Category: Lifestyle and Culture

들을 귀  Listening Ears

Hyunhee-Chang2

 

기억을 더듬어 갈 수 있는 곳에 갈 일이 있었다. 시간 약속이 되었던차라 길을 잃지 않으려고 네비게이션을켜고 안내를 따라 고속도로를 탔다. 기억대로라면 바로 앞 출구에서 빠져나가 좌회전하고 우회전하면 목적지에 도착하는데, 네비게이션은 2마일이나 더 고속도로를 달려 로컬 길로 나가라고 안내하는 것이었다. 네비게이션에 분명 문제가 있다고 생각하고 내 기억대로 앞 출구에서 빠져나가 좌회전하고 우회전하려고 하니, 공사로 길을 막아놓은게아닌가?  네비게이션이 이미 공사 사실을  알고 가장 빠른 길로 안내했던 것이다. 네비게이션을 따라 갈 걸 후회하며약속 시간보다 20분 이상 늦게 목적지에 도착했다. 네비게이션을 잠잠히 따라가지 않은 자신이 한심했다. 남의 말듣는 것이 손해보는 것도 아니고, 남보다 못 났다는 것을 인정하는 것도 아니다. 문제 투성이이고 고집으로 담을 싼내 경험, 내 이성, 내 판단, 내 세계 안에 빠져 살기 때문에, 첨단 기술의 안내조차 무시하는 나를 보았다. 내 안에 늙고 둔하여 경고를 더 받을 줄 모르는 어리섞은 왕이 있는 것이다(전 4:13).

               

엘리 제사장이 나와 같은 사람이었다. 엘리의 두 아들은 오늘날로 말하면 금수저를 물고 태어나 아버지의 권세를 이용하여 못된 짓을 일삼았다. 예배 드리는 일을 섬겨야할 이들이 하나님께 드릴 예물을 빼돌리거나 교회를 섬기는 여성들을 겁탈하는 일까지 일삼는 무법자였다. 사람들이 참다 못해 아버지 엘리에게 고발했다. 하나님께서 그에게 두 아들이 같은 날에 죽을 것이라고 경고했다(삼상 2:34). 엘리는 아들들이 저지른 끔찍한 짓을 고발하는 사람들의 목소리를 무시했고 하나님의 엄중한 경고조차 듣지 않았다. 이런 엘리에 대해 하나님이 뭐라 말씀하셨는가?“내가 엘리의 집안을 영원히 심판하겠다고 말한 것은 엘리가 자기 아들들이 스스로 벌을 청하는 것을 알면서도 그것을 막지 않았기 때문이다” (삼상 3:13)  엘리가 자기 세계에만 빠져 남의 말도 하나님의 경고조차 듣지 않은 결과,이스라엘의 예배가 망가졌고, 여호와의 언약궤를 빼앗겼고, 두 아들이 죽고, 이 소식을 듣고 엘리도 죽었다. 영광스런 제사장 가문이 한 순간에 몰락했다.

 

     듣기 싫어도 들어야 하는 소리가 있다. 예수님은 제자들에게 씨뿌리는 자의 비유를 들어 들을 귀 있는사람이 되라고 하셨다. ‘들을 귀’란 하나님의 말씀을 듣고자하는 마음이며, 이해할 수 있는 능력이며, 믿고 따르는 의지까지 포함한다. 귀가 정상이다고 해서 자동적으로 들을 귀가 되는 것이 아니다.  예수께서 말씀하시길 염려 때문에듣지 못하는 사람은 가시떨기에 뿌려진 씨와 같고, 자기 욕심 때문에 듣지 못하는 사람은 돌밭에 뿌려진 씨와 같고,이런 자기 세계로 똘똘 뭉쳐 절대 듣지 않는 사람은 길가에 뿌려진 씨와 같다. 남의 말이라고 하면 듣기 싫어하는 고집이 내 속에 진을 치고 있기 때문에, 들으려해야하고 또 들으려 해야한다. 듣는 훈련이 듣는 태도가 되고 점점 들을귀 있는 자가 되어가는 것이다. 들을 귀로 하나님의 말씀이 들려오고 깨달아진다. 그 말씀이 달고 오모한 말씀이 되어 내 마음부터 변화시키고, 생각하는 능력을 변화시키고, 자식과 남편을 바라보는 눈을 변화시키고, 세상을 바라보는 시각, 인식의 페러다임을 변화시키고, 이런 변화가 삶을 비옥하게 하고 풍성케 한다. 예수님은 이를 30배 60배100배 맺는 열매라고 하시고 제자들에게 외치셨다. “들을 귀 있는 자는 들어라!” (눅 8:8)

 

Ears to Hear

 

There was a time when I got lost in the middle of driving. I turned on the navigation right away to figure out the route. I really didn’t want to be late on the schedule. I got on the highway as navigation directed. As I was driving I knew that I should be taking the next exit, but the navigation was telling me to take the exit two miles ahead. I ignored the navigation thinking it has some issues, and went with my guts. They I ran into a construction zone. The navigation didn’t have any issues, it just had been updated with the new construction zone that I wasn’t aware of. I was twenty minutes late on my schedule. I felt foolish for not listening to the navigation. Listening to others doesn’t cost anything, or it doesn’t mean that they are better than you. Because I was living in my own world built from the ignorance and stubbornness based on my experience, I ignored the navigation built from high technology. There is an old foolish king inside of me who is very dull to the warnings.  (Ecc 4:13) Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 

 

Priest Eli was somewhat like me. The two sons of Eli were born rich, and used their dad’s power and authority to do awful things. The two sons were the outlaws who stole from the people at church and raped women. People told Eli about his two sons’ miserable actions, but he ignored. God warned Eli that his two sons will die on the same day. (1sa 2:34) Eli ignored the poor people’s voice and God’s warning. God has told Eli “for I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” (1sa 3:13) Eli was in his own world, ignoring all the people and God. As consequence, the worship in Israel had been destroyed, ark of God had been taken away, lost two sons, and Eli died from the news that his sons died. Glorious priest family had been collapsed just like that.

 

There are words that you don’t want to listen but you need to. Jesus told his disciples to be the one who has ears to hear as talking about the Parable of the Soils. ‘Ears to hear’ includes listening, understand, and following God’s words. Just because the ear functions normal, it doesn’t mean that you have the ‘ears to hear’.

 

Jesus says that a person, who doesn’t have ears to hear due to worries, is like the seed on the thorn. A person who doesn’t have the ears to hear due to greed is like the seed on rocks. And lastly the self-centered person is like the seed on the path.

Because stubbornness had built the fences around my heart, I always need to try and try more to listen to the others. When you train to listen, it affects the attitude which leads to the ‘ears to hear’. The ‘ears to hear’ allow you to understand God. The words of God will change your heart and your attitude. It will change your attitudes towards your children and husband, view of the world, and the paradigm of realization. These changes will make your life more rich and plentiful. Jesus called this the 30, 60, 100 fold and told his disciples, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:8)
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Valley Broasters

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2014년 시월, Phillip과 Norma Thayer 부부는 Valley Broasters라는 닭 요리 전문점을 개업했다. 닭 구이를 주 메뉴로 이 식당은 Blue Springs의 끝자락에 위치란 Grain Valley에서 한적하게 시작하게 되었다. Broasted란 닭을 압력 튀김 솥에 요리해 바삭 하면서 촉촉하고 기름지지 않은 조리법이다. 그들의 닭 메뉴는 훌륭했으나, Norma의 친구들이 그녀의 본토 음식인 필리핀 음식을 선보이기를 권하기 시작한다. 마침 도시 안에는 필리핀 음식점이 없던 터라, 그들은 틈새 시장을 노려보기로 한다. 2016년 일월부터 이들 부부는 필리핀 음식을 메뉴에 추가하기 시작했다. 처음 금요일 특선으로만 선보이던 필리핀 메뉴가 차츰 인기를 얻자, 그들은 필리핀 메뉴를 주말로, 현재는 본 메뉴까지 이름을 올렸다. 필리핀 음식은 “지역 특산물과 본토의 맛을 더한 여러 아시안 인도 음식을 비롯해 말레이 반도, 인도, 스페인, 중국, 그리고 미국의 음식이 혼합된” 음식이다 (Wikipedia). 한마디로, 정통 아시안 퓨전 음식인 셈이다.

Johnson County에서부터 40분 가량의 운전 끝에 우리는 마침내 몇 개 식당들이 밀집해 있는 Grain Valley의 작은 스트립 몰 (번화가)에 도착했다. 이 식당은 아주 편안한 분위기에 계산대로 직접 가서 주문을 하는 형식이었다. 계산대 옆에 비치된 소파에서는 기다리는 손님들이 편하게 앉아서 메뉴를 정할 수 있도록 한 작은 배려심을 찾아볼 수 있었다. 함께 간 우리 6명이 15분 동안을 고민하고서 결정한 메뉴는 16 조각의 Broasted 닭 튀김과 사이드, 몇 가지의 필리핀 음식이었다. 바쁜 주말을 막 지난 후 모두 팔린 메뉴도 있었기 때문에, 우리가 원했던 모든 메뉴를 주문할 수는 없었다. Lumpia (새우와 상하이), 필리핀 스타일의 바삭 한 스프링 롤, Crispy Pata, Pork adobo, Kare-Kare, 그리고 Caldereta가 필리핀 음식이었다. 가장 아쉬웠던 점은 기대가 컸던 Lechon kawali라는 삼겹살 조림요리가 모두 다 팔린 상태라 주문할 수 없었던 것이다. 모든 음식들은 바나나 잎사귀로 덮은 두 개의 큰 쟁반에 밥과 함께 나왔다.

모든 음식이 맛있었다. Crispy Pata 역시 broasted라는 조리법을 사용해 만든 돼지고기 요리인데, 겉은 아주 바삭 하고 안은 촉촉하게 육즙이 고여 있었다. 한국의 족발과 비슷한데 튀겨진 느낌이었다. Kare-Kare (소 꼬리 요리), Calderete, Adobo는 국물이 자작한 조림/찜 요리여서 밥과 아주 잘 어울렸다. 부드러운 육질과 깊은 맛의 국물이 어우러져 맛있었다. 특히 닭 요리는 기름지지 않고 짜지 않아 좋았다. 이 독특한 필리핀 음식의 사이드로는 보다 친숙한 미국식 메뉴들로 골라 Jalapeno poppers (속을 채운 고추 요리), 어니언 링 (양파 튀김), 그리고 코울슬로 (양배추 샐러드)를 주문했다. 마무리로는 초콜릿과 캐러멜 시럽을 뿌린 찹쌀밥에 남겨두었던 생 망고를 곁들어 먹었다. 꽤 긴 운전을 감수하고서라도 충분히 다녀올 만한 가치가 있는 식당이었다. 주문 후 즉시 조리를 시작하기 때문에 보다 신속하게 음식을 맛보고 싶다면 방문 전 미리 전화를 걸어 언제쯤 도착할 지 알려 놓기를 권한다. 메뉴와 번호는 온라인에서 찾아볼 수 있다. 혹은 캔자스 시티와 가까운 곳에 여름에 새로 개업할 예정인 제 2호점을 기다려 보는 것도 좋겠다. 돌아오는 유월 Bannister과 435번 고속도로가 만나는 부근에 생길 예정이다.
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Phillip and Norma Thayer opened their chicken restaurant, Valley Broasters in October of 2014.  It started as a quiet broasting chicken place on a quiet street out in Grain Valley located at the edge of Blue Springs.  Broasted chicken happens when chicken is fried in a pressure fryer which leaves the meat crispy, juicy and not oily.  Their chicken was good but their friends started asking Norma for her to feature some of her native Filipino food.  It was a niche no one has filled in the Midwest.  So, they started to adding Filipino food January of 2016.  It first started as a Friday special, then seeped into the weekend, and now it is on their regular menu.  Filipino food is a “mixed cuisine of Malay, Indian, Spanish, Chinese, and American, as well as other Asian Indian cuisine adapted to indigenous ingredients and the local palate.” (wikipedia)  One of the original asian fusion foods.

 

After a 40-minute drive from Johnson County, we arrived to the strip mall in Grain Valley where the restaurant sits.  It is a very casual place and you walk up to the counter to order.  There is a couch right in front of the counter to wait and decide.  Between 6 people and 15 minutes of debating on what we wanted to eat we ended up ordering 16 pieces of broasted mixed chicken and sides, and a few Filipino entrees, though not everything we wanted because they had a big weekend and hadn’t had time to restock.  Lumpia (shrimp and shanghai), a filipino version of crispy spring rolls, Crispy Pata, Pork Adobo, Kare-Kare, and  Caldereta were the Filipino dishes.  The biggest disappointment was that we weren’t able to order the Lechon Kawali, a poached pork belly sounded so delicious.  The food was plated together on two round platters covered with banana leaves and had centered around a side of rice.

 

Everything was good. The Crispy Pata is also broasted and just like it sounds knuckle pork, crispy on the outside and juicy inside, kind of similar to Jok Bal but fried. The Kare-Kare (oxtail), Caldereta and Adobo are stewy dishes which made these dishes great with rice.  They were tender meat in flavorful stews. The chicken was also awesome and not oily, also not salty.  The sides we ordered were the most common items in this uncommon meal, with the chicken: jalapeno poppers, onion rings and coleslaw.  To finish, we had sweet sticky rice topped with chocolate and caramel syrups which went perfectly with the fresh mango we saved from the platters.  It was a wonderful experience and well worth the drive, but it was a task to drive back home after such a good meal.  If you do decide to go, they suggest calling ahead to order.  You can find their menu on their online.  Otherwise you can wait for the summer when they open a new location closer to Kansas City.  Hopefully, they will be open by June of this year at Bannister and 435.