Hemmed In ...

Liquid Satin
Kaikoura, New Zealand
Copyright Sarah Carpenter

This week, I have been hemmed in.  I tried to leave Seoul for Chusok by booking tickets in March.  I tried to go to lovely Sorrento but couldn't get flights.  I tried to go and see a friend in Den Haag, but couldn't get flights.  I then tried to go and see a friend in London.  Yup ... no flights.  Crazy.  Some other things happened and made me realise that God wants my undivided attention this week.  I am facing some major decisions and need to hear from him.  More than that, he wants time alone with me.  So this week, I am kind of on a retreat ... at my house in Seoul.

I was recently writing to a friend replying that I was not travelling this break and I was a little MEH about that.  As I was writing, I felt a scripture from the bible drop in my mind, It's from Ps 139 and it says, "you hem me in behind and before, you have laid your hand upon me ..."

and I said to my friend, "I think God has hemmed me in this vacation ... he wants my undivided attention ..."

In the same Psalm, it says "if I rise on the wings of the dawn, and settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" ...

This is an interesting scripture to drop into my mind during a time of possible transition as it is the same one that God impressed on me when I made the move to Seoul.   Along with that scripture, I had a clear image in my mind.  The image I had was that when I got to the airport and I was leaving ... it would be like God was standing at the departure gates waving me off saying "have a great time ..."  In the same image I could also see him walking through the departure gates with me,  saying, "let's go ... its going to be awesome!"  I also could see me arriving at the other end and see him there waiting for me as I came out of the arrival gates saying ... "come in ... so glad you are here ...  its all organized!"

I took a lot of comfort in that picture, knowing that I was not walking alone on the path unfolding for me.  But something even more amazing happened.  This is what actually happened with it in real life ...

I got to the airport with about 80 kilos of luggage ... my whole life packed up and resources for school. I had called the airline ahead and they told me it would be $18 NZD a kilo for excess ...I decided I had to just bite it and pay.

When I got to the airport it was 40 dollars a kilo and they told me my bill would be about $2,000

So I turned to my friend who was with me and said, "go tell the others to pray ... its way more than they said ..." and then I looked at the lady and said (respectfully),  "well, I guess I just have to pay.  I am moving my whole life to Korea .... and I need all these things."

She told me to wait, walked away for a bit and then came back and said, "you only have to pay $200!"

Seriously!  Unheard of.  No one at airports is that nice with excess luggage ...  :)  So there is God behind me ... waving me off ...

I get on the flight ... It was good ... and then ... the story gets better ...

I arrive at Incheon airport - it had been open about a month.

I step out of the door of the plane onto the jetway ... and notice there are some officials there ... one of them is holding a sign that says, "welcome Sarah Cartenter".

I looked at "Cartenter" and thought ... that must be me ... with a typo ...

So I looked at them and said, "Carpenter?"

(and we are in the jetway remember ... right by the door of the plane) ...

so they go, "Seoul Foreign School?" and I reply "yes ..."

There is a flurry of bowing and card exchanging and I am whisked off with the officials ... thinking "what the heck ...?!?"  It was all super fast ... they grabbed my passport ... whilst I freak out about that,  I was roared off to the diplomat channel ... someone grabbed my bags and I was through this huge international airport in about 10 minutes ... whipped out in the arrival lounge where the head of school was waiting for me looking completely bemused as I was diverted sideways to meet more officials in a flurry of bowing! 

I could see my new boss wondering what the heck was going on ...

as was I ...

God was smiling.  He went before me.

Here is the back story to that ...

My school in NZ had quite a few Korean kids ... and one of them, Danny, was not in my class, but was in my team.  And as a senior teacher, I had had to deal with him a few times on behavior issues!  When he heard I was moving to Korea he was really excited and kept asking how I was going ... when would I get there ... so I told him I was flying Korean Air and the day I was leaving.

His father was the one who met me at the door.  His uncle was a key facilitator in  the development of the new airport ...very important person.  So I got the VIP treatement into Korea ...

God hemmed me in behind and before ... he went before me ... waited and said, come on in ... its all ready for you!  Amazing!  

To me it is interesting that at this time of possible transition, the scripture he reminds me of this week, is the same one I had in my heart before I left for Korea ... I know my steps are ordered ... and I just know this week, I need to connect with him and make the plans and see what happens ...

Tonight as I end my reflection time I am grateful. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am loved. Although I am single, I do not have to make the big decisions in my life that I am facing by myself. I have someone whose hand is on me and under me. Tonight I am reminded that he hems me in behind and before. He has laid his hand on me. If I rise on the wings of the dawn and settle on the far side of the sea, even there, his hand will guide me. His right hand will hold me fast.

God has proven that time and time to me.  I rest easy and my heart is full of gratitude.