Pajama!

So, I was teaching about Latino Culture and English this past week.

We were discussing the various countries of Central and South America, and up comes my list on the PowerPoint:

Sp___
Me____
P___guay
El S_l_vador
Pa_ama

Look at the last one. Very obvious? Well, to my 1-5 class student Hyun-ha, it was obvious...

"PAJAMA!" she screams out.

I've never laughed so loud in a long, long time.

Thanks Hyun-ha...thanks girl.

Spiritual Warfare

Word up! My friends on the Internet and back at home.

I haven't blogged in such a long time, I forgot to keep my peoples informed about my activities.

Here I am, approaching my third summer in South Korea. Teaching has been alright, its the same, no real breakthroughs, as kids are slogging it out towards the end of the first semester.

My new freshmen are more eager and enthusiastic to learn about English, but I now I can see them struggling.

We approach the summer days, it gets hot, the girls get antsy, exams approach, dark eyes like owls appear, the irritable meter rises, the initial drive to have fun with English gets shifted into lower gear and sometimes goes into neutral.

Sometimes kids fall in asleep in my class, partly because I'm boring (at least that's what I think), and mostly because these little girls go to sleep around 1 or 2AM. Its ridiculous what the Korean public school program puts these adolescents through. It saddens me and I feel so bad for them. Life is the same for them day in, day out as they are supposed to become adults.

The problem is, when they become adults (i.e. college), they go into a world where the pressure when the valve is released can sometimes become too great. Now they have to make decisions when they were always told what to do. Its the Confucian mindset. Do what you're told. Be a good study soldier.

Meanwhile, I got my own battles. In my life, I'm starting to realize more than ever that spiritual warfare is upon us as believers. What is spiritual warfare? It is battle between the principalities of the spirit-realm, its your personal battle as a believer in Jesus Christ and the dark forces of the spiritual realm that want to hinder your walk in Jesus. Its more real than you think.

You go to the Word not just to get your fill of the Holy Spirit, but to also equip yourself for battle. You don't do quiet time to make God happy, He wants a relationship with you not only because He loves us but He wants to equip us to fight in a world where everything is just...wrong...and sinful.

We encounter depression, frustration, anger, mindless thoughts of evil and lust, hatred, and random thoughts that are not holy. I struggle with this daily. I'm not a perfect saint, but I'm a sinner saved by Grace.

The devil is not just some goofy cartoon character you see trying to make you do bad things, he's capable of doing more. He is trying to take every single human being that doesn't trust and believe in God down with him.

He can't touch the saints' salvation. But he can attack them.

He's a schemer, the Bible calls him a liar. He tries to do many things to get to his ultimate goal, to distract you from focusing on the prize...Christ. He sews the seeds of doubt when you question, he pounces on impurity when you let unwholesome thoughts into your mind, he tries to fuel your anger into sin when someone is pushing your buttons, and piles paranoia onto your anxiety about certain situations.

1 Peter 5:7: "Cast all your anxieties onto Him, because He cares for you." This word of Truth helped me fight some thoughts of anxiety today. Wow, I became lifted up. That's the Word of God. Its not about making God happy, God doesn't need anything from us. What He wants is us...all of us.

I have messed up this week. All now I can I do is make things right and give my life to Him, so He can clean house and the Holy Spirit can work in me.

The devil? Can be squashed with one pinky by God. To battle, there has got to be a mindset and faith that is set on Christ himself, to be like him and to consciously keep him at that forefront of your daily decision-making and interacting with people, as well as your thoughts. This is not easy, but God gives us His Holy Spirit to make it.

Why is battling not easy? Because we battle our old sin nature while we are being set apart for His glory, called sanctification. Another part of successful spiritual battling is prayer. I'm learning that prayer is like a Samurai's fighting technique, if the Bible is like a Saint's samurai sword, cutting into the world of lies. Lifting up our anxieties and fears about the future, as well as giving Him the praise for His daily gifts and Grace, is getting to the heart of the matter and putting God first.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". - 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18.

Look at the highlighted words. There is a stress on constancy...of consistency. I used to be one of those type of Christians who would read my Bible and pray, then I would think my work was done and I expected God to give me a good day. I was such a selfish Christian back in high school. When I had a bad day, in my mind I would think I didn't do my quiet time right or something.

But look at this letter of the church of Thessalonica...always, continually, and all, I mean who in their right mind would be joyful when you got a bunch of haters at work who don't appreciate your hard work? Or when some student punks you in the middle of class and you're embarrassed? Or when a teammate gets mad at you for a play that you didn't mean to make? Or when a loved one is going through a terminal illness?

That's what a Christian is being about. We're supposed to be so radically different from the world that the world would have no excuse or choice BUT to see Christ in us. But everytime, in spiritual battles, we give the devil a foothold, we can put ourselves into dangerous situations where we can right into sin.

A consistent Christian life is not fulfilling duty, its about a lifestyle of honor to the Lord. Its about keeping Him first in our lives at all hours. That's the continual hard part about this new calling in Jesus. We have to give up our old selves and reject the old ways of dealing with things. Is "joys always" meaning we have a big smile everywhere we go and laughing it up because that's what the world calls "joy?" Forget that...I personally am one of those guys who has joy most when I'm alone or when I'm just straight up calm. For another sister in the Lord, she may be just on fire and loud for the Lord. Or for another brother, he could just keeping it chill while enjoying the moment of peace from the Lord. Always is, always shall be.

"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:7. We're just a bunch of bums saved by Grace. We're lambs led by the Shepherd Jesus Christ.

But equipped with truth, with Grace, and by giving our anxieties and fears to Him...that holiness that oozes from our bodies will contaminate the people around us and they too will see a changed person in us, in the form of Jesus.

Oh Lord, forgive me for being selfish and losing control of my life. Let's try this again my Savior...that's what Grace is all about.

Ephesians 6:15-19:
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Time for some battling, but remember, we already have the victory...in Jesus!

Hapkido

So in April, after coming back for a third (and possibly final stint) in teaching, I needed something new in my life.

Last year, I was content with just doing my job, connecting with friends when I had time, and leading a normal life. But with the advent of gaining weight while in Korea and America (hey, bears gotta hibernate, right?), and leading a doldrum-filled existence of yelling English at unsuspecting high school girls, I thought that a physical outlet of unleashing the Soni dragon would be good for my google-loo cheeks (my grandma's Indian terminology for "chubby") and my waistline.

I get my co-teacher, Joanna Son, to contact the local hapkido gym to apply for a spot in training for this martial art. I enter this Hapkido Jang ("jang" means "place" in Korean) with virtually no experience in martial arts, the grand master helps me into my uniform, a black garb with a white belt.

Fast forward a month later, and I passed my first hapkido exam. Its just one step on a long road to martial excellence.

However, what is hapkido? When you usually think of Korea, you think of the land of Tae Kwon Do, the land of fast kicking, furious roundhouse kicking youngsters like my cousin who would be formidable foes on the streets of Seoul. Nah, hapkido is an unique martial art.

A Korean dude a long time ago went to study martial arts in Japan, during the colonial era when the Japanese controlled Korea (1910-1945). He studied various martial arts like jujistu, brought it back to Korea, and produced an eclectic artform what is now hapkido.

Hapkido incorporates lots of locks, grips, and defensive schemes that utilizes an opponent's energy against them. Someone grabs your collar, force them into a hold where they have to submit. Someone bear hugs you, hit em hard below the belt and kick em! Somebody grabs your wrist, get out and put them in a tough position.

Of course, there is the kicking element, but unlike tae kwon do, which uses a series of fast and speedy kicks to surprise the opponent, hapkido places emphasis on power. Hapkido is about combining energy and unleashing it, while using your opponent's against theirs.

I have studied the art for a month and some change, and its really invigorating my physical and mental life. After a rough day's work, I enjoy going to the place and getting all the nerves and energy out of my system by getting a new workout in.

I lost weight, toned up a little, and my goal is to become more mentally and physically sound. Now I got my South African friend Jonathan to join me for his first session tonight, I have a sparring partner to practice my moves with on a more consistent basis. Its not about fighting, its about health and defense.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to learn martial arts. Its cool to move and move freely and learn something new, something that will impact me for the rest of my life here on earth.

Random Thoughts

1. "Scream It!" - I picked up the martial art of Hapkido recently. A Korean martial art, its an eclectic style that combines kicks and short range attacks with a lot of defensive locks and throws to disable your opponent. Its only my third week, but the workout is intense but very invigorating. One of my favorite parts of the art is the guttural scream that you are supposed to do before a kick, a roll, a stance, or a punch.

"Yah!" "Aigh!" I scream and attempt a kick...and barely pass muster. But, the release is good and gets alot of energy out of your system and towards your opponent and barrier. I was watching one of my favorite basketball players in the NBA, Carlos Boozer, and I love it how he just roars when he gets a basket while getting fouled. He yells in success while slapping a teammates hand...invigorating.

Screaming, not in anger, I believe is great for letting out energy. You don't have to be the Karate Kid, but yelling like Carlos Boozer when you get the job done or trying to kick has its uses.

2. Teaching - its cool. The kids are getting more stressed as mid-terms near, but I try to give these test taking robots some relief with my class, because learning should be fun and more experience driven. This year's freshmen class is a bit different from last year's class; they're a bit more laid-back and more active (an oxymoronic statement), so classes, thanks to our Lord, have been more smoother this year.

3. The Weather - its been up and down. Two weeks ago it was warm and the cherry blossoms were out in full bloom. This week has has been frigid and windy. Well, that beats when the humidity turns up to 90% and I'm sweating enough salt to supply Mickey D's for the week.

4. Trip to China - I'm headed to China for the first time in my life, and I'm kinda excited to take it to the Middle Kingdom and experience the culture there. We'll see what Shanghai has to offer. Three day road trip starting next Saturday.

5. 9th Wonder - the name of this hip-hop producer who takes old samples and just absolutely kills it with some wonderful snares and melodies. Just how hip-hop should be. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2OtuN-JkbQ&feature=related.

6. Rice and kimchi - Korean food is a miracle food. Good for my mind and body, keeps me invigorated throughout the day.

7. In the midst of troubles, I can be a light.
Economic pains, seasonal rains in the midst of life,
A little girl's father lost her job,
While people running amuck, savings lost,
They just got robbed,
While ouncing to make a living,
I sit here pondering what I could be giving,
My money, my time, my talents, my skills,
I sit selfishly trying to pay my own bills,
It kills me to see a fake world gone wrong,
A little girl sits her in chair, her face so long,
Hope living in me, shine forth Holy Spirit,
If you ain't living the life, no one will hear it,
They put on a smile, yet looks so sad,
Cuz no one will ever listen to them about their dad,
Who drinks, and curses in the middle of the night,
While their little brother needs help from pain n' strife,
A helpless omma sees no hope,
A child broke, no one to cope,
"Step into the game my young one,"
I hear God call to me, I the adopted one,
"I put you here for a reason, get it done,"
I talk to this girl for one night, moment number one,
Next thing you know, through God's Spirit I hear,
"Well done, have no fear..."

One.

Marky

He Has Risen Indeed!

Just a quick shout out to my brothers and sisters in the Lord out there, whoever will be reading this blog.

I woke up in South Korea to a sunny spring day. After spending some time with my Lord through prayer and Bible study, and after listening to an Easter Sermon by Stonebriar Community Church Pastor Chuck Swindoll, I woke up with more vigor and energy than I usually do on a Sunday morning.

This is because this is the day calendar day we celebrate the rising of our Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ. Not just physically, but spiritually we are alive because of His death and resurrection.

Swindoll in his sermon points out in story form about the gut-wrenching torture our Savior went through so that we may have true life. He describes (paraphrase):

"From a little carpenter boy, he became a prophet and became the Messiah, the Savior of the world."

From a little Jewish kid, He stepped into His role to take upon our sins, our sorrows, and our burdens, things that we are ashamed of and that would eventually bring us to death...for eternity. Instead, He gives us...eternal...life.

If you don't know Jesus today, I encourage you to find Him, because He is waiting for you. Get your life right; know God and His grace, because He loves you.

As the beautiful spring rolls around with the gorgeous cherry blossoms springing about near my school, I'm reminded of His grace which gives me energy and life, especially through the dark times of my life. Jesus paid it all, and He knows what we are going through, that's what I call true friend, that's what I call a true Lord.

When you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, invades your life and does a little bit of housekeeping in your heart and soul. He helps you clean up your life and live a Holy Life, one that honors God, who rules the Universe. The Holy Spirit protects you and gives you direction in your life, because He speaks the words of God to you...what an amazing Spirit!

I like that term, "invasion." The Holy Spirit and you as a believer have a battle each and every day to fight against the sin in this world and the spiritual attacks we face on a daily basis.

But...and as my friend Jon Neufeld says, "but is a great contraction when it comes to Grace," BUT, WE HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS!

He has risen indeed!

"Just Been...Loving Mr. Soni"

I decided to write something more lighter with all the economic issues, mass killings, hopelessness, worldly views, and despair in this world today. Here's something sweet in the midst of the sin that's in the world.

I'm teaching one of my favorite and more effective conversation lessons at my high school lately, called "High School English." I call it that because the PowerPoint addresses more trendier language usage such as "what's up" rather than "hi," and "how's it going" rather than "how are you."

Well, one of the questions in the lesson is "what've been up to lately?" Its a common conversation starter to see what the other person has been doing this past week. For a Korean learner, its important to give them a structured answer or formula to keep their answers to the point but at least allow them to maneuver for more answers.

The answer is, according to my PowerPoint, "Just been + Verb + ing." Insert any verb of choice to tell your listener "what've been up to lately."

I choose different kids in the classroom to present their answers to me, or practice the dialog with a partner in a different part of the classroom. They can earn $oni Dollars for their participation.

While teaching class 1-8, I ran out of volunteers as the main active girls already raised their hands and got the ball rolling. I needed more participation, so I decided to choose a girl of my own to keep them on their toes. "Jeong...Ji...Na. Who's Jeong Jina?"

Jina bashfully raises her hand and stands up. The girls are giggling at her.

Mr. Soni: "What's up, Jina?"
Jina: "Nothing much, what's up Mr. Soni."
Mr. Soni: "Nothing much, how's it going?"
Jina: "I'm cool."
Mr. Soni: "What've been up to lately?"

(Pause)

Jina: "...just been...LOVING...Mr. Soni!"

There is a huge roar of laughter and "ahhhhhs!" I'm quite embarrassed myself but being at a girl's high school, its natural to have a crush on the male teachers. Its part of Korean girls high school culture. So with her participation, I have to give her a $oni dollar for her efforts, but this time around, the girls see it as a "love gift," and as I hand the money to her the classmates around her "ahhh" in admiration.

One classmate, Kye-rin smirks at me, "I am going to cry now."

"Just been loving Mr. Soni."

School Begins

For the third year, I began teaching English in the Republic of Korea.

This time around, there's not as much hype going around this one, which is a good thing.

I wasn't introduced in the "starting line-ups" of teachers at the opening ceremony this past Monday (the 3rd of March) because now I am not a rookie, but a veteran.

So to my new freshmen class, I'm a virtually unknown quantity, and I am guessing many didn't know that they had a native English teacher. (Many high schools in Incheon still do not have a native teacher for their English classes) I walked into their classrooms with surprised looks on their faces as they were saying in Korean, "who's this guy," or "he doesn't look Korean to me."

I actually enjoyed last week. I was introduced to any fanfare so I was out of the spotlight. In my first two years in Korea I was at two different schools, so there was a lot of raucous about me being the new foreign teacher. It was fun. Yet this time, instead of being a celeb, I could focus more on being a better teacher and stay out of the limelight.

Speaking of "walking into their classrooms," that was one of the first few changes I've made this past week. In past years, I usually taught in my class in the English Zone, a special designated classroom built in many schools to encourage an English Only environment. It's a special room with many colors and gimmicks, and is very advantageous for giving good lectures on the huge projector screen and has seating designed for group activities.

Even though the English Zone serves its purpose well, it sometimes can be tougher to work in. The reason is mental. Most students study hard in their regular classrooms and are mentally geared to work hard in that environment. So there were moments last year when students would come to the English Zone, see the funny colors and collages of pictures of world leaders on the wall, and become relaxed.

For the first few weeks, I will teach in their regular classroom as a way to bring legitimacy and a sense of order to the class. So far its working. After introducing the classroom rules and enforcing them while allowing them to get used to my teaching style, then I will bring them to the English Zone for further instruction. If the plan will work, who knows, but hey, I got to get the ball rolling right this year.

Teaching the new freshment will be nicer for one major reason: the class sizes. I have 36 students per class, average. That's down from 44 average last year. This means it will be easier to control on some levels as well as getting to know the students' faces more. Last year it was tough at times to maintain control while helping students understand the material at hand.

As for life in general in Korea, the transition back has been tougher than last year. I spent an awesome four-week vacation in the States, so coming back here and getting adjusted has taken a toll on my body, because I have to get adjusted to my work schedule as well as Korean time. This is not like for most people who go on vacation to a nearby ocean or another state and come back to work. For me, its fighting off jet lag in the States while adjusting to the peace and quiet, then coming right back into bright neon signs, buses going out of control, mayhem in the streets of Seoul, and the fast-track life.

But God is faithful and He has been ever so helpful in getting my mind and body adjusted.

Bonus: Funny quotes from this week's "Q & A Time With Mr. Soni" during the first week of classes:

Q: "Mr. Soni, do you like Korea?" (in which Mr. Soni has been living here for two years)
A: "Yes." (awkward silence, then laughter)

Q: "Mr. Soni, which one [of us students] is the most attractive?"
A: ......(looks over at Ms. Lee, Mr. Soni's co-teacher)
Student: "NOOOO! Not her!"