Happy New Year!

SEH HEH BOK MANI BADUHSEHYO!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year greetings from 2-year old Irene in her hambok! Many blessings to you each and every one of you in the new year. Love and deep peace.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, oori Jeniya!

In the middle of a busy season...

Ah, Advent.

Everyone always said that the Advent Season is busy for pastors, but I honestly didn't expect it to be THIS busy. :). Maybe I like to fool myself. In the next few days before Christmas, we have church celebrations, a choir concert where I've been asked to do some narration, I'm preaching on Sunday, meetings, and a Youth Winter Retreat that I'm leading. Oh, and then there's the Christmas Eve service and caroling. It feels overwhelming, and yet, I find myself joyful and at peace.

What a gift!

Anyway, here's a picture taken last night... a teenager, Rebecca and a preschooler, Esther and me. THIS is part of why I still feel so joyful and at peace.

Continued blessings in this Advent Season everyone!

Thankful for friends and mentors

Yep, that's me on the right hand side of this picture! I got some good air!
Last week, I had the opportunity to spend some time with some great mentors and friends and have some great conversations about our ministries and be a support to one another. Although not all of them are in this picture, all of them have been journeying with me over the past 5 years or so with me. They love me as I am and have supported me to where I am now. When I focus on that, I couldn't ask for more than to be surrounded by people like this.

Cinquain Poems about God, Confirmation Class 2008

There are only three of us in this first Confirmation Class, but it's fun and they're awesome! Here are the cinquain poems we wrote tonight about God. I love these youth.

Savior
Mighty, Protective
Forgiving, Calling, Supporting
Has undying love for His children
Redeemer

-Rebecca Lee

***

Creator
Lovely, Mysterious
Hoping, Yearning, Loving
Covers me with deep peace
Shelter

-Pastor Irene Pak

***

Father
Humble, Awesome
Caring, Crying, Forgiving
The One who gave me life
Abba

-Eunice Hahn

Installation pics!

Thought I would post some pictures from my installation service! Photos courtesy Dwight Morita.

me and my parents too! I feel like i don't look like either of them in this picture.

A GOOD WEEK

YES WE CAN!

I am pretty much still buzzing and joy-filled from Tuesdays election of our new President-elect, Barack Obama. I found a place with a TV and sat there in tears and a full heart of hope. I think what I especially liked about Obama's speech is his attempt for unity and acknowledging that the road is not going to be easy, but Mr. President, you definitely have my prayers as you face the rough path ahead of you and guide this nation.

I'm not totally big on stating my political leanings out like that, but Tuesday night, it was bursting from me. I hope that this election doesn't make people think that racism is a non-issue, but acknowledge that we are moving forward.

Anyway, it's been a good week and will continue to be for lots of different reasons... I get to get out of this area tonight and drive up to Berkeley to have dinner with a new friend (yay for new friends!) and tomorrow night I have the privilege of babysitting! YES, babysitting...





And there is a picture of me and the cute little monkey I get to play with for an evening! Hurray! Her name is Nahyun (Natalie). Her parents tell me that I'm doing them a huge favor, but little do they know how much they're doing me a favor.

It's a packed weekend at the church with youth service projects and an outreach event, but it will all get done!

Keep praying for me as I begin my third month of work now... :)

Saying THANK YOU

It feels impossible to write and explain the depth of gratitude I am feeling as I get ready to celebrate my ordination. It has been quite the journey (in other words, it has been quite the rollercoaster ride) to get to this place, which I know is only just another beginning.

I'm not sure that "Thank You" expresses even an inch of the gratitude that feels like is pouring out from my heart...but I must still say it. Thank YOU for being part of the journey. However big or small you feel your presence has been in my life, however long ago or recent that was, thank you.

It has been through meeting you, knowing you, talking with you, crying with you, laughing with you, praying with you, dancing with you, singing with you, arguing with you, hugging you, worshipping with you, being frustrated by you, and loving you, that I am able to be the pastor I am today. Thank you for surrounding me in this time in body and in spirit.

Miracles happen. God is good. Thank you.

With love, Irene

Getting ordained...

This beautiful picture is a chunk of the graduating class of McCormick Seminary, May 2007. We're all crammed into my former apartment... aren't we a lovely bunch?

Anyway, as my ordination is quickly approaching (this Saturday!), I can't help but think of these folks...these folks who made my life more rich and wonderful and challenging during my seminary training years. We were a community like I know I will never have again, but am so thankful to have experienced in my life. There are a lot of us in this picture that struggled to get to the point of ordination, and it's kind of awesome because a lot of us just received our first calls or just got ordained within the past few months. There are people in this picture working as chaplains, pastors on campuses, in churches, in social agencies, some traveling the world or serving in the world, and some still discerning. :)

I miss them so much, and as I approach my own ordination, I am thankful that even though we are apart now, we are tied together in so many ways.

I can't wait! Next time I write, I'll be "Rev." and I'll definitely post some pictures from the ordination. :)

Pockets of joy

It has officially been about one month since I moved here to California. In some ways, it feels MUCH longer and in some ways, it feels like it's only been one month.

Thanks to everyone with their encouraging words with my former post about Irene & Loneliness. I'm still lonely and I have days where I crave "outside church" company, but today, I want to share a pocket of joy I do have. See this pic of youth girls? Yep, although not all of them, this is some of the youth I have the privilege of ministering with and to... They are a GREAT, loud, fun bunch and most of them are in junior high, so it will be really fun to see them grow up in the next few years. I forgot what it's like to be around youth on such a regular basis, and I have to say that in a lot of ways, they are my saving grace in those times when I feel really blegh. Their energy and the fact that they are looking to me to be there for them and lead them reminds me of how much I have been given and how much I want to give back.

It sounds cheesy and corny, but these days, I have to find those little pockets of joy. I'm happy to say and show you one of those pockets. :)

Irene & Loneliness

Irene & Loneliness...
We've actually been quite the pair lately. It sounds super sad and semi-pathetic and almost wants to make you call me and keep me company on the phone, right? (Maybe I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt). :)
Transitioning to a new place is HARD when you're in ministry and when for the past about 5 years of your life, you've had INCREDIBLE community. You get used to living intentionally, eating with folks everyday, welcoming people into your home, having deep and honest conversations about everything and then one day it can just stop cold turkey. Just telling you out there in case you haven't experienced it yet or in case no one told you. :)
It's been quite the shock actually and everyone else thinks I'm handling it well, but I'm not quite sure I am. I mean, I own NO FURNITURE right now... like, I have a bed frame but no mattress. Thankfully, someone let me borrow an air mattress or I'd still be sleeping on the carpet with my comforter. Also included in the "no furniture" category is "no TV, no internet at home, and no CD player." Aigo.
So I thought I'd list things that my life consists of now/lessons I'm learning for humor's sake:
1. I eat on the carpet/floor, lunch and dinner. I guess it's good I cook at home now. Saves $$ and I swear I'm losing weight just b/c of it.
2. Every bit of hospitality from anyone is a HUGE moment of gratitude for me. Like that air mattress I sleep on, THANK GOD for air mattresses & for people who let you borrow them temporarily until you can buy your own bed! :) And that one dude who walked past you and said HI... THANK YOU!
3. Writing sermons to preach every week is hard. Especially when there's not really anyone to process it with and you don't have experiences or interact with enough folks to have new stories... gotta make them up! j/k...sorta...
4. When you're a pastor, you're ALWAYS a pastor. No matter where you go. I ran into someone from the congregation who works at the post office when I was picking up boxes!
5. Taking walks alone can be all right.
6. I seriously don't understand Korean very well. Especially sermons. (I attend Wed. night worship services that are all in Korean to try to connect with the Korean congregation. I feel like an idiot).
7. You still have to be a pastor even when you don't feel like being one. Personal stuff has to be set aside and you have to keep serving. Yes folks, I'm only beginning week 3.
8. Eating alone sucks.
9. I go to bed early and wake up early. So weird.
10. God is still good to me.
Anyway, this is totally a boring post, but my life aside from work...which is going all right actually... is boring.

In California!

Um, guess what everyone?

I now live in Sunnyvale, California.

So, God is good and I found a place to live that I love. It has absolutely no furniture inside of it and right now I'm sleeping on an air mattress, but I love it and it will be exciting over the months to slowly add things to it. Which means my housewarming won't be until sometime in November or December... Oh well!

I have officially begun my role as an associate pastor at Daesung Presbyterian Church (see picture). Tomorrow is actually my first Sunday, so first sermon, and in a lot of cases, meeting folks for the first time. This is when I wish I had a great memory for faces and names. Especially Korean names.

I am SUPER excited because Jen and Analise are coming in today to help me settle in some more! HURRAY! I actually miss Louisville a lot in so many ways... I think particularly the community and wonderful friends ways... Analise and Jen threw me a wonderful sending and blessing and as I sat there seeing everyone who showed up, I was surprised at how many folks I had the privilege of meeting and knowing in the course of one year.

Anyway, I've hit the ground running and will continue to do so! Please if you think of me whisper a quick prayer as I adjust to a new life and new work. Ordination is October 18 in Utah and Installation is tentatively November 2 in California!

Loves.

Packing up, moving out...

The countdown has begun.
I am moving in 9 days to start yet a new chapter in my life. The thing is, usually I feel semi-ready for a new chapter, and right now, as exciting as the new chapter is, I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet. Actually, I'm just not sure I'm ready to leave this chapter yet.
I think it's funny how God brings you to some places kicking and screaming and when you finally stop kicking and screaming, you realize how perfect the place was for you...and how much you will miss the place.
What I can't believe is how many people I'm attached to now here in Louisville. Perhaps some more than others, and yet, all make up the whole aspect of my life here.
Anyway, pray for me as I make this transition... and pray for me as I begin to pack today to ship things by this weekend.
Officially signing out... unemployed (for a week), and hoping to enjoy the bits and moments I have.

friends and baseball

Ah, so good friends and baseball in Louisville, Kentucky. Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that I love and hope I never take for granted. It was $1 hotdogs and $1 soda night too because of some special random thing. Of course, I didn't get a hot dog, but the $1 soda was great!

Ya know, I'm really going to miss this place and these people...

Your sentimental message sponsored by sappy Irene.

Finding Bethel

Bethel=House of God

I am apartment hunting. For those of you who have tried to find a place to live across the country from where you're currently living, you know this is not an easy task... it's also not an easy task if you're trying to find a place to live in Silicon Valley in California.

So, I am here right now, driving from place to place, discovering slowly that looking for an apartment one month in advance is almost too early for all of these places. I'm also realizing how important and how much of a difference a friendly face and attitude makes to someone who is brand new to an area and place.

I'm also starting to feel like a grown up maybe for the first time in my 28 years of life. :)

Anyway, finding Bethel (the house of God) may sound presumptious to write and title a blog, but I'm also preaching this Sunday on Jacob's dream of the ladder and God's presence and as I am looking for a place to live, I feel like I am looking for that place where God dwells... and even though I know God is everywhere and through it all, I am seeking that moment in this lonely time where I can be more aware of God's presence in this place. Bethel here.

Trusting...trusting... just really trusting...

Afraid.

Your Feet
Walk gently over the flowers of life,
Take each step with ease,
Run rampantly, forcefully over the path,
Creating your very own breeze.
Take the path less trodden,
Or follow the common road,
All signs point to somewhere,
All can handle your load.
In the end the choice is now,
Not for left or right,
But for something true to you,
That gets you through the night.
Just don’t break the flowers,
Or swelter in the heat,
There are no excuses,
Only you control your feet.

By Tina Louise

Who Said it Was Simple

I wanted to share a beautiful Audre Lorde poem with you all today. Expresses a lot in different ways...

WHO SAID IT WAS SIMPLE

There are so many roots to the tree of anger
that sometimes the branches shatter
before they bear.
Sitting in Nedicks
the women rally before they march
discussing the problematic girls
they hire to make them free.
An almost white counterman passes
a waiting brother to serve them first
and the ladies neither notice nor reject
the slighter pleasures of their slavery.
But I who am bound by my mirror
as well as my bed
see causes in color
as well as sex

and sit here wondering
which me will survive
all these liberations

-AUDRE LORDE

Livin' our life like it's golden...

So, I haven't been able to blog in a long time b/c I don't have internet access at home and I can't access my blog page at work to update during lunch breaks. Alas... they blocked sites.

Anyway, Analise and I are celebrating our GOLDEN YEAR this year! Analise is turning 21 years old tomorrow! 21 on the 21st! One week later, I will be turning 28 years old on the 28th! We had a great joint party this past weekend and we danced our hearts out! I'd post more pictures, but I'm updating on a friend's computer.

Ok, so this isn't that interesting, but I felt like I needed to update a little! I will try and be more interesting the next time I get the opportunity to blog! Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later... :) Headed to Chicago tomorrow!!

Mermaid Butt Crack

What do you see when you look at this picture? Oh, a mermaid butt crack? This is also what our team saw when Sara drew this picture in a friendly game of win-lose-or draw. It was HILARIOUS... and yes, the phrase was "Baby Got Back."

Team Baby Fish Mouth and Team Deep Fried Coca-Cola finally came together one night in a game of win-lose-or draw. Although there were moments of tension, hilarity, and ultimately, victory, this was the highlight of the evening and I just had to share!

The woman figure on the left of the board is supposed to be a woman with a baby in high heels... uhhmmm... does anyone see that?! :) We just kept yelling "Mermaid Butt crack!" over and over again, and obviously, that wasn't it, but we were in such an uproar that we couldn't get over it. We didn't get the phrase in time, but hey, my abs got a good work out while trying to guess!

Anyway, here are the two teams... our team mate Adam was unable to be there due to illness, so Anna's visiting friend filled in. Here we are:

so...

So since I have moved away from the luxury of seminary living (no, I'm not kidding), I only have internet now at work. Yep, on my breaks and stuff is when I write my blogs and I have no access on weekends or when I get home. This is only unfortunate because now work internet dealio has cut off the access to blog. I can go to my blog and see it, but I can no longer post new blogs.

Just thought I'd give ya'll a heads up as to why I'm not posting regularly! My dear friend Adam is letting me do this which is why I can.

So, hope to be able to post fun stuff soon!

thumbs up

Um, I'm giving myself a thumbs up right now b/c it might somehow mean that I'm a winner... I need this affirmation from my own thumb (and my good friend Alex's thumb) to remind myself that I am not a loser.

Need some context?

Got rejected at yet ANOTHER job possibility today. Dude.

It's hard to keep a good attitude going when you've been rejected over and over for approximately one year. No, I'm not kidding. Maybe I'm just not looking in right places, in the right situations, in the right contexts, but seriously folks. Oh, and I know it's true, but I really do hate it when people tell you that this is going to be worth it and that I'll look back at this time with perhaps "relief" because when I find the right call, it will totally be amazing. I semi-believe that, but why can't I just say, "THIS SUCKS" because it really does suck right now.

So, yeah, giving myself a thumbs up to remind myself that hey, another rejection still might mean that I'm okay.

Back from the Philippines...

Well, I am back!
As I will continue to process and reflect and write about my time there, I thought I'd begin with a prayer I wrote toward the end of my time there. I think in many ways this prayer continues to be the prayer in my heart, even as I am busy back at work again in the U.S. Will write again soon!
***
Holy Creator,

As I feel the breeze flow on my face and through my hair, I feel your Spirit fall and flowing through me. As the sound of waves crash and hiss on the beach, I hear you speaking...

as I see the height of the mountains and the vastness of the ocean, I feel your arms extending out and embracing me in... I cannot say it enough, God. Thank you.

And what a week it has been, God, to culminate to this place. In situations I have encountered this week where I thought it may be impossible to see you, I found you there. I found you in the trash and landfills where a massive community lived and scavenged for food and shelter out of our waste...
I found you in the deep brown eyes of a beautiful girl smiling at me...

I found you in the soil and crops and in the sun beaten hands of a farmer...I found you in the grief and love of a father for his lost and murdered son in a protest for justice... I found you in the juicy taste of a yellow mango... and I found you at work within your people here in the Philippines... through my sisters and brothers in Christ who have chosen sides, and chosen to work for justice and for those who are oppressed.

Thank you for their courage, their wisdom, their strength, and their prophetic witness, God.

I have been inspired and changed. I have been renewed in Spirit and understand the work of justice as more important now than ever. Help me not forget, God. Help me to keep alert and remind me of your people in the Philippines when I begin to fall asleep.

God, sometimes "Thank you" seems so trite compared to what it is I feel in my full heart, but I say it and will say it again and again... Thank you.

Thank you that you are God, and I am not.

I love you.

I pray this in the name of the one who embodied your peace.

Amen.

On my way to the Philippines...

As I prepare to leave the country to see and be a listening partner with our sister church in the Philippines who is experiencing extra-judicial killings of their church leaders, I am very aware today of the shootings that have occurred at Northern Illinois University. It's moments like these where I am literally stumped...wondering what in the world is happening, and desiring to be a partner for change. I am particularly thankful that a friend, Gina, a student there, is okay. As we continue to pray for the situation there, she asked if I might be in prayer for her as she has also been asked to be available as a counselor for other students. If you all could remember her too, that would be great.

I'm writing because I leave this weekend for the Philippines and will be there for about 10 days. Yep, the time has already come! I can't believe it. I will be flying to Chicago tomorrow and leaving for the Philippines on Sunday. I'd ask that you please hold all of the members of our delegation in prayer: Ann, Jared, Larry, Matt, Richard, Roger, Shelley, Stuart and myself. I would also ask special prayers for my friend Joel who was also supposed to be part of this delegation. His grandmother died yesterday and he and his family are making funeral arrangements now. Although I'm not sure about his official status regarding the trip, I'm pretty sure he will be with his family.

Anyway, I wanted to write and ask for prayers and let you all know that I'm on my way! I promise to fill you in on details and reflections upon my return!

***

I was also asked to write a prayer for the peacemaking website in light of yesterday's events. Wanted to share it. Peace be with you all!

A Prayer for Northern Illinois University

God of mystery and God of love,

In light of what we have heard, seen, and experienced in the shootings at Northern Illinois University yesterday, we can’t help but feel shocked, confused, deeply sad, and perhaps hopeless. This event is only a painful reminder of the losses at other campus shootings across the nation in our too recent past, and we wonder what in the world is going on. What is happening when we are dying in classrooms?

And yet God, with these questions and with a powerful sense that ultimately everything is out of our control, we come to you, daring to ask the difficult questions and allowing your Spirit to embrace us. We pray for a love that can drive out the darkness around us, so that in this time of another tragedy, we can hold one another up yet again. Instill in us a continued hope so that we may have continued strength and courage as your Church to be partners and witnesses of something different . . . of something life-giving.

We lift up the students, the families, the friends, and all those affected this day. We pray that you would blanket them with your peace and continue to be with them as the anger, sadness and healing process begins. We don’t understand, God. But we love you and trust your presence and mercy in this time.

We pray all this in the name of the one whose peace passes all understanding,
Amen.

Irene Pak
Office of Racial Justice and Advocacy, Intern
General Assembly Council

Sharing some love

Happy Valentine's Day good people!
I thought on this day that I'd share one of my favorite Shakespeare love poems... if you ever want to win me over, read this poem to me. Not in a creepy way. :)

Sonnet 116

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments.
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

Ash Wednesday

"You are dust and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19b)

As I sit here with ashes marked as a cross on my forehead (which has faded b/c I keep forgetting its there and touching it), I can't help but wonder how symbolic that is in and of itself. Lent as a season of reflection and remembering who we are and who God is sounds like a great thing to do. But just as the ashes are physically marked on me and fade throughout the day, I can't help but wonder how much of my own life with God is like that...only to be remembered in times of crisis or high holy days. Ugh, I don't even know if this is making any sense.

I guess that's why folks take things on or give things up... to continually remind themselves in this season what it is we are doing. It's just way too easy for me though to give up something fairly simple and continue to forget about why I'm doing it. Obviously, I still have some reflecting to do in terms of what will keep me in continued communion with God in this season.

"You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart" (Psalm 51:6).

As I reflect and pray about what that truth will look like for me in this season, I pray that you will also take this time as an opportunity to remember. I'd love to hear what you are doing as your Lenten practice!

The Family Name

PAK (some write it Park in English)... my family name.

I painted this board for a friend's wall and as I was thinking of what to paint/create, I decided to go with my family name in Korean. A name that connects me to a rich history, culture, background, and gives meaning to who I am today.

I think what makes me kind of sad and why I felt compelled to paint this for a wall for others to see is that even as closely as I am connected to this name, I also feel a lot of distance. My grandfather died when I was young...too young to ask him about his own history in Korea, and my grandmother died one year ago, and with her death, so many silent stories I am aching to know now.

I don't know what it is with families and secrets or silent histories... I don't know why I don't ask more detailed questions to my own parents about our family name and our family history and specifics about why they came into this country. I don't know why they don't feel compelled to share this information whatsoever. It's like we live by the policy of "Don't ask, don't tell."

And yet, I feel this name coursing through my blood. I love it. I don't ever want to lose it or replace it. It identifies me.

Was just thinking of my halmoni (grandmother) today, missing her face and her presence, and wanted to share. I'm glad my family name will be hanging somewhere, even when I leave this particular place.

We still miss you, halmoni. A lot.

"I don't think of it as working for world peace, he said. I think of it as just trying to get along in a really big strange family."
-Brian Andreas

Happy for my big strange family in Chicago...

MLK Reflection

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

When it comes to the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., we can all boldly affirm that he indeed was a prophetic voice to his time and into our time. We shout a strong “Amen!” to his beautiful “I have a dream” speech. But the truth is prophetic voices tend to make us shift uncomfortably in our chairs. They speak truths that hit at our inner core. If we dare to hear, they are voices that require change from our comfortable lifestyles. I know this because these prophetic words of Martin Luther King, Jr. made me shift in discomfort, which is why I wanted to share it.

“The greatest tragedy,” he states is “the appalling silence of the good people.” It is so easy to point the finger and to blame the opponent, the other, the “one over there” when it comes to issues of injustice, war, sexism, racism and all the –isms. And we do. We think, “How can they say that? How can they be like that? How can they believe that?” And perhaps that’s just the problem. We think those questions, and yes, perhaps discuss them among people who already agree with us, but would we dare to speak aloud those injustices? If put on the spot in an unfamiliar setting, would we break the silence?

I have recently come to realize the ways I remain silent in the midst of injustice, and continue to struggle with it. I have literally been trained to swallow my voice or be told over and over again by the system, by peoples, by my groups and by different groups that my voice is not valid. I have been trained to be silent so as not to cause any form of disturbance. And yet, I have come to recognize that remaining silent disconnects me from my own experience and internalize my own oppression.

It is a privilege to speak, but even more than that, it is a privilege to be heard. Where are the places and what are the ways in which we are and can be heard? Will we speak on behalf of justice and mercy issues that bring steps of wholeness to all humanity? Will we advocate on behalf of those who are not seen or are shut out by society? Will we have courage in the face of fear? Or will we try to appease everyone and in doing so, lose our own voice?

The prophecy in these words of Dr. King is that we are in a critical time where good people need to break silence. He is challenging us and daring us to take those risks involved with releasing the oppressed. We must remember that at the heart of the matter, his words and challenge to speak are definitely not easy. The result for those of us who speak might be rejection, becoming outcast, being shut down and shut out of our own circles. It is some form of fear that suffocates our voice into silence in the first place, so what will it take to overcome that fear? Audre Lorde writes:

"I have come to believe over and over again, that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood... My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you... and while we wait in silence for that final luxury of fearlessness, the weight of that silence will choke us. The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences between us, for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.” (Transformation of Silence into Language).

Indeed, there are so many silences to be broken. So let us hear the prophetic words of Martin Luther King, Jr. for us today and be challenged to bring change to that statement.

May the good people dare to speak.

Waiting

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed & quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child with me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time on and forevermore.
(Psalm 131)

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
(Psalm 139:11-12)

I find that the beauty of scripture is that many times, faithful voices from the past express EXACTLY how you feel. I am really feeling those verses right now...it was sort of weird, actually. Suddenly, it was like I was craving scripture. I was literally drinking in the words of Psalm 139:1-18...verses that I always return to when I need the reminder that I am God's beloved daughter. The thing is, my heart has not been lifted up, but slowly and surely I have finally come to a quiet waiting time. It's the most hopeful I've felt in a while, so I thought I'd share.

Hope peace finds you today.

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2008!
Sae hae bok mani baduhsehyo!

It was good to be home for the new year this year. It is the first time I've been in Utah in years for the New Year and I was intentional about it this year because as our family becomes larger and more extended, the New Year seems to be the more likely time we can all get together. Unfortunately, my brother Andy and my cousin Dustin weren't able to be there, but everyone else was, so that was good. The pic above is one of the traditions we celebrate every new year. We bow to our elders wishing them a happy new year. They then give us a blessing and usually following that, some $$. The picture is me, my sister Linda, and bro-in-law, Craig bowing to my parents. It was his first Korean new year celebration and he did a good job!

Part of the tradition is also eating duk guk, which is a soup with rice cake type things in them. Mmmm... delicious!

Anyway, here are some cousin/family pics! The first one is of the women and girls! From left to right: Kyra, Tina, me, Sarah, Linda, Eunice and baby Sylvie.



And the guys! From left to right: Dennis, Richard, Craig, and Shawn. Missing is brother Andy and cousin Dustin.



Anyway, hope you all had a wonderful time ringing in the new year! I'm back with a little bit of a cold, but overall in good spirits. To a great start!