The Cross

The two main religions here in Korea are Buddhism and Christianity (Catholic and Protestant faiths).  The hillsides and mountains are dotted with temples and the cities are lit up with crosses.  From what I have seen, all Christian churches here in Korea are marked by a cross on the building.  It is interesting to count how many crosses one can see in a short distance. Even this week the girls and I saw another cross going up, meaning a new church was opening across the street from our apartment complex. We try to take pictures of churches and crosses, when we see them.  Here are a few photos from collection of crosses.

The other thing we see here in Korea that is different from in the United States is that churches are not just in what we might call a santuary or their own building.  Many times you will see a church occupying the 4th floor of a 6 story building.  My husband is teaching a Bible Study in English at a local Korean church.  The Uijeongbu Methodist Church is a very established church located right in the downtown area of the city.  But they don't just occupy a floor but an entire building as they share the "good news" in their community.

Remembering 11/5

We all remember 9/11.  

We know where we were, when we heard about the first plane

hitting the Twin Towers in New York City. 

But do you remember where you were on 11/5/09? 

You may be thinking, what happened on 11/5?  What is so significant about that day?

I remember where I was as my family lived on post at the most populated military installation in the United States, Fort Hood, Texas.  If you don't remember what happened that frightful day, let me remind you.  MAJ Nidal Hasan, a military psychiatrist, opened fire on unarmed soldiers who where going through a processing  center on post.

Last year, I blogged about the event....let me share that with you on the one year anniversary of that fatal day, what I wrote last year.

Tragedy at Fort Hood

I have been struggling with what to post...whether or not to post. We live on post here at Fort Hood. We were home last Thursday when the events unfolded at the SRP building, just over a mile away. Normally on Thursdays, we are usually off post for a homeschool co-op, but co-op had ended just the week before and we were home. Our plans for last Thursday included an afternoon playdate and dinner out with the girls. At approximately 2:20PM, as we were loading up the mini-van with meals for pregnant friends, returns to the department store and kids and their jackets, the emergency sirens here on post began to go off. I looked at my watch and thought...that's strange, they ususally test the system on Wednesdays at 12:00 Noon. The announcement that followed the sirens was " Seek shelter immediately, stay away from doors and windows". I looked up at the sky and thought, I don't know why they are saying that, it's a bright and sunny day, I don't see any storms let alone a possible tornado. A neighbor across the way yelled out her front door, "get inside and lock your doors." So I attempted to take my kids out of their car seats...as they kicked and screamed, wanting to get in the car and go to their friends house to play. As I reached the front door, my oldest handed me the phone. It was a friend who lived in a nearby town, asking if I had heard the news...there was a shooting on Fort Hood at the Readiness Center, seven people had been killed. We finished the phone call, got everyone into the house and closed and locked all the doors and shut the curtains and blinds. As I turned on the TV, it was all over the news. There was so much speculation going around, I didn't know what was truth and what was rumor. Was there another gunman out there?



As we tried to occupy ourselves in our quiet dark home, I prayed for the safety of my family. Phone calls, emails, text messages and facebook comments kept popping up and coming in. For the next five hours, until lockdown was lifted, I learned to trust in the protection of the Lord. People prayed with me on the phone and prayers were lifted up for us by friends far away. The days prior to and including Thursday, my quiet time with the Lord, included a devotional book titled, "Faith Deployed; Daily Encouragment for Military Wives". I had just read a devotion entitled, Already Written. A quote from that devotional says, "Whether they are home or abroad, God's plan for us is already written; we cannot do anything to change it!" The next day's devotional was on "The Sting of Death". How timely were these devotions in my quiet time last week. I had no idea for what the Lord was preparing me. I did not lose anyone in the attack that took place on Fort Hood on November 5th, but many people did or they knew someone who was there. I need to be ready to respond to those who are lost and hurting, with a meal, a hug, a kind word. We are called to bring hope to the hopeless. I want to always be ready to meet the need that I am confronted with, no matter what that need may be.




My husband's unit lost a soldier in that tragic shooting. She was pregnant and had just returned from Iraq.  She was in the SRP building inprocessing back to Fort Hood when the shooting took place.  I had never met her but my husband knew her. He described her as "a wonderful and delightful person." Please continue to pray for my husband's unit as they mourn the loss of one of their own here at home.



I need to remember that we live in a fallen and sinful world. Without Christ, people are lost. I pray that in the midst of this tragedy, that those who are hurting find comfort and hope...that they find healing for their hurts. That they find a relationship with the one true God.

What I Miss

These pictures are from the Shore house my parent's use and take care of  for a family that no longer lives in the Maryland area.  Our family enjoys visiting the Shore house and Mom Mom and Pop Pop.

Military Life in Korea

Recently, my husband has called me during the his workday to ask for infomation or links on Korea and life here.  I decided to put a post on my blog about the different websites and resources available for families moving to or hoping to move to Korea.

My friend started a blog and has put a lot of information there, so let's start there.
http://www.campredcloud.blogspot.com/

The military has quite a few websites with information and links to what is going on with the units stationed here in Korea, living with families in South Korea, and much more.

United States Forces Korea -  http://www.usfk.mil/usfk/
Indianhead Publication (2 ID Newspaper) - http://www.2id.korea.army.mil/news/indianhead
8th Army - http://8tharmy.korea.army.mil/
The Morning Calm (Command information newspaper) - http://imcom.korea.army.mil/site/news.asp
IMCOM (Installation Management Command Area) - http://imcom.korea.army.mil/site/default.asp

Command Sponsorship is what everyone is hoping to get, if your sponsor is assigned to Korea.  There is paperwork to be filled out, a medical screening to go through and information to be gathered.  Currently, Command Sponsorships are on hold and people are being wait listed due to the high number of families wanting to move to Korea with their soldier.  Below are some links to get you started.

http://8tharmy.korea.army.mil/g1_AG/g1/informaition_Links/CommandSponsorship.html
http://www.2id.korea.army.mil/commandsponsorship/introduction/
https://sms.korea.army.mil/cmdSponsor_v2/Waiting_List/csp_waiting_list.asp   wait list info
https://sms.korea.army.mil/  log in to view CSP status

Military forces in Korea are broken down into four different "Areas".  Area 1 refers to the military posts from the DMZ to Seoul.  Area 2 is the posts in the city of Seoul.  Area III consists of the area south of Seoul city to the middle of the penninsula, while Area IV is the southern most region of the country.  Life in each of these areas is different.  We live in Area 1, so that is the only location that I can speak about with certaininty.  If you have questions about the USAG Red Cloud/Casey area, feel free to email me.  Each Garrison, in each area, has their own website.  Once you know where you are headed in Korea, you can visit the specific website for the area where you are heading to get more detailed information.

Area 1 - http://redcloud.korea.army.mil/
Area 2 - http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/
Area 3 - http://humphreys.korea.army.mil/
Area 4 - http://daegu.korea.army.mil/

I hope some of these links help for those of you hoping to move here in the near future.

Raising Daughters

Today I was visiting looking at some of the different blogs that I like to read.  The post on one such blog was a letter written by the friend of a mom who needed advice.  This "mom's friend" had a daughter who was about to enter what might just be the "most hormonal-change time of her life."  She described some more things going on, such as "emotional drama unlike anything you would ever see in Hollywood."

I could definitely relate.  I posted a comment and thought I would share it here.

Me with one of our little girls

If I didn't know better, I would have thought that I was writing this letter! I have four daughters. One has already hit the teen years and the second one is right behind her as a tween. I think things with my teen are leveling off, except for dealing with peer pressure and bulleying. My tween is the one I am having hormonal drama with lately. Some days I fail fail terribly as a mother. My voice is raised a bit higher than I planned.  My patience is lacking.  I just can't take any more of the extremes...whether good or bad.



I can tell you that the time I pray for my girls has definitely increased. I don't remember my tween/teen years being so emotional and dramatic. Someone had posted earlier in the comments about speaking your child's love language. I think that ministering to your daughter in her love language is very important. My tween will tell me every now and then that she thinks I don't love her, even if I have just said it to her...because that is not her love language.


In the past, my husband and I have made a point to "date our daughters". This means that both he and I spend quality time with each of our daughters alone. It might be for a walk or to take a bike ride, maybe horseback riding at a friend's farm or just going out for a cup of tea and dessert. We have had a great deal of change in our lives in the last 9 months and very recently, the girls have been asking about when do they get to have a date with daddy or mommy.


Another thing that I think is important is to recieve encouragment from other moms who have been there before you. Find a Christian woman you trust who has raised a tween/teen and let her encourage and mentor you. She can be your sounding board, prayer partner or just a friend whose shoulder you can cry on.


I am glad that in the midst of my failures as a parent, God IS Faithful!

Making Your Home a Haven: Final Week

For the last month, I have been linking up with Courtney at Women Living Well for her Making Your Home a Haven Challenge.  This is the last week and the focus this week is on the kitchen, the heart of the home.  

Courtney states on her blog:

First - let's focus on the spiritual side. Give thanks! In Luke 11:3, Jesus says to pray like this "Give us each day our daily bread." Do we pray and ask God for our daily bread? In America - we are so blessed we rarely have to ask. We should be abundantly thankful for the food we have! Give thanks! Give thanks for your food and give thanks for your family you share it with.



Cook things with pleasant aromas. Pick a meal the family can cook together - include everyone in a task and take pictures so everyone can remember moments in the kitchen together - test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remove discontentment with your home or family and give thanks to God.



Since Monday is my bread making day, I have started the week off on the right foot, especially after adding Cinnamon Raisin Bagels to my agenda today.  They look great and I can't wait to try them.  Even though I tend to get frustrated with my little girls when they help in the kitchen, I am going to try hard to plan times this week for them to help.

I think it would also be nice to have a homemade cookie or treat ready for my oldest daughter when she comes home from school (the other kids are homeschooled).  I love cooking and baking, though it doesn't always love me. :)  I'm still trying to get off that 15 pounds from having four kids.

For the most part, I have been consistant with my quiet time and eating of the Daily Bread (God's Word, the Bible).  This hasn't always been the case and I have learned that I need to set my alarm and wake up before my children wake so that I can have this time to myself to read the Bible, pray and reflect.  One thing I know for sure is that when I don't spend time with the Lord in the morning, my whole day goes haywire. 

So as we embark on this last week of the challenge, let's do our best not only for this this last week or past month but for the coming weeks and months...to make our home a haven.

What Should Have Been

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

My dad with his 9th grandchild

This week would have marked my due date with baby #5.  I have been filled with a variety of emotions.  I don't know why the pregnancy ended in miscarriage but I choose to trust God.  I think my children have had a harder time than I have.  One of the girls was very upset the other week.  She ran to her room and cried and yelled, "why did God have to take your baby?"  It was so hard to see the pain that she was experiencing...I just cried along with her.

From the attitudes that have been flying around our home, you would have thought that we brought home a new little one.  If you have expereinced bringing home a new baby with older siblings at home, you know what I am talking about.  The acting out, disobedience, anger and sometimes regression that I child expresses when a new little comes home.

Part of me wants to fill the void of the misscarriage with another child, while another part of me says, "I'm done having kids...I'm getting too old."  I know that people have children after 38 and I am not that old, it's just my emotions talking.  At this point, this area of my life is in God's hands anyway. 

I am a firstborn.

I am a perfectionist.

I am not OCD but I can be a control freak. like to be in control.

I want to have everything planned out, but from my experience, not everything in life goes as one plans. The Lord has been dealing with me lately in a lot of different areas. I am hoping that I embrace what He is teaching me so I don't have to go around that mountain again.  It's one thing to know God's Word, but it's another thing to live like you believe it.

I pray that I learn to live a life a faith, everyday trusting Him, even when I don't understand it.