【推荐1】Our church has a group of people known as “Petal Pushers”, and we go to the Rose Palace every year to help decorate the floats (花车). These people, who come from all over the US, are helping decorate and pay for the floats in the parade (游行队伍).

If you ever choose to take part in, I do warn you to wear casual clothes that you don’t mind ruining, because you can get the glue out of them. The first shift we worked was an evening one. Our family was told to work on the Donate Life float, thought they had lots of volunteers of their own. This float honored organ do nors and recipients. There were people who had received transplants (移植) as well as family members of donors.

There were also a few awaiting a transplant. That was where the excitement came from. You should have heard the cheers! In that short quiet, the sound of a cell phone bell echoed (回响). Many people turned to look in the direction of the distraction. The person who answered the phone shouted, “They found a liver, and I have to get to the hospital!” Everyone there began to cheer. When the Petal Pushers gathered there, word came that the transplant had been done and the new liver worked well. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.

At about 7:45, we heard the news that two of our floats won awards. The parade started at 8:00, but it took a little longer before it went past us. It was wonderful to be so close. We were a bit impatient for “our” floats to appear.

【推荐3】She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been six years old. A beautiful brown-haired, freckle-faced girl, bearing the image of innocence.

It was pouring heavily outside. We all stood there just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others annoyed because nature messed up their hurried day. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.

Her voice was so sweet that it broke the hypnotic trance (昏昏欲睡) we were all caught in. Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" she repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it lets up a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain."

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she pulled her Mom's arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"

Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'if God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I dare say you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came in or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now, some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life, a time when innocent trust can be nurtured (培育) so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God lets us get wet, maybe we just need washing," Mom said. Then off they ran.

We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they rushed past the cars and, yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran, too. I got wet. I guess I just needed washing.

【推荐2】I remember my math teacher Mr. Young very well. He stood out because the kids made fun of him. He was missing one of his fingers, and always pointed at students with his middle finger.

I was not very good at English and math. No matter how hard I tried, I just could not figure out why I did not understand what all the other kids found so easy to learn. One day, I was told that if I got one more E on my report card, I would be taken to the “big prison for kids”.

I tried really hard for weeks. I just couldn’t understand how to make different parts of numbers into whole things. The day before report cards were to come out, I knew that Mr Young would give me an E, just like he always did. I went to Mr. Young and told him that the orphanage (孤儿院) was going to send me to the big prison if I got another E on my report card. He told me there was nothing he could do; it would be unfair to the other kids if he gave me a better grade than I had actually earned. I smiled at him and said, “Mr. Young, do you know how the kids make fun of you because you’re missing your finger?”

He looked at me, moved his mouth to one side and said nothing.

“They shouldn’t do that to you because you can’t help not having a finger, Mr Young. Just like I can’t help not being able to learn numbers and stuff like that,” I said.

The next day, when I got my report card, I tucked it into one of my books. While on the school bus, I opened it: Geography, B+; Mechanical Drawing, C-; English, D-; History, C-; Gym, B+; Art, C; Math, D-.

That math grade was the most favorite one I ever received. Because I knew that someone in the world finally understood what it was like for me to be missing a finger inside my head.