Valentine's Day Special with Kim Seon-Ho [SPOILER ALERT!]

I wasn't really planning to do a V-day post, cos cliched much? Plus I've already written an ultra-sweet post some time ago on the topic of love. But while I was cooking lunch and boiling soup stock for dinner, inspiration hit me and so here goes…

First of all, hands up if you're #teamjipyeong or a fan of Kim Seon-Ho - cos I am! Along with millions of others around the globe, we noticed his charming dimpled smile in Start-Up and couldn't help but be drawn in by his superb acting skills (probably due to his stage experience). Many of us have also gone on a trek through k-drama archives to watch his previous works, like Catch the Ghost. 

So while ruminating on what love meant for the KSH characters in these two series, I realised that to both Ji-Pyeong in Start-Up and Ji-Seok in Catch the Ghost, love meant laying down one's life for the one you love. 

 

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

John 15:13

 

In Ji-Pyeong's case, it's at the point when he realises that he hadn't been willing to give up his status and successful track record for Dal-Mi (Bae Suzy) where he concedes defeat to his rival Do-San (Nam Joo-Hyuk) who quit his well-paid Silicon Valley job to help Dal-Mi fulfil her dream.

On the other hand, Ji-Seok, who was initially reluctant to risk his own well-being for his new partner, Ryeong (Moon Geon-Young) reaches an epiphany when he confides to his mother that he would do anything to protect Ryeong as she is precious to him. 

Love bears all things, ... endures all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

However, it's not only in the life-threatening cops and robbers chase scenes that Ji-Seok displays his selfless love. We already found out early on in the series that he had foregone brilliant prospects in the police force for a mundane job as a subway police chief, in order to not only pay for his mother's nursing home bills but more importantly to ensure that he would stay unharmed and alive as he was the sole family member left to care for his mother.

He even has to disguise himself as his late father when visiting her because she is suffering from dementia and thinks of herself as her 17yo self who's being courted by her husband-to-be. He does all this without complaint despite the fact that she doesn't remember him at all and addresses him as ahjussi (uncle) whenever he appears before her without his usual get-up.

Which brings me back to making lunch and boiling soup stock... for I put in the effort to prepare my children's favourite dishes regardless of how much I dislike cooking because of my love for them. This same motivation is true for mothers who sacrifice promising careers to be stay-home moms as well as those who work full-time jobs to provide for the family while also playing the role of homemaker after work. It is in the willingness to lay down your life, by putting the needs of your loved ones before your own, that true love is shown. 

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:5b

Although Ji-Seok is willing to put his life on the line for Ryeong, it is hard for her to accept his affections. The turning point comes when he defends her before her colleagues. They blame her for her sister's abduction by the serial murderer as she had abandoned her autistic twin on the train. Ji-Seok understands that it was a momentary slip as she had reached breaking point after having been the lone caregiver for her sister since they were 10yo. It is this act of grace that finally convinces Ryeong of his love for her.

Their love is not an inward-focused lovey dovey thing though, as they continue to fight the baddies and save the world together after they start dating. In fact, Ji-Seok becomes braver and more dynamic as a leader by drawing on the strength that Ryeong gives him. In addition, even those colleagues who had previously bullied her are so inspired by her sacrificial love for her sister that they also spring into action readily when called upon to help her find her missing twin.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 

Hebrews 10:24

So let us also take our inspiration from Christ who first loved us and gave His life for us, and go love our neighbours as ourselves. And may His love that flows through us not only lead others to know Him but also be willing to lay down their own lives to love others. After all, that is the real meaning of Valentine's Day!

Destiny Music

Warning: This is an authentic, sincere Auntie post! You've been warned... he he! Btw, in case you haven't noticed, the above image has obviously been photoshopped cos you can't possibly play more than one track simultaneously on Spotify!!

I must admit I'm pretty backward cos I only got onto Spotify a couple of months ago. Hard to believe but true! Haha!! Being a noob, I'm still exploring the different things it can do, like recommending the top acts in Singapore for me to listen to. Well, with Nathan Hartono's recent conquest (almost) of Sing! China, it's not surprising to find his photo representing this playlist. But as I scrolled down the list, I discovered that I actually recognised a few of the artists' names and that they had been through the doors of Destiny Music!! In fact, other than these names spotted on Spotify, there are also many other Destiny alumni who have become Youtube stars, taken part in national and international competitions and won or done very well, performed at all kinds of events all over the world, produced recordings and staged their own concerts and more!

For those of you who don't know, my husband and I co-founded and ran a music ministry for youth where we trained them and provided opportunities for them to perform and share their faith through music. Our aim was to raise up a generation of young people that would glorify God through their God-given talents in music and the arts. We weren't out to train worship leaders, mind you. Instead we wanted to see the light of Christ shine in the commercial music industry.

When the time came for us to wind up the ministry, there was quite a bit of reluctance on our part as well as among the young men and women who had grown up with us. (Some of them had joined us when they were just 12 or 13 years old.) At the time, we felt that we had already achieved what we set out to do - together with these more than a hundred young volunteers, we had reached out to tens of thousands of people with their songs and dances, through live performances and online videos. Not only that, many of these young musicians had also caught the vision of using their God-given talents for the glory of God.

However, as I look at what many of them are doing now, I realise that what we had achieved was much more than that, we had actually planted a seed in these youth that has continued to grow and bloom and bear fruit over the years.What a privilege it is to have partnered with God in the work that He's doing in these young people's lives! And I continue to pray and hope that they will keep that passion for God burning in them no matter how high or how far they go.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

1 Cor 3:6

Is The Limelight Getting Too Sour?

Happened to chance upon this page when I was searching for something else and I was really impressed by these K-pop stars' courage in being open about their Christian faith. But if you scroll down and read the comments below, you'll find the usual accusations about some of these stars being promiscuous, homosexuals and even satanists. That got me thinking about how difficult it must be for celebrities and famous personalities to maintain a Christian witness. It's already tough enough having to live constantly in the limelight and not being able to retain any personal space. But every little slip or mistake you make gets blown up a million times especially if you are a professing Christian cos people just expect you to be perfect! Even those who do lead pretty decent lives get falsely accused of all kinds of transgressions from adultery to illuminati.

As I considered how it can be possible to withstand such criticism, I realised that God has already shown us in His word. And whether you're a pop idol, football star, politician, or even just a 'nobody' like me, the same principles apply in situations where we face undue pressure or are being unfairly judged by others.

First of all, we need to be RESILIENT.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 1 Cor 4:8-9

No matter how terrible it gets, don't let the bad press get to you. Rather than hitting back at the critics or crumbling under the criticism, look to God our Rock and trust in Him for He will pull you through. Unload all your frustrations to Him in prayer and draw strength from Him through the promises He has given us in His Word.

Next, we got to be REAL.

First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Matt 23:26

We got to be real before God, constantly repentant and washed clean inside by His blood. Only then can we be real before man, so our outward words and actions will also be pure and blameless. But if we ever fall, we also have to be real and not try to hide behind a perfect mask. Being honest about our weaknesses and how dependent we are on God's forgiveness and grace could even lead others to think about their need for the same.

Third, we must REFLECT. 

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:18 

We must constantly reflect on the motivation behind our words and actions as well as the impact they will have on others. Are they aligned with God's standards as revealed in His Word and if not, how can we make them so? Only when we are willing to be progressively changed and moulded by God can we then start to reflect His glory.

Finally, we should REFOCUS.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matt 6:33

We should refocus our attention and efforts on God's calling and destiny for our lives instead of just doing what we like or what others expect of us. Then we can refocus other people's attention away from us and onto Him, the source of our talents and abilities.