A Smiling Face

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; 
He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill, 
He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread, 
are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; 
Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; 
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; 
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.
-William Cowper 

Thankful

"While I was praying for you, in a sense, I was thankful for the season you're in - thankful that the sufferings of this world are never just "suffering" but instead "suffering unto glory." They're neither purposeless nor hopeless. They have a direction, and that direction is Christ. I really can't imagine what you're going through, especially while so far from your PA spiritual community, but one thing I am certain of is the incomparable beauty of the intimacy that you are/will experience with Christ. I wanted that to be an encouragement for you...one grounded in reality, not of abstract terms, that though none of us can give you a solution, although we'd love to end all the pain and sadness within you, Christ is your perfect peace in the storm." 

A snippet of an email sent by a beloved sister. I thank God for these sisters who point me to Christ, my perfect peace. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness that is evident in these friendships. Thank you for your provisions that are plentiful in the desert. 

It'll all be over soon...

and quite frankly, I'm not ready for it to be over. 

The Thief

Your eyes are full, full of the future of us
The air changes as you look across
At me in that wondering way

It is as if I knew you before we spoke
Do our hearts know something we don't?
Conspiring, converging without giving us any say

You sing me to sleep, talk down my walls
Look through my windows as I wait
You could be the thief I give the key to

You're ruining me
With secrets and gestures and looks
With sonnets from secondhand books
Playing the chords in me nobody knew how to play

You sing me to sleep, talk down my walls
Look through my windows as I wait
You could be the thief I give the key to

It fits in your hand like the water in rain
It unlocks our two different selves
And shows we are the same
Rather than wait til I put me out for the taking
You're breaking, you're breaking into my heart
And I'm letting you

Your eyes are full, full of the future of us

Happy Birthday 엄마

어리석은 나의 어릴적 모습:

엄마가 헤어지라고 할때,

12살에 나는 울면서, "그남자 사랑해!!!!"  라고 말할때, 

"웃기지마. 드라마 찍으냐?" 라고 말해줫던 엄마. 

ㅋㅋㅋ 

내가 가장 힘들때, 

듣고싶은 말을 안해주고, 

꼭 필요한 말을 해준 엄마. 

사람을 사랑하는 방법,

하나님을 사랑하는 방법,

엄마의 삶으로 가르쳐 주셔서 감사합니다. 

생일축하해요 엄마,

사랑해요 

<3 딸맹이