Flea Market/Bazaar At My Home…

Every year my home tries to hold a flea market to raise extra funds.  While children homes in Korea receive some funds from the government, the funds aren’t enough for the home to provide a healthy lifestyle for the kids.  So homes have to raise support through corporate sponsors, church sponsors, and fund raisers in order to raise enough to meet budget.  Thanks to a lot of my friends and plenty of other churches/businesses we received a lot of great donations for things to sell during the flea market.  For two days last week I served with the staff, other volunteers, and some of our kids to sell items.  It was a blessed time.  Enjoy the pictures!

Hyun Woo, Sung Joon, and Hee Sung about to come out and join in on the fun

My friend Jee came out to help… Hyun Woo is her favorite among our little ones

Our twin girls Yoo Rim and Yoo Bin

Eun Ji with Sung Joon

Se Min sporting some sunglasses a few visiting American soldiers got for him

Young Eun selling some clothes

Mi Yun and Kyung Jin dorm mom

Min Shik sporting some of the donations… what I loved about the donations was that my kids had first dibs so my kids were able to get some clothes they liked out of it

With my basketball boys Myung Mook and Yo Han

Sun Jae advertising for the second hand clothes

Young Eun again, now with a jacket she got among the clothes offered

My friend Anna with her two kids that she tutors Hae Ran and Do Kyoon

Jee and Krysha, both came out to help

My friends Seung Kyung and Mark, who were also huge helps during the flea market and really helped make things fun and easier for me

With Kyung Hwan, who always calls me “Giant,” one of the very few English words he knows =)

God bless!

Church Tithing (Giving to God)

This issue has come up at my church a bit recently among a few different people:  should the church help keep members accountable for tithing or is money an issue that shouldn’t be touched?  Here is my personal take (speaking for myself, not for my church)…

Malachi 3:8-12 is very clear about the blessings and curses for tithing and not tithing.  I have known many Christians who are financially cursed.  They are constantly scrambling to pay the bills and they aren’t sure how their money is disappearing.  And it almost always turns out that they stopped tithing at some point.  On the other hand I know countless Christians, including my parents and myself, who have been financially blessed and have always had more than enough, while tithing and also giving offerings joyfully.  I know the goodness and faithfulness of God.  As a pastor in the church I do not want any of the members cursed.  I want them blessed.  I want them walking in righteousness with God. 

There are expectations for members to live by faith and live in obedience to God’s commands.  I do not want for any members to model lives of unbelief to new believers or to outsiders.  I do not want any curses over members in the church.  If a member were struggling financially or were lacking the faith to tithe (say they are a new believer) then there is of course grace and exceptions.  And if the member were in great need I would expect for the church to in turn help support them through their trying time.  But there is still the understanding of the truth behind Malachi 3 and I would hope for that member to soon grow stronger and be able to trust in the Lord with the tithe.  Accountability is meant to protect and love the church, not police and harass the church.  It needs to be seen and understood that way.  If I knew of a brother acting in a way that could open him up to curses or bad consequences, I would want to step in and help him out.  Love would act in that situation.  The heart behind the accountability and the expectations need to be understood. 

Tithing is not a matter of earning acceptance or paying dues, it’s a matter of health. 

Once again, these were all my personal thoughts on this subject.  If you are at New Philly and would like to discuss this further then please contact me by phone or talk with me at church.  And just so you know, I don’t receive any salary from the church so there is no personal agenda here.

God bless!

Elementary School Performance Day

This past Friday morning I attended my kids’ school performance day with my friends Sky and Semy.  It was looooong, from 9am – 1pm, but my kids were in almost every performance since they are spread out among almost all the different classes.  It was good to be there to cheer on the kids, give them thumbs up, and simply be present for them.  Enjoy the pics!

With Jin Hwa

Semy, Soo Ah, and me

Sky with Sun Hee

With Han Bin

Hae Hyun

With dorm moms and kids

Kids performing… the lighting was horrible so my pictures didn’t come out well during their performances… they mostly did dances.  Koreans love to dance.  There were a few musical performances, taekwondo demonstrations, and a really weird fashion show as well…

With Dal Woo

With Eun Ho

And here are a few subway pictures from the field day… Jina dorm mom, Il Ho, Yo Han, Seung Hwan, and Kyung Hee dorm mom

Weird picture of Il Ho

Alert and excited boys

But after 40 minutes of a long subway ride, not so alert or excited anymore…

God bless

Marshmallow Experiment

I preached on honor a few days ago (iTunes search: New Philadelphia Church 2010) and there was one illustration I wanted to include in the message but wasn’t able to.  It is the marshmallow experiment…

<< In one of the most amazing developmental studies ever conducted, Walter Michel of Stanford created a simple test of the ability of four year old children to control impulses and delay gratification. Children were taken one at a time into a room with a one-way mirror. They were shown a marshmallow. The experimenter told them he had to leave and that they could have the marshmallow right then, but if they waited for the experimenter to return from an errand, they could have two marshmallows. One marshmallow was left on a table in front of them. Some children grabbed the available marshmallow within seconds of the experimenter leaving. Others waited up to twenty minutes for the experimenter to return. In a follow-up study (Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990), children were tested at 18 years of age and comparisons were made between the third of the children who grabbed the marshmallow (the “impulsive”) and the third who delayed gratification in order to receive the enhanced reward (“impulse controlled”).

The third of the children who were most impulsive at four years of age scored an average of 524 verbal and 528 math. The impulse controlled students scored an average of 610 verbal and 652 math! This astounding 210 point total score difference on the SAT was predicted on the basis of a single observation at four years of age! The 210 point difference is as large as the average differences between that of economically advantaged versus disadvantaged children and is larger than the difference between children from families with graduate degrees versus children whose parents did not finish high school! At four years of age gobbling a marshmallow now v. waiting for two later is twice as good a predictor of later SAT scores than is IQ. Poor impulse control is also a better predictor of later delinquency than is IQ (Block, 1995). >>

Pretty interesting, right?  So often people want to take matters into their own hands and “move themselves up” in the world.  Rather than honoring their authorities and sticking through some hard times, they will try to cut corners, find short cuts, or simply abandon ship.  But God never works like that.  I remember one time I was jogging on a trail on some mountains in the Yukon while praying.  I began to feel that the windy trail I was jogging represented my life, with ups and downs and different turns.  I then noticed a point during a windy turn where I could cut through some trees for a short cut.  I knew in my mind that isn’t how God works, but I wanted to make the short cut anyway.  And what happened?  I tripped. 

It’s better to stick things through.  You’ll find yourself a lot wiser and a lot more blessed in the end.

And as for the experiment, here is a both humorous and painful to watch demonstration of the experiment…

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

God bless!

Field Day Part 2

There were plenty more events for the kids.  After the soccer championship between two homes and lunch time ended, the high school kids from different participated in “Golden Bell,” a trivia game off of a well known Korean celebrity show.  Jin Seul and Yoo Jin from my home participated and Yoo Jin was one of the finalists.  I had tried to get a picture of Jin Seul all morning but she is camera shy and kept hiding.  But I got her here… barely =)

Yoo Jin is right behind her (Jin Seul hiding)

Hae Hyun and Sun Hee (sitting) waiting their turn for a relay where they had to crawl through this tent like thing with flour (yes, flour) inside it

Sun Hee going for it

Coming out, flour going everywhere

Sun Hee with her English volunteer tutor Amber (Sun Hee had already gotten most of the flour off herself)

Da Heen smiling with the Korean “pinata” behind her.  This was the most dangerous and silly “game” of the field day.  They taped together two big bowls with a banner inside (not candy, boo) and the kids had to throw bean bags at it to open it. 

Let the madness ensue… needless to say there were many crying kids afterward who had been struck by a bean bag… not well planned =)

Ha Hyun worn out

The last event of the day and the biggest for the homes outside of the soccer championship… the relay race of one elementary girl, one junior high girl, one high school girl, and one dorm mom.  Here is Soo Yun (6th grader, she is on the right) taking off… Soo Yun DOMINATED!!! =D

Hae Ji (8th grader) handing off to Jin Seul (11th grader)

Kyung Jin dorm mom finishing 1st place!  Woo hoo!!!

Our runners… Jin Seul, Hae Ji, Kyung Jin, and Soo Yun

Geon Christian Children’s Home^^  Not all kids could make it to the event, but that is most of us…

God bless!

Modern Day Slavery

Please read the following article from Time magazine about the prostitution “trade.”  It is a MUST read!!!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978751-1,00.html

So what can we do?  These atrocities are at an international level with many rich and influential people involved.  But it is not hopeless.  I really believe it first starts with the church rising up in prayer for the countless girls (and boys) who have been enslaved and forced into submission.  One encounter with Jesus turned an adulteress Samaritan woman into an accepted and joyful daughter of God.  One encounter with Jesus freed Mary Magdalene from the seven demons that had kept her in bondage.  While the world is definitely growing darker, the church is also growing brighter.  I know as we rise up in prayer with God’s Spirit of justice stirring within us that we will begin to see the spiritual strongholds and then the physical strongholds fall around us.  There will be physical action needed as well, but I believe it first must start with prayer.  The article is another call for the church to respond.  Please don’t look away but pray on their behalf and ask God how He wants your church to respond. 

Field Day Part 1

Yesterday (10/9) was the annual Seoul Children’s Home Field Day.  Nearly all the children homes in Seoul gathered at a huge park (Children’s Grand Park) for a day of different races, relays, and fun games.  It was an exhausting but really fun day of cheering on the kids, bonding with them, and enjoying the beautiful weather.  Over a 100 pictures were taken on my camera, so I’m going to divide up the pictures into two photo updates.  Enjoy!

Jung Hyun set to go… every child/staff/volunteer during the event wore a yellow bandana to encourage unity… I thought it was a good idea

Myung Bae smiling during the opening ceremony (tons of kids were there, I wish I had taken a far away shot)

Hyun Bin

Kee Baek and Eun Ho during the stretching/jumping exercises… Eun Ho is in midair

Jung Suk dorm dad ready to carry the kindergarten kids to victory during the first relay (Da Hee, Jung Hyun, and Kee Baek are with him)

Kee Baek trying to eat a cracker hanging from a pole before grabbing candy laid out and running back to the beginning… for this relay there were no winners/losers… just happy kids who got to run around, eat a cracker, and get a bag of candy

Jae holding up our children home’s sign in front of our designated sitting area

Kang, Ji Woo, and other elementary kids waiting for the 100 meter races to begin

Sun Jae (2nd grade) won his race… I enjoyed scooping up the kids after the races and congratulating them regardless of how well they did… the kids all enjoyed the races, even those who finished last

Byung Ho (5th grade) burning rubber and winning his race… funny how our smallest kids crushed the bigger kids from other homes in the races

My boys holding out a long, thin mat that kindergarten kids would have to run over to complete a relay

Homes were put into four team (about five children homes per team), so there were a lot of kids participating… here is Eun Ho running

Kang almost through

For the next relay the long line of kids had to jump over a tube with ropes that two kids pulled all the way down the line and back

Goofiness

Trying to get a picture with Jin Seul… fail…

Mi Yun

Hae Ji and Mi Yun

Volunteer Amber with Ji Woo and Hae Hyun

Two of my best friends and ministry partners here in Korea: Jee and Mi Jeong

More pictures to come next week!  God bless!

Establishing the Atmosphere

My Uncle Steve attended college in North Carolina near the home of the great evangelist Billy Graham back in the early 70′s.  He shared that sometimes Billy Graham would come by the church where my uncle would be worshipping and that my uncle could always tell when Billy Graham entered without even turning around.  He said the anointing upon Billy Graham was so strong that it could be felt all around the room.  Without saying a word or bringing any attention to himself, Billy Graham would establish the atmosphere of worship in the place.  He carried such authority that God used him to break down walls in communist countries and bring salvation to countless lives around the world.

God has been teaching me more about establishing the atmosphere around me, and not just in terms of worship or praise.  While teaching my boys basketball at the children’s home I noticed that sometimes one of the boys would come to practice in a bad mood, angry, or irritated.  And when I wasn’t aware or was passive about it, that mood/spirit would begin to affect the rest of us.  Soon there would be arguing, fighting, and frustration.  And I would catch myself falling into it as well.  I realized I needed to set the atmosphere.  Because God’s Spirit lives within me and because His love is greater than all other things, I am able to take authority over whatever other emotion/spirit might be around me.  So when I run the practices I make an effort to establish an atmosphere of love, joy, and acceptance.  And soon that begins to affect the other boys and all anger, frustration, and negativity is snuffed out.  I have to establish the atmosphere!

And I understand it is the same for where you live, where you work, your family, and every other aspect of your life.  We can either be oblivious and let others set the tone or atmosphere around us, or we can make a concentrated effort and establish God’s authority and love around us.  I pray I can get to the point to Billy Graham where it becomes natural for the glory to be around me and for others to be pulled into God’s presence by me simply being in the room.  May God’s throne be established wherever we are and wherever we are to go!

Oh, and this song has been growing on me.  Hope you enjoy it.  God bless!

How to Make Delicious Crepes

While in America my older sister Katie made some crepes for my family while we were at the beach.  Delicious!  She taught me the recipe and how to do it so I’ve made these things twice since returning to Korea.  The last time I made them was in Love Room with the help of Eun Ji, Hyun Hee, and Yoo Jin.  Here is the step by step recipe…

First, chop up some fruit… bananas go great with crepes, as do mixed berries… Hyun Hee helped us out with the banana chopping

Next, to prepare the batter you need one cup of flour (Eun Ji demonstrating)

Then add two eggs

A half cup of milk

A half cup of water

And a half teaspoon of baking soda

Then mix!

Before frying the batter, make sure to grease the pan… since we don’t have cooking spray here in Korea I just put some drops of canola oil on the pan and then smooth the oil over the pan with a small piece of paper towel

Now you’re ready to pour some of the batter into a pan to make the pancake

You don’t want to pour too much batter and after pouring some you want to tilt the pan around until the batter smooths around in a circle and you have a thin, round, flatcake… let it solidify some, flip it once, wait just a moment, and it’s done!  Very easy!

After frying the pancake set it on a plate and quickly smooth some Nutella chocolate over half of the pancake.  Nutella is the best for crepes, as far as I know.  =)

It should look like this… make sure to get the edges!  Lots of chocolate if you love sweet things, otherwise just a thin spread should do

Flip the pancake over so the chocolate is in the middle

Then flip it again

Add bananas… and voila!  You have a crepe!

With Yoo Jin, Eun Ji, and our delicious crepes

They were destroyed within minutes… ah the joys of cooking for the kids =)

Happy kids makes it all worthwhile (as does having one for yourself^^)

Try it sometime!  It doesn’t require much ingredients or much cooking time.  Thank you Katie for teaching me! 

God bless!