tina & carol

Now, to get a little more personal…  The following is my dad’s story that I wrote down 2 1/2 years ago, and to this day, it challenges me to live radically…

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Forgiveness…  This one word (and action) has been an underlying current in the tides of our family’s life.  It’s also my Dad’s platform, his message as a pastor and missionary…  So, when he shared yet another story of forgiveness, I was amazed AGAIN by his attitude of obedience before the Lord…

I don’t know if many people know this or not, but my Dad can’t hear out of one of his ears.  All our lives he mentioned that his ear drum had burst and to speak more clearly…   Somehow Carol and I had both concluded that it had something to do with the war when he was a child.  But we were wrong…  A few days ago, while sitting around the dinner table, as he was sharing about how ear surgeries are done, he remembered this story that he had forgotten…

When my Dad was in his early to mid 20’s, he joined the U.S. army and somehow got assigned back to Korea.  While there, he said people were really confused by him.  He was a Korean, but part of the U.S. army.  So both sets would be confused and do a double-take.  Well, one day, while my Dad was waiting in line for food in the cafeteria, he urged an African-American man and his friend to move forward.  Thinking that my Dad was telling him what to do as a Korean from the Korean military (a few worked on the same base), he struck my Dad so hard on one side of his head that my Dad had to be helicoptered to a hospital.  (Quick note:  my Dad said that the other guy who was with the African-American man realized that my Dad was part of the U.S. army and was quick to yell it out as soon as his friend had struck him.  So, it reminded me of what happened to Paul as a Roman citizen in Acts 22.)   The African-American had ruptured my Dad’s ear drum and he had to have surgery.  Afterwards, my Dad’s commanding officer asked if he wanted to file a complaint, but my Dad refused.  He told his commanding officer that he was a Christian and would not file the complaint…  Well, my Dad happened to work in the main office as the first point of contact - the office that every military man has to go through.  And one day, the African-American showed up.  While there, he recognized my Dad.  They talked and my Dad told him not to treat Koreans that way again and shared the Gospel with him.  He lead that man to the Lord…

My Dad has other stories from the Army, but this particular story challenged me again about forgiveness…  To this day, my Dad can barely hear out of that one ear and even has to read lips to compensate, but he sacrificed his hearing, so that that man could have life.   Life eternal, that is…  And who knows, maybe others heard that story, too, and turned to the Lord…   This is just a small story compared to all the others before and after…  Slowly, but surely…

Yesterday, I met with a dear friend and sister in Christ for 7 hours.  Yes, that’s right!  Seven whole hours.  For those who know me, this is on the lengthy side, but not unusual of me, right?  :)  To say the least, I walked away feeling “full.”  Full of love, thankfulness, purpose, resolution…

It was what the Greeks called, “kairos.”  One of the two words used for time: chronos signifying chronological time, and kairos signifying significant or opportune time.  In the Bible, it’s an appointed time in the purpose of God.

And my, was I blessed…  All the things that I’ve been trying to sort out, through the Spirit, got spoken and sorted and now, I’m in a settled and restful state…

Stay tuned!  There’s more to come…

It’s already beginning to be a warm Thursday here in Seattle.  And I’m already busy, so I’m glad that my flu is getting better, and so is Steve’s. Prayer and Oscillo!

I was thinking about my busyness and amid the chaos of my mind, I took captive my thoughts and made it obedient to Christ (2 Co. 10:5), and went to a place of thankfulness for my family.  Right now, as our husbands and parents, even Carol and I, are busy each in our own way trying to live for His glory, I know that though our bodies are apart, our hearts are together and our spirits, one…  (Thank you, Lord!)

So, I’m off to be of service again.  If there’s anything to leave you with, it’s a thankful heart, which can change one’s whole day, but more so, one’s mindset…

So, I didn’t get to eat champong (jjamppong), but Steve and I picked up an old friend, and had pho at Pasteur’s in Everett, instead.  Good food and good company - what more can you ask for?  (I had the chicken pho, to fight off the residual flu…)

Sigh…  I cherish and value my old friends.  There’s no need to explain yourself or apologize for this or that…  They just get you, and whatever was hard to get about you, they already got over a long time ago!  :)

I can write on and on about this subject, but I need to keep this short, too, since I’m not completely better yet, but stay tuned!

Starting Friday night, I felt the weather relent and a cool breeze soften the heat of summer.  It’s still warm now, but no longer stifling.  The heat had kept many of us in a stasis, bound in some sort of human cast.  There was so much to do - so much I wanted to get done, but my body was in mutiny.  But today’s a new day, and my body and mind are one.  :P  

I’m starting with the innermost room, which is the master bathroom.  Then, our bedroom and then, the closet…  And then, slowly outward, one room at a time.  I’m not sure how I acquired this pattern of cleaning, but it’s similar to the pattern of a chambered nautilus.  Every so often as I clean, I like to look back to see what I’ve done so far.  And I feel such satisfaction in knowing that that “chamber is closed” and that I don’t have to go over that area again…  It’s like our past or even our sins, once forgiven, huh?  

I can go even deeper with that analogy, but alas, I have cleaning to do!  

By the way, just to throw in a gadget for today, this is our favorite scooper:

Initially, it was my mother-in-law who had it and when I found myself constantly looking for it while helping out in her kitchen, I decided to get one, too.  After using it and confirming its indispensability in my own kitchen, I tried to get one for my sister and mom, too.  Well, I couldn’t find it again.  So, now, after many years, I finally found it at Uwajimaya in the International District (ID).  This is more than a rice spoon.  Actually, we don’t even use it for rice - it’ll scratch the sides.  We use it for scooping everything else…  

Happy Monday, everyone!