okay, well, welcome friends...i had a lot i wanted to write in here last night, but my mind is going blank now. i think i'm on caffeine overload. :P

the previous two posts are old email messages i sent out to people so you may have already read them. but, in any case, i wanted to introduce you to wumanjoo's blogspot. come back as often as you wish! and if you get bored with the things i write about, give me a topic, and i'll give it a spin.

have a great labor day weekend!

(here is something else i wrote on march 26 of this year...ah, the memories!)

Dear Friends,

Hello from Maryland! I felt like writing and filling you in on the happenings here. Read if you so please.
:)

In case you didn't know, I flew to Maryland to spend time with my family before my parents leave for Russia as missionaries. Yesterday my parents and Mr. & Mrs. Han (long-time family friends who will be going to Russia with my parents) were commissioned by our old home church. My sister Mee, brother Dae, and I came from out of town to be at this service. We brought a camera along, expecting to be mere spectators that morning. Little did we know what would really take place..........

After attending the English service, my siblings and I make our way to the front of the sanctuary where we meet up with Esther and Lois, the daughters of Mr. & Mrs. Han. We sit down, and Esther mentions how we would be going up on-stage with our parents. "What?! No one told us this!" we exclaim. To myself I'm thinking I might have worn something different if I had known…like a conservative suit or something, ya know?

We proceed to look around for our parents to ask if this is, in fact, true. My dad comes by and gives each of us a hymnal. He tells us to turn to hymn #355 and mentions that we will be singing this during the commissioning. Esther jokingly says, "So I guess we're going to be singing this in front of the congregation." My dad, not hearing Esther, says, "Our families are going to be singing this together when we get up there." "What?!" we all exclaim. Esther says, "I was only joking!" We all chime in, "We don't know this song? How are we supposed to sing it?"

I glance down again at the hymn. Okay…I can read music (somewhat)…and read Korean (kinda), but both at the same time? I decided I would need to study the hymn before the service begins. I hum the tune. I realize the melody seems familiar, so I figure I can sorta follow along. I read the words in English of the hymn titled, "Call'd of God, We Honor the Call".

The head pastor then sits down in the row in front of us. Turning around he asks, "Are you guys ready to send your parents off? Oh, I see you have the hymnals open to #355. (We acknowledge our ignorance of this piece of music.) You don't know it? (He gives a concerned look.) Hmmm…yeah, just go ahead and follow along. Oh, and it would be nice if one of you could introduce all the family members to the congregation." At this point all five of us have a little dispute. To me they say, "You're the oldest. You should do the introductions." "Wait. Who speaks the best Korean here?" Looking at my brother, "You're the only male here. You should do the introductions." "Lois, you're the youngest." "How do you say 'second daughter' in Korean?"

This is going to be interesting…

My parents sit down next to us. My mom asks us why we didn't pick up the English translation kits from the information desk. We shrug and figure we'll make do without it. The sanctuary fills to near capacity; the choir makes their way on-stage; the service begins.

Sitting there, I can't help but feel a bit out of place in a setting that is both foreign and familiar. After a hymn, responsive reading, the reciting of the Apostle's Creed, prayer, the choir, announcements…the pastor announces the commissioning. He motions for us to all come up on-stage.

Esther, Lois, and Mee decide not to take the hymnals on-stage. I guess they figure it won't happen. I take mine along just in case and so does my brother. We stand dutifully next to our parents, but when the pastor asks for introductions, no one budges. We never did decide who should do them. The pastor then asks the fathers to introduce their children. I sigh with relief, not because I fear speaking in front of 700 people, but because my Korean sucks.

The pastor at that point decides to ask if one of the children would like to share how they are feeling about sending their parents to Russia. He turns around. Everyone's eyes turn to me. I hesitate and hope someone else steps forward. Again, it's not because I fear speaking in front of 700 people, but because my Korean sucks. I realize there is no way out of it, so I move towards the microphone muttering to my mom about not speaking in Korean as I pass by her. I mutter the same thing to the pastor.

I begin by apologizing in Korean for not being able to speak in Korean. Switching to English, I don't say more than three words before I start getting emotional. After gaining some composure, I look around and see women pulling out tissues and handkerchiefs from their purses. I say a few more words and make my way back to my place in line.

The pastor presents the commissioning certificates to my parents and the Han's. Then we sing the song, hymn #355. Mrs. Han looks over at the pianist who hurriedly makes her way on-stage. The only voices I hear are Mrs. Han, my dad, and sometimes my mom. I give it all I got, using my best hymnal voice. No, it isn't a stellar performance, but words of the hymn make up for what our voices lack. We make it through all three verses, and the pastor motions for us to take our seats.

After we take our seats, my dad and Mr. Han give their testimony and share prayer requests. At this point I wish I had picked up an English translation kit. What I could gather from my dad's sharing is that after years of living in America--raising a family, living day to day--he is happy to be able to use the remaining years of his life for something meaningful and worthwhile (not that raising ME was not worthwhile), but something eternal, something for God's Kingdom.

I know my parents have wanted to be back in ministry for a long time, and I am grateful that they are getting their chance. My parents are a blessing to me, and despite the fact that we were all so unprepared for this commissioning, I was certainly glad to be there.

Joo

(this was something i wrote 10/20/1999. i kept it and decided to post it here...)

Perhaps you will think I am strange to be writing this email, especially if I am a near-stranger to you. In any case, if you choose to read this (it is a choice), I hope it's worth your time.

Yesterday I found myself in somewhat of a funk. Such a thing will happen on occassion, so there is no reason for alarm. It's just one of those days when I find myself whispering, "God, I need You."

I was dragging my feet most of the day knowing that I would be staying late at the office to make some phone calls. Part of me thought it best to leave early. What would I have to say to these people? I'm suppossed to be calling them to hear what God is doing in their lives and to encourage them in any way I can. Needless to say, I wasn't feeling up to it.

As the six o'clock hour was approaching, the sky began to change its color. "It looks like it will be a beautiful sunset," I said to myself.

A co-worker who was also staying late brewed a fresh pot of coffee. We sat by my window sipping our caffeine and drinking in the marvelous reds and oranges in the sky. The clouds had chosen to gather around the sun that evening as if they knew they could make the sunset more beautiful.

And my whispering changed. It was no longer "God, I need You" but "Thank You, God."

I found it hard to tear myself away from the window; I wanted to catch the lingering hues. But I finally resumed my work. And when I did, I was able to instant message with someone I hadn't talked to in a while, I was able to talk with people and realize I have nothing to complain about, and later that evening, I found encouragement through His Word.

And today I'm still whispering, "Thank You, God!"

ahhh...finally...an opportunity to express myself in cyberworld. thanks for the info on blogging, lauren. :) hmmmm...and already i wonder, do i make this post public? do i allow anyone to read my thoughts and musings? do i allow such vulnerability? perhaps the anonymity of typing on a computer is enough...perhaps.

well, if i happen to write anything profound enough for someone to actually WANT to read...but for most people my writing will be simple dribble-drabble. oh, no, that's impossible! i would never write something dribblish! random, maybe, but not dribblish!

hey, i'm liking this already! writing is therapeutic, eh?

okay, i'm just checking to see if this works. i'll have to write something more meaningful next time...