talkswithhishands

Are Social Networking Sites Propelling Christians to the Cutting Edge of Culture?

2009-09-18T09:50:00.003-04:00

I wonder...

In the 80's and 90's Christians were notoriously lagging in cultural awareness, let alone leading cultural revolutions. Christian movies were poorly made, our fashion seemed inspired by the days of the covered wagon, and our music was so lame even Jesus couldn't heal it. And while our humor obviously hasn't evolved much since then, our cultural 'coolness' I think has.

Christians seem to be making a cool comeback. We are getting hipper, trendier, and moving more and more toward the cutting edge of culture. We love iphones, google, and hip-hop. But why is this? I suppose it is in part a response to all that under-achievement from before. Our greatest fear is being corny our 'out of it'. But I also wonder if social networking isn't a good friend of the cool Christian.

The reality is that Christians know a lot of other Christians. And so when word on a new innovation, song, restaurant idea, website, application, or anything else comes out...because we have a lot of twitter and facebook friends, word spreads fast. So rather than falling behind culture as we did for so many years, we are finally catching up. And I wonder, is it possible that in another 10-15 years if we might not actually start to lead?

I don't know if it will happen. Perhaps we have been in a cultural sprint over the last 10 years and our endurance will fade fast. But I for one hope that our engagement with social networking will become a catalyst for a whole new generation of 'cool Christians' that move to the front edge of culture creation and become the icons of cool to many. If so I will attribute responsibility for this revolution to the following places and in this order:

1. God
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. The Evangelical Covenant Church

Our Goddaughters!!

2009-08-21T10:04:00.005-04:00

Over the past few months God has blessed our church with lots of new babies. Five couples, all good friends of ours, have had healthy and happy babies. This has been a wonderful source of joy and celebration for us. When Minhee and I went to Norway in June for vacation the thing I missed most was the babies, I couldn't wait to see them again.

And even more, Minhee and I were given the specific privilege to serve as godparents to two of them. Josephine Tao Go is the daughter of Rob and Nancy and pictured on the right in the pic. Noa Hunter Myung is the daughter of Roger and Phyllis and pictured on the left.

Recently I saw this pic on Rob's blog and stole it from him. While the girls look so cute I can also see a very similar pic being taken in about 80 years and it not looking that different. I look at it a lot. :)

Minhee and I aren't parents yet, hopefully soon. But if the kind of love I feel for these two girls and the other babies that have arrived is a hint of what that love will be like, I'm not sure my heart has space for it all. I may need a bigger heart.

Earth Day is Tomorrow

2009-04-20T19:24:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is Earth Day and as Christians this is a day worth paying attention to. God's opening mission to man was to care for his creation, something we have performed quite poorly at. But I thought this article (forwarded to me from Meesa Kim) is an interesting way for Christians to care for creation. Certainly something I need to work at! :)

Save the Earth!

Let me tell you about a miracle...

2009-04-15T22:47:00.006-04:00

For the last 9 months I have been waiting in great anticipation for the spring because so many of our friends were expecting. The anticipation (and at times anxiety) has only increased as the stories of these families (and one especially) have funfolded. And three weeks ago the baby boom of '09 began at Highrock Brookline...

On March 21st at 2:50am Paul and Helen Kahn welcomed daughter Isabella into the world. Around 5am we got a text from Paul announcing the birth and unable to contain our excitement, Minhee and I were at the hospital by 6am. We got special permission to enter the maternity ward and met sweet Isabella as we watched the sunrise outside the window. It was perfect.

On April 5th BG and Hwasun Garin welcomed son Logan who came out looking like Esau and is sure to be an avid hunter and celebrated warrior. At the ripe old age of 24 hours he was already stocky in nature and will make his father proud for sure.

And then there was yesterday when Josephine Go arrived. Indulge me the story...

Last July a few married couples got together from church. This was the night that Paul and Helen announced they were pregnant. We all rejoiced with them but as we watched our good friends Rob and Nancy rejoice our hearts broke for them...because we knew how long they had been waiting to share the same news. As our hearts broke our prayers began to flow and 6 short weeks later their dream came true - Nancy was pregnant!

All was well until mid-October when an ultrasound revealed a potential abnormality. Soon after the worst possible scenario was realized - Rob and Nancy's baby was diagnosed with Trisomy-18, a terminal genetic disorder that meant, in the words of their doctor, "your baby is incompatible with life". The test was conclusive - 30 out of 30 cells tested 100% for the disease. Their doctors suggested termination.

This was tragic news. How could God give this great gift and then leave it no chance of life? Everyone was confused, scared and sad. This terrible news came on a Friday. That Sunday at church we all hugged and wept together. The sermon that Sunday was on "the glimmer of hope" found in Ruth and Naomi's seemingly helpless situation in Ruth 3. I don't know that anyone else found comfort in it...but I did.

After church that day we all gathered at Rob and Nancy's to hear from them and pray for them. As they shared our hearts broke more and more. We wanted to offer words of hope but had none. We wanted to pray for a miracle but weren't sure they could handle asking for it and setting themselves up for extreme disappointment again. But eventually they told us they would appreciate that prayer...a prayer for a miracle.

Just as we had when we prayed for conception, we sat them in the middle of the group and fell on our knees/faces and began to pray. There was crying, sniffling, drooling, heaving, and lots and lots of praying!! The situation seemed hopeless but the prayer seemed right. We left their house with nothing to do but wait.

The following Thursday Nancy visited her doctor who continued to suggest termination but the baby's heartbeat was strong and so they continued to wait. It would be the next day, Friday, where our miracle would become real.

While the lab had done an initial test on 30 cells where all came back showing Trisomy 18, there was also a chromosome test on 88 cells that took a week to get its results. That Friday, at 4:31pm, an e-mail came from Nancy with the following:

"Today, we received the final results of the test from last week, where they looked at 88 chromosomes that they grew for the past week and God gave us our miracle. All 88 cells were normal!?!? The geneticists are dumbfounded and "have never seen this before." (where it seemed so conclusive at the FISH analysis and the exact opposite during the next one)… They do not have an explanation, and are recommending an amnio since this was such a strange outcome...but forget it. We know who's hand is responsible. The final results say that our baby is normal. We could have a healthy baby! We are confused and elated and rejoicing! I've been crying in sorrow all week, that it is so refreshing to cry for joy!"

I was alone in our apartment when I got this e-mail. As I read it I began to weep and then to scream. I can't explain the great joy I felt in that moment for Rob and Nancy and the great hope I felt toward our God. It was overwhelming.

As the months since that great October day have passed Nancy's belly has grown and all of us here have looked more and more forward to seeing the fruit of our Father's labor. And yesterday, April 14th, at 3:10pm, a 5lb 15oz baby girl named Josephine Go was born into this world...perfectly healthy and happy.

Not everyone gets their miracle and I am so sad for those who do not...the pain is just too much. But I am grateful to God for this miracle in our corner of the world. And each time I look at Isabella, Logan, Josephine or the other babies that are still on their way I am going to remember 2009 and the miracles of life gifted to us.

My Biggest Laugh So Far in 2009!

2009-03-27T17:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning I had my hardest laugh so far in 2009. I know it's a long story but I just had to write it. Here goes...

Every other Thursday we have a "Senior Staff" meeting with Dave & Eugene of Highrock Arlington, Josh & Dan of Highrock Brookline, and Kiho of Highrock's Korean speaking church plant "Worship Frontier". Unfortunately, Eugene was sick yesterday and couldn't join us. This was most unfortunate for Dan b/c typically Dave and I have wild and crazy ideas that Dan and Eugene have to temper. So Dan called me yesterday before the meeting wondering if we should cancel. His reason?...b/c without Eugene to help Dan he was afraid that Dave and my ideas might run amuck. I assured him it would be fine and he headed toward the meeting (at my apartment).

In the meantime, Dave showed up a bit early and I joked with him about Dan's concern. As I was telling him we realized that we should pull a fast one on Dan...that perhaps we should plant a "crazy idea" in the middle of the meeting where I would agree with Dave and begin to freak Dan out. But what could we do? Dave and I began to plot...

After a minute Dave's diabolical mind found our answer. About 20 minutes into the meeting Dave would begin telling Dan and me about a new movement at Highrock Arlington in which people receive healing by the laying on of hands and how this has been most effective in the area of sexual healing. But the effectiveness has been born primarily out of the fact that the laying on of hands is VERY literally...the laying on of hands. Dave would tell us about women's and men's prayer meetings where the recipient of prayer undresses and allows those praying to "lay on hands" and ask God for healing. (for those not familiar with Highrock church - this is NOT something we do!!)

Furthermore, Dave would suggest that we at Highrock Brookline should consider trying this...and I would heartily agree. This kind of nonsense would hopefully send Dan into a frenzy begging us to reconsider and lamenting Eugene's absence at the meeting.

Soon after our plan was fortified Dan arrived and the meeting began....

Sure enough, about 20 minutes in Dave began to tell us about a new ministry at Highrock Arlington. He relayed that it began at a women's prayer meeting with Maye Chan inviting one of the women to "expose" herself and receive prayer and the laying on of hands. He went on to say that it had been so successful among the women that it had spread to the men's group as well and that great things were beginning to happen.

Now, my strategy in all of this was to join Dan in his shock at the opening of Dave's story but then to begin to warm to the idea until eventually I was convinced of the ideas merit. I would then try and persuade Dan that we should try it at Highrock Brookline. But the plan soon had to change as things did NOT go as expected.

As Dave was explaining this new "movement" I began my act of shock and awe at this rediculous revelation. I, of course, assumed Dan would join me in my shock at the absurdity of what Dave was proposing. But surprisingly, Dan seemed relatively unphased. As Dave was talking Dan was nodding, it was almost as if he had heard this story before. As Dave's story continued, growing more and more rediculous along the way, Dan began nodding all the more and began responding with statements like "Yeah, I understand.", "Yeah, I've seen stuff like this before.", and "Yeah, I had some experiences with this stuff when I was younger."

With each passing comment and nod the laughter was building inside of me. I felt it first deep in my stomach but could feel it rising through my chest, my neck until finally it erupted from within me. How was this possible? How could we create such a ludicrous story and find that it not only did not shock Dan but seemed legitimate to him. How could something so rediculous now become rational. My laughter grew until I was eventually keeled over in my hallway crying and laughing with Dan still at the table nodding.

In Dan's defense, I don't think he actually has any real experiences like this in the past but he was trying to be sensitive and supportive to Dave's experience. But the sequence of events left me chuckling all day long. It was a great laugh. So thanks to Dave for his creative mind and to Dan for his tender heart - they both fed my soul yesterday!

Legalize All Banned Substances?

2009-03-24T12:12:00.003-04:00

I suppose it is ironic that this post comes immediately after my post on "Faith Forming Books", but I'm guessing those who know me well won't find it odd at all.

Cnn.com posted an article today by Jeffrey Miron, a lecturer at Harvard. His thesis is that prohibition of drugs is a bad idea from almost all points of view: security, economics, health, etc. He suggests the legalization of all drugs, not just marijuana.

While I realize that there are probably some law enforcement officials out there that might take issue with this article I find these points of view fascinating and refreshing. I'm not at all convinced that he's right but appreciate his perspective and logic.

Read the story here or I've copied it below...

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Jeffrey A. Miron is senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University.

Economist Jeffrey Miron says legalizing drugs would greatly reduce violence.

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Over the past two years, drug violence in Mexico has become a fixture of the daily news. Some of this violence pits drug cartels against one another; some involves confrontations between law enforcement and traffickers.

Recent estimates suggest thousands have lost their lives in this "war on drugs."

The U.S. and Mexican responses to this violence have been predictable: more troops and police, greater border controls and expanded enforcement of every kind. Escalation is the wrong response, however; drug prohibition is the cause of the violence.

Prohibition creates violence because it drives the drug market underground. This means buyers and sellers cannot resolve their disputes with lawsuits, arbitration or advertising, so they resort to violence instead.

Violence was common in the alcohol industry when it was banned during Prohibition, but not before or after.

Violence is the norm in illicit gambling markets but not in legal ones. Violence is routine when prostitution is banned but not when it's permitted. Violence results from policies that create black markets, not from the characteristics of the good or activity in question.

The only way to reduce violence, therefore, is to legalize drugs. Fortuitously, legalization is the right policy for a slew of other reasons.

Prohibition of drugs corrupts politicians and law enforcement by putting police, prosecutors, judges and politicians in the position to threaten the profits of an illicit trade. This is why bribery, threats and kidnapping are common for prohibited industries but rare otherwise. Mexico's recent history illustrates this dramatically.

Prohibition erodes protections against unreasonable search and seizure because neither party to a drug transaction has an incentive to report the activity to the police. Thus, enforcement requires intrusive tactics such as warrantless searches or undercover buys. The victimless nature of this so-called crime also encourages police to engage in racial profiling.

Prohibition has disastrous implications for national security. By eradicating coca plants in Colombia or poppy fields in Afghanistan, prohibition breeds resentment of the United States. By enriching those who produce and supply drugs, prohibition supports terrorists who sell protection services to drug traffickers.

Prohibition harms the public health. Patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma and other conditions cannot use marijuana under the laws of most states or the federal government despite abundant evidence of its efficacy. Terminally ill patients cannot always get adequate pain medication because doctors may fear prosecution by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Drug users face restrictions on clean syringes that cause them to share contaminated needles, thereby spreading HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.

Prohibitions breed disrespect for the law because despite draconian penalties and extensive enforcement, huge numbers of people still violate prohibition. This means those who break the law, and those who do not, learn that obeying laws is for suckers.

Prohibition is a drain on the public purse. Federal, state and local governments spend roughly $44 billion per year to enforce drug prohibition. These same governments forego roughly $33 billion per year in tax revenue they could collect from legalized drugs, assuming these were taxed at rates similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. Under prohibition, these revenues accrue to traffickers as increased profits.

The right policy, therefore, is to legalize drugs while using regulation and taxation to dampen irresponsible behavior related to drug use, such as driving under the influence. This makes more sense than prohibition because it avoids creation of a black market. This approach also allows those who believe they benefit from drug use to do so, as long as they do not harm others.

Legalization is desirable for all drugs, not just marijuana. The health risks of marijuana are lower than those of many other drugs, but that is not the crucial issue. Much of the traffic from Mexico or Colombia is for cocaine, heroin and other drugs, while marijuana production is increasingly domestic. Legalizing only marijuana would therefore fail to achieve many benefits of broader legalization.

It is impossible to reconcile respect for individual liberty with drug prohibition. The U.S. has been at the forefront of this puritanical policy for almost a century, with disastrous consequences at home and abroad.

The U.S. repealed Prohibition of alcohol at the height of the Great Depression, in part because of increasing violence and in part because of diminishing tax revenues. Similar concerns apply today, and Attorney General Eric Holder's recent announcement that the Drug Enforcement Administration will not raid medical marijuana distributors in California suggests an openness in the Obama administration to rethinking current practice.

Perhaps history will repeat itself, and the U.S. will abandon one of its most disastrous policy experiments.

Faith Forming Books

2009-03-10T22:45:00.006-04:00

At Highrock Brookline we are currently going through a sermon series on the Book of John and throughout the series we are asking the question "Who is Jesus?" Our goal is to enter into the experience of those 1st century men and women who were experiencing Jesus for the first time: hearing his teaching, seeing his miracles, and making their own decisions about his identity. And as we enter into their experience we are asking the same questions ourselves. Was he madman or Messiah, magician or miracle worker, lunatic or Lord?

However, I realize that one of the additional issues we face in the 21st century is not only asking the question "Is Jesus God?" but asking an even more fundamental question than that..."Is there a God at all?"

So, during my sermon this week, I mentioned three books that have been helpful to me as I have asked that question. Personally, my questions and doubts have rarely centered around Jesus and more often have centered around the question of God. And the three books pictured above have been formative in my own journey of faith.

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis is at the forefront of that formation. Lewis' own faith journey began as an attempt to provide an airtight case for atheism and ended with him on his knees "the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England". Lewis' explanation of a universal moral law is the foundation of both his faith and the book and remains one of the great Christian apologetics.

"Total Truth" by Nancy Pearcey is a LONG book but a good one. Its basic premise is that Christianity (at least Western Christianity) is captive to culture rather than having captured culture. Pearcey does a nice deconstruction and lays out a case that if the Christian faith is truth then it is Total Truth and must not be relegated to a personal, privatized faith. Rather, it must infiltrate every part of our world.

"The Language of God" by Francis Collins is one of my favorites. Personally, my biggest doubts about faith have come around the issue of science and our origins and so Collins' book has been a wonderful gift to me. Collins was the lead scientist on the Human Genome Project and writes with a sense of intelligent awe that is inspiring to me as the reader.

If you are someone with genuine questions, not so much about Jesus, but about God, I would recommend any and all of these books. But start with Mere Christianity! :)

Is the Economic Crisis Hitting Boston?

2009-03-07T13:11:00.002-05:00

After the dismal report on job losses this Friday it looks as if the American economic climate will continue to deteriorate in the months to come. And while the numbers are staggering and the reports of more and more people losing homes and moving into tent cities is disheartening, I can't help but notice that Boston seems less affected than many other places in the U.S.

And so two questions arise in my mind. First, will we be affected as severely as other areas of the country? If not, why not? Or am I just missing stuff that is happening right in my own backyard?

And two, if we aren't affected as as much then what is our role in all of this? I have been thinking about this question this week and don't have a final answer yet. But with so many in our country losing jobs and homes it seems appropriate that the church in Boston needs to find its place of service and ministry in all of this.

The Crossing Guard

2009-03-04T09:06:00.000-05:00

I often drop Minhee at work in the mornings and then drive over to Panera to work for awhile. And on my way there is a busy intersection (near a school) at the intersection of Clinton and Dean. The thing is, while it would usually be an annoying intersection with clogged traffic, it is actually one of the simple pleasures of my day.

Brookline has staffed the intersection with a female police officer during the morning commute and school drop-off time. Not only is this woman there every single day but she is the single greatest crossing guard I have ever seen. She is economic in motion and movement but still wonderfully clear in physical communication. She pays equal attention to all entering streets, pedestrians, bikers, etc. She is confident in her decisions, totally aware of the rhythm of the morning and yet pleasant and warm in the midst of it all.

I love going through this intersection every morning simply because of her good work. I am a huge fan of people who do simple and seemingly mundane jobs with excellence. I believe God has made this woman for this kind of work and she is doing it with timely precision and even grace. And for some reason this connects me to God personally just a little more each morning as I pass. I'm sure she's totally unaware that some weird guy who's driving by is feeling a little closer to his Lord every morning, but he is, and that is a testament to God's good gifts and her good use of those gifts.

I am debating whether I should write her a quick note of gratitude and encouragement and hand it out my window as I drive by tomorrow. I know she would hate the inefficiency but perhaps the gesture would make up for it. :)

Sad News

2009-03-01T21:49:00.001-05:00

The potential mentioned in my previous post has passed. Sadly, the young woman terminated her pregnancy earlier today.

Potential?

2009-02-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

First, I made a discovery today while sitting out in front of Planned Parenthood - Windy days don't work!! I was sitting there on the street (on a very windy Boston day), trying to hold my sign and work on my Mac at the same time, when all of a sudden a huge gust of wind came and tore my sign from me. I almost lost it completely but recovered it. However, I think I will avoid windy days from now on.

On a more pressing note, we have our first bit of potential. A friend of ours has a co-worker that just found out she is pregnant. She is 21 years old, is just 5-6 weeks along, and is in the process right now of deciding what to do. She knows about me and Minhee and that we would love to adopt this child. If you have a minute, please take a moment to pray right now. Right now our prayer is not that she would give us the child to adopt but simply that she would choose to carry the baby to term. Please pray for heroic courage and a divine discernment for her.

$51/day

2009-02-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

Over the course of the last few months Minhee and I have realized our need for a budget. We tend to spend without paying much attention and it leads to a certain amount of fiscal irresponsibility. So for awhile we tried to go by a weekly budget but didn't do a great job of abiding by the boundaries.

So last weekend we did a detailed breakdown of our spending and realized that after all monthly costs (rent, car loan, utilities, internet, school loans, phone, etc.) that what we had left was an average of $51/day for spending on all the rest (food, gas, shampoo, oil changes, gifts, movies, etc.). And so this week we have embarked on a new budgeting journey as we keep a daily tab of spending.

For some reason this is much more fun to me. For those who have played the board game Risk, it kind of feels like the regular deployment of resources that you get on each turn. Each morning I wake up and I have a new $51 to spend for that day. And, if I didn't spend all my money yesterday, that means I have even more today as the dollars are all "rollover dollars".

So last night I went to bed with $32 and this morning, after a fresh deployment, I walked out the door with $83 for the day. This is also very appealing b/c it forces us to pay attention to each dollar which we didn't do before. And my hope is that this will not only make us more fiscally responsible but will also help us learn to live more intentionally and allow us to become more generous with our finances.

"Bombarded By Love"

2009-02-23T08:57:00.000-05:00

I am very happy today because my wife is very happy today. Yesterday morning she woke up sick and so stayed home from church and rested. And my sermon yesterday was on the church as community and as a family and somewhere in the sermon I mentioned that Minhee was sick.

Then, last night, our doorbell started ringing. First with the Kahn's dropping off some delicious pastries and desserts. Then with the Hur's who brought over Chinese food and a wonderful "study package" for Minhee as she prepares for her boards (this was offered by Ina, Chin & Hye-Chun's 4 year old daughter :). And finally the Go's arrived with a giant bowl of soup. All of this arrived in the same hour and Minhee called me and said "I feel bombarded by love!"

If you know Minhee, she doesn't say stuff like that too often so I knew she was stunned by these simple actions of our community. And this makes me very happy today. Thanks all!!

Inventions

2009-02-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

For those who have been checking my blog for updates on sitting out at Planned Parenthood I apologize for not updating more regularly as of late. I will do better. But for today I am going to go a little more light-hearted. I often have ideas for inventions or innovations that cross my mind so I am going to write down a few of my favorites in no particular order. And if you have some good ideas I'd love to hear about them.

#1. Night Reading Glasses
I like to read in bed before I fall asleep but Minhee can't sleep with the light on. So I'd love to see a pair of glasses created that could read a certain kind of print or ink in the dark. This would require that the book either be printed on special paper or a special highlighter to apply the necessary chemical to the pages. But in the end what would be impossible to read in the dark becomes illuminated when you put the glasses on - similar to blacklight technology.

#2. The Detergent Lined Laundry Bag
This is a bag that you collect dirty clothes in, and then when full, is simply closed up and shoved into the washing machine. The bag is designed so that it disolves in water and has detergent built into the lining of the bag so when the water comes on the bag simply disolves and the detergent is released into the load of laundry.

#3. The Solid/See-Through Refrigerator Door
The air-conditioner is the only thing in the home that uses more electricity than the fridge. And one of the biggest portions of consumption for the fridge is the door opening and closing all the time. So I'd like to see a fridge door that is solid colored usually but can become translucent (they already have this w/ mirrors/windows in bathrooms). That way you can go to the fridge and instead of opening it to see what's inside you simply make the door translucent and keep from wasting energy. This is both fun to do and the green alternative for saving energy!

#4. New Ziploc Technology
Continuing on the fridge line, I'd also like to see Ziploc storage containers that had a built in pop-up timer. So you cook something and then put it away to store it and there is some mechanism that pops up after 5 days so you know it's old and to throw it out. Unfortunately, I am one of those guys who lets things sit in the fridge for weeks...months...even years!?!

#5. The Toilet Step
I am still amazed that we have trash cans w/ step lids but not toilets. I don't quite know how we can call ourselves civilized while still bending over to lay hands on the toilet seat to pull it up or down. This is especially true of public restrooms. A step to put the seat up or down must be coming soon. Alternatively, a programmable voice-activated lid would also be acceptable. I would name my lid "Lord Vader" and just sit in the bathroom all day saying in a deep voice "Lord Vader, Rise!" w/ Star Wars music playing in the background.

Afternoons May Be Better

2009-01-13T10:08:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday I went with Minhee, Yumiko and OeiMae to Planned Parenthood. But for the first time we went in the afternoon rather than in the morning so there were no protesters. This made for a much quieter experience and it seemed that far more people passing by were able to read our sign.

Not many details to go into here but I think we'll be going back in the afternoons for the next weeks to see what kind of differences there may be.

Keep praying please...

A New Version of Christmas

2008-12-26T10:25:00.000-05:00

For the first time in my life I didn’t get to spend either Christmas Eve or Christmas with my family this year. Even having lived for years overseas I still managed to make it back to that small town in Illinois to spend the holiday at home. And there is a genuine sadness and loss at not being with them yesterday.

But this Christmas introduced the new reality of my life. The first reality is that home is no longer Illinois, but Boston. And more specifically, wherever Minhee is. The second is that my occupation no longer allows me to travel over Christmas. As associate pastor I could still sneak away for the holidays but as lead pastor I cannot. And the third is that, given the first two realities, I now enter into that group of misfits who, at Christmas, will still be in a city where we have no family to gather with for Christmas dinner.

And that became very real at our home yesterday. Last night we had about 15 people over for Christmas dinner at our home. And as we feasted on ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, butternut squash (loaded w/ delicious garlic), green beans and some yummy chocolate cake for dessert, I truly got a small taste of what heaven would be like.

It seemed that the far corners of the earth were sitting at our table last night, a group of geographical misfits all living in Boston and looking for family at Christmas anywhere we could find it. We did have a couple of locals and a few folks whose families are stateside but just weren’t able to make it back to L.A., San Francisco, or wherever they are from. But others were truly a world away from home. Yumi from Japan, Dae and Maria (w/ daughter Olivia) from Australia, twin sisters Noi and Nuchy from Thailand, and Neil and Katy (w/ daughter Jasmine) from the UK… all geographical misfits.

But as we prayed, and ate, and talked, and opened small gifts, my heart was full. Christmas in Illinois is always a really wonderful time and I am very sad to have missed it. Christmas w/ my mom and dad, brother, grandparents, uncle and cousins is a defining picture of where I come from, and I love it. But Christmas this year was a defining picture of where I am going, and I loved that too. Dinner last night made me long even more for heaven, to gather with the nations of the world, those of us who had lived as resident aliens together on this earth, and to once and for all belong, to fit in, and to be with family forever.

Choose Adoption - Day #2

2008-12-15T08:37:00.000-05:00

On Saturday morning we took to the streets again. This week Minhee was able to come with me and we were joined by Roger & Phyllis Myung, Paul and Helen Kahn and Jane Chang who graciously provided coffee and donuts!! It was only 30 degrees so the coffee was essential for survival.

Again, this week we had no response from any woman entering or leaving the clinic...and sadly, there were many. And again, there were loads of protesters on the streets but there were also "Planned Parenthood Escorts" standing outside. The escorts had special vests on identifying themselves and were all volunteers, there to help bring the women through the crowd and into the clinic. And it is the juxtaposition between the protesters and escorts that informs my reflection for this week.

THE PROTESTERS
Just like last week, the protesters were almost exclusively caucasian men and women, Roman Catholic, and 60 years old or more. Some were standing in front of the clinic when we arrived passing out literature and trying to engage those entering the clinic in dialogue but the vast majority arrived after we were already there. They had formed a large group a few blocks away and eventually made their way to the clinic in a parade-like procession. As they walked they sang songs, shouted Hail Mary's and recited the Lord's prayer. They stopped in front of the clinic and kept vigil there for the next 90 minutes, all the while singing and praying.

THE ESCORTS
These folks could not have been more different from the protesters they stood next to. The escorts were men and women and they were young (most of them in their late 20's and 30's). They stood calmly and silently for the majority of the morning, only becoming active when a young woman was approaching the clinic. Sometimes they would approach the woman to walk her in. At other times they would actively walk/stand between the woman and protesters who were approaching her, standing as a shield between the two.

When Minhee and I arrived there were both a couple of protesters and escorts on the street. I approached one of the escorts to ask about where we were planning to sit. He was courteous and told us where we wanted to settle was fine. On the other hand, the protesters seemed aggressive and angry immediately telling us the escorts wouldn't give us any helpful information. And here is heart of my reflection...

If I am a young woman approaching this clinic I see two very different groups of people. I see older men and woman holding rosaries, shouting prayers (some over personal amplifiers) and marching around. They come off as aggressive and upset and I can tell that I am not their friend.

I also see a group of people standing quietly but approaching to help me. They are young, they look like me, and they are coming to help me. Their job is wholly to cover and protect me and to help me get where I am going. They do seem like friends...or at least like they could be friends.

And as we sat there on Saturday my heart broke again. Jesus stood over the woman caught in adultery and when everyone else wanted to stone her for what she had done it was Jesus who covered and protected her until the crowd dispersed. And as I sat on the street on Saturday I saw a bunch of people holding pictures of Jesus in their hands and claiming to speak on his behalf. And then I saw others who had no pictures of Jesus but were standing as protectors from the crowd just the way Jesus did. And I was confused.

As we enter week #3 of this experiment I find that my desire to protect the unborn and to adopt a baby is as strong as ever. But with that, I also find my compassion for the women who enter that clinic is growing and I hope so much that over time I will find a way to be the voice in the crowd that is able to speak words of protection and compassion over both woman and child. I don't yet know exactly how to do that but those are the words and courage I am now looking for.

Choose Adoption - Day #1

2008-12-03T13:04:00.000-05:00

Wow!! Not what I expected. There is so much to process but I'm going to write it raw - literally - straight from the street.

First off, I was very fortunate to have the fearless Yumiko Nakagawa and Dave Swaim out there with me today. It was a huge boost not being alone on day one. Let me give you a brief rundown of what happened and then follow that with a few reflections.

We arrived around 9:30am and immediately found a host of protestors on the street in front of the clinic. They were typical protestors, predominantly Roman Catholic, all over 50 years old, and all Caucasian. Many had signs, some had rosaries and a few were handing out literature to random pedestrians. For the most part they were actually pretty pleasant, simply doing their best to save a life.

The problem came with a priest who was there. He was not respectful or pleasant, but harsh and mean. As women would enter or exit the clinic he would begin to scream "This is a killing facility, don't murder your baby!" and then quickly enter into a song "Lord, have mercy" or he would pray.

There was a biker who stopped and began yelling at this priest, which I find hard to blame him for, but the priest did not relent. Eventually the biker rode off and as he left the priest yelled "Jesus loves you" to which the biker passionately responded "I don't want his f***ing love, he's f***ing dead, and I hope you f***ing die too!" Needless to say, I was sick to my stomach at this point and wondering just what I was getting myself into. And the thought of sitting next to these protestors and perhaps being found guilty by association became a bit scary. So Yumi, Dave and I decided to do some scouting and research first.

We talked to a number of the protestors there and got a ton of information. Almost all of the abortions apparently happen in the morning, between 7:30am - 11am (tues-sat). The organizer of the protestors who has been doing this for decades said that this clinic alone does about 20 abortions per day. If that is correct that means this one clinic performs over 5,000 abortions each year (which is probably about right since this is Boston's primary abortion clinic and there are an average of 1.3 million abortions each year in America).

After about an hour of discussion and research we found a spot, sat down and I put out my sign. We sat there for about an hour and a half. Nobody talked to us but people did read my sign. I heard one young woman say to her friend with a surprised and enthusiastic tone "I like that sign!" So I was encouraged by that. But overall our time was free of any drama or incident.

And now that day one is over here are my three initial reflections:

We need to quiet the voices of those that only serve to harden the hearts of those that pass by. I am convinced that the screaming priest saved no lives but did inspire deep frustration and bitterness. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for young women whose lives are already spinning from an unplanned pregnancy who then have to walk past a priest screaming "Murderer!" in their ears. This Sunday I am preaching on the woman caught in adultery in John 8 and that priest this morning sure looked like a Pharisee with a rock. Seriously, "Lord have mercy!"
This is going to take a long time. If I had any warm and fuzzy visions about the effectiveness of this strategy they are gone now. To find a woman who will make this crazy and difficult decision to let us adopt her child will not be easy. And I'm not sure a clever sign or a desiring couple will change that. We definitely need a little bit of Holy Spirit for this job.
There is hope. One young woman who was going to Planned Parenthood this morning for her abortion did turn back and went instead to a crisis pregnancy center nearby (called "A Woman's Concern") to consider the options of parenting or adoption. So there are women who do change their minds in the last moments.

My greatest sadness is that I will only be there one morning per week which means the women who go in the other 4 days will not see my sign. If that one courageous mother is out there I sure hope God puts me at the right place at the right time.

Thanks for reading...

Choose Adoption

2008-12-02T09:35:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is a big day. I feel like a kid getting ready for his first day of kindergarten. I've thought about what I will wear, what I need to bring with me and about what others will think of me. I am both nervous and excited and not sure exactly what to expect.

Minhee and I have now been married almost 6 years and over the course of our marriage we have grown more and more excited about making adoption a part of our family make-up. As Christians we know very well that we were children without hope. And yet God in his mercy, and through great personal sacrifice, brought us as sons and daughters into his family. And that truth inspires us to invite other children, though not born to us physically, fully into our family and to love them fully as our own.

At the same time, for as long as I can remember I have held deep passions around the issue of abortion. Most obviously for the unborn children who are left unprotected in our nation and are not given their Biblical and constitutional right to life. But also for the mothers who are left with such an overwhelmingly difficult decision and who are often left feeling that there is no right or winning choice.

And in light of these two things I had an idea a few months ago. What if these two issues got married? It turns out there is a Planned Parenthood clinic within walking distance of our new apartment, what if I make a sign and sit out in front of that location asking some woman to consider allowing us to adopt her baby? What if she was given a winning choice and the chance to be the hero in this crazy situation she finds herself in? What might happen?

As soon as the idea came I knew I wanted to do it. In part because it allows Minhee and me the great privilege of starting a family and in part because it gives me the chance to stand up for these unborn children in a way that juxtaposes the traditional Christian protester, instead speaking a strong word with (I hope) love and compassion. But as we thought about it more the concept wasn't quite as simple and straightforward as we first thought.

Not only does this open us up to adoption of any race or ethnicity, but it also opens us up to more complicated issues. What if there is a developmental problem with the baby? What if there is drug abuse? If some courageous mother accepted this invitation but was carrying a child with these issues, is there any way we could deny her? I hope not. But if there is no saying no, then what might "yes" mean? Minhee and I struggled through these questions together until we were ready to move forward - which is now.

And so tomorrow begins the next chapter in this story as I take the sign that Paul Kahn so patiently and skillfully designed (pictured above) and sit down in front of that Planned Parenthood clinic. I am actually really nervous which doesn't happen much to me, but also very excited to be taking the next step.

I've been really inspired by the support I've received from those of you who know what's going on and have also been asked to keep people up to date with how things are going. So, at least in the near future, I'm going to be posting previews and afterthoughts here on my blog so that those who are interested will know what's happening.

Please pray for Minhee and me and even more for some outstandlingly courageous mother.

wemaysing

2008-11-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

God gives good gifts and one of the gifts i enjoy the most is music. i am not gifted musically but i take great joy in those who are. and one of the people whose gift i enjoy the most is my good friend oeimae.

oeimae helps w/ worship at our church which is great. but it's actually some of those more private moments, sitting around in the living room or at a retreat, when she picks up the guitar and begins to play and sing, that i enjoy the most. recently she created her first youtube video which is instructional for those playing the guitar. but it's also enjoyable for those who just want to listen and enjoy like me. take a listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deCiG-c0_KI

John 1:2-4 (ESV)

2008-10-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

"He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men."

I played football in High School and at the beginning of my football career I was very afraid of injury, and by association, hitting people hard – or getting hit. A good word by one of my coaches helped me get over that fear and my second year was much better, but still I was just average.

But I remember after my sophomore year my dad saying to me “Josh, you should have been voted MVP of that team.” Now, my dad was wonderfully biased and I know that he was wrong about that. But his words CREATED something new in me. A sense of confidence and strength was born that had not been there before.

In my junior and senior years I blossomed as a player. I broke records on defense (interceptions) and offense (scoring). I wasn’t much different physically but internally I was completely changed. My dad’s biased words, though not fully accurate at the time, had created the shadow of a reality that I began to step into. I had no idea at the moment he spoke what power those words would end up having – it was only after that it became clear.

John 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning was the Word” and that “the Word was God”. And then verse 3 tells us that through this Word all things were made and that without that Word nothing was made.

In this text we find out that the Word had the power of creation. That as he spoke something was brought from nothing and that all we see, hear, feel, touch and taste was brought into existence simply by God speaking it into existence.

Now, in part that should leave us in awe and wonder at the power of God’s spoken Word. He can say “Flower grow!” and a field of daisies will just pop up. He can say “Mountain rise!” and the land will rise at his instruction. He can say “Give me a light!” and the sun and stars begin to shine. He can say “Give me a drink!” and the oceans are filled with water.

Even more inspiring is that he can say “Pick up your mat” and the lame will walk. He can say “Open your eyes” and the blind will see. He can even say “Lazarus, come out!” and the dead will rise. A quick glimpse into the power of God’s Word leaves us dazed with humility.

And while that should rightly leave us in awe and wonder, it should also give us pause before we speak. As God’s “image-bearers” our words tend to also have the power of creation, perhaps not in the same way or to the same degree as He whose image we bear, but creation all the same.

Tell a young man his outstanding traits, perhaps those he has not yet considered, and they will become a bright and shining part of his own identity. Tell a young woman her glaring flaws and sadness and insecurities that had never even been considered before will seep deep into her heart and soul. Our words often have the power to bring life, or to see life extinguished.

For the Word made flesh (as we’ll see in 1:14) his words were words of life. This is part of why verse 4 says “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Where death had rule the Word brought life. I often wonder if Jesus, at the end of his 3 days of death, did not hear the voice of his Father calling him back to life. I know that my life has been full of moments when my own father spoke life into me, I can only imagine Jesus’ Father doing the same.

But this also inspires me as I speak. I want my words to be words that build, encourage, inspire, love…and even create. I want my words, whether spoken to the closest of friends or to the stranger on the street, to be light in a world that may feel very, very dark. I want my words to be full of life and for that life to be a light in dark places.

John 1:1 (ESV)

2008-10-20T13:49:00.000-04:00

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. "

Johns’ gospel powerfully starts with three very important words: “In the beginning”. John’s gospel is so cleverly written which we see right from the start. My view is that in these few short words John is referencing 2 points of literature that have come before his.

His first reference is to the opening of his contemporary, Mark’s, gospel. Mark opens his book with “the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” And while this is true in the sense that Mark 1:1 is the beginning of his gospel (or history) about Jesus, it is not the beginning of the story of Jesus overall. I think this informs us partially on why John starts the way he does. Having access to Mark’s writing John wants to further explain that the beginning of Jesus’ story is not found in John the Baptist or a manger scene but that it reaches far back before that. Thus, we have his second literary reference.

John begins his gospel with the very same words as the opening to the Book of Genesis. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” In starting his gospel with these words John further explains that Jesus has been around from the very start. He is not a character in a book that enters halfway through but rather the words behind the book itself. The entire book is but an extension of his voice but he is not dependant on it for his existence any more than the author of a book is. He is before it, pre-existent, or in the words of Jesus to the Jewish mob later in John 8, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

This is, of course, a bold claim. The mob in John 8 picks up stones to kill Jesus because they immediately recognize this claim to be a divine one, that he is God himself. And unable to believe that Jesus is God they receive his words as blasphemy and appropriately try to kill him.

But John believes and proclaims this part of Jesus from moment one. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is God, and the rest of what John writes, from 1:2 – 21:25 only make sense after that truth is firmly established.

Personal Devotions

2008-10-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

for the next bit of time i'm going to be posting short devotionals on the book of john. if you happen to read one and would like to add discussion, debate or further devotion please feel free....

the "sushi steal"

2008-09-03T08:35:00.000-04:00

last night a few of us helped tina lam and christina shin move into their new place right in the heart of coolidge corner. afterwards we walked over to 'blue ocean' to grab some dinner. and while sitting at our table the young couple next to us got up and left. however, they left behind two full pieces of a soft-shell crab roll - which is sinful.

being the holy rollers that we are, while the waitress was distracted the fearless tommy wong got up and grabbed the two pieces off their plate and we each ate one. mmmmmm...sushi is even better when it's stolen!

The Greatest Golfer I have ever seen!

2008-07-30T12:26:00.000-04:00

many know that i love to play golf. i grew up playing with my brother, dad and grandfather and it is a game that i am passionate about. in terms of my ability - i am decent. 3 years ago highrock had a summer golf day and i had the best score by 10 strokes. so you can imagine my surprise 2 years ago when i went golfing with a friend (rob go) and he was spectacularly better than me. i had always considered myself decent - but when i saw him play i was wonderfully humbled. in fact, until last summer when i actually went to a pga tour event and watched mickelson and woods play (head to head no less - and mickelson won!! :) rob was the greatest golfer i had ever seen with my own two eyes. i once told rob that if he wanted me to i would gladly caddie for him at anytime just b/c i enjoy watching him so much.

it is for this reason that i had full confidence in what you see in this video. while my wife and others yelled from the side worried that my antics might bring about injury...i knew better. i knew that the only thing that could possibly happen with rob trying to lob a ball right over my head - was rob lobbing a ball right over my head. he's that good - and it was a fun moment! enjoy :)

big smile and big day

2008-07-14T19:44:00.000-04:00

today is roger myung's birthday. roger is a great friend, a fantastic help on my sermons and an overseer of our church. we elected him overseer because of his spiritual disposition and aversion to silly antics as expressed in this picture. gotta love the fun of mac's.