3 Things

• This article, "Why my support for abortion was based on love...and lies" is and excellent look at the reality.  Jennifer tells her story with love and logic, not judgement or hate.  It is a good read for anyone, but especially for those who are still on the fence about abortion, even after the videos exposing Planned Parenthood's lies.
• This video is an excellent on why gun control is so wrong:

The best 7 minutes of gun control speech.
This is the BEST and smartest gun argument I have heard yet...THIS MUST GO VIRAL!!!
Posted by Rik Sexton on Thursday, March 28, 2013

• This video of some Orthodox Jews singing Psalms 121 is amazing beautiful.

Как ортодоксальные евреи поют 120-й Псалом (Psalms 121).
Posted by Vladimir Volchanskiy on Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Taekwondo - 6 month update

Green belts, yo. #taekwondo #kicklikeagirl

A photo posted by Joanna Webber (@josnazz) on Jun 9, 2015 at 7:53pm PDT

You may remember this post from 5 months ago about my beginning in martial arts.  I was so new, nervous, and excited.  Could I really do this?  Will this make me a more aggressive person?  Will this change the way people see me?  How far do I want to go with this?  Since then the nerves have turned into drive and the excitement into fascination.

-I CAN do this.  It's hard, but I can do it.

-TKD doesn't make me more aggressive than I was, but it gives me an outlet to be straight up aggressive instead of always passive aggressive. ;)

-Yes, it does change the way people see me (but only if they know).  It changes the way I see other people too.  My parents are proud of me and rarely fail to list TKD when they spout my list of achievements.  Embarrassing?  Yes.  Normal?  So much yes.  I love having parents who are proud of me, even if it is a little uncomfortable.  Emmy and I have been referred to as "resident weapons" at our church.  My pseudobros (guys being discipled by my family) give me an even wider berth as a half serious joke.  I make them hold boards I break just to remind them of what I can do every once in a while.  Haha!  This is why Mom says I have no boyfriend.  Maybe it's true.  #noregrets

-As to how far I'm going, I should think that is obvious -- first dan black belt!!  I have to get my black belt first, but then I have to keep working and perfecting to get my first dan stripe.  That's when I will feel truly accomplished.

It's hard to believe that I've already tested twice (one of those a double test) and accomplished my first goal: getting a green belt by the end of the year.  Not only that, but later this week I get to double test again! Blue and Brown belts, here I come!

Hopefully I'll get more photos, facts, and tips up in posts in the future.

SOK Concert and Kopp's

Last weekend my best friend and I met my family in Milwaukee for a Sons of Korah concert.  Sons of Korah is (a highly underrated) Australian music group that is working on the Psalms Project.  They have 10 CDs out so far.

Their sound takes a little getting-used-to at first for some, but their interpretations of the Psalms are brilliant.  Psalm 94 from their recent album is an angry song, but it perfectly portrays the depth and emotion of the psalmist.  The commentary in-between the songs was wonderful and worshipful.

The humor, brought mostly by the far left and right musicians was also refreshing amidst the serious and sincere moments.  Overall, a wonderful concert.  An added plus was accidentally sitting two rows behind some friends from various parts of WI.  We all headed to Kopp's for custard afterward to round out the evening of fellowship.

It's supposed to be the BEST custard.  I'm not a connoisseur, so I'll take their word for it.

 Parents and friend's from WI.

 Typical Bro shot

 Sharing is caring.  Especially when a coffee flavor is involved.

What a stud.

Boo is the best.

Daddy Graduates // A Family Day

We got in the car late.  Again.  But we always do, you see, so we always leave 30 minutes early on longish trips.  Showers, bagels, hair-dos, and pumping tires were on the agenda before heading into Chicago this time.  We were going to Dad's graduation ceremony from Moody Theological Seminary.

What normally is a 1.5 hour ride is over 2 hours on Saturday mornings such as this.  Nathanael pulled up a book on following God on his computer, Hudson started his book of poems -- an especially profound one he shared with me -- I studied the Korean alphabet (Hangul), and before I fell asleep I heard discussion of hermeneutics drifting back from Mom and Dad in the front seat.  Emily contented herself with watching planes fly overhead.  I love our family.  The more we grow up and start to leave, to more I want us to stay together.

We're all nerds in our own way, and we have Mom and Dad's value of learning to thank for that.  Dad has spent the last 7 years not only working full time, being a great dad, keeping up with house chores, and being involved in our church and family ministries, but also pursuing his Master's degree.  This endeavor has been hard at times, but it is so worth it.  Walking with the class and getting a hood is cool, but the knowledge and experience he has gained and been able to pass on to us throughout these years is priceless.  I'm so proud of his dedication and good example to us.

Check out those three cords!  Summa cum laude, baby!  (3.9-4.0 GPA, for those who don't know)

Along with a diploma, graduates receive a special alumni Bible and a towel to represent them going out into the world like Christ -- not to be served, but to serve.

Hudson, Nathanael, Emily, Mom, Dad, Moi

Sidenote: I recognized one of the graduates and their families talking in Korean (thank you KDramas and Taekwondo!) and offered to take their pictures for them.  I was able to use just about all the words I know so far (Hana, duo, set!) and they were duly impressed. :)  

Also, Hudson is back from College for the summer and this is what he likes to do with my camera.

 And 'cause he's not camera shy, we use downtime in the parking garage to take portraits.  Fitted suits are the bomb.com

Nathanael - Not as big of a fan of the limelight, but just as handsome. 

Emm looks like she just saw a dinosaur.

DONE!!

We didn't get a picture on Mother's day, so this was our "girls" picture to make up for it.

   We rounded out the evening with dinner at Gino's East for some real Chi-style deep dish pizza.  'Twas sublime.  Just wishing big bro Jamie could have joined us.  It really was a wonderful day.