Week - END update

Dear Family and Friends, here are some interesting things that happened in our week:

• On Wednesday we celebrated the day that Derek asked me to be his wife. One year ago we were given a chance to take our relationship and ministry to the next level - and we did! I remember like it was yesterday...so, to surprise D, I left him a note on our couch that he would find when he arrived home after work. It said, "Come to the place where you asked me the most important question of my life. I'll meet you there." I on the other hand was busy preparing a picnic dinner in the park where he asked me to marry him. I had a blanket, candles, wine, yummy dinner and the journal that I've been writing to my "husband" since I was a little girl. The day Derek asked me to marry him was the first day I wrote a name in the journal. We had dinner, read the journal (I write in it each month to remember our life together) and Derek acted out his proposal one more time. Pure Sweetness!
• Wednesday was also my school's sports day. This is an event that the students look forward to all year! Each class competes against other classes in their grade in various competitions. I'm planning on making a video to post later to give you a better idea but some of them are: jump-rope, running-across-students-backs, dance competitions to classy Kpop, 5-man-race, running contest and the craziest obstacle course ever! Mostly, the students were on a sugar rush from ice-cream from generous parents, hamburgers, sodas, candy and whatever else they could fit in their tummies.
• Tuesday Derek called and said he was surprising me with a night in Seoul. Seoul is an hour+ subway ride there and back so Derek booked us a night at the 4**** Ramada Inn in Gangnam, the business district in Seoul. It has a bathtub!!! He's planning for us to ride bicycles around the river in the morning, discover Gangnam in the afternoon and venture to a new burger joint for dinner. THEN BATHTUB! I'm planning on sleeping in it! I'm excited. When I asked Derek why he was being so generous, he said, "we need a romantic date AWAY!"   

 

• Friday is Choji's Festival Day. This is an all-day performance heavy extravaganza for my students. They have been rehearsing dances, rap songs (not cool), music productions, ballet, and much more! I can't wait to share some of the videos! HOWEVER, some are completely inappropriate and will not be included. WHO LET'S high school students dance to uncensored LIL JOHN music??? My jaw fell to the floor when I heard the rapper screaming out the Fbomb in front of my school and fellow teachers. They had no idea why I was getting upset, but I've since informed them that the students do not need a translation for lyrics like those! 
• Lastly, our pick for the American Idol champ, Lauran Alaina, didn't happen. But, we did have Hailey, Scotty and Lauren in our top three. Neither of us like country music, but I would buy an Alaina record! 
• 3 months and counting....down.........

A Sinful Woman

The story of the sinful woman in Luke 8 has always been incredibly moving and beautiful to me. Why, because I am a sinful woman. As a young, teenage Christian, I understood the language of tears and mistakes. Not weeping and sin. But, as a woman, I have come to know the sinful woman in a new way - as myself. So, today as I was reading her story once again, I'm so thankful for a Christ that commanded her to go in peace.

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching hm and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"  Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

 "You  have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my  head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." ...Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

 When I was younger, I used to run through our pasture and sometimes land in a horse or cow patty. Disgusting, right? When Jesus was walking preaching the Good News, he walked through streets of dung. When he entered the dinner party at the Pharisee's home, his feet were gross, he smelled and it was altogether rude for his host to not offer him water to wash his feet or perfume to ward off the smell of dung, sweat and BO. 

Then, this sin-ravaged woman walks across this town knowing the Christ is near. She carries her expensive perfume to the home of a Pharisee who doesn't even see her, but only a sinner. She walks in and begins to weep. She weeps so hard that her tears alone bathe Christ's feet. Then she takes her hair, probably her prize possession next to her perfume, and begins to wash the manure and dirt from his feet. Then she takes the perfume and pours it over his feet.


This woman had no peace! She was weeping enough to bathe his feet. Christ says your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you...NOW...GO IN PEACE! What amazing peace (freedom) it must have been to walk away from this!

Application

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Hebrews says encourage one another daily so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Sin is deceitful. It twists itself and seeks to claim justification or an excuse or legitimacy for itself. It has to convince or entice. As I thought over this verse last night, I realized it's application this morning. I was so angry last night at something that I read. It's a continual source of bitterness that I find myself dwelling on often. I went to bed knowing my sin in dwelling and in not loving this situation through and with the love of Christ. I was letting sin enter my life and disrupt peace in Christ - as he is my hope and my worth! I slept really peacefully and deeply, but when I awoke I was tired and grumpy. This grumpiness shifted to irritation; lack of joy and just a blah attitude in general. I don't think I smiled much this morning. Compound that with the stuff that I read online (the news) in the morning and I was failing to see purpose in smiling. 

Now, where is the application of Hebrews? Sin is deceitful. It hardens our hearts. I spent hours last night trying to shrug off my frustration with this one thing I read, hours of trying to cast blame or accountability in some direction. I opened the door to a steady breeze of deceit. Trying to rationalize my sin or working through my sin without repenting on the cross deceived me. It's not enough to acknowledge the sin. It must be repented of. So, I awoke with a hardened heart. 

I'm thankful that Christ didn't allow me to dwell in this for too long. I'm retracing opening that door and closing it with the strength that is great enough to close it - the power of Christ. When Christ tells us

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24 

I begin to understand. I honestly feel a gap of insurmountable distance from Christ when I attempt to come before him with a bitter heart. I have to be humbled before I can dwell in the peace of the Lord. I pray that this in and of itself is not the deceitfulness of sin, but instead the urging of the Holy Spirit to lay it down and be made holy as he is holy.

The Office

Friday we needed to rest! Derek had not been sleeping well all week...I'm thinking bronchitis. I finally started wearing down Friday afternoon, so...when Derek came home I had set in motion my plan for the evening.

I was in the bedroom in my favorite pjs (that he gave me for Christmas), with candles lit all around, some orange juice and THE OFFICE! Yes, I had the computer ready with my finger on the play button. Derek walked in and flashed me a brilliant smile! So, we cuddled and watched hours of The Office. We have started the series from season 1, episode 1. Oh man, watching this show requires a MA degree in awkward! But, we feel better about it than Friends.

After resting for a while, we cooked up some fish tacos with white sauce! Yummmy! We finished the leftovers on Sunday...again Yummy! Saturday, we had more office. Derek spent some time in the piano room tickling the keys. We played Gin Rummy...yep...call us old farts...it's okay with us. I stayed up and watched Hachi - amazing dog movie, but will leave you longing to hold your little one (dog that is).

Sunday, Derek lead a new song in the worship service. It was a great new hymn.  Again, fish tacos and then we had an afternoon coffee date with our sweet friends Micah and Ally. Micah is the guy who helped Derek pick out  my pretty sweet engagement ring and also the guy who sang in our engagement video. Nice Friends!

I simply love the man I'm married to.

That's all! 

Photoshopping take 2

 Okay, here is another attempt at photoshop using picnik. What's different between these two photos? Hum, well, check out the missing people, the once-there-and-now-gone walking paths, the tent and buildings in the far right background...too much fun. Derek's sunnies are also gone from his hand! Now we really are in a field of flowers! The best part of this touch-up was I began experimenting with shadows. Trying to make the illusion look natural is fun and challenging!

In the top photo, I originally painted over a lady to the left of Melidy. But, I went back and used a cloning tool to make her washout look more natural. I think it looks pretty good this time! I'm having so much fun!

Photoshopping!

Picture A

Picture B

Let's play a game...can you spy the differences in the two pictures?!? What is different? Well, look for the lamppost and the people walking along the path...not there in picture B right? I'm having so much fun photoshopping pictures from the handy-dandy picnik.  I could seriously do this for hours. Now if I could just superimpose opened eyes on D in this picture...that is my next goal! 

105 days to go! That isn't as long as you think! Right over 3 months! So, email us your locations, what you are going to be doing, phone numbers, addresses, etc! We are COMING HOME! And we want to see you! 

1lb Burgers...yep

1lb. Burger @ Travelers in Bundong.

The Challengers - Derek and Adam - wearing their colors

They finished!...but, some fries were left behind...

On the most epic double date of the century, we ventured to a new part of town. We had to make 2 subway transfers, ride on a new line that we haven't been on before and look "up" to find the Canadian owned pub, but once we did we all enjoyed a "tastes-like-home" burger. Derek and Adam were intentional about not eating too much all day in hopes of taking down the 1lb. burger. Well, they didn't have any problems doing so. There were some straggling fries, but they cleaned their plates of the burgers.

Melidy and I took on the Tex Mex - jalapenos, cheese and garden on a burger with sour cream for dipping. You know we are all missing tastes of home, so we made sure we had all of those tastes on 1 burger at one time!

What is Sweetness...

9 Sweet Months of Marriage

Sweetness is being married to your best friend for 9 months! Sweetness is sharing life together, growing in the beautiful love of the sweet and precious Christ together, waking up and starting the day together, facing challenges together, making dinner after work, cleaning the house, and walking in a field of flowers...together...

Melidy is the photographer who captured this sweet picture of sweetness

 

Sweetness is smiling at each other and smiling at your friends as they make you laugh for a picture

Sweetness is a big, floppy hat that reminds you of Cam Bug

Sweetness is friends like Adam and Melidy who spend the day with you in a field of flowers

Sweetness is jumping! ...with friends... ...in a field of flowers...

Sweetness is a beautiful sister in Christ

Sweetness is our weekend! We spent the evening at home on Friday. Derek made some AMAZING curry! We also watched My Fair Lady and Space Jam.  I know. Those two movies seem pretty far apart, but we have finally found a couple of movies that we didn't turn off half way through! Adam boarded with us this weekend and joined us late Friday night for Space Jam. Don't knock it until you've tried it! It's a great movie.

Saturday, Adam and Melidy joined us for a double date of double fun! We went into Seoul early and had seats on the train all the way in. We began the morning at Taco Bell (a treat for us) and browsed the books at What the Book. Derek bought a Spiritual Formation book and he bought me Abba's Child. I also picked up Mythology. Ice cream at McDonalds...yum and a Picnic in the Park for Nikia's birthday. We threw in a quick photo shoot and voila. Here are the pictures we took!

Sunday, we woke up early and went to church. We both were a part of the worship team this week. Badejo, our leader for the week, decided to give both the female singers a solo...I just happened to be one of those females...and if you know me...then you know how MUCH I HATE singing by myself in public. My voice shakes, my hands sweat, I get all clammy. But, God is GOOD, because I prayed for worship to be his and so he had his way. Fun times.

Derek recorded a couple of songs that we posted to our youtube page. We had a pillow fight. We rode our bikes to the park. Ran. Sat under a gazebo and enjoyed the sun and the view from the top of a hill. Had some Vietnamese for dinner. Stopped at our favorite Italian fusion restaurant for a snack and came home. I keep looking over at Derek while I'm writing this blog and smiling...time to go make him laugh! MUCH LOVE FROM US!

Fun with Friends

My sweet friend Melidy is getting married this summer. She is finishing up her third year here in Korea and her and the soon-to-be groom are returning to America in a few short weeks. They met in America - both from California - and came over to Korea to teach English. Adam, the groom, has been a great friend to Derek and Melidy has been a great friend to me. We are pumped to see where these two end up. We have high hopes to someday share a duplex. (I have the basic blueprints thanks to Adam!)  The duplex will include a craft room for Melidy and I and a game room (Foosball) for the dudes.

Anyway, Melidy and Adam asked Todd, our photographer friend, to take some engagement photos for them. They were really beautiful! I wanted to share this one from the peanut gallery  who tagged along. It was a fun day of watching two people who are excited to enter the marriage covenant! WOOHOO!

So, just to give you an idea...Cathleen (far left) is a sweet, fellow newlywed from Oregon. I seriously love her and am so thankful that another newlywed is around! Since I've met her, every conversation is full of "YEAHS!" Amy (next to Cathleen) is the sweet friend who helped us find our home here in Korea. She is amazing. Such a pure and beautiful heart! She calms me just being near! Her hubby is the resident photographer and they are expecting two beautiful twin girls this August. Melidy (Right) is the lovely lady with the flower in her hair. She is gentle, kind, gracious and hungry for the Lord. I can't fully describe her, but I can say that she is a blessing in my life and Korea wouldn't have been the same without her. Words aren't always necessary with Melidy. She just sees unlike anyone else!

One of Many Blessings {School Prayer Group}

The Group of Blessings

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

THIS is really REAL to me...why? Well, I went on a short term mission trip a couple of years ago to the most - and I mean the MOST - amazing place in the world! Barvas! Where is Barvas? Well, first, you have to fly to England. Then you take a short commuter flight to Glasgow. Then, you take a 13 hour drive through the Highlands (...most beautiful country lands in the world...) Then, you take a bridge to another Island. After that, you take a 3 hour ferry to the farthest outer Hebrides, (a chain of Islands closer to the arctic circle than to London.) Once on the Island, you drive yet another hour long drive to a small town, pass through it, until you come to the outer rim of the Island. Now, you can look out across the vast ocean and see America...well, if you have some pretty spectacular eyesight. Anyway, you have finally reached Barvas. How did I get there?!? God sent me. That might seem like a lame claim to some, but it's true. I was praying for God just to affirm my desire to go on a mission and then HE DID! Everything worked perfectly - didn't seem to at the time, but it did. 

The Beauty of Barvas and the Beautiful Friend - Ashley

My sweet Barvas sisters - Rachael and Angela

I went to Barvas and found my love - My Jesus. I also found a passion...sharing his Good News with young women/girls. God sent me to a lovely place to learn how to love on lovely ladies. It wasn't a mission where I was seeing poverty or disease or persecution. What I saw was God's daughters not knowing his infinite love for them. And I mostly saw that in myself. God taught me about that infinite love while I was there through the friendships, vulnerability and sisterhood of the women of Barvas and my mission team. The trip changed my life and I know I wouldn't be the same had not every single experience had happened. 

4 of these ladies were in our wedding if thats any indication of how awesome they are!

So...that leads me to now. Almost...I came to Korea with that same passion - sharing Christ with women who think they fall outside of Grace. God opened that mission field up to me in a big way. First, with Nancy. What LOVE! He gave me a sister! Second, with Amanda! I got two sisters in one day! Next with Mary! Oh man...I met my other half! What I pray for strength to do, she does! It's amazing! With these three ladies pouring into me and building me up, I was able to help start a women's group. How amazing that turned out to be. It really showed me that if I really wanted to serve God as a disciple to women, I would have to really understand what it means to be one. He sent me on this journey of self-reflection and discernment. I have learned so much about sin and how I can fail the Almighty by not seeing Him. Instead, I always saw my Sin! I read a lot of books, I heard a lot of testimonies and through all of it God taught me something new. 

Then, he threw me a curve ball. He gave me Derek. To me, Derek was the missing piece in the puzzle. Without D, I didn't know how to fully love and minister to married women - for one - and women in healthy, Godly relationships. I had a lot of advice, but not a lot of experience. Above all, I have a healthy relationship with my hubby that pours God's truth into me daily. And, being a stubborn prideful cross bearer, I really needed it. Most importantly, Derek gave me tangible Christ-like/minded/guided love!

That long story to say this...women's group ended. Many of us went our separate ways and I was tired. I had lost some of the passion and was wondering around trying to find it again. I tried to replace it with different things, but nope..."For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord"...

While teaching my winter camp at school, I had a girl student who noticed that I had a headache. She gently grabbed my hand and said, "Teacher, I'll pray for you." That spiraled into the coolest thing. We had a later talk where I told her that I was a Christian. She was a bit surprised. (Foreigners here do not have the best reputations for living a life of Christ.) She confessed that she led a prayer group with other girls here at our school. They didn't have anywhere where they could come together and be free to pray over their passions. So, I offered my classroom. Every Monday, these girls come to my class during their lunch time and pour out the love and joy they have for seeing North Korea won for Christ and for seeing our school for Christ. They have taught me endless things for which will forever be on my heart. These girls have a real, abiding love for Christ. It's humbling to see. It's beautiful. I have a special relationship with these girls. We have a language barrier, but as one so boldly pointed out, there will come a day when our languages won't matter and we will all worship together! Oh man! 

So, to finish, to thank these amazing girls, my amazing husband treated all of them to dinner last Saturday afternoon. They feasted on Korean BBQ cooked by defected North Koreans. They met a lady who had escaped from North Korea and they were nothing but smiles! What a gift! 

We met at Starbucks

They were so excited that their teacher was buying them lunch!

Check out the post Mongolian Grill to learn about this restaurant

There was a fire show on the grill

Our food before the grill! Daisy Teacher's was the biggest!

Happy Girls!

They are so amazing!

More amazing-ness!

Daisy Teacher - my co-teacher and fellow sista in Christ

R to L: Lydia (the leader), Jada and D! ohh and food!

I'm not sure where God will grow this passion next, but I know that everything he has done through Barvas, women's group, and these ladies is nothing short of infinite love for me!  

A Weekend with the Fekkes' {picture heavy}

 We have had a very nice spring respite here in Korea. Thanks to the national holiday "children's day" and Buddha's birthday, we are enjoying a 6 day weekend (for Derek) and a 4 day weekend (for Anlee).

We started the festivities with Children's day. It's like mother's day or father's day in America, but for the kids. Trust me, they deserve this. They need one day off of school...except when you are a high school kid you have to spend your "fun day" studying for your midterms! Kids day is a BIG DEAL! Everyone in Korea has the day off...or most people do. There are festivals held in every city, air shows, international food and many other treats. It was also a very beautiful spring day...shorts worthy...

We spent the morning at a coffee shop. Or Anlee did. Derek was responding to emails and later joined me. I (Anlee) am reading an amazing book right now called The Reason for God by Tim Keller. More coming about that later. We rode our bikes out to the festival grounds, which happened to take place all over the city. We met up with Adam and Melidy, Cathleen and Jeremy, Mia and other friends, too. Here are some pictures with commentary:

I know you have seen this game before...but have you ever seen it with hard liquor? 

 Game for the adults maybe??

Oh, there is the kid version...hey wait, why is the alcohol bigger than the kids stuffed animals?

Festival food...corn delish...larva...I'm going to leave you guessing...

Can't say I tried this...

Can say I would never NEVER try this!

 These guys did a music routine on the side of a building...not for me, but cool.

 Just to give you an idea...our city is about 1 million people. I would guess that about half of them were out in mass for childrens day. The "homeplus" in the background is our grocery store! This park is in the middle of the road. It takes up a city block inbetween two major roads.

Ansan is known for it's Tulips

Birdseye view of the park. The buildings in the way back mark the end of it.

Liken' D's hat! Gift from wifey. We are sporting our bags from Thailand!

Friends and fellow newlyweds - Cathleen and Jeremy

READ THE PRINT! And then believe that we ate here!

A picnic in the middle of the street - D's idea! We became the spectacle to see.

Do you see anyone else eating in the street? Only the funny foreigners...

Check out the "bobble heads" or Men in Black dudes?!?

This dude stole my drink and gave it to an old lady who was wearing pj's at the festival!

Now, we have started a bike train and are riding through the lake park to the air show!

 Need more rain!

This is how excited I am to be outside without a jacket!

Translation: 2011 Gyeonggi Kook jei hang gong juhn...air show

Found a new mexican place....ummmmmmm

Seoul Grand Park Zoo

 This is how excited I get when I see animals. (Side note: I don't really like zoos because it's always limited space for the animals, but I'm so thankful we have them because without we couldn't teach children to respect their habitats and beauty...off the soap box now.)  The mommy ostrich is nesting.

Is a caption really needed?

Someday I will give my camera to a person who will not crop out the main focus of the photo! THE BUNNY!

THE MAIN EVENT - Red Panda's

This is my favorite animal in the world! More than dogs!

Screaming - RED PANDA's, RED PANDA's!

awww...

Dinner with my prayer group...more to come later

Jayleen's performance of Mozart's Requiem. AMAZING!

Even more fun was being a part of our friend's engagement shoot! Yay for Melidy and Adam getting married...AND...I sang with Derek on the worship team for the first time this morning. Fun times here on our side of the world.

What's next...hopefully an easy week of school and nice weather. Special shout out to our lovely Mom's! Happy Mother's Day Lori, Annette and Pam! Grandma (Gma), Aunt Jo! Memaw, Granny and all the amazing aunts that we have! Much love from US!