Touching story

Last week, I received this e-mail from Bill who is our life group leader. ( I call him uncle Bill to my friends)
I was touched by this story. This story is similar to my thought about the glass art. I am questioning myself "How much am I reflecting his image through me?"
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Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible Study and they wondered what
this statement meant about the Character and Nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and
get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her
interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
hold the silver i n the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest
as to burn away all the impurities.

The w oman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she
thought again about the verse that says:
"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in
front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man
answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but
he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the
fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would
be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How
do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image
in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His
eye on you and will keep watching you un til He sees His image in you.
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Foot steps (from my old personal web)

I became a Christian in 1988. During that time I was a life wanderer. I was desperately seeking the true meaning of life. I couldn’t love myself (believe or not). I felt that heavy rain was falling in my heart. To find out the answer of life, we need to go and ask HIM who created us. Why did you create me? I remember a chair story. A carpenter made three different chairs with different purposes. He put one chair in the library of a university, the second chair in a restaurant, and the third one in a bar which is sailors’ favorite. Years later, the last chair felt bad and thought itself useless since others look so noble and well managed. So the last chair asked the carpenter for what he created it and why he didn’t put it in a restaurant or a library. He said that you are created for comforting sailors who are very tired because of long travel and labor. Finally, the last chair realized how important it is for sailors.

I have been a member of Youseong Church from 1988. I learned and found many deep secrets (relationship with GOD, myself, and others) of GOD from this church which GOD started and is still making it more strong. "For we except you is our hope or happiness or crown of pride in the presence of our Lord. For you are our glory and joy."[Thessalonians 2 2:19-20] This phrase is a part of letter that Paul wrote to Thessalonians. I really want to say this phrase to YouSeong Church members. I can say “I really love you, YouSeong Church members, in JESUS"

I have attended Calvary Baptist church from 2002. I joined a life group (we call “international life group” since members are from different countries) led by Bill Saxton who is a minister at the Penn. State University. It is a big blessing to be a member of CB and international life group.

Catching a moment of Fall

Trees are changing their clothes as yellow and red. I grew up in a small town that is in the west coast of South Korea. Now my memory goes there quickly and drives me to be with friends, playing on the mountain and in the sea. Everything was my toy. There was a very small mountain which was big enough for us to play. On that mountain, there was a small cave. I used this to hide myself from the world. When I was an elementary student, I had to watch over fields to prevent sparrows from eating up rice. I mostly spent on lying on back and looking at the blue sky, imagining floating all over the world, instead of watching sparrows :-). The experiences that I had in my home town are my good friends whenever I am feeling alone. Coming back to now and here, part of the bike road is blanketed with pine tree leaves, yellow. I smell those. These remind me of my childhood at hometown.

in between Summer and Fall

I really love Fall.
I can see and feel the secret. When I was a college student, there was a big maple tree at the corner of an engineering department building. Whenever I wanted to be alone, I went there under the yellow tree and with a yellow maple leaves blanket. I am not sure that maple tree is still there. One day I took a picture of this on the way to school in the foggy morning, thinking the color may get changed soon. Every moment is the first and last chance to us. It seems to come back again, but it never happens.
There is unique beauty at every moment.
I am in between Summer and Fall (Someone may laugh at if I say this). I wish to have special beauty of life at this time.