Our God is AMAZING!!!

Guys!  I have AWESOME news!!!!  Our God is so amazing, and I have got to tell you!  I just finished Skyping with my sister, and here's what she told me.

---------------------------------------------

Taylor: my beautiful sister who’s had inexplicable, chronic, and debilitating back pain for a year and a half

Jackie: strong woman of the Lord and speaker at Circa Bible study

Jake: her husband and a strong man of the Lord

Kip: Taylor’s boyfriend

Taylor James: good, encouraging friend

Mike Shen: other friend

------------

 Taylor went to a Bible study by Acacia Fellowship in Fayetteville.  Here's what happened.

(From Taylor, my sister, Friday July 29, 2011, late a night EST):

AH!! My BACK!!!!!!!! LINDSAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Worship was really good. Then Jackie talked on your heart’s garden and eating love and pooping love, true kindness comes from a grateful heart, etc. Then within 3 min of it being over Jackie walked over to me and I introduced Kip and she asked me to tell her about everything [about my back].

She prayed, then asked where the pain was and she put her hand there and prayed again about how she knew God has a plan, she agrees with His plan, and she knows His power to heal.  I prayed silently.  Within a few minutes, my back got really hot (it was hot anyways, but her hand’s heat was making it worse).  Then she said, “I don’t know about you, but I can feel electricity in my hand. It is in my finger tips.” That feeling lasted the whole time.  The electricity feeling went from her whole hand up her wrist to just her pinky and parts of her palm. The sensations on my back cycled from extreme heat to a shocking tingle to cold (like icy hot) to just numb.

Sometimes I could feel her fingers moving, but apparently that was my muscles. She said my muscles were dancing under her hand. It got so bad that they were twitching enough you could see it. Jackie, Kip, Taylor, and Mike Shen saw it. It apparently looked like a creature was crawling under my skin. Jackie said it looked like something from the Matrix.  At one point I said, “Right there, it kinda feels like a needle like when you can feel an IV in your arm.” Jackie said, “No way!!! I felt a needle in my wrist!”

She kept praying, and at one point my back got so hot and her prayers got so loud. She was screaming, “Praise to God!” and Jake started to yell and then everyone was yelling praises.  It was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She felt electricity through her hand to my back, and after 40 min of her hand on my back, it was COVERED in sweat when she pulled it away!

Since then, I have had maybe 15 minutes of pain all day.  If it comes back, I will praise Him for the relief He has given me in the past and I will call Jackie.

  ---------------------------------------------

Friends, I am So excited and So happy and So blown away by His power and strength and love!  Please celebrate with me!  Praise Him!  He's so amazing!

Our God is AMAZING!!!

Guys!  I have AWESOME news!!!!  Our God is so amazing, and I have got to tell you!  I just finished Skyping with my sister, and here's what she told me.

---------------------------------------------

Taylor: my beautiful sister who’s had inexplicable, chronic, and debilitating back pain for a year and a half

Jackie: strong woman of the Lord and speaker at Circa Bible study

Jake: her husband and a strong man of the Lord

Kip: Taylor’s boyfriend

Taylor James: good, encouraging friend

Mike Shen: other friend

------------

 Taylor went to a Bible study by Acacia Fellowship in Fayetteville.  Here's what happened.

(From Taylor, my sister, Friday July 29, 2011, late a night EST):

AH!! My BACK!!!!!!!! LINDSAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Worship was really good. Then Jackie talked on your heart’s garden and eating love and pooping love, true kindness comes from a grateful heart, etc. Then within 3 min of it being over Jackie walked over to me and I introduced Kip and she asked me to tell her about everything [about my back].

She prayed, then asked where the pain was and she put her hand there and prayed again about how she knew God has a plan, she agrees with His plan, and she knows His power to heal.  I prayed silently.  Within a few minutes, my back got really hot (it was hot anyways, but her hand’s heat was making it worse).  Then she said, “I don’t know about you, but I can feel electricity in my hand. It is in my finger tips.” That feeling lasted the whole time.  The electricity feeling went from her whole hand up her wrist to just her pinky and parts of her palm. The sensations on my back cycled from extreme heat to a shocking tingle to cold (like icy hot) to just numb.

Sometimes I could feel her fingers moving, but apparently that was my muscles. She said my muscles were dancing under her hand. It got so bad that they were twitching enough you could see it. Jackie, Kip, Taylor, and Mike Shen saw it. It apparently looked like a creature was crawling under my skin. Jackie said it looked like something from the Matrix.  At one point I said, “Right there, it kinda feels like a needle like when you can feel an IV in your arm.” Jackie said, “No way!!! I felt a needle in my wrist!”

She kept praying, and at one point my back got so hot and her prayers got so loud. She was screaming, “Praise to God!” and Jake started to yell and then everyone was yelling praises.  It was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She felt electricity through her hand to my back, and after 40 min of her hand on my back, it was COVERED in sweat when she pulled it away!

Since then, I have had maybe 15 minutes of pain all day.  If it comes back, I will praise Him for the relief He has given me in the past and I will call Jackie.

  ---------------------------------------------

Friends, I am So excited and So happy and So blown away by His power and strength and love!  Please celebrate with me!  Praise Him!  He's so amazing!

By the way, it rains here.

First of all, it's time to celebrate, kids!  The 2012 London Olympics are exactly just one year away!

Secondly, God bless the ajumas*!

I had to go pick up my standard medical check today.  It's a short bus ride and a shorter subway ride away from home.  And, you know, I knew it was going to rain, but I didn't go back for my umbrella.  My foolishness caught up with me as I exited the hospital building.  I tried my best to not look like an idiot foreigner, but the facts were I didn't have an umbrella in monsoon season.  (The rain from yesterday was the heaviest Korea's seen in 20 years.  Subways were flooded, and 32 were killed due to the extreme weather including mudslides.)

It was still raining when I got out of my subway.  While waiting for the pedestrian crossing sign to turn green (jaywalking never happens here), the ajuma beside me looked and spoke and moved her umbrella over me.  "Oh!  Gahmsahmneeda!*  Gahmsahmneeda!"  This 55-year-old lady walked me across the street and then she stayed with me and tried to help me find my bus.  We got confused, and she told me to get on the wrong one, but I told her that this wasn't mine, so she smiled, waved, and headed off.  What a lovely lady.

So I waited again for the right bus.  It was taking forever, wasn't it?  I thought they came by more frequently than this.  I was using the hard covers on my day planners as a pathetic shield.  My khaki colored blouse was the kind that clearly shows every raindrop.  Then I saw the college-aged girl next to me start, start again, then lean over to me with her umbrella.  She told me, "Ah, this is my bus," and she headed on.  Then a third lady, another ajuma, shared with me!  She also had to go to her bus before I did, but, dang!  These ladies blessed me SO much!

I wish I could have explained my deep gratitude to them, but all I could do was say "thank you" and bow to them.  I asked a Korean friend how to say "thank you very much," but I have already forgotten.

Tomorrow I go to get my alien registration card!  That will be a one and a half hour ride on the subways.  I believe I'll be bringing a book.

Also, God bless my mom for sending me my rain boots!
They'll be here in 7-10 days!  Awesome Possum Sauce!

*Ajuma- n. Korean for married woman.  Typically applied by expats to middle aged to older women who act like they are the boss.

That ajuma totally body blocked me from getting on the subway!

I always walk next to an ajuma when I cross the street because ain't no one running over her!

*Gahmsahmneeda- Thank you

By the way, it rains here.

First of all, it's time to celebrate, kids!  The 2012 London Olympics are exactly just one year away!

Secondly, God bless the ajumas*!

I had to go pick up my standard medical check today.  It's a short bus ride and a shorter subway ride away from home.  And, you know, I knew it was going to rain, but I didn't go back for my umbrella.  My foolishness caught up with me as I exited the hospital building.  I tried my best to not look like an idiot foreigner, but the facts were I didn't have an umbrella in monsoon season.  (The rain from yesterday was the heaviest Korea's seen in 20 years.  Subways were flooded, and 32 were killed due to the extreme weather including mudslides.)

It was still raining when I got out of my subway.  While waiting for the pedestrian crossing sign to turn green (jaywalking never happens here), the ajuma beside me looked and spoke and moved her umbrella over me.  "Oh!  Gahmsahmneeda!*  Gahmsahmneeda!"  This 55-year-old lady walked me across the street and then she stayed with me and tried to help me find my bus.  We got confused, and she told me to get on the wrong one, but I told her that this wasn't mine, so she smiled, waved, and headed off.  What a lovely lady.

So I waited again for the right bus.  It was taking forever, wasn't it?  I thought they came by more frequently than this.  I was using the hard covers on my day planners as a pathetic shield.  My khaki colored blouse was the kind that clearly shows every raindrop.  Then I saw the college-aged girl next to me start, start again, then lean over to me with her umbrella.  She told me, "Ah, this is my bus," and she headed on.  Then a third lady, another ajuma, shared with me!  She also had to go to her bus before I did, but, dang!  These ladies blessed me SO much!

I wish I could have explained my deep gratitude to them, but all I could do was say "thank you" and bow to them.  I asked a Korean friend how to say "thank you very much," but I have already forgotten.

Tomorrow I go to get my alien registration card!  That will be a one and a half hour ride on the subways.  I believe I'll be bringing a book.

Also, God bless my mom for sending me my rain boots!
They'll be here in 7-10 days!  Awesome Possum Sauce!

*Ajuma- n. Korean for married woman.  Typically applied by expats to middle aged to older women who act like they are the boss.

That ajuma totally body blocked me from getting on the subway!

I always walk next to an ajuma when I cross the street because ain't no one running over her!

*Gahmsahmneeda- Thank you

On sex before you're married

Out of love for my Lord and Savior and in obedience to Him, I have chosen and committed to reserve sex for when I am married.  This doesn't mean that I'm not curious (and, by the way, I'm highly anticipating my wedding night).  It does mean that I stand out among most of Western society.  My first experience with this truth was when I worked at a Little Caesars the summer of 2009.  Two of my coworkers were interviewing me (read: grilling me) on my lifestyle, and when they found out that I hadn't even kissed a boy at the age of 20, they were flabbergasted.  They kept repeating, "Woah.  I've never met anyone like you.  Seriously?  Woah."

This led to later conversations about why I'd made this decision.  I can explain my devotion to Jesus and to the way He's set before me as well as I can, but to someone who doesn't even view the Bible as valid, it doesn't have much push, if you know what I mean.

That's why I'm so glad to show you guys two well written articles by two lovely sisters who have nailed the other side of the issue.  Allow me to present...

The Friends with Benefits Epidemic 

by Lauren Lankford for Relevant Magazine

and 

Intimacy: Intended for One

by Stephanie Smith for Start Marriage Right

The second article is my favorite, probably because of the life giving introduction.  She talks about how she and her then-boyfriend-now-husband were in a long distance relationship that spanned the Atlantic.  Her then-boyfriend perplexed his fellow lifeguards by not flirting with nor trying to get with the girls back home.  The girls finally asked what his deal was, and this is what he said.

His answer said it all (and won major points with me!), “Because I already have what I want,” he told her, “And nothing is worth jeopardizing this relationship.”

Forgive me for being sappy, but, you gotta know, I'm in a relationship like that, and I want to be just as grounded and just as focused.  Heck, don't forgive me!  That's not sap, that's love!  The real kind.  The deep kind.  The kind that speaks of the Ultimate Lover, the one I want to emulate.  So, here I go!  Continuing onward in my pursuit of the great good in this relationship I've been blessed with!

And, in an effort to tie back into my original topic, I'll say this:  No sex.  Till marriage.

Lastly, in an effort to save my strange conclusion:  Just read the articles.  They're beyond legit.

via Amelia Lyon Photography

 ---

October 26, 2011 edit:
Also, please check out Lauren's post, "I Don't Have To Be A Slut To Be Sexually Confident."  Her ending phrase rings so loudly.
Can I just re-phrase "sex out of marriage" as "sex without committed, unconditional love" once and for all, please? Maybe then we'd realize that we're not breaking a rule someone else set, we're actually harming ourselves.

On sex before you're married

Out of love for my Lord and Savior and in obedience to Him, I have chosen and committed to reserve sex for when I am married.  This doesn't mean that I'm not curious (and, by the way, I'm highly anticipating my wedding night).  It does mean that I stand out among most of Western society.  My first experience with this truth was when I worked at a Little Caesars the summer of 2009.  Two of my coworkers were interviewing me (read: grilling me) on my lifestyle, and when they found out that I hadn't even kissed a boy at the age of 20, they were flabbergasted.  They kept repeating, "Woah.  I've never met anyone like you.  Seriously?  Woah."

This led to later conversations about why I'd made this decision.  I can explain my devotion to Jesus and to the way He's set before me as well as I can, but to someone who doesn't even view the Bible as valid, it doesn't have much push, if you know what I mean.

That's why I'm so glad to show you guys two well written articles by two lovely sisters who have nailed the other side of the issue.  Allow me to present...

The Friends with Benefits Epidemic 

by Lauren Lankford for Relevant Magazine

and 

Intimacy: Intended for One

by Stephanie Smith for Start Marriage Right

The second article is my favorite, probably because of the life giving introduction.  She talks about how she and her then-boyfriend-now-husband were in a long distance relationship that spanned the Atlantic.  Her then-boyfriend perplexed his fellow lifeguards by not flirting with nor trying to get with the girls back home.  The girls finally asked what his deal was, and this is what he said.

His answer said it all (and won major points with me!), “Because I already have what I want,” he told her, “And nothing is worth jeopardizing this relationship.”

Forgive me for being sappy, but, you gotta know, I'm in a relationship like that, and I want to be just as grounded and just as focused.  Heck, don't forgive me!  That's not sap, that's love!  The real kind.  The deep kind.  The kind that speaks of the Ultimate Lover, the one I want to emulate.  So, here I go!  Continuing onward in my pursuit of the great good in this relationship I've been blessed with!

And, in an effort to tie back into my original topic, I'll say this:  No sex.  Till marriage.

Lastly, in an effort to save my strange conclusion:  Just read the articles.  They're beyond legit.

via Amelia Lyon Photography

Soju and norebong

As I sit to write my first legitimate update from Korea, I am a little overwhelmed by how much I could be writing about.  The school, the kids, the food, the apartment, the co-workers, etc.  For now, I'll hit upon last night as it was an excellent exposure to parts of the Korean culture (possibly more of the Americans-in-Korea culture).

Last night SLP (the school where I work) took us to a Korean BBQ restaurant for a welcome and good bye dinner.  When I walked into our reserved room, I too of my shoes and left them on shelves by the door.  Walking to the table, I saw that there were cushion mats on the floor around the low tables.  In the center of the tables were sunken grills where the meat is cooked.  The servers come by every once in a while to flip and to cut the meat, then they set the done pieces on a ledge attached to the grill.

Once the meat was ready, we take it and add flavor, onions, kimchi, salad, egg souffle garlic, or what have you, and we wrap it in sesame leaves or lettuce leaves.  My favorite combo was the soy/sesame/sweet sauce soaked onions with the egg souffle and the meat wrapped in the lettuce.  There was savory, sweet, salty, and just amazing flavors all together.  I can't wait to go back!

The dinner was a great place for me to get to talk with the other co-workers.  Jeremy has said that everyone hangs together.  Essentially, he said, this group of 16-18 people are going to be my social life for the next year.  I foresee a lot of ludicrous behavior in my future.

My new found friends drink at any occasion.  In the name of gathering experiences, I have tasted soju (lower alcohol percentage than vodka, more than beer) and maehwasoo which is a light, sweet plum wine.  (I've never liked what I've tasted of alcohol, and I still don't love it.  Let it be noted, I am perfectly okay with that.)  Because dinner was free, everyone ordered much, much alcohol.  Near the end of our time at the restaurant, there was plenty of ridiculous behavior.  I couldn't help but laugh, but I also was glad that I was going to remember the evening the next morning.

After dinner, we all headed to a nearby norebong.  This is the Korean equivalent of karaoke.  I've never been to karaoke in America, so my comparison will be lacking, but here's what it was like.  We walked down stairs to a small room with disco lights, a small table, couches around the edges, a large tv, and two microphones.  We selected what songs we wanted and they popped up on the screen, then the microphones were passed around and everyone started dancing, singing, and yelling.  The norebongs don't serve alcohol, and my friends snuck plenty in with them.  The booze was flowing, and the cigarettes were lighted.  Even without drinking, I enjoyed goofing off with them and making a fool of myself.  The whole thing was just a crazy, silly dance party.

I didn't take any pictures, so may I direct you to Sarah's pictures which give a pretty good depiction of my own experience.  We just had one tv, though, and ten more people.  And I'm pretty sure our room was smaller.

via International Sarah
I don't know this girl, by the way.  Just found her pictures through Google.

Last thing for now: I got lost on my way home.  I mean lost-lost.

I thought I knew my way back, I was pretty sure I remembered where to turn, but after about 7 minutes of walking, I couldn't recognize where I was.  I went back to where I started and tried again, but it still didn't work.  I kept ending up on a street near a park that I knew, a church that I didn't, and a police station that I really wanted to trust.  I've always had a steady sense of direction, and I couldn't understand why this sense told me I was in the right place because I definitely wasn't.  I didn't know how to get to where I was, it was 1:30 in the morning, and I had no cell phone and no way of contacting my friends.

I tried to remember what I had read about the Korean police force.  Nothing.  I have read nothing.  I was pretty sure I was safe on the streets, my roommate told me that she has never had to worry about her safety here, but going up and initiating a "I'm lost and vulnerable" conversation with a man was a big deal.

I walked up to the police man on the steps of the building.  "Bootakhamneedah... SLP... school?"  The man told me to wait a second, and he called over another policeman while explaining, "English... English."  Another man came out, and we tried to get my meaning across.  We got as far as "English school," and the first man finally exclaimed "Hagwon!" (private school)  "Yes!  Yes!  Ne!" I answered.  He led me inside to a map and gave me directions.

Passing the park on the way to where he had indicated, I thought about how I'd never slept in a park before.  It couldn't be that bad, right?  I'd just find someone who could speak English tomorrow morning if I had to.  After 2 minutes, though, I recognized where I was, I came to the school, and I was home free!  I ran into my roommate on the way, and I yelled her name and caught up with her.  "Guess what, Sarah!!  I got lost!  I got lost-lost!"  The poor girl got nervous for me right there, but I was fine, I took care of myself, and Jesus was totally there with me the whole time.

So, that's the first chapter of my adventure.  Pretty crazy, right?

Soju and norebong

As I sit to write my first legitimate update from Korea, I am a little overwhelmed by how much I could be writing about.  The school, the kids, the food, the apartment, the co-workers, etc.  For now, I'll hit upon last night as it was an excellent exposure to parts of the Korean culture (possibly more of the Americans-in-Korea culture).

Last night SLP (the school where I work) took us to a Korean BBQ restaurant for a welcome and good bye dinner.  When I walked into our reserved room, I too of my shoes and left them on shelves by the door.  Walking to the table, I saw that there were cushion mats on the floor around the low tables.  In the center of the tables were sunken grills where the meat is cooked.  The servers come by every once in a while to flip and to cut the meat, then they set the done pieces on a ledge attached to the grill.

Once the meat was ready, we take it and add flavor, onions, kimchi, salad, egg souffle garlic, or what have you, and we wrap it in sesame leaves or lettuce leaves.  My favorite combo was the soy/sesame/sweet sauce soaked onions with the egg souffle and the meat wrapped in the lettuce.  There was savory, sweet, salty, and just amazing flavors all together.  I can't wait to go back!

The dinner was a great place for me to get to talk with the other co-workers.  Jeremy has said that everyone hangs together.  Essentially, he said, this group of 16-18 people are going to be my social life for the next year.  I foresee a lot of ludicrous behavior in my future.

My new found friends drink at any occasion.  In the name of gathering experiences, I have tasted soju (lower alcohol percentage than vodka, more than beer) and maehwasoo which is a light, sweet plum wine.  (I've never liked what I've tasted of alcohol, and I still don't love it.  Let it be noted, I am perfectly okay with that.)  Because dinner was free, everyone ordered much, much alcohol.  Near the end of our time at the restaurant, there was plenty of ridiculous behavior.  I couldn't help but laugh, but I also was glad that I was going to remember the evening the next morning.

After dinner, we all headed to a nearby norebong.  This is the Korean equivalent of karaoke.  I've never been to karaoke in America, so my comparison will be lacking, but here's what it was like.  We walked down stairs to a small room with disco lights, a small table, couches around the edges, a large tv, and two microphones.  We selected what songs we wanted and they popped up on the screen, then the microphones were passed around and everyone started dancing, singing, and yelling.  The norebongs don't serve alcohol, and my friends snuck plenty in with them.  The booze was flowing, and the cigarettes were lighted.  Even without drinking, I enjoyed goofing off with them and making a fool of myself.  The whole thing was just a crazy, silly dance party.

I didn't take any pictures, so may I direct you to Sarah's pictures which give a pretty good depiction of my own experience.  We just had one tv, though, and ten more people.  And I'm pretty sure our room was smaller.

via International Sarah
I don't know this girl, by the way.  Just found her pictures through Google.

Last thing for now: I got lost on my way home.  I mean lost-lost.

I thought I knew my way back, I was pretty sure I remembered where to turn, but after about 7 minutes of walking, I couldn't recognize where I was.  I went back to where I started and tried again, but it still didn't work.  I kept ending up on a street near a park that I knew, a church that I didn't, and a police station that I really wanted to trust.  I've always had a steady sense of direction, and I couldn't understand why this sense told me I was in the right place because I definitely wasn't.  I didn't know how to get to where I was, it was 1:30 in the morning, and I had no cell phone and no way of contacting my friends.

I tried to remember what I had read about the Korean police force.  Nothing.  I have read nothing.  I was pretty sure I was safe on the streets, my roommate told me that she has never had to worry about her safety here, but going up and initiating a "I'm lost and vulnerable" conversation with a man was a big deal.

I walked up to the police man on the steps of the building.  "Bootakhamneedah... SLP... school?"  The man told me to wait a second, and he called over another policeman while explaining, "English... English."  Another man came out, and we tried to get my meaning across.  We got as far as "English school," and the first man finally exclaimed "Hagwon!" (private school)  "Yes!  Yes!  Ne!" I answered.  He led me inside to a map and gave me directions.

Passing the park on the way to where he had indicated, I thought about how I'd never slept in a park before.  It couldn't be that bad, right?  I'd just find someone who could speak English tomorrow morning if I had to.  After 2 minutes, though, I recognized where I was, I came to the school, and I was home free!  I ran into my roommate on the way, and I yelled her name and caught up with her.  "Guess what, Sarah!!  I got lost!  I got lost-lost!"  The poor girl got nervous for me right there, but I was fine, I took care of myself, and Jesus was totally there with me the whole time.

So, that's the first chapter of my adventure.  Pretty crazy, right?

I'm in Korea!

Just a quick update for now because I need to iron tomorrow's clothes, shower, get sleep, and get ready to go for training in 9 hours:

Besides a 1.5 hour delay and some scary turbulence, everything went well.  I had an excellent plane buddy during my Charlotte to San Fransisco flight, a 15-year-old girl on her way to hike through California for 3 weeks.  I watched Soul Surfer on my next flight at her recommendation.

I'm unpacked, and my room is set and ready for sleeping.  I'll get a video up for you guys in a while.

It's warm and humid here.  I'll have a fan going all night, and I can't imagine sleeping under more than one sheet.

That's all for now!  Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!  I thought of all the intercession that was going on for me, and it brought me courage on many occasions throughout this day.  You guys are amazing.

I'm in Korea!

Just a quick update for now because I need to iron tomorrow's clothes, shower, get sleep, and get ready to go for training in 9 hours:

Besides a 1.5 hour delay and some scary turbulence, everything went well.  I had an excellent plane buddy during my Charlotte to San Fransisco flight, a 15-year-old girl on her way to hike through California for 3 weeks.  I watched Soul Surfer on my next flight at her recommendation.

I'm unpacked, and my room is set and ready for sleeping.  I'll get a video up for you guys in a while.

It's warm and humid here.  I'll have a fan going all night, and I can't imagine sleeping under more than one sheet.

That's all for now!  Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!  I thought of all the intercession that was going on for me, and it brought me courage on many occasions throughout this day.  You guys are amazing.

Korean vlog #2 - 2 Days To Go!

Tumbling out, just for you, are my thoughts and feeling about my fast approaching experience with Korea, compete with fried green tomatoes.

Korean vlog #2 - 2 Days To Go!

Tumbling out, just for you, are my thoughts and feeling about my fast approaching experience with Korea, compete with fried green tomatoes.

Tips for living in Korea!

From Chris in Korea, here's a list of things I'm going to be keeping in mind over the next couple months.  Hopefully it will become second nature after then.

21 Rules for Expat Life in Korea

And, from CNNgo, a similar set of 12 Rules for Expat Life

And, this will be a good thing to read before you come and visit me.  : )

Looking for another helpful site for expats?  I highly recommend Korea4Expats.  Just found it this week!

Lastly, you can check out a lengthy list of photos showing the typical Asian poses that the younger generations consistently use in all their pictures.  I will be mastering said poses and will be sure to post them all over my blog to give you something happy to look at. Every.  Day.

via CNNgo

Tips for living in Korea!

From Chris in Korea, here's a list of things I'm going to be keeping in mind over the next couple months.  Hopefully it will become second nature after then.

21 Rules for Expat Life in Korea

And, from CNNgo, a similar set of 12 Rules for Expat Life

And, this will be a good thing to read before you come and visit me.  : )

Looking for another helpful site for expats?  I highly recommend Korea4Expats.  Just found it this week!

Lastly, you can check out a lengthy list of photos showing the typical Asian poses that the younger generations consistently use in all their pictures.  I will be mastering said poses and will be sure to post them all over my blog to give you something happy to look at. Every.  Day.

via CNNgo

Anticipation

I just realized!  I'm really excited to get to give you guys stories of  firsthand Korea!  My research will be interviewing locals and expats!  My pictures will be ones I've taken!  My thoughts will come from someone who has seen and heard and touched and tasted!  And smelled.

And I'll be able to start in...

 

Holy cuss!

I've got a ton of information in my head about what to expect, but I'm nervous about now knowing really what to expect.  I don't want to freak out.  I don't want to want to come back home.  I want to adjust and to learn and to grow and to love and to build.

I thank you, friends, for your prayers.  They are very much sought after.  If I may, I would ask that you pray specifically for my confidence and that my confidence be well placed.  I am a daughter of the Almighty God.  He will continue to be with me and to prepare the way for me.  May I never forget, and may He be my ever present help, comfort, delight, and joy.  Also, please pray that I won't have to have a male housemate.  That would be so so so great.  Lastly, please ask the Lord to develop the good things He's placed in me that will help me in this experience.  I've always been fascinated by other cultures and nearly every aspect of them.  I don't want this interest to fail me now.

Also, I need to stop worrying.  God's got this.  He's totally got this.

And that's totally awesome.

A side note about that picture: Yes, those are faces excited over a newspaper telling of Brazil's 3-0 win against Chile during last year's World Cup!  And, yes, I used MS Paint and some Picnik to edit it.  But, yes, I promise I learned something during my Digital Imaging class.

Anticipation

I just realized!  I'm really excited to get to give you guys stories of  firsthand Korea!  My research will be interviewing locals and expats!  My pictures will be ones I've taken!  My thoughts will come from someone who has seen and heard and touched and tasted!  And smelled.

And I'll be able to start in...

 

Holy cuss!

I've got a ton of information in my head about what to expect, but I'm nervous about now knowing really what to expect.  I don't want to freak out.  I don't want to want to come back home.  I want to adjust and to learn and to grow and to love and to build.

I thank you, friends, for your prayers.  They are very much sought after.  If I may, I would ask that you pray specifically for my confidence and that my confidence be well placed.  I am a daughter of the Almighty God.  He will continue to be with me and to prepare the way for me.  May I never forget, and may He be my ever present help, comfort, delight, and joy.  Also, please pray that I won't have to have a male housemate.  That would be so so so great.  Lastly, please ask the Lord to develop the good things He's placed in me that will help me in this experience.  I've always been fascinated by other cultures and nearly every aspect of them.  I don't want this interest to fail me now.

Also, I need to stop worrying.  God's got this.  He's totally got this.

And that's totally awesome.

A side note about that picture: Yes, those are faces excited over a newspaper telling of Brazil's 3-0 win against Chile during last year's World Cup!  And, yes, I used MS Paint and some Picnik to edit it.  But, yes, I promise I learned something during my Digital Imaging class.

Korean Culture: Beauty Standards

 "There is only one definition of beauty here, and that is having wide eyes, pale skin, no fat, and looking perfect all of the time."

- Sharon from Life After Cubes

From all I've read and heard, she is absolutely right.  During my first phone conversation with Emily (who was about to go back to Korea for another year to teach), I was told that, if I were nice and pretty, I'd have no problem getting a job.  I was told that, if I were blond, I could confidently ask for a higher salary.  I was told that the students had no problem telling female teachers what they thought of how she looked.

I know that we in the West have high, nearly unattainable standards of beauty, but, if you can imagine, the Koreans have tighter standards.  And, as Sharon says, "Koreans openly admit to their country’s hyper-obsession with beauty. A few Koreans have told me that if their daughters were not deemed 'pretty' by society’s standards, they would encourage them to get plastic surgery."

One thing I hadn't realized until reading Sharon's post was that this entire culture is pushing its young girls to look like they are from a different culture instead of encouraging them to embrace what they already look like.  I'm having a hard time sympathizing because my parents never told me I should like something else.  Yes, culture has enforced and reinforced that women should be thin and flawless (I am thankful for the new-ish direction toward women looking healthy and fit rather than just skinny.), but my mind's having trouble making the connections with a different culture's beauty being the goal.

One of the things I'm most excited about is building relationships with the students.  I'll most likely be with preschool children and some elementary, and they are young yet, but I hope that I can be a positive influence of confidence building and... I just hope I can help.

For further reading

From Chris in Korea - the body proportions the girls are encouraged to achieve

From Life After Cubes - the plastic surgery the girls are encouraged to get (This highly recommended post was the one that inspired my post here.)

Ad for a Noodle Diet
via The Grand Narrative

Ad for a diet for legs
via The Grand Narrative

This is Girls Generation, a 9-member K-Pop singing group ready to display the idea Korea beauty.
Image via a site that brought way too many pop ups via Google

(P.s. I think 9 is a big number, too.  If you care to see how awkward it is when 9 similarly-shaped girls try to be cute and innocent while at the same time still suggestive, here's one of their hit songs, "Oh!")

Korean Culture: Beauty Standards

 "There is only one definition of beauty here, and that is having wide eyes, pale skin, no fat, and looking perfect all of the time."

- Sharon from Life After Cubes

From all I've read and heard, she is absolutely right.  During my first phone conversation with Emily (who was about to go back to Korea for another year to teach), I was told that, if I were nice and pretty, I'd have no problem getting a job.  I was told that, if I were blond, I could confidently ask for a higher salary.  I was told that the students had no problem telling female teachers what they thought of how she looked.

I know that we in the West have high, nearly unattainable standards of beauty, but, if you can imagine, the Koreans have tighter standards.  And, as Sharon says, "Koreans openly admit to their country’s hyper-obsession with beauty. A few Koreans have told me that if their daughters were not deemed 'pretty' by society’s standards, they would encourage them to get plastic surgery."

One thing I hadn't realized until reading Sharon's post was that this entire culture is pushing its young girls to look like they are from a different culture instead of encouraging them to embrace what they already look like.  I'm having a hard time sympathizing because my parents never told me I should like something else.  Yes, culture has enforced and reinforced that women should be thin and flawless (I am thankful for the new-ish direction toward women looking healthy and fit rather than just skinny.), but my mind's having trouble making the connections with a different culture's beauty being the goal.

One of the things I'm most excited about is building relationships with the students.  I'll most likely be with preschool children and some elementary, and they are young yet, but I hope that I can be a positive influence of confidence building and... I just hope I can help.

For further reading

From Chris in Korea - the body proportions the girls are encouraged to achieve

From Life After Cubes - the plastic surgery the girls are encouraged to get (This highly recommended post was the one that inspired my post here.)

Ad for a Noodle Diet
via The Grand Narrative

Ad for a diet for legs
via The Grand Narrative

This is Girls Generation, a 9-member K-Pop singing group ready to display the idea Korea beauty.
Image via a site that brought way too many pop ups via Google

(P.s. I think 9 is a big number, too.  If you care to see how awkward it is when 9 similarly-shaped girls try to be cute and innocent while at the same time still suggestive, here's one of their hit songs, "Oh!")

Family time at the zoo!

One of the fun things from this past week was our family trip to Deer Park in Pymatuning, Pennsylvania!  My dad grew up in the area, see, and he used to go there on elementary school field trips.  He was excited to take us there, and we all ended up having a great time!

I got to feed and pet a red kangaroo!  Wallabies and kangaroos are super high on my favorite animal list.

Dangerous zebras

Unicorn!  So legit!

Yes, there is a stone called Adventurine, and, yes, I want to tile my floor with it. 

We saw black bears, Bengal and Siberian tigers, lions, lemurs, marmosets, pigs, fallow deer, cougars, monkeys, Scottish Highland cattle, and plenty of other interesting creatures.  I have always loved animals, learning about them, and getting close to them.  We got to feed many of them at Deer Park.  It was a blast.

Family time at the zoo!

One of the fun things from this past week was our family trip to Deer Park in Pymatuning, Pennsylvania!  My dad grew up in the area, see, and he used to go there on elementary school field trips.  He was excited to take us there, and we all ended up having a great time!

I got to feed and pet a red kangaroo!  Wallabies and kangaroos are super high on my favorite animal list.

Dangerous zebras

Unicorn!  So legit!

Yes, there is a stone called Aventurine (super close to "aDventurine"), and, yes, I want to tile my floor with it. 

We saw black bears, Bengal and Siberian tigers, lions, lemurs, marmosets, pigs, fallow deer, cougars, monkeys, Scottish Highland cattle, and plenty of other interesting creatures.  I have always loved animals, learning about them, and getting close to them.  We got to feed many of them at Deer Park.  It was a blast.

Pretty things, dream pet, and Harry Potter

This time next week, I'll be somewhere over the Pacific.  With changing times just ahead, I want to pause and admire some pretty things.

This is such a simple print I think I would like to have from Lauren Lankford's shop.

Another beautiful and poignant print from Lauren Lankford

After seeing the a sea foam nail polish trend early this spring, I decided I liked it and that I wanted to take part, too.  Since then, I've been on a strange, never before seen polish kick.  I saw and admired deep green on a girl at church and went on a long hunt for that one, too.  I have a macaroni and cheese colored orange on my toes, and now I want a bright, bold yellow.  I saw one at an American Eagle store last month, and I'm thinking about checking out the one in my town.
Image via yuku

This one's kind of just because and kind of because I really want a wallaby for a pet.
Thank you, National Geographic for the graphic.

Gryffindor House sweater and tie via WB!!
This would be perfect for Thursday night!!  Any of you going to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?  And, did you know that the Seoul premiere is actually the 14th instead of the 15th?

Pretty things, dream pet, and Harry Potter

This time next week, I'll be somewhere over the Pacific.  With changing times just ahead, I want to pause and admire some pretty things.

This is such a simple print I think I would like to have from Lauren Lankford's shop.

Another beautiful and poignant print from Lauren Lankford

After seeing the a sea foam nail polish trend early this spring, I decided I liked it and that I wanted to take part, too.  Since then, I've been on a strange, never before seen polish kick.  I saw and admired deep green on a girl at church and went on a long hunt for that one, too.  I have a macaroni and cheese colored orange on my toes, and now I want a bright, bold yellow.  I saw one at an American Eagle store last month, and I'm thinking about checking out the one in my town.
Image via yuku

This one's kind of just because and kind of because I really want a wallaby for a pet.
Thank you, National Geographic for the graphic.

Gryffindor House sweater and tie via WB!!
This would be perfect for Thursday night!!  Any of you going to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?  And, did you know that the Seoul premiere is actually the 14th instead of the 15th?

Details on Korea

It is evening, I am tired, and I am distraught and discouraged.  The good news is I know when I'll be leaving, and I have a name for my housemate!  I'll leave the state at 05:00 next Sunday morning, and I'll leave the country around 13:00 that afternoon.  I should arrive in Seoul around 17:00 Monday!  I'm so glad I have that important detail nailed down now!

I got two emails today.  One was from my Footprints contacts showing me a link to The Arrival Store which has done an excellent job of reminding me of all the things I need to buy in order to live well in my apartment.  I don't know if I'll be able to fit towels or sheets in my suitcase, so I think I'm going to have to buy some, and that's never a god sound to the ears of a recent college grad.

My other email was from my contact at my school asking if I would be okay having a male teacher for a housemate for two months.  When I read the email this afternoon, something in me shut off, and I didn't even register the rest of the email until I reread it 30 seconds ago.  The email encourages questions and gives a sense of concern for my well being, so I feel a little bolstered in my request for solely female housemates.  But gosh!  I had assumed all of that potential discomfort and had a very strange couple hours after reading the email!

Whatever happens, I'm sure I'll be fine.  Also, I am completely sure that God is in control, He loves me, and I have no reason to panic.  Ever.

Details on Korea

It is evening, I am tired, and I am distraught and discouraged.  The good news is I know when I'll be leaving, and I have a name for my housemate!  I'll leave the state at 05:00 next Sunday morning, and I'll leave the country around 13:00 that afternoon.  I should arrive in Seoul around 17:00 Monday!  I'm so glad I have that important detail nailed down now!

I got two emails today.  One was from my Footprints contacts showing me a link to The Arrival Store which has done an excellent job of reminding me of all the things I need to buy in order to live well in my apartment.  I don't know if I'll be able to fit towels or sheets in my suitcase, so I think I'm going to have to buy some, and that's never a god sound to the ears of a recent college grad.

My other email was from my contact at my school asking if I would be okay having a male teacher for a housemate for two months.  When I read the email this afternoon, something in me shut off, and I didn't even register the rest of the email until I reread it 30 seconds ago.  The email encourages questions and gives a sense of concern for my well being, so I feel a little bolstered in my request for solely female housemates.  But gosh!  I had assumed all of that potential discomfort and had a very strange couple hours after reading the email!

Whatever happens, I'm sure I'll be fine.  Also, I am completely sure that God is in control, He loves me, and I have no reason to panic.  Ever.

Smiling's my favorite.

This note I wrote to my sister made me laugh, so I took a picture to show you guys!

 If anything, this just shows you how easily amused I am.  I swear, life's so much better that way.

Smiling's my favorite.

This note I wrote to my sister made me laugh, so I took a picture to show you guys!

 If anything, this just shows you how easily amused I am.  I swear, life's so much better that way.

Conviction

My dad has been teaching a Sunday school for about eight years.  In addition to his weekly lesson, he prepares and sends out what he calls the mid-week pick-me-up.  This past week's mid-week convicted me, and I'd like to share.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

The ripple effect…

 

Our yard is filled with oak trees.  Recently one of them was uprooted by a wind storm.  Prior to the storm, that tree appeared to be healthy.  It had lots of green leaves and the bark was intact.  What caused it to fall?  As I examined the stump of the tree, I determined that the roots had rotted just below the surface and this allowed it to succumb to the wind.

 

This might not appear to be a big deal, but what were the ripple effects of those rotted roots?

When the tree fell, it took down our power lines, the cable lines, and the pole that they were connected to.  

 

The power company sent a crew out to set a new pole and rerun the power lines.  The cable company also had a crew of men here for about an hour and a half.  The financial aspect of those rotted roots probably amounts to several thousands of dollars in man-hours and material.

 

Additionally, our daughter was at home alone when this happened.  Spending the night in a dark house in the woods wasn’t something she wanted to experience.  Thankfully, our neighbors recognized her dilemma and invited her to stay with them.  All of this because of rotted roots.

 

Why am I telling you this in the mid-week update?  Let’s compare ourselves to that tree.  On the outside we have lots of green leaves, our bark is intact, and we appear to be strong Christians.  But if we don’t have strong, deep roots, we will fall like that tree the next time we face Satan’s attacks; and we might take others with us.

 

That temptation might be in the form of gossip, an angry word, or apathy towards God.  When others see or hear how we respond, they might be tempted to do the same things.  The ripple effects of our lives can reach into areas that we never know about.

 

God’s word gives us several examples of the importance of strong, sound roots:

 

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; …

 

Matthew 13:6 "… and because they had no root they withered away.

Matthew 13:21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

 

This forces me to ask two questions: are my roots strong enough to support me, and what are the ripple effects of my life?   Am I like the tree in my yard, waiting for the first strong wind to blow me over and cause destruction to those around me?  Or am I like the tree planted by the rivers of water?

 

Our roots will only be as secure as the substance they dig into; and our ripples will only be as effective as our choices.  Have you dug deep into God’s word today and have you made Godly choices?

 

Today I made a choice at work that I would not get involved in the usual "banter" that permeates our facility.  I didn't gossip, bad-mouth, or insult anyone all day.  This was very difficult for me because I usually start most of it. 

While it is usually in fun and a form of stress-release, it also causes ripples that don't need to be in the water.  One 8-hour shift in 28 years...baby steps!

 

------------------------------------------------------------ 

I have been graciously cleansed and renewed by the blood of Jesus, but I know I've got a lot of sanctification to go through yet.  I didn't act like a tree planted by the waters of life today.  I know that this wasn't right.  With the Holy Spirit's help, I'd like to fix it. 

Photo from Millie's and my trip in Greenville

Conviction

My dad has been teaching a Sunday school for about eight years.  In addition to his weekly lesson, he prepares and sends out what he calls the mid-week pick-me-up.  This past week's mid-week convicted me, and I'd like to share.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

The ripple effect…

 

Our yard is filled with oak trees.  Recently one of them was uprooted by a wind storm.  Prior to the storm, that tree appeared to be healthy.  It had lots of green leaves and the bark was intact.  What caused it to fall?  As I examined the stump of the tree, I determined that the roots had rotted just below the surface and this allowed it to succumb to the wind.

 

This might not appear to be a big deal, but what were the ripple effects of those rotted roots?

When the tree fell, it took down our power lines, the cable lines, and the pole that they were connected to.  

 

The power company sent a crew out to set a new pole and rerun the power lines.  The cable company also had a crew of men here for about an hour and a half.  The financial aspect of those rotted roots probably amounts to several thousands of dollars in man-hours and material.

 

Additionally, our daughter was at home alone when this happened.  Spending the night in a dark house in the woods wasn’t something she wanted to experience.  Thankfully, our neighbors recognized her dilemma and invited her to stay with them.  All of this because of rotted roots.

 

Why am I telling you this in the mid-week update?  Let’s compare ourselves to that tree.  On the outside we have lots of green leaves, our bark is intact, and we appear to be strong Christians.  But if we don’t have strong, deep roots, we will fall like that tree the next time we face Satan’s attacks; and we might take others with us.

 

That temptation might be in the form of gossip, an angry word, or apathy towards God.  When others see or hear how we respond, they might be tempted to do the same things.  The ripple effects of our lives can reach into areas that we never know about.

 

God’s word gives us several examples of the importance of strong, sound roots:

 

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; …

 

Matthew 13:6 "… and because they had no root they withered away.

Matthew 13:21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

 

This forces me to ask two questions: are my roots strong enough to support me, and what are the ripple effects of my life?   Am I like the tree in my yard, waiting for the first strong wind to blow me over and cause destruction to those around me?  Or am I like the tree planted by the rivers of water?

 

Our roots will only be as secure as the substance they dig into; and our ripples will only be as effective as our choices.  Have you dug deep into God’s word today and have you made Godly choices?

 

Today I made a choice at work that I would not get involved in the usual "banter" that permeates our facility.  I didn't gossip, bad-mouth, or insult anyone all day.  This was very difficult for me because I usually start most of it. 

While it is usually in fun and a form of stress-release, it also causes ripples that don't need to be in the water.  One 8-hour shift in 28 years...baby steps!

 

------------------------------------------------------------ 

I have been graciously cleansed and renewed by the blood of Jesus, but I know I've got a lot of sanctification to go through yet.  I didn't act like a tree planted by the waters of life today.  I know that this wasn't right.  With the Holy Spirit's help, I'd like to fix it. 

Photo from Millie's and my trip in Greenville