Rain. Drops.
Originally uploaded by kimmer67
my favorite picture from mine and Zach's adventure in the rain to Seoul.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Mr. Han
Sunday morning Zach and I had scheduled to travel to the Northern part of Seoul to visit Laurie who has been fostering a sweet little dog named Lucy. Since mid-July we have been corresponding with Laurie about possibly adopting Lucy. Yes, you read that right. Zach and Lia have been begging for a dog all summer when we returned to Korea.
We now live 1.5-2 hours from this particular part of Seoul. We had this date planned for a week and had to change the day once so I didn't want to cancel but it was pouring down rain and commuting in the rain is tough. I do not exaggerate when I say it was pouring.
Zach and I made the 5-10 minute trek to the bus stop and were already soaking feet.
When we got on the bus I decided to call the Korea helpline to confirm that I had my directions straight. Red 5000 bus to Joggak Station. Joggak Station, Line 1 to Wolgye Station. As I was talking to the sweet Korean lady on the helpline the gentlemen in front of us turned around and asked if he could, "be of any help."
He speaks English. I said to Zach, "I love how God always provides."
He was actually going to the same stop and getting onto the same subway as we were was so he said that we could, "follow along with him." And so we did.
We reached our stop at the subway station and had to walk a short distance. The rain continued to pour and we were now soaking. We did have an umbrella but it's tough for two people to walk side to side under a normal size umbrella and not get a little wet.
As we stood on the subway platform, I asked the kind gentleman his name. He said, "My name is Mr. Han." We shared a little bit about where we are from--he actually knew where Kansas City is and what we are doing in Korea. I told him where we live here and he said, "We are neighbors!" I thanked him several times for helping us and he replied, "It's o-kay. We are neighbors."
When we made it to our destination at Wolgye Station we had another 15 minutes walk in the pouring down rain to Laurie's apartment. It was all worth it. Lucy (the dog) greeted us at the door, tail wagging and body leaping up and down. Lucy is a super great dog. Are we going to get her? We are leaning towards a yes but need a few more days before making our final decision.
The rest of our journey was wet and wonderful. Along the way home we needed some assistance to confirm we weren't going in the wrong direction and each time there just so happened to be someone who spoke very good English and helped us on our way.
Zach and I had a great day together. We had left home at 9:00 am and returned home at 2:00 pm tired, wet and grateful for God's provision to us throughout the day.
We now live 1.5-2 hours from this particular part of Seoul. We had this date planned for a week and had to change the day once so I didn't want to cancel but it was pouring down rain and commuting in the rain is tough. I do not exaggerate when I say it was pouring.
Zach and I made the 5-10 minute trek to the bus stop and were already soaking feet.
When we got on the bus I decided to call the Korea helpline to confirm that I had my directions straight. Red 5000 bus to Joggak Station. Joggak Station, Line 1 to Wolgye Station. As I was talking to the sweet Korean lady on the helpline the gentlemen in front of us turned around and asked if he could, "be of any help."
He speaks English. I said to Zach, "I love how God always provides."
He was actually going to the same stop and getting onto the same subway as we were was so he said that we could, "follow along with him." And so we did.
We reached our stop at the subway station and had to walk a short distance. The rain continued to pour and we were now soaking. We did have an umbrella but it's tough for two people to walk side to side under a normal size umbrella and not get a little wet.
As we stood on the subway platform, I asked the kind gentleman his name. He said, "My name is Mr. Han." We shared a little bit about where we are from--he actually knew where Kansas City is and what we are doing in Korea. I told him where we live here and he said, "We are neighbors!" I thanked him several times for helping us and he replied, "It's o-kay. We are neighbors."
When we made it to our destination at Wolgye Station we had another 15 minutes walk in the pouring down rain to Laurie's apartment. It was all worth it. Lucy (the dog) greeted us at the door, tail wagging and body leaping up and down. Lucy is a super great dog. Are we going to get her? We are leaning towards a yes but need a few more days before making our final decision.
The rest of our journey was wet and wonderful. Along the way home we needed some assistance to confirm we weren't going in the wrong direction and each time there just so happened to be someone who spoke very good English and helped us on our way.
Zach and I had a great day together. We had left home at 9:00 am and returned home at 2:00 pm tired, wet and grateful for God's provision to us throughout the day.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Photo Project
My dear friend, Rachel and I are doing a photo project titled, Gratitude. We will each post a picture of something we've been grateful for that week on Sunday.
http://kimmerandray.wordpress.com/
I hope you will follow along.
http://kimmerandray.wordpress.com/
I hope you will follow along.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
one week. year two
Here's what our first week back in Korea looked like. In pictures.
We arrived. Safe and Sound.
We have endeavored to make our space work. Slowly we are bringing some normalcy to our new home.
We moved to a new city. Dongbaek, South Korea
We gathered with friends.
We celebrated a friend turning 23. Happy Birthday, Tayla. Glad we got back in time for the celebration.
We boated down the Han River in Seoul.
We arrived. Safe and Sound.
We have endeavored to make our space work. Slowly we are bringing some normalcy to our new home.
We moved to a new city. Dongbaek, South Korea
We gathered with friends.
We celebrated a friend turning 23. Happy Birthday, Tayla. Glad we got back in time for the celebration.
We boated down the Han River in Seoul.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
a few thoughts from todd
are we to learn something else...
An aside: I always espouse my trust in His sovereignty. I have sometimes cautioned others who wax eloquently about the doctrine of God's sovereignty, yet find it easy to blame men for their plight or perceived missed opportunities in life. I am asking, praying: "How do I reconcile my apartment requests to the school with my many prayers for a three bedroom apartment close to the school and with the reality that I find my family in a small apartment not so close to the school?" I trust in the God who answers prayer. I trust in the sovereignty of God that can and does trumps or works through the desires and and decisions of men and women that can and do affect me for my good. Or should I say that God will work all things together for our good in spite of the decisions that other humans make that affect our experiences in life. I will to continue to have a faith filled, trusting response to the situation that I find myself in. I am endeavoring to respond with wisdom, patience, and grace, and avoid thinking that I or we "deserve better". Every good thing we receive from God is all by grace; unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor. I don't deserve this wonderful, small apartment anymore than our faithful brothers in North Korea deserve to be in a hard labor prison camp, or as the simple ordinary, starving family in North Korea longs for the next bite to eat. Perhaps I/we don't "need" what we want. I am believing we are to learn something from this experience. It is driving me to Him in prayer. That is always a good thing. That is the beautiful work of God that I believe He is always doing. He works through my circumstances to drive me to Him. This is my present perspective.
An aside: I always espouse my trust in His sovereignty. I have sometimes cautioned others who wax eloquently about the doctrine of God's sovereignty, yet find it easy to blame men for their plight or perceived missed opportunities in life. I am asking, praying: "How do I reconcile my apartment requests to the school with my many prayers for a three bedroom apartment close to the school and with the reality that I find my family in a small apartment not so close to the school?" I trust in the God who answers prayer. I trust in the sovereignty of God that can and does trumps or works through the desires and and decisions of men and women that can and do affect me for my good. Or should I say that God will work all things together for our good in spite of the decisions that other humans make that affect our experiences in life. I will to continue to have a faith filled, trusting response to the situation that I find myself in. I am endeavoring to respond with wisdom, patience, and grace, and avoid thinking that I or we "deserve better". Every good thing we receive from God is all by grace; unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor. I don't deserve this wonderful, small apartment anymore than our faithful brothers in North Korea deserve to be in a hard labor prison camp, or as the simple ordinary, starving family in North Korea longs for the next bite to eat. Perhaps I/we don't "need" what we want. I am believing we are to learn something from this experience. It is driving me to Him in prayer. That is always a good thing. That is the beautiful work of God that I believe He is always doing. He works through my circumstances to drive me to Him. This is my present perspective.
the beauty of laughter
When we arrived in Korea last year I soon realized how important laughter would be for facing the everyday challenges of living in another culture. Each day I am faced with challenges in communication, travel, shopping and cultural differences. There is a place, that I think everyone comes to where you learn, "when in Korea, do as the Koreans." It's a juggling act to learn to live well and graciously where you're at and who you're with. It's learning to let go of some of the common and familiar practices that I know from growing up in the Mid-West of the United States and learning new ways of doing things.
It's not often easy to live well and graciously. In the past week I have been challenged by our circumstances. We are into day five without AC. Each day we are told, "AC man come today. Really." Each day passes with us being bound to our apartment waiting for the illusive AC man. We haven't been able to unpack because we have no where to put our things. We are told that we will have a wardrobe delivered this week but I don't have a lot of confidence that it will. And I really don't want to be negative--a pattern has formed and I'm expectations lowered (I don't like that in me but it's true).
Today I spent time on-line trying to find bunk beds for the kids. We need to utilize our space in the most effective way but I couldn't figure out all the details when it came time to order. I'll try again tomorrow and hope that one of my Korea friends can help me.
I went to meet up with some friends today in Suwon. My 35 minute bus ride turned into an hour and a half of bus and taxi rides. I enjoyed some music that my friend Amy G made for me, I enjoyed the book I had brought a long to read and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way.
And I laughed. I laughed and shook my head at all the craziness around me. Todd stayed home to wait for AC guy. He never showed. I spent an hour and a half lost--sorta--and came home again to the chaos of our apartment. And I laughed again.
Laughter is beautiful. Even in the most frustrating circumstances finding beauty in all the differences and remembering that God is still above all helps--it really does.
Tonight, I'm sitting in from of the fan, candles lit and listening to the sounds of children playing outside. I'm smiling and I'm grateful. And I'm HOT!
It's not often easy to live well and graciously. In the past week I have been challenged by our circumstances. We are into day five without AC. Each day we are told, "AC man come today. Really." Each day passes with us being bound to our apartment waiting for the illusive AC man. We haven't been able to unpack because we have no where to put our things. We are told that we will have a wardrobe delivered this week but I don't have a lot of confidence that it will. And I really don't want to be negative--a pattern has formed and I'm expectations lowered (I don't like that in me but it's true).
Today I spent time on-line trying to find bunk beds for the kids. We need to utilize our space in the most effective way but I couldn't figure out all the details when it came time to order. I'll try again tomorrow and hope that one of my Korea friends can help me.
I went to meet up with some friends today in Suwon. My 35 minute bus ride turned into an hour and a half of bus and taxi rides. I enjoyed some music that my friend Amy G made for me, I enjoyed the book I had brought a long to read and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way.
And I laughed. I laughed and shook my head at all the craziness around me. Todd stayed home to wait for AC guy. He never showed. I spent an hour and a half lost--sorta--and came home again to the chaos of our apartment. And I laughed again.
Laughter is beautiful. Even in the most frustrating circumstances finding beauty in all the differences and remembering that God is still above all helps--it really does.
Tonight, I'm sitting in from of the fan, candles lit and listening to the sounds of children playing outside. I'm smiling and I'm grateful. And I'm HOT!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Apartment 202
I finally shot a short video of our apartment. I was hoping to have it look a little bit more like a home before I posted something but we are without closets and dressers so everything is just piled up in our bedrooms. We have trash to take out but have no idea where to take it. I personally struggle with a lot of clutter in my space so this is taking me to the edge. It's a good lesson in patience for me . . . I suppose.
We have been somewhat stuck at home since we got here. We have waited for the gas guy, the internet guy, the AC guy, the plumber guy . . . still waiting for the AC guy. Every day, we are told he is coming but he has yet to arrive. It's hot. The temperature has been around 90 with high humidity--it's cooler to go outside--our apartment is like a sauna--we call it our own personal jimjibang (Korean sauna).
Thankfully, our leaking toilet and sink were fixed today.
Oh, Korea!
Despite all of the housing frustrations, it's good to be here. We have slowly been able to see friends and are looking forward to gathering with our community this Sunday for worship and prayer.
His grace is enough.
We have been somewhat stuck at home since we got here. We have waited for the gas guy, the internet guy, the AC guy, the plumber guy . . . still waiting for the AC guy. Every day, we are told he is coming but he has yet to arrive. It's hot. The temperature has been around 90 with high humidity--it's cooler to go outside--our apartment is like a sauna--we call it our own personal jimjibang (Korean sauna).
Thankfully, our leaking toilet and sink were fixed today.
Oh, Korea!
Despite all of the housing frustrations, it's good to be here. We have slowly been able to see friends and are looking forward to gathering with our community this Sunday for worship and prayer.
His grace is enough.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Moment of Truth
After 20 plus hours of travel, via car, plane, bus and taxi, we arrived safely to our new apartment in Dongbaek, South Korea. Our new home is south of Seoul--further south from where we were in Bundang.
Many of you who have been with us or who follow our blog, know that there has been a lot of uncertainty about where we would be living. We are grateful to say that when we arrived we did have an apartment to go to. The huge question before us was what this apartment would be like.
Let's start with the positives--in no particular order:
1. The neighborhood around us seems nice.
2. We like the wood floors.
3. We have a home--a roof over our heads.
4. We are together as a family.
Now a few of our challenges--disappointments--again, in no particular order:
1. Our apartment is smaller.
2. Our apartment is smaller.
3. We aren't close to where all of our friends live.
4. We have no closets or dressers--therefor we have no place to put our stuff.
When your exhausted from traveling and a 14 hour time difference it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Knowing not to take yourself too seriously in these moments is key. As we traveled from the airport to our apartment, Todd tried to give me a little idea of what our new space was like. He seemed discouraged. When we arrived, I now knew why. There are boxes and suitcases everywhere--which is normal when you move but the space was considerably smaller than we anticipated and requested. It's actually smaller than our apartment in Bundang.
What to do . . . we have endeavored to be clear and gracious about our needs. Our biggest needs were, a larger apartment, preferably a 3 bedroom and more affordable utilities. We are told our utilities will be cheaper but our space is considerably smaller--I didn't think it was possible.
All we can do is make it work--it doesn't seem like there are any other options for us. We are asking God to give us grace and patience--and rest, perhaps when we've rested it won't seem as small. :-)
Overall we are happy to be here--we're just tired and discouraged by how things were put together for us.
God is good and His faithfulness never fails us.
Video of our new place to come.
Many of you who have been with us or who follow our blog, know that there has been a lot of uncertainty about where we would be living. We are grateful to say that when we arrived we did have an apartment to go to. The huge question before us was what this apartment would be like.
Let's start with the positives--in no particular order:
1. The neighborhood around us seems nice.
2. We like the wood floors.
3. We have a home--a roof over our heads.
4. We are together as a family.
Now a few of our challenges--disappointments--again, in no particular order:
1. Our apartment is smaller.
2. Our apartment is smaller.
3. We aren't close to where all of our friends live.
4. We have no closets or dressers--therefor we have no place to put our stuff.
When your exhausted from traveling and a 14 hour time difference it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Knowing not to take yourself too seriously in these moments is key. As we traveled from the airport to our apartment, Todd tried to give me a little idea of what our new space was like. He seemed discouraged. When we arrived, I now knew why. There are boxes and suitcases everywhere--which is normal when you move but the space was considerably smaller than we anticipated and requested. It's actually smaller than our apartment in Bundang.
What to do . . . we have endeavored to be clear and gracious about our needs. Our biggest needs were, a larger apartment, preferably a 3 bedroom and more affordable utilities. We are told our utilities will be cheaper but our space is considerably smaller--I didn't think it was possible.
All we can do is make it work--it doesn't seem like there are any other options for us. We are asking God to give us grace and patience--and rest, perhaps when we've rested it won't seem as small. :-)
Overall we are happy to be here--we're just tired and discouraged by how things were put together for us.
God is good and His faithfulness never fails us.
Video of our new place to come.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Home
Home is defined in the free online dictionary as:
1. A place where one lives; a residence.
2. The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment.
a. An environment offering security and happiness.
b. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.
3. The place, such as a country or town, where one was born or has lived for a long period.
Home is also the title of a book I enjoy by Marilynn Robinson. If you haven't read it, you should but first you should read, Gilead. You will be glad that you did.
In the past year I have thought about the concept of "home" often. Last summer we packed up our bags and moved to Korea. Our location and living space was quite different from our house in Lenexa, Kansas.
Over the course of the year in Korea our little apartment on the 5th floor of the City of Angel Officetel began to feel like home. After a long day, it felt like a refuge to rest and be together as a family. There were days when I missed our house in Lenexa, the space, the kitchen, the deck in the early morning when the sun was rising, but the new space I found myself in had become "home" to our family.
With our house rented through the summer we needed to make arrangements for places to stay during our summer break. On multiple levels this seemed stressful. We are a family of four--we would be invading the space of anyone we stayed with. God made provision for us--'cuz He does things like that. Friends in Columbia were going to be in Uganda for over a month and offered their home to us. Amazing.
During our month and a half at the Sasser's house we felt like we had a home. We have been living out of suitcases for 2 months, but we had a place to go that gave us space, rest and a sense of security--it was good to not feel like we were floating around every few days or weeks. We are grateful to the Sasser's for the hospitality and their willingness to open their home to us.
Yesterday the kids asked numerous times if we could go visit our old house--the brick house with the big tree. We tried to explain that this might be a little strange to the new owners but they insisted. We were driving near that old house and they asked again. We made a u-turn, pulled up to the old brick house with the big tree and went to the door.
A young couple lives there now--Cindy and JD. Cindy, was very kind and said that we could go see the big tree. It felt a bit surreal. We lived in that house for 10 years. The memories of our time there were flooding over my mind as we stood in the back yard. Zach walked around the tree a few times. He touched the bark and climbed on the trunk.
The house looked different. New paint. French doors to the back yard--something I had always wanted to do. Cindy and JD had made it their home.
As we drove off, Zach said, "the tree isn't as big as it was." Todd said, "you're not as small as you use to be." Zach replied, "I don't like that. I wish it still looked like it did before."
In the next 13 days we will be staying in 5 places--and I'm incredibly grateful for each of these places. But, I'm ready to go "home". I'm ready to unpack the suitcases.
We don't know where we will be living when we return to Korea. We will have a new apartment. We will be in a new neighborhood and need to learn new bus routes. I'm ready though to create that place for our family to call home.
In all of this transition and change there is something greater. This life and all of the places that I live our temporary. There is an eternal home that God is preparing for all of us. In this life, I'm really just a sojourner, a transient. I desire that heaven country, the place where I will be with my Savior and all the people that I've shared this journey with--oceans and land will not separate us.
My hope is that Jesus finds me believing and my heart homesick for Him.
Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.
the message, hebrews 11:13-18
1. A place where one lives; a residence.
2. The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment.
a. An environment offering security and happiness.
b. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.
3. The place, such as a country or town, where one was born or has lived for a long period.
Home is also the title of a book I enjoy by Marilynn Robinson. If you haven't read it, you should but first you should read, Gilead. You will be glad that you did.
In the past year I have thought about the concept of "home" often. Last summer we packed up our bags and moved to Korea. Our location and living space was quite different from our house in Lenexa, Kansas.
Over the course of the year in Korea our little apartment on the 5th floor of the City of Angel Officetel began to feel like home. After a long day, it felt like a refuge to rest and be together as a family. There were days when I missed our house in Lenexa, the space, the kitchen, the deck in the early morning when the sun was rising, but the new space I found myself in had become "home" to our family.
With our house rented through the summer we needed to make arrangements for places to stay during our summer break. On multiple levels this seemed stressful. We are a family of four--we would be invading the space of anyone we stayed with. God made provision for us--'cuz He does things like that. Friends in Columbia were going to be in Uganda for over a month and offered their home to us. Amazing.
During our month and a half at the Sasser's house we felt like we had a home. We have been living out of suitcases for 2 months, but we had a place to go that gave us space, rest and a sense of security--it was good to not feel like we were floating around every few days or weeks. We are grateful to the Sasser's for the hospitality and their willingness to open their home to us.
Yesterday the kids asked numerous times if we could go visit our old house--the brick house with the big tree. We tried to explain that this might be a little strange to the new owners but they insisted. We were driving near that old house and they asked again. We made a u-turn, pulled up to the old brick house with the big tree and went to the door.
A young couple lives there now--Cindy and JD. Cindy, was very kind and said that we could go see the big tree. It felt a bit surreal. We lived in that house for 10 years. The memories of our time there were flooding over my mind as we stood in the back yard. Zach walked around the tree a few times. He touched the bark and climbed on the trunk.
The house looked different. New paint. French doors to the back yard--something I had always wanted to do. Cindy and JD had made it their home.
As we drove off, Zach said, "the tree isn't as big as it was." Todd said, "you're not as small as you use to be." Zach replied, "I don't like that. I wish it still looked like it did before."
In the next 13 days we will be staying in 5 places--and I'm incredibly grateful for each of these places. But, I'm ready to go "home". I'm ready to unpack the suitcases.
We don't know where we will be living when we return to Korea. We will have a new apartment. We will be in a new neighborhood and need to learn new bus routes. I'm ready though to create that place for our family to call home.
In all of this transition and change there is something greater. This life and all of the places that I live our temporary. There is an eternal home that God is preparing for all of us. In this life, I'm really just a sojourner, a transient. I desire that heaven country, the place where I will be with my Savior and all the people that I've shared this journey with--oceans and land will not separate us.
My hope is that Jesus finds me believing and my heart homesick for Him.
Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.
the message, hebrews 11:13-18
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