3년 전에 고양으로 이사를 하면서 두 집 살림이 시작되었습니다 “큰 살림 사셨나 봐요?” 이삿짐, 부엌살림을 정리하던 아주머니가 했던 말입니다 그분은 울산에도 세간살이가 거의 반이나 남아있다는 것을 알지 못하고 한 말입니다 그렇게 많은(?) 가재도구를 가지고 고양으로 올라가도 두 집 살림이 시작되니, 고양은 고양대로, 울산은 울산대로 아쉬운 물건들이 있기 마련입니다. 이사를 가서 확인해 보니, 사용하리라 예상했던 침대는 쓸 수가 없어서, 고양지역 당근마켓에서 15만원을 주고 더블침대를 하나를 구입했습니다. 그 무거운 것을 옮겨온다고 수고한 것 말고는, 아주 튼튼하고 만족스런 물건입니다. 그리고 또 하나 당근에서 건진 것이 날마다 생활에 도움을 주는 부엌에서 사용하고 있는 서랍장입니다. 3단의 서랍도 나름 유용하지만, 정말 유용하게 쓰는 부분은, 여러 가지 가전제품들을 둘 수 있는 서랍장 윗부분입니다. 좁은 조리대 공간을 보완해 주기 때문입니다.
학기 중 고양살이를 위해서 새롭게 등장한 물건 가운데 전자저울 등 커피에 관련한 제품도 꽤 있습니다. 그 중에 하나가 상당한 비교검토를 한 후에, 아내가 구입한 전기주전자입니다. 원하는 온도를 설정할 수 있어서 물을 끓인 후 그 온도를 유지해주는 주전자입니다. 볼 때마다 감사하고 있습니다. 생각보다 유용하게 하루에 몇 차례나 사용하니까요^^ 게다가 생긴 모양도 멋집니다. 좋아하다 보니 주관적인 판단일까요.^^ 또 하나, “그동안 목사님께 제대로 선물한 적이 없었다”면서 보내준 듬직한 전동 커피그라인더 입니다. 우리가 서로 처음 만난 것은 40세가 되기도 전 동작구 상도동, “흩어진 사람들이 모이는 두레교회”에서 였고, 2년 반 뒤에 정릉에서, “흩어져 복음을 전하는 탄포리교회” 분립개척을 함께 했던, 40대를 같이 보낸 사이입니다. “한 번 해병은 영원한 해병”이라는 구호처럼 복음을 위한 동지들은 정말로 영원한 동지입니다! 그 후에 다시 복음을 위해 헤어진 지 사반세기도 지났는데 아직까지 기억해 주는 것이 얼마나 감사한지요^^
학기 중에 경기도 고양에서 지내다가 방학하면 울산으로 내려와서, 한 달이나 한 달 보름 정도를 지냅니다. ‘울산 한 달 살이’란 말은 그다지 알려진 말은 아니지만 어쨌거나 우린 이제 울산 한 달살이의 달인이 되어갑니다^^ 지난 여름 방학 때 울산 한 달 살이를 할 때 있었던 일입니다. 이사 갈 때, 가스오븐을 고양으로 가지고 간 탓에, 울산에 오면 오븐이 없어서, 아내가 당근을 기웃거렸나 봅니다. 마침 유용해 보이는 광파오븐을 하나 발견하고, 사야 되나 말아야 하나 주저하는 사이에 팔리고 말았습니다 그런데 다음날 다시 당근에 같은 물건이 올라왔습니다 전날은 물건이 울주군 청량면에 있었는데 가까운 남구 옥동으로 옮겨졌고, 가격도 4만 5천원이었는데 4만원으로 결국 구매했습니다. 아내가 얼마나 좋아하는지! “돈 4만 원이면 저렇게 기뻐하구나” 라고 제가 놀리기도 했습니다. 전자레인지와 비교할 수 없는 여러 가지 기능들을 익힌다고 돋보기 안경을 자주 찾지만 너무 좋아합니다^^ 이 시대의 남편 여러분^^ 아내가 기뻐하는 데는 거액의 돈이 꼭 필요한 것은 아닙니다.
그렇습니다 고양에서 우리에게 기쁨을 주는 새로운 가재도구든, 울산에서 구입한 광파오븐이든 어떤 물건을 볼 때마다 참 잘 샀다는 생각을 하면서 그 물건을 사용하며 기뻐합니다. 4만 원짜리 광파오븐 때문에 그렇게 좋아한다고 아내를 놀리다 말고 생각이 깊어집니다. 그러면 우리는 우리의 주인 되신 분께 기쁨을 주는 자들인가 하고 자문해 봅니다. 우리 자신의 모습을 돌아보면 결코 긍정적인 대답을 찾을 수가 없지만, 감사한 것은 그분이 우리를 선택할 때, 그분의 기쁨이 되도록, 그분의 자랑이 되도록, 그분의 찬송거리가 되도록 선택하셨다는 사실입니다. 창세 전부터 하나님께서 그 영광스러운 목적을 위해서 우리를 선택하셨습니다. 그러므로 우리는 항상 기뻐할 수밖에 없습니다. 쉬지 말고 기도하면서 범사에 감사할 수밖에 없습니다. 그리스도 안에서 하나님은 반드시 우릴 그렇게 다듬어가실 것을 믿기 때문입니다. 광야에서 불순종으로 이력이 난 이스라엘을 향한 모세의 축복이 기억납니다 “이스라엘이여 너는 행복자로다 여호와의 구원을 너 같이 얻은 백성이 누구뇨 그는 너를 돕는 방패시요 네 영광의 칼이시로다 네 대적이 네게 복종하리니 네가 그들의 높은 곳을 밟으리로다”(신33:29, 개역한글)
Three years ago, when we moved to Goyang, our life across two households began. “You must have lived in a very large house!” said the lady who was helping us unpack and organize our kitchen belongings. She said that without realizing that nearly half of our household goods remained in Ulsan. Even after bringing so many(?) household items up to Goyang, once you begin maintaining two homes, it is only natural to miss certain things—some in Goyang, and others in Ulsan. After moving in, we realized that the bed we had planned to use was unusable, so I bought a double bed for 150,000 KRW on the local Karrot Market in Goyang. Aside from the hard work of hauling that heavy piece of furniture, it is very sturdy and deeply satisfying. Another gem retrieved from Karrot Market that helps our daily living is a chest of drawers used in the kitchen. While the three drawers are handy in their own right, the most truly useful part is the top surface, where we can place various small kitchen appliances. It wonderfully compensates for our narrow countertop space.
Among the items newly introduced for life in Goyang during the academic semester, quite a few are coffee-related, such as a digital scale. One of them is an electric kettle that my wife purchased after thorough comparison and review. It allows you to set the desired temperature, boiling the water and then holding it at that precise warmth. Every time I see it, I feel grateful. It turns out to be far more useful than expected, being used multiple times a day.^^ On top of that, its design is truly sleek—though perhaps that is my subjective bias because I like it so much.^^ Another precious item is a sturdy electric coffee grinder sent by a friend who said, “I’ve never given the pastor a proper gift all this time.” We first met before we were even forty years old at Dure Church in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu—a community “where scattered people gather.” Two and a half years later, in Jeongneung, we planted a church together called Tanpori Church, “where people scatter to preach the Gospel.” We shared our entire forties together. Just like the slogan “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” comrades for the Gospel are truly comrades forever! Even though a quarter of a century has passed since we parted ways again for the sake of the Gospel, how grateful I am that they still remember me.^^
During the semester, we stay in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and when the vacation comes, we head down to Ulsan to spend a month or a month and a half. The phrase “a month-long stay in Ulsan” may not be widely known, but in any case, we are gradually becoming experts at spending a month in Ulsan.^^ Here is something that happened during our month-long stay in Ulsan last summer vacation. Because we had taken our gas oven to Goyang when we moved, there was no oven when we came down to Ulsan, so my wife must have browsed Karrot Market. She happened to spot a very practical-looking light-wave convection oven, but while she was hesitating whether to buy it or not, it was sold to someone else. Yet the very next day, the exact same item was listed again on Karrot. The day before, the item was located in Cheongnyang-myeon, Ulju-gun, but now it had moved closer to Ok-dong, Nam-gu, and the price had dropped from 45,000 KRW to 40,000 KRW, so she finally bought it. How delighted my wife was! I even teased her, saying, “Look how happy you can be for just 40,000 won!” She often reaches for her reading glasses to learn its many functions that an ordinary microwave simply cannot match, but she is so thrilled.^^ Dear husbands of this era:^^ it doesn’t always take a fortune to make a wife happy.
Indeed, whether it is a new household item bringing us joy in Goyang or the light-wave oven purchased in Ulsan, whenever we look at these things, we feel they were purchases well made and take delight in using them. Yet teasing my wife for being so joyful over a 40,000-won oven soon led me into deeper reflection: Are we, then, bringing joy to the One who is our Lord and Master? Looking back at ourselves, we can hardly find an affirmative answer. And yet, how grateful we are for the truth that when He chose us, He chose us to be His joy, His pride, and the praise of His glory. Before the creation of the world, God chose us for that glorious purpose. Therefore, we cannot help but rejoice always. We cannot help but pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances, for we believe that in Christ, God will unfailingly mold and refine us into that very joy. I am reminded of Moses’ blessing over Israel, who were so well known for their stubborn disobedience in the wilderness: “Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.” (Deuteronomy 33:29)
Drie jaar gelede, toe ons na Goyang verhuis het, het ons lewe oor twee huishoudings begin. “U moes seker ’n baie groot huis gehad het!” het die dame gesê wat gehelp het om ons trek- en kombuisraad uit te pak. Sy het dit gesê sonder om te besef dat byna die helfte van ons huisraad nog in Ulsan agtergebly het. Al neem ’n mens so baie(?) huisraad saam op na Goyang, bring ’n lewe oor twee huise noodwendig mee dat ’n mens dinge mis—sommige dinge in Goyang, en ander weer in Ulsan. Toe ons intrek en alles nagaan, het geblyk dat die bed wat ons beplan het om te gebruik, nie meer bruikbaar was nie; daarom het ek vir 150 000 KRW ’n dubbelbed op die plaaslike Karrot-mark in Goyang aangeskaf. Buiten die gesukkel om daardie swaar stuk meubelstuk te vervoer, is dit baie stewig en ’n bron van groot tevredenheid. Nog ’n kosbare vonds vanaf Karrot wat ons daaglikse lewe verryk, is ’n laaikas wat ons in die kombuis gebruik. Hoewel die drie laaie op sigself baie handig is, is die nuttigste deel die boonste oppervlak, waar ons verskillende huishoudelike toestelle kan neersit. Dit maak wonderlik op vir ons beperkte werkoppervlak in die kombuis.
Onder die items wat nuut bygekom het vir ons lewe in Goyang gedurende die akademiese semester, is daar heelwat koffietoerusting, soos ’n elektroniese skaal. Een daarvan is ’n elektriese ketel wat my vrou ná deeglike navorsing en vergelyking aangeskaf het. ’n Mens kan die gewenste temperatuur stel, en nadat die water gekook het, hou dit daardie presiese hitte in stand. Elke keer as ek daarna kyk, voel ek dankbaar. Dit is baie nuttiger as wat ons verwag het en word verskeie kere per dag gebruik.^^ Boonop lyk dit besonder deftig—of dalk is dit my subjektiewe oordeel omdat ek so baie daarvan hou!^^ Nog ’n geskenk is ’n stewige elektriese koffiemeul wat aangestuur is deur iemand wat gesê het: “Ek het die leraar al die jare nog nooit ’n behoorlike geskenk gegee nie.” Ons het mekaar vir die eerste keer ontmoet voor ons veertig geword het, by Dure-gemeente in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu—’n gemeenskap “waar verstrooide mense bymekaarkom.” Twee en ’n half jaar later het ons saam in Jeongneung die Tanpori-gemeente afgestig en geplant, “waar mense uitstroom om die evangelie te verkondig.” Ons het ons veertigerjare saam deurgebring. Net soos die leuse lui: “Eens ’n marinier, altyd ’n marinier,” so is medestryders vir die evangelie werklik makkers vir altyd! Al is ons daarna weer ter wille van die evangelie uitmekaar en het ’n kwarteeu intussen verloop, hoe dankbaar is ek dat hulle my steeds onthou.^^
In die semester woon ons in Goyang in die provinsie Gyeonggi, en wanneer die vakansie aanbreek, gaan ons af na Ulsan om ’n maand of ’n maand en ’n half daar deur te bring. Die uitdrukking “’n maandlange verblyf in Ulsan” is dalk nie baie bekend nie, maar hoe dit ook al sy, ons word gaandeweg meesters van ’n maand lange lewe in Ulsan.^^ Dit herinner my aan iets wat tydens die afgelope somervakansie gebeur het. Omdat ons die gasoond na Goyang geneem het toe ons getrek het, was daar geen oond toe ons in Ulsan aankom nie, en my vrou het sekerlik op Karrot begin rondsnuffel. Sy het op ’n baie praktiese liggolf-oond afgekom, maar terwyl sy gehuiwer het of sy dit moet koop of nie, is dit aan iemand anders verkoop. Die volgende dag is presies dieselfde item egter weer op Karrot geplaas. Die vorige dag was die item in Cheongnyang-myeon, Ulju-gun, maar nou was dit nader, in Ok-dong, Nam-gu, en die prys het van 45 000 KRW na 40 000 KRW gedaal, en sy het dit uiteindelik gekoop. Wat ’n blydskap vir my vrou! Ek het haar selfs gespot: “Kyk net hoe gelukkig kan ’n mens wees met net 40 000 won!” Sy gryp gereeld na haar leesbril om al die funksies te bemeester waarmee ’n gewone mikrogolfoond nie kan kers vashou nie, maar sy geniet dit terdeë.^^ Geagte eggenote van hierdie era:^^ ’n mens het nie noodwendig ’n fortuin nodig om jou vrou gelukkig te maak nie.
Dit is inderdaad so: hetsy dit nuwe huisraad in Goyang is wat ons vreugde verskaf, of die liggolf-oond wat in Ulsan gekoop is—elke keer as ons daarna kyk, dink ons dat dit ’n goeie koop was en gebruik ons dit met blydskap. Nadat ek my vrou gespot het oor haar vreugde oor ’n oondjie van 40 000 won, het ek dieper begin nadink: Is ons dan mense wat vreugde bring aan Hom wat ons Here en Meester is? Wanneer ons na onsself kyk, kan ons beswaarlik ’n positiewe antwoord vind. Tog is ons dankbaar dat Hy ons, toe Hy ons uitverkies het, gekies het om Sy vreugde, Sy eer en die lof van Sy heerlikheid te wees. Van voor die grondlegging van die wêreld het God ons vir daardie heerlike doel afgesonder. Daarom kan ons nie anders as om altyddeur bly te wees nie. Ons kan nie anders as om sonder ophou te bid en in alle omstandighede dankbaar te wees nie, want ons glo dat God ons in Christus gewis so sal slyp en vorm. Ek word herinner aan Moses se seënbede oor Israel, wat so bekend was vir hul ongehoorsaamheid in die woestyn: “Welgeluksalig is jy, o Israel! Wie is soos jy, ’n volk wat deur die Here verlos is? Hy is die skild van jou hulp en die swaard van jou heerlikheid; daarom sal jou vyande kruipend na jou toe kom, en jy sal op hulle hoogtes trap.” (Deuteronómium 33:29)