reasons to appreciate the united states of america

As we mark the “birth” and independence of the United States, I’d like to ask a simple question:

What are the reasons you love and appreciate the United States?

I often find myself in the company of women and men that are more inclined towards the art of deconstruction and cycnism.  We tend to criticize and often harp on the negatives.  The government can do no right. If you’re a christian, we’re often called “enlightened evangelicals” - people that have seen the light and thus, capable and enlightened to be self-proclaimed prophets against the horrible, evil, corrupt, and hypocritical regime of the United States.We tend to say that “dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”

the first thing i would do as president

Okay, maybe it’s not the first thing I would do as President of the most powerful nation in the world but it’s one of the things I’d like to do: Institute “uniforms” for students - from kindergarten to the culmination of high school.  I’ve always liked the idea but being here in Korea where most of the students are in uniforms have rekindled my zeal for this campaign.

Here are some random reasons why I love the idea:

• Fashion doesn’t have to be about the have’s and have not’s.  Everyone wears the same thing.  This is my favorite reason.  But I’m sure clothing retailers are conspiring even right now how to sue my arse.  Down with Abercrombie and Fitch!

materialism, mammon and simplicity

Materialism and money is an issue and a threat in my life.  I hate to admit it but it is.  I wrestle with it nearly every day.  I read once that a person spend about 80% of their time awake engaged with MONEY:  earning it, spending it, and dreaming about it.  There are days it overwhelms me and there are days I feel like I have a great understanding and mastery over money but only for it to rear it’s beastly head again. 

We’re all consumers.  Every single one of us so how would you respond to this question?

In our society, we’re surrounded by the push to consume. We’re constantly bombarded with the newest gadget or trinket we supposedly cannot live without. How do we combat the pull toward materialism, and what does simplicity look like in the 21st Century?

video introduction to fight global poverty

We know that global poverty exists. We also know that it will always exists on some level but it doesn’t mean that it gives us a free pass to do nothing.  Apathy is the enemy.  Our vision for the soon to be made public organization focused on fighting global poverty seeks to invite and inspire the global community to join the fight against global poverty by creating a viral, grassroots, and global movement.

The video is a glimpse of what we’re envisioning and created for folks that don’t know who and what we’re hoping to do.  Let us know what you think of the video.  [Much gratitude to Mr. Roboto for helping put this video together]. 

our adventures in korea [pics & commentary]

As part of our three months sabbatical,  we are traveling and living in Korea for two months. We’re uploading pics and stories on this post.  Enjoy.

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We went hiking on Monday morning [June 30].  It was beautiful but our father kept slowing us down.  He said he was lagging because he wanted to protect us from the rear.  He also said that the last will be the greatest in God’s kingdom.  Our father is a brilliant theologian.

girl effect

What do you think?

“The powerful social and economic change brought about when girls have the opportunity to participate in their society.”

humble beginnings

We hosted the first “info meeting” for the global poverty organization this past Saturday at Q Cafe.  Like any new ventures, Minhee and I were anxious if anyone would show up.  Well, to be honest, I was anxious…Minhee rarely gets anxious about such things.

Everything needs a beginning and while you may hear stories of things that begin with a HUGE BANG, I think most things begin with a whisper or a whimper.  At least that’s the case with me.

how to subscribe to blog

I’ve realized that blog “traffic” is overrated.  I don’t care how many people visit the blog but I do care who visits.  One time visitors that search for “Korean beauty” just doesn’t excite me too much even if my blog’s title excites them.  But folks interested in my journey, our personal and collective beauty and depravity, and this blog’s community does matter to me.  Hope it matters to you as well which is why I’m inviting you to subscribe to the blog if you haven’t done so already.

This past month, there’s been some heavy increase in traffic due to my contributions to Sojourners’ God Politics blog, an article written for the Seattle Post Intelligencer, and blog mentions in the Seattle Times, indirectly in Huffington Post and the Stranger’s Slog.  And of course, I’m hoping that folks from Quest Church - the main reason why I started this blog in the first place - are keeping up with me [especially while I'm away for the summer].

Anyway, if you’re new and want to subscribe to the blog, there are two very simple ways to do that.

where is home?

Where is home for you?  Where is your heart home?  Let me explain.

After leaving Korea at age six and immigrating to the United States, I’ve often wrestled with the idea of “home.”

Growing up in San Francisco, I was often ridiculed and found myself in my share of fights - and usually on the losing end.  One comment I often heard was:

“Why don’t you go back home, Chink.  Go back where you came from.”

five at 40,000 feet

When you read this, my family and I should be around 35,000 feet in the air somewhere over the ocean on route to the Land of the Morning Calm.  We’ve been really busy the past couple days cleaning, packing, and working on stuff.  While in the air, we’ll be celebrating my son’s fifth birthday in some creative way.

beginning of sabbatical

After officiating a wedding on Friday evening, I officially began my sabbatical on Saturday.

While I missed being at church on Sunday - preaching, saying hello to people, praying for others, eating donuts, serving communion, etc. - it also felt really good to sleep in.  Now I know how you pagans feel when football season starts!

using facebook to fight global poverty

After mocking social networking sites for awhile, I finally joined Facebook one year ago.  And while there are still some things that I strongly dislike about Facebook [e.g. constant invitations to Applications], I am a big fan.  It works.  I’ve reconnected with friends from high school and college.  And Facebook is helping me to stay connected to the growing community at Quest. 

But asides from just connecting with past and current friends, I’ve been dreaming how to leverage the power of technology and the internet to further social causes.  This is one of the primary hopes with the new organization we are working on.  How do we utilize and converge technology and human relationships to fight global poverty?

With that in mind, I started this GROUP on Facebook. 

land of the morning calm

Several folks have asked us why we have chosen to go to South Korea - also known as the Land of the Morning Calm - for our sabbatical. 

One of the reasons why we have decided to spend two months in South Korea is because Korea boasts some of the world’s most incredible beaches:  beautiful, intimate and not overcrowded, free of consumerism, and exclusive and private.  Check out these amazing pictures and don’t be envious.

changing the world with peanut butter

If each person does their part, if each person pursues their convictions, if each person lives with kindness and generosity, if each Christian not only believes in Jesus but follows the Way of Christ, can you imagine the difference we can make?   We can do our part to change the world.

The gift of choice and Free Will can be a beautiful thing.  This is the great privilege that we have as the image bearers of God…we can reflect the beauty of God through our lives.  We can make choices to reflect His glory, honor, justice, and beauty.

Below is a brief story of a family at Quest doing their part to make a difference…starting with 29 jars of peanut butter.

change the world

One of the greatest gifts that we have as human beings is the ability to dream.  So, I ask you this simple question: 

However small or large, simple or complex, organic or organizational, local or global, how are you dreaming to change the world?

Don’t be afraid or timid.  Please share your thoughts so that we can inspire one another to keep dreaming…and personally be compelled from dreaming to doing.

In addition to living out my calling as a pastor of this glocal church, leading this neighborhood cafe and music venue, loving my wife, and nurturing my three children, Fighting Global Poverty is what my wife and I are dreaming about.  3 billion people live on less than $3/day and about 27,000 children die every day due to the complexities of global poverty.  That = a child every 3 seconds = 20 children every minute. 

our summer plans and prayers

Folks from both our church community and blogosphere have asked us what we intend to do during our summer sabbatical and how people can be praying.  Well, first of all, please pray that I don’t get run over by a car [this is not a joke] as I did during my last sabbatical three years ago.  I was attempting to save this woman’s life [who we discovered was later pregnant] and in doing so, I got run over by a car. I am blessed to be alive.

You can read more of that crazy story by clicking the pic of pants [notice the tire treads!] which the fire department ripped open to tend to my leg. In case you were wondering, I was wearing clean underwear that day.  Praise the Lord.

i would rather be…

Happy Monday everyone.  But let’s be honest, who likes Mondays?  Let’s start off this week on the blog by doing some daydreaming. 

I would rather be…

a church review to humble you

A year ago this time, 31 members from the staff of The Stranger - “the alternative paper to Seattle’s alternative paper” - visited 31 churches all around the larger Seattle area and wrote reviews of the 31 churches.  Quest must be special because Dan Savage, the editor of the Stranger and infamous sex advice columnist [Savage Love], visited Quest.

Our review along with the review of other churches were brutal, hilarious, and actually insightful because sometimes, churches have no idea how stale and awkward we can be because we’ve been “inside” for so long.  

stuff eugene liked this week

Hope everyone had a good week.  Busy week with many end of school year parental responsibilities and events.  Here’s some Stuff Eugene Liked This Week:

Canada Offers An Apology for Native Students’ Abuse [ny times] - the absolute most important read if you haven’t had a chance to read it already.  Here are some of the excerpts from Prime Minister Harper’s statement of apology.

an update on global poverty organization

Things are s-l-o-w but moving forward.  After 7 years of Quest and 6 years into Q Cafe and enjoying the fruits of these labor, I confess that I had forgotten how hard it is to start something new.  I had forgotten how incredibly painful and arduous the first years were.  They were really hard.

I just assumed that with my vision and passion, a few letters, some of our connections, write to a few local papers, send out a few emails to friends and supporters and BAM - instant momentum and birth to a world class global grassroots organization that fights global poverty.

Sometimes, I can be so damn stupid & self-reliant.  Forgive me Lord.

asian stereotypes & prejudice

I’ve always felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.  Why?  Because people kept telling me that Asians should be a certain way and I kept defying their stereotypes.  I confused them.

Computers.  Numbers.  Math.  Kung Fu and Nanchuks. Intelligent.  Eat dogs.  Play the violin.  Ivy League.  Quiet.  Passive.  We speak Engrish well.  [insert your stereotypes here].

Couple months ago, I received a Seattle PI article headline [via my RSS reader] entitled, “Bellevue Boy Wins National Math Title.”  All I get is the title.  I only click about 10% of the articles from the Seattle PI that get to my reader depending if they interest me or not.  But when I saw the title of that article, the first thing I thought…

“I wonder if he’s Asian…”

the cross, statue of liberty, and power

What do you think when you see this image?  Before you read the context behind it under the image, what’s your initial reaction?

holy gasoline

I need your participation for this local, national, and global survey!

When we moved to Seattle eleven years ago, my favorite gas station sold gas at one point for $0.87.  No need to adjust your eyes.  You read that correctly.

Yesterday, the cheapest gas in our neighborhood was $4.259.  I stood there shocked when the total cost to fill up our minivan was $61.37.  Picture of the receipt below as proof.

So, I’ve got couple easy questions for you and I’m hoping that EVERYONE who reads will participate:

How much was gas [per/gallon] the last time you filled up your car?  What neighborhood or city do you live [and if appropriate, what country]? 

exclusive photos and review of the prototype iPhone 3G

I have a special treat for my blog readers.  I had a chance to play around with the prototype iPhone 3G today.  As you know, on June 9 at the WWDC, Apple and Steve Jobs released info, specs, and prices of the new iPhone 3G to be offically released to the rest of the “average public” on July 11.  

But I have connections.  Here are some pics and commentary:

seattle pi article: change the world

If you’re interested, I have an article published in the Seattle Post Intelligencer today entitled, “Let’s Do Our Part to Change the World.”  The article was inspired by the tragic death of Maria Sue Chapman - daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman and some deep midlife soul searching my wife and I are going through.