Wednesday, June 27, 2012

"You Get What You Get!"

I had the joy of video Skyping yesterday with the little one I used to Nanny.  It was adorable.  She is almost five years old now.  I could tell she liked the video idea, she was making a ton of faces.

I just finished a big meal at the Curry Pot this evening and went for a walk at the nearby park.  I found myself a bench near the fountain and sat for a while.  I just got thinking about the times I had with my little girl back when I was a Nanny.

I remember that when the garden was in full swing, I would pick for her fresh fruits and veggies that I had grown.  I spent a lot of time and effort to make her delicious meals with my produce.  I remember countless times that I would sit down to lunch only to see her poke at the food with the fork for maybe ten minutes.  Then she would say, "I'm full!"

"You are not full," I would say. "you haven't even taken a bite.  I grew this from a little plant for you.  Please just try it."

"How about I get gummies instead?"

Her favorite snack was gummies, but it is not snack time it is meal time.  So I would say the usual; "You will not get gummies right now.  You will get what you get and you won't throw a fit."

I got thinking about my relationship with God.  How often has he been preparing something for me for a long time?  Growing it, harvesting it, preparing it, serving it.  And how often have I looked at it and decided that something else was better?

Perhaps I need to take my own advice, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit." After all, my Father knows best.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Flexible


I am learning now to be flexible.  And I don't just mean I have joined a yoga class...though I have. :-P  I am learning that things are not always going to go your way... instead of beating yourself up for being human, you learn to roll with it and enjoy the ride.

My first time to meet Raymond.  He's a rescue.

This weekend was quite busy.  I spent Friday with a couple good friends at the 6k.  I even ran with one of my students.  She helped me translate the registration page and decided to tag along.  I didn't know if she would make all 6k but she did.  I am so proud of her.  There were many high fives at the end.

Then Saturday I went on a hike with this new guy I met.  We got ourselves completely lost...and this is where being flexible comes into play.  We found ourselves at this temple...and there was a family who was praying for their newly deceased matriarch.  They invited us in and gave us some food to eat.  We declined profusely because we didn't want to intrude...but old Koreans always get their way.  Needless to say, we even left with our packs filled with fruit.

When we finally got off the mountain I was a half an hour late to my friend's birthday party at the beach.  I didn't even know where I was so I hopped on the first bus I saw and rode until I could get oriented.  I eventually found my way to the beach only two hours late.

Because I didn't get to run home, I found that I had no money.  And I was at the birthday party a little too late.  The subways stop running at midnight.  And a cab home was out of the question.  I had to bum ten bucks off of the birthday girl and stay the night at a Jimjilbang.  (basically a spa that lets you sleep on the floor).  I paid seven bucks and was given pajamas and a blanket and I settled down for the most restless night on the stone floor of the communal sleeping room.

It was about two in the morning when I finally blocked out the light and the sounds and fell asleep. (many snoring men)  At about  three in the morning I felt something touching my feet.  I woke up to find that a man put his blanket right next to mine and his feet were touching mine.  THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THAT!  There were only about four other people in the room and plenty of space.  I kicked him a few times but he didn't get the message...so I curled into a small ball and fitfully finished the night.

About 5:45am I got up and caught the subway back to my place, had a few Skype dates,  ate soup for breakfast, and then went to meet my friends for a hike.  My friend Alicia volunteers at the dog shelter and just so happened to meet a little guy named Raymond.  She decided to rescue the little guy and he joined us for the hike.  The hike ended at the water temple.  So nice.  Needless to say...I am a little tired.  And tomorrow is "Terrible Tuesday" as my co-teacher and I call it.  Wish me luck guys!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Life, LIFE, life, and LiFe again...

So....Life happens.  It's rough...and it doesn't slow down.

I am leaving my church here in Korea and am searching for a new one.  For right now, I am simply relying on prayer time and scripture reading...but please pray that I find a support system here.  Not having support in Korea is like living on the moon without air...it's really tough...and will eventually be deemed impossible.

Also, though I have not had an anxiety attack in quite a while, I still find myself nervous and even depressed at times.  But God is good!  He has been so gracious...He hasn't given me more than we can handle together.  And I praise Him.

You know me...always keeping busy.  I have a 6k race coming up this Friday night after classes.  Then a hike on Sunday.  Then next week I am visiting a friend in Jinju (a small city about an hour west of here) and then going for the second time to the World Expo.  It was so good...I love it so I am going back (there was just too much to see the first time.)

Two of my students have passed the second phase of the English Internship Application.  All they have left is the English Interview. Please pray that I can prepare them for this before Monday.  I really hope they do well and that I can at least boost their confidence.

On a positive note, I talk with one of them and this is how the conversation went:

Me: "I emailed your English teacher from last year (Tori) and asked what questions we should prepare for the interview"
EJ: "Oh really?"
Me: "Yeah... You know, it seems like a lot of 3rd year students miss Tori.  They really liked her."
EJ: "But I like you better..."
Me: "Why do you say that? You had her for two years and all..."
EJ: "She was my English teacher.  But you are my English teacher now...so I like you."

I love that childlike loyalty.  I wish, that like her, I would not compare things and just be happy with my present situation.  Perhaps I can learn a little something from my students.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

The Road Not Taken


"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Robert Frost

          Note how this poem is called "The Road not Taken".  I always thought the main focus was on the road he took.  You know, the one that he took so long to decide on..the one less traveled..yadda yadda yadda.


         But, why "the road not taken"? Perhaps the things we say no too are just as important as the things we say yes to.  And lately I have struggled with both my yes' and my no's.  My big trouble, and my mom would agree, is that my heart is too big.  I care too much about others.  I put a lot of love into people.  I base my happiness on the happiness of others.


          And today I said no to a couple things.  That doesn't mean that they are any less important...but change is coming.  A new season of my life is starting...I need to note the caution that the "yellow wood" proclaims...and I need to move forward.  I have a choice...and who knows which path I will take...not I.  Perhaps I will do a little trail-blazing of my own.


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Changes

So many changes are happening lately.

One of my best friends in Korea (Abi)  has just left to tour Thailand and Cambodia.  Then she is heading to the States for good.  I will miss having her here...but I am happy for her.

My sister Abi and I singing Karaoke for my birthday.
Also, I found a language club that helps me practice my Spanish.  There is a guy from Peru and a really sweet Korean girl who has been studying Spanish longer than me.  Her Spanish is better than her English...so it's the only common language between us. ANYWAY!  I love Spanish.  I am so glad that I get to practice it here.

Another change...I bought my airfare for my volunteer work in Australia.  I am praying that I made the right decision.  After all the craziness that happened with Laos and Thailand...I am a little cautious when it comes to planning travel.  Anyway.  I will be spending 16 days of my vacation in Australia working for National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Oh...and this may be my last week of biology tutoring.  I am sad to finish but her finals are next week...and after that, I think I will no longer be needed. I love to teach Biology...which I would have never thought would happen.

And lastly...I will be going to the World's Fair this weekend.  What are the odds that the World's Fair would be in Korea this year...and that the theme would be Marine Science and Ocean Preservation?  I think this is God's way of saying "Go there!"  :-)

Anyway, my students passed the first stage of the internship application process.  They are taking the written test tomorrow.  Pray for them.  I want them to do well.