You know you're a bachelor...

when you go grocery shopping and this is what you buy:

1 L. 100 % White Grape-Peach Juice

Carton of Milk

Chocolate Bread

Loaf of Wheat Bread

8-pack of Yogurt

Box of Cereal

Gatorade + LifeWater

Snack

Bunch of Bananas

Chocolate

Single Serving Instant Spaghetti

Container of Kumquats

Pringles

Butter

Bag of Pears

4 Year Anniversary

I was just thinking and realized that it's been four years, this month, since I first came to Korea and realized that my future would involve living here in the future. It was then that I first visited the church that I now attend and first met the people that are such an important part of my life now. Yet, I had to wait more than three long years to again return to Korea but it was well worth the wait.

It's absolutely amazing to think how different life was, how different I was, just four years ago.

In 2005:
-I was 17 years old
-I had my drivers permit
-I had just gotten my first regular job - helping a lady who had an upholstery business
-I hadn't begun studying for college yet
-I was a proud Independent Fundamental Baptist
-I was a passionate Republican
-I first spoke, very bashfully, to a group of people - a five minute homeschooling testimony at my Korean church

Now, four years later, in 2009:
-I'm 21 years old
-I have a drivers license and a car
-I have a job as an ESL teacher at a private academy
-I have a degree in Business Administration from Thomas Edison State College and a most incredible group of friends that I met through my studies
-I'm a non-denominational Christian with Reformed beliefs
-I'm a registered Republican but Libertarian in my views
- Besides my regular school classes, I teach Sunday School every week, and teach in the afternoon service a couple times a month

It's amazing what a difference those four years can make in a person. I'm finally living my dream that I waited and prayed so long for. God has granted me the desires of my heart and I feel like I've so often been so ungrateful. I want my life here to reflect my dedication to Christ and a passion to serve Him in any way that He leads. I believe that God has led me to the place where I am, both physically and spiritually. And yet I know I have so far to go. I can only imagine what I will be like when I look back over another four years in 2013.

Feeling Contemplative...

Sometimes it feels like there is so much to think about, doesn't it?

I've been keeping my mind busy with how to improve classes and my teaching skills, goals for the future, relationships, and my spiritual life.

I came to my blog today and "Lifesong" started playing and that song always makes me want to raise my hands in worship. There's just something about it that really stirs me.

Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight

We can say and make a show of worship but if it doesn't become a part of our life, we're singing in vain.

Lord I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet

"Lord, use me to show you to those around me through my actions by showing love and meeting the practical needs of those who are suffering"

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

"Let everything I do be pleasing in your sight, Lord."
Why does it seem like it so often doesn't?

Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You

"Let my life sing to You, oh God. Let it show Your power in my life and let Your love be shown through me. I want to finish this day knowing that my heart was true to You. Let my lifestyle be pleasing to You."

Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus."

Starting English Sunday School

Sorry to everyone for not keeping you more informed over the past two months. I neglected to tell you a lot of important stuff, like going on the overnight teachers' trip to Everland and how I spent the Lunar New Year holiday. I'll try and work harder to keep you up to date. :)

It's been a really good weekend, so far, though it's almost over now. Yesterday, I met Eunbae for lunch and we went shopping in his hometown of Byeongjum afterwards. I met Dahea and Young-ah around 4 to plan for the start of our English Sunday School class at church and we spent about an hour over coffee working on it, which was fun.

Afterwards, Eunbae and I got a large carton of Baskin Robbins ice cream and ate the entire thing while watching a movie. I should also mention that I got four bags of cookies/chocolate from church friends for Valentines Day and several pieces of chocolate from a few students. I love it when I get things from my students. hehe

Today, I got up much earlier than I'm used to - 7:30. I wanted to make sure I had something to eat since I would be teaching and I'm usually dead Sunday mornings at church. I had a chance to eat and get a Caramel Cafe Latte from my favorite cafe, Haru Coffee, before Young-ah's dad came to pick me up.

Despite it being our first time leading SS, it went really great. I had enough food and coffee to make me sufficiently crazy during game time and energetic enough to lead songs with actions and give a 15 minute message. Honestly, though, I was out of breath after the game and song leading. hehe

It was really neat and everyone said that we all did well. Dahea translated and Young-ah and I did a short English program. It also felt great to have energy while at church, something I'm not used to. hehe

I decided to leave early, during the afternoon service, to catch the bus home and now I'm glad I did. Hyunjoo was meeting a friend in Osan and we ended up running in to each other at the bus stop(she had left church earlier). I don't get to talk with her much so it was really fun to talk for about 20 minutes as we went back to Osan.

After parting with Hyunjoo, I was walking towards Lotte Mart when I heard someone call my name. I turned around and Young-soon and her boyfriend Gyeong-sup were in the car behind me in the ally. They told me to jump in and they would drop me off at Lotte. It was really neat since I don't get to see them much but I really enjoy them.

And that was how my day went up to this point - it's nearly 4 pm. Now I'm thinking I might go out and shoot some basketball(what I went to Lotte for) before dinner. Then maybe relax with some gaming. Who knows. Don't forget to check out my facebook for pictures when I update. If you need a link, leave a comment. ;)

E.T.

Would be me. According to my student anyway. In my last class tonight, a student told me that I was E.T. and, of course, how could I not be flattered by such a compliment? She then clarified to let me know it stood for English Teacher, not extra-terrestrial. What a relief.

Yes, they're random. Yes, they're crazy. Yes, I love them. :P

Agent Kevin Miller is Back!!

Musings for the New Year

It's hard to believe how fast time is going and that 2009 is here already. I made a lot of mistakes in 2008 and I'm quite sure I'll make a lot in 2009. It's a whole new experience living on your own and making all your own decisions. I've encountered a lot of challenges and a lot of exciting experiences and a lot of failures along the way.

It's weird when you're the one who's responsible wholly and completely for every hour of your day not spent working. You decide if you go to church Sunday morning after staying up too late Saturday night, you decide whether or not you read your Bible every day and there's no one there to ask you if you did it, and the list goes on. It's a lot of stuff that I was responsible for anyway, but it's different when you're not accountable to anyone except God.

There have been rough weeks where I didn't spend near enough time seeking God or when I got to church an hour late but I think that when you start a life on your own, there are so many new challenges that it takes a while to iron things out and I hope that some of those things will be fixed in the New Year. It's tough putting into words what it's like. Those of you who have recently moved out on your own know what I mean. ;)

I already have some worries and concerns, though, about my contract ending in September. I know that I should be home for Christmas and hopefully Thanksgiving, as well. But I can't help but worry about returning to the States, even though it's so far away. I was just talking about it with a friend today over lunch.

One of the things I'm dreading most is that I've got to go through the whole process and uncertainty of finding a new job, getting a new visa(and that whole process), and getting settled in somewhere new with a totally different way of doing things. I'm even uncertain about how I would find a job from the States for the small town that I live in. I'm sure God will lead and direct, though, according to how He wants me to act.

I'm also concerned about settling into a life in America that could last several months. When you live at home, you can be independent, but your lifestyle mirrors that of your family. When you move out, you take on and form a completely new lifestyle separate from what you had with your family. It becomes uniquely yours.

My first experience on my own was here, in Korea. Therefore, the lifestyle that I've formed and become comfortable with is very Korean, since I am immersed in the culture in a way that very few foreign teachers would ever be. I eat Korean food every day, have my favorite restaurants, formed hobbies that are Korean, go to a Korean church on my own, have become more comfortable with chopsticks than with a fork, etc. I can't imagine the culture shock and the potential stress of returning to a different life than what I've become used to.

Anyway, enough of that. I have a few goals for the New Year. It's been a little rough getting settled in on my own and there are things that I would like to change in this new year, 2009. First and foremost is to keep my focus where it should be, seeking after Christ. I've found out just how important that is over the past few months.

Another goal is to really improve my Korean so that I'm comfortable communicating in a variety of different ways.

One goal that I'm already working on and have gotten much better with is having a better sleeping and rising schedule. The 3 am to 11 am schedule wasn't conducive to a healthy style and after a lot of lecturing from my friends here, as well as my family, I've already gotten to where I'm averaging a 1:30 to 10 sleeping schedule, which is a step in the right direction, right? ;)

Finally, a very important, and probably the most difficult, goal is to be more spiritually pure. I want to be more confident in my witness and never ashamed of my Christian faith. It's too easy to not bow your head over a meal when you're the only one doing it in a group of people or in a crowded restaurant. Another is to keep my witness pure by not engaging in things or saying things that could bring damage to Christ's reputation. I know that some of the language I use in Korean sometimes is not pleasing to God and it's often hard breaking those habits. But I want my life to be above reproach and my speech is an important part of that and is an area where I have often failed. :(

I know, however, that with God's help, He will lead me to victory in all areas of my life. I pray that this year is a year where God can use me in a way that He has never used me before and my life is a living testimony of the saving power and sovereign will of God.