Silver Linings

A dear friend of mine
posted recently about
'Silver Linings'
about investing ourselves
now. in this moment.

What am I loving? Where can I invest my time? How can I be intentional with my time?

What are the silver linings?

• The 'expat' community - new friends that are making this transition easier than it should be.
• My Students - the ones who run up to me, just to say 'hello' because that's the extent of our common language.
• My new co-workers - their kindness and encouragement as I feel out this new experience.
• The beautiful people who didn't come to Korea but who comment of blogs, post on Facebook, send emails and make time for Skype chats.

I am not lacking in silver linings.
My hope now, is to honor those linings
those blessings
and give myself to them
with intentionality.

(Typed while enjoying a plate full grapes, tangerines, bananas and rice cakes after completing my first Open Class)

Final Friday

It's the final Friday of October.
Where did this month go?

This has been by far my most jam-packed week:
CouchSurfers
Masters Class
Chili Dinner with Friends
And today...
what I've really been waiting for
My Open Class

The day when other teachers
come to see a performance
hoping to learn some tricks for their own classrooms.

I'm not so much nervous
as I am ready to be done.

October was enjoyable
but honestly, I've just been waiting
for this day to come and go.

My Final Friday will look like this:
Teaching 4 grade 6 classes...
Lunch
Preparing the English Classroom
Teaching an "I can do it!" Lesson
Planning next weeks grade 6 lesson
And finally walking home.

What does your final Friday in October hold?

(Typed while enjoying a FABULOUS cup of oolong left for me by a recent CouchSurfer. It's made better by the fact it is held in my favorite brown bone china mug!)

Coffee Shop

I hear the sounds of
Kings of Convenience
About 4 minutes from our front door
at the OEC Coffee Shop.
I LOVE it -- the music and the coffee shop.

My favorite drink
is the Green Tea Latte

As I begin a Masters program
and continue to seek a peaceful place
to read
write
think
I will, I believe, become a regular.

***ing

Learning: How to balance on a moving, turning, speeding bus.

Loving: The colors of changing leaves.

Wanting: Brown boots, knit sweaters, scarves and leggings.

Needing: Parts 1, 2 and 3 of my Korean Love Affair. Because somedays are hard.

Thanks-giving: Good friends on this side of the globe. And the other side.

Starting: Masters of Arts in Education of English Language Learners.

Increasing: Korean vocabulary.

Reading: Everything is Illuminated by Johnathan Safran Foer

Anticipating: The discovery and exploration of a Korean Thrift Store.

Hosting: Our first CouchSurfer on Monday -- it's going to feel more like home

Praying: For the ability to be a good servant to my God, husband, employee, place in this world.

Writing: Lesson plans and blog posts.

Drinking: Rooibos tea from a precious little yellow teacup, one of the favorites.

Knitting

Watched some time lapse videos
Thought about my earlier post
Found this.
Enjoy.

Meditation: I

A couple weeks back
I committed to memorize.

Since the beginning of May
I've been reading
and reflecting on
Psalm 139

It 'should' be memorized by now
Yet, I have no regrets
It's been the most wonderful place for me to rest
while we've moved
worked
travelled
re-located
and begin settling.

I most recently worked on these verses:

13 For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

These verses are THE reason

I connect to Psalm 139

If you know my personal story

you understand.

If not, suffice it to say

it is in these words I have

confidence

in my identity, purpose and creation.

If not, don't hesitate to ask

we can share a cup of tea.

Mid-October means I'm working on some new verses.

Psalm 139:17-18

I'll share more on those words

as I spend more time mulling them over.

Until then
~Grace and Peace

(Typed while enjoying a small bit of Angel-in-us-Coffee; Carmel Macchiato)

The Heart Breaks

Living and working in Korea isn't always
delicious food
adorable children
pampering haircuts and
festival adventures.

Sometimes it's discovering the
dirty little secrets
that make up a nation
a people
an individual.

It's learning about
suicides
shrouded by superstitions
of fan death
it's here, the heart breaks

about students
with disabilities
treated unfairly, as unworthy
such as dong-ghyu
it's here, the heart breaks

about husbands
and wives
living in separate cities
for the sake of a career
it's here, the heart breaks

about parents
and children
living in separate cities
for the sake of a career
it's here, the heart breaks
about the disappearance
of childhood
swallowed up by
the push and prod for
more and 'greater' education
it's here, the heart breaks

about discovering
we are all broken people
we are all breaking people
it's here, the heart breaks

(Typed while sipping Lichee Black Tea from a Brown Bone China mug)

Another Wednesday...

Wednesday's are shaping up to be my favorite day.

Don't get me wrong - Friday's are still superb.

Saturday and Sunday can hardly be beat.

But Wednesday's!?! Who would have guessed?

A common theme in my Wednesday's is some form of a pleasant surprise.

Once it was a delicious lunch followed by sweet Korean students getting me coffee and drawing my lovely face on the chalkboard.

Another time it was being told I wouldn't be teaching in the afternoon because the teachers would be playing a traditional game -- I then won MVP and a tube of toothpaste.

And, most recently it was having more free time than is normal -- offering me some 'me time'.

This is the Wednesday I want to share with you.

It's yet another Wednesday I want to remember.

Because sometimes Thursday's not so great.

I need to remember the joy of a Wednesday.

The most recent Wednesday was for:

Baking Banana Bread -- in the crockpot.

Exploring Tanbang-dong and Daejeon Station.

Finding Leechard's ProHair.

The joy of complimentary Iced Green Tea Lattes,

an out of this world head massage and shampooing

a haircut

a hand and arm massage

and a manicure.

[All at the unbelievable price of 12,000 Won ~ $10US]

Some much desired shopping.

Walking along the river

sun shining

people walking, running, biking

and smiling.

A truly beautiful Wednesday.

My favorite day of the week.

(Typed while enjoying a brown bone china mug of Earl Grey with milk and sugar. Following a delicious bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.)

Memorize

I have many dear friends.
Friends who encourage me
love me
embrace me
miss me
challenge me.

One friend - a close Spiritual Mentor
challenged me just today.
Memorize Scripture.



She told me why in the following manner:

So I give to you my top ten of why Scripture memory is rocking my world.

10. I'm getting a better grasp of the bible and understanding what book talks about what.
9. I'm growing in a passion of God's word unlike I've had before.
8. I'm growing in convictions.
7. I feel like the word of God is really giving me a light to go to and i'm not feeling so many blank moments when I'm at a loss of what to do.
6. I'm experiencing greater joy and peace as I have sweet words that pass through my head.
5. I'm recognizing lies easier in my own life and the world that surrounds me.
4. I'm recognizing the voice of God in more intimate way then I have before.
3. I notice a lessening of myself and a greater realization of how present God is.
2. I see myself not falling so fast to sin patterns.
1. I'm really seeing my mind being renewed.

She asked if I would memorize one verse per week.
I told her no.

At the beginning of the year
I committed to one verse
on the 1st and 15th

I even had a support group
Meditate and Memorize

I told her:
Rather, I will re-commit
to my commitment

Maybe by 2011 I can rock one verse per week.
For now,
Anyone want to join me in 2 verses each month?
You can at Meditate and Memorize

Sacred Space

"Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me. To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me. The marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility of a flower petal. I need to remember that all things come from you." -- from Sacred Space

"Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me. To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me. The symphony of many tongues, the warmth of a mug of tea, the comfort of many friendships and the peace of early mornigs. I need to remember that all things come from you." -- from 'the beauty that surrounds me'

What beauty surrounds you?

(Typed while enjoying a mug of Earl Grey tea in a tan-colored mug)

Temptation

A couple of weeks ago - the Pastor of the church we're attending talked about Temptation.

He opened with this video.
It's adorable. funny. honest. and...
a little insightful.



Oh the desire of having what is right here
in front of us
EVEN if we know greater things are yet to come.

Tea Time

Since arriving in Daejeon
I've been wanting a Teapot...

I want to invite friends over and enjoy a cup with them.
I want to take Daejeon forward another step or two in becoming home.

So, here it is -- the Teapot!
One step closer to being 'settled' in our new home ^^ First Pot was Green Tea
Purchased in Thailand, summer 2010
I've enjoyed it with a man I adore and admire
We drank from 'cute' Korean mugs.

(Typed while drinking the above tea, from the above teapot and mugs)