Refining and Redefining

Serene Grace

I’m still sorting through posts, it’s like spring cleaning, deciding what to keep and what to delete. Some posts are easy to put in the trash bin while others seem redeemable, I put those in draft status. I’m changing my priorities and my attitude because blogging shouldn’t feel like a struggle but lately it’s felt that way. Instead of blaming WP censorship (which I still think is real), I want to look at how I contribute to the state of relative stagnation.

Seoul Sister started from a suggestion by a writing community I was a part of in 2018. I’m embarrassed to admit that Seoul Sister began as a woke, “woe is me” blog which focused on my Asian-American identity and the struggles of being raised by immigrant parents (who spoiled me rotten).

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. (New Living Translation)

https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/13-11.htm
Pexels.com

My only excuse for my ignorance is that I was deeply programmed in liberalism and psychotherapy for decades. I couldn’t see that it encouraged a lifetime of victimhood, blaming and a permanent, child-like mentality. The irony is that my liberalism and my whining gathered an active audience.

Regardless of popularity or unpopularity, I want to change the tone of my blog to be less political and more social (encouraging). There’s enough negativity present in the world, and I’d like to counterbalance how I add to it. I want to keep my pride and ego in check, and write with more genuine compassion vs anger, reproachful judgement or a stance of exasperated victimhood. I don’t want to force what I perceive on anyone.

So I’ve changed the name of this blog from Seoul Sister to Serene Grace. My cultural identity is just one, surface aspect of my identity. I’m also female, a US citizen, a writer and a parent; so why should I focus on my racial heritage above everything else? I no longer feel a need to primarily label myself as an Asian-American immigrant, as if it’s a badge of honor. I realize that the emphasis encourages a narcissistic, attention-seeking focus that capitalizes on difference.

I no longer want to associate my blog with identity politics.

Everyone has experienced hardship, but not everyone chooses to dwell in self-pity—that’s the crucial difference between permanent victimhood vs an empowered, grace-filled frame of mind. I wasted decades lost in New Age superficiality and psychotherapy’s narcissism but I’m grateful to have woken up from those ego-fueled delusions. Everyday is a new day filled with potential. Whether the sky is falling or not, I choose to focus on God’s love for us. We are in this world, but not of it; we are the light and salt that brightens, preserves and flavors; we represent God’s goodness and grace.

28 Comments

  1. In whatever form you have chosen to blog, it is appreciated. God is working on us everyday, chipping away and the more we share His message the closer He brings us to Him. God bless, my friend and stay inspired 🙏🏽✝️

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    1. Thank you, my friend. I’m slowly being refined by God, slowly but surely :). God bless you too, Sylvester, your support is always appreciated. 🙏✝️🕊️

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, my friend. I just found your comment in my spam folder, how it got there is a mystery but I’m glad I found it. 🤗

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Crandew! I found myself sinking into negativity and depression while researching and posting on the state of events and I had a eureka moment of changing the focus and my attitude. I agree with you, we should appreciate each day, a lot of good can come from that shift of gratitude.

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  6. What a beautiful and heartfelt testimony Judy. You have been a champion of righteousness, morality, and Ethics. Now, with Serene Grace you can focus on the example of living in Christ’s words and accepting his atonement for all who would come to him. I am reminded of the moment Saint Clare of Assisi knew her life had changed forever and she followed in the steps of Saint Francis of Assisi to create an order based on love for the poor and abandoned giving them hope and bringing them to Christ. Clare practiced a humble life to perfection yet she was immutable in her role even refusing the Pope’s offers for better accommodations and Church funding. The world, like in the dark past, has fallen into apostasy but we are not required to follow. Our choice shall remain a divine service.

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    1. Thank you, Daniel but I think I’ve been an awful role model and I have a long way to go. You should see me while I’m driving for work, I’m no angel. I grew up as a sincere Christian but I went away from it during my mid-twenties. I misled many friends and people by practicing New Age concepts. I’d love to go back amd change my choices but I supoose it was necessary for me to test my faith and return full circle to Christianity. I literally lived out the parable of the Prodigal Son.

      I think many people who follow the Catholic faith have pure intentions—I think they’re innocent but are being misled, just as I was misled by the New Age. I don’t blame the martyrs (they never asked to be worshipped).

      There are many similarities between Catholic and Pagan practices. I question how the pope and their hierarchy of priests are revered, even prayed to by their good-intentioned followers. The pope especially has claimed authority. The adoration of the disciples/Mary/saints reminds me of the worship of greek/roman/norse/hindu/buddhist/pagan gods. I think paganism sneakily survived by disguising itself as Catholicism. I’m inspired to write a post on this topic, because I feel so strongly about deception and abuse of power.

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      1. I certainly agree with you on all points as I have a similar story although my wandering in the temporal world was less about ideology and more about being too focused on my life as it unfolded to the neglect of my spiritual health and salvation. The end result is the same for both of us had we not been moved to change. The Catholic Church leadership has long been corrupted and that recognition gave birth to the Protestant Reformation which in total greatly outnumbers the original universal church. The laity was held in ignorance and obedience by the Church for at least 1500 years. Many of the martyrs were put to death by the Church instead of a Roman Emperor or Jewish Pharisee. I’m preaching to the choir at this point but the past is locked in stone. We must decide our today because our future is not guaranteed.

        One thing I would say for our peace of mind is there is no way a conscientious and compassionate person can isolate themselves from the world and its countless and eternal sin. We must accept, as hard as it is, this world belongs to God. It is His world and His responsibility alone. Our job, if we accept it, is to be true to our faith, unshakable, and to be Christ’s example within our family, with friends, and those who earn the expense of our time. While you travel to work, follow Isaiah’s example and loudly proclaim the offender’s transgressions but also offer them a silent prayer. You have repented and been forgiven, but you must also forgive yourself and don’t be afraid to be human, a human motivated by the love of God and inspired to do likewise as best you can. If I get to the Pearly Gates before you, I’ll put my foot in the door and hold it open for you. If I’m not there, I’m likely upside down in the ditch somewhere along my covenant path. Pray for me. I need all the help I can get.

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      2. It’s a fallen world, very easy to become deceived so we should be compassionate and grateful that we woke up in time. I temd to hold on to self-reproach and it’s not healthy. Sometimes it’s harder for me to receive forgiveness and kindness, so I continue to kick myself while I’m still struggling to get back up. God gave me many gifts and I wasted most of them, but what can I do now, but move forward with grace.

        I don’t take issue with Catholics who have been indoctrinated in wrong thinking but I do condemn the Catholic church leaders, many of whom have molested countless boys. The Bible never encouraged singledom, it encouraged marriage and families. I think it goes against God’s design to be forever celibate as if that was a holy thing. Sigh, I could go on and on about the Catholicism, if frustrates me that it’s even considered Christianity; it’s paganism to the core.

        God won’t let you hold the gate open for me :), everyone has their own entrance fee of faith and relationship with Jesus, but I appreciate the thought. Grace is easy, none of us deserve it, my friend but Jesus paid the price anyway. All we need to genuine belief in Jesus, the good deeds automatically follows when the Holy Spirit if God enters your heart. That’s what I believe.

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      3. I totally agree with you on all points. The self reproach when harsh and long lived is another way of purifying our thoughts and actions because we truly care that we have not lived up to our deeply held standards and virtues. Forgiving the self seems much harder than forgiving others. I see it as our divine desire for perfection and while perfection may not be achievable in our earthly state, we can obtain wisdom and mastery if our self deprecation does not become the voice of self destruction.

        I have studied the history and theology of Christianity and in lesser degrees Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism and further back to the ancient polytheistic beliefs so that I might understand this aspect of being human. The study outside of Christianity doesn’t threaten me as the study outside of Christianity is not based on belief or faith but rather to understand the human quest for the divine nature. My Christian faith is unshakeable even tho I know that Christianity has lived as a collective apostasy that surely must receive God’s wrath as evidenced by today’s world of iniquity and sin. But for those few true and genuine Christians that lived throughout history and dedicated their life to the Word of God and his commandments through Christ, I can say in my mind, we can have salvation and live as examples of what humanity can achieve by living the Word. God has made salvation possible and his demands are not impossible as long as we master our human nature and give our lives to Christ.

        The Prophets of antiquity and especially Isaiah, has shown us the past, present, and future and the way to salvation is clear and unequivocally even tho egotistical Church leaders pollute and corrupt the word with their errant opinions, demonic delusions, sinful nature, and forceful condemnations. They are not our example. Only the Heavenly Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are our examples in faith, our leader to a Christlike life, our Guardian, and path to salvation. In any denomination, if the above is achieved, we are in the house of God and Satan has no hold on the congregation.

        I’m sorry for the long winded soap box sermon, but I find you to be a genuine friend in Christ and our ministry to each other is a good thing.

        You are on the right path, Judy. You are forgiven and God will guide you if your prayer is with an open and contrite heart, which I’m sure it is.

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      4. No apologies necessary, I like your sermon :). It’s good to state your beliefs and I think we are spiritually in agreement. I’m coming to terms with my past, it’s brought me a depth of experience and the wisdom of regret is a deep teacher and humility of understanding and repentance has a geniune, heartfelt beauty. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see” ✝️🕊️🥹

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  7. Delightful blog post Serene. I am glad that you are coming to terms with what to keep and put in the trash bin. It is good to reflect on the reason you create a blog.

    Also, Amen to the conclusion, we are God’s design on earth. I am stunned to see that you are a Parent, Writer and from the US, that is intriguing stuff.

    Lastly, okay let me make your day a bit better with a Joke😂😂. Instead of writing this blog title “Refining” just say “Behold here comes the Queen of Refining and Redefining, Ms Serene Grace”, and the crowd /readers be Oh Yeah😂, All hail The Queen G👏, haha

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you very much Mthobisi🌷I appreciate your kind comment. After reflecting on my reason for blogging, I realized that my attitude needed polishing 🙂 and blogging is about communication and community, not forcing an agenda of waking people up.

      God has been good to me, even when I went away from the truthful path, God lead me patiently home. Some people get a hard lesson, but God was mercifully gentle with me. The US is in trouble, lots of wrong behavior here, so much freedom that it made people arrogant.

      Your joke is sweet, thank you 🤗. God bless you ✝️🙂

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      2. You’re welcome, my friend, Mthobisi, sorry for the late response, I’ve been away from WP. Have a wonderful Friday 🙏✝️🕊️🤗

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