Recently I went on a cruise, my first ever, to the Bahamas with a few family members -Elder Frank and I, two of his sisters and their husbands, my father, and my mother-in-law.  Since my father and my mother-in-law could not share one bedroom, and since we were too cheap to put them separately in their own rooms, Elder Frank and I decided to ‘sacrifice’ by each sharing the room with the parent-in-law:  I with my mother-in-law and Elder Frank with his father-in-law.  The biggest concern we had for the cruise, besides how to avoid gaining too much weight from non-stop eating, was for the safety and well-being of our elderly parents.  We’ve heard horror stories about elderly parents falling on the slippery deck and being confined to bed or getting ill during the cruise and incurring high medical bills for a mediocre treatment at a foreign hospital .  
So even though Elder Frank “suffered” from a week-long sleep-deprivation (you don’t understand how loud my father’s snoring is!) and I had to endure being woken up at 3 AM every morning (yes, my godly mother-in-law kept up her daily morning prayer routine even on the cruise ship, certainly more faithful than her pastor daughter-in-law!), we were both so thankful that our parents remained healthy, ate well, and overall enjoyed the time they got to spend with their children.   Our only regret was that we hadn’t done it sooner when both sets of parents were still alive.  We saw many elderly couples on the cruise, holding hands, talking, and eating together, and generally enjoying each other’s company.  Though neither of our parents verbalized it, probably not to make their children feel sad, I could sense that they each had some regrets for enjoying the cruise alone.    Sure my husband and I had talked about taking our parents on a cruise and had every intention to do that someday, but we were too caught up in the busyness of life and it never materialized until now.   This was truly the case of “the tyranny of the urgent.”  
Part of the problem was that our parents did not demand attention or express disappointments ever. They said they understood how busy we were raising our family and doing ministry for the Lord.  And we thought once our kids grew up, we would have more time for our parents.   It turned out to be true, but by then it was too late.  I want to encourage all of you whose parents are still living to take the time now to express how much you love and appreciate them through words and actions.   Your parents may be gone sooner than you anticipate.  I wouldn’t want anyone to have the same regrets as I do.
And one benefit from being on this cruise was that the truth, “we are in the world, but not of the world,” was solidified.  All the activities the majority of the people were enjoying - drinking, dancing, singing karaoke, gambling, partying, shopping, enjoying comedies, etc. - were not enjoyable to me (okay, I confess. I did gamble once: I played Bingo and wasted $20).  So if I could, I would like to go on a Christian cruise (is there such a thing?) next time.  It would be awesome to have teaching sessions throughout the day and have evening worship with renowned worship bands and speakers.  Only then not only my physical hunger, but also my spiritual hunger will be satisfied to my heart’s content.  Now that would be my dream come true!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
October 27, 2013

Some of you might have thought that my wife and I are expecting another child from the heading. Sorry if you thought that! On Thursday, God blessed my brother’s family with a beautiful daughter Sophia! What a great joy she brought to not only her parents but to everyone who have been praying for them. For the last couple years, my brother and his wife have been trying without any positive results but God gave them a special gift as they have been patiently waiting on God for His perfect timing. It was a fresh reminder of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Before the name “Sophia” was given to the baby, she was called “웃음” (means Laughter in Korean). It’s a great Korean tradition that I should’ve followed with my own kids because I used to refer the baby as “it” at times, especially when I didn’t know the gender. I really liked the name “laughter” because it reminded me of Isaac from the bible, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and Sara. I hope and pray that that Sophia will grow up to be a special child that brings much needed laughter and joy to this world that’s filled with anger and bitterness.
I believe I have never held an infant baby other than my own because I usually don’t feel comfortable and awkward holding an infant in my arms. However, it was different this time around because Sophia is my first niece. I was actually looking forward to seeing her born and holding her in my arms. I kept on thinking about how it would feel when I actually see her in person. It was indeed a different feeling than when I held Reina and Ryan for the first time when they were born. It was more of an overwhelming appreciation for such a special gift that the whole family was waiting for over the years. Looking back on how my own kids were born just as my wife and I have planned out, I definitely took God’s grace for granted for such amazing blessings in my life. Or maybe I was too young to comprehend the full spectrum of God’s blessings but now I do. My wife and I are truly blessed beyond measures to be able to raise two beautiful kids that God placed under our care.
This whole process of Sophia being born reminded me of two important lessons. First, I was reminded of “Pray Until Something Happens (P.U.S.H.)” slogan. God challenged my lack of faith and endurance when it comes to prayer and petition. I, too often, give up on praying for certain things because of delayed response or no answer from God. I need to learn from my parents’ generation where they held onto a tree and prayed until the tree was literally uprooted from the ground. What a determination and a pure desperation they had. Some people may call them fanatics but I just love and appreciate their hunger for God and want to be more like them. 
And secondly, I was reminded of the joy of a new life being born. It says in Luke 15:10 that there is a great rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents and comes to know Jesus Christ. Just like the birth of Sophia brought so much joy to my family, the heaven rejoices over people being saved. And that’s what the body of Christ, the church family, needs to devote more of our time and resources. So instead of focusing so much on our needs and wants, we need to turn our attention what God wants to do through us. I am thoroughly convinced that we can find the joy in our lives, the ministries we serve in, and in our families if we partake in the Kingdom business of bringing people to Christ. I pray and hope that our will be a church that brings many new lives into the family of believers. 

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
July 20, 2014