Real Life at the Jeongs

Today,

I was going to make homemade biscuits for the first time.

I lined up the ingredients real nice, so you could see everything that went into my biscuits...

And then, pleasantly surprised at how fast I got done, I stuck the two trays in the oven and turned on a Friends rerun to watch while waiting.

Three minutes into baking, my oven started smoking. And suddenly, I noticed that our whole apartment looked hazy and smelled like burning wax.

I yelled for YS, and just as he ran the 5 steps from the bedroom to our kitchen, the fire alarm started ringing. Great. A visit from 911 to start off our vacation.

Thankfully, it wasn't a fire (whew!) and we were able to turn off the alarm by wildly fanning the air under it with our pillow; and I rushed my two trays of half-baked biscuits outside to cool off.

What is the lesson you can gain from this? You probably should not use wax paper as "cookie sheets" when lining your baking trays, especially when the baking temperature is quite high (like 450 F). That's the only thing that burned and smelled, so I assume that was the problem.

When I started this blog, I resolved to share both the goodies and the mess-ups of my life - recipes included. So here you are: one major mistake that you should learn from and not repeat.

There is a time for second chances, though! I will re-try these tomorrow morning. From the half-baked biscuit that I tried (and then spat out at my husband's command), the taste was promising! Maybe tomorrow I'll add some herbs and garlic... Stay tuned!

Now if someone could just tell me how to get rid of that awful burning wax smell...

::Edit: I just realized that my laptop deleted the 2 photos that I uploaded from my camera, after I deleted the photos off my memory card. Ah, well. Tomorrow will be a new day for photos too.::

Inspired today.

source

Not that y'all haven't noticed, but I've been getting [back] into the blogging thing lately.

I don't just have my own blog, though. I also follow countless cooking blogs (kitchen inspiration!), friends' blogs (babies, marriage, faith, life. I love.), and random Christian strangers' blogs.

Each is a source of inspiration, encouragement, and challenge. Get into that kitchen and try something new, Esther. Share your faith more often with your friends, Esther. See how God worked through this stranger's difficult times and transformed her faith, Esther. One of the best "wasting time" activities, in my opinion.

Today I was encouraged by this woman's blog. I respect her so much for the difficult things that she went through, because of a deep trust in God that rose up from her suffering. Her faith is so real. Faith that is strengthened and made even more secure by pain - that is the kind of faith that reminds me of how powerful, loving, and REAL our Lord is.

Check out her blog, if you have time. More blog recommendations to come in the future :)

Psalm 73

photo source

I read Psalm 73 this morning during my time with God. It was so encouraging to read, especially in light of what my husband and I prayed last night in bed.

Truly God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

The Lord has truly been good to us this past year. We've always had a roof under our heads; fresh, delicious food to sustain us; a new church family, and continued spiritual growth. He is faithful.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ...

always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

Last night, we prayed for strength to trust God with our finances this coming school year. It is so easy to look at the lives of others, and be jealous of their carefree spending habits and spacious living spaces that we just cannot afford. 

Being a Christian doesn't protect you from the pains and evils of this world. At times, it seems that we are allowed to experience more hardships, for the sake of our purification. Like God tenderly disciplining His children. This Psalmist certainly felt so; it's no wonder he asked, Is it all in vain? when he saw unbelievers live without hardship or worries.

But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.

Have you experienced this? When I'm not spending as much time with God as I should, or when I'm feeling far from him, I am easy prey. I fall so quickly into the trap of jealousy and bitterness because my life isn't fair, and I deserve better, and the list goes on.

But it's because my focus has been off-center. The Psalmist experienced the same. Until he went into the sanctuary of God, he couldn't make sense of his world! But in that sanctuary, he recalled the greatness of his Lord. As he worshipped and prayed, he remembered the eternal hope that God had surely promised him, and that was more than enough for him. I want that. I want my husband and I to always be "in the sanctuary of God"; that is, to be immersed in the Bible, to continually pray, to keep our minds focused on the goal.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

For me, it is good to be near God.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

I just discovered a stack of CD's in our TV stand with a bunch of old photos from my past. I spent the better part of yesterday poring through the photos, "rediscovering" my memories! Here's a few of my favorites, for your viewing pleasure:

Canada

Newlyweds

We waved Daddy good-bye as he went to work

California

I had to force myself not to post a million photos of my baby sister. 

She was unspeakably adorable! This one I couldn't not share:

Mongolia

Dressed in traditional Mongolian clothes for Tsagaansar (Lunar New Year)

Aaand... that concludes it for childhood photos! I had an extended "awkward teen lankiness" phase, which is why most (all?) of you have never seen my teen pictures from Mongolia and Germany. And probably never will ::evil grin::.

I'll end with this awesome photo: my dad in Senegal, dancin' it up in the center of the circle.

The best part? MBC (Korean TV Channel) happened to record it. :D

Family

Two beautiful women visited us in Philly over the weekend. I hadn't seen my mom in a whole year, and sister since her last visit for New Year's. One flew in from Korea, the other from Michigan. Needless to say, the best of times were had :)

Many of you (sparse) blog readers know that Hubs and I have weekly "family worship" times. We sing a praise, listen to a sermon, share prayer requests, pray. We had our regularly scheduled worship time last weekend too... but with two more family members present, it really felt like what we call it - family worship. I am so humbled and thankful that God poured out His presence among us that night. A wonderful time sharing about the things we experienced and learned during this past year of marriage. Hearing Mom and Dad's testimonies - how they came to Christ, how Jesus healed their marriage and made it burst with so much fruit, how God has been growing them the past 15 years on the mission field.

Our family isn't perfect by any means. My sister and I quarrel, my parents don't always call each other honeydew, Hubs and I are past our "honeymoon" stage. But...

Our family loves God. We live in awe of His tender love for us, none of which we deserve. And because of the healing and forgiveness we've experienced in Christ, we can ask God for the strength to do the same.

Our family is learning to share deeply of this union in Christ, which runs deeper than our ties of blood. Already I see how much Jesus has grown us as a family. And how rich of an addition my husband is to the Pak clan.

Our family sits at the cusp of some big changes and new directions. Please, we covet your prayers - that we would continue to be honest and open with our struggles and praises; and that our times of fellowship and sharing would grow deeper and more frequent, despite the distance. Thank you.

A Life-Changing Move

California... Back in elementary school, we briefly lived in La Mirada, California while my parents attended Talbot Seminary at Biola. It was a poignant 3 years for sure, but many of my memories are sadly faded and replaced by more vivid ones from Mongolia, Germany, and adulthood. I hadn't been back since the year we left - 1998 - so you can imagine how ecstatic I was about this trip.

We loved the beaches, the palm trees, the weather, and catching up with old family friends (mine). But I realized something that weekend, as we drove past my family's old apartment and my elementary school. The "me" in California was drastically different from who I have grown up to be. My personality, experiences, dreams, and worldview - none of these were crucially shaped by the years I spent here. What kind of woman would I have become, had we stayed in California? I can't even begin to imagine, because the experiences I had in Mongolia and Germany stand in stark contrast to what I think would have been my experiences as a teenage girl in California.

I might have lived in more comfort, had more opportunities, known what it's like to grow up with the same friends and have a true sense of home. And I'm confident that God would have still made Himself known to me.

But I would never have stepped foot inside a ger (Mongolian yurt); never met our Mongolian friends who lived with much less, yet showed such joy in God; never gone to boarding school with other MKs (Missionary Kids) from Turkey, Mali, Russia, Ghana, you-name-it; never felt the harsh reality of people suffering from pain, poverty, and hopelessness.

What happened in Mongolia, Germany, China, Venezuela, Ithaca - that's what ultimately made me who I am today.

I was heartbroken when I graduated from Escalona Elementary, knowing that I wouldn't be at Huntington(?) Middle School with my friends in the fall. My little 10 year old heart hurt that I couldn't audition for our middle school cheerleading squad, beat Robert at handball every Sunday, have  anymore sleepovers with Ylan. If only I knew what blessings and growth were in store for me! If only I knew how irrevocably the next decade would shape me!

Faithful is our Lord. Faithful in my life.

So, friends, hold onto this promise that God gave His children: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

Hubs and I don't even know what country we'll be in 15 years from now. But this we know for sure: that the One who saved us and loves us has it all planned out, and it's greater than any future we could build for ourselves.

I, for one, am thankful I never had a chance to become a cheerleader. Who would I have become??

City Living

Philadelphia Art Museum, October 2009

Philadelphia. This city just keeps growing on me. When I first moved here in 2009, I told myself that this would not be my home for long. But 3 years later, here I am... still in Philadelphia and loving this city more and more!

I fell in love with my city during the 2 years I lived here before med school, when I had the time to roam around and explore places like Fabric Row, Rittenhouse, Chinatown, Clark Park, you name it. My friends thought think I was crazy for choosing to walk the 50-minute trek home from work. But that was how I made Philly my own.

I had to put 50-minute walks on hiatus when med school started. But now that we're on vacation, I'm determined to coax Hubs to come with me on some exciting Philly adventures! I hope he's up for the walk(s)... ;)

We sure enjoyed our city last weekend. We stumbled upon random neighborhood events like an all-day reading of James Joyce's Ulysses (left) and the weekly Rittenhouse outdoor market (right).

We found a cafe selling $1 mango iced tea (mmm!), which recharged us for a little more city strolling. When we got tired of walking, we popped over to a nearby theater to watch Avengers!

And then we finished off the night with some scrumptious Indian food at... you guessed it, Indian Restaurant.  ;P

Do you see why we love Philadelphia? Please come visit! We'd love to show you around! And Hubs makes amazing real-fruit smoothies. His most recent creation is shown above: pineapple banana orange. :)

A great start

Summer 2012... Oh, how I have longed for you.

In medical school, the summer between first and second years is infamously dubbed the "last summer of our lives". After this, vacations will be few and far between until our long years of training are over... for some (ie. aspiring neurosurgeons), this means a decade more of training; for others (like me, maybe a pediatrician?), six.

My first free Saturday was the perfect way to kick off the summer. I can't think of a better way we could have spent it! :)

Saturday Part 1

Spontaneity. That's what I loved so much about my afternoon with Claire, BFF from my high school days in Germany.

She texted me in the morning, asking if I wanted to bake some macarons with her. Uh, of course I do! My friend is an amazing baker and chef, and I love being in the kitchen with her. So she came over, and our unexpected afternoon was born.

It was my first time witnessing a macaron creation, and I had no idea how temperamental a macaron is. Everything has to be just right - the temperature of the eggs, the humidity, the mixing technique. I was going to record the recipe and our steps on this blog, but since I really didn't know what was happening, you must wait until Claire launches her own blog (very soon!) to see in detail what we did. Don't worry, I plan to feature my friend on this blog once hers goes live ;)

If you've noticed the time stamps on my photos, you probably figured out that this whole process took us 5 hours. According to master chef Claire, that is double the normal time to bake macarons! The humid weather and my lack of appropriate baking tools (I'm.. not a baker) offset the time by just a little. But at the end of the day, our macarons were beautiful and oh so delicious!

Saturday Part 2

It's just how boys roll. To commemorate the end of our first year, our friend Brian organized a BBQ party at my place. But! He didn't actually have a grill for this party until that very afternoon. Thank God for random flea markets that sold him a grill for $5, right?? :P So I guess that's how boys roll - on the spur of the moment! In any case, the party was a wonderful success.


This group of girls (plus 2 more, who couldn't come) has been such an immense blessing to me. We are all so different, but God sovereignly brought us together. We'd all separately been praying for Christian sisters in our class with whom to share the struggles and joys of our walks with God. What a powerful answer to prayer. I'm so thankful for all of the intimate times we had sharing, crying, and sharing Bible verses on our hearts. Love y'all!

It was a great time having this grill-out with the guys' accountability group (the male counterpart of our group!). I pray that the Lord has been blessing you men as well through your meetings!

Saturday Part 3

Family. And what better way to top off the night than to chill with some good ol' Cornell friends? The ones we can show our ugly sides to, and not be shunned. The ones who experienced with us the amazing church, fellowship, and spiritual discipleship we were so blessed with at Cornell. Our good ol' good ol' family.  :)

And the blogging begins...

Source: etsy.com

Welcome to my new blog!


I've been thinking recently about picking up blogging again. I blogged with Xanga in high school, then met Tumblr in college. But I want something more.

I want to keep friends and family up to date on our lives. Since our families are literally spread out across the world, I hope that my blog will connect me to you in China, Korea, Vancouver, Michigan, Kenya, New Jersey, and beyond.

I also need a way to keep track of all my adventures in the kitchen! I have had quite a few of them since I became Mrs. Jeong 11 months ago... Some successful, others not so great. But it's hard to learn from your mistakes (and from your successes) if you don't record them!

Most importantly, though, I want to use my new blog to record my journey with God. The lessons I've learned, the new ones I'm struggling to grasp, and the heart that God is growing within us for His people across the nations. I have my own private (paper) journal, but I have been so encouraged lately by other bloggers who share their walk with God online. It would be such a humbling, wonderful privilege if my weak little stories and blog posts can point one more person towards Jesus and His amazing, sacrificial love.


So without further ado, welcome to the Jeongs' [online] home! Please stay and read for a while :)