This is pretty funny!

My PRECIOUS student, Han In-Ae, who sheepishly approached me after computer lab class (final exam, actually) to give me this cute handmade token of appreciation. Bless her soul!

A closer look at In-Ae's handiwork!

One of my favorite ties! The cross, the Bible and prayer...what else do you need?! (How do you like my iron-board cover? ha!ha! "happy, happy")

Handong Vision Statement: May it be according to God's amazing grace!

Yo, Man! "What's up with HELL?!"

During my very last class of the semester I had a very interesting and probing question from one of my most cherished, clever and engaging students, who happens to be a non-Christian. After discussing the warm up ? in pairs and a few volunteers offering up their answers, he asked me,
"What's up with hell? I mean why do Christians talk about the love of God and at the same time can mention hell?"
I really appreciated his question because it's an important one. I explained to him (after offering up a quick prayer to God!) that the good news is not really good news at all if you aren't aware of the bad news, which is your spiritual and moral bankruptcy before God. As a quick example, I asked him if he considered himself to be a good person. He replied that, "yes", he thought so. "Exactly!", I replied. Only those who come face to face with the law (the 10 commandments as a starter...) and confessed/admitted that they are indeed a wicked person deserving eternal punishment can they even begin to realize/appreciate all that Jesus Christ did for us by dying on the cross!
God is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9) but at the same time he has given everyone "free choice" to do good or evil, to accept Him as God or not. I asked my student if someone killed his mother and the judge let him off, would he consider the judge to be fair or wicked. He answered "wicked". That's the whole point. God took the whole punishment for us through the death of Christ. God is also JUST and therefore sin MUST be dealt with.
I apologized to him and mentioned that many members of the modern church are too lenient in discussing and in fact avoiding the whole conversation about hell at times. I know this to be especially true in Korea. People are so quick to talk about the love of God without any discussion of the law and their NEED for a Saviour. Even well-known Christian writers seem to downplay the situation of hell. CS Lewis in "The Great Divorce" and Lee Strobel in "The Case for Faith" as two passing examples.
Jesus Christ spoke of and believed in a literal hell. Therefore, I don't see why I shouldn't. As soon as someone else comes along that is as pure/righteous/merciful as He is, that is also able to resurrect themselves from the dead and to change countless lives as He has mine, maybe then I will be open to further opinions on this topic....

We looked at this verse after students answered the last warm-up question of the semester, "How do you think God feels about the death and eternal separation of the wicked?"

Pics from back home!

My wonderful sister-in-law, Charlene, who was kind enough to send many beautiful photos and a nice letter. Thanks, Char! (This is a pic of one of her first times fishing!)

I can't believe that Adam talked me into fishing in nearly -30 degrees Celsius weather!!! (Didn't catch a thing, apart from a cold...) (As an interesting linguistic side-note: Did you know that "Celsius" is one of the most commonly misspelled words...as is "misspelled"!! ha!ha!)

My twin brother, Adam, who has gone crazy for fishing! That's a "Dolly Varden" he's holding there. (When cutting and cleaning it about 4 hours after killing it, it was still slapping its tail from nerves...)

Annabelle Brown out fishing with daddy! (Joshua next to her)

Joel Andrew Brown - taken early April - 5 months old

A pic of me and the newest addition to the "Adam Brown family"-Joel Andrew Brown during my visit last winter....WOW! Still hard to believe anyone would name the middle name of their child after me....who am I?

A masterpiece by Joshua Brown sent to me through the mail!!!

My cute little nephew, Joshua, on Christmas morning 2004 after opening his "Noah's Ark" gift!