Our Michigan weekend (Sort of)

"When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence..."

"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

- - from "On Friendship" from Kahil Gibran's The Prophet

Thank you again dear Greg and Marian for your hospitality. We only regret that our camera broke before we had time to capture more of our weekend together. Love and miss you all.

Rejoice evermore

I realized how corny it was, borderline ridiculous, to indulge myself and purchase the piece of kitsch which caught my attention in the homegoods section of the Goodwill. How could I justify buying yet another coffee cup to litter up my kitchen cabinets, even if the price was a mere $.88? After all, who possibly needs a nondescript coffee mug with a Bible verse inscribed on the bottom half of it? But despite the obvious facts, as I stood there amongst the other hunters and gathers out for an evening of thrift, I held the cup firmly in my hand and knew that it would find its way into my cart.

When I thrust the cup under Jared's nose upon my return home, he muttered, "Nice. Roosters." Honestly I could not even conceive that my dear husband, which I must explain does not share my love for thrift stores, thought I would simply buy a single, boring, coffee mug solely on the basis of it having roosters on it. While my decorating is definitely eclectic, roosters is one thing that has not developed into a theme. (Alright, I do admit to owning some Swedish coffee mugs bearing these feathered creatures.) "No, look at it," I demanded once more pushing it closer. "Read what it says." And then he understood.

During the last few days of my father's earthly life, there were many things that I learned. One was that my mom and dad, in an effort to keep track of time, would begin every morning by stating the day and date to one another along with a Bible verse: "Today is Tuesday,  August 23rd. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It made me chuckle to imagine the two of the them speaking the verse together in unison over a cup of coffee, newspaper strewn across the kitchen table, my dad's oxygen machine pumping in tempo.

When my father died, our family embraced the tradition and while cooking up breakfast for the day, getting dressed, or making beds, the children and I proclaim (some of us more cheerfully than others) this famous verse from Psalm 118. Elliot has been so inspired that a woman at the park recently approached me and related that my son had introduced himself to her ("My name is Elliot Andrew Jin-seo Johnson.") and then told her to rejoice in the day God had given her.

We have christened the mug as my mother's to use when she wants to heat up a cup of Joe at our house. Who knows, perhaps even kitsch can be redeemed. And so my friends, let us rejoice and be glad in this new day which we have been given; a new day "never vouchsafed to us before." Peace and goodness.

God bless to me the new day 

never vouchsafed to me before

it is to bless thy own presence thou has 

given triumph God. 

Bless thou to me 

mine eye

may mine eye bless all it sees

I will bless my neighbour 

may my neighbour bless me, 

God give a clean heart 

let me not from sight of thine eye.

Celtic prayer, translated by A. Carmichael

K.A.M.P. 2011

There were hanboks and do-boks, choco pies and shrimp flavored chips, bulgogi and chop chei, and of course, kimchi. There was the parade in traditional costume, a fan dance, and a Korean drum played expertly. There was learning how to count in Korean, taekwondo, how to make and eat sticky rice surrounded by seaweed, and please don't forget carpetball. There was a smile on the face of my eldest son when I handed him a Korean flag of his own. There were old friends reunited and new friends made. There were sporadic cries of, "Korean adoption means pride!" There was a parent session about homeland tours, which made us excited; a session by young adults freshly home from Korea speaking about birth family meetings, which made us cry.  There was a deep, inexplicable gratitude, for this community of friends, these fellow men, women and children who support us in our journey as an adoptive family. From my heart, kamsahamnida.

 

Detective

And I quote, "Any mystery will be solved by Thomas Johnson." And because I know you can't see it, his badge states "detective," and he is holding the world's tiniest magnifying glass. When lamenting the toys and books scattered all over the living room floor, I was informed that it was a trail being investigated. Ahh, a perfect Thursday morning for an almost sever-year-old boy.

Mindful Eating

With the first taste, I promise to offer joy.

With the second, I promise to help relieve the suffering of others.

With the third, I promise to see others' joy as my own.

With the fourth, I promise to learn the way of non-attachment and equanimity.

 Thich Nhat Hanh

"Having the opportunity to sit with our family and friends and enjoy wonderful food is something precious, something not everyone has. Many people in the world are hungry. When I hold a bowl of rice or a piece of bread, I know that I am fortunate, and I feel compassion for all those who have no food to eat and are without friends or family. This is a very deep practice. We do not need to go to a temple or a church in order to practice this. We can practice it right at our dinner table. Mindful eating can cultivate seeds of compassion and understanding that will strengthen us to do something to help hungry and lonely people be nourished." --from Present Moment Wonderful Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh

Thank you to my lovely friend and my lovely neighbor for sharing the bounty of your harvest with us. Peace and goodness.