Recomposed Spring

I feel like that Antonio Vivaldi's "Spring" recomposed by Max Richter and Ubi Caritas presented/played by Ola Gjeilo express something that all creatures' earnest longing to be flourishing and for God's love and grace. If I say it sounds like a prelude to heaven, is it too exaggerated? Well, all of a sudden, I fell in love with the two songs! Here is Ubi Caritas' lyrics.

Where charity and love are, God is there. Christ's love has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

Where charity and love are, God is there. As we are gathered into one body. Beware, lest we be divided in mind. Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease. And may Christ our God be in our midst. 

Where charity and love are, God is there. And may we with the saints also. See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God: The joy that is immense and good. Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.

My Favorite Movies

Chariots of Fire (1981) by Hugh Hudson

Eric: "If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.. I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

The Mission (1986) by Roland Joffé

Gabriel: "We are not the members of a democracy, Father. We are the members of an order."

Cinema Paradiso (1988) by Giuseppe Tornatore

Alfredo: "Whatever you end up doing, love it. The way you loved the projection booth when you were a little squirt.. Toto. Life isn't like in the movies. Life is much harder."

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) by Frank Darabont

Red: "Some things are best left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words, and makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream. It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."

Chungking Express (重庆森林, 1994) by Wong Kar-Wai

Cop663: Would you let a person on board with a boarding pass like this? It's dated today, but it got blurred in the rain. I don't know where it's taking me. Do you? Faye: No idea, but I'll give you another. Cop663: Great. Faye: Where do you want to go? Cop663: Wherever you want to take me.

La Vita è Bella (1997) by Roberto Benigni

Guido: "I'd have to be crazy to tell you. I'd even make love to you now right here for the rest of my life."

Christmas in August (1998) by Jin-Ho Hur

Jungwon: "I always knew that feelings of love would fade - just like old photographs. But for you, you will always remain in my heart, as you are in my last moment. Thank you, and goodbye."

Joint Security Area (2000) by Chan-Wook Park

L'auberge Espagnole (2002) by Cédric Klapisch

Xavier: "When you first arrive in a new city, nothing makes sense. Everythings unknown, virgin. After you've lived here, walked these streets, you'll know them inside out. You'll know these people. Once you've lived here, crossed this street 10, 20, 1000 times... it'll belong to you because you've lived there."

Reconstruction (2003) by Christoffer Boe

"If he steps back, if he doubts about the love, she will disappear."

Der Fischer und seine Frau (2005) by Doris Dörrie

Still Life (三峡好人, 2006) by Zhangke Jia

Ratatouille (2007) by Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava

Letters to Father Jacob (Postia pappi Jaakobille, 2009) by Klaus Härö

Sound of Noise (2010) by Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjärne Nilsson

The Tree of Life (2011) by Terrence Malick

Mrs. O'Brien: "The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by.. Help each other. Love everyone, every leaf, every ray of light. Forgive."

Life of Pie (2012) by Ang Lee

Adult Pi Patel: "I wept like a child. Not because I was overwhelmed at having survived, although I was. I was weeping because Richard Parker left me so unceremoniously. It broke my heart. You know my father was right. Richard Parker never saw me as his friend. After all we had been through he didn't even look back. But I have to believe there was more in his eyes than my own reflection staring back at me. I know it, I felt it. Even if I can't prove it. You know, I left so much behind: my family, the zoo, India, Anandi. I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go. But what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye. I was never able to thank my father for all I learned from him. To tell him, without his lessons I would never have survived. I know Richard Parker is a tiger but I wish I had said, "It's over. We survived. Thank you for saving my life. I love you, Richard Parker. You'll always be with me. May God be with you." 

Adult Pi Patel: Faith is a house with many rooms. 

Writer: But no room for doubt? 

Adult Pi Patel: Oh plenty, on every floor. Doubt is useful, it keeps faith a living thing. After all, you cannot know the strength of your faith until it is tested.

The Dandelions (Du Vent dans mes Mollets, 2012) by Carine Tardieu

A Late Quartet (2012) by Yaron Zilberman

Peter Mitchell: "Time present and time past are both perhaps present in time future, and time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present, all time is unredeemable. Or say that the end precedes the beginning, and the end and the beginning were always there before the beginning and after the end. And all is always now."

My Love, Don't Cross That River (2013) by Jin Mo-Young

Gravity (2013) by Alfonso Cuarón

Paik, Nam-Jun and Google

Today is Baik, Nam-Jun's birthday. Google is so cool. I like this creative logo design!

During Winter Class in Washington DC

When I visit foreign cities, there are a few things to do such as going to the museums and galleries or seeing historical architectures. If I had hated doing those things, I might have been boring in the unfamiliar places. Fortunately, I like art! After the Sunday service, I went to the National Mall, and spent time to take a stroll around the Smithsonian Museums. I had a headache a little bit since I was concerned about some issues, however, I could cool off there. I think I've learned a life. He is teaching me to discriminate between what I can change and what I cannot change. I guess I am getting quite used to accepting what I cannot do. Well, art makes me somewhat gentle although trials make me strong.

The Serenity Prayer

Written by Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen

Aquila and Priscilla

A few days ago, suddenly someone asked me, "What is your vision?" When I was a college student, I made every effort to find a work to be done in my life. I used to dream of becoming an architect like Bezalel whom the Lord gave skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary. However, when I found out Micah 6:8, I was really shocked."He has showed you, o man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Indeed, I had a misunderstanding about Him. What to be before God is more important than what to do. Utterly amazed, since then, I have been able to be free from worry about my future a little bit. (The only matter is lack of patience though.) My vision? Vision is a too immense word to describe mine. I just want to tell this like a modest dream before Him. I would like to build the kingdom of God with my soul mate who has a same heart and love in one spirit like a couple of Aquila and Priscilla who helped Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be continued to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. I keep praying to God for shaping me and my soul mate as seemed best to Him.."You are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand" 

A Couple of Celadon Porcelain January 1996 by Heejin Choi

A Piece of Art Work!

While I took a stroll on campus in the late afternoon, I discovered this art work by chance. I felt an impulse to bring it into my house, however, I didn't do that since I wanted to share this marvelous piece of work with many others.