Today was a day of families, and though I'm tired from days of lacking sleep, I think the re-charge I got from spending time with families was better than what I could get with sleeping. And it definitely was a great way to start the New Year.
The day started off with worship,communion and lunch with the church family, progressed to dinner and festivities with Danny's (my soon-to-be in-laws) family, and ended with a massive skype session with my family.
Thanks to skype, my family was able to do our 새배 successfully. With my parents skyping in from Mexico, 작은 엄마 & 작은 아빠 skyping in from Paraguay, and Danny and myself skyping in from Virginia, everyone was able to 새배 to everyone and though a bit limiting, it was a good family reunion. :)
...As for the New Year, why hello!
There's a lot coming my way, and I know I can't do anything on my own. So...
Lord, please help me be wise and diligent!
May I yearn for you daily, and love and desire you more each day.
May I bless you with all my being, and bring glory to your name.
May I be a better daughter, sister, friend, co-worker, and fiancee.
May I be a wife that fears You and submits to my husband.
May I meditate on your word daily and seek to follow your will.
May I be a tool for your purpose and make my heart & mind malleable to your touch.
May I grow a heart after your heart, and love others as you would like me to.
May my priorities be set straight, with you at the head.
May I be humble always, and eager to serve others.
...this list could probably go on forever, but Lord, just be with me always, and when my worldly self tries to turn away--draw me ever closer.
Jan 1, 2012
Dec 31, 2011
Hello 2012
I hadn't thought of a New Year's resolution, but as Pastor Paul encouraged us to plan and make resolutions, I decided I would. I think one of my greatest faults is my laziness...this coupled with my fear of failure keeps me from setting goals and advancing. It keeps me from reflecting and living thoughtfully, and it keeps me locked up in my complacency.
So my resolution is just one thing...maybe a project of a sort. I'm going to write in my blog everyday. By this time I think anybody that once followed my blog, does no longer. Therefore, I can begin without the burden of writing for readers. It won't be anything grand, perhaps mere documentation or just a photo upload on some days, but I think by challenging myself to do this one thing, it will largely help me to:
1. Reflect, which in turn will likely lead me to...
2. Think of the Lord and his ways/his Word. Which will challenge me to...
3. Live Intentionally (and therefore diligently, being a good steward of my resources, including time).
Who knows, maybe on the most tiring of days, I'll just post a word...but there are many things headed for me this year, and I feel an urgency and need to take the time to think and reflect, be diligent and spend time with the Lord. I also want to document the change and events that will take place, so this is my resolution! Yay! :)
So my resolution is just one thing...maybe a project of a sort. I'm going to write in my blog everyday. By this time I think anybody that once followed my blog, does no longer. Therefore, I can begin without the burden of writing for readers. It won't be anything grand, perhaps mere documentation or just a photo upload on some days, but I think by challenging myself to do this one thing, it will largely help me to:
1. Reflect, which in turn will likely lead me to...
2. Think of the Lord and his ways/his Word. Which will challenge me to...
3. Live Intentionally (and therefore diligently, being a good steward of my resources, including time).
Who knows, maybe on the most tiring of days, I'll just post a word...but there are many things headed for me this year, and I feel an urgency and need to take the time to think and reflect, be diligent and spend time with the Lord. I also want to document the change and events that will take place, so this is my resolution! Yay! :)
Nov 25, 2011
Bring the Rain
I've been the busiest I can ever recall being this past year,
and I'd definitely not had much time for self-reflection.
Thanksgiving crept upon me much quicker than I had anticipated,
and even with all the planning being done for Thanksgiving festivities,
my heart desired time to simply stop everything and be still...
so that I could truly give thanks.
And I'll have to admit, Thanksgiving Day came and went,
and though my heart was full of gladness and thanksgiving,
I don't think it would've been possible without the Tuesday before.
We opened Kraze Burgers to the public on Tuesday, and therefore, despite the rain,
I had driven out to Bethesda by myself. The drive there? Not bad, 30 minutes.
The drive back? Let's just say it took me over three times that amount of time,
and it was stop and go all the way back with close to zero visibility due to the rain and fog.
At first, my initial reaction was yes...unhappy. I was not grateful for the situation.
Anyone that knows me well enough knows that I am not fond of driving.
I do not like driving in the rain, in unfamiliar territory, for an extended period of time...
the list goes on. And most of all, I have a phobia of car accidents.
So there I was, unhappy, fearful, worried and frustrated, and as I was listening to the radio
with the traffic report...telling of accident after accident, I realized...
I could've been any one of those accidents on the report...
and that I could be the next.
But instead of being filled with fear, I was filled with an intense thanksgiving as I was able
to realize and acknowledge God's grace and mercy through the situation.
I realized that it would make sense for me to get into an accident.
That essentially, it would be "fair" for me to be in an accident.
It was only by God's grace, his protection, his mercy, and his goodness that I was not.
That every day, I should die, but that every day, He continues to choose to save me.
And of course, just as I had this epiphany, the radio began playing MercyMe's Bring the Rain.
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain...
I had been so preoccupied with the rain, so worried, so discouraged, so fearful...
but by the end of this song, I can tell you I was empowered, grateful,
and immensely blessed by the rain that pointed me to the cross.
And though I still had an hour's drive in the rain, I spent it with a thankful heart.
God is good. Really, he is so good. So faithful-- even though I am not, and I fall so short...
and so how could I not be thankful?
And if it's a thousand drives in the rain that is needed to remind me to be thankful...
then, Jesus, bring the rain. :)
and I'd definitely not had much time for self-reflection.
Thanksgiving crept upon me much quicker than I had anticipated,
and even with all the planning being done for Thanksgiving festivities,
my heart desired time to simply stop everything and be still...
so that I could truly give thanks.
And I'll have to admit, Thanksgiving Day came and went,
and though my heart was full of gladness and thanksgiving,
I don't think it would've been possible without the Tuesday before.
We opened Kraze Burgers to the public on Tuesday, and therefore, despite the rain,
I had driven out to Bethesda by myself. The drive there? Not bad, 30 minutes.
The drive back? Let's just say it took me over three times that amount of time,
and it was stop and go all the way back with close to zero visibility due to the rain and fog.
At first, my initial reaction was yes...unhappy. I was not grateful for the situation.
Anyone that knows me well enough knows that I am not fond of driving.
I do not like driving in the rain, in unfamiliar territory, for an extended period of time...
the list goes on. And most of all, I have a phobia of car accidents.
So there I was, unhappy, fearful, worried and frustrated, and as I was listening to the radio
with the traffic report...telling of accident after accident, I realized...
I could've been any one of those accidents on the report...
and that I could be the next.
But instead of being filled with fear, I was filled with an intense thanksgiving as I was able
to realize and acknowledge God's grace and mercy through the situation.
I realized that it would make sense for me to get into an accident.
That essentially, it would be "fair" for me to be in an accident.
It was only by God's grace, his protection, his mercy, and his goodness that I was not.
That every day, I should die, but that every day, He continues to choose to save me.
And of course, just as I had this epiphany, the radio began playing MercyMe's Bring the Rain.
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain...
I had been so preoccupied with the rain, so worried, so discouraged, so fearful...
but by the end of this song, I can tell you I was empowered, grateful,
and immensely blessed by the rain that pointed me to the cross.
And though I still had an hour's drive in the rain, I spent it with a thankful heart.
God is good. Really, he is so good. So faithful-- even though I am not, and I fall so short...
and so how could I not be thankful?
And if it's a thousand drives in the rain that is needed to remind me to be thankful...
then, Jesus, bring the rain. :)
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