Election day is over, and the results are in. We have a new president to push us forward to the years to come. The day after election day can be the hardest for many people. Especially people who voted. We want our vote to count and matter and we want the person we vote for to win. Unfortunately, in elections there is only one winner and one loser. But what matters that Americans participate in the voting system and that we have all collectively selected a president, a senator, a house representative, and a governor. These are the people that will make a difference in this country and the world. These are the people we select to make the decisions that would be the best for the country. As Americans we have to trust this process, trust in each other, and trust in God. The day after election day is about winners and losers. Whichever side you stand right now, know that what matters the most is that we need to still come together. It hasn’t been easy to come together as Americans for the last 10 years. We are getting more and more divided as the years go by. But regardless of who sits at the seat of highest power and influence in the United States of America, one thing is always certain. They are never above God. We pray and hope that the person who sits in power realizes this, humbles themselves before the Great I Am, and finds all wisdom, decision making on the behalf of God’s guidance. We the people as well have a responsibility the day after election day. That is to continue to be good to each other. No retaliation, no harm, or hurt will be done to anyone. We are Americans and we stand together before God and God alone. This is not a day to gloat, but to celebrate and come together. It is not a day to attack our fellow neighbor, but to embrace them once again. Nothing about how we treat other people will change because we have a new president. Treat each other with compassion, kindness, and dignity. Today is a new day, and we begin the point of transition, and we move forward into the years of the unknown. We did our part yesterday, now we pray, and lift our heads up high. Once again, and always, God bless America.
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What is Your Favorite Disney Character? Norah was asked this question by her friend Ella. And Norah without hesitation said, “Darth Vader.” What? Really? Darth Vader?! What in the world am I raising here. Now technically Star Wars is now owned by Disney, so any character in Star Wars is a Disney character. So, yes, Darth Vader is the correct answer. But I guess when I think of Disney characters I think, those Disney princesses and I sort of expected Norah to respond to the above question to be answered as any of the numerous Disney princesses. Norah is a girl! My little girl! She should be liking Disney princesses, right? Or at least she should be liking the good guys. But she didn’t answer what I expected. She answered that her favorite character is Darth Vader. Darth Vader, the most ruthless, intimidating, powerful dark side Sith lord, dictator, of the Star War’s galaxy. That is her favorite. She went from liking unicorns, narwhals, fairies, dolls, cute things, to now liking Darth Vader. But I think she still likes unicorns and all that cute stuff, but let's just add Darth Vader in the mix now. But I guess I should have seen it coming. I mean she has Darth Vader decorated on her purple crocs. Her crocs are decorated with the Death Star, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader. Yeah… all bad guys…. She took off the Millennial Falcon, R2D2, and C3PO decoration from her crocs. She only liked the bad guys apparently. So… She likes the Dark Side of the Force apparently. Well, she isn’t a little girl anymore. But she is still my girl. And I also agree, the Dark Side of the Force is Star Wars is so dang cool. So, I don’t mind it too much, I guess. Also, for Halloween she went from wanting to dress like frozen characters, to now wanting to be a scary vampire. Norah cannot be the same when she was a little baby girl. She is changing and she will like what she thinks is “cool.” The things she now enjoys is changing and becoming more diverse. And it should be. I cannot expect her to always like princessy things anymore. She will grow and she will change. And that is what our faith should be like as well. As life gets more and more complicated, our faith journey should be expanding and growing. As we face life challenges, is should also challenge belief as well, not to destroy it but to refine it. So never think about the way that God spoke to you when you were a child is going to be the same when you are 30 or 50 or 70 or 80 years old. God is unchangeable, but the way He speaks to you will be different. God knows what you need and God knows all the things we go through in every stage of our life requires different answers to every challenge in every age with go through. We should be going through change in understanding our faith from the song, “Jesus Loves Me” to “Amazing Grace” to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” to Bless be the Tide that Binds.” These hymns are a reflection of our journey with Christ, from little, to maturity, to aging, to the end, and everlasting. Life goes from being simple to complicated, and our faith should be growing just the same. Just remember the challenges that we face in life, the challenges of our faith and belief are all part of the process to become stronger and getting closer to God. And never fret about these challenges, because Jesus is there with you guiding you through this process. The world may change. You may change. Your faith may grow. But remember what never changes is how much God loves you! Have confidence in that! So much pressure when I am trying to get the kids’ lunches ready in the morning for school. I always have 2 pair of eyes watching me as I make turkey sandwiches. Their eyes feel like it is piercing through my heart! I can almost feel what they are feeling, the desperation and need to just get a little bite. I don’t know which one is worse, the cat or the dog. Because the cat is vocal, very vocal. Meowing and crying constantly. And I know that our cat has perfected her cries so well that it garners attention. Meanwhile, my dog is silent. She just sits there in the kitchen watching, not making the slightest noises. No barking, no whining, not even the slightest movement. Our dog will just sit there silently and patiently…. Drooling… drooling a ton, as if she is forming the newest Great Lake, named Lake Superior Drool. So, I feel so much pressure to give some food to my cat and dog while I make turkey sandwiches. I now feel that I am obligated to give them just a little. But before I even give them the tiniest food, I have to make sure I finish making the food for the kids lunch, clean up everything and put the food away while saving a little nub for the cat and dog. Because if I give the cat and dog too early, like in the food making process, they will continue to be relentless in their begging technique. So, I got to wait till the end. And only when I give them a little treat, the pressure for me will end. I can feel relief and feel peace. And when you think about it, life is just like trying to make sandwiches in the morning while hungry animals are begging right in front of you. Life is all about pressure, and most of the time the pressure we feel is because of other people, and that other people have their eyes on us. Pressure in the workplace is because your boss, colleagues, workers, and even “customers” have their eyes on you to see your “performance” and whether that “performance” is up to their standards of excellence. Pressure in school is often felt because of how concerned we are about what other people think about us, or how my grades might impress friends, teachers, or parents. Pressure is all around us because we tend to focus our attention on other people and that their opinions might matter to how we feel. We often focus on the eyes that are on us, feeling people’s gaze and hoping that we do everything we can to satisfy the people around us. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking needs to end. Our happiness, our being, our life should not be controlled by other people’s opinions. Who really cares what people think. We will never be able to make all people happy anyways! The truth is you can make some people happy but then other people may feel unhappy. Your teacher may give you high praises for being a good student, but some of your classmates might ridicule you for being a “teacher’s pet.” You might impress the boss with your work ethic, but your work peers may see your work ethics as a threat to their job performance, and then they may isolate you from workplace relationships. You can never win all people over and satisfy all people’s hunger. So, stop trying. Jesus’ ministry was full of disappointment. No matter what he did, there is always some to criticize him. When he heals people, the religious authority questions Jesus’ authority to heal people. When Jesus gives a message to the disciples, the disciples leave Him because the message is too difficult. When all Jesus wants to do is serve God, His family calls Him crazy. If we learn anything from Jesus, it is simply that we cannot please all people, it is impossible. But this never stopped Jesus is serving people well. Regardless of Him facing rejection and criticism, Jesus continues to take care of people no matter what. Because Jesus’ serving, loving, and caring heart for people is never depended on people’s acceptance. Jesus serves others because He loves them, even if they do not love Him back. Jesus serves, because He knows it is the right thing to do, and He does it because He wants to, not because He has too. Love people, service people, it is good to do so, but don’t do it because you are looking for a reward and people’s applause or because you want to make people happy. Love people, serve people because you want to, because service and love gives you happiness and peace. To be honest, I do not think my cat or dog is going to love me less if I do not give them some sandwich meat from making school lunches. Also, I do not think their opinion of me is going to change much if I do give them a taste of what is being made for school lunches. But I give them a treat of it anyways, because… well… I want to. My son’s feet smell like Cheetos. I used to love eating Cheetos… I no longer desire them. After school Ben’s feet have a strong scent of Cheetos! Last year wasn’t like that, as a matter of fact this is the first time his feet smell. And apparently, this is the beginning of the end because it’s only going to smell worse! Apparently, the peak of boy smelliest occurs at ages 12-18, then at 18 you sort of get used to it. After school, every day I have to tell Ben to go upstairs and wash his feet. Sometimes I do it for him, but He’s got to do it on his own. Makes me amazed how Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. All twelve disciples’ feet, 24 feet in total, 24 feet smelling like Cheetos. Then it makes me think maybe Jesus had to wash their feet, not for a theological lesson or an act of servitude, but probably because of the strong smell of Cheetos engulfing the upper room. Now my disclaimer: Cheetos are a lovely smell, when they are directed towards Cheetos… but if something else smells like Cheetos that are not Cheetos… that’s not pleasant. So, I got nothing against Cheetos… I just have a problem when his toes smell like Cheetos. I am kidding about my commentary about Jesus’ feet smelling like Cheetos… I understand that Jesus did this as an act of kindness and a life lesson to teach His disciples. OK… back to what I was saying about feet smell and coming of age. I must understand that even though my son’s feet smell unpleasant and that it will get only worse, I should not despair and feel nauseated. It only means he is growing up and maturing, and that is a good thing! SO, bring on the Chee-Toes! Wonder it next year Ben’s feet will be a different scent... like Fritos, or Cheesecake, or whatever food I once enjoyed that I will now have to give up due to Ben’s feet smelling like the food I enjoy. Who knows. All I know is that this is a sign that he is growing. That amazed me because I still see him as this little boy! But according to his foot smell… he’s no longer a little boy… he’s just A BOY… I must drop the word “little” in describing him now. He is growing up, he is changing. So, I must give thanks to God, to bring this boy out of the little stage and into a new era of becoming. God has led Ben back then, and God will continue to lead Ben now and the days that follow. However, I do pray to God and ask, Does Ben’s feet really need to smell like Cheetos? Also, anyone reading this… Do you want any extra Cheetos… I have regular ones and puff ones. I know I’m not going to eat them for a while. On the internet a while back ago, I encountered a questionnaire that asked one question to the person and that was, “What is the best country in the world?” And you simply answer. But my question is what is considered “the best?” The best in what? Are we answering this question based on education, politics, medical care, retirement, happiness, financial needs, welfare, job opportunities, freedom, religion? Anyways, my answer was obviously biased, because I answered The United States of America as the best country. But I didn’t base it on any of the categories above, I answered because I loved the people and the freedom of individual autonomy, and power of influence. Now I understand that someone else would answer this simple question differently, and answer a different country, which is fine. It is hard to measure what is the best or greatest country in the world. We all have certain biases on what is the best or greatest. A few Sundays ago, we encountered a passage that the disciples were arguing who was the greatest disciple. Jesus, of course, hearing this, responds that if you want to be great you must be last for the first will be last and the last will be first. He continues to reiterate that being last means you must be a servant to all, put other needs ahead of your own. And Jesus continues to tell the disciples, that anyone who accept s a child would be the greatest. A child is Jesus’ metaphor to represent the weak, forgotten, voiceless, and vulnerable in the society. I like Jesus’ answer because His answer is as simple as it gets. It is straightforward and honest and regardless of our biases, Jesus says to help one another, no matter what. Jesus holds no judgement but only wishes that everyone that encounters Him and learns about Him will understand that what He requires is for every person to put others needs ahead of themselves. That is true greatness. Take care of each other and take care of the world. Yes, the world... the little creatures that God has places before us to be caretakers of those little ones. Remember God’s instruction in Genesis, to be caretakers and “namers” of the creatures here below. They are directly influenced by our human activity. We move into next Sunday to celebrate World Communion Day, that day is for all people to recognize God glory and the savior of the world, Jesus Christ. But this day isn’t just for us humans, it is also for all of the creation… the world, the world that includes people, animals, plants, and even inorganic materials such as mountains, valleys, and seas. This upcoming Sunday, people, mountains, and all creatures bow to the one true God, creature of all, and redeemer of all. It is easy for any of us to be bias and focus World Communion Sunday to be a day for us humans… but it is a day for all creation, God’s creation to come together and worship. Mountain bow down, even the wind and waves listen to Jesus’ voice “to be still!” So, let's remember once again what Jesus says, “To be the greatest, you must become servant to all. Anyone who welcomes a child is the greatest.” So, let's make this world worthy of God’s holiness and a reflection of God’s care and love by taking care of each other and all of creation. Show compassion on all people, animals, and the earth. That is be responsible and be caring. So, school has started for my kids which is exciting. They both love their new grades, and teachers, and also reconnecting with friends they haven’t seen over the summer. Ben is now in the 1st grade and Norah is now in the 4th grade. Very cool to see them grow, learn, and just go through life changes. I must say, I am very proud of my kids. But I am starting to realize that both of them will be smarter than Eunkyung and I. They are learning information about 10 times as fast as I did when I was their age. Thanks to the advancement of technology and the internet, they are rapidly learning things that I am incapable of teaching them. After school, I looked over to what Ben was watching on his tablet on YouTube, and the title of the video was, “How to get into Cambridge.” The picture is the proof. I was impressed and also terrified. Ben is either going to be a superhero or a villain. Not too sure… but I asked Ben, what he was watching, just to see if he knew what he was watching. Ben told me that he is watching videos that can help him solve square root equations. Yeah… I was left scratching my head. So, I ask him why he is watching videos of square root problems. His answer was shocking, hurtful, and truthful. He said he is watching these videos because daddy doesn’t know how to solve these math equations. And Ben is absolutely correct. I have no idea. So… what should I do? I guess, whatever Ben is doing, I trust in God to watch over him, because Ben knows and God knows, how incapable I am in teaching him some things he is interested in. Makes me wonder what kind of kid God has given me. I just hope that Ben can still see me as a guide of other things other than intellectual ability! I know I can still be a moral, ethical, and spiritual guide. And I know he still needs help opening his gummy candy snack package, or his sour cream and onion lays potato chip bag, and I can do that. And I also know regardless of how incredibly smart he is getting… he still needs hugs and emotional needs. I know that is something I can do. I may not be the smartest… but I know there is nobody better in the world than Eunkyung and I that gives Ben and Norah the best hugs. So, who cares if I don’t know how to solve square roots problems or that I don't know what ab is when b= -2(1/2a)2 . There are other kinds of support I can give my kids. So… what the heck is Baker Elementary School teaching my kids! Must be teaching them how to push the limits of their own brains! Whatever they are doing over there, I hope they keep up the good work. My kids are happy, healthy, kind, and smart. I just have to keep up with them now. So… I apparently have a cat that loves to sit on my computer or climb into my lap when I am trying to do work. It is hard to just ignore it… especially when Cami (the cat) is on my computer. Apparently, she likes to tap on the computer keys when she isn’t laying on top of the keyboard. So, if there are any typos or anything weird in this post and future posts, there is a reason… I am not having a stroke… I just have a cat. But having a cat, another animal in the house is a big change for me. It’s another being to take care of, and my mornings get busy with getting the kids ready in the morning, making breakfast, now getting them ready for school, and also taking the dog out, feeding the dog, feeding the cat, cleaning up the litterbox and also anything Cami decided to knock over in her nightly activities, and the morning to do list is just getting longer and more extensive. Mornings are more work, and my routine has changed a lot. It is amazing how one little change in your life, can change a lot in your daily life. Since my morning routines are longer, it pushes everything around just a little. Some things I normally do in the morning, I no longer have time to do it, because I don’t have the time anymore, so that means I have to shuffle my schedule around. Honestly, I don’t like changes in my life, never did. God knows this as well. God knows that I am a creature of habit, and I do not like deviating from my daily routine much. But, I also know that God is teaching me to adjust to life changes that is always occurring. Whether it is caring for a cat, or answering a call to do a random visitation, I have to adjust my life accordingly. I have to be willing to change because life isn’t always about routines, and habits. If we know anything about God in the Bible, we know that God is not all about routine and habits. God is always creating, changing, and doing something different. Even when we cannot understand what God is doing… God continues to go His path. We are along for the ride, and we can either learn to adapt and accept His plan, or we can fight against it, and eventually feel stress, anger, and disappointment. Living life well is not always about habits and routines. Living life well includes habits and routines, but also our ability to adapt to any changes that occur in life. Do not get overwhelmed with change, instead know that God is with you when change occurs. And have confidence that God operates and thrives amid change, because He is the author of life, creator or habits, routines, and change. So embrace the moments in life and depend on God who is an expert in overcoming change and creating change. God calls on people to adapt to all things that happen in life. From Abraham moving way from his hometown to follow God in the desert, from Moses answering Gods call to suddenly be a leader for God’s people, to a young prophet named Samuel, and the list goes on. David, Solomon, Mary, Joseph, the calling of all the disciples, and apostle Paul… he narrative of God’s revelation continues through the people that answered the call when their routine and lives changed because of God. So find peace in change, find the voice of God in change, find your mission God may be giving you in the midst of change. So, Cami is the new addition to our family. She is a cat about 2 years old and we have had her for almost one week. Many thanks to Deb from Mending Heart for matching our family up with the perfect cat for us. If anyone is looking at get a cat, give Mending Hearts a call. They can help you find the right one for you. Cami came into our lives, and everything changed. And to be honest change is difficult and scary. For Cami, she was taken out of her place of comfort and familiarity, transported into a car, and placed into a totally new home, that had new smells, new sounds, new territories. And what romped around the home was a big 95lb yellow lab named Suzie. For Cami to feel safe and comfortable, we took baby steps. We placed her in a separate room from Suzie. We basically placed a gate between the living room and dining room. Suzie had access to the living room and everything upstairs, while Cami, the new kitty, had access to the kitchen and dining room. The gate allowed both cat and dog to see each other but not be in each other’s faces. Cami came home and Suzie was super excited to have a friend. Cami… not so much. Cami came to our home scared. She spent the first few hours hiding in the kitchen, under a shelving unit. And soon, she moved into a little cubby area in her cat tree, in the dining room and stayed there all evening. At night she came out, when everyone was upstairs, found her litter box, which she enjoys tossing litter around… yay for me… and used the nighttime and darkness to explore her safe place. In the morning, she was meowing and immediately crawled into my lap and started to play with her toys and with the kids. She learned that she is super gentle and loves to explore. Then after a couple of days, we would open the gate because we started to notice that Cami was getting more comfortable. So now the cat and dog will be able to interact without a barrier. Suzie, excited, but patient, waited for Cami. Cami cautiously navigated new territories, going around Suzie, avoiding her, and occasionally, hissing at her. Which was normal, I assume. I didn’t expect Cami to warm up to Suzie so quickly. But I was surprised at how well she navigates and explores the house, downstairs and upstairs. Also impressed, how Suzie just stays calm and watches her. When we had to leave the home, we put Cami back into the safe rooms and closed the gate. But after Sunday, we took away all barriers after I saw how Cami got close to Suzie without any fear. Cami is still not excited about Suzie, but I think this relationship between the two will warm up at some point. But I learned a lot from observing Cami and how she quickly adjusted to change and how she overcomes fear. Cami came into our home with a lot to fear about. Every new noise startled her, a big dog is scary, unfamiliar territory is unnerving. Cami could live her life always in fear. Running away and scampering away from all that scares her, but she doesn’t. One step at a time, she moved forward, towards what gives her fear to learn and adapt and overcome. Can we all be brave like Cami? Yes, we can! We can overcome our fear, one step at a time. We can have the power to adapt to our environment when it changes. We can have the power to be active to what gives us fear. Even if it means we must be a bit brave. But bravery is about moving forward, making big decisions, and taking the steps necessary to not overcome fear, but defeat fear. Sometimes, we must learn to take risks, like Cami. Risks are costly. It can cost our lives, time, and money. But when we face fear, we have to choose. Run and hide or Move forward and do whatever it takes to live free from fear. So… our family is growing. Yesterday we welcomed Cami into our home. Thank you to Mending Hearts for matching us with the kitty cat that is right for us. Cami loves all people, but so far not a big fan of Suzie. Which I know will take some time. She loves climbing and finding cozy hiding spots. She is still trying to get used to her environment, and I know that will only take some time. I am excited to have Cami part of our family, and I pray that she will be comfortable around Suzie. But patience is necessary. I also learned that she is more active during the nighttime. So, she explores, splashes around in her litter box, and eats. She might be more active at night because it is quiet, and she feels more comfortable in the quiet night. Which is fine. I am just going to let her do her thing. So fun times so far. Just to let everyone know… I know nothing about cats, but so far so good. Apparently, they just seem to take care of themselves. But I haven’t gotten bitten or clawed at, so I must be doing something right. Right now, I have a big gate separating our dining room and kitchen from the living room and upstairs. So, Cami is only able to explore the kitchen and dining room and is constantly keeping an eye out for Suzie. I am separating the two animals in hopes to get them comfortable with each other. Hopefully Cami can see that Suzie isn’t going to be a threat. Anyways exciting times and also found out that apparently cats eat a lot less than dogs, or at least less than Suzie, which makes sense. Suzie is 95 lbs. and Cami us about 7lbs maybe? I don’t know how to weigh cats. But she is easy to pick up, or at least tolerates it when I pick her up. I have always been a dog person which speaks to my personality. I like training dogs, have being in control when having a dog. But I learned quite quickly, you do not really train cats and that cats just kind of do their own thing. And apparently cats like more quiet environments, which is not something I am used to. I am loud, I know that my dog Suzie fits my loud behavior. Yet, Cami is more delicate, soft, quiet, and calm… which is something I cannot train out of her, but something I need to adjust. Which is totally fine. I am thankful to God that Cami seems to be very gentle with the kids. Even when Ben pets her in the “wrong” direction. Cami doesn’t seem to mind or at least tolerates it. I pray that Cami will have a good life with us. Again, thanks to Mending Hearts. And I do recommend anyone that is looking for a dog or cat to give Mending Hearts a try. Especially cats and kittens. I honestly wish I could take more cats into my home; they have a lot of gentle cats over there that are looking for a good home. Well… not my dog apparently. She’s too posh to eat the crumbs off the master’s table. The Bible doesn’t know what it is talking about. Just kidding. Well, I guess not all dog’s are hardwired to eat any kind of fallen food. It is funny, because I am trying to encourage my dog to eat the crumbs or eat whatever falls off the dinner table, but she never does it. I encourage this mostly because it does help with the clean-up and it prevents me from getting on my hands and knees picking up what the kid’s messy eating. But no… she chooses not to eat the crumbs. However, she will just stand there staring at you while you eat, drooling and hoping that I hand her something off of my plate. Even if I throw some scrap of food at her to eat, once it hits the floor… forget about it… she will not touch it. What the heck kind of high class, bourgeois dog do I have? Just be a normal dog like what the Bible says, right? Shoot… Ill eat the food off the floor if you aren’t going to eat it. 5 second rule, right? Even when I trained her as a puppy, I never discouraged her from eating food falling off the table. She honestly just doesn’t know what to do. When food does fall off the table she just kind of stares at it and wait for me or someone to clean it up. What’s funny is that even when I try to give her food that did fall off the table, she will ignore it! She is a stuck-up dog man! I guess only fresh food for her. Only the best for her! And I guess that means I have to get on my hands and knees to clean up food mess off the floor. But I guess my dog Suzie trusts me to give her food. She doesn’t feel the need to beg or eat whatever. Also, Suzie is probably only looking for the best. Nothing used or fallen I guess, I don’t know what she is thinking, I am not a dog whisperer. But shouldn’t we be like Suzie? Why are we settling for crumbs of the table when it comes to how we live? We do not deserve crumbs falling from the table. We always deserve the best. And to be honest the best always comes from God. I truly believe this! I think the world only offers us little bits of “stuff.” And we somehow settle on being happy with the little bits of “stuff” that are given to us. But God always offers us abundance and better living. God isn’t giving you bits of “stuff” but God is giving you instructions on how to live your life that is based on mercy, love, and forgiveness. God is also there to tell you to never live life ashamed because through His grace you are always loved no matter what. And that should give you confidence to live life well. Never settle for crumbs off society’s table. Get the full course and dessert from God. Take what God is giving you. That is love, comfort, peace, grace, and forgiveness. Feel full and be healed so that you can live well. Leave the crumbs on the floor and eat from the table of grace. Trust in Him always. |
AuthorHey this is Rev. Brian Choi's random thought throughout my week. Most of this stuff, will probably be about family, church, fishing, music, movies, food, whatever I think of, hopefully it will have some sort of theological reflection (maybe). Archives
November 2024
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