Love

Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it up carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.

-CS Lewis

After reading this quote, Tim Keller goes on to talk about how when you're in love, it's selfless and sacrificial and the like. You must mutually adjust to your partner and give up your own pride for the other. It has to be a reciprocation, a two-way love. So how can you have a loving relationship with God? You might think, it is just one way, God's way since He is a divine being with all the power and authority. "I must adjust to God--there is no way that God could adjust to and serve me." Don't forget what Christ has done! He completely adjusted to us by being fully human (while being fully God), and He sacrificed everything for us. If love is a two-way reciprocation of love, are we doing our part in the relationship?

-Simon

March Birthdays

My brother turns 26 years old tomorrow. That blows my mind (can't imagine what's going on in his head). It's kind of interesting because since my brother has been in Korea for such a long time, (3 and 1/2 years now... right hyung?) my mental image of him is still the same as when he was in college. He graduated in '06 which is about four years ago, yet my whole concept of him is still the Phil Chung in senior in college. It's as if I grew up, yet time stood still for him (in my mind). It's weird how he's never seen me as a college student yet, or me with my glasses, etc. Because when I reflect back when I was a senior in high school (that's the last time I saw him), I feel like I changed SO much. So if I see him again this coming summer when I go to Korea, it'll be as if two strangers are meeting each other for the first time. We're both very different now.

Besides the point, he will always be the same. He still eats freaking well (even when the food tastes like crap), he still makes fun of me, he still sucks at chess :), and he will always continue to amaze me as I learn so much from him whether it be worldly or spiritually. God has blessed both me and my brother of our 21 and 26 years of our lives.. may we continue to look forward to what God has in store for us.

-Simon

2NE1

21... it's so surreal.

In one sense... I feel pathetic. Of the 21 years of my life, I feel like I haven't really accomplished much in my life. I would give examples, but they're kind of personal and apparently I have a few readers out there haha (which I am still very surprised about). But as I look back, I feel like I'm not very proud of anything. Up to now, I have lived such a mediocre, lukewarm life that it saddens me. I'm always aiming for "contentment" and never really going for "above and beyond". I think it could either be that I'm lazy, or that I'm such a realist/pessimist--that whatever I try to set my goal to that sounds so crazy, that I feel like it's just impossible and I'll never be able to obtain it. I'm such a fool.

But in another sense... I feel so lucky. God has blessed me with 21 years of my life. Wow. I am so lucky to be a Christian. I am so lucky to have a loving family. I am so lucky to have friends who care for me (right?). I am so lucky that I have CPC as my church. I am so lucky to have my small group boys. The list goes on.

Although the first paragraph of this entry was a downer, it looks SO tiny next to the Cross. Like seriously, how can I be disappointed and feel pathetic about myself when Christ died for me? I have worth in my life BECAUSE He died for me. And because of it, I can truly say that I have joy in my life. Luckily, I don't have to worry about trying to set an unobtainable goal because Christ has already achieved/accomplished/obtained everything for me.

-Simon

Break Time!

Props to Sammy for sending this to me. I was impressed. Pretty entertaining.And I'm a big fan of Christopher Walken and Jack Nicholson. Good for a short break from studying! ENJOY!

Sick During Finals

I truly hate the feeling of being sick. Currently, I feel very cold inside, very weak, light-headed, sore with body aches, and uncomfortable altogether. Every movement, even as I type, requires so much energy in me. I feel so weak. I can't study. I can't even enjoy meals. I feel congested. I hate this feeling because I feel weak and not in control. I feel like I can't do anything by myself.

Thank you God once again for the reminder! Your grace is more than enough for me.

-Simon

3 Times a Day

So lately I've been going to the bathroom three times a day. It's very unusual of me (and I think for any human being?) to go that often. But it has been two weeks now and I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with me. Initially, I took it as "Wow! I'm really healthy! My digestive system is awesome!" because don't get me wrong, they are all very solid and fresh. But at the same time on the flipside, that must mean I must have A LOT of crap in my system! (no pun intended, hehehe)

-Simon