What If We Weren't Color Blind?

As I sat down to write this blog post... I stared at my computer screen for long stretches of empty time just thinking and dwelling upon God. My next door neighbors would come and visit me every so often and we would talk for an hour or so and I would return to this blank screen when they would leave. Sometimes I realize that  I just don't have the words!

They are trapped in a snippet of melody, a color in the clouds, a curve of a smile, the saltiness of a tear, the pounding of a faithful heart, the prayers of the earnest, and the wind of the Spirit.

The wind is blowing with conviction outside my window... my curtains stretch and flit every so often, and I can hear the rustling of leaves as branches meet distant relatives. It is a beautiful sound, and an inviting event to behold.

God is beyond our consciousness. He is beyond our understanding. His love is overwhelming. His truth is blinding. His light rips a whole in our dimly lit reality. Oh how blessed we are to catch a hold of His garments here in this life.

He is so gentle with us. Oh if we could see and understand His power, if we could have the slightest dash of faith to believe in His love.

A friend of mine once told me that "The Kingdom of God was advancing violently!"

It is with tears in my eyes that my heart cries out to God "I want to see! I want to see what Jimmy saw!" Oh God give me the eyes to behold your presence as it dances and wraps itself around those who seek your face, and those who thirst for your righteousness in this broken and hurting world.

I want to sit and listen to your voice. If I can heart, then my heart wouldn't wander for to be filled. I want that melody, that tune that you are humming over me to reside within this heart. I long for you to take your brush and paint the walls of this heart into something beautiful.

Oh give us the faith to behold your glory and love. Remind me that I am clay daily, and humble me. Drench me and soften me with your grace. Shape me with your firm hand and guide me with your light. I want to be able to walk humbly with you through this life, and it is only in complete surrender unto you that I may.

The kingdom of God is advancing violently as Jimmy told us. It is running like a mighty steed, burning in flight like a phoenix, sailing and skipping like a dolphin, and snatching and dashing rusty chains of bondage. It is awakening hearts, and bringing color back into this world of grey. My eyes haven't adjusted yet to these new colors...

We need His love more than the air we breath. Everything else is meaningless and chasing the wind.

Handong, the place of vision! Let me introduce you to my new family! :)

You should see what God has done in 16 years! I am so blessed and honored to be a part of this place and the team of beautiful people that God has placed me with. We learn, to serve. He is all we need!

Looking over Lake Cheon-Ma-Ji towards the city of Pohang! You can see the forest of apartment buildings there in the background. A 5 minute walk from my dorm :)

Looking back towards Handong, down the hill and through the woods!

Handong Canyon! We took a wonderful hike to the top and saw an owl perched in the cleft! :)

Looking over the canyon to the lake and Pohang beyond :)

A traditional tomb that we found in the woods :)

Rice fields :) I love these things... such a beautiful green!

Like I said... I really enjoy these rice fields. See the joy on my face, and the need for me to have a picture taken with the rice?

Practicing Korean culture and my new knack for modern art :)

On a bike ride to Chilpo beach! Looking back the valley to Handong.

On campus! A look across a field, that we're techincally not supposed to walk across but I try to atleast once a week to enjoy the grass, at our beautiful library!

A look at our cafeteria and lots of crazy asian kids playing b-ball :)

My three roomates (Teriyoung: Korea, Kami: Rwanda, Mil Ar: Korea) and I doing a Rwandan pose: AKA in the states as the standing in the rain after crawling through 500 yards of poo to escape Shawshank prison :)  We took this picture on the beach during our Team's first adventure and party night!

The Lone Survivors of Jim-Jil-Bang! (Korean Public Bath House). My team and I all went swimming in the ocean at 1 AM and part of our team continued on to the most epic Korean experience ever! Salt shower time, Sauna, late night games and snacks, sleeping in little brick oven shaped coveys, and waking up to the most epic hot tub/cold shower experience ever! I am going to do this every weekend I believe... Yes I have decided!

Market Place downtown Pohang :)

Advertisements in an alley way. Yeah... Koreans are big into drama/singing.

International outing in the streets of Pohang! Photo shoot time... All in the spirit of being "more" Korean.

Looking through an old window... into another world!

That's it for now! Love you all :)

Say hello to Sweden :) Mini update of my adventures!

Hello from Strømstad Sverige! (Sweden) :) I have... alot to update! I always seem to be quite late in my updates but alas oh well... Right now I`m sitting in the basement of a local church here in Strømstad watching the rain drizzle outside and drip off a few apples still clinging to their tree. The weather here is in an interesting state, I currently reside in that funny place between Autumn and Winter. I suppose Autumn has come and gone, the colors have left, but Winter is still waiting to pay me a visit.

Strømstad is a little town of 10,000 folks on the coast of Sweden not more than 20 minutes f rom Norway. You would think that there is almost no difference here in Sweden compared to Norway, and you would be correct... almost. The culture is similar, the houses and lifestyles are similar, excpt the language. I can not understand a word of svenske... It`s so crazy. Norwegians and Swedes can communicate pretty well and the languages are similar, but its still crazy...

So I don`t have much to say about this team week so far, as it is only the second day. However I will update next week on the last three weeks and finally get around to uploading my Bergen trip pictures and the pictures that I took when Autumn was here almost a whole month ago back in Skien :p And hopefully some videos I`ve taken here around Norway. This next week, I`m putting a huge chunk of my time away so I can get around to this :) There`s so much to say and show! God has been doing pretty awesome things!

As a rough preview of the upcoming update I will talk about the team week following Bergen. Instead of going out, my team stayed back at the base and did alot of local projects including visiting the local refugee camp where several immigrants are trying to become citizens. Very cool experience :) We also had a crazy teaching week, and God has really been right beside me speaking to my heart. More on that! And ofcourse my adventures that will take place this week here in Sweden. I`m very excited bout friday... We get to take a boat to the island Kester which only has 200 people, a small church, and not a single car. I heard it`s absolutely beautiful, and will be working with the youth there so I`m very excited!

In other news I`m actually coming home for Christmas! So I will be back in town by the 14th of December, and then back again to Norway for New years :) I do hope I`ll get the chance to see all of you! I`m sure plans of a campfire/bible study party will fall together in time hehe, atleast I hope so! And... I recently found out that my mini outreach country here in Europe is Germany! So I will visit Germany for two weeks in mid January! I`m Very, excited to say the least :D.

I do hope you all are well! I`m praying for you guys, especially this week. Hello to Venture people, I`ve especially been praying for you guys! I hope your school year is going incredibly awesome!

Talk to you all soon! :)
Go Under the Mercy
-Sam

Hei fra Bergen! Så Koselig!

Sooor, I decided to finally get myself a real "Blog". I`m leaving the xanga days behind... finally :p

So here I am in my friend Helge`s house. Its quite cozy here :) Norwegians have such wonderful hospitality with lots of great food! Lefse is becoming one of my favorite snacks. Its like tortilla with schmear... Very yummy!

However... The one thing Norway doesn`t have... Eggnog! Yes my whole world was shattered when I learned this... but I have good connections with recipes and will make them some this New Years :)

But yes! I`m enjoying my autumn weekend break! Stephen my Kenyan friend and I have travelled to the west coast the land of rain and the coziest Norwegians haha. We`re staying just outside Bergen in the wonderful countryside with Helge and Vegard.

Today we climbed one of the highest mountains here on the island in the wind and rain. It was really intense but the view from the top was so incredible! I decided today as I was strolling up the hill and looking back across the stone walled green hills with sparse sheep in the rain that I absolutely love walking in Norway.

Yesterday we had a wonderful time walking through the historic streets of Bergen and soaking in the dreary weather! Its almost always raining here hehe. We also say the local football team Brann play against rosenburg, which was quite exciting! First live football match for me, and I enjoyed it thoroughly! We tied :p But yes... football is big here!

After the match we went to the top of bergen and saw the whole place at night. Ahhh very nice! Pretty cold and rainy and windy, but a great view none the less.

Its so cozy here! If there`s one word to describe this land, and the people that live here, it has to be cozy :) My favorite saying this week has turned out to be "Veldig Koselig" which translates to english as very cozy hehe.

Well... I dont know what else to say except that tomorrow I travel home to Skien! We`re taking the train through the mountains so it will be quite cozy looking at the snow covered landscape :) I think I have an apointment to impart my rubix cube solving abilities to Helge as well. And! I get to finish "Out of the Silent Planet" by my favorite man C.S. Lewis. So it will be a quite nice ending to such a great weekend!

Hadet bra! (Goodbye!)

-Sam