In ALL Things Give Thanks~ Day 1

I thank God...
because He is....
and, not much more needs to be said.

I mean, at 21 I finally understand why God told Moses that if anyone asks who sent him, tell them "I AM" sent him, because God simply IS. And no further explanation is needed once you know him for yourself. Being in China hundreds of thousands of miles from home has made me remember this.

Everything exists because HE IS.
Everything in His will is possible because HE IS.
And I am so grateful to know who HE IS.

My life, my health, my strength, my achievements, and my blessings are because HE IS.

When I arrived in China, I was overwhelmed by an awesome feeling. I felt connected, and close to God. I realized that even though the world is sooo big, God is with me no matter where my feet are planted.

The law students from Beijing Foreign Studies University met us at the airport and took us to the University. On the ride there, I noticed how blue the sky was, and how beautiful the peach roses along the freeway were. And people were staring at me like I was from Mars. But its okay, because I know that they've probably never seen such a beautiful black woman in person before! How nice it is to be a rarity.....I like this feeling.......its really indescribable for people to see you and be so in awe that they don't know what to say.

I digress.....

Our group is staying at the University's hotel, which is a very nice standard hotel. Somewhere between a Howard Johnson and a Days Inn. Initially I was relegated to having a single because I was the last person to sign up for the trip, and there were no females without roommates left. But I decided that I would prefer to save $500 at all cost, so I asked a guy from my school named Mike Nevelle, who also needed a roommate if he had "ever thought about sleeping with a girl." Initially, he was speechless, because I'm sure I caught him off guard, (and all of our classmates who were standing in the lobby as well), but as soon as he got the joke he said sure. He seemed like a very easygoing guy, who would be a great person to hang out with.

After we all checked in and settled in, we all headed to a HUGE, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS MALL (which I will probably be seeing a lot of) to have dinner. As I walked through the mall I start to feel weird.... disoriented, and discombobulated
when we sit down, I start to get very.....very......very.......sleeepy! So much so that I put my head down right at the dinner table and went to sleep. THAT JET LAG IS QUITE A MONSTER! It knocked me out cold for a good hour. Even with the Asian lady singing at the top of her lungs, I was a goner! My conscience tried to make me feel bad for falling asleep at dinner, but after a 13 hour flight, I can honestly say that I was unable to control it.

After dinner, I took a taxi back to the hotel with Amy(one of the young ladies from dinner), because the rest of our group wanted to walk home, and I wasn't even able to walk to my room, less long 9 blocks to the hotel.

As soon I opened the door I struggled to put on my PJs and caught up on some much needed rest.