Time Differences

Dear Jesse,

Are you awake yet? Then I guess it is almost time for me to get ready for bed! Isn’t it funny to know that most of the time when I am sleeping, you are awake and most of the time when I am awake, you are sleeping. That’s because I live a half a world away from you!

Look at your clock now and see what time it is? Is it 10 o’clock on Monday morning there? Then it is 10 o’clock on Monday night here! That means that those of us living in China are always 12 hours or one-half day ahead of those of you who live in Florida and New York and other places on America’s east coast. That also means that when it is Christmas Eve in the U.S., it is already Christmas morning in China! And just think that when I begin celebrating your birthday here, it is 12 hours before your birthday begins there!

There is something else about time in China that is very interesting. Even though the country is much larger than the U.S., the time is the same anywhere you go. So when I travel to Beijing in northern China or to Guiyang in southern China or to Chengdu in central China, the time is always the same!

I think that is a lot less confusing that in the U.S. where the time in Florida is different from the time in Texas and the time in North Carolina is different from the time in California. Also, unlike in the U.S. where we have daylight savings time, the time in China remains the same year-round. So we don’t ever need to reset our clocks in China.

Well, there is extra special thing about being 12 hours ahead of you. I can always pray ahead, knowing that I have plenty of time to remember to lift up the things that are important in your life. When it is Sunday morning here, I can ask God to bless you as you sleep, and when it is Sunday night here I can ask God to bless you as you rise. It’s sort of like I am always one step ahead! I hope you remember to pray for me too.

Love from China,

Auntie D