Irene

At approximately 6:05 am August 28, 2011 a huge tree fell on one of our power lines. Of course it was the only tree that fell on the whole campground...but whatever we are out of power for the next few days. The power company estimates 7-10 days. Please no.

So today is Day 2 and we learning how to deal. But in an effort to look on the bright side, here are a few things that we are thankful for right now.

1. Panera Bread free Wifi. 
2. Propane 
3. Cooking on a campfire
4. Beautiful weather (this is not sarcasm, Irene brought fall weather to the Hudson Valley and its wonderful!)
5. Buckets, who knew rain water could be useful?
6. Time off of work to spend together
7. Time off of work to look for apartments in Denver!!
8. Time off of work to watch Bones season 5

These past few months have definitely been about learning to adjust. One thing after another. But as we were cleaning the camper this morning, I had a thought. God must be preparing us for something. Something crazy and unpredictable probably. It is a huge dream of ours to live overseas, probably in Asia somewhere so if this is preparation for that then I think I can go without washing my hair for a few days. Who knows what God is up to but we are continually learning to trust Him more! 

Beautifully Broken

Word of advice to all who read: If you are a small Asian man, do not play basketball against 3 large African American men.  Why? Let this picture show:



So, 2 days ago I was monitoring the Jumping Pillow, basketball court, miniature golf and the pedal carts when 3 campers asked me if I wanted to play basketball with them.  Of course, wanting to show off my SKILLS, I kindly accepted their offer and hit the courts.  After ballin' them up in the first game, they desired a rematch.  I hesitated (my lovely wife brought me some Korean soup for lunch), but decided to get some more W's for the ole B-ball belt.  BUT, instead of getting some more W's, I got some more broken bones on the broken bone belt.  Worst belt ever.  I went up for a rebound, and landed on my ankle...

Emily rushed me to the nearest hospital, St. Luke's hospital in Newburgh. We got put in a very small waiting room with many injured individuals.  I pulled out my iPhone and checked in through foursquare and Facebook and started the long waiting process.

4 hours later...

After some X-rays and waiting, the PA finally told us that I had a chip fracture and that a part of my bone on my ankle broke off and is floating around down there.  He put a half casty thing around my ankle and gave me some crutches and I was on my way.  Sometime this week I will be heading over to an orthopedist to confirm my diagnosis, but either way 4 to 6 weeks on crutches.

Anyways, enough about me.  Emily is currently making play doh with some kids. Okay, bye!

-Jin

Rainy day blues?

Well, we have been a little slack on the posts lately. Sometimes its hard to know what to write. So I'll just write and see what happens. Yesterday Jin and I had the day off together. It was our first day off where we didn't have any plans. We decided to go to Woodbury Commons which is a huge outlet mall about 30 minutes away. We had fun walking around looking at all the different stores and only came away with a bag from Gap, necessities of course. Outlet malls really aren't that good of a deal unless you find a really good sale. But its still fun to look around. Then it started pouring so we went home. We ate some leftover pizza for lunch (you wouldn't believe how much pizza we have eaten since we moved here, literally a pizza restaurant on every corner) and then decided to watch one episode of Bones. Well next thing we knew it was 1 AM and we finished season 3. We took a short break to make chicken enchiladas for dinner. It was a fun day to to be married and spend time together. Makes me thankful for this time in our lives, nothing to do except work and spend time together. And write thank you notes...which is what I am doing today before I go in to work at 3.

On another note, we are officially staying in NY until October 31. Jin will be doing activities full time and I will be working in the store! We are really excited to be here and I am especially excited to be here during the fall. Fall is hands down my favorite season and I can't wait to experience it in the northeast. God has been teaching me a lot of about humility and pride these past few weeks. Jin and I both feel strongly that this is where God has placed us for this time and I know there are big lessons to be learned before we move on to the next step. I'm praying that God will break down the doors of my heart and teach me to be more like Him over these next few months.


 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!
 ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father

-Philippians 2: 5-11


Thanks for keeping up with us :) We miss all of our friends and family!

Checking into Boston

Question: Ever since Augustana came out with the song "Boston," how many people do you think quote their lyrics when they go to Boston?  I calculated 1/5. I was that one out of five.

So, if you don't follow me on google+, facebook, or most especially foursquare, then you didn't see my 10+ check-ins in the great city of Boston, Massachusetts.  I was able to check in these many times because Emily and I were actually in Boston! Our Boston journey started when Emily and I just got off work at about 5:30 and were jokingly discussing a spontaneous trip to Canada.  Well we realized that Canada was too far so after searching on Google maps we realized Boston was the closest city that we would want to travel to. So we packed our stuff in 10 minutes and hit the road. On the way we went to the best Wendy's ever in Connecticut and found a Red Roof Inn for a solid $59 a night. We stayed the night and headed to our first Ivy League University together.  HA-Vad.  I have to tell you that Boston drivers are some of the craziest drivers I've encountered.  They honk their horns for no apparent reason.  They make their own lanes.  They like to drive a foot away from your car.  And they are just so grumpy.  No offense to anyone from Boston.  So, after just driving minutes in Cambridge, we decided to park and take public transportation the rest of the day.  Not to mention, public parking is atrociously expensive.  After giving away half our savings (exaggeration) in parking fees, we enjoyed the rich IQ land of Harvard University.  It was nice.  Reminded me of a fancier, but not as cool, Chapel Hill.  After slipping in and out of tour groups on the Harvard campus, we got on the subway to a lovely park called Boston Common.

At Boston Common, we started the Freedom Trail.  The Freedom Trail, if you never heard of it, takes you about 3 miles around Boston highlighting historical events that occurred there.  Apparently a lot of historical events occurred in Boston. The Boston Tea Party.  The Boston Massacre.  The Boston Market (I love history).  We enjoyed all of it.  After walking several hours, gaining a new perspective on history, we made a stop at the North End.  We entered Italy and ate some amazing pizza.  Walked over to the land of bank robbers (Charlestown).  Took a subway back to HA-Vad and headed home.  It was an amazing day, full of spontaneity, excitement, and good food.  If you like history, a city that is big with a small town feel, Chapel Hill, smart people, and Boston Market, Emily and I highly recommend a trip to Boston.  We give it a 5/5.  I think I'll go to Boston.

-Jin

Reconciled

So if you are friends with Jin on Facebook you know that we went to Boston yesterday. He checked in everywhere. But I'm going to let him post about that. It was a great day!!

So something we haven't written about yet is the ministry side of our jobs. Obviously as Christians every moment should be ministry, especially interacting with non-believers, but something cool that we get to do each week is Chapel Service. Its nothing fancy, Jin plays 2 worship songs on the guitar and either he or I will share our testimony. This past week, I shared my testimony. We had several families show up, 2 in particular that we had been getting to know so it was really fun to see them show up to Chapel.

So this week I shared about how I didn't have a clear understanding of who God was for many years but when I got to college I began to understand Grace and what it meant to be a child of God. But as I was preparing for this time it was interesting because I still don't fully comprehend how the God of the universe could love me and accept me as His child. I don't think I ever will until I get to heaven.  Here is a really great article that Matt Chandler tweeted last night about this very topic. It really encouraged me and I hope it does you too!! God's grace changes everything and when I'm not focusing on that truth I lose sight of who I am. This past year was hard, for many reasons but I think a lot was due to the fact that I lost sight of this very truth. When you aren't constantly filling your mind with truth you begin to believe lots of lies about God and His character. That can turn even the most joyful person into a very unhappy person. I am thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life that put up with me this past year and I am thankful that God is in the business of reconciling sinners.

So I got my Bible out this morning and decided to find some specific scriptures that speak about God's grace and our new identity. Well that's what most of the new testament is about haha but here are just a few that spoke to me.

Ephesians 1: 3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us^[a] for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood,the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known^[b] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-5 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But^[b]God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—


Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Anyway, this is turning into a long post but just some things the Lord has been teaching me lately. Please pray for us as we seek to be authentic pictures of God's grace with the people that we meet in New York.

PS I chopped all my hair off today. I feel like the old me again :)