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Posted by: juleschen

Original: 8/21/2005 3:38 AM
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Sunday, August 21, 2005

 

Ode to my sister (Mrs. Szu-Wan Rita Chang Young)

I remember my first time going back to Taiwan after a number of years in the States.  I was in jr. high and my sister was in high school.. The next morning after I arrived, American, broken Mandarin and all, she took me on the back of her moped and rode me through our hometown, telling me and showing me all the various places. That summer and all the subsequent summers afterwards, I could always be found on the back of my sister's moped with her. She has always taken care of me and she knew how to show me what fun was.

We both grew up. I had my own little tumultuous time in high school away from my folks and my sister went to a little private Christian college in Taiwan. Then she came out here to study in Ohio for her Master's program without ever having been out of Taiwan with the exception of travel.  She did SO well transitioning to a new country by herself.  She learned the ways, finished up her program, toured various parts of that area of the States. Eventually she met my brother in law, a truck driving, motorcycle riding, football refereeing, ice hockey playing white guy who's just the nicest, kindest guy in the world! Oh yeah he works in the computer industry..so he's not THAT wild. And she learned to like burritos; beans, guacomole, steak and all.

My sister has become this little silent glue in our family the last few years. She never forgets our birthdays and is constantly getting us these little practical gifts to brighten our days!  She also very patiently mails me back my personal items that I accidentally leave behind in LA everytime I go to visit...my phone charger, my planner..., you know..these little essential things.

My sister recently advanced in her position at work after having only been there for less than two years!!  There's nothing like good old Asian work ethic, "be respectful, mind your own business, and work hard!"  I am proud of you, jie!!  I am so proud of the way you've adjusted to life in CA, marriage and all that it entails, and work.  I love you and I know that God loves you and will never abandon you.

 Posted 8/21/2005 3:38 AM - 346 Views - 54 eProps - 30 comments

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Visit Kebs's Xanga Site!

..

we love you...

julie..

Posted 8/23/2005 1:24 AM by Kebs Xanga Lifetime Member - reply

Visit banilla777's Xanga Site!
julie... we will always love you...
Posted 8/23/2005 1:51 AM by banilla777 - reply

Visit dr36mer's Xanga Site!
jules...we'll see you soon...
Posted 8/23/2005 10:58 AM by dr36mer - reply

Visit lilsatellite's Xanga Site!

we love you soo much Julie....until we meet again...you're always in my heart...

Posted 8/24/2005 2:58 AM by lilsatellite - reply

Visit cson2smile's Xanga Site!
i miss you julie....your smiles and sweet voice will always remain with me.
Posted 8/24/2005 11:46 AM by cson2smile - reply

Visit captainmicahfantastic's Xanga Site!

To Julie, for Julie...May your spirit be at peace in the presence of God.  Well done thou good and faithful servant...

Posted 8/24/2005 7:56 PM by captainmicahfantastic - reply

Visit whui's Xanga Site!
julie, you are woman after God's own heart. thank you for blessing our lives. i love you and i miss you but i'll see you soon.
Posted 8/25/2005 2:20 AM by whui - reply

Visit jazecee's Xanga Site!
To Julie: your life has been an inspiration to me. The way you loved God inspired me to love Him more. I thank you for being yourself, and following God with all your heart. For standing firm during times of sadness and trials, and thereby choosing to love and trust Him through these times. I know I should be happy for you because you are now with the Lord (for this is where you always wanted to be) but I am sad beacause I will have missed growing old with you. I miss you, and look forward to day when we can see each other in heaven when all will be finished.
Posted 8/25/2005 5:39 PM by jazecee - reply

Visit JITL's Xanga Site!
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Only conduct yourselves worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:21-27)

It really does seem like Julie had the same attitude of Paul, who understood the rewards of laboring for the gospel, as well as the reward of departing from this world as a believer and in addition, expresses her affection for others. In spite of the loss, her testimony is a true and profound encouragement.
Posted 8/26/2005 5:14 AM by JITL - reply

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To Julie, My lovely little sister in Jesus Christ:

       Thanks for your inspiration to me; let me know thta we must follow our Lord's path everyday and do our best to share God's love with eveyone who surrounds us . Your life has brought  a lot blessing to your family and everyone who ever met you. You has made this world more wonderful. Thanks! Julie

"Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a signal seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (JOHN 12:24). I believe that one day your parents, sister and brother will understand how Jesus love them because of you. See you, my lovely little sister, we'll meet again in the heaven with all the joy. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, God will wipe every tear from our eyes. See you!

                                       Jin-Long Chen from Telehassee, FL

Posted 8/26/2005 2:27 PM by jc1036 - reply

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Dear Julie,

Your goal was not
to leave a mark,
that we may nod,
and say Julie did that,
or Julie made that,
or Julie had that.

Your goal was just
to be as close
to God as you
could possibly be,
and love Him ...
with all your heart
and all your strength.

And as a side-effect,
we were blessed,
by the love,
and joy,
and laughter,
and fun,
and care,
that naturally flowed,
from God,
through you,
to us.

The void you've left
is irreplaceably huge,
but the memories are just
as irreplaceably good,
and that's why the tears
flow freely still,
because we'll miss
that hippety-hop step,
and we'll miss
that rambunctious laugh,
and we'll miss
those candid talks,
that always steered us
closer to God.

Posted 8/27/2005 4:46 AM by geordasche - reply

Visit pekkle's Xanga Site!
Dah I may have missed something here ...
Posted 8/28/2005 6:42 AM by pekkle - reply

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Hmmm please excuse the ostensibly frivolous nature of my previous comment. I am severely out of the loop.
Posted 8/28/2005 7:41 AM by pekkle - reply

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dear Ms.Chen,

I really miss you, but, I know that we'll all be able to meet each other again someday.

That thought fills me with joy and happiness! I love you so much Ms. Chen!!!

Ur the best teacher in the whole wide world!!!

Love ur student. Gloria Choi

Posted 8/28/2005 7:56 AM by cutie_diva4 - reply

Visit faithsojourner's Xanga Site!

I dont actually know you, never met you before, but you have touched my life. Thank you for your thoughts. You have lived the life that I had wanted to, yet could not live. I have always wanted to be a missionary in Indonesia and China, reaching the unreached lost by establishing churches and schools in remote areas of both countries. I have always prayed for God to open ways but my parents wouldn't let me go. You had your share of being persuaded to lead the 'normal life' by your parents but yet your courage persisted. That woke me up. You gave me strength and courage to continue living the dreams that I once had. I just wish I had known you while you were doing your assignment from God, we could have been workers on the same field. Thank you for the inspiration, thank you for the persistence and obedience you have shown in your calling.

You have just sown the seeds of courage, strength and persistence to future martyrs of His missions. To live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21. You have expressed the true meaning of that verse to me. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the lost of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. If by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-12 

Posted 8/28/2005 9:30 AM by faithsojourner - reply

Visit swhang's Xanga Site!
i shared your story at a retreat in which all the sermons were given by lay people in the singles ministry. may your story continue to go about and awaken us from our stupor of being drunk with worldliness. may this story mobilize asian americans for missions much like how jim elliot and his 4 friends story mobilized thousands.
Posted 8/28/2005 11:55 PM by swhang - reply

Visit dchan11r's Xanga Site!
i wish i had the chance to tell you in person, that you were one of the people who introduced me to christ, and that i wanted to thank you for that. i hope that you knew, and still know, that your time on this world affected many people. and i am one of those people.

thank you julie. thank you for giving me life.
Posted 8/31/2005 2:14 AM by dchan11r - reply

Visit jayupark's Xanga Site!
The greatest tragedy is not dying young... the greatest tragedy is to grow old and never really live at all... Thank you for living in faithfulness.

May this testimony truly be used to inspire others to live.
Posted 9/1/2005 10:52 AM by jayupark - reply

Visit ericleeisme's Xanga Site!
We miss you and will see you soon Jules.
Posted 9/7/2005 2:56 AM by ericleeisme - reply

Visit JerryBerry's Xanga Site!

just a random person who stumbled upon this xanga site through a friends. i dont know her at all, but praise God for what she did here with the time she had.

Posted 9/8/2005 3:00 PM by JerryBerry - reply

Visit KebsSaint's Xanga Site!
jules: the boys at black 1203 miss you tons. welcome Home. can't wait to see you smiling when we come Home too.
Posted 9/13/2005 2:07 PM by KebsSaint - reply

Visit ixoyefisher's Xanga Site!
Julie,
I feel this void in my life that I fear will swallow me up now that you are gone. I can't believe it's not getting any easier, and actually sometimes I feel it's getting harder as time passes on. But oh how I have to remind myself that it is because you gave so fully and so deeply of your love (from God) that there is this gaping hole I feel. But what you left behind, the legacy, the memories, the impact of lives all around you, it is so far greater than the hole you left... And for that I praise God. And though you are not with us physically, you are truly with us in spirit. I know you are probably dancing your heart out before your Beloved, your husband. Remember when I asked you if you thought God calls us to singleness, and you said emphatically, "No, He gives us a choice"? Heh, you're right, he sure did give you a choice... and you chose Him!! I seriously can't wait to join you up there...
Posted 9/21/2005 3:49 AM by ixoyefisher - reply

Visit ejmaing's Xanga Site!
I have to say it....It's not fair...i can't call you laugh with you and play with you anymore =(.
We did have A LOT of fun though. All the memories I'll have to document them in a scrap book. I'm saddened.
I miss you
Posted 9/24/2005 12:43 PM by ejmaing - reply

Visit mikeho99's Xanga Site!
We just wanted to let everyone know that we have set up a memorial site for Julie. Please feel free to visit http://www.juleschen.com/
Posted 9/26/2005 5:17 PM by mikeho99 - reply

Visit bluebutton's Xanga Site!
A little over a year, just remembering how much your life mattered.
Posted 10/9/2006 12:35 AM by bluebutton - reply

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