New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of the year again. Time to reflect on the year passed and to look towards the year ahead. With all that happened in year 2008, I’m sure all of us have much to reflect on and much to think about for the upcoming year.

As you think about the year ahead and set your New Year’s resolutions, I would like to share with you one of my favorite phrases:
“Put God in the center, and everything will fall in place.”

Here are some of the most popular resolutions and some things to keep in mind as you set yours.

Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions:
1) Spend more time with family and friends
2) Fit in fitness
3) Tame the bulge
4) Quit smoking
5) Enjoy life more
6) Quit drinking
7) Get out of debt
8) Learn something new
9) Help others
10) Get organized

Ways to succeed in keeping your resolutions:
1) Make specific achievable bite size goals
2) Keep track of progress
3) Share with others for accountability

How about finding a buddy to keep you on track for your New Year’s resolutions? Or sharing your New Year’s resolutions online?

My 2009 New Year’s resolutions are:
1) to spend more quiet time with God, and 2) to be more open about relationships.

By BoMee Chu, Sunday School Teacher, Welcoming Team Leader

Christmas

When I was asked to write a blog entry for this week, I could not think of anything to write because I could not remember any Christmas memories. It was just another day for me, nothing special. However, I think I will remember this Christmas because I've already received the best and perfect gift for this year’s Christmas.

As you already know, the job market this year is horrible and it is impossible to find a job. I am graduating from graduate school this year and I was eagerly looking for a job to start next year. I went through interview after interview. Recently, I received rejection letters from all but three companies. I was very discouraged and tired. I gave up on the job search and applied for phD programs to start next year.

But today, I received a call from one of the companies saying that they were considering me for the position but I had a criminal record. I was very surprised to find that I had any record. To make a long story short, I was able to get everything fixed and the recruiter offered me the position.

There are still two weeks left until Christmas but I am already in the Christmas spirit. I will always remember this, year after year. I hope and wish every In2 member a Merry Christmas.

By Duke Kim, Welcoming Team

The Twelve Days of Christmas…

I went to college in Korea, and during my senior year, I took an English Public Speaking class, where the instructor was a young Korean-American, who also happened to be a devout Christian. He was one of those young, energetic professors who liked to try new things and challenge the norm…

And the fruit of being a devout Christian and an adventurer was – voila! – his students singing Christmas carols around the campus during finals!! Argh… So started our carol tour around the campus – in front of the shuttle bus stop, in front of the library, and in the cafeteria – most importantly, with all of us wearing RED SANTA HATS, which he had proudly bought from Namdaemun shijang (a night market in Seoul).

Students giggled and chuckled as we sang The Twelve Days of Christmas with "motions" (just imagine for a second doing motions for "six geese a-laying" and "eight maids a-milking"…). I remember feeling embarrassed and silly, which was reinforced by my friend who later told me that she had thought we were a bunch of lunatics until she saw me in the group… Despite the social risk I had to take, my young professor's crazy idea has left me a good memory to laugh about, and more importantly, a lesson in my heart that I need to live out more: that at times you need to break out of your shell and go beyond your typical boundaries to bring the good news and to share the Christmas spirit.

By Jean Choi, Core Leader, Prayer Team Leader, Small Group Leader

About a Gameboy... (Part II)

A beige Sanyo Digital Alarm Clock. Evidently, Santa had a sense of humor. I walked up to my room, depressed, beaten down and as I set my Sanyo Digital Alarm Clock to wake me up after 30 minutes of crying, I fell into my bed and cursed the world.

Fast forward 17 years and I still have that stupid alarm clock. Every day it wakes me and it's a reminder of the crushed dreams of an 8-year -old boy. But it also reminds me of a few important life lessons:

1. Learn to be happy with what you have
2. You don't get everything you think you deserve
3. Sometimes "Santa" knows what you need more than you know what you need
4. And most importantly... Sanyo products last longer than you would initially think”

By Keith Park, Small Group Member

About a Gameboy...

I remember when I was about 8 years old, I wanted a Nintendo Gameboy more than anything in the entire world. It was Christmas time, circa 1991, and I determined that that was the year I was going to show Santa that I really deserved what I thought was the greatest invention ever. I made sure to eat all my vegetables, do my homework, be REALLY nice to my brothers and made an under the table agreement to combine my birthday present AND my Christmas into one (some things just require big sacrifices).

So what did I see a couple weeks before Christmas? A box. Not any box but a box the exact same size as a Gameboy box. I compared all measurements, did weight comparisons by repackaging our neighbor's Gameboy. You leave nothing to chance in matters this important. And to top it off, on the card it said, "FROM SANTA." I mean, what more evidence do you need?!

I remember taking the wrapped package to my Mom and asking whether it was a Gameboy and she just looked at me with a knowing grin and said "I dunno, you're just going to have to wait and see!!!"(I would later realize this was the cruelest thing a parent can do to a child).

The next two weeks were the most agonizing of my life. I waited and waited and on Christmas day, I couldn't sleep, just thinking of how fun it would be to be playing Mario Brothers while sitting on the toilet or in the bathtub. I raced downstairs that morning and ripped open the package… and what was it?

(to be continued...)

By Keith Park, Small Group Member

Thank you IN2!

Although this is past the official holiday of Thanksgiving, I hope it's not too late to express what I'm thankful for.

I do not attend IN2 Church, but thanks to Joey Lee and her encouragement I was fortunate enough to attend the fall retreat. The weekend was a true blessing and a time of rest and reflection. I'm thankful I had the opportunity to leave NYC! I'm thankful that I got to experience awesome praise! I'm thankful for the solid preaching! But… what I'm most thankful for was the vision of community IN2 showed that weekend.

I experienced the church welcoming me. I found new friends who were interested in my life and struggles. People who knew me less than 24 hours were praying for me to grow and experience God in a more meaningful way. I am thankful for the body of Christ, and I was blessed to have experienced a truly loving and Christ-centered church community at IN2.

By Maggie Cho, attended "Salvation is Here" retreat

Bowery Women’s Center Dinner

On Nov 23rd, seven women from IN2 had the chance to come together to prepare and serve dinner for the women and staff at the Bowery Mission Women’s Center. Cooking and serving were great, but the highlight of our time there was sitting down for dinner with the ladies of the center. Over our meal we heard of the powerful and loving work of our God in some of the women’s lives. We were humbled and so thankful to share such an evening, and we left the center in agreement to be back at the center again soon!

By Sera Han, Worship Leader