Mornings and Wednesdays

Morning

"Yet I call this to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:21-23

I was awoken this morning unusually early. It must have something to do with the fact that I went to bed last night and was tired.... unusually early.

Since the very first day I arrived in Korea, anything resembling a consistant sleep schedule has all but dissolved. It started with the jet lag, now as I've settled in three months later, it means staying up until 2 a.m. at least and waking up no earlier than 10 a.m. It's so glorious to not wake up to an alarm clock!

I admit though, it makes me feel lazy and so this morning, as I sit here and watch the sun make its way into the city, I feel refreshed and am reminded of how the Lord's mercies are new every morning. I'm reminded again of why mornings are so special. I'm intrigued at the idea of this "morning" I'm experiencing and the afternoon (precisely 3:38 p.m.) that everyone back at home is experiencing. Now I just wonder which vendors and which stores would be open if I were to venture out before 10 a.m. Not even E Mart opens until 10 a.m. But it certainly closes at Midnight! It's just the way things operate here, I guess. My teaching schedule consists of working from 4 - 10 p.m. on Mon Tues and Thurs Fri. It's for that reason the new nocturnal schedule has been awakened.

Wednesdays

I have become particularly fond of Wednesdays - this is for a few reasons. 1. It's the middle of the week. Commonly referred to as "hump day", Wednesday often reminds us that we are THAT much closer to the Friday and the weekend we so long for. (Even though, I'll admit, I am a fan of Mondays)

2. I have this day off. Yes, it's true, I work for 2 days, have a day off, work for another 2 and then have the weekend. And I wonder why I feel like I'm on a long term vacation?

3. This is truly the reason why Wednesdays have become so special to me: it means small group meets. This is truly a highlight of my week, my time here in Korea, and my life.

The Lord has really done amazing work in bringing each of us together. The group was already alive and kicking when I first came, but I have already seen the Lord draw so many more people to the group. It has become so large, in fact, that a decision was made last night to split the group into two, but continue to meet at the same place. There are nearly 20 people! Praise God!

Fellowship with each and every one of these people is a tremendous blessing and I'm definitely strengthened and encouraged by the desire each one of them has to pick up the cross and follow Christ with reckless abandon. Not only this, but to serve.... to lay their lives down and to do whatever He has called them to do.

I look forward to walking and running the race with these people. I'm excited to see that there are others in this group that share a passion for China.

There's a great book that was actually mentioned to me by Cathy Caldwell right before I left called "The Heavenly Man" It's been on my heart sometime to read and I was shocked when Jess Crew mentioned it about a week ago. She has ordered this book and so once she's finished, I will get to read it, but until then, she loaned me their copy of "Back to Jerusalem". I'll write more on this already amazing book on another entry.

Until then, please continue to keep our Wednesday night small group in your prayers. I am so thankful for each of them and pray that Christ's love would flow through each one of us in our lives with the different areas we work at and different people we have in our lives outside of church and each other.

This group has been used to comfort me during my times of unrest and homesickness. For that, I am extrememly thankful.

Blessings!