Emily; the extremely patient, kind, bilingual dental assistant at "(UIC) University of Illinois at Chicago Dental Hospital" just behind KangNam Station on the 2nd/3rd floor. Meeting her was well worth the visit. If you ever need gentle dental care in English in the Seoul area, give them a try! (Tel:02-593-0088) email: denture5@hanmail.net

Dental Visit #7 this year!

Can't believe that I was back in the dental chair this past Sunday...I just assumed that my visit back in September would be it for the year, but that wasn't the case. I think I have been overly stressed with the big move (which took 1 week to pack up my things and more than a week still trying to unpack and sort things out here in the new place), marking and preparing for the end of the semester. As a result, my gums under one tooth seemed so weak to me on Saturday (and sensitive) as if the bone can be seen through the bottom (?). In my paranoia, I started thinking about my rather unhealthy diet, years of drinking (before knowing Christ), coffee drinking, habit of grinding my teeth, lack of sleep and all...and I seriously thought that I was starting to "fall apart". Lord, I'm only 33...Am I starting to come undone? Started looking on-line for dental problems and got even more worried with the stuff that popped up!! I started thinking about what a fool I have been in taking inadequate care of the gift of my body which God has granted me. Then comforting scripture such as "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame" (Isaiah 58:11) came to mind. I cried out and claimed these promises to God. My good friend, Jeong-Yeun, arranged a dental visit for me at Kangnam, Seoul at 8am. She made the appointment on-line at www.uichicago.co.kr the night before. It turns out that everything is fine and the dentist assured me that I wasn't falling apart...but just to make sure I got laser therapy on the gums around my "problem tooth". (Only 20,000 won-about $20-and is supposed to "regenerate the cells to cause growth" in that area.) How awesome that I was able to visit the dentist and still worship God on Sunday just 2 hours later!!! I couldn't help but think how blessed I am to be able to go almost immediately to anyplace and get such concerns dealt with. Do you realize how many people around the world do not receive any dental care?! I will never forget the fact that in Northern Ethiopia they do not even have a term in Tigrinian for "dentist" seeing how there are none. Actually, I heard that 4 dentists have been employed in the region to serve a population of more than 4,000,000. Wow!
2 things I will remember from this experience:
1) "Healthy eating=healthy teeth"; and
2) As a small poster on a podium in one of the small conference rooms at the dentist clinic read, "Attitude changes everything"-How true!
Thank you, Lord, indeed for such blessings in the form of wonderful dental care. May I never take such things for granted. Thank you also for great friends who listen to my silly concerns, take care of me and ease my mind!!!

The Doctrine of the Bible 8 - Preservation of Scripture

"Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll (scroll), and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, "Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned." (Jeremiah 36:27-28)

God, who inspired the Scripture, has throughout the years protected His Word from the attacks of evil men so as to preserve its content and existence. While the autographs (the original manuscripts) have long since disappeared, ancient copies and quotations from early Christian leaders demonstrate the preservation of Scripture. If there were no manuscripts, a complete copy of the Scriptures could be reproduced simply from the many quotations found in the writings of the church fathers.
Illustration: God's preservation of Scriptures was demonstrated in the ministry of Jeremiah. When the king destroyed the first scroll of his prophecy, God had it reproduced to ensure its preservation.
Application: As we read the Scriptures, the fact that God has preserved them for us over the years should emphasize their importance.
(This doctrinal point comes in perfect timing as I just received an email from someone asking "How can we be sure the Scriptures haven't been altered in the past 2,000 years?")

Got this beautiful souvenir from Puerto Rico from Frank and Josephina quite a while ago but thought it appropriate to post now. Psalm 16:1-2 in Spanish!!! (translation: "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my LORD: my goodness is nothing apart from thee.")

Frank, his sister and his brother-in-law after church service Sunday, Nov. 27th, 2005. (Really wanted Josephina in the photo but as usual she was taking care of the youth of the church! "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." (Proverbs 31:10)

I have said it before and I will say it again, "Some of the most gorgeous and godly people I have ever met are from Puerto Rica!" :-)

One of my favorite brothers-in-Christ, Dr. Frank Valentin, with his sister who was visiting Korea here for the 1st time with her husband, Louis, for a few weeks. They left yesterday...It was GREAT having them with us! Hope you guys enjoyed your stay! God bless!

Our church "bell choir" which performs the weeks leading up to Christmas. (not such a great photo as it was taken without flash through the church sound room)

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) "But while he (Joseph) thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (literally-Savior): for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done,, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:20-23) "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Nice to see the Christmas decorations up at church.

Wise Men still seek Him today...

Have you accepted this free gift yet? (John 3:16)