Sunday, February 21, 2010

Updates

If you begin going north, you will eventually meet the south and start going south. After you have gone south for a while, you will meet the north and again go north. When you go east for a while, you will continue to go east. And after you have gone east for a time, you will go east yet again. Likewise, if you go west, you will continue to go west, and it will never change to east. East and west never meet. East will forever go east and west forever west.

"As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:11

Things have been pretty busy around here latey. I know that what seems like normal life to me is a wow! to those who don't live in Korea.

We had international day last Friday, and my class did India. The girls wore make-shift saris and the boys wore homemade dhotis and turbans. The day was very hectic, but we all learned a lot and had fun.

This last weekend was Lunar New Year and we had Monday off in addition to the weekend. On Monday we took the subway for 2 hours to go to a spa type place. There are sleeping rooms with heated floors, cafes and shops, and many indoor and outdoor pools of varying temperatures. They put some yummy smelling colors in the pools which made them apple green and blood red. There are slides and a huge playground in the middle of one of the pools. There are saunas and big water slides. Then they have doctor fish...little fish that suck the dead skin off your feet. You pay 5 bucks and sit in a pool. Literally a couple hundred fish swarm your feet. It tickles like mad! It feels something like tiny tongues licking you or bubbles bursting all over your feet. Needless to say it was a unique experience.

The science fair is coming up. My class is doing biomes in a box...this should be good! One more month until spring break. I really can't believe how fast the year is whipping by. I love what I do! God has taught me so much about him and me.

Though I'm unworthy
Impure in heart
Humbly I come
To your throne

You don't desire
Good I have done
You want my heart
Me alone

I am imperfect
Nothing I bring
But this my offering
Of praise

Lord you are worthy
God you are holy
Giver of life without end
Father I'll praise you
Give you the glory
Righteous redeemer and friend
Lord you alone are my hope
God you alone i will praise

Your name is power
Great is your grace
You give me comfort
And hope

You make my heart pure
Wash me of sin
So i will praise you
My Lord

1 John 1:7 "if we walk in the light as He is in the light..."

How can we walk the very same way God does? That is perfection. It's impossbile for a human to attain. But God gives us everything we need to walk with Him. To obey and follow his commandments. We will still sin and, at times, walk away from this light, but it is something we can strive to attain every day and never give up until heaven where we will be without sin.

Its a good thing to often step back and evaluate my walk with God. Am I communicating with Him daily? Is He the most important thing, the top priority in my life? Am I always looking for new ways to grow, for ways to become more like God? Ways to reach out to others, ways to edify, ways to resist temptation. And am I looking for these ways in God's word? I want to be an ever growing always changing child of God. I don't want to get comfortable where I am and stop learning about my God. Bring on the trials if need be, take away the unhealthy influences in my life is that's what it takes, lead me through valleys if that will make me more like Christ. I want to be a child who labors to be so close to God.

Time to run along now. Peace.




Thursday, January 28, 2010

We should love him

Sometimes I look away from the goal. I look at what I've done here on earth and life seems to drag on. It's the same day after day. Then I remember that if I'm doing the Lords will every day and striving to please him in all I do, I can just keep doing what I'm doing. Even the repetetive tasks, if done with a cheerful heart for the Lord, will bring honor to God. I know he wants to and will use me. I have to remember that this life is just temporary. Work with joy in your heart for God, and don't loose sight of heaven. There we will rest and our work will be all done. We will soon see the fruits of our labor.

Isn't God our creator amazing? He holds the whole universe in his hands. He commands the stars to shine and the sun to burn. He causes the gentle whisper of the wind in the trees and brushes the flowers with a pleasant scent. He makes the moon rise and fall and guides the rivers as they run. Ever little seemingly insignificant bird is in his care. This God made light, time, emotions, thoughts, and us. He gives us each breath. He loves his creation. God created grace and mercy and freely pours them out. He created the tree on which he died and the stone that sealed his tomb he crafted. He guards, loves, cherishes, and comforts us. And these are just a few of the innumerable things he does. How much more should we love him than we do?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Let me rest

I find my days to be busy. After school, meetings, lesson planning, grading, and trying to keep my sanity in the classroom, the first thing I want to do when I get home is collapse on the couch and rest. Actually, that's what I want to do each morning before I get out of bed... I'm sure you can relate. I have to stop myself ( such as right now) and say, "you need to spend some time in God's word and talk to him." Let the world move on for a while. There is no rest in the busyness of the day, but there is rest when you stop, take a breath, and find God where you are. There I find rest and something to hold for the rest of the day.

Matthew 11:28 come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I will praise

Who am I that I should seek praise for anything i do? Why should I look for the applause of men? I have no good in me that is worthy of honor. I am nothing. I am dust from the ground. A sinner bound for eternal burning. There is one who is so worthy of eternal praise. God. The highest power. The King over all kings. The Lord and Ruler of all. The Gracious Savior of worthless souls like mine. He took me from the fire and rescued me from death. May he be praised with every breath from every person.

All my dAys I will praise
The name of the Lord
Every breath will tell the world
ThAt he is Lord

For his righteousness
For his grace he pours out
For his wondrous love
I will praise my Gid

All my days I will praise
I will tell of his greatness
Every hour I will sing of love
From a God who died to save

We have it all

What are some things for which we can be thankful? Food, clothes, a house, a bed, a car, money, family, friends, education, jobs, and best of all, salvation. What is it when we complain? Isn't it just telling God that what he's given us is not enough or what we have to do is too hard? We have been given everything we need and should live our lives with a cheerful heart. When something comes along that doesn't suit us, we should accept it as part of God's will, look past our own selfish desires, and live with it. When there is a hard time, we should look to God who gives us all we need. There is no reason to complain. When all we have is God, we have it all.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Is it enough?

When you're persecuted for being a Christian, isn't it wonderful to know it's because you're living a life of obedience that is pleasing to God and not to the world? When you have to walk through valley, isn't it enough to know that you're lead by the hand of an almighty God who will never leave, not even for a breath of a second? Isn't is beautiful to know that the straight and narrow road that often seems lonely is filled with blessings beyond your wildest dreams? And isn't it awesome to know that though you may be a stranger and pilgrim here, you're really the child of the King who owns it all? Life is a vapor, and then it's gone. Sometimes it just takes a new perspective to realize that the "woe is me" feeling can dissolve just like that when you realize that you've been counted worthy to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

我爱바나나.

Sometimes it's easy for me to look at someone who is "worse" than I am and criticize them or just make myself feel better. Then it hits me like a wet noodle. Were it not for Gods grace I would be just like every sinner is before their sins are washes away by the blood of Jesus: lost and on my way to hell. My heart is cleansed by the blood and I'm in God's family, but I'm still no better of a person in and of myself than anyone else. I'm still just a sinner who has no good in me save for the Lord dwelling in my heart. So I cannot look at someone else through eyes of a self centered person , but through eyes that use the lenses of God. Eyes of love. Eyes that go past the sin to the need of the heart. To the wandering soul. That where I should be looking.

I taught one of my students how to tie her shoes today. I never thought I'd be teaching a 5th grader how to tie her shoes, but by George I did. And successfully at that! Amazing. But yes that's my awe inspiring thought provoking experience of the day.

I spoke too soon about that whole spring thing. I definitely walked outside today to clear skies and frigid weather. But it's ok because that little tease of spring still keeps my hope alive. All is not lost!!!

I love the fact that God had my every breath planned out before he even created the world. He knew me for all of time. And that tells me right there that I'm stuck firmly in the hands of a more than capable God. It might seem like things are going wrong, but really all is right. Because I know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord. And that's a promise!!

In valleys, on mountains
Through fire or calm
Each step here is guided
By God

Though trials seem heavy
With storms raging on
I've peace and assurance
In God

In his grace I will walk on
By his love I have a song
I will stumble and fall
But I'm held in the hands
Of God

It won't be much longer
Till sorrow will cease
I'll rest over Jordan
At peace

My sin wil be banished
Because of great grace
And I'll see my Savior's
Sweet face

In his grace I will walk on
By his love I have a song
Soon I'll cast down my crowns
At the beautiful throne
Of God

Peace out for now!!

我是罪人但是上帝爱我。