每年感恩节是美国的大节，通常美国人会全家团聚，就像中国春节；而圣诞节反而像中国国庆节，是旅游的节日。美国每年有许多人会借感恩节，一家团聚，回顾过去一年的恩典。我们每年都会收到一些亲友的感恩信，总是非常温馨。我们今年第一次写下来。原想只想在小范围亲友中传播，彼此通报的我们的近况。不过好像在基督徒或非基督徒中反映尚好，没有太大的排斥；同时我邮寄的时候发了一个错误，用WORD2008格式发出来，有许多人看不了；不愿意再次SPAM他们，就在博客中再发一下。
2009感恩节感言
每年感恩节、圣诞节，都收到许多朋友的感恩信（Newsletter），代祷信（Prayer Letter）。一直很羡慕，但是从结婚伊始，对于我们就是无法完成的重大工程。
2009年，我们经历了许多变化，心中总是充满感恩、惶惑，下定决心，完成这封感恩证言。数算神的恩典，亲友的帮助，对过去一年，乃至过去的十几年，都充满感恩。
首先，诗篇16：2说“我的心哪，你曾对耶和华说，你是我的主。我的好处不在你以外”。在过去的一年中，神一如既往的眷顾，引领我们。当我开始自己的事业时，感觉到特别的渴望得到神的带领，开始坚持每周参加祷告会，（嗯。。。只能说是尽量坚持吧）。每每从中得到了平安、和弟兄姐妹的代祷和支持。特别是认识了许多在商界的基督徒，亦师亦友，受益匪浅。希望今年我们参加的一个刚开始的查经团契，能稳定下来，成为我们固定的查经班。
第二，感谢主，我们双方的父母，我的外婆，她的外公外婆都健在，身体健康，实在是我们的福分。随着自己孩子的成长，自己年纪的增长，越来越思念自己的父母，也越来越体会到父母以前抚养我们的付出。却常常为了“事业”忙碌而疏忽了这份亲情。好在父母也有自己的“事业”，都生活得非常充实。爸爸（杨鸿端）热心传播中国国画艺术，申奥、赈灾公益捐赠都不甘人后。去年他的作品还入选全球华人的300副国画，参加“和平颂——神七太空飞行艺术之旅”，伴随宇航员，在外太空绕地球45圈，小小的风光了一把。（送三幅参选，一副当选，都不知道是哪副）。
第三，感谢主，太太对我一如既往的支持，无论是回国、还是创业，都无怨无悔，开开心心地适应生活变化。同时包揽了家里一切，使我没有任何后顾之忧。今天我问她有什么特别感恩的，她说:“感谢主，你一年没赚一分钱，还有饭吃。”是的，不仅有饭吃，还有早饭吃，因为现在每天早上她都煮好稀饭，逼我吃了，才放我出门。谢谢了，太太。
第四，感谢主，孩子们健康、聪明、活泼，懂事。转眼，安安就到忠德双语学校上小学二年级了，星星也到了学前班。两人对中国生活“超”适应，先是觉得自己“不是中国人，是北京人”，后来又明白了：“北京人就是中国人，中国人就是北京人”。满口卷舌音，纠正爸爸妈妈的南方口音，甚至怀疑爸爸妈妈到底有没有上过小学，连拼音都不会。小学的功课不少，姐姐有时还不专心，数学、外语作业很快完成，但是语文作业超慢，田字格一行也要写好久，常常耽误两个人玩的时间，害的弟弟直着急，姐姐也生气：“我希望弟弟快点长大，也上一年级，他就知道作业有多少！”周末爸爸妈妈也不能免俗，让他们先后上了画画、溜冰、舞蹈、钢琴，不过好像姐姐最喜欢的是画画，弟弟最喜欢的自然是姐姐喜欢的节目，不知道是不是隔代遗传。最让人欣慰的是，孩子们从小就喜欢去教会主日学，也会每天吃饭、睡觉前祷告。最逗的是，星星有一天问妈妈：“是不是每个人长大成人了，都要找个人结婚？”，结果第二天妈妈就听到他祷告：“主耶稣，求你帮我找到一个人结婚，她要爱你，要爱神。。。”天哪，他还不到六岁！我保证这不是我的遗传。朋友们听了哈哈大笑，说我们可以不用操心了，他从小自己会祷告了，以后神一定预备。呵呵，如果要是老爸不用掏银子，早一年退休，那就真不用操心了。
接下来，我要谢谢我的老东家--微软。毕竟，在其中度过十二年的时光，我得到和学到的都是我职业生涯中最重要的宝藏。特别我在微软完成了从“只崇尚技术”的Geek到“有目标、有规划”的Career转型，多亏了微软中丰富的培训和资源，以及高人的榜样。无论是快乐的时光，无论是困境的反思，每个回忆我都珍藏。固然，回头时，许多成绩已如过眼烟云，许多利益得失也镜花水月，但是所有的沉淀下来的Soft Skill, Network才是最宝贵的。如今还常有Redmond回来的朋友偶尔相聚，中国积累下的同事、客户、合作伙伴也对我格外照顾，这些都是我的财富。我自己比较欣慰的是，2008年8月离职后我能一直保持对微软的感恩的心态，因为我确信一切都有神的美意。
去年十二月，我创立了诺金永信（北京）科技有限公司，关注第三代医疗信息系统拓展。公司转眼就成立一周年了。体会到创业的艰辛，更觉得每一步都充满感恩。首先要感恩的是我的员工伙伴或者顾问朋友，他们愿意信任我，减薪加入团队，为同一个理想加班加点奋斗，我对每一个我都心存感激，只能“不放弃、不抛弃”，同进同退！同时我感恩我的合作伙伴，他们信任我，帮助我，给我生意，给我机会，我只有用“承诺是金、诚信永续”的服务来回报！最后还有我们的客户，按理说从微软到创业，是从“甲方的爷”到“乙方的孙子”落差，但是我运气不错，常遇到好主顾，有些还成为朋友，我只有尽心尽力，精益求精来服务！现在我们以发展到11.5人，在金融危机的大环境中，今年能维持正的现金流，活下来了。先后承接了微软和卫生部在承德市农村区域医疗试点工程的咨询服务、北京协和医院的数据整合平台服务；在行业知识、技术积累都迈出了一大步。我只能说感谢主，也祈求神的继续引领。
另外，感谢主，今年我分别有机会参加了清华大学20年毕业聚会，福州一中25周年毕业纪念，见到众多多年未能谋面的老同学，特别是一些通过通缉令追捕到的骨灰级潜水员，实乃人生一大快事！祝老朋友们都保重身体，平安快乐。
最后，感谢主，我们生活在一个稳定的、和平的时代。也许我说不出一个爱国的道理，但是我坚信没有和平的国家，绝没有幸福的家庭。我祈祷一个和平、稳定、发展的中国，也祈祷中国能为后代保留一个绿色的资源和干净的社会！
PS：每逢节日，当我打开通讯录，群发短信或邮件时，每个名字、每个地址都使我想到你们每个人、每张脸，我常感慨：我们每个人周围，都有这么多亲朋好友，在人生的某个时刻，某个地点有缘相遇、相识，何等奇妙？何等难得？我为此感恩！
杨枫、冬凌、安安、星星于北京
2009年感恩节
Thanksgiving 2009
We already received a lot of Thanksgiving Newsletters or Prayer Newsletters every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We always enjoy reading them all, yet we can only envy them, because we were never able to finish our own, even though we thought about it every year, ever since we got married in 1996.
The year 2009 is a year full of changes and full of grace. We are thanksgiving for all the things happened and yet to happen. Therefore I made up my mind that I MUST finish at least ONE newsletter, to give praise to the Lord and give thanks to all the friends and relatives who care, for the year 2009 and all the years before that.
First of all, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." – Psalms 16:2, The Lord has been leading us and protecting us throughout this year, as HE always did in the past. When I started my own business, I often felt nervous and weak; I realized that I will need more guidance and strength from HIM. I started to attend the prayer meeting every week, (well, I should say I tried to attend every week). I experienced great peace and joy in these meetings, especially from the encouragements and prayers from other brothers and sisters. I also got to know many brothers and sisters active in the business field in China; they helped to answer one of my questions: “will it be possible for Christian to survive the business world in China?” Many of them becomes friends and mentors to me, this is great help to me. I wished the new fellowship we attended will become stable and have regular meeting, so that we could settle down in a spiritual home beside the church.
Secondly, I praised the Lord that our parents of both us, Vincent’s grandma, Lynn’s grandma and grandpa are all healthy. This is really a great blessing for us all. As we grow older and as our kids grown up, we started to miss them more, we appreciated them more for all the sacrifices they paid to raise us. However, we were always busy for the “career” and neglected them. Fortunately, they all have their “careers” and enjoyed a fruitful life. My father, Prof. Hong Duan Yang, has been very active in the Chinese Community, either in fund-raising for Beijing Olympics or for Sichuan earthquake relief. One of his Chinese Painting was selected among 300 artists to be part in the “PEACE 2009 - ShenZhou 7 Art Tour in Space”, which sent their paintings to the outer space and around the earth 45 times inside the China ShenZhou 7 Spaceship. This is a great honor for him and we are all very proud of that. (He submitted three pieces and one was chosen, we don’t know which one yet).
Thirdly, I praise the Lord for my wife, for her never failing support. No matter on relocating back to China or quitting MS to start new career, she never complained and joyfully adapted to the new life style. Meanwhile, she spent all her energy to take good care of the kids and the house, so that I don’t need to worry for anything. Last night, I asked her if she got anything special to give thanks for, she said: “Praise the Lord, for we all have food even though you did not make one penny last year.” Yes, not only we got food, and now I got breakfast every morning. Because she always prepared porridge in the morning, and force me to eat before I can leave. THANKS YOU, HONEY!
Fourthly, praises the Lord, the kids were all healthy, smart, lively and respectful. The kids grow so fast. Now Angelina is in the second grade at a character-based bi-lingual school, and Andrew will be first grade next year. They adapted to the Beijing life really well, they first said “I am not Chinese, I am Beijingnese”, later they understood more: “Beijingnese is same as Chinese, and Chinese is same as Beijingnese”. Now they all speak in curly tong (Beijing Accent), and often tried to correct daddy and mammy’s southern accent, they even doubt whether their parents pass the elementory school since we cannot get PIN YIN right. There are quite lot homework’s for Angelina. She is quick for math and English, but spends long time in Chinese part, especially in handwriting assignment, because she is easily distracted by Andrew who is playing around. However, this will cut into their play time before time to go to bed, Andrew does not like this, will cry and blame sister for that; then Angelina will become upset: “I wish Andrew will grow fast and get to grade 1, then he will understand how much homework it is.” Their parents were just like regular parents, busy to taking them to try different classes, such as skating, drawing, dancing, and piano. So far, Angelina seems to like drawing most, and Andrew always like what Angelina likes most. I wonder if the atavistic gene came from the grandpa. But the best part for them is that they all enjoyed going to Church Sunday school, and learned to pray before meal and going to bed. One day, Andrew asked mammy, “Is everyone going to find someone to marry when they grow up?”, then the next day, mammy heard him praying: “Dear Jesus, please help me find someone to marry when I grow up, and she must love you and love God……”, Gee, he is not even 6 years old yet, and I promised that gene does not come from me. Everyone heard about this story were amazed, telling us to rest easy and not to worry about his marriage, since he learned to pray for it at 5. He he, if I don’t have to pay for the wedding, I can truly be rest easy and retire earlier.
Next, I think I should be thanksgiving to Microsoft. I spent 12 years in this great company, and I have received and learned in great deals from it. I am especially thankful that I was able to transform from a geek interested in high-tech only, to a person with clear career roadmap; this is impossible without the vast resources in MS, like training, seminars, library, mentoring and role models. I treasure every piece of memory in MS, either happy moment or stress time. Looking back, many achievements becomes so distant, and all those gain and loss became so insignificant, but the soft skills I accumulated and network I built is what values the most. Sometimes, I still got chance to sit down with old buddies from Redmond; and the colleagues, customers and partners form MS China still trust me, and cares for me; and these are the most valuable asset to me. I am very happy that I could keep a grateful attitude toward Microsoft, even though I left MS on August 2008. Because I trust all things were happening according to God’s good pleasure.
I founded Promising Technology China Ltd in December 2008, focusing on the 3rd generation Healthcare Information System in China. The company will be one year old by next month. Every step is full of hard work yet thanksgiving. First, I am thankful to my employee partners and advisors, they believed in me, joined the startup with pay cut, worked day and night towards the same dream; I owe my gratitude to each and every one of them, all I can promise is that we are “All in One and One in All”, from the beginning to the end. Next, we are thankful to our business partners; they trusted us, gave us opportunities and lead us to customers; all we can promise is our quality service they can trust. Finally, we are thankful to our clients; normally there should be a great change in expectation from Microsoft to nobody, yet we are lucky to have some nice clients, and many of them became our good friends, all we can promise is to fulfill every promise we made to them. Now we have grown to 11.5 people, the company is able to maintain positive cash flow in the time of financial crisis, we survived the first year! Now we have been involved in the Microsoft project for Ministry of Health on Regional Healthcare Collaboration System pilot for rural area in Cheng De city; later we were awarded the System Integration Platform project in Beijing Xie He Hospital, one of the most prestige hospitals in China. It’s a big progress for us to gain domain knowledge and references. We are all thanksgiving for God’s mercy, and pray that HE will be always leading us through the valleys and over the mountains.
In additional to that, one of my happy moment last year is to attend the 20 Years Anniversary Reunion for Tsinghua University, and 25 Years Anniversary for Fuzhou No. Middle School. Many of us have not heard from each others for decades, and some were “unearthed” using electronics “Wanted List” sent through internet across the globe. What a joy to meet the old faces! Best wishes to all the classmates, God bless you with good health and happy family.
Last but not least, I praise the Lord for the peace and stability for this country. I am not pretending to be patriotic, for I truly believe that there will not be a happy family for all people if there is no peace. I pray for a PEACEFUL, STABLE and GROWING China, hope we all work for a better place for our future generations and a better and cleaner business environment will come soon.
PS：It’s a tradition to send SMS text message to all the friends in your address book, just like sending Christmas cards before the internet time. Every time I went through the email list, your faces flashed before me. I was always amazed that God has placed so many of friends around us, that our paths were able to cross at certain time and certain circumstance. I am truly thanksgiving for that!
Lynn & Vincent Yang, with Angelina & Andrew
Thanksgiving night, Nov. 26th, 2009
From Beijing, China