MidnightJournal，MidnightJourna

　　MidnightJournal
　　Itsatruestoryinthesummerof1998whenIwasattendingayouthconferenceinL。A。。。anditfeelssogoodtorewinditintherecollection。。。
　　Fogswirls，swallowingthecarinfrontofus。Dense，impenetrable，thewallofwhitethrowsbackthelightsintomyeyes。TherearefourofusinafamilyvanthatiscreepingalongthefreewayfromdowntownL。A。toLancaster。Foggetsevenstrongerandspreadsoutlikeablanketovertheflatland。ItsNoahsturntodrivewithcomplaintsaboutthecouldntbelowervisibility。ButheiswhisperingsothatEugeneandKikkicansleepstill。Witheyesslightlyclosed，IamplayingBobDylanonthedisk，whoserhythmechoesthemidnightprays。
　　Well，wevetrulyhadenoughprayersjustnow。BeingofffromtheannualVineyardChurchInternationalYoughConference，Ifindmyselfdeeplyburiedinthefermentthatkidscreatefromallovertheworld。Therearecriesandwhisper，laughterandtears，blessandpain，confidenceanddisbeliefmixedtogether，buildingupaconfessionofthedetoursofsoul。Biblehasrecordedallthissincecenturiesago。ItsaboutGod，butitsnotalltimereligion。
　　AboyfromPanamaaskedmeifIeatturkeyasanIrishCatholicwhenpastorDavidwaspresentinghisspeech。IsmilinglynoddedmyheadandturnedbacktoMr。David。HeisanauthenticEnglishwithdarkbluepupils，eyesrightfixingintohislistenerwhiletalking。Hehastrulyhandsomechinsthatshowuphisdecencyofsmileandsubtlenessofwit。
　　ThereisonlyonedoorintoheavenandJesussaid，Imthedoor（John10：9），hequoted，ThewayyouenterisbyexpressingfaithintheLordJesusChrist。FaithinJesusisacommitmenttotheonewhoselifebecomesyourlifeandhislifewithinyoumakesyouanewperson。
　　Therewasadeadsilenceforprayingbeforeaburstofweepingbroketheice。Ablondegirlthrewherselfintothearmsofthepeerbesideher，hidingherface。Aboyofcrewcutonthefirstrowwasbendinghisknees，foreheaddowntotheground，whisperinghisregrets。Ablackgirlstandingrightbesidemewasshiveringherlipswithtearshangingupinhereyes，showingapieceofuncertainty。ItwastrulyheartwrenchingwhenmoreandmorekidswerepeacefullytouchedbythepowerofGod，harmonizingtheirwordswithtears，ratherthanscreamingouttheirlogoasweloveJesusyeswedmweloveJesushowaboutyou。
　　IthasntbeenlongbeforeIamusedtothewayofprayinghereintheStates。Themelancholiesintheairsoonputmeonthewayoffiguringoutthefactlyingbehindthetears。Itnumbedmetoseethefearandsolitudethatrootdeeplyinthismateriallyrichworld。Thereisafalsesecuritythatdrasticallyreshapesthecountrybydrug，crimes，premaritalsexandracism。Anditseemedhereeverytinylittlesoulswerecertainvictims。Jesuswasnttrulythere，butthevoidbecamethesavior。
　　ItwasthenthatthemotherofpastorDavidrosetosingAveMaria。Shecameuptopianoinagentlepace，tookabreath，closedhereyes，anddeliveredthegoods。Well，neverhaveheardthesongofferedwithmorefeeling，morepassionandfervor。Shewasseventyyearsoldandmagnificent。Theplainvoiceflowingintheairwasneitherscratchynordramaticthatyoumightexpectfromanagingthirdrateoperasinger。Thiswasactuallythevoiceofagrandmotherdistillingherlifeintothemusictohonorwhatshelovedandbelievedin。whenthelastlovelynotefadedandsilenceheldusfirm，thegrandmaopenedhereyes，smiledatus，andsaid，mylordbewithyou。
　　Thatisbasicallywhatreceivedfromthejourneyofsoul。Itoldoutmysinswithonceinlifetimehonesty。ImaynevergetachancetobumpintoPastorDavidandItrulymissthismidagedgentlemanofdeepseapupil，althoughhedidntsucceedmakingmebelievethatJesusdiedonthecrossformysinandpaidmysindebtinfull。
　　Noahisnowtoosleepytodrive。ItsmyturntostayawakeinthismistyofmidnightLosAngeles。Fogstandsstillwhenweareinchingalongtheroadofthisspiritualtrip。Idontknowwhatkeepsmeinsuchawildandpeacefulexcitement。Well，ifthefogdoesntlift，mayweatleasthavesomelinesandreflectorsputdownalongtheroadtoguideus。
　　简评
　　宗教的力量可以是无穷的。作者根据在美国的所见所闻，向我们描述了基督教对美国人的思想所起到的巨大支持与影响作用。
　　同时作者的美国经历不仅丰富了阅历，也使其语言功底令国内的英语学习者难以望其项背。生动的描述，地道的选词都使得该篇文章成为很好的例文供我们赏鉴。
　　（点评教师：张雪波）
　　MidnightJournal