Sex and the Church

Wouldn't it be interesting if there really was a newspaper column called "Sex and the Church" (instead of Sex and the City) I bet so many people would read it

Anyway this past Sunday we had a guest speaker come in to our youth group while our pastor was out of town. And when I went to introduce myself and welcome her before worship started she seemed very nice and mild. But DANG, when she went up to speak she was like FIRE. I was so shocked. She's worked in youth groups all around the world and in that one sermon she talked about murder, sex, pornography. HAHA the youth kids must have been like =O But you know what? I really liked it.

That Sunday I realized that our church, like most korean churches (and korean culture in general) I'd day, is very conservative. We do not talk about SEX or PORN or MASTURBATION!! Goodness gracious no! In our korean church culture we cringe even saying/hearing those words.

This season of my life I've been asking God to help me understand the Word more, like foreals. You know in the song “Heart of worship” there’s a line that says I’m sorry Lord for the thing I made it. And it’s so true. A lot of times a lot of us twist the word. But I don’t want my experiences, opinions, my church to be the filter for the Bible. It’s gotta be the other way around. The BIBLE is the standard! And recently I’ve been meditating on Psalm 119:34-36. I will share

Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statues and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Mmm yes. I don’t want the worthless things. I want abundant life!

I’ve also been praying (esp because of youth group) that God would make me a pure vessel for his truth and his love. You know what I mean? I mean there’s the “Eurri” version of what she knows about God’s love and the bible, but my version only taints it. I want God to make me pure so I can be a less clogged artery for His life-giving blood. Haha.

Ok, so basically I’ve been asking God to help me understand the Bible for what it really says and I’ve been asking God to make me pure.

Now with all that going on, I found a book in my house that I totally forgot I ever had, which I just started reading. My youth group teacher gave it to our whole class back in high school. The book is called “QUESTIONS you cant ask your Mama about SEX” and it’s basically a bunch of sex questions answered biblically. It’s really interesting and it makes me laugh out loud sometimes because it’s super straight forward and sarcastic at times. And isn’t it interesting that I find this because HOW many times does the bible talk about “sexual immorality” specifically. Yet how much of that do I really understand or hear about in church? (Again the church can’t be the filter for the bible) So really what is sexual immorality? What is it??

The book I’m reading talks about God’s calling to Holiness and with that comes purity and with that comes sexual purity. And one thing I thought was really interesting is that it says ‘virginity does not equal purity. Many Christians maintain their virginity technically, yet live hedonistic lifestyles. Purity is a lifestyle.’ So basically there are Christians who may not be a virgin but who are more pure than you. Hm.

It’s crazy. Haha. Man, some of the questions asked in this book are like RIDICULOUS. But to answer the previous question just in case you didn’t know and wanted to they summarize it like this “if it’s used to cause arousal, it’s sexual.” But again, it’s not just about sex. It’s about God’s command for us to be holy because He is holy.

Wrecked

Today I got into my first car accident ever. Man it sucked. But me and my car are fine, mostly (unlike my suggestive title) Hehe but it was still a shock. If you've ever been smashed or the smasher then you know what I'm talking about. Even now as I'm writing this entry my outside is fine but my insides are still calming down. I cant really explain the feeling any other way. Like the the hit shook my whole body and then starting from the outside in my cells stop shaking. So my skin is totally calm, but like my liver is still quivering just a tad bit. HAHA is that weird? whatever!

Other people seemed to have a crummy day today too. And by crummy I mean like crumbling, being broken, getting wrecked. It made me wonder about God and why He wrecks us. I mean yes the obvious answers are "because He loves us" and "for His glory" (which I dont doubt by the way) But I did wonder why he gets the most glory by wrecking us? Again the answer that automatically jumps into mind is "because when we're brought low and humbled, God receives the most glory" But I still wondered. Unlike my other conclusive blog entries though I dont have an answer for this one, except that...


it's good =]

O Mother

So my mom recently started taking computer classes from someone at my church. Here is an email she sent me

"I will go to mission trip on china 9/20/09--9/30/09 I also have to go to Nashville 9/17--/9/20/09 It is litter too much for me but I do not have choice this time September 3, 2009, 11:10 pm I am still practicing computer ha ha ha….. Good nightt"


A tidbit of my mom. She seriously cracks me up. I have so much fun laughing at both my parents =]

Dying is hard.

It's better to love, than to be right.

Dang. Is that profound or what? Read it again.
Pamela said that to me once in passing, about what she was learning. What an amazing mentor I have. She doesnt ever try to teach me, but she just loves on me and has relationship with me. And I learn so much.

Haha. Actually she says a lot of one-liners that to me are like earth-shattering. HAHA. No joke. I'll give you a little taste.

"Sometimes, people can be so 'heavenly-minded' that they're no earthly good."

O_O

See where your mind takes you on that one. But dont get it twisted. Either of the bolds, please.

Hehe. Anyway. These days. Seriously, what is going on these days? In the hills, in my mind ._. I feel like God is really purging me. Refining me through the fires, literally and spritually. Challenging me a lot invidually and with people. That first bold, "better to love than to be right" always comes up in my mind because I am naturally like a BIG judger and with that comes the sin of being easily stumbled. And then the whole how to love in truth mystery always comes up, how do you balance it? I have learned personally that I (and many others) are really more focused on the 'truth' and not enough on LOOOOVE! We think we're loving by giving a dose of the truth, but we're not really lovin'. AND in doing so we're probably not delivering the truth very well either -_- And thats the whole point right? That's what really matters, a love that's effective. SO, I have discovered that the best way to do this "love with truth" IS..

...to just love.


AND


KNOW the truth for yourself. And AS you are loving, should God give you an opportunity to share the truth, then you can obey and be bold and deliver that truth. And God is pleased =]

Yes. So perhaps the title of this blog should really be "Loving is hard."

Nah

All fired out

These fires... they're making me crazy. I seriously had a little crazy time in my car last night trying to figure out where to go. And the combination of not getting enough sleep the night before + seriously needing to start my period + the news + the crazy sky looking like atomic bombs went off and the mountains looking like volcanoes + my crazy mind + my capacity to feel brokenness in this world + listening to Jesus music = mini emotional breakdown HAHAHA. I was a hot mess, crying and laughing as i was driving. Crying because I'd get overwhelmed by everything and then laughing thinking "wow. I'm being crazy. HAHA calm down.. its not even bad" LOL



But thank you Jesus for delivering me into a safe place. First into hope and reassurance of God's sovereignty. Over all and always. Second I am very thankful for people who can really remind me of God's love and goodness, in tiny and big ways. Thank you to everyone for housing me and thank you to those who comforted me when i was being mad. haha. we can look like Maya from heroes together. AHAHA

Most people dont even know/care really about what's happening. But its crazy. People are losing their homes. Some people are watching their homes burn. And then all of a sudden i thought about homeless people. How empty they must feel not belonging, displaced. Not belonging to a place, and some not belonging to people. What a deep sadness. Then I thought how amazing it is that I do belong somewhere, not merely a home but a heavenly place. I belong in heaven.

Seriously. Who am i to have this hope. And I was reminded last night as I was talking to a sister, who am I for God to intervene and save me from sin when it says how God gave some over to their sins. It really is amazing and unexplainable grace.

O man... blogging makes me think of more to blog about. HAHA more later.

Opinions

who needs them? Nadie

OMGOSH!

Wow. I know I wrote a tidbit about this on my facebook status but that little line is just not enough to express how i feel right now...

So whenever people would gather around and start talking about all their favorite childhood shows I would hesitate before asking about these certain ones. But I'd always ask JUUST in case someone knew what i was talking about. However, I am left disappointed each time. But now..alas. I've discovered them on youtube!!! AMAZING!

If you've ever heard about my childhood stories with Eumi, then you are bound to have heard the one about us pretending to be koalas and climbing up our couch and eating geem (seaweed) that was sticking out of our blinds (which of course we strategically placed beforehand). Well here it is.. the show that inspired it all, that NO one seems to recall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZVaD1psOE

Youtube is amazing. After this one I found all these other ones that I had thought I dreamt up but no..its real, so real.

Like this one..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6HUedbFa9A&NR=1

the scene at 35 sec with the little person on the bunches of grapes. That image has been burned into my brain for YEARS. And I seriously thought I might've made it up but then I found it! O_O

And eeguh..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAphcvZaS8I&feature=related

This was the "other" knome show.. or little guy with a pointy hat show.. HAHAAH omgosh

And then of course there was this freaky thing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmgmXgoBZFo

but anyway...

Dang. I am pretty satisfied right now. The comments on some of these videos are so hilarious.

"i could so cry...i didnt even know that anyone would have this!! "

"Ommmg. Nobody ever remembers this show! "

"I remember I would watch this and Noozles all the time when I was a kid. Ah the memories..."

Sigh. I am not alone.