Happy Chinese New Year

Yesterday
We went for worship in the morning. Returned some dieing plants to the flower market, then went to the Silk Market to buy Jaime a ski suit. We got pants, jacket, and 2 pair of mittens (for her and me) for 320RMB ($47 USD). Then I ran back to the flower market to purchase replacement plants we had already selected. Two plants that thrive in water and have goldfish swimming in the water and a grouping of colorful cacti - red, yellow, and stripped white and green.

We then went to Gary & Danita's for the Chinese New Year's Eve meal and party. Jacky & Alicia, and Micah, as well as Felix & Laura were there... and later Ma Xueting arrived. We stayed until 1:30am.

The Chinese love fireworks! They started lighting them off a a week ago, building up to midnight last night. There were fireworks in every direction as far as the eye could see. It was amazing. I would love to have a plane that could fly high above China and see all the fireworks going off throughout this country (and probably Asia). This was better than any 4th of July in the States... not that they had choreography or any plan for the fireworks, but that there were so many! And yes, they are still going this morning. There have already been workers out sweeping up the remains of last night, but they are already making more debris!

The Daily Bible - Exodus 13-15
The Israelites cross the Red Sea. Moses and all the Israelites sing about the people of Philistia fearing the Israelites and allowing them to pass by to go to the mountain and worship.

Boundaries in Marriage - Part Two: Building Boundaries in Marriage: Ch. 4 It Takes Two to Make One
The movies have it right... Oneness is the ideal, the dream, and God's design from Genesis to Revelation. God desires that two whole people become one strong couple.

"Twoness"
Marriage is an adult contract requiring to complete adults to enter it.

Completing Versus Complementing Each Other
Completing is finding someone to take care of you, like a mother or a meal ticket. Completing is bad, in that the people getting married are likely to be looking for someone to make up for what they lack in being an adult. This creates dependence, not freedom.

Complementing is a blessing and is natural. Both will have all essential adulthood functionalities, but may lack some ability or personality traits. One is good at business and the other is the extrovert. One is good at finding opportunities, the other is good at understanding the opportunities' strengths and weaknesses.

Prayer
Lord, help me to be a complete person in you. Help me to continue to mature throughout my life. Show me the path of righteousness and enable me to walk on it.