Yonsei Eagles Football

Today was a very special day for me.  Today I was enlisted into the ranks of the Yonsei University Eagles Football Team.  A couple of friends told me about it and I decided to check it out today.  We ran around the practice field with about a hundred spectators gazing around..  since the Yonsei soccer teams were right next to our field.  In a two line formation, someone would start yelling at the top of his lungs a chant….and we would all follow his chant with a quick response.  The football team here is so team orientated so everyone really gets to know each other quickly.  After the run and warm ups..we strapped on our pads and started drilling…on my very first day!!  The first drill was tackling..as the runner and tackler would line up facing each other.  We would take turns and I always faced this huge Koeran guy..and he made me pay for my every tackle.  Even now my whole right arm is bruised and swollen..I lost a chunk of meat out of my left elbow arm and my pinkie is swollen.  But I love it.  There were so many people there watching and I felt so proud to be apart of this team.  We worked on other drills…and whenever someone did an exceptional tackle everyone would applaud and praise his effort.  By the end of my first day..everyone knew my name and I could feel the acceptance from my performance.  Then it was off to the showers..and again..I am no stranger to that now. 

I am so bruised and tired now…later I have to meet up with some friends to study..but for now I wish I had some Orange Juice and im just gonna take it easy for a while.  The Hyungs paid for lunch..as always..and we have a football retreat coming up soon.  I am so sore. 

Transitions

Transitions…is what the preacher titled his message.

“Ladies and gentlemen..some of you might be going through transitions in your life.  Some of you might have just lost your job..some of you might have just lost a loved one in your family.  Some of you have a trouble or heartache that you cannot ignore and that will not go away.  Perhaps, a few of you have just ended your relationship with someone special in your life or maybe some of you just do not understand why life is going the way it is.”

At this point in the message..I myself transitioned from a state of near exhaustion to being completely awake. 

“When these times happen in your life..many people have the tendency to blame God.  They say..’God, I’ve given you everything that I could and this is what you have done for me!!  If this is the best you can offer..than I will not follow you anymore!!’  With this confusion and turmoil in their hearts, many people turn away from God and rebel.  However, God in all situations and through all occasions knows exactly what the situation is and the circumstances that we face..he did after all bring us to this time in our lives.  It is not as if God will say ‘Oh no…so and so is mad at me….now I really have to pay attention to what I am doing!’  This thinking is not true.  Then what is the purpose for such hardships in our lives?  Why does the uncertain happen and we find ourselves tumbling down the mire of hurt and discomfort when all else seems good and well.  Why does God allow us to suffer if he truly is with us in heart and spirit, if we are his children and he is in control, why does he allow the pain?  Well…I am here to tell somebody here today that God is with us when we go through these trials not because he enjoys our suffering or he does not care.  It is because God has already planned your life and he brings us to these transitions so that we may become closer to him.  If not for these times in our lives that God has ordained, then we cannot truly grow as Christians and in our walk with God.  Many times, we find ourselves too comfortable in our everyday living.  We transition into our routines automatically without thought and our growth diminishes.  In our simple routines, we do not progress but rather slowly diminish and fade away through the accumulated slack in our lives.”

“Wow”…I thought…”God is truly speaking to me.  I have been praying and praying..and God has heard my prayer and is speaking to me at this very moment through this man…”

“Lets look at Joseph.  Turn in your Bibles to Genesis.  Does everyone know the story of Joseph? For times sake I will not tell the whole story but lets take a look at what happened to him.  He was sold into slavery by his jeolous brothers.  He was beaten and stripped of his clothing, and was about to be murdered when one of his brothers who had a heart of mercy spoke up and offered the idea of selling him to slavery.  The Egyptians came along and Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph into slavery for X Sheckels.  And what does the Bible say?  ..and God was with Joseph.  I dont know about you, but when I hear that statement..I have a different story in my head of what should have happened.  My version goes a little something like this… ‘Joseph’s brothers were going to sell Joseph into slavery, and at the exact moment when Joseph was about to be sold..there was a crash of lightning and thunder and a flaming chariot charged through the sky to Joseph’s aide and struck down the brothers in their iniquity and transgressions.’  Now…that’s what I imagine what should have happened if God was truly with Joseph…however… God allowed that to happen.  But why?  Because God had a plan for Joseph that he could not even imagine in his wildest imagination.   God knew the heart of Joseph and through all the trials Joseph faced..he always remembered God.  There were plenty of possibilities that Joseph could have rebelled against God..and we would probably consider him justified in doing so.  Let’s keep in mind, Joseph followed God’s commandments even at a very young age and look at what happened to him.  He was sold into slavery, at which point he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and sentenced to jail.  There he happened to run into a servant of the King and prophesied over him regarding his future…on one condition…if only he remembered Joseph!  Yet he did not remember and Joseph was still in prison long after the servant left.  Through these trials Joseph faced..he suffered through so much more than anything you or I could ever relate to.  He could have rejected God and slept with the master’s wife instead of remaining pure.  He could have cursed God for his time in prison yet he remained faithful.  So why didn’t Joseph become bitter.  Because he knew above all else that God was with him.  He knew God was with him in all he did and he was so careful not to disappoint or let down God; that was how great his love and faith for God was.”

and so he continued…

“So when we look at Joseph.. we see that through the most daunting of times any person on Earth could have endured..we see the great reward that was given to Joseph.  Now it is important to remember this point.  Joseph, being a man prudent in his ways..loved God enough to remain faithful not only in despair, but when life was also very good.  Joseph was given the highest position in all of Egypt..only 2nd to the King himself.  In the end we all know what happened.  He eventually meets his brothers again who eagerly desire food because of the lingering draught.  Now.. we really see the heart of Joseph in that he has totally forgiven his brothers who have treated him miserably.  He returns such shame with love and grace..a true sign that he has not forgotten God in all his actions and his ways.” 

Looking at my life now.. I face many trials and hardships..yet they are nothing compared to what Joseph endured.  I choose to take my life one step at a time in the positive direction.  There is so much out there that lurks behind the alluring mask of temptation..yet I sincerely believe God has so much more promised.  I’ll trust his way this time..and we will see how things turn out.

“Without You” by: Mariah Carey

 ..this song will always have a very special place in my heart.

“Left Foot Forward” by: Drunken Tiger

“Better Than Yesterday” by: MC Sniper

 

props to MC Sniper.  commonly heard through the streets of Seoul on loudspeakers.. my theme song while my stay in Korea.. as well as my  walking/workout music and what I put on the radio in the boxing gym.

“I want you naughty” by: Drunken Tiger

This is my life in Korea.. strange enough.  This song represents a lot of what I see everyday.

Another Rainy Day

…”yesterday..life was such an easy game to play”

 this is the melody that is often heard around campus these days.  It brings me a lot of inner peace to hum it..strangely.  I feel better.

It is raining today.  Now as I sit at the computer… I hear the people around me talking and the conversation of friends seem so distant.  Life is different today.   “I believe something’s wrong..now I long, for yesterday.”  Even now as I hum it..people around me listen to it and i know they feel something.  Maybe annoyed..i don’t know.  But I like to think I can share something from within.

Rain is comforting to me today.  It seems like it is a friend.  When the sun is out shining..I feel sad.  The rain and this sad beautiful song understand me today. 

I am pitiful…yet I am firmly established in the belief that everything will be ok.  I have a deep sincere relationship with God and it brings me comfort.  I find that this time of struggle serves many purposes..one of them to bring me closer to him.  It is working. 

alas..I also have a new appreciation for the Beatles. 

I am so busy and my day is just starting.. i have so much more to do.  Regardless though..God is with me along with a song that speaks so true to my heart. 

I will try to look forward to another Yesterday.