Today I'm rejoicing with a special friend of mine who has been trusting and waiting on God for a very long time. She and her husband Brad are probably meeting their precious baby boy at the airport right now. What's even more special is this little boy Matthew is coming from South Korea! I've been so blessed and encouraged by their journey of learning to wait on God. Today marks such a special day of finally seeing the day their hearts have been longing for.
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
In Canada
We've landed in Canada. Blake's parents picked us up from the airport and we stayed at their house for the night. We were both up at 3:30am wide awake. Had a nap today from 12-5pm. Our bodies feel really messed up right now. You'd think we love doing this to ourselves! We came home to find my sister and brother-in-law also living at home with my parents. They had a few unforseen circumstances and had to make a quick move home for a bit.
So...my poor mom moped while we were home on the holidays about the upcoming empty nest. My youngest brother Joel skipped off to Queen's University this September to begin the engineering program. My mom had 9 full days of an empty nest, a clean house and no shoes at the front door. I guess the 4 other kids happened to feel that that was long enough and all decided to come home. :) haha
So...here we've landed. Not sure what the future holds at the moment. Blake had a job prospect, but by the time we got home for the interview it was filled. We're both sending out applications. Hoping and praying that something comes along soon!
So...my poor mom moped while we were home on the holidays about the upcoming empty nest. My youngest brother Joel skipped off to Queen's University this September to begin the engineering program. My mom had 9 full days of an empty nest, a clean house and no shoes at the front door. I guess the 4 other kids happened to feel that that was long enough and all decided to come home. :) haha
So...here we've landed. Not sure what the future holds at the moment. Blake had a job prospect, but by the time we got home for the interview it was filled. We're both sending out applications. Hoping and praying that something comes along soon!
Decision Day
Monday, September 14th,
Today is D-Day. We've been assured that if the president initiates the interview then we're in. We will go forward with the job if he calls. So...we're now praying that if we are not meant to be in Korea then the door would close, that the president would be busy or something would happen. We are giving him til 6pm today and then we will go forward with booking our tickets home to Canada.
6pm
He did not call. We have prayed through this decision so much and feel that this is clear indication that we are being directed home to Canada. We tried to book our tickets for Thursday or Friday this week, but the price jumped astronomically so we had to book for Wednesday. That gives us one day to do all our paperwork and say a LOT of goodbyes to some really dear friends. We're feeling all mixed up emotionally, but relieved to finally have some sense of direction.
Today is D-Day. We've been assured that if the president initiates the interview then we're in. We will go forward with the job if he calls. So...we're now praying that if we are not meant to be in Korea then the door would close, that the president would be busy or something would happen. We are giving him til 6pm today and then we will go forward with booking our tickets home to Canada.
6pm
He did not call. We have prayed through this decision so much and feel that this is clear indication that we are being directed home to Canada. We tried to book our tickets for Thursday or Friday this week, but the price jumped astronomically so we had to book for Wednesday. That gives us one day to do all our paperwork and say a LOT of goodbyes to some really dear friends. We're feeling all mixed up emotionally, but relieved to finally have some sense of direction.
Waiting
Friday, September11th
Our job prospect is with a university in southern Seoul. If hired, we would be university professors (hilarious eh!?) teaching English to university students. Our good friend Will is currently working there and called us to say that 2 professors had not worked out and they needed to fill those 2 positions. We scrambled together some 'sophisticated professor type' clothing and ran out to the university for a meeting. The guy that hires was extremely busy and made us wait a long time while he dealt with other issues. We were quite content to wander around and just talk. The hiring guy finally a had a bit of free time over dinner so we went with him to chat. He expressed to us that he really wanted to hire us and would be the one to do so, but we needed to first shake the hands of the president and have an 'interview' with him. The president was the one that needed to initiate this meeting and the actual 'hiring guy' could not rush the process despite the need in the English department. This process really reflects a lot of the Korean culture.
Anyways...we have waited all week. We have really prayed that God would direct our steps. We resolved that we would walk through the door if it opened, but if it closed we would go home to Canada. We wrote the hiring guy an email telling him that we needed to make a decision by Friday at 6pm. He phone us at 4:30pm on Friday pleading with us to wait until Monday because the president would have time to meet with us on Monday.
So...here we are waiting til Monday.
Jenn and Jord are such amazing friends and continue to put us up in their loft. We're playing lots of euchre and Jenn and I are baking and having a grand time. I think Blake and I have assumed the role of the household pet. We're sad to see the go in the morning and are so excited for them to come home to feed us and play with us.
Our job prospect is with a university in southern Seoul. If hired, we would be university professors (hilarious eh!?) teaching English to university students. Our good friend Will is currently working there and called us to say that 2 professors had not worked out and they needed to fill those 2 positions. We scrambled together some 'sophisticated professor type' clothing and ran out to the university for a meeting. The guy that hires was extremely busy and made us wait a long time while he dealt with other issues. We were quite content to wander around and just talk. The hiring guy finally a had a bit of free time over dinner so we went with him to chat. He expressed to us that he really wanted to hire us and would be the one to do so, but we needed to first shake the hands of the president and have an 'interview' with him. The president was the one that needed to initiate this meeting and the actual 'hiring guy' could not rush the process despite the need in the English department. This process really reflects a lot of the Korean culture.
Anyways...we have waited all week. We have really prayed that God would direct our steps. We resolved that we would walk through the door if it opened, but if it closed we would go home to Canada. We wrote the hiring guy an email telling him that we needed to make a decision by Friday at 6pm. He phone us at 4:30pm on Friday pleading with us to wait until Monday because the president would have time to meet with us on Monday.
So...here we are waiting til Monday.
Jenn and Jord are such amazing friends and continue to put us up in their loft. We're playing lots of euchre and Jenn and I are baking and having a grand time. I think Blake and I have assumed the role of the household pet. We're sad to see the go in the morning and are so excited for them to come home to feed us and play with us.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Clouding Clarity
So I just wanted to apologize for anyone who has been following this wild ride this last little while. We feel like yo-yo's going back and forth and just not knowing much. Again, the plot thickens and we're not sure what we're doing. I think we're going to be in need of some intense pyschological counselling by the time this is all through!
Here's the latest...
We thought that the door closing at the hagwon meant we were being directed to Canada. We haven't gotten around to changing our flight yet because paperwork with our schools is taking a bit of time. Yesterday a lot of strange things happened including a very good possibility that some of the best jobs in Korea landed on our laps. With these jobs we'd have a lot more vacation time which means we could go home and be with family for significant periods of time throughout the year. Not sure if this is a temptation to allure us to stay when we should be going back to Canada or whether it's God's provision and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Sooo...here we go again. Praying for God to give us wisdom and discernment as we stand with a huge decision before us. Also praying that God would slam that door shut very clearly (and quickly) if it's not where we're meant to be.
Here's the latest...
We thought that the door closing at the hagwon meant we were being directed to Canada. We haven't gotten around to changing our flight yet because paperwork with our schools is taking a bit of time. Yesterday a lot of strange things happened including a very good possibility that some of the best jobs in Korea landed on our laps. With these jobs we'd have a lot more vacation time which means we could go home and be with family for significant periods of time throughout the year. Not sure if this is a temptation to allure us to stay when we should be going back to Canada or whether it's God's provision and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Sooo...here we go again. Praying for God to give us wisdom and discernment as we stand with a huge decision before us. Also praying that God would slam that door shut very clearly (and quickly) if it's not where we're meant to be.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Clarity
Saturday morning
I woke up this morning and the first thing on my mind was Abraham and Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. God had made many promises to Abraham that were to be fulfilled through this son Isaac, yet God was then asking him to kill his son. I can imagine the confusion Abraham felt ask God seemingly wasn't making sense! However, Abraham stepped out in faith in spite of the confusion and heartache and got right down to the moment where his promised son was tied down on the altar and the killing knife was in the air. At that moment God stepped in and told him to stop. The point was to bring him to a crisis of faith and to trust in the wisdom of God above what seemed to make sense.
Maybe I'm making assumptions, but I'm wondering if our situation with the hagwon is similar. Perhaps God was asking us to step out in faith and say 'yes' with the intention of simply bringing a crisis of faith. This week we have had to trust and seek God in ways that have been extremely difficult, but maybe that was the whole point.
I shared with Blake and he said that the same word had been given to him! Craziness!
Sooo...I think we're coming home to Canada!
Sunday morning
We're on our way to one of the last meetings with our church and we have mixed emotions. This church has been such a blessing and we are so sad to say goodbye.
I woke up this morning and the first thing on my mind was Abraham and Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. God had made many promises to Abraham that were to be fulfilled through this son Isaac, yet God was then asking him to kill his son. I can imagine the confusion Abraham felt ask God seemingly wasn't making sense! However, Abraham stepped out in faith in spite of the confusion and heartache and got right down to the moment where his promised son was tied down on the altar and the killing knife was in the air. At that moment God stepped in and told him to stop. The point was to bring him to a crisis of faith and to trust in the wisdom of God above what seemed to make sense.
Maybe I'm making assumptions, but I'm wondering if our situation with the hagwon is similar. Perhaps God was asking us to step out in faith and say 'yes' with the intention of simply bringing a crisis of faith. This week we have had to trust and seek God in ways that have been extremely difficult, but maybe that was the whole point.
I shared with Blake and he said that the same word had been given to him! Craziness!
Sooo...I think we're coming home to Canada!
Sunday morning
We're on our way to one of the last meetings with our church and we have mixed emotions. This church has been such a blessing and we are so sad to say goodbye.
Confusion
Friday night
Just got home and received a phone call from our pastor Jae. He said that 2 members of the leadership team woke up that morning and felt that God was giving them a very clear word that the hagwon was not to open. God seemed to be telling them to trust Him with the church rent for now. Jae said he was sorry, but the positions were no longer available.
So...we're going to sleep tonight super confused. We thought God was calling on us to say yes and to step out in faith. He seemed to confirm each step toward staying longer in Korea. Did we completely misread the signs?? We've been giving this to God so often and asking for CLEAR confirmation. What the heck?!?! Why were we put through this week of stress if it wasn't meant to be from the beginning. We do feel peace though that God has clearly closed the door. We followed as far as we thought and God is seemingly now directing us toward Canada.
Just got home and received a phone call from our pastor Jae. He said that 2 members of the leadership team woke up that morning and felt that God was giving them a very clear word that the hagwon was not to open. God seemed to be telling them to trust Him with the church rent for now. Jae said he was sorry, but the positions were no longer available.
So...we're going to sleep tonight super confused. We thought God was calling on us to say yes and to step out in faith. He seemed to confirm each step toward staying longer in Korea. Did we completely misread the signs?? We've been giving this to God so often and asking for CLEAR confirmation. What the heck?!?! Why were we put through this week of stress if it wasn't meant to be from the beginning. We do feel peace though that God has clearly closed the door. We followed as far as we thought and God is seemingly now directing us toward Canada.
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