Toto, were not in China anymore

Tonight I had night out at the China King Buffet. It's a classy place. Since I spent about 3 weeks in China this year I am more of an expert on Chinese food than the average Joe. For crying out loud I ate Ox stomach and Fish gut soup. Not to mention chicken joints. But, alas, at the China King Buffet, there were no stomach, guts, intestines or joints of any kind. There was, though, a taco bar.


There were also chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, spiral ham, french fries, roast beef, and other various authentic Chinese dishes.

There were a few other Classic Chinese Food Buffet moments to be observed. The table next us. The matriarch of the family decided efficiency was the name of the game. She filled and pile 2 plates of deep fried goodness which saved her that 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th trip up to the buffet. Really who wants to have to get up when it is time for their 5th helping! Her adult son later cut in front of me in the ice cream line right before I was going to scoop 4 cones of superman ice cream for some children (Superman is very authentic Chinese). It is important to note this same man feel asleep after eating the 3 large scoops of ice cream.



The table next to this one also had a notable incident. A woman there filled her plate with apple and cherry cobbler topped with ice cream and then bowed her head to pray over it. I can only imagine what she was saying "God, please let me fit every morsel of this basket ball size dessert into my fist sized stomach!"

There was another man whose back was to the buffet so he just turned around in his chair and scoped out the situation and as soon as the guy with the crab legs came out, the mad dash began. It is important to be first in line for crab legs.


Finally, as we were getting ready to leave a child yelled out to his mom: "Don't forget to get me ketchup and ranch!" Ahhh the tastes of China...

What's a girl to do?

Mother Teresa said: "Do not wait for leaders, but do it on your own, one by one"

Do you ever get super excited about something? Just so wrapped up in the moment that you feel like changing your life forever? This happens to me a lot. I read up on an issue and I get all fired up. I go to a conference and decide to change the world. Passion is an amazing thing- it is so powerful, it just takes over the whole rational side of your brain and gets you fired up! So I began to wonder what people are passionate about? Here is my ever growing list:
1. Orphans. Every child has a right to a safe, loving family where all their basic needs are met!
2. Woman's rights. Sure we have come a long way in this country, but there is a lot of messed up stuff happening to women everywhere. For example, did you know that the Taliban states a woman can be killed for laughing, owning a parakeet and singing!
3. HIV/AIDS. This is a treatable chronic disease that people suffer with day by day and die in masses all over the world. People are all about vaccinating for less stigmatized diseases and want to rid the world of malaria and TB, but HIV/AIDS. We give it a cold shoulder. Wanna read something good. Check out Bono's speech at a prayer breakfast a few years back.
4. Peace. You know war is just plain stupid. Why can't we all just get along!
5. Fiber. I know after the first four it is trivial, but Fiber is an essential part of your diet and people just do not get enough. Trust me, I used to be one of those people.
6. NOT watching t.v. I gave it up for lent about 6 years ago. Now I might have it on about 1 hour a week if that. It is amazing freedom. The bonus is no marketing schemes being shoved down my throat.
7. Environment: There are 2 big issues in this broad category...
Littering. Don't do it! See simple.
Hummers (or Expeditions, Monster trucks, you get the idea). Don't drive them, what the heck is the point! Seriously people, get a grip and drive something a little more efficient.

I posed my passion question on face book and here are some other issues people are passionate about...

-Debits and Credits (from my accountant friend)
-Safety on recreational vehicles (4 wheelers and such) and not allowing children to ride on lawn mowers
-Literature, high school students
-Conservative Republicans (Crazy, I know!)
-providing services for the developmentally disabled
-Life and unborn children's right to it.
-The Deaf Community, Women's Rights, How the church responds to gays and lesbians, and sexually abused children.
-Past Participles, seat belts, and spelling :0) Oh, and weeds in my lawn....
-Traumatized children, dining out (seriously) and design
-I am passionate about enabling my children to grow up to be strong Christian Men and Women who Love God, stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves, and who respect and encourage their fellow mankind. I am passionate about adoption; not for pity or for rescuing children, but rather because God has called you to be a family. I am passionate about doing my best for the Kingdom of God at all times.
-Sexuality and gender issues, egalitarian marriage, carseat safety, meaningful relationships
-Simple living, environmental stewardship, social justice, animal welfare, a consistent ethic on life, generosity and compassion.
-being committed when you say you are going to, taking care of our elderly, adoption, taking care of animals, honesty and fairness.
-I am passionate about teaching the next generation to be socially active Christians, to have passion about serving others in the name of Christ. I am also passionate about serving others in the name of Christ myself.
-KIDS!
-Iowa Football
-Organization

Reframing

So here is the scoop, faithful readers; I had a really bad day the other day and as I laid in bed that night I tried to put it in perspective and re-frame it.

1. I got up late, we ran out off coffee and I got stuck behind a school bus that stopped every block to pick up kids.



Re-frame: I slept in a little bit so did not feel a huge desire for coffee right away. As I was stopped behind a bus I dug in my purse to find some lip stick and there, tucked away was a 5 dollar bill! I figured since I did not have coffee yet and I was already a few minutes late, a few more minutes wouldn't kill me so I drove through Starbucks and got a Dulce de Leche skinny latte. What a relaxing way to start the day! Just think, if I had not been stuck behind that bus, I never would have been digging in my purse to find the misplaced 5 spot!







2. I was stuck in traffic for at least an hour. Sitting on I96 starting at tall buildings watching traffic fly by heading east.





Re-framed: A few days ago, I got to sit in down town G.R. all by myself, jamming to my new soundtrack from Legally Blond and sang my lungs out with no one complaining about it! My phone did not ring, my email did not ding, there were no kids fighting, and there were no dishes to be done!







3.I had minor typo on a document that I had photocopied, signed, notarized and then drove from Holland to Grand Rapids (in above traffic jam) to get a state seal at the secretary of States office, then drive to my down town G.R. office only to find out the next day about the typo and have to do the entire process over again.




Re-framed: I happened to have a few library books in my car and I got to spend and hour 2 days in a row, just sitting in an office reading. I got to do all this while other people waited in line, got sent home since they did not have the right documents, pay insane sums of money for their titles and other such nonsense. I escaped to London and caught up with the great characters of my latest favorite author and now will get my book back to the library on time and get a new book (or 2).

Stuck

I have almost gone 1 month with out an update. I must be stuck in monotony. The reason I started to blog was to find, "Humorous,ironic and inspiring insights into life". So, I seem to have lost my touch. Every day plugs on and all I see is the same. So today I am sitting here and challenging myself to find one humorous, one ironic and one inspiring insight. Drum roll please....

Humor:

Irony:

Inspiring:

Wow, I am really searching... So maybe in the last week? Try again

Humor:

Irony: how about the irony that I can not come up with something...

Inspiring:

10 minutes, one potty break and one glass of water later....

Humor:

Inspiring: Well I was inspired a lot at work. I have some amazing families doing some amazing things. I saw a quote that sums it up pretty well
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”-T.S. Eliot

O.k. here is my last ditch chance at humor:

Humor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w73dVVPRk0