感谢主 for strange people on public transport

Tonight, I went for dinner and a movie with my very old friend Bec.

Aside： Cool story. Bec and I went to high school together for a few years (incidentally, so did our mothers). We were very close but lost touch after I moved to St. Andrews. Three years later, we were at the same Crusaders HSC study camp, and quickly discovered that in those three years, both Bec and I had became Christians. We both come from non-Christian families and backgrounds and since meeting up again then, Bec has been a great encouragement to me, and I am so, so thankful for her friendship and love. 感谢主， for he works behind the scenes, when we're not looking.

So. Back to the story. Bec and I went to Wagamama for dinner and saw Fame. Good movie - not as good as the original, or the original series. Not the point of this post.

I caught the bus there and back. It's only a 15minute trip from college, and usually I turn on my iPod and it all goes very quickly. Tonight, on the way in, the bus driver welcomed me as I stepped onto the bus, told me to "find a seat with a view" and proceeded to give the whole bus a rather peculiar tour of Broadway and George St as we made our way into the city. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard (or loudly) on public transport before. There wasn't anything inherently hilarious in what he was saying - the whole experience was just bizarre and everyone on the bus - especially those that had just gotten on - was so bemused. I ended up chatting to the woman behind me and the man in front, something I would never (and this is the total city-girl in me speaking) ever ever do on public transport normally - but this driver just got everyone so relaxed.

No, I didn't have an Essential Jesus in my bag, and I didn't have some great evangelising experience, although perhaps there were opportunities there that I didn't jump at. I'm not really sure. It was just a really, really enjoyable few minutes. And I really, really loved Sydney right then.

After the movie I walked Bec to the train station and caught the bus home. I was listning to Panic! At the Disco (latest album - Pretty.Odd. <3 it.) and this guy gets up, walks across the aisle and says something to me. Obviously I can't hear him so I stop the music and say "Sorry?"
"I said, are you okay?"
I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah! Yeah I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He looked pretty normal, except that his scarf was really long.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Why?"
"Oh, you just looked really sad, that's all."
I try and not look to weirded out. He doesn't seem threatening.
"No, no, I'm fine. Just, you know, concentrating on my music or something."
"Oh okay." He starts walking back to his chair, and I realise he isn't going to try to prolong the conversation or start anything funny.
"Thanks though!" I say it a little too loudly - I'm not terribly interested in drawing the attention of the whole bus to this little exchange, but I'm genuinely touched. I don't think there was anything going on there, other than honest kindness, and he wasn't acting weirdly to anyone else around him.

TBQH, I enjoy a bit of crazy public transport behaviour. Especially in calm, familiar Sydney. It's nice to feel connected to the big, wide, world of strangers. 感谢主, for we're made to be connected and in community, to care about and love each other. Even if that's just a quick inquiry of a stranger on a bus whom you'll never see again.

Tonight, I also spilled candy all through my handbag. Reaching in there for the next few days is going to be pretty exciting. 感谢主 for candy, also.

x

Today, when the sun rose, the world was orange.

So much for my morning run.

First: A confession and an explanation.

First, the confession.

Actually, I am not new to blogging. For a long time I kept a kind of journal-blog, the premise of which was to serve as a place for ranting and venting - my own little corner of the cyberworld where I could say whatever I liked. That blog was fundamentally self-centered and self-serving, full of things I wouldn't ever actually say to anyone. It covers some interesting years of my life, starting a little after I had met Jesus, long before I knew Him, and continuing until quite recently. It has now been deleted and this one started in its place.

Now for the explanation. The title is Chinese, and means, in the closest English rendering, 'thanks be to God.' It can also be imperative, however - as in 'thank God.' This URL is the same words in pinyin, the romanized form of Chinese. It is my hope that this will gradually become a bilingual blog - not just an excuse for me to practice my written Chinese but a chance to reach Chinese friends with Christ-centered writings in their own language. I am thankful that our Saviour is not a mere Western cultural relic!

With that said:

Hi :) I'm Tori.

I was born on the 17th of Feb, 1988, and was reborn as a child of God somewhere between 2005 and 2008. It was more of a process than a flash of light.

I grew up in Sydney, but now my parents and my older sister live in Hong Kong. My older brother lives in Macau. I live in Sydney, and try to see them in the holidays. In Sydney I study - at the moment that means writing a massive thesis on Chinese literature. Basically, I'm reading lots. In the last few years I've been blessed with opportunities to spend a lot of time studying in China. I itch to return.

In short, my present is in Sydney, my family is in Hong Kong, my heart is in China, and my hope is in Jesus. My life of late seems to revolve around juggling all of the above, and it looks like it might stay that way for a while.

But, in displacement too, there are things to be thankful for.

Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

感谢主。

你好 :) 我叫沈唯雅。

我1988年2月17日出生，大概三四年前被耶稣拯救了。这并不是一下子就得救了，而是一种过程。

我在悉尼长大了，但目前我父母和姐姐住香港。我哥哥住在澳门。我自己一个人住在悉尼，每个暑假寒假尽量到那边看他们。我在悉尼读书，今年要写一篇关于中国现代文学的论文。因此我需要读的书非常非常的多。这几年，主给我很多机会去中国留学， 感到特别幸福， 很想回去。

总之， 我的现在于悉尼，我的家人于香港，我的未来于中国，而我其希望于耶稣基督。最近好像我的生活都围绕怎么处理这些问题，而且看起来这几年还不会有办法解决。

然而，在这种不安，不稳定的生活，还有要感谢主的事情。

Php 3:20 我们却是天上的国民，并且等候救主，就是主耶稣基督从天上降临。