World Cup

I have learned something new about myself this last couple of weeks. I've learned that i love soccer. OK maybe love is a strong word I love the World Cup and like soccer a lot. I mean i still have to get over the flopping and the fact that you can tie. But overall soccer is starting to grow on me. Which is weird because i have always respected soccer players but I really never liked soccer. Not enough action, too much finesse and you can tie. I mean serious its so stupid to have a sport that can go on for 2 hours and then end with no winner. Seems like a waste but I digress.

The best hypothesis for my new love for soccer is that I am watching it with passionate people. I mean over here in Korea every game is like a national holiday. I watched a game with about a million crazy Koreans last week and since then I have been hooked. I have been staying up all night watching games and getting into every game. But that got me thinking how passion is contagious. Its hard to be around somebody that is passionate about anything and not have an opinion or become passionate yourself. I have always thought of myself as a passionate person. I mean i take my opinion very seriously and I dont mind anyone else knowing it. Anyone that knows me know how passionate I am about sports and my friends and my family. And there have been many times in my life that my passions have rubbed off on other people and that is a cool feeling honestly.

Keep that thought..... The other day I was listening to a sermon from Francis Chan and he told this story about a man who said he was hit by a semi truck. Chan was saying "are you sure you got hit by a truck. I dont see any broken bones. you sure dont look like you have been hit by a truck how are you still functioning" The guy said to Chan thats how a lot of Christians live. We say we have been hit by a truck say the Holy Spirit or an encounter with the Lord. But somehow we look exactly the same.

I know for me this has happened many times. I have this crazy experience and instead of living out of passion I live out of political correctness and fear of man and wanting to look cool or normal. But what if just for once in my (our) lives we live out of the passion that we say we have. How contagious would that be. Passion is maybe the most contagious thing that I have encountered from people besides Love. When you are around passion it is hard to not be affected somehow. Later in the sermon Chan said in order to encourage we have to have courage. Courage to live in the Lord and Follow his lead. That really spoke to me because when the Lord puts something in my heart to do for someone or even for myself there is a natural fear that comes up or some kind of embarrassment ( I know that I am the only one) to actually be obedient. But I (we) need courage to encourage and i (we) need to have courage to live our passion daily and to start infecting the ones around us with what everybody needs THE LOVE OF THE LORD

So its kind of weird but everytime I watch soccer I get a little motivated to love and encourage someone. SO FIND YOUR PASSION AND LIVE YOUR PASSION

grocery shopping

So this last week has been a good week for a few reasons. First reason is that I finally started to settle into my place. I have a little routine and even have a new leather couch that was very pleasant surprise. The next is that I think I have finally gotten over my honeymoon phase with Korea. You know when things stop being so amazing because its new and you start trying to process how it is going to affect your life and where you fit into everything. Its been great. But the biggest thing is that I am learning is to be present here in Korea. I am starting to realize how my life will be here and instead of thinking about how things are back home and what I am missing there. I am starting to invest here in my work, friends and myself.

So was I was grocery shopping the other day and something hit me. I AM GROCERY SHOPPING IN KOREA. That doesnt seem like much but let me continue the story. This became a big deal when after an hour I leave the grocery store and I realized that I only bought four things. Yes I said it I spent an hour in the grocery story buying only four things. But in my defense I had no idea where things were and even when i got to the right aisle where the thing I was looking for was. I had to make sure it was the right kind. (Let me tell you anchovy vinagerrete is really different from italian dressing) After finding one thing I had to do it all over again. Back to being in the present. As I was leaving the store I started to get frustrated and asking these questions "What am I doing here", "Did I really just spend an hour looking for italian dressing and salt" "Where the heck is wal-mart" (yes i even asked for wal mart, that should show the severity of the situation) But it was so funny because the very next thought was "hey this is Korea and that was kind of fun"

All that to say that God loves when we are in the present with him. He loves when we are truly present when we are at one moment doing the best we can with that moment and spending it with him. As I was shopping I was listening to a worship mix on my ipod. I wasnt really in too much of a hurry and I was just walking around the grocery store with the Lord looking for italian dressing, salt, paper towels and orange juice. Yeah it was kind of frustrating not knowing where things were or even what they were but at the same time I was there. Like I am here right now. I know people who are constantly looking for the next thing. The next adventure the next story even the next girlfriend/boyfriend. What are we going to do next weekend? I used to be one of those people and at times I still am. But I am trying to be that person that enjoys the little things because God has slowed me down to see the little things.

In Exodus Moses was talking to a burning bush (if it wasnt for sunday school you would think it was a bad trip) and God told him to go to Egypt and free His people. Then Moses asked the question I think all of us would ask "Who do I say sent me, What is your name??" and the Lord so graciously said with authority "I am who I am , say I AM sent me" That to me is awesome the Lord said he is the I AM which is a present tense being. He didnt say I will or I was he said I AM. Thats the Lord that is inviting us to do something.

I'm sure the other day as I walked around with the Lord in the grocery store some being in heaven asked Him what he was doing and he said "I AM walking around the grocery store with Greg watching him try to act out what salt is to a little Korean lady and laughing at him"

So my challenge to you is to be a PRESENT BEING with your family, friends and God.

What's next

So I have been in Korea for a little over a week and things are going great. I am meeting new people, finding quality relationships, living on my own for the first time in my life and its kind of funny I am kind of a freak about certain things.
I never realized that I like having things in order. part of me thinks that I am just coping with leaving home by trying to control everything and keep it orderly. Or maybe I have turned into the little guy that my mom has been begging since I started making messes. I mean I pick up after myself and do my laundry, iron, grocery shop and even have all of my dvd's in alphabetical order.
So life is going pretty good. I mean its almost like things are going too good. It has been a crazy transition and without a few setbacks it has been pretty fluid and seamless. That is what scares me honestly. The fact that things are going so good, I mean maybe I am just weird but I have expected something to go wrong. Something to be wrong with my visa, something to be wrong with my apartment, job,people something. But things have been great. I am really blessed. So I was thinking I know its only been one week and I have a long time here and a long journey ahead of me but when is the floor gonna drop and when am I going to get hit in the face with reality.

This morning I was talking with a dear friend and she said, "maybe things will really just be this good, you just got out of a hard season and maybe its time for an easy season." It was so good to hear that because honestly for me it seems like life is dealing with one bad season after the other and God lets us have glimpses of peace and ease every once in a while. But what if God has something in store for me that will last. I was hanging with a new friend the other day and I was talking to her about life verses and I asked if she had one and she said no. I told her I had like 4 and she was impressed (an added bonus). But I was telling her that I look at life verses like promises that the Lord has specifically spoken to me. The bible is full of promises but my life verses are almost like God wrote them for me specifically. So one of my biggest life verses is NUMBERS 6:24-26 The Priestly blessing is what is called in my Bible. But Lloyd always says it to us at the end of church. "May the Lord bless you and keep you and be gracious to you, May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." That is exactly how I have felt the last few months of this journey. That the Lords hand and blessing is all over it. So what if the floor never drops out, what if I am happy. What if I find love and it actually sticks, what if I actually do a good job at my job, what if i get rewarded for doing a good job. what if people really do love me in spite of my lack and what if my dreams could come true.

So when I think about what's next I think about what is the next problem I am going to have to handle but what if God is having me think of how to handle the next blessing he has for me.

So.....
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU, MAY THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU,MAY THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE

Wish I knew more Korean

So I wrote a remix to Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus its super cheesy but my co-workers thought it was funny so here it is. Put on the music and try to sing along

Hop off the plane at ICN with my passport and carry-on

Like where the heck is baggage claim, I need to get some won

Look for someone with my name written on a sign

Really hoping that they're here on time

This is all so crazy, everybody here is so Asian

My tummy's hurting and I'm feeling kind of homesick

Not quite sure if that was chicken

Then the driver took all of my luggage

and I got into the car, I GOT into the Carrrrr, I GOT INTO THE CAR

Then he asked me a question but it wasnt in english

I was nodding my head like yeah

moving my lips like yeah

Then he asked me the question again

and I said "I dont understand"

Yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh I wish i knew more Korean

YYYYEeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHHH I wish i knew more Korean

moving on

So I have had a day here in Korea and I have been able to process some things. First thing is how extremely blessed i am to have the people in my life that I do. The last week although exhausting was so good for my heart. I already knew that I was loved but to be able to tangibly see it did wonders for my heart and made me realize how much God has used all of the people in my life to show me His love and grace.

Second thing that I realized by actually being here is how much peace i have about the decision I have made. Even yesterday when I was just walking around my apartment and I was so lost and it seemed like there were millions of people around me and I had no clue what was going on. All I could think was how cool this is and all the things I am going to learn. Not once did I go "what did I get myself into" or "I have made a huge mistake" So those have been the last couple of thoughts that I had on this journey so far.

Now......

time for some of the things I have learned in little more than 24 hours in Korea. I'll give you the top five

1. Do not ever and I mean ever cross the street without the green walk signal. Just when you think it is safe a big green bus will come out of nowhere and make your life flash before your eyes and not even slow down. Also on that note do not think just because the light turned green that you shouldn't wait a second in case a bus decides that they need to get to their destination before you or you might be squished

2. Being Black in Korea means you will get a lot of looks. This I have noticed is not always a bad thing. There have been so many people that will be looking at me and when i catch them they just smile and bow or say hello. Kind of different from what I expected.

3. Koreans are horrible drivers. I kind of eluded to this with number 1 but I have never seen so much chaos on a street. There are people driving scooters and motorcycles on the sidewalk, there are like 7 lanes on the street and there are hundreds of people walking around everywhere and everybody keeps going it doesnt matter if you get bumped or pushed on accident by time you see who did it they are already halfway down the block so you cant take it personal. Drivers cut each other off all of the time and no one honks at each other. I have figured out that Koreans are aggressive drivers just not aggressive people.

4. Everything about Korean culture is different from America. For example if you are shaking someone's hand that is older than you Firm is not good(actually disrespectful Doh) a nice handshake and a bow shows respect not the mano y mano handshake. And if you are going to pour some water make sure to pour for everyone else first and yourself last. Koreans are very big on giving and respecting others but they dont take things serious like holding a door open or letting a lady sit down. Comparing things to America will just drive you nuts so dont do it.

5. Last for now make sure to have a group of people with you when you go out to eat because you are going to get a lot of food and it will be awesome. So make sure you have people to enjoy it with. Luckily I somehow managed to meet people and have enjoyed meals with many different people. (i know thats a real surprise)

Honorable mention- dont have smelly feet because your shoes are coming off everytime you go somewhere, if you are going to buy something do it in the subway its a little cheaper, and the best snack in the world is a waffle folded with honey and whipped cream in the middle.

Thats just a little of what Korea has shown me so far. This is going to be a wild ride

the other voice

So I was having lunch with one of my dearest friends Annie yesterday and she said something that has been coming up more and more the last couple of weeks in my life. She says to me that we are made to get our identity from an outside voice. Now let me say that I have some really smart friends. I have friends that are book smart but have no common sense, friends that can hustle their way out of anything but couldn't pass a college class to save their soul. I have friends that own businesses, who hear the Lord and who are very discerning.

So when Annie said that to me i really took it to heart as one of the smartest things I have heard for a couple of reasons.
1. Annie is really smart
2. That thought has been going on in my mind for a while
3. I just read something like that in a book that is kicking my butt. (thats for another post)

But I started to process that with her and what that means and why we not only want to hear who we are from the outside but need it. A very fun and deep conversation that I have grown to love and expect from Annie. After I left Annie I thought about this even more and really pieced together what the Lord has been saying to me lately and that is "I want to go on an adventure with you", that voice that has been speaking to me is one of a Father that desires to talk to me all of the time.

I have been reading Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller and it is a really good book. Very fresh and unique in the points and questions Miller raises. One of the biggest points he makes is,

"Man is wired so he gets his glory (his security, his understanding of value, his feeling of purpose, his feeling of rightness with his Maker, his security for eternity) from God. This relationship is so strong and Gods love is so pure, that Adam and Eve felt no insecurity at all, so much so that they walked around naked and didnt even realize they were naked. But when that relationship was broken, they knew it instantly. All of their glory, the glory that came from God, was gone."

This little passage has really been speaking to me so you can see why when Annie said what she said yesterday it was like a kick in the face. I mean I have literally read this same passage everyday for a week straight. But I think Miller brings up a point that I never thought about and that point is it's impossible to give yourself your identity. I mean you can do things and act a certain way but until someone else notices and validates the action it is not an identity. The next thought that came up to me is that it must have really sucked to be Adam and Eve. They were able to be completely in the presence of the Lord with nothing separating them and then in an instant they realized they were naked. Miller goes on to equate it to being in love and the person just not being there. I think it is even crazier than that. I mean we were born knowing we are naked and we need to be covered and we are searching for that voice to tell us who we are and our importance. They had that voice and lost it, gave it away, weren't satisfied with it, wanted more. Only to find nothing can replace it.

So the adventure that I am embarking on is to hear the quiet voice through the noise. The one that can actually suffice. The voice that spoke Greg Buckman into existence and the one that not only wants to but has the authority to tell me who I am.

So the question is.........

What voice are you listening to?????

thankful

you ever have one of those days where you wake up so overwhelmed with emotion? I had that today. I was so excited today for so many reasons. The main one being one of my favorite people in the world was coming into town another being that two of my dearest friends were announcing the sex of their baby and also because no matter how shallow it may seem i was going to get to just sit around and watch basketball.

Today was such a great day of reflection for me though and there are so many things that I am truly grateful for and no matter what I have going on in my life good or bad there are always a lot of constants in my life that remind me of the grace and goodness of God. So here are a few....

Family- I mean i have the funniest and goofiest family in the world we laugh, we talk and we really are genuinely in love with each other. My mother is my rock and my hero I dont even want to imagine where I would be without her. My little sisters are the coolest and they keep me on my toes partly because they laugh at every single thing i do and it kind of makes me self conscious. At the same time they are the most gracious and loving people you will find. They know how to make an old man like me feel important and wanted and I am grateful for the way the Lord has grasped their heart at such an early age.

Second Families- I am also very blessed to have so many people in my life that have adopted me and treat me as one of their own. Its great to be loved by so many people and to be trusted and respected by such a wide group of people.

Friends- I have the best friends whether it be new friends, friends i have had for a while or friends that I will be hanging out with when I am 60. God has put so many people in my life that have challenged me, kicked my but and loved on me that I dont even know what to do. The best thing about my friends is that they not only are ok with who i am they get pissed when I am not ok with who I am. For that I am grateful. My pastor always talks about the mirror that we have showing us ourselves and I cant think of any other people or situations that show me the real Greg more than my friends.

There are so many more things for me to be thankful for. These three things were really heavy on my heart today and I wanted to express that. I love all of you that are in these three categories. You know who you are and how you have fit in my life. Thank you and continue to be glimpes into the heart of God that you already are and have been.

So now I go to bed thankful and challenge you to think about the things you are thankful for and dont forget to express it.