what's the point?

(em's ramblings)

don't get me wrong. there are moments when i really enjoy life. like when my husband has me pinned down laughing so hard tears are dripping ... or when i see a really cute, chubby baby smiling at me. moments like those.

but that's not enough to keep me going. there has to be a point to all of this running around, earning money, spending it then worrying about how to get more. there has to be a reason we're here.

for me, that point is found in being a creation of God. but i've known i am His for my whole life. that isn't enough anymore. i want more. perhaps this is selfish, but i want to know Him as much as humanly possible... because otherwise, i'll feel i've missed the point.

i don't want to just say i love Jesus, like a girl on 'spiritual' ecstacy who thinks she's in love but is really just high. i want to truly love. i want to shatter this shell of selfish pride and step out into the gutter of humility. not for myself. for others. for my husband and my friends. that i might learn to truly love.

that, i believe, is the whole point of this crazy thing called life.

free love

it would seem that the world is starting to catch on... we all need free love. check out this guy in seoul.

the '60s are being revived. it's an international craze:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diccc7je8tg.

i'm inspired.

let's all take time this week to offer a 'free hug.'

christmas comes early to korea

so you may be wondering... why are they opening their christmas presents in november? well, to make a short story long, we've created two versions. for those of you who cannot stomach the idea of us committing this atrocity, scroll to story #2. otherwise, here are the bare facts.


we are going to thailand in 3 weeks, and every weekend up until then is full. plus, emily was feeling homesick tonight, so trent lit some candles, poured her some hot chocolate and baileys, put on the christmas tunes, tucked her into bed, and pretended it was indeed christmas morn. (have i mentioned i have the best hubby ever?)



story #2
you've heard there's a time difference between canada and korea, but did you know it's a month's difference? so today was, indeed, december 25. seriously.

yesterday (saturday) we borrowed a friend's costco card and bussed into seoul, where we bought gigantic muffins, a cozy blanket, and ... our very first laptop ... at costco. yup, we're being spoiled. God is really blessing us. who knew christmas could come two days in a row? and in november???? i mean... december.... :)

we want to thank our fabulous family back home for the gifts of canvas, paints, candy, lotions, 'three's company' :), and home-knit slippers! we love you more than words (or pictures) could ever express.

tickled pink

(by emily)

one of my dreams is coming true... i have my first art exhibit at king's university college! and i'm not even in the country! an old bible school/king's classmate, norton mah, decided to approach kings' drama/ art professor, suggesting that he scope out my web sit (www.canvaschild.com) and think about exhibiting my paintings... bless you norton. the professor has e-mailed me and requested some of my paintings to be dropped off... the one posted here is of "The Afghan Girl" (originally featured by national geographic)... anyway, praise God. just wanted to share why i'm tickled pink... and blue and green and all the other colours splashed upon a palette :)

5 untold truths

(by emily)
my friend, jason, (who i really only started getting to know after we stopped being co-workers at Living Light News) has 'tagged' me ... which means, i'm the next to share five untold truths about myself. after unveiling these coveted details, i will then proceed to pass the torch onto 5 other fortunate fellows.

1. despite laughing a lot and loving the presence of people, i am, undeniably by society's standards, an introvert. i need my 'alone' time in order to recharge and love people again.
2. i am very, very stubborn. don't try to change my mind on this. it's a fact. just ask my husband :)
3. i feel very very deeply for complete strangers. someone i have never met, and probably will never know, might pass my path... and my heart will twinge for them. i pass them and pray for them. i love people... who are achingly real. on the same note, i despise disguise.
4. my dream is to write one unforgettable book, that will keep people up at night and spawn further writings...
5. i am scared of becoming a mother... because i am highly self-critical, and expect perfection. i am scared of ruining my children because i'll expect too much of them.

there. it's been said. i hope you still love me :)

i'm passing the torch on to...
1. Sacha Joy
2. Abba Girl (even though I just met you through blogging :))
3. Ammee Pearl (even though you're currently driving to California)
4. Keith Dow (my lil bro)
5. Melanie Brasher

spill the beans about yourselves!!

frost-tipped days

this week we were met with mounds of cabbage everywhere... being pickled and spiced and hiberanated for winter. it's kimchee making time :)

we were also met with a fine dinner in honour of a staff member leaving, at a fancy restaurant known as the "bird's eye"... it was a welcome break from the headache of report cards.

today (saturday) trenton and i buckled down and began prepping for next year. we're feeling led to live near toronto with our friends, sacha and nathaniel. this will give us the chance to not only live closer to emily's family -- she's been away from them for 9 years -- but to experience the community of living with another couple ... we know this will come as a shock to some of you, and are sorry if we couldn't tell you in person. nothing is set in stone -- however, we refreshed trent's resume and cover letter, and began sending them out to school boards in that area. prayers would be appreciated.

the day's monotony was broken by a spontaneous volleyball game with jill, naomi, and four other guys... tonight trent and i ordered pizza and tomorrow we'll continue to venture around this town we barely know, continuing to adjust to foreign customs which are slowly becoming familiar and dear. may you find christmas beauty in these frost-tipped days :)

poker face

last night it snowed... in korean, snow is "noon". rain is "bi" pronounced "pee". :)

we watched the snow falling from inside the warmth of a pub where we played texas hold'em with our new group of wonju buddies.

remember jill? the friend from high school who i met on the streets? well, we went for drinks; then she decided to start up a weekly poker game ...

last night there were three girls and six guys, all from different 'hogwans' (english schools)... and trenton and i managed to slap on our poker faces and 'ace' the game :) it was pure fun.

we pray God shines through us, as we're the only believers among them. and we praise him for friends from all around the world.

folk village fun

while the sun was still rising saturday morning, we bussed into seoul and met up with mom and the sisters. from there we took another bus to Yong-In, the town hosting Korea's famous Folk Village. we experienced elderly men on tightropes, young girls leaping from teeter-totters, a korean play, old fashioned homes and gardens, exhibits featuring korean history, a phenomenal equestrian show, and an elaborate amusement park. the leaves are turning and the air is frosted with the promise of winter, but our spirits were warmed by the highlights of the day.

that night we rested our heads in a bed and breakfast, then joined pastor John Gurnett in seoul's second biggest church (attended by a total of 50,000) for a 2 p.m. english service. he then escorted us to a dinner of chinese noodles and mandu (korean dumplings) after which we took the train to wonju, leaving the family behind to continue their venture on to singapore and eventually, home.

'Peppero' Day

i love korea's 'mini' excuses for holidays. they may not hail Halloween (something i don't have a problem with) but they celebrate everything else: children, parents, sports, and, just because they can -- a cookie called "pocky". they've named this day: "Peppero." the cookie is a wafer-long stick dipped in chocolate. and what date does this fall upon? tomorrow -- november 11. why? perhaps because the sticks look like the number 1. perhaps because 'pocky' manufacterers were desperate to 'up' the sales of this flavourful cookie. whatever the case, my students gifted me today with a beautifully wrapped cylinder of pocky cookies; and i'm not complaining. life should be saturated with reasons for celebration!

family

an unfolding, brilliant, fragrant flower... family.

some days i hog solitary space. i isolate myself, becoming a sole observer of the human species.

other days i chase after human embrace. a selfish-bred woman i give when i want and take what i need. how many silent tears have been shed on account of my withdrawal? my silence?

should i always be offering of myself? when is it okay to be alone?

for this very reason, the concept of family has always slightly eluded me. like a beautiful flower out of reach. one i'm not sure i want to uproot -- i just like to look at it. for once it's uprooted, it starts to fade. yet perhaps i need to 'pluck' the chance.

it's a pain i don't necessarily want to feel. a need i don't want to admit. but deep down, i am nothing without it. for the sake of myself, and for the sake of my mother, my father, my sisters and my brother, i need to pick the flower and smell it deeply.

like Jesus said, we have to die to ourselves. perhaps, in plucking the flower, and in letting it fade, we are truly becoming what Christ desires. others-focused. self-avoiding.

(emily)

marching to the beat of our own drums...

the past two days have been a whirlwind of photos (mom is a shutterbug, snapping left right and centre) :), climbing mountains, marveling at bright red and orange leaves, introducing these ladies to the 'orange-pajama' life of the jimjillbang in seoul (the bath-sauna), touring the once royal, now near-deserted former dynasty-capital of 'baekjae' where we learned to dye t-shirts using yellow soil, do korean printing, and play traditional korean drums.

we're tired and yet our faces are wrinkled from smiling. mom shared yesterday that she loves watching the people... such as the man who decided to stop mid-walk and sleep standing up, or the drunken koreans singing their hearts out on the mountaintop.

today mom and her sisters are out braving cold rains on "rodeo street", shopping, while trent and i trudge back to school. tonight we'll share wine and cheese, tomorrow they'll join me in some body and mind-bending yoga, and then on wednesday they're off to seoul while we finish up the week teaching our little ones.

as for next weekend? more adventures in a korean folk village. stay tuned, and thrive on love dear friends :) we certainly are (as evidenced by the many packages brought by our family -- including an oilers t-shirt, and a calgary flames 'sippy cup' which trenton was none-too pleased about :))

mom's the word

tomorrow night trent's mom and her two sisters will be arriving! we've signed them into a local motel/sauna, and are thrilled about the prospect of showing them around our cozy town. we're also anticipating the arrival of many longed-for items such as popcorn seasoning, deodorant (let's just say koreans keep it 'au natural'), canvas supplies and hockey gear.

... these weeks have been trying due to parents observing our classes and 'critiquing' our style. we're finding peace of mind in watching our turtle grow (lol) and laughing our guts out at The Office (season 2).

signing off for now...