Righteousness

The 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit was held near where I live. I actually had no idea what it was until the day of, which speaks of my love for politics. In the back of my mind, I knew I needed to have more interest in governmental issues, but as for now, the biggest impact the Summit had on me was that the public transportation was going to be a hassle.

It gets pretty bumpy in any public buses in Seoul, so the seats are usually reserved for the elderly, pregnant women and anyone who has difficulty standing, but, as always, it is rarely followed. As the bus I was on got crowded, an old man and a little girl hopped onto the bus. I noticed the man held onto the girl’s hand very tightly. There was only one seat open and no other brave souls that were willing to risk their lives and give up their bus seats seemed to be present. The old man had the little girl sit down and he crouched right next to her as to meet her eye level, and he stayed that way until they got off, again with tightly held hands. I couldn’t help but notice how precious the girl was to the old man. He was probably her grandfather, and he never took his eyes off of the girl.

Many only dream of time machines, but they are actually all around us: people of two generations apart, together in the same place. The old man probably had his share of brokenness. His dreams could have been shattered; his conscious may have been stripped of its speaking rights. Nonetheless, here it was, right in front him, such a pure blessed being. He probably wondered how such innocence ever came out of him. Just her presence spoke of his forgiveness in life, that it was okay for him to live on, that all his past mistakes have been cleansed. He probably was reminded of how he was still tied to the string of righteousness. He probably wanted to do his best to protect what is good within her.

Although I feel like I’m still rather young, I felt like I may have had a glimpse of what it meant to be blessed with children.

Teachings

Here is some classical movie-like scene for you from the Bible.

“‘You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.’ Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.” Acts 13:10-12

What amazes me is that the people who believed were astonished at the “teaching” about the Lord, not the complete blinding of the man. I'm curious as to how much authority and power this teaching of the Lord has, what is written in the Bible.

Word Play

Immorality and immortality is just a cross away.

Being Truly Green

So, God is leading the way back into engineering for me, at least for now. This time, I wanted to study a bit more about the environment, so with the chemical and biomedical engineering background, I wanted to study environmental engineering. In the process of looking over schools, it seemed to be that most engineering schools and companies are going green. The tragedy is that there really is no green engineering. There is no other way around the problem at hand. We are too greedy. We waste food, water and energy. We cut down trees like grass, carve mountains down like a sandcastle. We are too caught up with…stuff. Being selfless is the only answer…

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After spending a semester learning about the environment, what I had written here seems so immature, as if I have it all figured out. At least for now, I feel like God will provide answers to our problems. Rather than conserving and living in fear, I bet He wanted us to flourish. 

Jump

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, 
  and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

Breaking through with Jesus, down to the very details. 
Living with the Holy Spirit.
Maybe then, I may learn enthusiasm and live to the fullest.

Just Another Test

I had this written somewhere in a notebook while I was not having the best of times. Although it is a bit dark, I still wanted to have this on the blog. Maybe it'll serve as a little memoir.
 
Not a walking time bomb
Diffused, no power, no bang
Admitting defeat. Failure, misunderstanding
Emotions, a constant battle
No feelings, no happiness, A mere patchwork of souls
No challenges. It is as is
Who am I to say what is right or wrong?
Just some red marks on a piece of paper

Too Much Drama

As I was talking to a friend of mine, a whole scene formed in my mind. This is probably a classic example of the fact that I may have seen too many chick-flicks. In any case, here was what the main character was saying in my head:

I’m sorry for the countless times I’ve made tears run from your eyes, but just this once more let me make you cry. I want everything I say and do be a direct reflection of my heart to you. I could have days be nights and nights, days, and wonder what it is that I want to say. No matter how long thoughts become words, and words to letters, the question would still be the same; will you marry me?

In Court

When I was attending school in Pittsburgh, I attended a small vision seminar, where several adults came and talked about their careers. One of the speakers talked about a story in the Bible. It was when David was well within his years as king. Out of pride, David held a census of his military power, which was displeasing in the sight of God. As punishment, God gave David three options.

“Shall there come upon you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land?…So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died” 2 Samuel 24:13,15

Moral of the story is that as leaders of tomorrow, your mistakes will bring suffering to your followers, right? Not quite. Instead of allowing listeners to portray themselves as David the king, the speaker stuffed them into the shoes of the seventy thousand that died. You may have just been born. You could have just started your own business. You may have just gotten married or divorced. You might have even just buried a member of your family, but just like that you could be one of the seventy thousand that died so suddenly.

Who do you appeal to? Who is judge over these matters? Who holds the balance of justice in life and death?

Hope you find yourself a good lawyer

Destination

The sun rises another day
make way, as the mice scurry
The marketplace beams with life
and with each minute, competition becomes strife
Each shop lets out its bests
I loudly shout to no avail
 
As I stand dazed, my eyes take focus on a simple sign
an arrow that leads to roads narrow
With a gentle shake I make my legs turn
but with each step forward, my mind takes a leap back
For what glory or fortunes am I seeking?
and yet, I still pack up my belongings
Wait just a bit longer for me, destiny. I shall come to you

Nursing Over

I do not know why, but I get lazy writing for the “Voices” section. I figured it was due time for another.

I had the chance to talk to a lady who described her as someone who has nothing set. She was in the business of watching over the sufferings of others. As her job keeps her among individuals that are in distress, she wanted to say that, whether or not the loved one lives on or dies, the family and friends should live happily nonetheless. She also noted that she hopes to never see anyone she knows at the hospital.  

Purpose of Life

The church I am attending here is big. Within the branch of the church, there is a printing company where they make daily devotional books. This month, the book has been in Exodus, and it has just been going through the ten disasters. God has commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt. As an integral part of Egypt’s economy, the Israelites would have made a severe impact on the well-being of the nation. Although the relationship of the Israelites to the Egyptians was that of a slave and a master, in comparing it to an employment situation, there must be reasons why one comes and goes. Here is what was written on the letter of resignation:

“Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness…’” Exodus 7:16

It was not to make more money somewhere else. It was no old age or health issues, nor was it any of the reasons why people quit their jobs. Here were countless amounts of Israelites risking their lives for worship, to remember and honor God.

Why do you do the things you do? Live to worship God.

Moving On

I have been created new once again. 
My apologies go to the past, but I have to get going now.
I can't stay here with you anymore. I have got places to go.
I guess this is goodbye.

Diligence

“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:11-12

Though the bible verse is about living the life of a Christian faithfully and passionately, it still had me wonder about an honest good work.

As you walk into a store, you see hundreds of different companies making the same product. This may be a bit off topic, but I remember the scene from The Hurt Locker, where in a panoramic view, the main character stares at the endless shelf of cereal, just dumbfounded. As for us, however, with just a couple of trial and error, we all figure out which is the better product. It is the details that distinguish quality. I had always been a detail-free kind of guy. I always liked looking at the big picture. I soon admitted that I was making an excuse to be lazy as it were these details that got people interested. Intricately woven strings of ideas and labor were classic items for success. We all applaud good hard work. It is as if people can see through the products and recognize the presence of dedication. I guess it boils down to whether or not you have passion for your work.

Love without Ownership

You see a dog chasing after a car. For the first time in its life, it finally grabs hold of the back of the car only to find out that the car has stopped. A boy runs after a dragonfly. Once caught, the hands of the boy crush the wings of the bug. A girl admiring the beauty of a flower plucks it, but the moment it is within the grasp of the owner, it is all but alive. A bird singing in the wilderness sings of joy and hope, while within the cages of man sings of despair and depression. It is the intricate balance of you and me, ambition and contentment. As I read Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, I came across a phrase, “love without ownership.” It is the magnificent realization of having nothing while owning everything. It is probably the only way to break the law of conservation of matter, as love is felt without anything being used up.

Passionate

She was probably the brightest and the quirkiest of girls, not to mention very pretty. I can easily say that she lived in a different world, a world separate from the reality we live in. She truly loved God. She reminded me of Lucia from Max Lucado’s You are Special. I came across her footprints of life, and immediately I remembered how much I loved God myself. Oh, how fire spreads. I recalled how joyful I was just seeing the stars at night, feeling the cool breeze of summer. Relativity was all to my favor as God seemed to be with me all the time.

The past months that I wormed through all seemed so trivial. The broken hearts and dreams no longer seemed to hurt. I could not shake the feeling that I should have remembered God more in those times, but why regret?

"And this is what he promised us - eternal life" 1 John 2:25

Eternity and maybe another day. I still have months and years left in this life, while forever awaits shrouded as a gift wrapped in silver and gold. Too many people say that no one can be happy all the time, but I would rather remain foolish and hope for another great day ahead.

Marching On

The whole universe, across time, passes my mind 
Thoughts I could control, but I remain still
in hopes to escape, maybe even for a second.
Nonetheless, hopeless
Path set upon me leads forward
Too lazy, too weak, too late to turn around
Figures, it’s the right thing to do

A Stranger

It is as if you are staying in a hotel room. Nothing is yours to keep. Only borrowed for however long you stay. May it be nice or shabby, the place you stay never defines you. In the end, you will simply walk away.

Light

Heaven’s light shines bright,
clearing the paths of the righteous
So persevere, stay courageous
The forthcomings are of victory

The System

When you are well grounded in the system, everything is fine. Once you are abruptly taken out, you start questioning it. Funny thing is, I can shout for a revolution, but once I am accepted back, I’ll probably forget all about rights and equality. I’ll even forget that the system is so rotten to the core. The train called civilization runs without brakes. The rich get richer while the poor lose their humanity. Only small pockets of heaven are penetrated into this world, like a safehaven for the broken.

God's Promises

Why do words of the Lord have power? What is so great about the Bible? Spoken words are powerful only when it is true. Words that call to action are the ones that are truly meaningful. God sees to it that his promises are fulfilled. The words in the Bible are backed by the everlasting God. See to it that His time is greater. Our lives in themselves do not end with the last breath. They are lived on through our descendants. “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4). The promise to Abraham was carried on by one son. So much for "many nations" and yet, God’s promises were indeed carried on into a nation of many. Don’t lose focus on the promise. The eyes wander so much, but remember your mission.

Dead ends

To me, the term "dead end" holds much negativity. It call for an arduous task of making a U-turn and driving back. It speaks of time lost has compared to everyone else. It resembles failure to so many minds.

But, then, what if the way I was going was wrong? Wrong in the sense that the road was not the best road for me. Often times I have heard stories of God putting people in complete stops. What if it was God's way of allowing us to change directions? Another chance. The road in still stands. Of course it will be difficult to hash your way out again, but can you put a price on finding what is most important in life even if it were a small possibility? What have I missed?

In to the Woods

It was a three month slumber
Where's it all gone?
Wasted gifts, opportunities trashed
Nothing but a glimpse of what could have been, should have been

Nowhere to go, now to ask where to go?
Deep into the woods to find the lost dreams
The broken cross, waiting to be fixed, it seems

To Thee

I close my eyes and imagine
the personification of beauty sitting in front of me.
Her back's against me, but the whole world can still see,
the emanating light, fragrance of captivation.
I am left spellbound.
Now as she turns, one look is all that I need to realize
the great divide, the dimensions that lie.
But as the angels come down from heaven, she graces herself to the world I reside.
I am cast out of the river of time.
As we are left vagrants of the universe,
I cease to write one more verse, falling deeply into the sweet discourse

Life and the Bible

I believe a life of a Christian is grounded in seeing the Bible come true.

Running Away

I was on my way out to mail some application documents. It was a short walk and the weather was hinting at the coming of spring. I was listening to music and life was good. As a self-acclaimed hip-hop/rap lover, I was listening to an old song called "the Movement" by Drunken Tiger. It was the song that more or less started the hip-hop movement in Korea called, well..the Movement.

In my small experience in listening to hip-hop music, I noticed a small theme that strung some songs together, which was the idea of perserverence. Now, I am not sure how many rappers actually lived through tough times and fought on, but as for me, I never really had a truly devastating experience. I got by life without much hassle until recently. At the face of trouble, I ran.

"Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran." Genesis 27:43
"When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled..." Exodus 2:15
"Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan..." 1 Samuel 20:1
"But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish..." Jonah 1:3
"...Then all the disciples deserted him and fled." Matthew 26:56

Many people in the Bible ran. Now, some ran for a good reason, others for their own mistakes. Jacob ran out of greed. Moses ran in guilt. David ran in frustration. Jonah ran out of pride. The disciples ran in disappointment.

I could say that I simply took a different route, but as much as I try, I sometimes cannot shake the feeling that I may have indeed ran away from obstacles. I don't think I changed paths and started fighting again. Like many of the figures in the Bible, I'm hoping God will gently lead the way back yet again, as none of those that sought after the Lord ended in shame. As spring comes from winter, life seemed to go on.