On December 19, 2009 at Shinjuku's Cultural Center, a Christmas Love Concert was held.
My family friend's daughter was the Concert master for the orchestra and we went to support her! Eunice was sooo good! I was so proud of her... :)
Some Korean Gospel singer who I never heard of... he was pretty good though.
The star of the concert. He was tall, dreamy, and soooo good live! Sang three songs: 1) You Raise Me Up 2) Noel 3) 사랑합니다 (Saranghamnida - his debut song)
I had butterflies...
Eunice's sister, Christine, went to the stage and took Tim's water bottle. HAHAHA. She's sooo brave. 13 years old and not afraid of anything... oh the good years. His bottle smelled like strawberry lip balm. HAHAHAHAHA. -_- Some crazy fan came up to us after the show and asked us if she could feel it. She rubbed the bottle with her shaky hands. We didn't want to give it to her because some people make these things an idol... :*(
The Korean tenor who lost his voice completely due to cancer but got it back by the grace of God. People were crying at his performance... it's truly amazing what God can do.
The Kwon family and me. Thanks to their kindness and hospitality, my dream came true! :)
Our seats: front row! Tim saw us and pointed to me... I melted inside.
Our picture together. Do you see his hand? It's on my shoulder... :) HAHA. We waited for him between his dressing room and the lobby (there was this hallway right before the stairs). They said he would come out for a meet and greet but for some reason... I didn't believe them (turns out, I was right). So we waited and he finally came out. Here is our conversation:
Us: Can we take a picture with you?
Tim: You guys speak English! *shakes our hands
(Take the picture)
Tim: Where are you guys from?
Me: LA
Kwon sisters: Japan
Tim: What are you guys doing here?
Kwon sisters: We live here
Me: (thinking I should say I'm a missionary but can't get it out of my mouth)
Tim: Any missionaries?
Me: I'M HERE FOR A YEAR.
Tim: That's great. See you guys again later.
AGAIN? LATER? WHEN? -_-; Then he went up the stairs and into the crowd of ahjumas shoving flowers into his hands, snapping photos, and screaming for him. He went out the lobby doors and into his van? That was the last of our encounter. We were blessed... we got a picture. THANK YOU, GOD!
What was better than meeting TIM?! WELCOMING UTA-KUN INTO GOD'S FAMILY! PRAISE GOD that he was baptized on Sunday! :) It took three years to make it official but God has really been working in His life. I'm so happy! Many people cried because it was so beautiful to see our fellow brother in Christ profess his faith before the world! CONGRATULATIONS!
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION at Shonan Grace Chapel! :D
The Sato family gave me a gift for Christmas. They said, "日本でがんばって” and I started to tear up. God really used these sisters to remind me of God's faithfulness... it was a hard week but their heart for me brought a smile to my face! The bag they got me! I will definitely fit in with the Japanese girls. :)
GOD IS GOOD. So much happened in such a short two days... it has definitely been memorable!!! :0) Thanks for your prayers... it's being poured out on me!
Biggest lesson learned: IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE GIVE THANKS TO GOD. Even what seems like the worst day... something good can come from it. Bad days are what make good days good. There's always something to be thankful for! Don't let the circumstances define you... you define the circumstances! It all depends on the perspective. :)
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."
your biggest lesson learned reminds me a lesson i learned in japan too. and i learned this from the book "Same kind of different as me."
ReplyDeleteits about good and bad. and the perception of bad. because as bad as we think something is, because our God is the ultimate creator of all and because he is in his very essence "good" there was nothing that he created that was "bad." when sin came, things became corrupt, but in the very nature of creation, everything was good. so in all things that we consider "bad" we cannot attribute it to something God has allowed to happen as just "bad" but ultimately as something that will in the end bring "good" or the fulfillment of his ultimate plan.
now i quote cs lewis:
"the tortures occur. if they are unnecessary that there is no God, or a bad one. if there is a good God, than these tortures are necessary for no even moderately good being could possibly inflict or permit them if they weren't."
I feel like so many GREAT things are happening there right now :) (plus you met TIM!)
ReplyDeleteWe know that you'll do well with the power of GOD! :) I believe in you all the way. If God trusts you in Japan, then I believe that you will learn and do some great damage in the spiritual world in the name of Christ.
(again thanks for the picture posts ^^ )
-sarah kim (usc)