Category — Gratitude

“Grace begins when one person is full and another is empty. One person is a have and the other a have-not. One is rich; the other is poor. Then grace comes into action as the emptiness of one is filled up by the fullness of the other. What we do not have is supplied by what he has. Our poverty is replaced by his wealth.

And all that not because we deserve it, but because Jesus is gracious.

His riches are free. Therefore, gratitude wells up in the hearts of those who “receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17). This gratitude to Christ, which marks all true believers (Romans 1:21), is more than saying, “Thank you,” or trying to return some service; it is more than being glad you are free from condemnation; it is being glad toward Jesus for the riches of salvation and the way he made it ours.

When the grace of Jesus penetrates the human heart, it rebounds back to God as gratitude. Christian gratitude is grace reflected back to God in the happiness we feel toward Jesus . . .

The wonderful thing about the gospel is that the response it requires from us for God’s glory is also the response which we feel to be most natural and joyful, namely, gratitude for grace. God’s glory and our gladness are not in competition.”

- John Piper (source)

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(A co-post with my brothers)

About a month and a half ago, our dad discovered a tumor in his jaw. It was an unusually aggressive form that required quick action and fairly extensive surgery.

This past Friday the tumor was removed. The surgeon is pleased with how everything went, and Dad is now at home recovering and cracking jokes as usual. The healing process will be lengthy. But we have much to be thankful for, including an early discovery of the tumor, knowledgeable physicians, and extremely supportive family and friends.

So Dad, we thank God you’re home today, even though your typical Father’s Day steak dinner will have to wait a few months. But we’re even more grateful for everything you’ve taught and demonstrated for us, including:

• Generosity. Dad has sacrificed a lot to provide us with necessities and comforts of life and recreational / educational opportunities (i.e. opportunities for vacation and vocation).
• Love for Mom. They are an example of God’s love shown through the marriage relationship.
• Eye for detail. Dan: I don’t like it when something I do gets scrutinized, but I think some of that has been passed down (genetically or by example). It’s sort of a double-edged sword (the more things you notice, the more you feel you are liable to act on), but in general it’s good not to be too oblivious to your surroundings…
  Steve: I agree with Dan . . . I find that I’m more detail-oriented than even most of my peers at law school.
• Ability to see the big picture. Dad can be really detailed, but he’s also constantly coming up with good ideas. He has a vivid imagination and can see multiple solutions to a problem.
• Being supportive. There are probably lots of Asian parents who wouldn’t want their kids to go into music, but he’s been supportive of both Ruth and Tim. And he’s supported all of our career choices, even though none of us decided to become a dentist.
• Always thinking about how things can be improved, whether it’s dental equipment or us. Haha.
• A genuine interest in our interests. Tries to learn about the fields we’re going into by reading random online articles.
• Always thinking of ways that our family can help and be an encouragement to others. Notices what other people need and acts on it.
• Good life balance. Dad has always worked hard, but has never been a workaholic. Work has never been more important than family or church or people.
• Sense of humor. Has a good attitude towards life and isn’t too proud to laugh at himself.

Happy Father’s Day!

Every year we ask Mom what she wants for Mother’s Day, and every year she says she doesn’t know.

It’s not that she’s indecisive; it’s just that she’s so busy thinking about others that she doesn’t think about herself.

Thanks, Mom, for your continual example of selflessness and joy.

Thanks for modeling hospitality, patience, and generosity.

Thanks for wholeheartedly serving Jesus.

“Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue . . .
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.”

-Proverbs 31:25-26, 30-31

(P.S. And thanks for encouraging me in my musical pursuits, even though — as the above picture proves — I didn’t get off to the most promising start!)

For many people, myself included, New Year’s Eve is a day filled with anticipation and hope. No matter how good or bad the previous year was, the symbolic date change represents the chance for improvement, new experiences, and a fresh start.

Will next year be the year that I ___________? I really hope that I can _________________. Maybe I’ll finally do _______________.

Perhaps, circumstantially, 2011 will be my best year yet. Or perhaps it will be a year of difficulties. Of course I hope for the former, but I don’t know.

One thing I do know, however, is that no matter what 2011 brings,

Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

I am grateful today that it is well with my soul, and I pray the same for you. Happy New Year!

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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Tomorrow marks the end of December, of 2010, and of this blog series on gratitude. While I’m not sure that these posts have been particularly interesting to most people, they’ve proven enormously helpful to me. So to those of you who’ve been following, thanks for sticking with me! More arts-related content will return in the new year, Lord willing.

But for now, let me leave you with a few lessons learned from blogging gratitude:

Gratitude takes thought.
Gratitude is a feeling, but it requires thought. Otherwise gratitude could easily be misdirected or incomplete. Thinking about and articulating reasons for gratitude transforms fleeting and shallow feelings to lasting and focused appreciation.

Gratitude takes time.
I’m convinced that the main reason I’ve had trouble with gratitude is that I simply didn’t taken enough time to express it. It’s sort of like practicing — if you wait around for the urge to practice, you’ll never get around to it. There were several days this month when I didn’t really feel gratitude until after I had written about something or forced myself to think about it.

Expressing gratitude increases joy.
I posted this C.S. Lewis quote earlier in the month and have witnessed its truthfulness in my own life:

“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”

After writing about why I was grateful for certain people or things, I found I enjoyed them even more. This is an encouragement to continue the practice of public gratitude; it’s also a caution to make sure I’m grateful for the right things and reserve particular time reflecting on the greatest reason and source for my gratitude.

Here are the top ten posts (traffic-wise) from this month of gratitude:

• Grateful for . . . parents
• Grateful for . . . brothers
• Grateful for . . . some holiday humor
• Grateful for . . . a fantastic weekend
• Grateful for . . . free in-home entertainment
• Grateful for . . . the musician’s life
• Grateful for . . . clever humor
• Grateful for . . . gig stories
• Grateful for . . . the morning routine
• Grateful for . . . the minivan

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Michael Jackson’s I Want You Back, like you’ve never heard before.

(And another reason I love my brothers.)

Towards the end of each year, I like spending some time thinking about the past 12 months and setting some goals for the next 12. (I do a similar thing around my birthday.) Since I use Google calendar to keep track of my brain, recalling past events is much easier (and more accurate) these days. As I clicked through the months, I was surprised at how many things I had already forgotten or relegated to some other year. Here are a few highlights from 2010:

• Visiting Japan
  Eating sushi in Japan had been a longtime dream of mine, and I finally got the chance this past spring (and yes, it was delicious). Even better than the sushi was the chance to tour and perform with the UW Wind Ensemble and interact with hundreds of Japanese students throughout the country. Definitely a highlight not just of the year, but of my entire grad school experience.
• Reconnecting with old friends
  I’m not the greatest in terms of keeping in touch with people (though Facebook has helped). Despite my failings, this year I got together with a lot of old classmates and friends through a combination of trips, conferences, and random sightings. It’s interesting to see how peoples’ lives change, yet also encouraging to renew friendships despite years and distance.
• Buying a house
  Definitely didn’t see this coming, but it’s true: I’ve owned a home for pretty close to a year now. I still laugh if I think about it long enough, because it doesn’t seem possible. (Except when I have to mow the lawn. Then I know it’s true.)
• Finishing school (for good, I think)
  I’m kind of a nerd; and I have always liked school. That being said — since finishing at UW in June, I have not for once wished I were still a student. Even more amazing is that I get to do what I studied and love it.
• Musical firsts
  They ranged from totally unexpected (conducting a handbell choir — no, I don’t play handbells), strange (teaching lessons via Skype), and long-overdue (first Nutcracker performance).

As I reviewed this past year, I was reminded of Psalm 111:4: “He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;the LORD is gracious and merciful.” One of the greatest benefits of reflecting on the past is that it reminds me of God’s character: His goodness, and His mercy, and His faithfulness from year to year. What a reassuring and exciting way to ring in 2011!

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If I had the luxury of doing so, I’d take a few months off and book one of those around-the-world plane tickets. New cultures and places fascinate me; and the list of places I’d like to see in this lifetime constantly grows.
But even if I do make it to half of the destinations on my list, I imagine in the end I’d still think I live in one of the greatest places on earth.

Among the reasons I love Seattle:

Natural beauty
Every time I return here after being away for more than a couple weeks, I’m struck by how gorgeous this city is. In Seattle, you’re never more than a short drive from real mountains (not hills), real ocean (not lakes), and real trees (not shrubs).

General atmosphere
Seattle is surprisingly relaxed for a major city. People generally come across as smart, friendly, and fairly laid-back. In terms of arts and culture, we may not have as much in quantity as other urban areas; but what we have is diverse and generally good quality. Another thing I enjoy about Seattle is that there are plenty of distinct neighborhoods to explore: downtown, Fremont, Capitol Hill, University District, Ballard, etc. I still feel like I have a lot more to see, despite having lived here most of my life.

Food
Four words: Coffee. Seafood. The best.

Weather
I am an extreme weather wimp, so Seattle’s climate is perfect for me. I’ll take a little rain and thunderstorms over blizzards and/or hot humidity any day. And just when I start wishing that we had “more distinct seasons” we get hit by a small snowstorm or heatwave to remind me what I’m not missing.

Yes, I am grateful to call Seattle home.

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Some snapshots from a great Christmas weekend!

Vacation = coffee and crosswords

Sunday service at Living Hope Bible Church.

Last Nutcracker of the year!

The family came to visit me during intermission.

My awesome Elvis stand lights!

In the pit we amuse ourselves with windup toys.

Post-show hot pot...it's all in the sauce.

This is how we eat.

Yum.

All our eyes are open! Win.

O source of all good,
What shall I render to you for the gift of gifts,
your own dear Son?

Herein is wonder of wonders:
he came below to raise me above,
was born like me that I might become like him.

Herein is love;
when I cannot rise to him he draws near on wings of grace,
to raise me to himself.

Herein is power;
when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart,
he united them in indissoluble unity,
the uncreated and the created.

Herein is wisdom;
when I was undone, with no will to return to him,
and no intellect to devise recovery,
he came, God-incarnate, to save me to the uttermost,
as man to die my death,
to shed satisfying blood on my behalf,
to work out a perfect righteousness for me!

O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds,
and enlarge my mind!

Let me hear good tidings of great joy,
and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,
my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose,
my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father!

Place me with ox, donkey, camel, goat,
to look with them upon my Redeemer’s face,
and in him account myself delivered from sin!

Let me with Simeon clasp the newborn child to my heart,
embrace him with undying faith,
exulting that he is mine and I am his!

In him you have given me so much that heaven can give no more.

- From The Valley of Vision

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