生活點滴：A Joyful Return to St. James'

#2026-0727

Jean and I finished our ten-day stay in Dajia and returned to Wufeng on Thursday, July 23. I spent the following two days resting and doing some chores. Then, yesterday, we were delighted to attend the Sunday service at St. James' Episcopal Church in Taichung once again.

During our year-long stay in Hualien, it was impossible for us to attend Sunday worship at St. James'. Instead, we attended services at St. Luke's whenever possible. (See #2026-0628 for our final worship there.) It was especially convenient because we only had to walk downstairs from our room on the fourth floor to the chapel on the first floor.

Yesterday, however, we had to leave home much earlier because the English service at St. James' begins at 9:30 a.m., and it takes us about twenty-five minutes to drive there.

How glad and excited we were to be back at St. James' and to see so many familiar friends again after a whole year!

Just as we had expected, our rector, Rev. Lily Chang, together with many brothers and sisters in Christ, welcomed us warmly.

"Welcome back, Jerry and Jean!" they said.

Some of them also asked about our grandson, James.

"Is your grandson coming too?"

"No," I replied. "James met a former classmate and the boy's parents in Houli (后里), where the boy's maternal grandmother lives. They planned to visit her together before taking James back to Taipei for a short vacation of three or four days. In a few weeks, James' former classmate will be leaving for the United States, either on a study tour or for a longer period of study abroad."

After lunch, Jean and I stayed in the Coffee Hour room on the first floor, chatting with several of our close friends. We stayed there for quite some time, enjoying what turned out to be one of the longest and happiest conversations we have ever had after a Sunday service.

By the way, today I gave Rev. Ben Simmons two copies of my Mandarin conversation textbook, Yong Pinyin Xue Shuo Huayu (用拼音學說華語), which I published in Hualien last February. I wanted to encourage him, knowing that he plans to devote more time to learning Mandarin this year and next. I also presented a copy to Rev. Lily Chang as a souvenir because one of her photographs appears as an illustration in the book.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  Palm Sunday, 2023     (2023)

2)  I Love My Church     (2025)

3)  Mandarin for Faith and Life     (2026)

4)  十個職場人的故事 (A Personal Note)     (2026)

5)  Our Final Sunday Worship at St. Luke's     (2026)

A Meal After Farewell

#2026-0722

After attending the funeral of a beloved relative, we followed the advice of the older generation and decided to stay somewhere for a while instead of returning home immediately.

We had originally planned to go straight home. However, after receiving a phone call from our non-Christian relatives reminding us of the local custom, we decided to stop at a café or coffee shop on the way. A quick Google search led us to a café with the beautiful name 巷口茉莉, which literally means Lane Corner Jasmine. Unfortunately, we were unable to find its exact location or a suitable place to park nearby.

We then thought of a hot-pot restaurant with an attractive garden at its entrance. Many years earlier, around the winter of 2013, my former students had warmly invited us to attend one of their class reunions there. The gathering had been held at 鍋仙 (Pot Immortal or Pot God). We wondered whether the restaurant, nestled in the quiet countryside, was still in business.

To our delight, it was. There it stood, surrounded by peaceful rice paddies. So we turned into the restaurant and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, enjoyed a good meal after attending such a solemn service as a funeral.

Before and after the meal, I found myself quietly praying more than once:

"Lord, have mercy on us. We miss so deeply the one whose funeral was held this morning. Yet life must continue, and we must walk the days You have set before us. May we receive this meal with grateful hearts rather than guilty ones. Amen."

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  A Reunion of My Former Students     (2013)

2)  I'll Get Up Early Tomorrow     (2026)

3)  A Short Visit to "Wu Lu"     (2021)

I'll Get Up Early Tomorrow

#2026-0721

Since Jean and I returned to Dajia on July 14, I've been living at a more leisurely pace for the past week. I've been getting up around nine every morning, while she has continued to keep almost the same routine as always.

She is a morning lark, while I am a night owl. Whenever she quotes the saying, "The early bird catches the worm," I jokingly reply, "I don't want to be an early worm. Early worms are easily caught by birds!"

Tomorrow morning, however, will be an exception. I'll get up much earlier than usual because Jean and I will be attending the funeral of a beloved relative, and our dasao (sister-in-law) will be going with us. I'll be driving, and we'll leave Dajia before 6:30 a.m.

A funeral is a solemn occasion. Tomorrow's service will be especially meaningful to us because it is for someone we love and deeply respect. It is a time to remember a life, to express our gratitude, and to say our final farewell.

Oh, Lord, may You bless the departed, whether she knew You or not. May You also bless and comfort her family, her relatives, and all the friends who shared so much of life's journey with her.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1) 大甲夜景 ~ 白玉蝸牛     (2026)

2)  A Short Visit to "Wu Lu"     (2021)

3)  What Memories Can a Rainy Day Bring Back?     (2022)

大甲夜景 ~ 白玉蝸牛

#2026-0715

Wo han Qin zuotian huilai Dajia, yuding zhu zai zheli 10 tian zuoyou.

Yinwei A-Ya, lai zi Yinni de waiji bangyong, zhe duan qijian hui guo qu le, erqie pingshi yitong zhaogu wo yuemu de duo wei jiaren zhe ji tian you ganghao chuguo lüyou, suoyi wo han Qin yiburongci huidao Dajia, fuze zhaoliao (peiban) Mama de shenghuo qiju.

Bangwan shifen, Qin jianyi women zai fujin zou yi zou, yundong yixia. Yushi, deng Mama jinru fangjian xiuxi le, women jiu chumen lai, zai jia fujin de tianjian xiaolu shang sanbu.

Jintian de xin faxian: Women zai ludeng xia jingran kanjian liang zhi yanse hen tebie de gua'niu. Jing shangwang chaxun, cai zhidao na shi jiaozuo "Baiyu Gua'niu" (白玉蝸牛) de teshu pinzhong. Qing zixing canyue xiamian de zhaopian, qizhong you 10 zhang shi baiyu gua'niu de xiezhen jingtou.

 (Check the photos below—you'll spot a particular kind of snail called the "White Jade Snail" in several of them.)

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註：關於「蝸牛」的讀音，普通話讀音「蜗」（拼音：wō；注音：ㄨㄛ）牛，中華民國國語讀音「蝸」（拼音：guā，注音：ㄍㄨㄚ，古華切）牛。臺語稱為「露螺」（lōo-lê）；客語稱為「蝓螺」（海陸腔：rhe lo）。

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  溪頭剪影（夜行晨走新山客）     (2010)

2)  《夜遊中心壠》     (2024)

3)  夜景 (The Moon, the Lamps, and...)     (2024)

4)  The Countryside (田園風光)     (2019)

5)  Countryside Views in Dajia Today     (2025)