Born In China

Probably everybody who watches videos has already seen the captivating co-production between Disneynature and Shanghia Media Group entitled Born in China, but just in case you missed it (like I did, until on a recent trip),

Description: Cinematographer Justin Maguire filming golden snub-nosed monkeys.

I want to recommend it as a wonderfully warm and intimate, G-rated documentary that looks into the lives of several mothers and their cubs who were all born and bred in China…but whose stories are also an allegory for our own. The movie features four families in particular and their struggles to survive and thrive through the mysterious circle of life we all experience.

Born in China stars a giant panda bear, Ya Ya, and her little cub, Mei Mei. Mother pandas live in relative seclusion with their cubs for two years and develop incredibly tender, strong bonds with them, so I’m sure everyone sensed the anguish in Ya Ya’s heart as this helicopter-mom panda struggled to let her precious daughter become independent.  The second star is  a little golden monkey named Tao Tao, who is expected to be independent after the birth of his little sister…but before he’s really ready!  Tao Tao struggles to find himself, ends up joining “The Lost Boys” (a group of young male monkeys), and has to make some pretty tough decisions about whether or not he’s going to be a follower or a leader.            Ah, the difficulties of adolescence…and haven’t we all been there?!

               The third star is Dawa, a memerizingly beautiful snow leopard  who lives in the remote mountains of Tibet at altitudes of 14-16,000 feet, where very few animals can survive.  Dawa births twin cubs and has to grapple with trying to provide food for three in a desperate struggle against hardship and poverty. Sound familiar? Interwoven into the fabric of the story are scenes showcasing a herd of mountain antelope known as Chiru, who live on the Tibetan plateau. They are a “near threatened” species and represent the embodiment of all animal life that exists in the wilds of China (and the world).  And, last (but in some ways most rather than least) are cinemagic images of the magnificent red-crested cranes, perhaps the most spiritual animals in Chinese mythology. Roy Conli, the producer, pointed out in an interview that the director, Lu Chuan is one of China’s best: “His work has really been ground breaking…Great story sensibility; great love for his country…He was able to capture something that no westerner could do…We see a part of China so unique and beautiful that it will make people want to travel there.” So true! I’ve been there a couple of times, but I’m still daydreaming about visiting again!

Conli also said (and he almost seemed to have a catch in his voice, as if his comment was truly heart felt),”We have to let go of our kids and let them grow up.” As a mother with grown children who are winging their own ways through the world now, I found the movie profoundly moving! So, whether young or old, an adolescent trying to find your way, in the midst of rearing your own brood, or a member of the older generation learning to let go,  Born in China has some lessons for each of us! I hope you will watch it if you haven’t already. I know you’ll be blessed if you do! “Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in… To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth…Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Excerpts from Isaiah 40:21-31).

(All photos from or about Born in China.)

Not Shock, but Cultural Surprises in Asia via Haiku

Alan and I had a lot of wonderful experiences in Asia, many of which were surprisingly pleasant (such as green tea ice cream),a few that we pretty much all disliked (such as silkworms), and many that were very different but turned out well even though they weren’t at all what we were expecting!I was constantly struck by the beauty of South Korea and the immaculately manicured cities in Japan. Just for fun, I wrote a few haikus commemorating some of the cultural surprises.

On Asian Restrooms   (Yes, this is a bathroom…in the Seoul Tower) Such fancy bathrooms!  Soap on bars and heated seats, But—don’t stand on them!
(In some rural areas, you squat over a hole in the floor. Twenty-two years ago,
I rode a train where the toilet was a hole in the floor emptying onto the track! Times have really changed since then! Now some restrooms are ultra modern, with music, heated seats, and several types of special wash and dry options!!)

On Asian Cuisine  The food looked so strange  I was afraid I would not  Like it, but I did!

On Asia’s Beautiful Flowers  Flowers overhead,  Underfoot and all around.  Asian majesty.

On Pets  Everywhere you go There are pampered pets in tow Like happy children.

“But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34; may we embrace each other all over the world, even in areas where others seem strange!).

The Gift of Easters Past (…and Present and Future!)

Most of us have probably heard of “The Ghost of Christmas Past” from Dicken’s classic book, A Christmas Carol, and it’s in that spirit that I address the topic of past Easters in my life, although they’re more giftly than ghostly!                                           Easter was sweet but quiet this year. We enjoyed a lovely sunrise service centered around celebrating the resurrection of Christ and the incredible wonder of God’s delight in showing us mercy, but for the first time in forever, there were no colored Easter eggs or the fun of watching children have an Easter egg hunt, & I found myself feeling rather sad. What did you do yesterday? Did you have a happy or rather lonesome Easter?  To cheer myself up, I searched through my photos, relived some of the joys of Easters past (such as last year was with Jon’s family in Spokane, Washington), and wrote a few haikus to share with you from Easters past with Mike’s family. I hope these photos put a smile on your face and perhaps bring to mind happy Easters from your own Easters past.

On EasterResurrection Morn:   Dress up; worship; fellowship,   Hunt for Easter eggs.

On the Inevitable Messiness of Little ChildrenWhy is it each day  That after breakfast’s over  I need to bathe again?

On Asian Delights (Which also Delight Americans!)Ice cream, popsicles,  Cotton-candy stickiness…  Sometimes life is sweet.
(Yes, even if it’s “Green Tea Ice Cream.”)

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (Micah 7:18, ESV).  God loves us all!! I hope that no matter what your Easter Day was like, you’re cheered by this wonderful gift of Easter present and future: Jesus! Please accept God’s gift of love to you in Jesus!If you live in some part of the world where you don’t have access to the Bible, you may not have read the resurrection story from the Book of John, chapter 20, in the Bible, so I wanted to share it with you:

 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. ⁴ Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to their homes.

¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Hiakus and Photos: Shopping in South Korea

“Love is the poetry of the senses.”  ~Honoré de Balzac

On Busy Public Transport in Asia   To go by subway    Train or bus is cheaper, but  You might have to stand!

 

On Shopping in South Korea  Second Market stalls  Filled with exotic wares, but   They all seem so strange!

 

On the popularity of Octopus Golden-haired children  Would you like some pie? We have  Lots of octopi!

On Trying to Buy Gifts  Shopping for presents…  Where shall we go?  We cannot   Read a single sign!

“It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.  How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:2-4, ESV. God’s miracles and signs are everywhere. Can you read them?)

April is National Poetry Month NaPoMo: Want to Join in on the Fun?

“Poetry spills from the cracks of a broken heart,
but flows from one which is loved.”  ~Christopher Paul Rubero

Since 1996, Americans with a love for poetry (like me) have been celebrating NaPoMo (National Poetry Month).  In the spirit of sharing the joy, I’m inviting anyone who reads this blog and would like to contribute a (G-rated) poem…please send it to me at kathrynwarmstrong@gmail.com. If you have a photo to illustrate it, so much the better! If I publish it, I will list you as the author, so please give me your full name and the date it was written (otherwise it will post as written the day I publish it). I won’t steal anybody’s work, and you will retain your copyright. My understanding is that publishing something effectively protects it. (The other inexpensive way is to send yourself a certified letter/package with the information enclosed, but don’t open it after you receive it; it will be evidence in case your ownership is ever disputed in court.)

I also want to share some of my photos, feelings and stories from our April visits to Southeast Asia, so I’m going to be putting them into haikus with photos off and on throughout this month. Part of the time, we visited our kids in South Korea, and then we all went to Japan together. I hope you enjoy these little glimpses into how we felt being foreigners in a very strange, beautiful, and sometimes surprising culture.

On Traveling  Fly above the clouds Little faces press the panes.Where are we going?  

On Being Different  Instant attraction:Asian tourists really like Blue eyes and blonde curls.

On the Popular Trend of Wearing Masks Why do you wear masks?  To keep germs in, or out, or  Is it yellow dust?

On Riding Trains  Morning trains delight.  After noon? Well, hold on tight. Evening Train? Goodnight!

“The Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time,and in the night his song shall be with me,  and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8).

 

The Janus of January

The Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates and time…
of beginnings, transitions, and endings.

Janus was depicted as having two faces, one that looked back and one that looked forward, and it’s commonly thought that Janus was the god for whom the month of January was named by the Romans…a god who looked back over the past year and looked forward to the coming year. It’s been a long time since I’ve really thought about the development of our present calendar, but I learned that the Roman calendar (which may be 2,700 years old) was updated in 46 BC. by Julius Caesar. However, that calendar—though an improvement over the 304-day Roman calendar—only had 355 days, and it wasn’t until 1582 that Pope Gregory X111 introduced the Gregorian calendar (our present calendar) which has 365.25 days (365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 12 seconds to be precise). This calendar is the world’s most commonly used international civil calendar today. Sorry if this was too much detail, but the thing that really caught my attention was the description of Janus, because it made me think of the God of the Bible, who also declares himself to be the God of beginnings and endings. Revelation 22:13 proclaims: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”        However, the God of the Bible says He is “God of gods and Lord of Lords
(Deuteronomy 10:17). He is the God of Janus and the God of all gods…not just the god of beginnings, and gates, and transitions and endings, but the Creator God, who made the sun and moon and stars and everything we see and every concept people try to worship. He is also the most worshiped God in the world today, did you know that? This God is my God, and I am thankful that through all the stages and transitions of life, I can rest in this ineffable God, who is not limited to sovereignty over certain aspects of life, but who is sovereign over all of life. Even more wonderful, the God of the Bible is a God of compassion and mercy. He was merciful in the past before we lived, He is merciful today while we live, and He will be merciful in the future. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). He’ll never change, and that gives me great hope and peace.  “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).Are you worried about what might lie ahead of you this year? Let’s not fret. Rather, let’s trust in the God of gates and passageways…the God who not only knows but is Himself the beginning and ending.

“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:5-8)

(These photos of the beautiful orange gates are of Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha) near Kyoto, Japan, and were taken while Alan and I were visiting with our kids and grand kids.)

 

Washington D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival 2017…I Wanna Go!

I was the baby in my family, but for the past nearly 50 years, Lizzie has been like the little sister I always begged my mom for. She’s somewhere between flesh and blood and a BBF buddy, and over the years, we’ve spent countless hours sharing happy times and propping each other during hard times. I’m a fan! Recently, Lizzie and her husband moved to Washington D. C., so when Alan had to attend a conference there, you can bet I was overjoyed  to keep him company and hang out with Lizzie for a few days.

Although I was there before the cherry blossom festival, we had a great time
and saw some wonderful museums (which I hope to share in the next few days), but the pictures Lizzie posted from the National Cherry Blossom Festival
just a few weeks later made me drool! Next year, the festival is March 20-April 16, 2017,
and I’m already dreaming about going! I’ve read that there are three National Park Service locations:
on the Washington Monument grounds, around the tidal basin in West Potomac Park, and in East Potomac Park, which is also known as Hains Point. It occurs to me that it’s been nearly 30 years since Alan and I took our family to the National Cherry Blossom Festival …back in 1988 just a couple of months before Stephen was born. The last two years Alan and I were in Asia enjoying our grandchildren and taking in the cherry blossom festivals there, and I somehow forgot about the fact
that we have gorgeous cherry blossom festivals right here in America. I wonder, did any of you grow up with Christian roots and a blossoming faith…but have now spent so many years searching for
wisdom, meaning, peace and beauty in the writings of other religions and cultural experiences that you’ve forgotten about the wisdom, meaning, peace, and beauty that can be found right at home? “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

(Thank you to Elizabeth for all the beautiful pictures of the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. this spring! The rest are mine, and I took the photos of the mourning doves out my window.)

Universal Gifts of Beauty

Are you wild about flowers? I am!!  Everywhere we go, I’m pausing to admire and photograph brilliant flowers,  and I never cease to wonder at their delicate textures, exquisite forms, tantalizing aromas, and luscious coloring.  Alan, on the other hand, has a bit of motor mania.
(Can you tell who exclaimed over what in this picture?)  Over time, I’ve learned to recognize many garden flowers  and have found to my delight that the vast majority of these beauties  seem able to flourish almost universally around the world.  All these pictures were taken on our Southeastern Asia cruise  (from the equator to near the 45th parallel), and yet—if you’re a flower lover—you’ve probably noticed most of them growing in some garden not far from you. Of course, many of these flowers— such as the gorgeous lotus
(national flower of Vietnam) and orchid (national flower of Singapore)—  have been transplanted from various countries where they are indigenous,  and they have to be maintained with great care in their new environments.  Have you ever considered that foreign people are like foreign flowers?  They have been transplanted, and if they are to thrive in our culture,  they will need special care.  Do you know people who’ve moved from another country to your neighborhood? May we reach out to them in love,  appreciating that they’re also universal gifts of beauty
to be treasured and nurtured! “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34).

Like Thailand’s Chao Phraya River

The “River of Kings” snakes 231 miles through the entire heart of Thailand, including Bangkok, so after our morning of site-seeing (this is the famous “China House” restaurant) we were treated to a cruise down the Chao Phraya River  on our way to an authentic (and gourmet) Thai lunch buffet. We traveled in a flat-bottomed sampan.  The sampans are everywhere   and used by everybody  both for transporting goods and passengers… so we had to wait in a very long, hot line to board,  although the line wound through stalls with all sorts of exotic items for sale that you really couldn’t get in America, so that was very…educational! 🙂 Our river cruise took us by the Buddhist Temple known as Wat Arun,  which is often featured in photos (but was being restored this spring). River life is fascinating…a world unto itself, but it’s a great way to get insight into the heart of a city and take its pulse.  We saw lots of unusual but lovely architecture  and marveled at the busy-ness and population density.We saw beautiful government buildings and could tell they honor their royalty. We noted that there are not only many Buddhist temples…
but also a few churches. Like every city, there were not only amazing skyscrapers, but  some old, run down buildings that needed to be restored or replaced. However, cruising the Chao Phraya River was a remarkably different experience in this one way: There is no bridge separating wealth and poverty.Along the Chao Phraya River beauty and ugliness dwell side by side. Someone asked our tour guide why the poor people didn’t sell their homes; with the profit they could doubtless have much better housing somewhere else! However, the tour guide said the people have lived there for generations and don’t want to give up their land and lifestyle. I think my own heart is like the Chao Phraya River! I’ve surrendered my heart to Jesus, and there are areas where he’s made something beautiful of my life. But, there are also many places where I’m still hanging on to the way things have been done for generations…and I seem unwilling or unable to allow change. The Lord loves us so much that he gives us perfect freedom to choose,
and we may prefer running our own lives to risking change,
feeling like we’re already happy and content with our status quo life… and never able to visualize or believe that something even better could exist!But, as for me, I’m ready to leave my comfort zone  and let the Lord build whatever he wants in my life—
for his glory and the blessing of others. “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord‘s, and he hath set the world upon them” (1 Samuel 2:8).

Bangkok’s Most Spectacular Landmark: The Grand Palace

Nestled in the heart of Bangkok along the banks of the Chao Phraya River  is a gorgeous complex of buildings known as the Grand Palace,  which is the pulsing heart of Thailand’s political and religious life.  The walls for this 2.3+million sq.ft. park were built in 1782,  and since its inception, the Grand Palace has not only been  the official residence of all the Kings of Siam (now “Thailand”)  but also home to the nation’s most sacred Buddhist temple,  known as the Wat Pra Kaeo, the “Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha.”  The Emerald Buddha was actually carved from a single piece of dark green jade, is 26″ high, and can only be touched by the current king, who changes his robes at the beginning of each of their three seasons: summer, winter, and rainy.  The Thai people believe the Emerald Buddha will bring them good fortune and prosperity.  The Emerald Buddha has a history somewhat similar to that of the Golden Buddha (which I told 2 days ago).  Although much of it’s long history is legendary, the factual part that can be substantiated is that its true value was lost for centuries…until 1434,  when a lightning storm struck the temple where it was housed,  toppling and chipping the statue’s nose as well as washing away some of its stucco exterior to reveal gemstone underneath. (Photo of wall of Wat Phra Kaeo) Now, I welcome anyone to correct me, but my understanding has always been that Buddhism is a non-theistic religion which teaches there is no creator-god and tries to encourage people to overcome suffering through enlightened perspectives.  Buddha didn’t believe in God, but it looks to me like he’s been turned into a god.  Please refine my thinking if you are a Buddhist and would like to explain what’s really happening at Buddhist temples.  Are people worshiping Buddha? Thank you!

Haiku: “Puzzlement” Great teacher Buddha  Did you teach there is no God?  Why are you now gold? “Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold” (The Bible, Exodus 20:23).

(I took all the above photographs a few weeks ago, except for the picture of the Emerald Buddha, which is by WPPilot, used by permission from Wiki Commons.)