The Symphony Continues!

And why shouldn't it. I tune in everyday. That may seem like a bit of a contradiction given what I said in the last post about us playing in it, which we do also. But it is not a contradiction, rather it is a paradox. That is the beauty of God; He is a mystery and a paradox. Don't try to understand it in the empirical Western sense, embrace Him and His will and rejoice in the ride, trials and blessings, especially trials. For even Nietzche said, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." The Bible was, at least, several centuries ahead of him (Check out anything written by Apostle Paul in the New Testament). The Bible also says in Eccelsiastes that there are good times and bad times; He has appointed them both, so that we may not now what will come tomorrow; how exciting. Especially to know, that there is no causality outside of God. Speaking of that frame of mind. I am reading a very interesting book as of late called 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl. Daniel Pinchbeck, a shamanistic eccentric who experiments with psychedellic drugs who is also the author of the aforementioned book, has figured out a lot of things one can figure out through the Bible without all the shrooms. He actually does a pretty objective job of representing various sides regarding the Aztecs peculiar prediction of 2012 bringing a major shift consciousness for humanity. Maybe I'll go more into that, along with my own thoughts once I finish the book. It's a great read for anyone with an open mind, as is the Bible.

Speaking of orchestras and symphonies, I will be seeing the Philadelphia Philharmonice orchestra this weekend. I simply love orchestral music. Perhaps that is how I came up with my little metaphor for life. A month ago I was clueless about how I was going to eat. Not worried or vexed, just clueless, and God took care of the rest.


There have been many trials in the past couple of weeks. I may write about them someday, but not now. They are not relevant...yet. All I know is that God is good and mysterious. Along with all the beautiful little ditties, all the little things, orchestrated by Him which when looked at in all humility could fill up at least a thousand pages a day, give and take, depending on how much imagery one chose to include, I'll go ahead and talk about the latest Opus he has lead me in playing. This little bit reminds me of the very last verse in the Gospel of John:

"And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen"

That verse makes me beam. Especially knowing that these things still happen big and small, if only we humble ourselves and look around.

On to the Opus:


Literally right after the musical ended, a friend of mine, who is currently in Paris, asked me if I wanted to fill in for Him at his job for Arirang Radio, a government English radio station here in Korea with international reach. I said sure. He told me he had already offered the gig to someone else, but if that person turned it down, I could go in and audition.

I didn't think much of it at first. At this point. The musical having wound down, and I having made the bold decision to not go home and stay in Korea left me with more cluelessness about what I was going to do. I had some ideas, but none of them brought in any cash. This is the main reason for my somewhat desperate cry for help about a month ago for charity. Which is always appreciated of course. But more than the call for charity (look back a couple of blog posts), I believe it was a call to humble myself for I had never put myself in a spot quite that vulnerable before. I had thought that me getting a host family among everything else in the past posts, and everything else would be it, amid trials of course, but the sudden twists in the music have been spectacular.

Before getting to the Opus, which is really just the most recent development in my life here in Korea through Him. Emphasis on Him of course, for for Him is all the glory, I would like to recount one story from a little over a week ago. I just like the word opus.

During my finals week for Sogang, the day of my first final I ran into a horrid sight on my way to school. There were a couple of old men passing out bilingual new testaments with the Psalms and Proverbs. I would have considered this the horrid sight a few months ago, speaking from my academically arrogant and insecurity and pride laden pedestal which I had built so high so that no one could see what I really was, in a lot of ways and empty shell of a person. However, the horrid sight was to come about a hundred steps down the hill towards Sogang. Bibles piling up in the trash cans. Excuse me, but I would never throw away anyone's holy book. Who do these people think they are? My muslim friend was especially shocked. I would never throw a away a Koran or a Torah, only to name a couple major ones. On top of that, I really enjoyed the Tibetan book of the Dead when I read it; I would be heartbroken to see it in a trash can. Any book for that matter. However, more than any other book, seeing my favorite book, one which has changed my life forever (for real changed my life, not like 7 Habits for Effective Young People, no offense Sean Covey and maybe Stephen too, it just doesn't compare) I was overwhelmed with grief, some indignation, and then a little bit of a revelation.

There were three kind of people. What was interesting though, is that everyone was taking one. These old men were really good. There were few like me who were like, "Whoah! a free GIdeon's Bible in English and Korean! Awesome! The Beatles mentioned this version of the Bible in their song Rocky Racoon! Give me one!" There weren't many of us. Then there were the people who were at least respectful enough to leave the Bibles stacked further on down so that they could get to someone who really wanted them. Then, the mass majority were people who straight up have lost the fear and respect of anything holy. My heart broke for these people. Regardless of what anyone believes, this is exactly what this age has brought people to, egotism and a soul-destroying belief in self-suffiency. It only took two world wars to get us here. Many other things of course. Well, to move on to the rest of the story. This whole rant is an essay within itself.


So what did I do? Despite being a little late for my final, the only one I actually did relatively well on, I went through every trash can to get all the Bibles out. Maybe twenty total. So I carried the massive blue stack of plastic-bound Gideon bibles up to the 8th floor, all the way to far end of the hallway where my classroom was. I walked in, and people didn't even realize they were Bibles, but they did think I was kind of crazy, but people do anyway, I'm an artist, or at least I try to be. After the test ended, I looked up and realized that my Mormon friend was sitting across from me. I have learned a lot from this guy, about life and Mormonism, even checked out the Book of Mormon, interesting stuff. Mormon's are Christians who believe in Jesus and all, but they just have some extra stuff that's kind of interesting about the Americas. The ultimate authority for me is the Bible, but that doesn't keep me from checking out other stuff. Actually, there ultimate authority is the Bible too. Here I go rambling again, back to the story.

He saw me walk in with the Bibles, and we started talking a little. We started talking about how imporant it was not to be ashamed of what you believed in, regardless of what you believe, but especially as a follower of Christ, given the stigma. Even Christ told us it would be there. He said that they would hate me, and anyone else who follows Him because of Him, and in varying degrees of course. If people think the persecution ended with the simmering of the Catholic church among other things throughout the ages, they would be mistaken, especially Christians; that's one of the biggest misconceptions today. Don't be fooled. Think about it. Persecution is still there; it has actually taken more subliminal, hidden, and insidious forms. More on that in a subsequent blog perhaps.

Anyways, after talking about that for a little while, he then pulled out his favorite Bible verse, 1 Timothy 6-8:

"...For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord...."

He was impressed that such a "secular"-type guy like myself could love Jesus as much as I did; doing what he does, without the bike and the uncomfortable clothes; being who I am, nothing different different from who I was a few months ago in a lot of ways, but not being ashamed of what I cherish and believe. On that subject, I am exactly the same as before, except without a lot of what used to weigh me down: insecurities, etc. That is the power of Jesus Christ. I used to cuss so much. Just as one example. I have literally stopped altogether. I used to talk about how it was an imperative aspect of my personality. But truly thinking about it, it is something I developed in my early teenage years to try to prove I was more "bad-ass" than the guy next to me. The fact that I went from f-that, f-this, to now actually being funnier and just as accepted in all circles I've always been in, even the with the "bad-asses", and with new crowds too, because I have let go of identity in fake things, and over night, is a miracle in itself. But now to the climax of the story.

When he mentioned that verse, something stirred in me. It was my short-term memory. We had recieved Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat water bottles from an anonynmous doner the day before. And printed on these bottles was 1 Timothy 6-8. I got goosebumps. I pulled out the bottle and showed it to him, and I felt like David Blaine performing street magic. However, this was no illusion; this was real. And it wasn't a coincidence. You all know where I stand on that. It was divine orchestration. Through it he was finally moved, after some resistance, to come see the musical.

These are the little ditties I speak of that literally happen up and down. Daniel Pinch, from the book I mentioned earlier, calls them synchronicities. Although he knows that they come from a higher source, he is still trying to figure out exactly what, daimonic presences, shrooms, Ibogi gods from West African tribes or bardo spirits or string theory, etc are responsible for them. All I know is that I know it is God. And they are not just synchronicities but divine orchestration. So regardles of what you believe, be wary of arrogantly, due to pride, or cursorily, due to the system this world forces on us especially now with this so called "globalization", of dismissing these events. For the more you acknowledge them and let go, the more they happen.


Now for the opus, i.e. the most recent development. It is funny that the director of the Sogang language program called me today to make sure I wanted to send my transcript to the Light Fellowship today, because my final term had been so bad. My first two terms were really good, but I really bombed the final term, but I found comfort, as always, in the gospel. It says not to fear what can hurt you in this life, but only fear He who can do things to you after you die. I love how the Bible calls to civil disobedience; I am all about that sort of stuff. Too bad the world is trying to get people to stop believing in that...(cough)...Patriot Act....(cough). People now just give up their rights because of what the system tells them. It's not just the United States and the patriot act, globalization is making sure you can get your daily dose of fear and surrendering of liberty through your phone or PDA anywhere in the world. I need to stay focused.


It's funny that I got the job at Arirang, for the two weeks filling in, due to my outstanding Korean abilities. If only they knew I bombed my final term at Sogang, they probably wouldn't believe me; then I would show them, and they would laugh...with me. I thank the Light Fellowship from the bottom of my heart, because I really came to Korea thanks to them, and from day one gave a hundred and ten percent to everything I did. It just happen to be that school had to take a little bit of a back seat in the final term. Light Fellowship, thank you again.

I thought the blessing was just going to be the great pay check for the two weeks (which really would have been enough to put me over for the summer, but my God is the God of multiplcation; it is written!), but out of nowhere one of the girls who worked there got sick. So for my second week, this week, I started taking over for her, and they really like me. And now, I have gotten a full-summer-awesomely-paid-job. Not even the bulldogs program could have gotten me that, which I did last summer, which was also awesome! Now, with a major broadcasting company here in Asia, I am a newscaster;a hidden dream of mine ever since I started watching CNN. It is radio nonetheless, but anyone who knows me knows I hate shaving, so Hallelujah!

As I said, last week, the way I know it is really divine orchestration is that I was the person least blessed. The girl I am filling in for is going to get to go home to the states to see her family and get a well deserved vacation. She hasn't been back in forever. And her sickness wasn't really the issue, it was just that she really needed to take a break. So I mostly feel blessed that I was able to come in randomly (you know what I mean) and help answer her prayers right when she got sick. And if I get an awesome job for the summer, with awesome pay, that fits with my missions trip in July and my move to China in September, and also goes perfectly with the career I would pursue potentially, the fact that I now get to improve my Korean in the professional setting, and so much more, along the way, Glory be to my God, the God of Jacob! For He is good!


Another interesting little ditty, among so many, is that I was approached by Random House to help write a book about how to get an international education. The fact that for the past 3 months I have focused soley and God and then everything else, unlike how I used to live, everything else first, and then God, and now the fact that all things are coming together in the most mysterious(God!) ways blow my mind. God is real. I have already sent in some stuff and the editor loved it; however it goes, all my trust is in God. I wouldn't mind royalties though.


I'll end on a note I wish I could have ended on more while on Light Fellowship. A few days ago I got to see one of those huge protests I wrote papers about before coming to Korea. It was really interesting. Especially, because the cops in Korea really have nothing to do. They were all there.
The Korean university students (it is so great to see vestiges of democracy in action!) were protesting old nasty beef that the US is pushing on S. Korea, and Lee Myeong-Bak, Korea's new president is putting up no fight. I won't go into all of it in too much detail, but even this was a little ditty. It's always beautiful to see something you once did an assigment about come alive, much like the Busan film festival last Fall. So much has happened since then; it feels like forever. Then again, Eccelsiastes also tells us that He has put eternity in our hearts. Try to wrap your minds around that one. The Symphony goes on! Peace, Grace, and Love.

Adam