my memorable places
JunHee Kim
my memorable places
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my memorable places VOLUME I
Junhee kiM v
To my family and friends
All photos were taken by JunHee Kim
my memorable places Copyright Š Text and design 2020 by JunHee Kim All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, contact JunHee Kim 8220 Crestwood Heights Dr McLean, Virginia 22102
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Preface
My memories from the past live in my heart. Memories give me a chance to relive the good moments and to reminisce. My memories were created from what I’ve been through. As I reflect on the time gone by, I might be breaking into a small smirk, an imaginary jig and patting myself on the back. Right now, I remember the first time I went on a vacation with my family. The photograph of myself, my parents and my brother stares right back at me from the wall. What a warm and happy memory that I treasure. Life is a journey filled with lessons, hardships, joys, and celebrations. All of the special and mundane moments ultimately mold me and define my purpose in life. This road has not been always smooth and it won’t be; in fact, throughout my travels, I encountered many challenges. Some of those challenges tested my courage, strengths, weaknesses, and faith. In order to follow the right path, I must overcome these obstacles. vii
Sometimes these obstacles come as blessings in disguise, only I don't realize that at the time. So, I've decided to take out my memories in my heart. Even though English is my second language, through this project, I'd like to conquer my fear of writing English.
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Table of Contents
1
Masada, Israel
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Sea of Galilee, Israel
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From the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial
12 Grand Canyon National Park
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Masada, Israel
It was a sunny day. If you had stayed outside in this desert, you would have been at risk of dehydration. My friend and I decided not to walk up the hill, so we chose to ride a cable car up there instead. My body was enjoying the cool breeze coming from the windows as the cable car was moving up. I saw people walking along the steep trail from up above also. At that very moment, my head was filled with questions. ‘How could a group of soldiers live up there while fighting against the Roman Empire? How loyal and patriotic were these soldiers?’ From the top of the mountain, I could see the Dead Sea in the distance. My heart and eyes were touched by the magnificent scenes; it was extraordinary. Behind the Dead Sea stood a massive plateau called the Masada. Between 37 B.C and 31 B.C, a grand fortress was built by King Herod in Jerusalem. He made sure to add a spacious storage that could store enough food for thousands of people over a long period of time. 1
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This fortress was stationed by the Romans after Herod’s death, but was occupied by the Jews during the First Jewish War. It was also kept to be the last bulwark, where 960 people had committed suicide 73 years before Romans attacked. This became the last tragic battle of the “Jewish Wars.” This was one of the greatest moments of the Masada, according to a woman who survived through the Jewish War. This was written by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus. As I admired the strong and almost undefeatable structure, I was also reminded of one of King David’s songs. I thought, ‘Did he ever climb up the Masada as a young shepherd?’ Did he touch the firmness of rocks of the cliff and profess his faith singing, ‘You are my fortress and acidity (Psalm 144:2). Lord, let this profession be mine too.’
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Sea of Galilee, Israel
In 2014, I visited the Sea of Galilee with my high school friend, Grace. I was full of expectations. When I read the Bible as a child, I could not picture the Sea of Galilee in my head, where Jesus had walked on the water. I had only read it through written texts, so when I saw it in person, my heart was filled with great and overwhelming emotions and thoughts. The Sea of Galilee was not actually a sea. It was a lake. In Hebrew, there was no distinction between lakes and seas. Did you know that they are both called ‘yams?’ The Sea of Galilee was called a ‘yam,’ as the word means ‘the sea.’ Mt. Hermon’s rain and snow drained and emptied into the Sea of Galilee. When I first saw the sea of Galilee, I felt like I travelled back in time 2,000 years. My heart was filled with peace. I felt the peace and warm embrace of Jesus surrounding me as I listened to the lapping of the gentle waves on the shore. 5
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This was the place where Jesus called Simon, Andrew, and Zebedee’s two sons as disciples. Many of his teachings took place at the foot of the lake nearby several villages. How big and deep is the sea of Galilee? According to research, the Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in Israel - it is approximately 13 miles long and eight miles wide. It has a total area of 64 square miles and a depth of 141 feet at its deepest point. It is also the lowest fresh water lake on Earth, and it is fed partly by underground springs and partly by the Jordan River. We drove around the sea of Galilee for about an hour. For lunch, we had the opportunity to try a fried fish dish called Peter’s fish at a famous restaurant by the lakeside. The Mediterranean meal was very appetizing. After leaving the sea of Galilee, the fact of not knowing when I would return greatly saddened me.
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From the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial It was my first time visiting the United States in 2003. I had only seen the sights of America in pictures. The Lincoln Memorial is truly a must-see for anyone who visits Washington, D.C., The statue of Abraham Lincoln looks extraordinary, and the view outside of the Washington Monument from across the reflecting pool is something else that one should not miss. There is also a good walk from the nearest Metro stop to the Lincoln Memorial. It is easy to access the Korean War Memorial and the World War II Memorial as well. The drive all the way from Virginia to Washington, D.C., just to see these amazing monuments was an amazing experience. What inspired me particularly was the tall Lincoln statue that I had wanted to see in person. This building is nothing short of grandeur, and the best time to visit this beauty is just before sunset because the lighting during that time makes the monument shine brightly. 9
The tall pillars are an incredible sight for the eyes. Walk into the memorial and you will see the magnificent Abraham Lincoln sitting greatly in his chair. If you are in D.C., do not skip this place. It’s both a historical and an architectural marvel that will continue to stand for ages.
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Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon had always been a part of my bucket list in my heart. The first time I saw the Grand Canyon, I was breathless. Watching this great feat of nature, it became obvious to see how great the Creator is and how little we are in comparison. Since it is a world-famous attraction, many people go to the Grand Canyon every year, but very few people know the specifics of how it was created. To date, there are generally two views between the evolutionists and creationists. Evolutionary geologists believe that the Grand Canyon was created primarily by millions of years of weathering and the erosion of the Colorado River, while creationists believe it was created by the global Flood (Noah’s Flood). There is much scientific evidence of Noah’s Flood despite the conflict between science and religion. This is why it was such an interesting place for me. By helicopter, I landed on the top of the Grand Canyon to save time. It was so hot that I began to sweat even without much movement. I was looking at 2 billion years of geological history. The river’s 12
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course carved the canyon and exposed fossil records that date all the way back to the very first living organisms. While most geologists attempt to explain the Grand Canyon’s origins by the erosion of the Colorado River over millions of years, there are still flaws to this specific process and it has still remains an unsolved mystery. For example, rapidly flowing water from high mountains can erode riverbeds and create deep valleys. However, a river that flows slowly on flat ground cannot dig the bottom rock no 14
matter how long it flows. Rocks, gravel, and sand are always piled up at the bottom of the river to prevent erosion. This is similar to the case of the Grand Canyon. So many rivers have flowed all over the world, but they have not been able to form deep valleys. In order to erode the rock below the riverbed, a flood must be strong enough to sweep away the rocks, gravel, and sand that have built up. This is one of the basic principles of geology. 15
Likewise, if the small Colorado River flowed over the flat Colorado Plateau at the slow pace as it is today, millions of years would not have been able to erode the riverbed of hard rock formations to create a vast valley like the Grand Canyon. Some might have expected the Colorado River to flow very quickly in the past. However, from analyzing the surrounding conditions of the Colorado Plateau where the Grand Canyon is located, it is easy to see how limited it is. The slopes of the course along the Colorado River are so gentle that the flow could not have been very fast. This place is located in a desert climate where there is not much rain. Even if it rains a lot, there is no possibility of a lot of water flowing because of the flat surface. In addition, it is possible to think of the case that the river becomes faster due to the increase of the slope of the river due to the crustal movements such as the premature movement of the earth, sedimentation and uplift. It is difficult, however, because rocks that are broken down by weathering and rolled down accumulate on the riverbed much faster. In conclusion, the erosion of the Colorado River alone cannot create the Grand Canyon! Floods must have occurred before the Grand Canyon could have been created. I had always known that the theory of the Flood of creationists was not absurd.
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