Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Green-tea drenched pears

Ingredients:
4 hard ripe Bartlett pears; 2 lemons' worth of juice; 4 green tea bags; 2 1/4 cups of sand sugar; 4 bat gok; 2 tsps of vanilla essence; 1 cup of mascarpone cheese

1. Mix 1 lemon's juice with one cup of cold water - remove core of pears and put into water.
2. Boil 5 cups of water, add teabags. Turn off stove and leave for 3 minutes. Take away tea bags and add sugar, bak gok, vailla essence and 1 lemon's juiice. Boil till sugar melts. Remove from stove.
3. Place pears in tea. Cover pears with wax paper and press down with lid. Boil, turn to slow nad cover for 5 minutes, till pears are easily pierced by toothpick. REmove from stove and cool.
4. Pour 2 cups of pear juice into little potand boil till there is only 2/3 of a cup. Cool.
5. Add cheese and 2 tsps. of juice into blender and mix. Carefully put pear in dessert plate cetre. Pour 2 tsps. of the sauce and the remainig juice.

Bon appetit.

Spectrum of Miracles

It's awfully hot in Toronto. To me, my attic room is a sauna. Even this I can bear, when I think about how soon I will leave it. Korean restaurants, the nice quality of even cheap clothes, wide streets, junk food, everything, from this cloudy sky and cardboard model houses, I can withstand and marvel. How You brought me to this place of awe is beyond me. But I know it thrills my heart every time I think that someone so big is a breathe away. Like Queen Sheba, trekking from a far place, just to come to this place, have my questions answered by the experiences You've given me. I am taking away more camels, spices and gold than I brought to you.

While I look in awe of the quiet miracles of Your creation, the invisble miracles of the heart are even more beautiful to witness. Experiencing contact with the invisible is incredible. I guess that is the Holy Spirit's way. You are letting me share in the beauty of helping another person, ministering to the needs of their heart. Therein lies my attraction to You. Take me deeper, call me, I am willing.

Beautiful.

Balsamic Vinegar Strawberries Dessert

Ingredients:
1 pound of strawberries
60 ml Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsps. Sugar
2 tsps. lemon juice
several leaves of mint

1. Wash strawberries and cut in half
2. Put sugar into vinegar and melt. After cooled, add lemon juice and mint leaves
3. Put strawberries into vinegar and mix. Fridge for 1 hour. Eat with ice cream.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Feelings of the Day

Ga-Jok Ung-ni-kka...Po-Go Ship-Ji Anh-Na
I used to always worry that us being away would distance us. But now I have come to newfound peace in my heart, knowing that we are family, and even if we can't meet up or even live in the same place, that's ok. God has plans for each and every one of us. If us living close together means we have to sacrifice what God's plans are for us, I rather we be a continent apart. I know that in eternity I shall always have you by my side. Such is the peace and assurance that God gives to His children. To know salvation and heaven will be my home is only something Jesus could give.

Proof
So many people "love" you, obsess over and fantasize about you. You have been made an idol, even if you didn't want to be one. Does this come hand-in-hand with interaction in the public sphere or simply because you are a public figure? I don't know. You are so far away and I have yet to know you. Or will I ever know you? The million-dollar question is: Do I like you and want you to reciprocate because I want to feel important? Why do I need to feel important?

The curious cat needs to unravel the yarn. It's just in her nature. Inherent in her design...in knowing herself better.

Prayer:
Lord, I thank you for the fact that You are my God and no one wants to know me more intimately or heal me or have the best intentions for me than You. Lord, I need you to search my heart and use curiosity to show me the things that are keeping me from being a restored person . Tell me why I need to feel important, when I already am in Your eyes. What insecurities do I still store deep inside that You need to heal me from? You know me inside and out, because You formed me. And even now, You know what I'm thinking and You see my heart. So show me. Show me what I need to confess to You and lay in Your hands. I want to live and shine like the light You want me to be. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Honesty, therefore vulnerability..the true reflection and strength in Christ
A lot of the time, we hide when we are ashamed, scared or afraid that people will see something and deem it as weakness, thus giving us conciliatory attitudes or judgements. It's very normal. We hide parts of ourselves because we are afraid of rejection. But Jesus never did. In fact, He was always honest and bold about who He was and what he had to say. He was the Son of God, the King of Jews and He outrightly pointed out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Even though he experience much rejection from His very own people, he was not uninhibited, nor did he stop sharing the love of God. He did it till His last breath.

Don't get me wrong, I am hesitant about posting my most vulnerable points online. But even stronger than that is the deep knowing that He is always with me and He always loves me. Jesus is my very establishment. From a strong establishment, I can build and use my vulnerabilities. Like windows, they allow the light from within to shine out, and show others the way. Though I am clay, I have a treasure. Though I am weak, the strength of Christ emits. This is what makes us brave. No matter what, I know that I know that I know I can share myself, even if it will hurt me. If I can stand before God with all my vulnerabilities, why cannot I stand in front of men and do the same?






Monday, May 29, 2006

Hillsong - Still

It occurred to me as I was chewing on my red bean pancake, that this was one of those memorable nights, before I left for Hong Kong. Deep in my spirit and my heart I am hungering to go back home. I can't explain it. I am desperate to go home.

The clean air, the clear starry nights, walking home to a house of mis-matched people, I felt nostalgic. Anuska must have felt this way when she was leaving for Trinidad. I'm trying to remember exactly how each thing is or feels like. Mother's Dumplings, the eclectic mix and multiculturalism communicated in the variety of foods, the ambience of being with my church family (God I love them!), sitting and talking with Mahia over the kitchen counter, my heart to heart talks in broken Korean with Young Mi, laughing out of pure joy because Hana brings that, Munchkins with Jin & Michelle & Peter & Richard & Abi, dancing on stage, doing what I feel, the four seasons, the beautiful parks, the non-mugginess, dressing the way I feel, this little room and house...everything.

Ah....lump in my throat. Which is the bitter which is the sweet? There is goodness here and half way around the world. I feel like I'm leaving half of myself to reclaim another half in Hong Kong.

Even so, this song reminds me to be still before You:

Hillsong - Still

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust


Prayer: Lord, in all this I remember You walking on water, and the waves were rough. I remember another story where You tell Peter to come out of the boat. In both cases, You showed us that if we step out towards You, we receive peace. I know You are asking me to step out, in my heart, to walk by faith. Lord, I want to trust you so badly. I'm not perfect, but I'll always remember that the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the fear of the Lord. Help mto trust You Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

I ask how, knowing that You will smile and say, "Because I was, I am and I will always be."

I don't need to look too far for me to come back full circle at the same question. Your mysterious ways keep me coming back.

More and more, it feels like writing itself is not enough to encompass the height, the width, the depth of the emotions and thoughts that You give me. I feel like I'm free falling, unafraid of hurting myself.

Perhaps it's time to start turning to my literary self, and pick up a book, and be inspired.