A Place of Religion and a Place of Abandonment

Nathanael slept 10 hours Wednesday night! Keyanna was able to get out of bed and shower while he slept next to me, which was great for her. We had our usual breakfast of fried rice with eggs and toast. Breakfast at this hotel is starting to get old. For that and so many other reasons we're glad to be leaving here tomorrow. After breakfast we skyped with our kids and my parents who are staying with them this week at our house. Due to the slow internet connection or something we couldn't see the video of them, but they could see us. It was probably a good thing we couldn't see them because Keyanna was going to lose it. Missing them so bad causes our emotions to spin out of control. Thank God they are well cared for, loved and happy while we are gone. Huge thanks to all of you who are loving on them while we can't!!

What are you doing young man?! (pulling out the toilet paper and tissues)

It's time for your bath.

Liking his bath

All clean!

Sleeping on the van ride

(Note: Now that I've written this next part I realize I went maybe a little too far off on a tangent. Sorry!)

Today our first stop was a temple. It was a beautiful and peaceful place, but I couldn't escape being overwhelmed by a sad reality. Religion does not please God. Religion is not loving God. What those people were practicing at the temple today is focused on self, on what they can obtain for themselves. Listening to our guide tell us about the temple it was obvious the reason people come there. They are not seeking God, to know Him more deeply, to experience his love, or to give him glory and praise. They are seeking to receive happiness, prosperity, long life and protection for themselves and their families. That is religion and it is empty. But all of us have been guilty of it. Many Christians are no different. Like the people at the temple today, sometimes we go to church looking for what Pete Wilson calls a "quick spiritual transaction." He says sometimes we treat God like a vending machine. It is so true. Don't we sometimes think on some level that by our outward acts of religion we are earning something, some kind of "God credit"? Do we go to church or do good behavior because if we don't something bad might happen to us? Then when trials come our way we are confused. Why God? Haven't I been good? This isn't fair. You aren't keeping your end of the bargain. You owe me! God is not loved by acts of moralism. God is not loved by lighting incense at a temple or by putting money in the offering (if done with any impurity in the motivation). God is loved by our faith in Christ, by our believing in Him. When the Gospel changes our hearts and our desires, obedience to his commands and loving others will follow because the Spirit of God changes us on the inside. That is the true righteousness that God desires. We should be like the tax collector in Luke 18 who in his sincere humility says, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" The Pharisee thought he could earn God's favor by not committing certain sins, by fasting and tithing. The Pharisee's arrogance always humors me. "God, I thank You that I am not like other people". One of my favorite preachers J.D. Greear compares religion and moralism to stapling roses to a dead bush. It may look nice on the outside, from a distance...for a little while, but the inside is still dead! God's love is not earned, and He cannot love me or you any more because of what we do. My heart ached for the people I saw today in the temple, and the experience reminded me to resist the temptation to ever let religion creep into my heart.

Entrance to temple

Lighting incense

Bowing

More temple. Beautiful architecture

I can't help but shudder when I look at this. It is an idol.

They kneel and bow, probably say a memorized prayer, and make a donation.

Stone carving of a dragon. Very cool.

One of the many statues

Golden dragons

Leaving the temple

Next we went to the children's hospital of Kunming. This is the place where Nathanael was abandoned. I took some pictures, and then I stood there in wonder that God had taken this place of despair and abandonment and used it for His glory. I prayed for Nathanael's birth mother. I am grateful that she loved her son. I know she did love him. Whatever her reasons for leaving him, she wanted him to be cared for. I thanked God for his love, for showing his love for Nathanael, Keyanna and me in that he brought Nathanael to us and allowed us to be a part of his plan for his glory. It was a powerful moment for me, and I know it was for Keyanna as well. I wish Keyanna and I could have had more time alone there without the guide.

Children's Hospital of Kunming

Nathanael's birth mother could have walked this same path.

"God has given"

Think of how God has changed Nathanael's and our lives since the first time he was here. Amazing.

Nathanael's eating and pooping (thank God for both) required another visit to the supermarket for diapers and jar baby food. We went to a very nice supermarket where a lady was giving out samples like at Sam's. You will never guess what the samples were. Chicken feet! No thank you! Our guide says Chinese believe eating chicken feet brings you more money. We'll stick to the cabbage and black eye peas, thanks very much. Turns out we bought the wrong size diapers. They are too big, but Keyanna says we can make them work. I did find another interesting item, a can of Mountain Dew. Some of you may know it is my favorite drink, and yes I know it ain't good for me! I couldn't resist buying a can. Our guide Jerry thought it was beer, but I quickly set him straight! As I was waiting in line to checkout, Keyanna and Jerry were waiting by the exit. A Chinese lady came up and started talking to them. She asked if this was an adoption and Jerry told her yes. She was so happy and started kissing Nathanael all over his face. Although it is nice that people are happy about Americans adopting Chinese, Keyanna was not comfortable with the kissing, to say the least. Then she tried to kiss him on the lips! Nathanael was backing up and Keyanna was raising her chicken wing to block her. I was laughing when she told me about it.

24 hour noodle joint

Walking to the supermarket

Hey, we're walking here!

Pansy tree?

Dinosaurs

Look Zethan, they have McDonald's here!

Supermarket. Chicken feet, anyone?

There is a lot of wating in China.

Still waiting

And there it is.

Now back at the hotel. By the way, Nathanael was wonderful this morning. Didn't cry at all. Slept through the whole temple visit. Now its lunch time. We skyped with our good friends and ate some noodles. It was going well, and then it got really good! I am referring to Nathanael sitting in my lap! If you haven't read it already, the story is in my last post. Praise God!

For supper we walked to the KFC. We got two #2s, which we thought was a chicken sandwich meal. Turns out it was a spicy chicken sandwich and Keyanna couldn't eat it. She ate the fries and later an ice cream with strawberries. The chicken fillet was OK, but a lot different than U.S. I thought it was dark meat, like thigh meat or something. Keyanna who was very skeptical said, OK if it makes you feel better. Or I could have been eating a duck sandwich. Who knows? Hey, at least the fries were good. Keyanna said the ice cream was really good. There was a small indoor play area where Nathanael played on the slide with a cute little girl. She kept wanting me to take her picture and then show it to her on the camera, which her Grandma who was with her thought was hilarious. Nathanael was having a good ole time. He would have stayed for hours, but we had to get out of there because he was wearing us out! It was a good day, but thank God this is our last night here. We need a change of scenery and a change of sheets. They actually don't have sheets here at this hotel. You sleep under a duvet type thing which has not been washed since we've been here and who knows how long its been before that. I'm telling you, Keyanna is really enduring some suffering for this adoption! Ha ha!

Good ole KFC. Or is it?

I'm sure people thought we were weird taking a pic of the KFC. Think about if roles were reverse and you saw a Chinese family taking a picture of the KFC in America.

Eating a fry

Little girl who played with Nathanael and loves our camera

She held his hand. It was really sweet.

Down the slide!

Hey Daddy! I'm a big boy.

The boy has a beautiful smile.

Alright! Let's get some ice cream!

Yum!

Back to the hotel. Our last night in Kunming.