To Like or To Love?

One of my greatest pet peeves is hearing that old Christian cliche, "Well, you don't have to like everybody; you just have to love 'em." Do people still say that? Something like it, right? It's just funny, because, think about it -- have you ever felt loved by someone who didn't like you? I guess it's possible, but even if you have, was it a weak, human kind of love...or the life-giving, world-changing kind of love God commands us to give?

Maybe I'm not making sense, because you know full well that it's just not possible to like everybody in the world. Even "loving" them is a stretch. To this, I totally agree. So I humbly suggest a new response for all the difficult, unlikeable people we come across -- a revision to the old saying, if you will: "You don't have to like who they are right now, but you sure can like who they're meant to be." Right?

As Christians, we believe some radical things about people. Like, wow, we believe that everyperson was made in the image of our great God and Creator. What's more, we believe that this very same Creator knit each of us together perfectly and beautifully. Amazing. On the other hand, we believe that sin has entered the world and has distorted every part of creation, even seeping into the depths of each heart. The ugliness? No one can fathom. And ever since the Fall, we've been trying to re-discover the people we were made to be in the first place.

Oh, I wish I could say I was good at liking the unlikeable, but the truth is, I write this today because of the darkness of my own heart -- the darkness I see so easily...in others. I've been critical and impatient and unloving. I've set out to examine and "fix" the people around me, instead of enjoying them. I've let their flaws point me to the sin nature in all of us, instead of seeing the imperfections as a mere reflection of what's meant to be.

Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

Oh Father, teach us how.

taking flight

gibbon [gib-uh n] -noun small, slender, long-armed ape of the East Indies and Southern Asia

Last weekend, we visited "The Flight of the Gibbons," a 24-platform zipline course through the jungles just outside of Bangkok. We got to swing from treetop to treetop, just like little monkeys -- except that we could glide around hands-free! Gotta love the safety harness and cables. :D Always wanted to try ziplining, so it was super exciting!! I know, now you wish you had come. So here's a video to make you feel just like you were there. (Sorry I kind of scream like a pansy.)

Then, we visited this open zoo, where some of the animals (tigers included) were only a small wooden fence away from us. A little different from the hyper-safe zoos in the states -- but, hey, much easier for picture-taking! Doesn't that tiger guy look like he wants to bite someone's head off? Hehe.

All in all, another great "tourist" type outing. Love it. More pics below. Enjoy!

fighting normal

I always knew it would happen. I knew that, eventually, the excitement would wear out and this great "adventure" I embarked on six months ago would actually become everyday life. It would finally, one day, become my new normal.

But, it's actually been more of a challenge than I expected, because, really, leaving home and losing what you love is much easier in the name of adventure...or sacrifice...or, even, recklessness. But leaving it all for...normal? That's no fun.

The funny thing is, the story that brought me here and the great God who provided have not changed. It seems that only I have. Again, His grace has grown old and again, I find myself following comfort instead of convictions...yes, even in Thailand.

How easily we forget, even in the midst of going, and giving, and serving.

You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

Revelation 2:3-4a

May we remember that complacency is not intentional; it's where we all end up unless we do something about it.

Some praises and prayers...

• Praying for how to use my time here well. I'm involved in many ministries and such, but I don't know where to really invest. Longing to make some deeper impact somewhere...

• God is doing an awesome work at my church here, Evangelical Church of Bangkok. Our new pastor just arrived last week and I really sense a renewed energy and passion in the congregation -- so stinkin' exciting! Praise God! Oh and guess what I realized?? With the time change, I go to church in Bangkok at the same time my church back home is having their service (Calvary's Saturday night service). It's like, across the miles, we are still worshiping our God together. Crazy cool.

• Our school raised thousands of dollars for Haiti, and we're still praying for how to be a part of what God's doing over there -- as well as how to meet the needs of those all around us here. Maybe you're praying the same thing wherever you are.

• Looks like I get the phenomenal joy of traveling to Nepal with some friends this April!! We're going to do a week-long trek, admiring God's beautiful creation...namely, the Himalayas! :D

It's and...not or.

My parents divorced when I was young, and ever since, I've had this loyalty complex. As kids, it was mostly about mom vs. dad, but over time it extended into other relationships and situations. Like, for instance, don't be surprised if I come to visit you and never leave your side. It's not that I'm needy. But if I decided to take a walk alone or make a phone call, I feel like I'm choosing that over being with you. Or, say you bought me a toothbrush but so did my brother. Even if your toothbrush was the best in the world, I couldn't use it first. I just couldn't pick that one over something my brother gave me. See what I mean?

This has plagued my heart often, because every time I move, I feel like one home is replacing another. And when I make new friends, I feel like I've picked them over the old ones. I resist embracing the new place, in fear that it's like shutting the door on the last place I called home.

I realize this is silly, so I'm learning how to shake this thing. I'm learning how to freely love all of the homes and friends and families I've come to know. I'm learning how to choose a location, or hobby, or toothbrush (ha!) without making it personal. But it's not easy. I have to, like, re-program my brain.

So...just because I love Thailand, it doesn't mean I love America any less. And just because I'm living overseas, it doesn't mean I'm choosing that over my friends and family back home. ...Right?

I'm learning that it's and...not or.

In fact, I just left "home" in California to come back "home" to Bangkok. Had such a great time with family and feeling rather blessed by it. And just because I loved being there...it doesn't mean I can't enjoy being here!

Some highlights -- and be sure to check out the pictures below as well!

• For only the second time ever, I got to spend Christmas with my whole California family (dad, stepmom, all four brother, and me!).
• Then all of us went to Paso Robles for a few days, which included my first wine-tasting venture. :)
• I spent New Year's with my little brothers, eating Coldstone ice cream and playing "Band Hero" in our living room. Great bonding.
• My last night was, in fact, my twin brothers' 14th birthday! For the first time, I got to celebrate it with them. Shoot, they're growing up and all that!

America, here I come!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I got to go ice-skating today, with my friend Tawnya, and even though I was dressed for summer (*sigh* 85 degrees today) ...it really felt like Christmas. Here's just a quick update on the latest happenings...

• I am flying to L.A. on Monday morning -- can't believe it's been five months since I was in America. Wow. Looking forward to family, cheeseburgers, socks, clean(ish) air, white mochas, Target...

• Even more wonderful than that, during our school's Christmas chapel, two of our sixth grade girls came to know Jesus! So stinkin' exciting! We're praying for them, as they grow and learn what it means to follow Him!

• Last weekend, I got to talk on the phone with a bunch of you at the Karshner Christmas party!!! (For those who don't know, Karshner is the school I worked at last year. My friend, Sarah, passed around her phone so I could chat a bit with everyone!) It meant so much to me, catching up with you guys and hearing your voices! I miss you, friends!

a little bit of life in pictures...

Friends at the ICS Christmas party. (I helped decorate, what fun!)

Christmas pancake party! Complete with fresh fruit, great company, and The Muppet's Christmas Carol!

This about sums up my school week. Parties and book reports.

Out of control.

Love you all and am praying that you are filled with joy and peace this Christmas, as you remember the One who came for us and showed us real love. How I wish to know that Love more fully every day.

I don't need a dating service: confessions of a Christian single

I'm 24 years old (and yes, I realize that's not very old). I'm a Christian. I'm single. And I'm tired of it. No, I'm not tired of being single. And of course I'm not tired of being a Christian...but put them together, and it just wears me out. I'm gonna try not to be cynical here, because quite frankly it's against my nature, and I'm kind of anti-critical. But...the church is deeply failing the singles population. That's just the plain truth.

I got so into this topic, I decided to do some research, Look at what I found:

• 41% of the US population is single (US Census 2005).

• 51% (yes, over half) of all US women live without a spouse (NY Times 2007).

• If I'm doing the math right, over 46% of 20-40 year olds in America have never been married (US Census 2008).

Right away, we realize: 1) There are more of us than you think. 2) Singles cover a wide range of ages. 3) Just because you're older and single doesn't mean you're divorced. And yet, when you're single in the church, what are your options? Staying up late with the lively college group, going to "singles" events that translate into dating services, recovering with the older, single and divorced population... All great ministries, but is that really what most singles are looking for? I'm just one person, but if I'm anything like other singles, there are a couple things that need to be cleared up...

Just because I'm single, it doesn't mean I want to hang out with single people all the time. In fact, it probably means the opposite. At least for me, being single makes me crave stability all the more. And yet, we're placed in these "singles only" groups with a revolving door of people who move, or get married, or get bored. We're only invited to families' homes on holidays, when family is what we long for. I know it's awkward for single people to hang out with married people, but have you ever wondered if it's just because we're not used to it?

Marriage is not the solution. Yes, marriage is good, and who wants it? We all do. But, it's condescending and disrespectful to the singles population when we're expected to swim around, disconnected from the church body until we get married and "graduate" into the regular world of families. It seems more like people feel sorry for us all the time, instead of believing that we, too, have something to offer the church.

What's funny, the Barna research group finds that four out of five single adults would say they are Christian (2005). And yet, how many thriving and successful singles ministries can you think of?

Maybe it's about time we try something new and rethink the church's strategy (or non-strategy) in reaching the singles population. I mean, when I read about the New Testament church, I don't see anything about dividing the single and married people up. I don't see anything that says it's better to be married. In fact, many of the greatest early church leaders were single (and Paul even advocated for it). And the early church was all about community. It didn't matter if you were single, or married, or anything. If you were a believer, you were cared for and had a place to belong and serve.

I know that is still the message the church hopes to give singles. I know there's no one to blame for this failure and that all of this has come about by accident.

But it's time people do something.

So, singles, don't give up on the church. And married people, don't give up on singles. May it begin with us.

simple joys

...Like decorating my own little plastic Christmas tree (pictured above), even though I'm miles and miles from "home." I bought the ornaments from the Thai craft fair, and I strung the popcorn myself (only took like THREE hours, haha).

...And continuing the holiday spirit right into my classroom, where the kids and I listened to Christmas music and made paper chains and snowflakes (not to mention the fake fireplace!). These kids are awesome! The room looks great --I gave them the plan and they made it happen! My students...they give me joy every day!

...Or celebrating with a dear friend (Karly) our common Korean heritage at ICS's annual "International Day." I even learned how to really say my given name: Mee Seong Lee = "E Mee Song" There were 26 different countries represented at the festival, which also included some fantastic performances and, of course, unbelievable food.

...Reconnecting with old friends in a foreign land. (This is me with Jill, the girl I knew in college who just happens to be living in Bangkok too right now!)

...Bonding with 6th graders. (That's my adorable homeroom class. Oh maybe adorable isn't a good 6th grade word...) In fact, we spent lots of time together this week, including a lock-in for the whole middle school (yes, that means they stayed all night and tried not to sleep, haha). What amazed me more than the kids' excitement were all the staff members who came, volunteering so much time and energy. ICS staff, you are legit! If that's not love, and if that's not serving Jesus...I don't know what is!

They will celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.

The eyes of all look to You,

and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Psalm 145:7-9, 15-16

I just love this picture of God, opening His hand and setting before us all of our needs at the proper time. It tells me that He has purpose and timing in each gift He gives. It tells me that what I want and don't have is still securely in His grip. I know each of these really are such simple things, but to me, they have been little evidences of God's tender and thoughtful love for me. May we delight in the joys God has poured out to us, and may we proclaim His goodness to a hopeless and hurting world.

(Pictures below for those of you who don't have facebook! ...Or don't check it. :)