Bittersweet Blessings
Many have expressed their opposition that Yang Peiyi was only the voice behind a lip-synching stand-in because, according to a member of the Chinese politburo, she was not pretty enough to be seen at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
It was a paradoxical moment for Yang Peiyi to be given the honor of singing and then dishonored as not pretty enough to be seen. Lin Miaoke, the “prettier” stand-in shares the spotlight as rising stars in China. Had their not been so much publicity over the perceived deception, would the rest of the world remember Yang Peiyi after the opening ceremony? Perhaps this event turned out better for Yang Peiyi than it would have if she had been allowed to fully participate.
There are numerous events in our lives that don’t happen as we planned. Perhaps you missed out on summer camp because you got sick, or you weren’t accepted to the college of your choice but it turned out better in the end because you were in the right place at the right time.
Can you recall a time in your life when things didn’t go according to your plan? What was the result? Did it work out better than you anticipated? Was the end result soon after the change of plans, or did a considerable amount of time pass before you could look back and see a bigger picture? You may find it encouraging to write in a journal or to photo journal (scrapbook)the event, circumstances, and personal journey as you lived out a different path than you planned. Many consider this exercise as faithbooking – scrapbooking a faith journey. Future generations will gain insight from your experience.
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
