I attended Asia Fest 2007 in Downtown Plano today and was very impressed by the multicultural turnout. In the Mayors speech she said that approximately 19% of Plano's population is now Asian. In the above picture some Indian American boys perform a Punjab dance. I quite enjoyed the Indian music.

This is just a view of some of the diversity and the green park. It was a beautiful day and the recent rain has made things gorgeous!

I was standing watching some kids do Indian block painting when a two Chinese Lions and a parade of drums came walking past me. I didn't have time to get a front view, but here is the back view. While at the huodong, I also found out about a DFW area Chinese corner type thing for people who want to practice speaking Chinese. I think I may check it out.

A Big Big God

Wednesday night I was sitting in my parents' home all alone, when a storm started blowing in. I must insert here that I love storms. One thing that I missed in China was good spring/summer thunderstorms. Watching the the blue-gray clouds roll in from the West, feeling the wind whipping through my hair... and then God shows off. Lightning dances across the sky to the accompaniment of falling rain and crashing thunder, all under the direction of the master conductor. Oh they are such a wonderful reminder of God's awesome power and majesty.
But, back to Wednesday night. The thunder had been crashing for a few minutes when the power went out (and stayed out until 3 am). Having no connection to the outside world (the phones were out too), I had no idea what was going on in the rest of the area and just enjoyed the symphony of the storm alone with God in the dark of my house. When my parents got home 2 hours later, I found out that most of the city was without power, trees were down and littering the streets, and a house nearby was ablaze after a power line and pole crashed down upon it. In the morning we found out that power was still out all over the Metroplex (35,000 homes are still without it), much damage had been done, but through all the 100mph winds, fallen fences, downed trees, overturned vehicles, and burned houses, there were no injuries or fatalities. And, the house that burned down was vacant, as the owners had moved out two weeks earlier (Praise the Lord).
So what this says to me is that God is big!! I think He often does things to show is power. This spring has been full of powerful storms, and every storm has shown God's power and control. I just think about the way storms work and all the components of it, and I am amazed! I was thinking about this and the the absence of powerful thunderstorms in Southern China, and I see how God shows His power in different ways in different places. Just for example, the mountains I lived near in China were majestic displays of God's creation. Texas is rather lacking in anything but flat land, but the big blue skies, sunsets, and storms glorify God just as much as the jade rivers and karst mountains of Guangxi.
How is God big where you live?

Quick Stress Update

Well, the Mavericks have sadly ended my stress by majorly losing in game 6 of the playoffs. It is sad. Perhaps they can pull it together and do it next year. (sigh)

Stress

I know what you are probably thinking by my title, I am going through readjustment stress or something like that, but in actuality that is not the case. In fact, my adjustment is still going smoothly. It has taken me a month, but I finally have a routine (at least somewhat) and my tutoring jobs are keeping me busy!
So why am I stressed? Have you been watching the Mavericks' play-off games? Some of those games have been just plain sickening and last night was just stressful. Sitting there watching them give up a 21 point lead to have a 9 point deficit made my heart beat quickly and feel stressed! I do not know why I am stressing out over this series (it is just basketball), but when a team that is supposed to win it all stinks up the court, it is stressful. I was relieved as they hung on to win the game last night, but part of me fears another night of stress.