年終回顧

時間很快的就過去了，溥士和仰晴來到印第安那也已經一年多了。從單身邁入婚姻生活，加上從學生到上班族的生活轉變，這一年我們學習了很多功課。

先說溥士吧！上班的第一年很多事情都還在學習中。花了好幾個月的時間來適應上班族的生活，總算慢慢習慣了每天面對電腦螢幕、作統計分析、寫研究報告的工作型態。我的工作應該算是很多人眼中的夢幻工作：上下班時間自己決定、請假跟自己請就可以、要做多少事情也是對自己負責。雖然如此，我還是忙得不可開交。其實之所以會這麼忙主要的原因是我有個很偉大的夢想：我希望自己能夠對大學教育的改革盡一分心力。可是我會的東西不多－做研究是我唯一會的事情。所以我只好盡我所能的生產研究成果，希望有一天我的名字可以列在高等教育的教科書上面。

在教會服事方面，今年也是非常忙碌的一年。我們所在的Bloomington原本沒有華人教會，但是在今年二月的時候我們所參與的印第安那大學華人學生團契正式由學生團契轉換為布魯明頓華人基督教會。這個轉換的過程中有許多大大小小的事情要處理，而溥士這個從來沒有在教會中擔任過執事的人竟然第一次當執事就被推選為執事會的主席。在一個沒有牧師的教會裡，我的責任除了主持執事會以外還要講道、主領聖餐、領會、以及兼顧其他大小事奉。感謝神的是祂在過去這幾年裡帶領溥士在不同的教會中有許多不同的學習：在德州我學到怎樣研讀神的話語，在佛羅里達我學到怎樣帶領查經班。原來神給我們的裝備是為了讓我們更多的事奉祂。我們也非常感謝神讓我們在Bloomington有一群非常忠心愛主的弟兄姊妹，我們一起事奉、一起學習神的話語、一起禱告交通，神的恩典真是夠我們用的。

在婚姻生活裡，我們兩個都更多的認識了自己。溥士以前一直以為自己是一個脾氣很好的人，但是結婚之後才發現其實自己的脾氣沒有那麼好。以前以為自己脾氣好是因為單身的時候想做什麼就做什麼，沒有人管也不需要徵詢別人的意見。結婚之後很多事情都必須要兩個人做決定，而當仰晴的看法與我不同的時候我就會心裡嘀咕。其實我心裡很清楚兩個人不可能在所有的事情上都有一致的看法，但是我們都還在學習如何互相妥協，在愛中互相包容與忍讓。

仰晴這一年一直都在適應不同的生活：從結婚，職業婦女，家庭主婦，到只當了一個禮拜的媽媽，覺得自己好像都跟不上生活上的角色轉變。從一個人到兩個人的生活對我（仰晴）來說並沒有適應上的困難，反而是生活上多一個人照顧我讓我覺得很幸福。另外一方面，從學生到職業婦女，對我來說卻是一大挑戰。從每天一大早起來做早餐，上班，回家之後準備晚餐，也許看起來沒什麼，但是我每天吃完晚餐就累的不想動了。溥士常常笑說我躺在床上只要一秒鐘就可以睡著。我常常等不到他關燈或是跟爸媽電話還沒講完，我就已經睡到不省人事。不過，職業婦女的生活也讓我學習到節省時間和凡事做好計畫。譬如說：早上就把晚上要煮的東西從冷凍庫拿出來退冰、把乾的食物先泡水、或是買可以放比較久的青菜。這樣就不用常常開車去買菜，我也可以在下班之後馬上準備晚餐。

就在已經開始習慣每天從起床後就要開始忙到晚上吃完晚餐的時候，溥士在今年七月一日正式拿到美國的工作簽證，我也跟著從原本的學生身份（Practical Training）轉換為配偶身份。美國的移民法規定持配偶簽證是不能工作的，所以我便不能繼續工作了。原本我的學生身份可以讓我工作到九月一日，但是因為身份的轉變，我必須要提早兩個月結束工作，在家裡開始學習當個全職的家庭主婦。我心裡頗受打擊，因為我已經開始習慣上班的生活，現在卻必須在兩個禮拜之內結束我的工作，而且時間還比我想的早了兩個月。

今年仰晴也開始帶領教會的查經班。這是我第一次帶領學生團契，所以便開始努力的研讀聖經。我希望在帶領別人的同時自己也能更與主親近。帶領學生團契的另外一個責任是要解決契友之間的人際問題－我覺得這比帶查經難多了。以前安慰或是幫助朋友只需要站在自己的立場來說話，反正說對說錯都只是我個人的意見。現在我必須以查經班組長的身份來給別人意見，很擔心自己給了不好的建議。在人際關係上我也很努力的學習和與我做事方式不同的人相處。教會裡面的每一個人似乎都有不同的做事方法，該怎麼與其他的弟兄姊妹同工對我來說是一件需要學習的功課。

今年的印第安那到了十二月還沒有下雪，十一月底的時候甚至還有華氏60幾度的暖天。十二月中我們將會到佛羅里達州的Disney World去玩。這是溥士來美國八年多以來第一次去Disney玩，因此我們都非常的期待。如果您們願意更多的了解我們的近況，請參觀我們的網站http://ypchen.com 從那兒您們可以連結到溥士與仰晴的個人網誌。若是您願意，我們很希望能夠知道您的近況，您可以透過E-mail或是我們的留言版跟我們聯絡。

願神的恩惠與慈愛常與您們同在！

(這篇年終回顧是在2005年十二月底開始寫的，但是因為準備結婚太忙碌以致於一直沒有完成。結完婚之後回到美國，想想過去這一年實在發生太多事情。如果沒有把它好好紀錄下來將會是未來的遺憾。因此雖然年終已經過去了，我仍然決定把這篇「2005年終回顧」完成。）

從大學時代開始寫我的年終回顧至今已經邁入第十三個年頭，今年將是我最後一次以單身的身份來寫年終回顧了。記得去年的年終回顧裡提到我仍然在尋求未來的伴侶，一年後的我將在新年當天完成終生大事，這一年的變化不可謂不多。光是結婚就已經夠大了，如果把今年發生在我身上的事情一一記錄下來那大概可以出書了。不過還是先講結婚好了。

前年(2004)八月，仰晴在Ohio University完成她的音樂治療同等學歷課程後便來到Florida State University繼續攻讀音樂治療的碩士學位。因為仰晴是我在FSU的一個好朋友的學妹，因此我便理所當然的幫助她在Tallahassee安頓下 來。我幫仰晴搬家，又帶她去買車子。仰晴跟我都是基督徒，因此我們同在Tallahassee唯一的一間華人教會聚會。開學之後大家都很忙碌，便沒有太多的交集，頂多在教會見面打個招呼罷了。

其實在幫仰晴搬家以及買車子的過程中我已經喜歡上她。如果你問我為什麼喜歡她，我實在也說不清楚。當時我只覺得仰晴很獨立、很聰明、頗外向。聰明、獨立都是我喜歡的個性，外向的她卻讓我有點害怕。我知道自己的個性比較內向，因此我不是很確定自己有沒有辦法跟一個外向的女生交往。後來在一個偶然的機會中知道仰晴當時已經有男朋友。我的原則是絕對不做第三者。既然仰晴已經有了男朋友，我也就打消了追她的念頭。

其實每次在教會或是查經班見到仰晴我都很想要多跟她說幾句話，但是很奇怪的是她似乎總是躲著我。於是我心想，好啊！既然你不想理我，我也懶得理你。於是接下來的幾個月我們連打招呼都越來越少了。2004年年底的時候我跟仰晴正好都回台灣。有一天我們正好在MSN上遇到，仰晴主動跟我打招呼（聽說她是想要來信友堂參加主日崇拜），但是我當時還在生她不理我的氣，所以我沒跟她聊幾句就離線了。

本來我跟仰晴之間的交集差不多就要結束了。我從台灣回美國之後忙著完成我的博士論文，仰晴則是忙著她的碩士論文；我開始在美國丟履歷表找工作，仰晴則是忙著找台灣的工作。在一次查經班的聚會中我不小心聽到別的女生跟仰晴的談話，原來仰晴不知道在什麼時候就已經跟她的男朋友分手了。於是我心裡又激盪了一下，雖然過去幾個月我故意裝酷不理她，其實我心裡一直很喜歡她，很想要更多的認識她。那天回家之後我便求神為我開路。我知道如果是神要為我預備的，那神便會親自為我們預備機會。 Continue reading →

If you would like to read the English version of this article, please click here.

在從Tallahassee回台灣的飛機上我為您寫今年的年終回顧。今年是我來美國之後的第七個聖誕節，忽然之間覺得自己真的是來美國太久了，不知不覺六年的時間就這樣過去了。六年的時間已經夠我唸完大學又當完兵了，而我還在這裡繼續跟我的博士學位奮鬥。

今年算是平穩蒙神保守的一年。自從2003年暑假通過了博士資格考之後，我便開始論文研究及寫作的生活。由於我考完博士資格考後還有一些課沒有修完，因此我去年的秋季大部分的時間仍然花在修課上，到今年初才開始專心的準備論文。我們系上的博士生必須準備三次論文口頭答辯。第一次口頭答辯是博士論文的前兩章 (Introduction and Literature Review)，稱為mini-prospectus。第二次口頭答辯是論文的前兩章再加上Methodology，稱為prospectus defense。最後一次口頭答辯則是論文成品（共五章），即所謂的final defense。感謝神的帶領讓我在今年六月的時候通過了第一階段的mini-prospectus答辯，然後又在十月通過了第二階段的 prospectus答辯。很多人可能很好奇寫論文是種什麼樣的經驗，就個人來說，我覺得寫論文是對於一個人意志力與決心的大挑戰。寫論文說難嗎不難，說簡單也實在不簡單。以前常常聽到別人說寫論文有多難多難，自己開始寫之後發現寫論文最需要的是貫徹到底的決心。寫作論文的過程中常常會遇到很多的瓶頸，有的時候一個問題可以讓我苦思兩個禮拜，正當我準備要放棄的時候，卻突然靈光乍現，一下子問題就解決了；有的時候當靈感來臨時又可以沒日沒夜的一直寫下去。就這樣我一步一步的進行我的論文研究，如果一切蒙神保守，希望在明年年中以前能夠完成我的博士學位。

寫論文是今年最大的一件事，除了寫論文，好像沒有發生什麼其他的大事，但是生活還是依然的忙碌。在教會中，我今年開始教1～5年級的兒童主日學。我以前從來沒有教過兒童主日學，因此每次教課前都要花很多的時間準備。但是我很感謝神讓我有機會來服事這些年輕的孩子們，我從這些孩子身上學到很多的功課。我也希望自己能夠繼續的把這些孩子帶到神的面前，教導他們成為神所喜悅的人。

五月的時候我到Wyoming拜訪我的好朋友。我跟好友以及他們新生的女兒度過了非常愉快的一個禮拜。我們也同時利用機會到Rocky Mountain National Park去走了一趟。這是我這一輩子第一次看到高山上的積雪以及結冰的湖面。一路上我們不斷地讚嘆上帝創造的奇妙與偉大。這是我今年唯一的一趟出城旅遊。

七月的某一天我在看新聞的時候無意間看到關於蘇丹內戰的新聞。這個新聞對我造成了很大的震撼。想到這個世界上有這麼多的人在受苦，而神在我身上的恩典卻是這麼的大，讓我可以無後顧之憂得在美國讀書，真希望我能為這些受苦的人盡一分力。我求神讓我有機會能到非洲去看看那邊的生活景況。很奇妙的是神為我開了去非洲短宣的路。因此在明年的三月二十八到四月八日之間我將隨同International Christian Ministries的短宣隊到非州的肯亞短宣十天。請你們在禱告中特別的為我紀念，讓我在剩下的幾個月能夠做好短宣的準備，也為我去非洲的旅費籌款、簽證以及手續代禱。若是您對我去非洲短宣的心路歷程有興趣，請參考我的網站：https://www.pushih.com/indexf.php?cat=19。

最後，請繼續為我的論文研究、畢業後的出路、以及我在教會中的服事代禱。我仍在等待神所為我預備的另外一半的出現，所以也請為我的耐心等候以及在神面前的預備代禱。

English Version:

It is again the time of Christmas and the time for me to count God’s blessing in my life for the past year. I am currently writing this letter on the flight from Tallahassee to Taipei. I am so glad that I can spend this Christmas in Taipei with my family. I wish you too have a joyous and peaceful Christmas and New Year holidays with your family and friends. Before you enjoy your holidays, however, let me give you a short report on how God has led my life in the year 2004.

Generally speaking, this is a quiet year in my life. Ever since I passed the doctoral preliminary exam last year, I have put all my energy on conducting my dissertation research. Not like the last two years, in which I attended at least two national conferences each year, this year I did not go to any conference or professional meeting. Instead, I focused on writing the first three chapters of my doctoral dissertation and developing a survey instrument for my dissertation research. In June, I passed the first stage dissertation oral defense (mini-prospectus), and in October I passed the second stage defense (prospectus). Conducting and writing a dissertation research takes a lot of time, energy, and determination. I spent a lot of time in reading, synchronizing what I have read, and coming up with my own ideas. There were times when there seemed to have no solution to my situation. For instance, I have spent two weeks trying to figure out a methodological problem without any progress. One day, when I was working out in the gym, a light came into my mind and I solved the problem immediately. Incidents like this happened again and again, which made me believe that God was the source of all wisdom. If not by God’s grace and His blessing, there is no way I can make it to this day.

Other than dissertation research, I am continuing my part-time assistantship job in the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). Working in the FLDOE gave me insights into how government conducted public education and the true meaning of “bureaucracy.”

In the church, I began to teach children’s Sunday school this year. Teaching these 7-12 years old children was a huge challenge. However, I was very thankful that God gave me this opportunity to serve Him by teaching these children and I was thrilled to be responsible for the spiritual life of these children.

One evening of the past July, I saw news on TV about the civil war in Sudan. An Arabic militia group, which was secretly supported by the Islamic government, has reportedly burned hundreds of villages, robbing, raping, torturing, and murdering their non-Arab inhabitants in the western Darfur region of Sudan. It was estimated that as many as 70,000 people have been killed in Darfur since the fighting started in early 2003, 2.3 million have been displaced. I was enraged and heartbreaking when I saw the news. I asked God what I can do for these suffered people. Somehow, God planted the seed of Africa mission in my heart. In the next several months, information about Africa continued popping up in my life, and I began to seek God’s will if He wants me to do something in Africa. On a September morning, when I was still on the bed, I heard from the radio that the Faith Radio Network of Tallahassee is going to put together a North Florida mission team to Kenya. I jumped up from the bed and asked God if this was the opportunity He prepared for me. After praying and seeking God’s will, I am sure this is the trip God wants me to go. Therefore, I will join the North Florida mission team to Kenya from March 29 to April 9, 2005. Please pray for my spiritual, physical, and emotional preparation and fundraising in the next several months so that I can be used by God in Kenya.

Please still keep my dissertation research, job search, spiritual life, and physical and emotional health in your prayers. I am still waiting for the special one to come into my life. Please pray for me that I can be prepared before I get into a relationship and I can be still and patient in waiting for God’s timing.

If you would like to read the English version of this article, please click here.

今年是我在Florida State University讀博士班的第二年。由於我們學校暑假比照春、秋兩季照常開課，在暑假修滿學分的情況下，我在這裡兩年的時間修完了別的地方三年才修的完的課。雖然，整年從頭到尾不停的修課真是一件非常累的事情。但是為了省學費、省時間，我也就咬著牙給他修下去了。到今年暑假的時候，我的博士班課程已經差不多修完了，所有剩下的只有兩門副修的選修課。在經過我的指導教授同意之後，我在今年暑假參加了博士資格考。我們的博士資格考分成兩階段：第一階段是為期兩天的專業科目考試，第二階段是要跟我的博士審查委員會答辯(defend)博士論文的前兩章。我在今年七月參加了第一部份的專業科目考試。兩天考六科，每個科目一題，總共六題。感謝 神的恩典，在經過兩個月不眠不休的準備之後，我順利的通過了第一階段的博士資格考。

在通過了第一階段的博士資格考之後，我便開始跟我的指導教授討論我的論文計畫。這一部份的進行不是非常的順利。我本來想要做的論文題目是關於美國大學生的靈性發展(Spiritual Development)。但是我發現這方面的研究文獻並不是很多，並且在執行上有很多的技術性的難題。有一天當我在跟我的指導教授討論的時候，他跟我說：「Daniel，你何不等到拿到博士學位後再來做這個題目呢？」我想想也對，等我比較有做研究的經驗的時候再來解決這些技術上的難題。於是我捨棄了我原本的論文題目，把我的題目轉成大學生的道德發展(Character Development)。由於我這個秋天還有最後兩門課要修，沒有辦法花很多的時間在準備我的論文，因此我的論文寫作並沒有很大的進展。我目前的計畫是利用今年寒假完成我的論文前兩章，並且在明年一月進行博士資格考第二階段的答辯。若是 神允許的話，我希望能在明年的聖誕節之前拿到博士學位。

很多人最近都在關心我畢業之後要作什麼？其實我心裡並沒有特別的打算。我有可能留在美國，也有可能回台灣－端看神如何開路。今年暑假除了參加考試之外，我也結束了作了兩年的研究工作。過去兩年我一直幫著我的指導教授作研究。今年年初，他告訴我希望我能出去外面看看。在經過一些面試之後，我拿到Florida州政府教育局的一份半職的工作。我目前的工作主要是作一些教育政策的研究，並且追蹤Florida州議會的立法進度。我非常的感謝 神給我這個機會到這裡的政府機關親身體驗教育政策的運作。我的新老闆以及同事都對我非常的好，而我也非常珍惜這樣的機會。

去年(2002)，我去了好多個城市參加不同的研討會。今年我出門的次數少了很多。三月的時候我代表我的指導教授到在聖路易斯（St. Louis）舉辦的全國學生事務人員(NASPA)年會上發表了一篇我們共同完成的論文。這是我第一次在全國性的研討會中發表，是個蠻有趣了經驗。發表後的反應似乎不錯，而我也認識了一些來自全美國其他學校的教授以及學生事務人員。

在Tallahassee的華人教會我繼續的參加聚會以及一些服事。我目前參加了一個本地的台灣學生組成的查經班；每週六我們在本地的一個台灣學生家中聚會。我也從今年的秋天開始參與我們教會兒童主日學的服事。目前我只擔任助教，明年若有機會可能會開始教兒童主日學。

這些就是我今年一年發生在我身上的事了。今年一年沒有生什麼大病，倒是小病（感冒加過敏）不斷。這一年來我每個禮拜都固定的到體育館運動，因此體重、血壓都維持穩定。沒有大事發生，感謝 神保守一切的平安。

請為我論文的進度代禱。寫論文的壓力很大，而我有的時候真的寫的很煩。請為我代禱讓我能有從 神來的智慧、決心、以及耐心來完成這個學位。也請為我畢業後的出路代禱，願 神帶領我去祂所要使用我的地方。我的電話、地址、E-mail、網站都依然沒變。請讓我知道您的近況好在禱告中互相記念。願恩惠、平安從 神我們的父和主耶穌基督歸與您。 祝

聖誕快樂 新年如意

English Version:

It is again the time of Christmas, and Daniel is here to share with you God’s amazing grace in my life of the past year. I wish that you will enjoy reading the letter, and please share with me your current situation so I can remember you in my prayers.

This past year was a busy year for me just as many previous years. I just finished my doctoral course work by the end of this fall semester. After taking 67 credit hours courses in two and a half years, I am ready to leave course work behind me. Since I have finished all my departmental required courses in the summer, I took the first stage of my doctoral preliminary exam, or so called doctoral comprehensive exam, in June. For our department’s doctoral students, we have to pass a two-stage doctoral preliminary exam before we can formally work on our dissertation. The first-stage doctoral exam was a two-day writing exam. We were put in a closed room and asked to answer six questions in two days. Well, six questions in two days did not sound like a big deal, right? Wrong! I was almost not able to finish it in time. Afterward, I did not feel very good about my answers, but thank for God’s grace, I did pass the first-stage doctoral preliminary exam.

The second-stage doctoral preliminary exam is to present a dissertation mini-prospectus, which is the first two chapters of a dissertation, to your doctoral directive committee. Originally, I planned to do a dissertation on American college student’s spiritual development. After conducting the literature review, however, I found very few empirical researches in this topic. Because I am a doctoral student and not a recognized researcher, I must have sufficient literature to support my arguments. It is very difficult for a doctoral student in social science to conduct a research without good literature support. After discussing with my major professor, we decided to change my dissertation topic to American college student’s character and moral development, which was a topic with more current literature. Since I still had classes to take this past fall semester, I did not do much in writing my mini-prospectus. I hope to work on it during this winter break and defend in the early January 2004.

After two years worked as a research assistant and webmaster for my major professor, I changed my assistantship this summer. My major professor suggested me find another assistantship because he wanted me to see things from outside the academia. After some interviews, I began to work with Florida Department of Education in this fall. My current job is to assist the policy and training director in the Office of Student Financial Assistance to conduct policy analysis and other related tasks. I have learned a lot about educational policy and student financial aid legislation in the past several months. I love this job very much and I am very thankful for God giving me this opportunity to learn from so many different people.

Last year (2002), I had attended several professional conferences around the country. This year I did not travel that much. The only conference I attended this year was the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ (NASPA) annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri. I led a group of colleagues to present a research paper that my major professor and I did last year. This was my first time being a leading presenter in a national conference and I enjoyed the experience very much.

In Tallahassee, I am still attending the only Chinese church here in town. Beside the Sunday worship, I also attended a student-formed Bible study group every Saturday night. I have also begun to be a teaching assistant in our children’s Sunday school since this October. I hope to begin teaching children’s Sunday school next year.

Nothing very dramatic has happened to me this past year. No serious disease, but small health problems like allergy and flu have bothered me the whole year. I have had regular work out in the gym this past year, and my weight and blood pressure have been well under control.

Please pray for my dissertation writing. I am very much stressed and I do not know how to get it done. Please pray that God grants me determination, patience, and wisdom to finish the project that He put in my hands. Please also let me know if there are things I can pray for you. My contact information can be found in the bottom of the page. May grace and peace to you from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

If you would like to read the English version of this article, please click here.

匆匆的一年又過了，而我又坐在這裡給你們寫年終回顧了。不知道為什麼今年的時間似乎過的特別的快，可能是因為我今年特別的忙吧！現在想想今年一年還真是做了不少的事情。雖然有的時候我覺得自己應該要做更多的事情，但是再想想還是量力而為吧！年中的時候有一天因為過敏去看學校的醫生，結果醫生跟我說我有高血壓的傾向，要我定期的觀察我的血壓。醫生的警告好像一聲當頭棒喝。想想過去這一年自從進了博士班以後，每天除了在學校上班、上課之外，就是不斷的讀書、做研究、寫報告。基本上沒有什麼機會放鬆自己，更不要說做運動了。這下可好，不要學位還沒拿到，身體就先被我搞壞了。所以自從被醫生警告之後，我便每個禮拜一定找個時間到學校的體育館做運動。而那以後血壓也逐漸的回到正常的水平了。另外我也開始特別注意我的飲食。因為一個人實在太忙，而且我對下廚又實在是興趣缺缺，很多時候我便吃罐頭食物以求迅速。後來我發現罐頭食物往往含有很高的鹽分，而高鹽分食物對血壓高的人是很不好的。現在我要求自己多花一點時間煮東西吃，也許有一天能培養出一點對煮菜的興趣(到目前為止還沒有培養出來)。

今年一年參加了好幾個研討會。也因為參加研討會的關係，去了好幾個沒有去過的地方。三月的時候去了一趟波士頓，也順道到紐約去晃了一下。去紐約的時候，看到了被恐怖份子炸倒的雙子星大廈的廢墟，心中很有感慨。不知道我們人類什麼時候才要停止自己毀滅自己。隔天我跟一個美國同學去百老匯看了我今生第一場百老匯秀-悲慘世界。那真是一場令我難以忘懷的秀，從頭到尾我不知道掉了多少眼淚。倒是我的美國同學坐在我旁邊覺得很無聊-真是煞風景。紐約回來，七月跟我的老闆去到芝加哥在一個研討會裡發表我們的研究成果。第一次在正式的研討會上發表讓我非常的興奮。在芝加哥只待了兩天，所以沒有時間到處晃晃，但是看到芝加哥市中心的建築每一棟都非常的有特色。不過我也見識到芝加哥夏天火爐般的氣候。十月去了一趟離我們學校兩個小時車程的佛羅里達大學發表另外一篇報告。回來之後又去了一趟北卡羅納州參加另外一個研討會。參加研討會是一件很有趣的事。其一、我見識了很多沒見過的都市。其二、可以認識很多相同領域的學者和同儕並且交換心得。參加研討會唯一的壞處是佔去了很多時間，回來之後就得加倍的用功讀書寫報告。

學校的事沒什麼特別的。Spring的時候我自找麻煩的去教了一門大三的課-生涯與職業規劃。那是我第一次教書，而且還不是用我的母語。結果為了準備課程花了我太多的時間，搞的我那個學期的成績不盡理想。春季班一結束，夏季課程就馬上開始了。我們學校的夏季課程是緊接著春季跟秋季課程開的。因此，我今年到現在還沒有放超過一個禮拜的假。上課上了一整年，倒是發現自己對現在念的科目越來越有興趣，沒有什麼倦怠的感覺。只是覺得時間不夠用，希望有更多的時間能拿來唸書。這個學期我評估了一下是不能再不自量力的去教書了，但是為了增加我的校務經驗，我每個禮拜花八個小時到Student Rights and Responsibilities Office (SRR)實習。SRR的功能有點像台灣的大學中的訓導處，但也不是完全的相像。由於我們學校是個很大的學校，學生有的時候難免會觸犯一些法律而被警察逮捕。最常發生的狀況是未滿 21歲喝酒被警察捉到。我的責任是審查警察局送來的報告，決定是不是要根據校規起訴學生。如果決定要起訴學生，我還要聽學生以及證人的辯護，然後決定是否要懲處。我很喜歡這個工作，因為它讓我有很多的機會接觸學生。我不但可以應用心理輔導以及教育行政的知識，也可以更多的瞭解美國大學生的生活。到目前為止我還沒有把任何學生踢出學校–意思是說我是個好人。

教會裡，我已經穩定的在我們教會的「青少幼年團契」裡服事了。說實在的，我從來沒有看過這麼乖的青少年。他們真的是一群很好的年輕基督徒。我希望自己能夠成為他們的好榜樣。沒有牧者以及缺少屬靈的教導是我至今仍然不太能接受的一件事實。雖然我不斷的跟教會的同工溝通我的想法，他們卻似乎覺得有沒有牧師不是一件很緊迫的事情。目前我們的教會正在建堂，我卻覺得有牧師比有新的教堂更重要。每每提到這件事我就覺得心情沈重又很煩。

大概就是這樣了。我的中文打字已經大大的退步。打這封信打的我好累。今年的聖誕節我將會在台灣度過。兩年半沒有回台灣了，很想念在台灣的家人和朋友們。請繼續為我的學業和事奉代禱。也請為我的教會禱告。有的時候我懷疑自己什麼時候才會有女朋友。如果你也對我有同樣的疑問的話，你也可以為這件事禱告。

願 神以祂的臉光照你，賜你平安！

祝 聖誕快樂，新年如意!

English Version:

It has been another year passed and I hope that you are ready for another newsletter from me. This has been a cold winter for Florida because the temperature has already dropped to the freezing point in November. This also has been a busy year for me from the first day of the year. Because the summer semester at Florida State University is tightly connected to spring and fall semester, I have taken classes and worked for a whole year without a break more than a week. Fortunately, I am going back to Taiwan this winter break for a month, and I am very excited about this. I have not been home for two and a half years. Most of my college buddies have married and some of them have already had kids. I cannot wait to see all my families and friends, especially my college buddies’ kids!

One day in the past summer, I went to FSU health center to see a doctor for my seasonal allergy. After reviewing my medical records, the doctor told me that I had a tendency of high blood pressure. I was shocked by the news. Since my life was filled by school assignments, papers, works, and church services, I did not have much time to cook (yes, I admit that I do not like cooking) and to do exercise. The result was that I ate a lot of canned food and I probably did exercise once during the year. No wonder I had the tendency of high blood pressure. After I was warned by the doctor, I began to run at least once a week and tried to spend more time to cook for myself (though I still don’t like cooking). My blood pressure has returned to normal range in the last several months, but I will keep doing exercise and monitoring my own health.

This past year was a traveling year for me. I went to Boston in March to attend a national conference for student affairs professionals. Since Boston was not far from New York, I took the opportunity to visit New York City with an American friend. In New York, I went to the Ground Zero of the old Twin Towers. It was a very sad place. Every time when I recalled that place, I reminded myself how much we, as human beings, need the salvation and love from God. Without the love from God, we are just going to destroy ourselves. After visiting the Ground Zero, we went to see a Broadway show – Les Miserables. It was a great show and I could not stop myself from crying again and again. I wish that I will have opportunities to go back to New York and see other Broadway shows.

Coming back from New York, I then went to Chicago in July with my professor and colleagues to present in a local conference. Chicago was a beautiful city and I liked its buildings because they were very unique. However, the summer of Chicago was like a furnace – very very hot. After the Chicago conference, I then went to Gainesville, Florida in October to lead a team presentation in another conference. It was fun, but I wish that we could have more audience. Coming back from Gainesville, I then flew to Raleigh, North Carolina with my professor for another student conference. It was a conference about student spirituality and it was a very special and interesting conference.

Traveling was fun, but the consequence is that I have to spend more time working on my assignments and papers when I was in town. In the spring semester, I took nine credit hours courses plus one teaching job. It was a memorable semester because I still don’t understand how I survived that semester. I have never taught a college class before. Can you image that my first time teaching was teaching a junior level college course using my second language? Although it was a three credit hours class, it took my about 10 to 15 hours a week to prepare it. Teaching a course plus my own assistantship job and 9 credit hours course – no wonder I had the tendency of high blood pressure!

This semester I decided not to teach again. Instead, I got an internship in the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities. My regular duties included reviewing police reports, drawing charges against offending students, and hearing the cases. So far I have not dismissed or suspended any student from FSU – I mean that I am a pretty nice hearing officer : Anyway! I like this job because it gave me an opportunity to interact with students and to understand their lives.

There is not much to say about the church. I am still in the Tallahassee Chinese Christian Church and serving as a counselor for the youth group. We still have no pastor and I wish you can pray for this for our church. Other than that, please also pray for my study and my service in the church. If you have question about my relationship, then you can add it to your pray list. Overall, I am pretty happy with my life in Florida.

If you are willing, please send an email and let me know you are doing.

Merry Christmas! May God’s grace and peace be with you!