Scary stories, and Happy New Year!

"You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting."

This line from the movie "Gladiator" always had a way of shaking me up. I mean the power with which Russell Crow says it to Maximus at the end is so victorious! Then I realized just today that the line was taken from a horror story in the Bible. In Daniel 6, when King Belshazzar brings out the stolen golden goblets, stolen from the temple of the Lord, to serve his nobles and concubines and praises the gods of gold and silver. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appear and writes something on the plaster walls. When enchanter or diviner is able to interpret the writing, Belshazzar summons Daniel, who was appointed chief of the magicians, enchanters and diviners, a title which would probably ostracize Daniel if he were living among Christians today. Daniel interprets the writing and in v. 27 tells the king, "You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting."

The story is a reminder that God is so much less caucasian, conservative, Western, lecture-style, linear-minded, white bread, pews and liturgies than we thought. He's horrific! I mean Belshazzar kicks back for a weekend party, busts out the fine china for his guests, and the group, impressed by the gold goblets, praise the maker of gold and silver, which they believe to be a divine being. Then, all of the sudden, a human finger forms and begins writing on the wall. Belshazzar collapsed out of fear! How different is the scene from "The Shining," when "Redrum" appears on the walls? Belshazzar is told that God has numbered his days, that he falls short and that his glory will be given to his neighbors. Then, that evening, Belshazzar is slain.

God is horrific! And it's all over the Bible, but unfortunately, reading the same passages about exorcisms and miracles can sometimes take all the magic out of the truth. I realize to some people that sounds like an oxymoron--magic and truth. But I don't think it is. I suppose the words magic and miracles carry different connotations for Christians, but essentially, they're the same kind of happening, each drawing the power from different sources.

A few weeks ago, I was leaving the house to meet my friends downtown when something peculiar happened. I bundled up for the cold winter air that had almost kept me from going out at all and stumbled down 3 flights of stairs to find Hyunsuk on the main level, talking.... I looked around the dark room and saw no one with whom she might be talking. She wasn't holding the cell phone to her ear either, but she appeared to be talking to someone outdoors. She stared out the glass entrance to the church and chattered away. When she saw me coming, she turned to acknowlege me, and I asked her, "who are you talking to?"

"Church member," she replied.

"Outside?" I asked.

"No," she said calmly, smiling as she shook her head. And that was it!

I looked around the room again, checking the corners for hidden people, but again, I saw no one.

Dumbfounded and speechless, I said "o...ok?" and "goodnight." Heading outside, I did a couple double-takes to see if she was still standing there, making conversation with her invisible church member friend.

Later, when I relayed this story to my friends, Eli and Heidi, and my coworker, Patrick, they were just as weirded out. Patrick tried to think of other explanations and asked, "are you sure she wasn't talking on her phone?" But the truth is, I'm sure she was talking to a ghost or some sort of spiritual being. Why not? God is spooky.

I don't think God would ever send me a ghost or an isolated hand writing death curses on walls because I think he knows it would scare me, even if I do believe in them.

Anyway, speaking of things that are a little bit strange yet awesome, 2009 is over! Happy New Year everyone!

One year ago, Nick and I went to a party together to celebrate the new year. I remember being crazy in love with each other that night. I thought he was going to propose any day during our winter vacation. And he did propose, two and half months later.

In the past year, I got engaged, graduated from college, and came to Korea to teach English to children. Not too shabby. And in the year to come, I'll come home, get married and,... well, only God knows what's to come in this adventure.

Last night, I celebrated with many of the wonderful people I've met! It was a really sweet time. (Also in weird news, it was pretty weird to not hear Auld Lang Syne coming out of the televisions speakers at The New Yorker, a local restaurant/bar, last night. They played this other song, which sang, "Happy New Year! Happy New Year!" Fitting, I guess.)

Blessings to you all in 2010!