Detour

"For you were like a straying sheep, but now you have returned to the Sheppard and Guardian of your soul."

- 1 Peter 2:25

Testimony

Today I was baptized at my local church in front of many witnesses to publicly manifest my allegiance to Christ. I was required to write a short testimony of how I came to walk with Christ and I wanted to share it here.

He Welcomes My Blackened Soul.
- Testimony of David Yoo

I am writing this testimony to proclaim God’s glorious work in my life and in hopes to encourage at least one more person to rejoice together in His greatness.

Growing up, I was that wild, immature juvenile who had a routine of getting suspended from school every other week. I’d always somehow get involved with the wrong crowd or in unfavourable situations and every time, I had to watch my mother in tears, as she begged the school to overlook it.  Stupidity. That was my motto and I’d do foolish things to the point I’ve been arrested and even obliged to receive therapy. Perhaps I was deprived of attention from home and was seeking it somewhere else, but clearly, there was something very significant missing in my life – guidance. My family wasn’t exactly ideal, mainly due to my violent father. My family lived in constant fear of his abuse and as much as he cruelly disciplined me, he never offered me the guidance, attention and provision I needed. Being the ambitious entrepreneur that he is, he wasn’t satisfied with his promising company that he had and left my family 6 years ago to pursue a greater venture in China. My father was absent during the most important years of my life and ever since he left, I’ve yet to seen him more than once, leaving me alone in my masculine journey of becoming a man. The consequence of my father investing heavily in his new enterprise resulted in my family becoming financially unstable and my mother was forced to work part-time jobs to raise me and my sister alone. I hardly got to see my mother’s weary face anymore and the most beloved people in my life seemed to be slowly drifting away into dusk, one by one. Mentally and spiritually, I became an orphan. My dearest grandfather who was living with me at the time fell terribly ill and was diagnosed with brain tumour. He unexpectedly left me a short time after. It came to my realization that he was hiding his agonizing illness until he could no longer hide his seizures, because he didn’t want to become a burden to my financially struggling family. I fell into a black hole of guilt, telling myself that he would still be with me if only I’d known sooner. I would’ve sold my soul to come up with the money to give him the proper medical care that he needed. I blamed my broken family and every misery in my life on money – not having enough of it. My obsession with money grew and I declared my sole purpose in life to become filthy rich. It was the lowest point in my life as I looked to worldly pleasures to fill this emptiness in my heart. Alcohol, girls, sex and entertainment were only temporary means to escape from my reality and eventually I was left devastated, depressed and broken. As I was desperate to pursue lasting happiness in my life, I envied the lives of my Christian friends because they seemed to be filled with joy and passion. How can they be so content living in this bitter world? Their answer was Jesus Christ. I was hesitant to seek Christ in my life because my very existence is so dirty and tainted, hence I believed I wasn’t worthy for God’s love. My long endured battle of repenting and committing to become a Christ follower was a great hurdle, but only through my brokenness it was made possible. Brokenness shattered my self-reliance and revealed my need for God. Brokenness exposed my flaws, weaknesses and mistakes. Brokenness purified my motives and suppressed my pride, greed, selfishness, jealousy and lust. Brokenness allowed me a deeper understanding of myself and God. Brokenness equipped me with the compassion and understanding for others' sufferings. My brokenness was a sign of God's love and activity in my life. My brokenness led me to Christ – my new father.  

I was lost but now I am found. No longer was I alone in my endeavours. The only things that were lost were my burdens and worries which He replaced with confidence and aspirations. God was in control of my life. My obsession with money was all directed towards God’s glory, yet my ambitions and motivation were greater than ever before. As I prayed that He would use me for a great purpose and that He would prepare me for that purpose, God provided me with guidance and everything I need in my journey ahead. My family couldn’t support me financially to attend University but a miracle was bestowed upon me. God desired for me to go and made it possible by blessing me with over $50 000 worth of scholarships. I found victory in anything I attempted, as well as achieving high academic success. Humbly, I can only say with a grateful heart, “I can do all this through Him who strengthens me” – Philippians 4:13

We may not realize it, but like the air that we breathe to be refreshed or the gentle breeze that cools us on a scorching summer day, God is always working in our lives even if we cannot see it. Even during the times of my brokenness, God indulged me with the strength and direction to get back up on my feet and persevere.  With every pain endured, I grew in spirit and with every battle fought, I became stronger. My journey with Christ has only just begun and through my sinful nature, I still struggle with temptations of self-image and lust. However, I am not dismayed because of the unconditional love that God spoils me with. Ever since I have accepted Christ as my Lord and saviour, I have come upon the one and only everlasting joy in which I find peace. My life, inclusive of my past, present and future is portrayed in Psalm 23. I’ve made my own translations on the side.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David

The LORD is my shepherd, (Father)
I have everything I need. (Providence)
He makes me lie down in green pastures, (Comfort)
he leads me beside still waters, (Refreshment) 
he restores my soul. (Healing)
He guides me along the path of righteousness (Guidance)
for his name’s sake. (Purpose)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, (Testing)
I will fear no evil, (Protection)
for you are with me, (Faith)
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Discipline)
You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies. (Hope)
You anoint my head with oil, (Commitment)
my cup overflows. (Abundance)
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, (Blessing)
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD (Security)
forever.. (Eternity)

A Designer?

I'm taking a studio class this semester in the fundamentals of design & colour and as I was reading through my textbooks, I stumbled upon something very captivating which lead to a deluge of thoughts.

"Chapter 1: What is design? - Everything that does not happen by accident happens by design. Design is both a problem solving process and a product. It is the organization of parts into an understandable whole. It is a process of purposeful creation and includes everything intentionally created. In visual terms, design is the organization of materials and forms to fulfill a specific purpose." - Design & Colour For Fashion, by Alice Chu

Perhaps we were created - created for a purpose and not just for the sake of living. Perhaps everything in this world was created for a purpose, a reason, a unity. Just like how every part of the human body has a function or how our emotions seem like they are rhythmically desinged to change and adapt to different situations. Even the existence of worthless fruit flies play a major role in the balance of the food chain. If we weren't created by a designer, the only other alternative is that you & I were made by nature through complete chance. But what are the odds? - The odds of the world appearing out of nothing through a big bang. The odds of Earth being the only planet on which water can be in liquid form. The odds of the Earth being exactly 149 597 870km away from the Sun so that we have a climate which makes life possible and accommodate seasons. The odds of your mother and father meeting within the 6.9 billion people in the world. The odds of them even existing in the same period of time and not in different generations.The odds of your father marrying your mother throughout all the females he has met in his lifetime. The odds of you being born into this world instead of the other infinite number of sperm cells. So if you add up all the odds and do the math, the chance of your existence is probably next to...nothing or impossible. Therefore we could say that "life" is equivalent of winning the lottery every second for the next thousand years, which is pretty unlikely if you ask me. So potentially, the odds of there being a creator that created all things could be higher? The sole reason why people deny God's existence is because He is not physically visible - although no one has seen the big bang either. But we believe in intangibility such as; love, jealousy, anger, pain, morals, conscience, air, wind, gravity, time, etc - so why not a creator? Maybe because all the intangibles I've listed can be experienced? But how do you expect a child living in a third world country to know how sweet chocolate tastes only by hearing stories of it, unless they actually take a bite of it - unless one tries to seek God. Also, if there is no creator, is it possible to prove (using science or logical reasoning) the origins of these intangibles? Food for thought.

My conclusion: There must be a designer who created the world and everything in it with purposeful intentions. It's just too beautiful and in perfect unison to be made only by chance, hence by accident - otherwise it would result in a random world of hopelessness and despair.

ISAIAH XLI.X

Dedicated to my cherished friend and an older brother I never had.

There are chapters in our lives where we feel like the world is falling apart, leaving us devastated, depressed and broken. God's graceful ways of discipline and preparations are painful and at times we may be crushed. He demolishes the insecure walls of our hearts, only to replace it with a refined fortress containing solid foundations - only to strengthen us and prepare us for the wondrous plans that he has for you & I. Tragedies, struggles, and mistakes deeply influence and shape us to who we become. With every battle fought, we become stronger. We must be broken before God can use us. Brokenness shatters our self-reliance and reveals our need for God. Brokenness purifies our motives and suppresses pride, greed, selfishness, jealousy and lust. Brokenness exposes our flaws, weaknesses and mistakes. Brokenness allows us a deeper understanding of ourselves and God. Brokenness equips us with compassion and understanding for others' sufferings. Brokenness is a sign of God's love and activity in our lives. Brokenness is a step closer to Christ.

Our God is always present and He will provide us with strength and guidance, especially during times of our brokenness.

"So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be anxious for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
- Isaiah 41:10

Bad News for Fashion Lovers

Remember when gas was just 60 cents in the early 2000s and late 1990s? Soon we will all remember the days when Fashion was "cheap" as well. With over 25 million tonnes of cotton being consumed each year, a shortage was to be inevitable. To businesses, a cotton shortage means a loss of profits and to the common consumers, it could mean a consistent rise in the price of clothing, as the cost of cotton alone doubled the last year. But why is there a cotton shortage? First of all, China - the world's largest cotton producer, suffered from a major drought and unusually cold weather which devastated the cotton fields. Meanwhile, India - the world's second largest cotton producer, set very strict trading policies to limit their exports in order to maintain the balance of supplies and protect their country's economy from fluctuating prices. Then to make this situation even more preposterous, Pakistan - the world's fourth largest producer, was hit by a disastrous flood, severely damaging their cotton crop and subsequently another flood in India. Wait. I forgot to mention that the growing labor shortages, especially in China, are resulting in wages being higher than ever which is driving up the cost of cotton even more! Wow.

Due to all of the unfortunate events, the textiles industry is in an extremely dangerous position and businesses are fearing the sky rocketed prices of cotton and other raw materials acting as substitutes such as synthetic or polyester as designers look for cheaper alternatives - which I will explain later. To clarify the results of the shortage with the basics of economics, the "law of supply and demand" states that if QS (quantity supplied) is less than QD (quantity demanded), the price will rise to meet the new equilibrium (point where demand & supply curve intersect). In addition the "law of demand" regarding "prices of related goods" or "substitutes" state that an increase in price of one good leads to an increased demand for the related good - and an increase in demand means an increase in price as well. An example of a retailer that has been hit hard by the cotton shortage is the fashion giant and "hipster-loving" American Apparel. If you didn't know by now, AA is on the brink of bankruptcy. Besides the countless sexual harassment lawsuits, declining sales and having a $91 million debt, I believe that the primary reason why they are facing a crisis is because 80% of their products are organic cotton. Just about two years ago no one would have imagined for AA to have fallen this low because they had an exceptional competitive advantage over other retailers for being vertically integrated - a retailer that also manufactures, wholesales, markets and distributes their own products. Unfortunately, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

I had the privilege of attending a Michael Belcourt Lecture where Don Green and Michael Budman, co-founders of Roots Canada were speaking. At the end of the lecture they were asked about how the rising price of cotton would affect Roots. They replied by saying there won't be much change and they will take the innovative approach. But cotton is a major component in Roots and in many other retailers. The ICA (International Cotton Association) is doing everything they can to combat this situation but businesses will undoubtedly take a big hit. Ultimately the increased costs will be passed on to the customers and we will likely see more blended cottons and other alternative fabrics being used in the future.

Are You Lost?

We've all struggled with it. Getting lost on the path known as life. Everybody feels the pressure to pursue a respectable career, especially in today's society where only success determines a person's worth. But when your plans or path to your goals become clouded, your heart fills with confusion, anxiety and frustration. There came the time in my life where I needed to really start making important decisions and plans for my future. I began to develop doubts and felt distressed of what I was going to do and how I was going to get there. I was completely self-reliant and I was certain to meet a dead end. Then I was reminded of the power of prayer.

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you. "
- Jeremiah 29: 11-12

I didn't pray for God to make me a wealthy, successful man. I prayed that He would use me for a great purpose and that He would prepare me for that. God answered my prayer. I was lost but now I am found. The only things that were lost were my burdens and worries which He replaced with confidence and aspirations.

King of Fashion District Uncovered

Alexander Wang. Alexander Mcqueen. Ralph Lauren. Giorgio Armani. Dolce & Gabbana. Those are some of the biggest names in the Fashion industry today. But have you ever heard of Amancio Ortega? He's only the 7th richest man on the planet. He's not a designer or fashion icon like some of the names I threw out there, but he's certainly the most successful. It seems not many people know of him because he likes to keep a very low profile as hes never given an interview and there are hardly any photographs of him. This Spanish Fashion entrepreneur is the founder of the low-cost & fast fashion empire Inditex Group which includes the worldly-influential brand Zara. Inditex has more than 5,000 stores in 78 countries today.

Like I mentioned in my previous blog, I believe Fashion is a way for one to express themselves - a way to satisfy the deepest desire in human nature to feel; unique, important, appreciated. Fashion is God's gift and should be free.That's why I very much admire Ortega's determination of wanting to make a brand of quality clothes that are accessible to everyone. As a boy he worked as a delivery boy at a shirt-maker and then became a manager at a local clothing shop. That's where he discovered that only wealthy individuals could afford to wear fine clothing that were in style. As a result, Ortega started making his own products, purchasing cheaper fabric from Barcelona and selling good quality, cheaper products to local stores and expensive department stores.

Not only does he take a very active part in the production and design process in his company, he is a business mastermind - a prodigy that revolutionized the Fashion industry. Ortega never attended higher education but as he worked for a variety of stores and tailors, he learned how products and costs changed as they traveled from the manufacturer to the consumer. As a result, he concentrated on the importance of getting products directly to the consumer without a middle man. Ortega incorporated brilliant supply-chain management systems into Inditex and was so focused on efficiency and the speed of adapting to the newest fashion which was what lead to his success. His goal was to bring designs from the runway to society in a very short time. Zara needs just two weeks to develop a new product and deliver it to their stores, compared to the six-month industry average. It's claimed that 200 of Zara designers sit right in the midst of the production process to ensure the speed and quality of the work is top-notch. 

If you feel inspired by reading about Amancio Ortega, like his (only) page that I made on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amancio-Ortega/155537184522950

Fashion & i

Fashion. Its ever-changing and continuously taking new form. I believe Fashion is a way for one to express themselves - a way to satisfy the deepest desire in human nature to feel; unique, important, appreciated. Its a trend, a lifestyle, an identity and lastly a gift from God. I've always taken a keen interest in Fashion and I've been heavily influenced by my father who works in the industry. To study Fashion one needs to possess somewhat of an artistic ability and an understanding of colour and design. So I asked myself "am I an artist?" No. I can't draw, paint, sew and all that stuff. So I asked myself "why do I want to study Fashion?" These are the exact words I wrote on my application:

"An eager 1st year Retail Management student with future career plans in the fashion industry, looking to be selected to take Fashion Studies in hopes of acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge needed to thrive."

It was the first time ever (at least in Canada) where they allow a select few to study both University level Business and Fashion. I'd become a test subject to observe the results of this unique program. It was competitive and I was required to turn in an artwork to demonstrate my artistic abilities. I'm a business student and frankly I haven't drawn anything since art class in Grade 6. Art was not my forte but I wasn't discouraged because I believed goals are achieved through desire, passion and hard work. I've never been interested in Fashion Design but I've always been drawn to the business (retail) aspect of Fashion. Hence, I was very determined to get selected because I wanted more knowledge - specifically in fabrics, textiles and production.  If I was to be selected, I'd be the first ever to graduate with this degree and it got me thrilled with the idea of what new opportunities may await me.

Though I have to admit most gay men dress well, I strongly disagree with the stereotypical view of "Fashion is feminine and its for girls or homosexuals." For a guy to pursue a career in Fashion is certainly not gay. Today ladies "out-dress" the men and its sad to see some guys still wearing baggy-gangster jeans (because its hideous) or still getting their mother to pick out their clothes. It's a facts that Women's Fashion is looked upon as the higher priority and superior than Men's in every way. It's also a fact that women and homosexuals dominate the Fashion industry. That's why it'd be awesome for us heterosexual men to represent and begin a movement.

By the way I got selected. Not quite there yet but I can only improve with time right? Opportunities to find deeper qualities within ourselves come when we are being challenged and there is no challenge more challenging than the challenge to improve yourself.

Why Psalm 23?

My very first post - how exciting.
I recently got into an accident and so, I'm stuck at home for six endless weeks recovering. I was dreadfully bored out of my mind but boredom is indeed the mother of creativity. As I was rolling around in my bed I thought of the crafty idea of creating a blog to reminisce and kill time. PSALM XXIII was going to be my secret source of relief, although one day I'd like to make this blog public for others to see. So voilà.
- This is a collection of my thoughts, works & inspirations.


Why Psalm 23? This passage is very dear to my heart and it's also my mother's favorite. The passage is called "A Psalm of David". How ironic. It is said to be the most beautifully written Psalm of all and it truly is a Psalm that calms the soul. There is so much beauty and comfort contained in these words. As you are reading, you can see a glimpse of God's love, care and protection conveyed through the passage. I've made my own translations on the side.

The LORD is my shepherd, (Father)
I have everything I need. (Providence)
He makes me lie down in green pastures, (Comfort)
he leads me beside still waters, (Refreshment) 
he restores my soul. (Healing)
He guides me along the path of righteousness (Guidance)
for his name’s sake. (Purpose)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, (Testing)
I will fear no evil, (Protection)
for you are with me, (Faith)
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Discipline)
You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies. (Hope)
You anoint my head with oil, (Commitment)
my cup overflows. (Abundance)
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, (Blessing)
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD (Security)
forever.. (Eternity)

Beautiful. Can you feel the serenity? Whenever I read it, it takes away all my anxiety and worries - especially at times I feel defeated. We may not realize it, but like the air that we breathe to be refreshed or the gentle breeze that cools us on a scorching summer day, God is always working in our lives even if we cannot see it.