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| Thawing Llama I can't believe it, winter is actually on it's way out. For some reason the first day of Spring in China is in the first week of February, whereas it's March 20 or 21 in the West. This has been a continual cause of dispute between me and my fiancee, basically she doesn't appreciate me calling it "Chinese Spring" hahaha. What can I say though when February is only spring in China? I have to admit that it is noticebly less freeze-to-death-in-10-seconds cold since the first day of Chinese Spring last weekend. Good job China, changing the weather and all. Today was a major triumph for this Korean language sufferer (is there such a word as a "torturee"? haha). Today for the first time I translated an entire children's story into English. The hard part is that it's a Korean-Chinese children's book so it uses poetic language and old words not used outside of here and North Korea. For example, instead of saying "wake up" the verb they use is literally "regain consciousness" hahaha. So if you're really bored, my translation is below. Enjoy! Baby Bear's Sunlight Baby bear made his home and lived in a whole made in a big tree trunk. In baby bear's wide house there was already a door for coming and going and one window, but baby bear's favorite thing was just this window.
In the afternoon he would lean against the window sill to look around the outside world and at night he could look at the stars and moon through the window so it was good, but more than that, his joyful thing was in the morning when the sun would rise and a ray of sunlight would always shine on baby bear's face. That way he knew when to get up.
The sunlight that came through the window was not the same as the sunlight outside. "This sunlight is mine." was what baby bear would always say. Indeed, that sunlight was the sunlight that entered baby bear's house.
When he spread picked hazelnuts and chestnuts on a table outside, the sunlight would dry them out. When eating, baby bear would always put on sunglasses because he was imagining himself to be on a vacation at the beach.
In the spring and fall the household's sunlight would always pass the time with baby bear in this way.
When the fall came, baby bear ate to get fat and plump, then shut the door, lay down on his comfortable bed, and started his winter sleep. "kul, kul..."
Soon sleep came to baby bear. His sleeping would start and then he would wake up in spring of the next year. However, before baby bear slept, he just forgot to close the curtains on the window. In the same and ordinary way the sunlight would shine through the window on to the bear's face in the morning, but baby bear was in his winter sleep and couldn't wake up. One time everyday the pouring out sun would glare in the eye and make his sleeping incomparably uncomfortable.
The weather gradually got cold and the first snow came down. The little animals outside made a snowman and were joyfully playing. The little animals made the snowman and put it beside baby bear's house. The snowman was looking into the house as if it was facing toward the window.
The next morning, when the sun rose, the sunlight didn't shine on baby bear's face anymore because the snowman was obstructing the sunlight. The sunlight that used to shine in baby bear's window was now shining on the back of the snowman's head.
The snowman that was obstructing the sunlight gradually got smaller and later could block out the sunlight anymore. That was because the snowman had almost melted away.
Then one morning the sun shined again on baby bear's face and baby bear woke up from sleeping.
"Ah, my sunlight!"
Baby bear stretched and got up from his seat, because now spring had come. | | |
| Frozen Llama This is the first time I've been able to update since my trip to the States last month. It was a good time but I'm overjoyed to be back where I belong: in the frigid middle of nowhere. One downside of being in such a place is that the Internet hasn't been working well enough to even access the page in the past month so I'm just thankful it even opened! At this rate, maybe I'll even be able to send attachments on my emails by next week haha. The weather here is nice, it's a consistent 10 F degrees in the daytime and drops well below 0 at night. It's supposed to snow a little today which will be nice, except for the dangerous black ice that will be all over the streets a day or two later. Last week I totally ate it on my bike just leaving my apartment complex haha, but just got a scrape on my knee. Then there are the falling icicles hahaha. Other than trying to lose the weight I gained on my trip to the States I've been spending most of my time cramming as much Korean vocabulary into my head as possible and trying to read stuff in Korean. It's pretty rough and everyday I feel completely incapable and incompetent. On a lighter note, I went out and bought some speakers and subwoofer for my apartment yesterday. Along with my recent passion for learning the accordian, that's as far as I go with music anymore these days. Accordian is awesome, I just need to start using both hands at the same time. It's like having an entire orchestra in a box, and you don't have to put up with the musicians' egos and stuff either. Hopefully by the next time I'm in the States I can bust out some mean polkas or something. Ok, so this was like the most boring blog entry I've ever written. This office is so cold, think I'll go home where there is actually heating. Peace! | | |
| Home for the Holidays I'm flying into LAX this Saturday and will be in town until the night of January 8th.
Since my schedule is pretty packed, it'd probably be best if I met up with most of you at church (I can say that on here now that I've got a secure private network hehe). Here's my tentative plan: Sunday, December 24th - Irvine Onnuri in the morning, Calvary Chapel in the evening
12/25 - Christmas with family
12/26 - Shopping, meeting friends at night
12/27-29 - Disappearing into the wilderness
12/30 - Parent's church
Sunday, December 31st - Irvine Community Church in the morning
1/1 - TBA
1/2-1/5 - M. Conference
1/6 - Kehilat Or ha Torah, dinner with friends(?)
Sunday, January 7th - IOC or CC in the morning, Calvary Chapel in the evening
1/8 - AAA office to change power of attorney(?), buy wedding rings(?!)
12:40am - Depart LAX to China | | |
| Only By His Grace People probably don't even go to this blog anymore because it's been over a month since I last wrote anything on here. That's a pretty good indication of how busy I am, and actually right now there are plenty of other things I should be doing but thought it a good idea to put something on here. Things are amazing on every front here, doors are opening like never before and my life is changing both inside and out. I know there's been all kinds of crazy stuff going on this year like me almost getting married and all, but all that has ended and I've learned and grown considerably from that situation. It sounds kind of crazy and I can't really explain it to anyone without them being right in front of me, but the most amazing thing has happened in my life and this time it is certain and there's no doubting or turning back. I've never had such complete peace and confirmation in my spirit before. Yes, now I'm engaged to a wonderful young woman I've known for a year but never had any interest in prior to last month. We've only been pursuing a courtship for 3 weeks but it was confirmed from the very beginning and constantly reconfirmed throughout that short time. All of the worries and concerns I had about marrying a Korean with Korean parents and all of that were miraculously solved without me ever even having to think about them. Everything was so easy and it just blew my mind how I really didn't have to do anything to find her, receive her love, or get the approval of her parents. This is how He works if we let Him. If there's anything I can tell people, especially those who are single and not liking it, it's that you can't make up hypothetical situations or put Him in a box. I had my list of things I needed and dated girls who matched those things, once even matching 100%, but that doesn't make real love. In every past situation I never waited on Him in complete trust and submission, but I found that when I did truly give up my own plans and even said "Okay, I'll wait as long as it takes to hear Your will about this person, even if it's years because any daughter of the Kingdom should be worth waiting for." then He was merciful and I didn't have to wait more than a couple of days! What I emphasize is that, even though it was so fast, from the beginning I was submitted to the idea that it could take years to get to know this girl enough, etc. When I really gave up and gave in is when He opened the doors of blessing. I've made so many mistakes and done so many foolish and sinful things throughout my life, but in spite of that He has given me the purest, most trusting, and simply most amazing woman I've ever met! If only I could have understood years ago that it is only BY HIS GRACE that we can have any good thing, I would have saved myself and others from so much unnecessary pain and frustration. My single brothers and sisters, please learn from my mistakes! When someone is the right person for you, you WILL know without a doubt, and He's going to provide that person for you whether you are going around looking for them or not, so why spend so much energy and heartache trying to do the work that He will ultimately do in the end? There is enough work for us to do today and we need to focus on doing things that will give Him glory, rather that try to find ways to satisfy the needs that He gave us in the first place. Be patient, do all for His glory, and in due time He will grant you the desires of your heart. | | |
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