A Look Ahead

Lauren and I have been quite busy. Not so much trying new adventures busy, but more of working and planning for our next step busy. Most of you surely are aware of our next step, but here it is anyway (The long history-laden edition).

I told my high school guidance counselor when I was a junior that attending law school sounded pretty good to me. The adept counselor then stated matter-of-factly that I must be one of those people who loves to read. At the time I did not,  and explained to her that it wasn’t the case. Her expression changed and instilled some fear that this wasn’t the path for me. That idea stayed on the backburner for the next 8 years.

Last summer after our return from vacation in the states, I started to really consider our future and what it was I wanted to do, and what I was supposed to be doing with my life.   I loved and still love teaching. The kids bring me so much joy and I would treasure doing it for the duration of my career. However, I wasn’t sure if it was what the Lord wanted me to be doing. I knew I wanted to be a servant, but didn’t know in what capacity that would be. A couple of things began unfolding encouraging me down a specific path.

My nephew Ethan experienced a very poor educational environment. Few of his needs were being met while those in charge ignored Ethan and their own shortcomings simultaneously. Things changed dramatically with the help of attorney. How one person, with the appropriate knowledge and a heart of servitude, could make such a huge impact on another’s life stirs me in a deep way.

Another continually evolving circumstance was my growing adoration for reading. Lauren has shown me the way to really love reading.  I was a perfectly proficient reader before I met Lauren, but hardly enjoyed delving into a novel recreationally.  Slowly through the years she has encouraged me to read and offered endless recommendations.  In Korea, I’ve probably read 3 times the number of books I had read my entire life before I came here (no bs).   A service oriented spirit, the thoughts of my nephew, joined with all this reading and the thoughts of what the high school guidance counselor had said, had me considering taking the LSAT.

The Craigslist search for LSAT prep books and the subsequent result of “Free unused LSAT books and 12 practice tests” enticed me quite a bit. I picked up the books and began a nightly ritual of studying various strategies and solving endless practice questions.

After much thought, I decided to take the Fall LSAT. The fall date was my preferred time to take the test, but it happened to fall on October 10, a date near and dear to my heart.  My loving and supportive wife encouraged me to take the test that day and that we could celebrate that afternoon and evening.

The test was long, very long. I left the test confident, but a little upset about a slight curveball.

A month later my test scores came in and were better than I had anticipated.  I sent out applications to schools all around the country, not knowing where would accept me.

Lauren and I began to pray hard about where we should be going in our next stage of life. God blessed us so immensely when we came to Korea.  We felt the Lord had called us out here, and we followed.  It wasn’t an easy thing, but when God is your guiding light, it is hard to get lost. He showered us with blessings and reassured us that following his path was the best way to live.

As a few admissions were granted, our direction seemed fuzzy.  We began slowly weighing the pros and cons of schools, eliminating some, then returning back to them the next day.We knew we had to be patient and listen for an answer, so that is what we did.

Late in March we started to really understand what the next step might be.  We began to put the pieces together, they fit perfectly like a puzzle culminating on April(4) 2, another date near and dear to my heart involving making life altering decisions.  Proverbs 4:2 "For I am giving you good guidance.  Don't turn away from my instructions".  Pretty awesome.

We don’t know what he has in mind, or what his plans are for us are but we know if we follow his direction, he will never do us wrong.

Lauren and I are moving to New Orleans, Louisiana in August, and I will be attending Tulane University Law School.

The next 3 years are sure to be an adventure, but hey, what’s new? We welcome in any and all to come and visit us in our new future city near the mouth of the mighty Mississippi.

Journey Together

I'm a big fan of numbers.  They're universal and understood.  They may be a little misleading at times, but they more often than not are concrete and something to hang your hat on.

We have 5 weeks left in South Korea.  We have been here for 115 weeks.  Our time here is almost 96% in the past.

It is a little bit sobering and astonishing as well.  To say our time here has been great would be an understatement.  Everything we have done and experienced here has been such a blessing.  The best blessing of all was being able to do it together.

Lauren and I have been married for 947 days, 805 of those days with our home in Korea.  In other words, we've spent 85% of our married life abroad.

Not a huge percentage of people choose to move to another country shortly after being married.  Not many people get the opportunity to work side by side with their spouse.  Maybe it isn't for everybody.  But for us, it has been perfect.

God has blessed the us tremendously by granting us the opportunity to live and work together in a foreign land.  Our marriage bas benefited from this in countless ways.  We were better able to focus our attention to the needs of each other, rely on one another deeply, and develop a strong foundation for our lives ahead.  Only God knows what the future will bring, but with 100% confidence in him, we have no need to worry.