Closer DTS Retreat

LORD, I thank You for the Cross

Life Changing Retreat

Pastor Joshua

Mike, Pastor Joshua, and Andy
Where was that safe place we stopped and checked the directions to the famous Souplantation?!
Livia and Sally
Livia & the Beast kkk
Mike's Happy Face Salad...Cool!!
Food makes us happy... kka kka kka
Livia's creation~YUM~!!!!
Bigger or Taller??
;D smile~!
The Prayer House
Wow~! (What were we looking at??)
Andy and Livia busy taking pics
Daniel getting the worship place ready for us
Good Ole Time Favorite Retreat Food--CUP NOODLES with Tapatio!!!!
Happy Livia
Happy PJ
Happy Mike & Andy
Time to share and encourage each other
Boy, PJ and Andy can sing!!
Ready
Set
Go!This is it!

Livia & Sally under the tree on the wall
Sleeping Angel~*
Daniel the COOK!!! Thanks, bro!What was Daniel thinking when he took a picture of this one? ;p
Juicy~!!!!!!
The real food!
Eating Time
PJ: "Ha, ha, ha... Ready for more tests? I'm taking a break."
Daniel: "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Daniel's Steak KimChi JJi Kye! It was THE BEST!!
Satisfied
Nothing better
I'm eating!
Want some?!
Happy birthday Andy!
Livia's special gift presentation for our birthday boy Andrew!
Happy early birthday bro!
Thanks to Livia!

*****************************
I praise God for putting these faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in my life to lift up each other in prayers and to spur one another on toward love and to excel still more for the Lord.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28)

I truly experienced what it means to give all my heavy-laden heart to God and fully rest in Christ and His people.
Let the Holy Spirit in us continue to burn and lead us as we fervently seek His will for us.

Thanks all! Belated b-day party!

DTS small group

Celebrating my belated b-day

veg. lasagna

tiramisu!!!!!

music!

cutty dogs!!

the cook! we love you, livia!
*************************************
God has blessed me with this wonderful body of Christ to double the joy and share the sorrow.
Thank You Lord!

my sister joy 한고은

my second painting

i had to paint my sister
she's my one and only blood sister on this earth
she's the only other person who God thought will be the best to have
my mom and dad as her mom and dad
how special and amazing is that

we are only 17 months apart
she and i share more inner things than that of outer things
we look different on the outside, but we're so much alike inside
...
her skin tone is light
i'm dark
she's a science person
i'm a langauge person
she's independent
i'm dependent
she likes Greek food
i like Korean food
she likes cats
i like dogs
she likes orange
i like pink
she's into making traditional cards
i'm into making frame cards
she doesn't paint
i paint
she has a hard time falling asleep
i fall asleep the moment my head touches my pillow
she doesn't like to kiss and hug me
i like to kiss and hug her
she likes driving
i don't like driving
and the list goes on

BUT WE BOTH
love God more than we love our parents
love our parents so dearly
are devout Christians
are ready to be used by God
like talking
(4 hours of talking in bed is a piece of cake for us...kkk)
love music
love breyer's all-natural vanilla ice cream & golden spoon yogurt
like dduk-bbok-ki
need solitude time with God
like playing with kids
like to do silly dance
like to tell really bad jokes
enjoy sightseeing
and the list goes on again

the painting shows who i think my sister is
she's solid in her faith
she's deep in her faith
she's centered in God
she's deeply rooted in the Word and the truth of God
she's genuine
she's so strong outside,
but very gentle inside
the thorns on the outside may seem cold and mean,
but you'll know how sweet and thoughtful she is
on top of her personality that may seem rigid and selfish
she...
has her side like the flower
is beautiful
has her own fragrance of kindness and gentleness
has her own color and style
knows who she is
is good at guarding herself from the evil things
is weak
green-healthy mind and soul
yellow-dizzy and delightful
orange-joyful and silly
red-love for LORD our Christ Jesus
white-pure and reserved
that's who she is
that's my sister
that's my other self
that's joy ko-eun han

i love you, my beloved

Dear Father God,
thank you with all that i have for giving me Joy.
there's no other person who knows me better than my sister does other than You, my creator, and my parents who gave me life
continue to guide her and give her much wisdom as she matures in You and makes important decisions in her life.
protect her with Your mighty hands at all times.
in Jesus name i pray.
amen.

Mom's Mother ㅇㅇㄹ 어머니의 어머니

We had been living in the States for a short period of time when we heard that my mom's side grandfather passed away. Mom had decided not to go and visit her family members in Korea for her dad's funeral, for she was afraid that she might have not wanted to come back to the States leaving her mother who now was left alone without her husband.
One whole year passed by, and we got a call from Mom's brother that grandmother passed away. Mom wanted to go and visit this time, but we realized that her visa had expired shortly before we heard that sad news. It was already too late for my mom to apply for her new visa to attend her mom's funeral.
I saw my mom sobbing in her bedroom.
Mom was trying real hard not to make too loud noise.
It almost looked like she was biting her tongue to help herself not to cry too much. I couldn't stop crying, not because I was sad that my grandmother passed away,
but because my mom was sad.
I could see myself in her.
I could see myself crying and biting my tongue to bear the pain.

So I painted my grandmother.
ㅇㅇㄹ
means her name.
양영례
Yang Young Rye
I only take the very first consonant of each word to title my paintings.

************************************************

Lilies with strong fragrance
Bearing ten children
Each and every one of your ten fingers hurts when you bite it
So strong and patient
Thick stem and roots hold all members tight
Overcoming countless nights with empty stomach
Bearing all the pains and heartache
Generations of generations
Her warm and wild blood runs in my body
Whispering in my ear that she was Mom's mother
Engraving on my heart that she still lives in Mom's heart
I respect you with all that I have
I thank you with all that I am
I love you for being who you are
You are my mother's mother
You carried Mom in your womb
You gave birth to Mom
When I see Mom
I see you


할머니
사모합니다
당신의 거칠고 따뜻했던 두 손이
많이 그립습니다
나의 어머니의 어머니
당신의 복중의 아이가
나의 어머니가 되었습니다
당신의 뜨겁고 붉은 피가
나의 어머니의 심장에서 뜁니다
나의 심장에서 뜁니다
당신의 향기로왔던 근면 성실하고 굳은 의지가
내가 머리뭍는 나의 어머니의 젖가슴에서 납니다
새벽의 할머니가 어머니를 낳았습니다
새벽의 어머니가 저를 낳았습니다
이제는 저도
새벽의 딸이 되어야겠습니다.

my kids...

God,

I love them all.

I just need a little more energy and better time management skills to love them more.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

(Philippians 4:13)

AMEN!!!

spring is coming

Goodbye winter.

Hello spring!

flowers are blooming
ice is melting

Goodbye idleness.
Hello eagerness!

time for "new me."
LORD, change me!