i just got back from a service at unnori community church, here in seoul. linda, one of the korean teachers at my school, attends there and she told us they hold english services for foreigners. i went expecting to sing familiar praise songs, study a familiar bible passage, etc. but i found something a little different. while i was hurriedly walking (i was a few minutes late) up to the 5th floor of the building i had been told (or so i thought), i heard singing and thought surely i was in the right place. as i got to the top of the stairs, i realized i couldn't understand what the people were singing, but it was too late to turn around. yep, i was at a korean service! i stopped for a second at the door and a lady smiled and said something i couldn't understand -but i could understand the smile, and that was all i needed. as i walked into the big room, i can't describe it -but i felt at home. there wasn't another foreigner in the room, and i'm sure everyone thought i was lost, but for one of the first times in korea, i didn't feel out of place. i didn't know the song everyone was singing, but i knew the God they were singing to. i couldn't understand the prayers they were praying, but i knew Who they were praying to. i didn't knew the passage of Scripture they were studying, but i knew the God who inspired the Scripture. (ok, actually i think i figured out that they were looking at galations 2:11-21 by a process of elimination -there are only so many 2:11-21 passages that work in the new testament. ) it was one of the most beautiful times i've ever experienced. i saw God in a new way -among people i probably have nothing in common other than the fact that we serve the same God. it was beautiful.

next time i think i'll try out the english service, but i'm glad i got "lost" and found God in a korean service today.

there's much more to tell you about -thanksgiving last weekend, the kids birthday party the other day, etc. but i'm attempting to make peanut butter cookies in my toaster oven, and i already burned a batch while writing this, so i should stop multi-tasking. (i also just realized i forgot to put the eggs in my batter -oh well, i guess i'll find out how important eggs are in peanut butter cookies. =))

thank you so much for your prayers -God is near. love and peace.