And Found

January 3, 2026

Here’s another story of lost and found. This week we went to a natural history museum together with family and friends. I had a lot of fun there. There were a lot of dinosaur skeletons on display on the first floor and they were massive! I was fascinated and I really enjoyed taking videos and pictures! After that we moved on to the second floor and it was getting warm for me. I was carrying my daughters’ jackets (father duties!) and on the second floor I had to take off my beanie to let out the heat. I had the beanie on one hand and with the other I was holding onto the two fluffy jackets.

After seeing the displays on the second floor, we walked up the stairs to the third floor and we enjoyed learning about the Native American history. We were watching videos of it and then, I realized my beanie was missing. I dropped it somewhere. I had to think. Do I go back and find it? Or should I just move on and buy myself a new one later on? It wouldn’t cost too much anyways. At first I decided to forget about it and we all went downstairs. But then I said, maybe I will look. I handed the jackets to Hyemi and went up the stairs and started looking all over the floor. Not there. Went up to the third floor, and scouted the whole floor, not there. I even talked to the staff and she didn’t see anything. I said to myself, I am going to check one more time. So I walked to the third floor once more and, finally, there I noticed my beanie on the floor, camouflaged by the dark carpet colors! It was only a piece of cloth that goes on top of my head, and yet with all the history, I was so glad to find it!

When you read all the three parables in Luke 15 about finding what (who) was lost, there was always great rejoicing and celebration. When the lost sheep was found, the shepherd called friends and neighbors. When the coin was found, the woman once again brought friends and neighbors. When the prodigal son returned home, the father said, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:22-24. What great joy there is in heaven when the lost is found! The new year has begun, it’s time to seek the lost and bring them back to Jesus. Happy New Year, and happy Sabbath.

Lost

December 27, 2025

It was Christmas morning and the kids were eager to open the presents that were carefully displayed under the Christmas tree. We had our nephew and niece over with us and as soon as they got up early in the morning, they kept asking, “When can we open them?” With some negotiations we managed to have the kids wait until we had morning worship and breakfast was over, as we were expecting my brother and his wife to join us in the morning. The kids couldn’t wait (I couldn’t wait, too).

Finally it was time, and everyone rushed in front of the tree. One by one, we got to open the gifts and there was much laughter and joy in the house. What a beautiful scene it was. My nephew, Paul, was ecstatic. One of the gifts was a lego set he always wanted. He was ready to start building it. It wasn’t going to be a short project, and we knew it would take him a few hours to finish. Paul was right on to it. He occupied my desk and nothing could distract him, he was focused. When it was lunchtime, he decided to bring the legos down to the dining table. Since he was so happy, we let him continue building while eating. This is when the problem occurred, a tiny but essential piece was missing. We all started to look for it, and we couldn’t find it. It wasn’t there. No one knows how it disappeared. Maybe Paul dropped it somewhere, or the piece was never in there. We couldn’t find it. Eventually, his mother had to message the manufacturer to get the missing piece.

Jesus told of the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15. Thankfully, in this parable, the shepherd finds the lost sheep. The parable is short, but we can imagine the effort the shepherd took to find that one lost sheep. It could have taken him hours in the dark. It could have been a risky, dangerous search and rescue effort. But he didn’t give up. He searched until the sheep was found. And the Bible writes, “‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:6, 7. This is our last Sabbath of the year. We should think and pray for those around us that still do not know Jesus. We should reach out to them and share the love of Jesus. Let’s make sure to do that in 2026.

Clean

December 20, 2025

After a couple weeks of snow and cold wind, it was time. The weather warmed up and it was time to give our car a nice wash. I looked for a nearby carwash, and when I lined up, there were already five cars in front of me. I guess everyone was thinking the same thing. I had to wait over 20 minutes for my turn to come, but I didn’t mind. It was worth the wait. When the car came out of the car wash, it looked so nice and clean. Even the girls were happy to see the clean car when I picked them up from school.

For the next couple of days, the weather warmed up and it rained afterwards (of course, it rains whenever I get a carwash, right?). I didn’t mind the rain. It felt good to see the rain wash up the salt on the roads and clear up the trail where I usually run. It was good to see the world get cleaned up. (Sejin was sad that a lot of snow disappeared.)

One of the best feelings is to take a hot shower after a long day of work. You feel clean and refreshed. Everything feels relaxed and sets a tone for just winding down. There’s something about cleaning that just makes one smile. I wonder if that’s what Naaman 

felt like after washing himself seven times in the Jordan River as he was instructed by God. It was more than a sense of cleaning, it was a moment of healing, restoration, and being saved.

1 John 1:9 promises us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It clearly tells us how we can be cleansed because Jesus made that possible for us. The end of the year is a good time to prepare for the new year and start fresh. We should start with being cleansed by Jesus. May we all come to His presence and lay down all of our sins and burdens at His feet and be cleansed.