Kansas Here We Come!

The moving truck came and packed up all our stuff. It was like 3-D Tetris but 10 feet tall. Those guys were amazing in utilizing every inch of space.

Our stuff filled things up from about the "O" in Mayflower to close to the end of the truck.

And as just about all of our earthly possessions are somewhere on their way to Kansas, it made me think of Matthew 6:25, "...Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" I want to add on - and life more than the stuff in your house? Matt 6:33 says, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

I leave tomorrow for our new home in Kansas. Only God knows what our lives will be like. But as Isaiah said in chapter 6 - "Here am I. Send me!" It is a privilege and an honor to be sent.

I'm Melting

It's about 107 degrees in Southern California right now. And I feel like I'm melting literally. But there's a better kind of melting that I'm trying to pursue. Jermiah Burroughs writes this, "A gracious heart [a Christian] is contented by the melting of his will and desires into God's will and desires...This too is a mystery to a carnal heart...[the Christian] comes to have his desires satisfied though he does not obtain the thing that he desired before; still he comes to be satisfied with this, because he makes his will to be at one with God's will. This is a small degree higher than submitting to the will of God...that whatever God's will is, I do not only see good reason to submit to it, but God's will is my will."

As everything we own is in boxes at this moment and nothing is "normal," I have found that my will and God's will are often far apart. But by His grace, I hope to melt my will into His so that everything He wills becomes my desire.

Guess who turned 6?

I can't believe our little guy is 6 and going to graduate from Kindergarten next week! Here's a quick trip down memory lane...How smurfy is he?

Can you tell I'm a proud daddy?
He loves his mommy (2 yrs)
Grandpa and grandma were the chosen guests at his 3 yr party.

When he turned 4, Andrew had his first party with friends and Chuck E. Cheese.Guess who tagged along for birthday #5? Get used to that! And now, a present for one is a present for all!

The Last Vacation

Is it really a vacation when I'm unemployed? My last day working at Norcal was Monday. But semantics aside, we headed down to San Diego for a beach trip. Boys and girl were in awe.

But then they realized how much more fun it is to run away from the waves versus just looking at them.

So we got some good exercise. And I overhead Andrew saying to himself, "Never forget how wonderful this is." Strangely enough, Andrew has a penchant for these classic one liners. I also overhead him saying to himself after a day at Disneyland, ice cream in hand on Main St, "Where dreams do come true."

Where's Kansas?

Another question a lot of our family and friends ask us is - Where exactly is Kansas, again? So to increase geographical awareness, here you go (we're pretty much right in the middle).

And then the next question we get is - Where exactly is Emporia...is it near Kansas City?

And on a totally different note, will she ever stop being my sweet little girl? I sure hope not.

Go Lakers!!!

About a month ago, we bought a portable basketball hoop. Little did I know that Andrew loves to play basketball and just needed the opportunity. Here's the 1st step to his pro-career and in homage to the Lakers making the NBA finals last night!

Just like big brother, only smaller...

And the girl's got game too...

Why Kansas?

The first question we usually hear when we tell people that we're moving is - Why Kansas? Not that there's anything wrong with Kansas. But to Californians who are not originally from the Midwest, the idea of moving to Kansas seems a bit odd. And to Korean American Californians, that idea is probably inconceivable. So I thought it would be very appropriate to post this first blog to start answering that question.

Now while there are plenty of advantages to moving to Kansas including owning a backyard (this is the view from our house to our backyard) along with a house, no traffic, clean air, etc., the main reason could be best captured in the words of missionary David Brainerd, "Oh, that I might be a flaming fire in the service of the Lord. Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth...send me from all that is called earthly comfort; send me even to death itself if it be but in Thy service and to promote Thy Kingdom." (Not that Kansas is the ends of the earth, but by some peoples' reactions, you'd think it was!)

-

God has chosen to send us to Kansas but not because we are worth sending. In the words of pastor John Piper, "I am not great. But you, Lord, are very great. And in your astonishing sovereignty you can let my little life make a difference far beyond all my little powers...O Lord, let me make a difference for you utterly disproportionate to who I am." That is my prayer, my hope, and the #1 reason we are going to Kansas.