TRUTH

Where do I begin? I have a feeling that this posting is going to be rather RANDOM. I have tons roaming around in my head and heart but am not quite sure how to articulate them or organize them. Through Christ, maybe you can take something from this posting and be encouraged by our great Father God. HE has been quite evident in multiple ways these last weeks.

First of all, let me say that I'm overwhelmed by what a great GOD we serve! HIS goodness leaves me breathless, HIS faithfulness leaves me awestruck, and HIS love consumes me!

One thing that I've been faced with a lot is the fact that HIS truth endures forever. I've been attending a Thursday night Bible study/discussion group where we've been watching The Truth Project series. We have looked at several areas dealing with truth and have looked at them through God's word and HIS point of view and then heard popular opinions held by the world that oppose God's word. The series has been very challenging and thought provoking. It has caused me to evaluate what I believe to be truth, how that matches up to God's word, and how prepared I am to discuss what I believe with others, especially those who disagree. If I'm honest, I have to admit that I am not nearly as prepared as I should be or hope to be. It has convicted me to truly study God's word in order that I may know what I believe and how to share it with a perverse and confused generation. There are so many untruths out there that are craftily put together with partial truth to deceive those searching for absolute and real Truth. Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Sadly, we as believers can be taken captive by the untruths of this world. At times, I find myself treating traditions or learned "beliefs" as truth when in fact they are nothing more than lifestyle preferences and good habits. It is important that our view of what is true matches up with what God's word says is Truth.

I was caught off guard by a question that was asked at the beginning of The Truth Project series. "Why did Jesus come into the world?" The answer that Jesus HIMself revealed was not the one most commonly given in Sunday school classes or within the Christian community. In John 18:37, Pilate asks Jesus, "You are a king then?" Jesus answered with this, "You are right in saying that I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, TO TESTIFY (BEAR WITNESS) TO THE TRUTH." God is the ultimate source of Truth, and to glimpse truth, we must gaze upon HIM. I like this quote: "What we believe and how we act defines what we trust to be reality (TRUTH)."

Just this past week, a Korean girl approached Aaron and me as we were touring Seoul. Having Korean "students" ask you to take a survey is not out of the ordinary here in Korea, so I decided to help this girl out with her "school work." I immediately notice that the questions on her survey were spiritual. I thought, "Oh this is great. She's a Christian trying to reach out to the lost English speakers in Seoul." As I neared the bottom of the questionnaire, I came across a strange question about the purpose of Mother God. We began to talk, and the girl assured me that she was a Christian but that she wanted me to understand and believe in Mother God. She began to take verses (many from Old and New Testaments) out of context and very articulately explain and try to convince me of Mother God, her purpose, and the importance of knowing that element of God. Each time I quoted or paraphrased a verse in opposition to what she said, she quickly shared another verse and opinion. At the end of our conversation, I had to tell her that I'd be praying for her but that she was never going to convince me of her belief. I got her phone #, because she wants to meet up again and discuss the issue. Apart from the Holy Spirit convicting her, she is not going to change her beliefs. I don't even know how to discuss this with her, but I'm confident that nothing I say, no matter how articulate or TRUE, can change her heart. Please pray for me that I will view her as Christ sees her and that my heart will be burdened for her to see the Truth. Pray that I will be willing to call her and to discuss my beliefs with her. I'm not even sure how to prepare. The strange thing is that she has mixed this weird belief with the truth of Jesus Christ as the hope for our salvation. May Jesus speak through me. May I rest in "...Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...in order that no one may delude [me] with persuasive argument." Colossians 2:2-4
May I be able to gently instruct her "in the hope that God will grant [her] repentance leading [her] to a knowledge of the truth, and that [she] will come to [her] senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken [her] captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 24-26

I need prayer. I can see it being easy to ignore this situation. I believe that she will not change, and confrontation is not something I enjoy. However, I want to trust in God's faithfulness and power to do the impossible and to increase my desire to see HIS truth reign and captivate a wandering heart. I honestly believe that she knows the Truth but has mixed in some untruth.

Okay, I'll spare you any other random things that I've learned. This one topic is quite enough for now!

"He Who Glories, Let Him Glory in the LORD!!"

"That, as it is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.'"

I Corinthians 1:31

I was blown away by something that a student of mine handed in for his writing assignment. After reading a story about Wilma Rudolph, world famous American runner, the kids had to write a paragraph about a goal they've had in the past and how they accomplished that goal. Like most of the examples I gave when assigning the writing, most of the finished products I received were focused on academic and athletic achievements. Some of the students did give credit to God for helping them reach their goals, but I found the topic that one precious student chose as his achievement gripping and convicting. We were just talking about boasting in the LORD in our elementary faculty morning devotions last week and how it is always good to remember the ways in which God has been strength in our weakest areas and how HE's enabled us to overcome those areas at times and even achieve great things for HIS glory.

I was so encouraged to read what one of my students felt like was a paper-writing-worthy achievement. I've copied it below:

"My grandfather was not a Christian before I became a 2nd grader. Today, he believes in the LORD. This started when I asked him what he believed in. He answered what I didn't expect, something else but not God. So I told him about everything I learned from my teachers. He still did not understand me, so I just let him borrow a Bible from me. He learns about God, but I also learn too. As a result, today we talk about God together and learn from each other and discover verses together."

Praise God that this little one cared enough to talk to his grandfather about Jesus! It has made quite an impression on my dear student, b/c he was in 2nd grade three years ago. Honestly, most of the students produced pretty boring and poorly written paragraphs about winning a race at recess or getting a good grade on a particular test. There is nothing wrong with being happy with those everyday accomplishments, but I'm so blessed to have had this student who carefully considered what he thought to be a wonderful accomplishment and to look beyond last year. I'm challenged to eagerly share Jesus with others or at least find out where they are spiritually, and then, when God does something wonderful, to glory/boast in the LORD and share it with others.

A Glimpse of Summer: Hawaiian Island of O'ahu

Let me begin by saying that there's pretty much nothing better than a 6 day layover in Hawaii other than a 6 day layover with a basically free stay at an impeccably exquisite resort on Waikiki Beach on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii! So that was a sentence full my friends but a true one at that! What a blessing it was to be able to visit such a place! I've been quite a lot of places in my lifetime, but Hawaii is definitely one of the most impressive! Thanks be to the Creator for that!

The adventure all began at a Tom-n-Toms coffee house in Seoul with my killer vacation coordinator Kate! She is pictured below with a look of sheer determination to make our trip to Hawaii unforgetable and not too pricey. She's available for hire. Just contact me.

The benefits of my trustee vaca coordinator's (aka Kate) planning became evident almost immediately after landing in Honolulu when this fabulous taxi cab limo (pictured below) pulled up to escort us to the resort. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. Too bad I looked like I belonged in the dumpster. However, the ride was nice.
Arriving at the resort, I had to put the usual "I-Can-Do-It-Myself" Audie on pause and allow the helpful bell boys to unload and cart our stuff up to the room. Very nice of them, but a little awkward for me. We did have quite a bit of luggage, so they earned every penny of their tip. However, I didn't feel awkward for long, b/c we soon switched towers to have a better room and view. I was able to turn off the pause button and cart my stuff over from one tower to the next on my own.

So here's a shot from my room! What a gorgeous view, and the weather felt as nice as the view looks. Yay for blue skies and the sound and smell of the ocean! It had been a while since I had seen a clear, blue sky, so I'm going to admit this was an emotional thing to behold---a memory maker of sorts---as silly as that sounds! God is so good and this is just one picture of HIS goodness!

Now for a little adventure on the beach---one of my favorite places on earth! I love the feel of sand beneath my feet and sun on my back and the sound of the waves as they rush in. I could have stayed there for 6 days and the layover in Hawaii would have been worth it.

A view of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. Don't like the beach? How 'bout the mountains? There's a little bit of something for everyone!

We were so excited to be in the States that we all jumped in the phone booth to call home. The only problem was we got stuck!! HELP! haha That was a lame statement (sympathy chuckles are welcomed), but we had fun acting crazy in our own land. Most of the time crazy things take place in our foreign "home."

We went parasailing one afternoon and had a fantastic time. What an amazing view from 600 feet up! I don't know if Kate and I were heading up to the sky or coming in for a landing in the picture below. Whatever it was, we were having fun!

Off into the sun! It was the perfect time of day!
We took an all-day circle island tour, which enabled us to see and experience a lot of the island. We visited Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay, Rabbit Island, Blowhole Lookout, the North Shore, Sunset Beach, site of the Surfing Pipeline, Pali Lookout, Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Outlet, film sites (50 First Dates, Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park, etc...), Dole Pineapple Plantation, and a couple of other places. Our tour guide was hilarious and a super good Hawaiian history buff from Peru. I learned a lot of fascinating stuff.

Pearl Harbor Museum and Visitors' Center

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
A look at Old Glory from inside the memorial
A look up through the memorial
An awesome shot of nature that Beth took at Pali Lookout
A mind-boggling tree at Pali Lookout that Kate captured

Miss Pineapple at the Dole Plantation

So excited to see an arrow pointing to my home sweet Seoul in the gardens at the plantation

Kate, Sam, Beth, and me at one of the beaches on the North Shore

Kate and I reinacting a portion of Jurassic Park

Blowhole Lookout

shot of me at the Luau...This backdrop is the way I envisioned Hawaii. Amazing!!

Out for a little canoe ride at the luau...Aloha!!

Here comes the grub...or the pig! This shot was captured at the luau's pig ceremony as they pulled our dinner from an underground oven.

The four of us at the luau dinner. The food and entertainment were wonderful!

Wowsers...it was a little HOT at this point in the evening! haha The man standing next to me was the fire performer...incredible skills! Kate and I almost didn't make it through this photo.a little post-luau hula practice...We each added our own flavor. I think Kate's definitely the Flava Champ!!

And next we have...BLUE CRUSH! We went surfing, and it was absolutely exhiliarating! We highly recommend Ty Gurney's Surf School on Waikiki Beach. Very personable and super helpful. They guarantee you'll get up, and we all did! I think I'd do it every day next time. Fantastic! The pic below is pre-surfing (aka moronic/clueless posers)!

Here we are with our fabulous instructors...Jake, Ty, and Joey!

Post-surfing action shot

Parting is such sweet sorrow, and all good things in this life must come to an end! We are wishing Sam a safe flight back to the States and preparing to enjoy our last evening on the island!

Below are 2 of my favorite shots from the trip. Just another couple of masterpieces by Creator God.

I'll end with a couple of shout outs!

Kate: YOU ARE AWESOME! THANKS FOR PLANNING SO MUCH AND FINDING SUCH GREAT DEALS. I HAD A BLAST!

Sam and Beth: THANKS FOR ENJOYING KATE'S ITINERARY AS MUCH AS I DID! I HAD FUN TAKING THE ADVENTURE WITH Y'ALL!

Sweet Daddio: THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY IN ALLOWING US TO USE SO MANY OF YOUR HOTEL POINTS AND FOR PUTTING US UP IN A PLUSH RESORT! THE ACCOMODATIONS WERE PHENOMENAL AND SO ARE YOU! I LOVE YOU AND THANK GOD FOR SUCH A GIVING AND HARD WORKING FATHER!!

Daddy God: THANKS FOR REVEALING YOUR POWER AND MIGHT THROUGH YOUR AWESOME CREATION. THE SCENERY WAS BREATHTAKING! THANKS FOR SAFE TRAVELS AND THE MEANS TO ENJOY A VACATION WITH FRIENDS. YOU ARE GOOD, AND YOUR LOVE ENDURES! I'M SO THANKFUL TO BE YOURS!

A Glimpse of Summer: Continental U.S.

Here are some highlights of my summer on the continental U.S.! I had an awesome time with many road trips in order to visit with great friends and family members!

The summer began with my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary, which I posted about last. Less than 2 weeks later, my grandparents celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary! Talk about proud...I am so proud of them! I can't even imagine being alive for 68 years much less being married for 68 years. To God be the glory!

I got to spend quite a bit of time with both of them and am thankful for that. I was also able to speak at their church 2 times...once at VBS and once at a Wednesday night prayer meeting. It was a blessing being able to share about my missions experiences overseas and what God has done and is doing in my life. HE's been so faithful! It was nice to stop and remember what all HE has done!

Me with Gramps! He spent a lot of time massaging/tickling my feet as I sat and visited with the family. We were also able to go to Waffle House together for breakfast just for old time's sake! Thanks for the good time together, Gramps!

Me with Grandma! We were able to watch movies together and visit a couple of restaurants, too! She took good care of me and made sure I had plenty to eat as always! I'm so glad I got to spend time with you, Grams!

And now for the road trip to Michigan and back!

Let the car-riding begin! The 3 babies of the trip in the back of the van! That brought back some old memories, except for the fact that we weren't in a station wagon! Michaela felt so big and grown sitting in a big girl seat with her 2 buddies! She was 'sharing' an iPOD with Katie!

Aren't they beautiful? I like this picture of them...so natural yet so exquisite! I love these 3 so much and praise God for providing me with best friends in the form of an incredible mom and 2 fun-loving sisters! I'm spoiled!!

About to venture down Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was an extreme workout---tough---but an awesome experience!

Part way down to Lake Michigan! This was the easy and fun part.

A look up from the bottom of the dunes. You have to see it in real life. It's unbelievable!

At the bottom preparing ourselves for the evil climb upward!! The lake was gorgeous!

A day at the lake! We went to the lake in northern Michigan where my dad used to attend and work at a swimming camp when he was growing up. All the old cabins are still there. He used to train in this lake. The land and lake are owned by his college swim coach, so we finally got to meet him and his wife after years of hearing stories! It was a fun day!

A little canoeing time. I had to prove myself after my dad called me some sort of pansie Indian name!

What a show off! She was pretty stinkin' good at fishing for a beginner! ;)


Checking out the fish with Daddy Chris!

She wanted to help throw the fish back in! Not scared of a thing!

We rode the ski lifts to the top of a mountain at the resort and rode an alpine slide down!

Crazy Ruthie Toothie and me!

My family with Grandma Ruth, Aunt Sandi, and Uncle Ed after dinner at Bravos. Aunt Sandi and Uncle Ed hosted all of us for a few days on our way through Michigan. We had a great time... chatting and eating mostly! It was a delight to see little Grandma, too! Michaela was quite the helper where her great grandmother was concerned. It was precious to watch. Thanks for the hospitality, Uncle Ed and Aunt Sandi! I'm glad I got to see y'all while I was Stateside!

We were able to spend the day at my aunt's and uncle's country club with North Carolina cousins. These 4 had a blast swimming and playing. I think Michaela had all 3 of the boys wrapped around her little finger at different points throughout the afternoon. She just about had it made---they were carrying her, swinging her, swimming with her, etc... If all kids were like these 4, life would be grand! I think I'd have 10!

Cousins reunited! I was so glad to have the opportunity to see my cousin Steve, his beautiful bride Kristee, and their 3 handsome boys! We definitely haven't seen or spent enough time with them over the years. Steve and Kristee, thanks for taking time to visit! I thoroughly enjoyed it and am in love with your 3 precious boys! They're gonna be heartbreakers!

While in Michigan, Aunt Sally made her way on over to Clarkston from Grand Rapids for a quick visit. She's still crazy as ever and full of personality! ;) The laughter and suspense never subside when she's present. She's also always got some new gadget or beauty product to try out on us girls! Thanks for coming to visit, Aunt Sally! It was fun.

On our way back down south, we stopped in Nashville to eat at J. Alexander's with Uncle Rick and Aunt Betsy. Good grub and great conversation! Thanks for making time for us! It sure was good to see y'all!

I went to Madison to visit Kimberly, Dusty, and little Layla! Let me just say that too much has happened in the life of my best friend/college roommate since I moved to South Korea. The girl has gotten married, moved, started a new job, bought a gorgeous new house, and gotten a puppy dog! She actually cooked breakfast for me. Can we say "Little Miss Domesticated"? I'm so happy for you, Kimberly! Thanks for letting me visit! I had a great time catching up and witnessing you in your new roles as wife, dog mom, and homeowner! I love and miss you!

While in Columbus, I had the pleasure of seeing many old friends and familiar faces at church. Laurel was sweet enough to join us at Proffitt's Porch for dinner one night. The food was amazing as always, and the company---a delight! Great to hear all the happenings in the Jones' family! Thanks, Laurel! I enjoyed our time catching up! You are missed!

I made a trip to Tupelo one day to meet up with these fantastic friends and former DeSoto County co-workers. I love these girls and am so thankful that Leigha, Amber, and Rebecca made the effort to meet me for a small MS reunion. It was great catching up and sharing our different places/situations in life at present---where we are and what God's doing! Thanks, girls! Y'all are such a blessing to me!

I had many visits with Aunt Joker while I was home. This lady has magic fingers---she gives the best arm, back, and leg/feet tickles. I can always depend on her to have lots of good Hallmark movies/chick flicks DVR'd waiting to be viewed by me along with fantastic homemade meals and desserts. Thanks, Aunt Jo!

Here is a super frightened Zachary as I beat him up one evening. He's always been afraid of me and my "pythons." We've (me and my 2 "pythons," that is) have caused this young man much harm and disgrace over the years. hahaha

Aaron came to visit "God's Country" from Texas. We were able to go out flying with my dad along the coast which was perfect for the 2 pilots. They just threw me in the back, put their headphones on, and did their thing! The adventure was timed perfectly. As soon as we landed and got the plane almost inside the hanger, a massive downpour let loose from the heavens. No time for tricks in G-man's plane but a nice little aerial view and quick tour of the Alabama coast. We hope to see Aaron back in God's Country in the future, so maybe then he can experience the flips, twists, turns, and spins in the air! Thanks for coming to visit, Aaron! I had a great time.

My last photo with precious Michaela! I love this girl so much and had a blast with her this summer. She is quite the animated and intelligent young lady.