wasn't the case . . . but we both did laugh at my silliness in taking his slow down command very seriously. :)

While we tied the cords, we had "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us" playing.  We used 4Him's Hymns: A Place of Worship CD.  This song was my mom's suggestion--she always thought this was a great hymn to use at a wedding, and we agreed.  We thought about using it for the recessional, but it just wasn't "peppy" enough.  However, I do love the words of the song, and I am glad we found a place for some of it to be heard during our wedding.

Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.



We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way;

Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Blessèd Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.



Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;

Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to Thee.



Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will;

Blessèd Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.



(Words attributed to Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1836)

fragrant rice

My neighbor friends were watching a new music video this weekend.  As I watched it along side them I loved how very much it captured what is TAIWAN. 

I asked my husband (how fun it is to say that!!) to help me find the video online.  And he did.  As we watched it together he exclaimed several times how very much this video was "Taiwan" too. 

If you are remotely interested in Taiwan, take a look at this two minute music video that shows scenes that are just pure Taiwanese.  Even if you don't know Chinese I think you can still understand the story and enjoy the views of Taiwan shown in the video.

The song is entitled "Fragrant Rice" (稻香) . . . and basically says "if you are feeling like a failure and don't know what to do follow the smell of the rice back to your roots and find your family who will love you and support you no matter what.  Come back home and remember the simplicity of where you came from."

The song is by Jay Chou (周杰倫), a rather well known Taiwanese musician.

33

Thanks to Marianne for sharing this beautiful song entitled 33 by Corrinne May.

Corrinne, new-to-me muscian, grew up in Singapore; she wrote this song as she reflected on turning 33.

amanda is ok too

Thank you to all of you who inquired about me and (as eija put it) my "bday funk."

I'll get totally honest here for a minute and explain my more cryptic statement from the original post the day after my birthday.  This one:

It is so easy to become envious of others . . . it is so easy to see
what I think I lack . . . it is so easy to be selfish . . . it is so
easy to sin.  Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

See, it is not really turning 30 that bothered me.  I have been feeling older (especially with my knee giving me trouble, but more about that on another day), but I don't feel "old" yet. 

The center of the matter is that I was turning 30 and still single.  I've seen all kinds of "mommy blogs" in the past few months where women turning 30 talked about how blessed they were with their loving husbands and cute kids treating them so special on their big day. 

Many people are quick to remind me that "yes, you're single but look at how God is using you."  But, there are also married women who are thirty years old with several children who are overseas missionaries too.  This position is not limited to single women.

Although VERY well meaning . . . comments like that only feed one of the myths we single women are led to believe: "God views me more as a useful tool than a beloved child."

People have often told me, "God has allowed you to be single so you
might do these things for Him!" While I know these people are seeking
to encourage me, my gut reaction is, Why me? It's true that God may set us apart for a season of singleness, but that doesn't mean He is indifferent to our dreams.



Matthew 7:11
says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good
gifts to those who ask him!" God views you a cherished child — never a
utilitarian object. A loving Father will give you good gifts at just
the right time.

My comfort in being 30 and still single can not come from whether or not "God is using me."  It must come from who He is . . . God of all creation, the Author of my life's story, the One who clears this unknown path I am walking on.  My comfort and hope must come only from trusting the One who is eternally both all-good and all-powerful.

See, the problem on my 30th birthday was this: my eyes were one me.  "Why so downcast, O, my soul?"  Because I was not placing my hope where it should rightly be.  And, honestly, I didn't want to either--I wanted to "just this once have the right to be discontent."

Praise the Lord for being quick to forgive!

And, praise Him too for, once again, placing a song in my heart! :)

Well I wanna thank you now
For being patient with me
Oh it's so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I'll have to trust
And just believe what you say

(This is the chorus of the awesome song "Make My Life a Prayer" by Keith Green, one of my all time favorite musicians.)

tonight!!!

Last year, I discovered one of my students had been singing on TV.  But, because I didn't have cable, I only watched a few of the videos of her on YouTube.  I told her I had seen her singing and was impressed.  It was then that I found that what I had watched was small potatoes . . . . and that she had sung at other times on other shows too--as recently as just that past weekend.  But, she didn't tell me exactly what or brag or go into details. 

So, fast forward to this summer when I moved to Tainan and a typhoon blew through at the same time.  As I sat in my friend's apartment locked safely inside and utterly exhausted, I flipped through the channels . . . and I SAW HER ON TV!!!  I was shocked.  I mentioned it to my friend and found out that my student entered a "Taiwanese Idol" show on a major TV network. 

There are currently three different "Taiwanese idol" shows on prime time right now here in Taiwan.  My student is on the one called 星光大道 in Chinese.  They call it "Million Star" in English but a better translation of the show's name would be "Path to Stardom" or "Avenue of the Stars." 

So, ever since August of last year, I've faithfully watched this "Taiwanese Idol" show on TV each weekend.  It starts on Fridays at 9:30 and lasts till midnight.  Good thing for me they replay the last two weeks of shows back-to-back again on Saturday and Sunday.  So, in total I have four extra chances to see each show in case I miss the Friday night one or if I fall asleep on the couch before Rachel, my former student sings (she graduated last year).  (By the way, if you remember Judy from this summer, Rachel and Judy are best friends.)

Well, they have it down to the top five and tonight the show is live as they determine the ranking of the top five and declare a winner.  Rachel has consistently received high scores throughout the show.  And currently is in first place from the last 3 weeks of "top 6" competitions when they started adding the scores together for the top 6 and not just kicking off the low achievers! 

So, no doubt that tonight I will be watching this show and cheering on my former student!!! 

Here she is in a couple of her most recent performances on the show (the first one she is in a duet with one of the judges in a fun song called "it doesn't matter"):

listen here!

Kathryn Scott, from Northern Ireland, is one of my favorite worship leader.  Her CD Satisfy was with me through some really rough patches.   

She has just released a new CD with eleven original worship songs she wrote called "I Belong." And, right now, if you register at Integrity Music you can listen to the ENTIRE CD online through streaming media.  (Their player is down at the bottom of the page.)

I am not certain because I've not taken the time to look around more, but it seems that Integrity is streaming lots of their CDs.  So, go ahead and take a browse to find a new worship leader or old favorite!

whatever my God ordains is right

Whatever my God ordains is right
In His love I am abiding
I will be still in all He does
And follow where He is guiding
He is my God, though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all

Whatever my God ordains is right 
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know He will not leave me
I take content, what He has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently I wait His day

. . . read the rest

This beautiful seventeenth-century hymn is on Sovereign Grace's latest CD: In a Little While, a father and son project.  I love the gentle melody and simple but powerful truth of this song! Plus it matches my path theme. ;) 

I've listened to it over and over.  What a great addition to my "Trusting God Playlist" (which started after reading about Carolyn McCulley's list)!

You can listen to a minute long clip of the song online.

To give credit where credit is due: the original was written in German by Samuel Rodigast in 1676. Catherine Winkworth translated it to English in 1863.  Then, Mark Altrogge updated the English for the CD and wrote new music for the song.

redeemed, redeemed!

I woke up this morning singing this . . .

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed through His infinite mercy,

His child and forever I am.

Refrain
Redeemed, redeemed,

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed, redeemed,

His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,

No language my rapture can tell;

I know that the light of His presence

With me doth continually dwell.

Refrain

I think of my blessèd Redeemer,

I think of Him all the day long:

I sing, for I cannot be silent;

His love is the theme of my song.

I don't even know when is the last time I actually heard this song being sung or played, but I tell ya it was ALL I could think of this morning!!

Just in case you were wondering, it is one of the thousands of hymns penned by Fanny Crosby.

one of my students sings on tv

On March 19 of this year, one of my students (whose English name is Rachel) appeared on TV to sing a song as part of a contest show. 

You can watch her in the following youtube video and see a little of Taiwan TV culture at the same time. :)  She even gives an acapella encore.  And the audience even claimes to get "chicken skin" or as we say in English "goose bumps."

She has an awesome singing voice in my unbiased opinion.

worship in taiwanese

I've enjoyed the video clips of worship that are on this missionary blog: First Term on the Field.  So, this past Saturday night, I decided to capture a little worship in Taiwanese to share too. 

Nothing, not even babies, makes my heart leap higher for joy than listening to people worship the King of kings and Lord of Lords in their own language!

Did you hear it:  "gwa ay jew gwa bay ging by nee"? 

It means: "My Lord, I come to praise you!"

This video is actually of a group of Taiwanese Believers from Taipei who came down south to share the Gospel in Kaohsiung County alongside Grace Family Church for three days. 

Taiwanese sharing Good News with other Taiwanese in Taiwanese--How awesome is that!?!?

Ging by nee, Lord!!

erhu at the park

This is a short video or me playing my ErHu at the park this past Sunday.  The pastor's wife is singing in Taiwanese while I play.