On Tuesday morning, the kids ran into our room and tried to wake us up. My wife and I would’ve already been up getting ready for work on a regular weekday but both of us knew that we had some extra time to sleep in due to the snow. When Reina and Ryan opened the blinds and saw the snow outside, they were jumping and shouting with excitement. Although it was a hectic morning due to the school closing situation not being announced early, the fact that it snowed made everything ok. There’s something about snow that makes everyone feel like a kid again. I really like that. However, I have grown to not like snow that much since living in the States. When I was growing up in Korea, I don’t remember anyone shoveling and getting into accidents. But now that I’m older and have been through a couple of snowstorms by spending many hours shoveling and being stuck at home for days, I don’t really look forward to snow days anymore. I can live without the “hype” of seeing snow, making snowmen and sledding down the hills.  I’m actually more worried about people getting into accidents and small business owners losing business over bad weather. Maybe I need to rediscover my youthfulness and excitement all over again. Or maybe I’m just being too practical. 
It’s been a couple days since it snowed and the kids are still in their “snow mode.” Whenever they see a pile of snow, they want to walk on it and touch the snow. While they are having so much fun, my wife and I are so worried about them slipping and getting the car wet or dirty. You get the picture, right? It happened again this morning at my parents’ house when I picked my kids up to take them to school. Ryan just blatantly disobeyed my instruction and ran around my parents’ front yard covered with snow. I had to carry him out of the snow and put him in the car. Ryan was so upset that I didn’t allow him to play in the snow, he kept on saying he doesn’t like daddy over and over. As I was driving, I thought about my actions and felt that I could’ve allowed Ryan to have some fun in the snow before getting in the car. He was just being a kid being excited but I was more worried about his clothes getting dirty and the car being wet. I don’t think what I did was wrong, any parent would have done the same but Ryan’s reaction made me think about it a little more. 
Usually, I try not to spiritualize every matter, but God made me realize something very important through this incident. There are many of us who have lost the excitement or the youthfulness when it comes to our relationship with God. I’ll be the first one to admit that. Although we are not called to remain “immature” and “child-like” in our faith, the genuine joy of knowing Jesus Christ and worshipping Him are something we need to keep. Many times I use my so called “wisdom” to limit myself from stepping outside my own little comfort zone. It’s not a coincidence that Timothy Winter Retreat’s theme was “Let Go.” I think this year will be a year that God will challenge me and my family to let go of whatever fear we are holding onto so we can fully experience the true freedom we can enjoy in God!    

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
January 11, 2015
4, 2015

Jonathan Edwards was a preacher and theologian during the 1700s. He is considered one of America’s most important theologians and greatest intellectuals. He was a leading figure in the Great Awakening. When he was about 20 years old, he wrote down resolutions he made between God and himself and he committed to reading them every week for the rest of his life. Considering many of us make resolutions at the beginning of the new year, we wanted to share some of his with you and hope you are inspired, encouraged, and challenged. Happy New Year!
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

From the Pastors
January 4, 2015