"Yes, You Are"

Lord You are my sufficiency
and you are everything I need.
Lord You are, You're the One
who sent Jesus to die on a cross for me.

And you made me to live
when You breathed upon me
and these dry bones came to life.
And You are my life.
You're the number of all of my days,
I know You are, yes, you are.

Jesus You are, You're the One
who once died on a cross so I could live.
Jesus You are my salvation,
the One who has bought me with Your blood.

And You are the One who shines
brighter than the sun and the stars.
And the day will come
when I will see You face to face.

I'm slightly hesitant to include this link to a video of me singing my song "Yes, You Are" at church yesterday. Fortunately, the lighting is bad on this one, so you can't really see my funny faces--just a silhouette of my lanky self. However, I wasn't crazy about how the song came out. I played a couple of wrong chords, which most people probably didn't notice, but I did. I also tried unsuccessfully to hit a high note toward the end of the song. I should have left that alone. I don't sing as much as I used to.

Anyway, people loved it and so hopefully it will also be a blessing to you. Copy and paste the link below:

http://myiwe.com/iTV/?type=10%20AM%20Worship&id=796&action=display

There is a small mistake on this Web page. You'll have to click on "Hymn 512" instead of "Offering Music: Marc Hogi." Also, a note to Mac users: You may have to find a PC to view this video. For some reason the videos don't seem to appear on Macs.

I also recommend checking out Pastor Bill's message. It was pretty intense.

"Yes, You Are" is what I like to call my "post-9/11" song. After September 11, 2001 it seemed like lots of artists had post-9/11 songs. On that day I was actually on a mission trip in the Philippines, and because of the time difference, I didn't hear about what happened until Wednesday morning (when it was Tuesday night in New York).

Because I was so far away, 9/11 has affected me a little different than the people who were actually in New York, and particularly the people who had to watch the towers come down. I haven't experienced the same sort of shock, although to this day I look up whenever I see a low-flying airplane.

9/11 was confusing for me not only because of the shock at what happened, but also because I was wondering: "Why am I here in Manila and not in New York right now?" I still don't have an answer to this question and I'm content to live without it. However, this song came to me almost immediately while I was hanging out in the sanctuary at Christ The Living Word Church. It was really a song to myself. I had to remind myself of what was most important. Who God is and what He has done are the most important things.

The monthly semester is drawing to a close, and things are slowing down. October has brought some formidable challenges, but it has been one of my best months in the classroom. I'm looking forward to November.

A few of you have asked me about my progress with Korean. I will discuss this soon in my next installment of "Frequently Asked Questions."

More museum pictures

The above pictures are posted a little bit late, they're from an excursion that took place two weeks ago. For those of you who know my linguistic tendencies, I hope you'll bear with all the Korean script images. Ha ha.

Frequently asked questions.2

What about North Korea?

I have received a few e-mails from friends and family members asking things like things like "How is the situation with North Korea, are you OK, how are people there, etc." I commented briefly on this in my October 9 "North Korea" post if you want to check that out.

I have some very strong feelings regarding the situation with North Korea. Some of you already know how I feel. However, because this is a public blog, I want to avoid extensive commentary because I don't want my remarks to be misconstrued as political in any way. Of course, most of my opinions are always meant to reflect my Judeo-Christian ethics. I may comment on it from time to time as things develop.

I will at least say that I don't plan to leave South Korea unless foreigners are ordered out. I doubt that it will come to this. If it does, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. In the meantime, I'm trying to enjoy myself and get the most out of my time here.

Me in front of the National Museum of Korea

Frequently asked questions.1

I've had a few new visitors to this blog lately, so I thought I'd write some answers to "frequently asked questions." This is not really formal and today I only have time to answer a couple of questions, but here goes.

Are you the tallest person there?

I am not the tallest person here. I have seen many Koreans that are as tall as me and sometimes taller. That said, most Koreans tend not to be as tall as Westerners and so I do stand out in a crowd. Not just for my skin color, but my height. Many people assume I'm a basketball player and I have been called "Jordan" by children on the street. I'm not sure if it's a joke or if they actually think I am Michael Jordan. Other people have admitted to finding me a little scary. One student recently admitted to me that my height scared her. Interestingly, the turning point for her came on a Friday (the teachers' casual day at the school) when she spotted me wearing a Charlie Brown and Lucy bandage on my elbow. After that, she decided that a guy that wears a Peanuts bandage couldn't be all that scary.

So far, clothes here in my size have pretty much been nonexistent, except for neckties. Some people have told me that in the Itaewon section of Seoul I can find clothes and other products for Westerners.

The tables and seats here in restaurants, churches, cafes, trains and various public places are pretty small. And that makes me feel like a giant.

Do you miss New York?

This is a difficult question to answer, because some people who know me may read this blog and think to themselves: "If he's homesick, good, maybe that means he'll be back soon." Ha ha, sorry Mom. Let me put it this way. Recently one of my students showed me a computer slideshow of his trip to New York City. It seemed as if he visited and took pictures of most of the places where I normally hang out, including Central Park, the World Financial Center and even the corner of 51st Street and Broadway (where my church is located). It was an emotional experience. I get emotional every time I see a photo of the Brooklyn Bridge or a subway train.
I visit the New York Times Web site regularly. I listen to a lot of Western (read: English) music online, especially on MySpace. I sometimes listen to sermons online from my beloved Times Square Church. I also keep in touch with friends and family through constant e-mail and, every now and then, phone calls.

However, when I was in New York my career was in a rut and I was very unhappy about it. When I start to miss home too much, I remind myself how unhappy I was a few months ago. There's certainly more to life than career--loving God remains the most important, although I don't always treat it as such--but having a job that I like has provided a certain sense of stability. Living in a foreign country is also a very exciting feeling. One of the most incredible parts of my experience here has been the increasing sense of familiarity.

North Korea

Hello all, I've been kind of preoccupied for the last few days, even though South Korea just had a national holiday and I had some time off work. I just wanted to post a quick note about the situation with North Korea for those of you that are wondering.

My feelings about the current situation and North Korea in general are pretty complicated, but the most important thing I can say is that I believe God is in control of the situation. I know that's oversimplifying everything, but it remains the most important truth above every other fact and argument and opinion. The Korean peninsula has undergone dramatic social and political change in the last few decades, and that change has not slowed down. I was aware of this before I came here and I didn't let that scare me off.

That said, the thought that nuclear warfare has been tested so close where I live is a little unsettling. But I have no regrets about coming here. Before I left New York a few people asked me if it was safe to travel to Korea. Since I've been here some Koreans have also asked me my feelings on this knowing that many Westerners are panicky over North Korea. I usually respond to everyone that there is no true safe place on this earth. I don't consider myself any less safe here than back home in New York. I commit everything to God knowing that He is directing my steps. Some of you may think of this as overly spiritual, but this is practical.

I will try to update again soon.

A couple of more pics until I write again

Rest

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure
in Him, in Him
For He shields them, all day, all day long
With His love, with His love

And the one the Lord loves
Rests between His shoulders
I can rest, I can rest

My heart is glad, with my mouth I will sing
Of Your love, of Your love
For You will fill me with joy
Joy in Your presence
I am filled with Your joy

Because I'm one the Lord loves
And I rest between His shoulders
I can rest, I can rest

"Rest," by Cindy Rethmeier

Today I had the privilege of doing my arrangement of the song "Rest" at church today. I first heard this song in 1998 off of Vineyard's "I Want to Thank You" CD. It has been one of my favorite songs to sing. After a stressful week at work, this song means that much more to me. You can check out the video here:

http://myiwe.com/iTV/?type=3%20PM%20Worship&id=787&action=display

It's a little bit raw and I messed up a few chords. Once again I had to play J.'s guitar (although this time around I wasn't angry about it). Once again the song didn't come out the way I wanted it to. I also unknowningly made some funny faces. But some people at church told me they were really touched by it. I hope you are too.