Japan and back to Anyang

So two big things happened this week. Do you know what they are? First is that I've been here for a month. I've lived in Ayang for a month. Big step. I've never been away from home for a month. It's always been shorter. Kinda amazed that I'm still here. Part of this is my father's fault. There were times when I very much wanted to go and I would e-mail my father. He never said I could come home. Thank you Dad. I'm glad that once I got here, you never offered for me to come home. I just needed to get settled and I think you knew that. The other big event of the week, I got my visa. I'm welcome to stay in Korea for the next year. Big thing.

I only worked two days last week. It's was nice. I enjoyed teaching those two days and had a good time with my kids. I played review games with them and left the books for whoever was going to take my class. I got up early to get a taxi, to take it to the bus station, to get to the airport. Katie and I were sent to Fukuoka. We rushed as fast as we could, in hopes of making it to the Consult before it closed, however they closed at 11:00 and not 12:00. So we walked around the area around the Consult. We saw the Fukuoka Yahoo Dome. The Soft Bank Hawks play there. Then we walked around the mall. When 1:20 rolled around we headed back to the consult. We filled out our paperwork, gave them the number Jessica had given us and they asked for money, so I paid them. They told me to come back after 10:00 the next day. I didn't have to interview. So Katie and I had to find out where our hotelwas, which we had no idea how to find. The guard at the Consult was the least helpful person in the world. We didn't take the subway over to the consult, we got a cab. So we standing on the corner getting ready to start looking for the subway when another Western told us he was heading to the same hotel and knew where the subway was. His name is Daniel. He wasn't as lucky as Katie and I. He didn't get his visa. He is going to L.A. in order to get it. We got to the hotel and go settled in and then Katie and I went off. She asked the hotel which shrine would be the best to go and see and she gave us directions and we went off. It's was long ride, I think it was about an hour. It had a zen garden, and a shrine. It's was really nice, I have pictures. After that we went back to the hotel and meet up with Daniel. We had walked over to the area of Fukuoka and we had dinner. They had little street carts and you sat down and the cooked for you. I pulled out my caramea to take pictures. I had been passing it inbetween the guy cooking and I because he was having problems working it and we dropped in the soup. I was upset. I try very hard not get attached to things. Especially things that can be easily replaced, but I will admit there are two things that if I even think might be near harm, I got worried and if are harmed I get upset. One being my ipod and the other being my caramea. The caramea is died. After dinner we started walk back to the hotel. We looked at things along they way. Some how we had gotten lost. We turned when we really should have gone straight. Oh well. We got up the next morning, had breakfast and then walked around looking at the shrines and zen gardens in the area. At about 1:20, we head back to the consult. I have my visa, it takes up a whole page in my passport. I'll take a picture someday. After that we got lunch and then headed to the airport. That was my trip to Fukuoka.

Friday, I slept in, watched some T.V., and went to the park and read. By watched T.V., I really mean the DVD's I bought. I'm watching Supernatural right now. I really enjoyed laying in the park and reading. I have this blanket that doesn't cover my bed. I can barely fit on it. I brought it to the park that was nearby and laid on that. Saturday, I went to the singles bible study. I had a good time. Pastor gave me a business card for another English baptist church. It's the same subway stop as the other. I'm going to check it out this Sunday. Afterwards we went to dinner and then we went to a bar and played this game called pit. I had fun. So for anybody back home, if you're out and see the card game pit, I would like it. You don't have to send it to me in Korea, you can wait till I get back to give it to me. We made plans to go out together again on Friday. I really like this group of people they are a lot of fun. We talk about a lot stuff. It's good to talk with people who have the same thought about God as you do, but look at life different than you do. Saturday night when I got home, I was feeling a little worn out. I set the alarm to get up for church, but I didn't make it out of bed. I slept in and I'm glad I did. After I got up, sunday morning, I watched some supernatural and then I went to the park again. There is just something about that park it is so peaceful. I brought my devo books and the books I'm reading and spent a good three hours there. We need more park in Phoenix. I think everybody should spend time in park reading. It's good for the soul. Afterwards I had dinner with some Koreans. I was suppose meet up with Mi-Jin, but she had to go to furneral, someone in a friend of hers family had died. Yong Su showed up and said he would take me out. He had Suhyun with him. We went to the resuarant that Shabi Saku Noddles. It was a good food. They bring this big bowl of broth to the table and then they bring a dish of other stuff. There is a burner in the table to heat the broth with. First you put in the mushrooms, after the broth starts to boil you put in the lettece and some other green vegetables. After that you add the meat. When that is all cooked, you eat it. After you eat that you put in the pasta and let that cook. After the pasta is done, they come and make a rice soup. While we were eating Jinho came to join us. We talked as much as we could. It turns out the Yong Su also likes supernatural. We both like Dean but probably for different reasons. Jinho likes baseball. We talked a little about baseball. He has watched the D-backs. Afterwards we went over to a coffee shop and got hot chocolate. There was a festivale at Central park, so we walked over there to see it. They had cake decorating, which made me think of my mom and how much she would have liked to do that. I think my mom and Josh Bear would have a good time decorating a cake. Afterwards we went home. I had a good night and hope to go out with them again.

I talked with my parents this weekend. I was happy I got to hear a dad joke. I was talking with my dad about students. I was telling how Daniel is little wild. I think he is a monkey child. Every year someone gets a monkey child. This year it's me. He is a lot like Angela's Carlos and Eiljah mixed together. I told my dad his Korean name is KeeBop or at least that is what it sounds like to me. My dad maybe his name isn't KeeBop, maybe that's Korean for settle down, quite being a monkey child or I'll bop you. It's always good to hear a dad joke.

It's nice how God plans things. This was long week. Being here a month, getting my visa, dropping my camarea, the mess with my old landlord, and having lots of things to do my friends. I know that packages are own their way. Jodi and Jackie are sending me a package, my parents are sending a package, and I know Kate is working on one. The great part is don't know when any of them will get here. Blessing from God is a lot like these packages. I've been pretty faithful, I known haven't been perfect. It's human to have doubt, but I'm remind that God is faithful and to wait on him and push those doubts and fear aside. I knew coming here would be hard, but the blessings would follow. I juts don't know when I'm going to see all the blessing God has planned. Just like these packages, I know they are coming and just have to wait. Blessing are like packages and these packages are blessings. I haven't found a church to attend yet, but I have a bible study to attend. I have Korean friends. I'm told to be careful, because some Koreans only want to be your friend, so they can have someone who speaks English to talk to, but they are taking me out to good Korean resuarants, so I feel that it is even. Besides they are Christians and think they are good sweet people. Both the Westerners from the bible study and my Korean friends make my heart happy. They are "packages" from God.

I really enjoy being in another part of the world. It's just amazing. America is great place and I'll probably always call it home, but this world is great, I don't understand why anybody would want to stay in America and never leave it. The world is just an amazing place to see. I know that I want to see more. They are great places to go. I haven't really seen enough. Ok, so here's the deal I'll write you if you write me. E-mail your address and I'll e-mail you mine. I'm in one of the greatest parts of the world. I still stand in awe that I'm here.

I've always had trouble understanding this one part of Joseph's story. (Joseph from the old testment.) It's the part after his father had passed and his brothers were scared he would hurt them. They go to him telling him that their father said he shouldn't hurt and Joseph response is this: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good." I couldn't see how anything good could ever come out of harm. Especially with all the harm, I just felt. I was really crushed by my principal. When everthings was said and done in June, my only thought was that his goal that school year was to crush me for whatever reason he had. I couldn't think of a reason to cause to me so much harm. I really didn't understand why God would allow so much harm. Those of you that were really close to me, saw how this crushed me. I was really broken. I see the good now. God knew he crush me. I think God knew that by him crushing would be the only to get me to walk away. He had good planned all along. I understand this. Richard threw in a pit and then sold me to Egpyt. God saw that things were good anyways and place me somewhere else. God took me to place of peace. Both literally and furgitively. Anyang is the Korean for peace. I have so much peace since I got here. It's kinda funny. I had live in Anyang before I could recieve. Live in peace and you will recieve peace.

Well, I think I have gone on long enough. I'm glad you take the time to read my blog. I hope that you reading it gives you the blessing that I get by writting. Thank you if you prayed for my visa as it worked because we all know that if I would have had to go to LA, I would have just said send me home.

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