Looney Tunes had a few cartoons where the dog or some character would be frozen blue in the snow and they'd be taken to a fireplace to warm up. their body would go from an icy blue to a warm red-ish orange color as if all of the cold was melting away. that's how i feel whenever i take a nice hot shower these days. particularly today, my feet must have been a few degrees colder than the rest of my body cause they were melting with pain as soon as they touched the steaming water. i've really grown to hate cold weather ever since i moved down to sunny southern california. my tolerance for the cold has lowered as my body has adapted to embracing the hot hot sun. haha. it still boggles my mind how it can still be SO sunny in the month of december! (shaking head). only in california.
today after evening worship service, a few of us went out to eat at Coco's for dinner. we were talking about how so. cal people have a problem of not leaving so. cal becaue they're too comfortable with where they are. as dinkas nicely put it, "if they leave so. cal, they'll die!" it's so true how nobody likes change. cpc hung its head in sadness when pastor told us that he was leaving this month. my brother always complains about how skinny i got or how i'm so old and boring now. i stopped hanging out with many people who i used to consider my friends because they're not the same people who they used to be. change forces us to leave our comfort zones.
this past thanksgiving break, i got a chance to do a lot of talking and thinking about my future plans. it slowly dawned on me that i am already a junior in college and that i'll be graduating in less than two years. before coming to college, i had planned to go study and live in korea for a few years after graduation. well, as graduation nears closer and closer, i was thinking about my original plans of going to korea after college. the more i thought about it, the more i didn't want to follow through. i thought about all of the discomforts and struggles i'd have to face. coming back to the states would involve another difficult transition with work and finances too. besides, an unexpected masters degree in education became a very favorable option after graduation.
like i said, i did a lot of talking and thinking back at home...and i mean ALOT. basically, i've come to the decision that i am going to follow through with my Korea plan. i am going to study korean, teach english, learn the culture, and experience life in korea for at least two years. i never realized that my greatest fear this whole time was CHANGE. i am afraid of change. i am afraid of the different. i am afraid of the unknown. and b/c i feel that this fear appears much greater than it actually is, it is a fear that i am going to overcome. for the longest time, i was so blinded by the cons that i completely forgot about the pros. i have to remember that change has its value as well. there can be long-term growth and fruit from change. i am always reminded of pastor dennis' experience with going from youth group to college group. a difficult beginning that resulted in so much blessing. i am certain that he can testify.
the Looney Tunes dog went from a very cold and frozen state to a very warm and vivacious body. i may experience some painful melting, but one day i will awaken and realize that i needed that change to become alive. besides, i have nothing to lose. Romans 8:28-And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Thought of the Day: Unexpected to.
Song of the Day: O Holy Night