Sunday, November 11, 2007

Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene:

· Several of you have commented to me that you would like to see pictures on this blog. It has been duly noted. However, my hope is that my prose paints the pictures well enough for you. If not, I’m sorry. But, I’ll consider posting pictures…at Christmas.

· I want to thank some people back in the States for their amazing advice…so, Undy, Stevens, Chip, and Berger…thanks…so stinking much. You guys are awesome!

· I also want to thank the individuals that gave generously…you know who you are, and I am indebted beyond words, and I hope that the letters I send you will suffice, but understand that I am so unbelievably grateful for your sacrifice.

· Thanks as well to former students who continually bombard my email to either tell me how they are doing, ask me how they can pray for me, or tell me how much they miss me. I miss you all as well, but you are still in incredible hands over there, and this school needs me. Moreover, I need this school. It is no accident that I am here this year.

· Market experiences are amazing here because of what I get to see. Every five days, vendors come to my neighborhood, set up tents, and hawk their goods. Vegetables, fruits, different kimchis, seafood, meats, puppies, silkworm larvae (yes, silkworm larvae—you did not misread that; no, I have not tried it), watches, clothes, candy, dried fruit, nuts, and assorted breads are available, among other things. I marvel every time I walk through market and I try to go every time it comes because it’s so stinking cool. The best thing I ever saw in market was at a butcher. In case filet mignon was not your cup of tea, or in case you really didn’t want a nice T-bone steak, or if getting a couple kilos of ground beef wasn’t in your budget, you could always settle for a nice companion at the dinner table. Indeed, available at the butcher store was a beautiful cow’s head. Prop some books on a chair, plop the cow’s head on them, and you too can spend a nice dinner eating with Bessie.

· I shouldn’t share what I’m about to share because if in my sharing, it goes away, then I’d be in big trouble. I absolutely love some of the English sayings I’ve seen here. I have my students keep journals of their spiritual walk while they’re at ICS, so that at the end of the year, they can look back at how they’ve grown, and for as long as I stay here, they can see the development of their Christian life. Most of the journals are simple notebooks, and some of the sayings on the covers are classic. Sadly, the journals are at school and I write this at home, so one day, I’ll write some of the sayings on the front covers of these journals to share them with you. The best ever saying happened today at lunch. It is custom for a group of people from ICS to go out to lunch after church. Considering that almost every meal I eat is cooked by me, for me, and then cleaned up after by me, I usually will go out any time somebody wants to eat out, especially if they want to eat at one of the myriad Korean, Chinese, or Thai restaurants.

There was a poem in English on the water decanter at our table. The decanter had eight flowers on it. (For those of you asking for the type of flower, go play in traffic—I am not about to lose my man card to learn the types of flowers.) The poem was classic. This is the poem:

Pain is a flower like that one
Like that one
Like that one
Like that one

My guess is that the decanter is from the 1960s, and to understand the meaning, cannabis or acid need to be involved.

· In one month (September), I preached as many times in Korea (3) as I had in the States in two years (3).

· I will be going to the Philippines this Spring Break on our School-Sponsored Missions Trip. I will be leading the spiritual side of things. More details to follow, but if you are inclined to pray for me, pray for the missions trip.

· I am going in this Thursday to take my driver’s test so that I can drive our school vans. This will enable me to be the head coach of the Boys’ Soccer Team. In ICS history, I believe that only two people have passed this test on their first attempt. This is rather daunting, especially since the truck I will be testing in is a stick shift. Prior to landing in Korea, I hadn’t driven a stick shift anything. So, in the past month, I have been going through crash courses in stick-shift driving. So, if you think about it, before you in the States go to bed on Wednesday night, pray that God’s power would be made perfect in my weakness, and that, if He wills, I will pass the test the first time. More importantly, pray that my resultant attitude—whether I pass or fail—will be glorifying to God.

· Finally, I don’t know if I’ll be able to update the blog next week, as I will be housing a visitor from the States. He is a friend of one of our female teachers, and since sleeping at her apartment is not an option and sleeping at one of our married couples’ apartments is not a preferred option, he will be staying with me. I’m looking forward to the company, and as Hebrews 13:2 states, perhaps I will be entertaining an angel.

· That’s all from here. If I don’t write next week, allow this to be my way of wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

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