this semester has been completely different than the last one in every aspect.
i feel much more relaxed, comfortable and stable here. korea feels like home. its normal, safe, and familiar.
these days i'm learning the language...slowly. i'm using a book that a korean language center wrote...by koreans, so its a little hard to follow, but i'm slowly getting there. its fascinating learning a language...i'm discovering how so many small things koreans think or do has a lot to do with their language and its logic. its really helped me as i try to understand and get to know this culture and minister to these people.
school life is going really well. i'm still teaching Bible to every grade and i've also attached a writing elective class once a week and a speaking class twice a week. the students are much more relaxed with me and me with them and its made a huge difference in classroom management and discipline. although, of course 7th grade boys still exist :)
there are so many things about my class i wish i could change still, and i find myself at times walking out of class and wondering, "God, how the heck are you going to use that?"
sometimes i get an answer by a student coming and telling me they enjoyed the class.
sometimes i don't get an answer.
the point is i'm here and there is no doubt in my mind this is the place i need to be. and that somehow, through me, He is receiving the glory. that is the point. of everything.
next year i'm planning a high school course for tenth grade. i have free reign with it so i'm going to take the things i'm interested in and put something hopefully great together. i'm excited about it. but i'm also not as motivated as i would like to be. sometimes i find myself crashing because i have too many ideas running through my head that i can't deal with it so i just freak out and don't do anything.
but just as i'm learning about submitting control over a lot of things in my life, i'm also learning how prayer is so pivotal in this. currently i'm reading "the celebration of discipline" by richard foster, and i'm re-reading "paul in fresh perspective" by n.t. wright, weird combo i know, but its incredible how the theological and the practical come together and are both teaching me amazing things about my communion with God and others.
my school is going through some hard times these days. church unity has become a key issue as we strive for God's peace in dealing with tough issues in the church. Ephesians has become a pivotal book for me in processing this as it teaches us as a church who we are and therefore what we are called to do together.
these days i've also passed the TESOL which is a certificate that basically just says i'm capable to teach english overseas. i was pretty excited about it, since there's no telling where God will take me next after korea.
i'm also working on my master's at covenant. upon the winter break i will change my degree to a double masters in theology and education. we're (the school and i) are hoping we can work it out so i can do a majority of it overseas, including my field hours and capstone...since most of the field hours i'm actually already doing. i'll take a systematic theology course over the winter break which i'm really excited about!
other than that on the weekends and days off i've been going into seoul with some good friends and seeing everything i can. haven't made any trips this semester...its been nice to explore the area around me and become more familiar with it.
i also go to Saemmul Christian Church. its a korean church where the Park's my korean family goes and where i have an english bible study on sunday mornings before church with an american pastor, mr. b. its been such a grace to worship with others in a different tongue. i do not understand the sermons (yet) but for me right now its the community that's important. and the bible study in the mornings is always good food for thought. the Lord has also been teaching me a lot as i've been reading through Kings and Paul's letters more thoroughly.
i'll be 25 in just a couple weeks. and just two months after that i'll be home again. that's right guys i'll be home december 22 though end of february! that's two months! i'm pretty sure i landed the best deal possible with teaching overseas. because you guys at home mean everything to me....and because of that i don't think i could do what so many people do here and stay years without coming home. nope. i gotta get me my Lou fix.
thanks for all the prayers. i feel them and am very thankful for all of you who pray for me and think of me and read my updates. i'm going to try to be more consistent with keeping up with my weekly endeavors...if i think they're interesting enough. here's some pictures of noteworthy events in the last month and a half of seoul searching.
also here's an article by WCA, my former high school and the ones that are responsible for bringing me to Korea, about me and my ministry in Korea. i am so thankful for them and their global ministry for the Kingdom.
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5c206a1e708852b81fd9447b8&id=19b5911594&e=903275580a
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