Seminar season is here! The Children's Institute (CI) staff members (minus one) got here last week and have been preparing their hearts, fine-tuning lyrics (hmm...bet you can't wait to hear The Bubble Song in Chinese!), and planning for the teachers and the kids. The CI is camp where kids learn about the Bible. We also hold seminars for adults that run concurrently with the CI. I stay busy serving the adults that come and making sure our teachers get fed.

This is going to be a year of transition. It's my brother Tim's first time to be the team director. Karen, who has been one of the CI leaders for the past 10 years, is joining the Basic Seminar staff team. She is getting married later this year, so this will be our last seminar season of serving together as a family. Who would've guessed last year that a year later she'd be engaged to be married and getting ready to move back to the States? God moves in mysterious and awesome ways.

Some things are still the same. Mm hmm, I'm the food lady again. I've pulled out my food files and have been perusing through all the business cards and menus I've accumulated over time. I put Hsinchu info on a Google Map...it is so cool!  Most people know I love food, but by the time the trip is over, even the thought of food sickens me. But...it's all good. Here's what I'd like to *try* to do differently this year:

• provide healthier (but good) food
• lower expenses
• minimize the amount of times I resort to ordering pizza

I'm also leading an accountability group for 5-8 teachers. I enjoy spending time with the teachers and hearing what God is doing in and through them. Lots of great memories from years past, and I look forward to what God has in store this year.

I had a meeting on Saturday with the chair(man), vice-chair(woman), pastor, and my co-靈修同工 (Michelle) of the singles' career fellowship. We met at Mos Burger, which I normally like, but I discovered that their breakfast is bizarre. My bacon egg sandwich had PEANUT BUTTER in it.  My eyes widened when my tastebuds registered the strange combination of salty and sweet, but then again...I wasn't too surprised. This is Taiwan. It's just funny that it's taken me almost 13 years to come across that combo. Anyway...it was a good meeting, but in it I realized that I won't be able to fudge my way through this year of service...that I have to be real, that I have to give all, and that I really need wisdom from God (James 1:5!). My pastor pointed out that Michelle and I are doing a ton of administrative work, but this kind of misses out on the heart of being a 靈修同工. He proposed an idea that excites me and scares me at the same time. Thinking about that and all my responsibilities sent my mind reeling. Still, this is a challenge that God has called me to accept, and it's an opportunity to see His strength made perfect in my weakness. I know it'll be good. I'm learning a lot already...

Ok, that's it for now! Gearing up for the arrival of the teachers...

--FAC