This is all of my Crowson family. Do we look related? Sorry, but I'm just not going to name everyone for you unless you are dying to know us all. :-)
My family: Mom, Tim and Katrina, Dad, Natalie, and me.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Family pictures
This is all of my Crowson family. Do we look related? Sorry, but I'm just not going to name everyone for you unless you are dying to know us all. :-)
My family: Mom, Tim and Katrina, Dad, Natalie, and me.
Surprise!
I succeeded in surprising my entire family by flying home for Christmas on December 16!!! It was certainly the biggest surprise I've ever pulled off, thanks to my sister actually :-) And I don't think I'll be doing it again as it was a huge cause of stress to the point that I think it gave me my first gray hair. I have no problem keeping other people's secrets, but when it comes to my own (and especially if they are fun) I have a hard time.
My sister, Natalie, picked up me up at the airport along with my friend, Joni, and my brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Katrina, who were accidentally leaked the surprise two days before my arrival. My sister drove me to my parents' house and it was really fun to just ring the door bell and watch their reactions. They were very surprised! We then drove to a nearby hotel where my Turnbough relatives were staying, most of whom I'd not seen in nearly three years. I knocked on the door and watched them all go crazy at the sight of me too (although, that could've been because I looked a little scary after the trip). And finally we waited for my grandparents to arrive and they were also shocked. Sunday was the day we surprised the rest of my Crowson relatives when I arrived at church that morning. Since Christmas weekend will find us scattered throughout the country we had our Crowson family Christmas that Sunday, with all of us together for the first time in over four years. Now that's what I call special :-) I'll try to get a picture of us up soon.
Tomorrow my parents, sister, and I will make our way down to Georgia to spend Christmas with my Culpepper family (Mom's side). I haven't seen them since before I went to Japan and I think they will be surprised as well.
I'm starting to feel normal and hope the jet-lag will be gone by this weekend. There's no feeling like jet-lag (that doesn't mean it's good though). I was pretty incoherent the first day...talking about my 'week on the airplane' and hardly able to finish a sentence at all.
I will be in Nashville until January 9 when I return to Japan. So until then I may have very few (or no) entries on my blog, I'm not sure. Everybody needs a vacation, right? I hope you get one too and enjoy Christmas!!
**My apologies to any one of my friends who may find out through this blog that I am in Nashville right now. I hope no one's feelings will be hurt.
My sister, Natalie, picked up me up at the airport along with my friend, Joni, and my brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Katrina, who were accidentally leaked the surprise two days before my arrival. My sister drove me to my parents' house and it was really fun to just ring the door bell and watch their reactions. They were very surprised! We then drove to a nearby hotel where my Turnbough relatives were staying, most of whom I'd not seen in nearly three years. I knocked on the door and watched them all go crazy at the sight of me too (although, that could've been because I looked a little scary after the trip). And finally we waited for my grandparents to arrive and they were also shocked. Sunday was the day we surprised the rest of my Crowson relatives when I arrived at church that morning. Since Christmas weekend will find us scattered throughout the country we had our Crowson family Christmas that Sunday, with all of us together for the first time in over four years. Now that's what I call special :-) I'll try to get a picture of us up soon.
Tomorrow my parents, sister, and I will make our way down to Georgia to spend Christmas with my Culpepper family (Mom's side). I haven't seen them since before I went to Japan and I think they will be surprised as well.
I'm starting to feel normal and hope the jet-lag will be gone by this weekend. There's no feeling like jet-lag (that doesn't mean it's good though). I was pretty incoherent the first day...talking about my 'week on the airplane' and hardly able to finish a sentence at all.
I will be in Nashville until January 9 when I return to Japan. So until then I may have very few (or no) entries on my blog, I'm not sure. Everybody needs a vacation, right? I hope you get one too and enjoy Christmas!!
**My apologies to any one of my friends who may find out through this blog that I am in Nashville right now. I hope no one's feelings will be hurt.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Christmas is in the air
I can't keep up with everything going on this Christmas season, no matter how hard I try. I'm enjoying it but it's definitely busy...
I teach an adult English at Iriso Church on Mondays'. This past Monday we had a spaghetti party for our Christmas celebration. It was all very yummy.
Left to right: Hideki (he's not actually in the class, he and his wife are member's of Iriso Church), Yumi, and Yumie...(yes, their names are different if you look closely). Pastor Kojima is in the class but he was taking the picture.
At the same church, Iriso, I also teach three other classes: two elementary classes and one high school class. These four girls make up my elementary students.
Left to right: top-Shiori, Aiko bottom-Natsumi, Mizuki
Shiori is Haruna's sister, my previous student who is now an exchange student in Canada. These girls are always lots of fun for me. Apparently Mizuki pestered her mother for about 48 hours asking if it was time to go to Bethany's house yet :-) They're so cute! Mizuki and Natsumi enjoyed opening every single drawer, closet, etc. in my apartment to see what kind of mysterious things they might find in a foreigner's place.
Shiori helping with the cooking.
As you can tell from the previous picture, I have next to no counter space so Aiko had to really improvise.
Everyone helped with the cooking and preparations. On the right is Pastor Kojima from Iriso Church.
Christmas cookies! I decided to make sugar cookies to give away to all my students, bad idea...do you know long it takes to roll, cut, cook, and decorate 60 sugar cookies from scratch?! Especially considering that my oven is the size of a regular microwave. Haha! Anyway, I did. Although I eventually gave up the decorating and decided the adults would have to forego the pretty colors.
Well, that's a little bit of what's going on in Japan this time of year. The Gospel Choir Workshop has a heavy agenda coming up as well. December 17th is the mass concert where all the choirs come together, about 200 people. December 18th is a small concert at Iriso Church. December 23rd is a special evening of music at our church, Good News Chapel.
On a personal note I've been enjoying the movie 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Does anyone else love that movie? Cause I've been recently disappointed to hear that some people don't. :-( It has a good message and this year has certainly been making me think. Do I lead the kind of life and exemplify such character that those around me would not hesitate to back me up? Do I understand what life means and am I thankful for every moment? How can one not appreciate such a story? It's a classic!
There's another classic story that is too often overlooked, even among Christians. The birth of Jesus Christ was more real than any Hollywood movie or Santa Claus creation could ever be. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fun of presents and imaginary elves (yes, I'm still a kid probably). But don't you think it's sad that we can make 'Santa radars' (like NORAD has done for years) for someone who does not exist, and practically ignore, or condemn as some do, the actual birth of a real King?
I teach an adult English at Iriso Church on Mondays'. This past Monday we had a spaghetti party for our Christmas celebration. It was all very yummy.
Left to right: Hideki (he's not actually in the class, he and his wife are member's of Iriso Church), Yumi, and Yumie...(yes, their names are different if you look closely). Pastor Kojima is in the class but he was taking the picture.
At the same church, Iriso, I also teach three other classes: two elementary classes and one high school class. These four girls make up my elementary students.
Left to right: top-Shiori, Aiko bottom-Natsumi, Mizuki
Shiori is Haruna's sister, my previous student who is now an exchange student in Canada. These girls are always lots of fun for me. Apparently Mizuki pestered her mother for about 48 hours asking if it was time to go to Bethany's house yet :-) They're so cute! Mizuki and Natsumi enjoyed opening every single drawer, closet, etc. in my apartment to see what kind of mysterious things they might find in a foreigner's place.
Shiori helping with the cooking.
As you can tell from the previous picture, I have next to no counter space so Aiko had to really improvise.
Everyone helped with the cooking and preparations. On the right is Pastor Kojima from Iriso Church.
Christmas cookies! I decided to make sugar cookies to give away to all my students, bad idea...do you know long it takes to roll, cut, cook, and decorate 60 sugar cookies from scratch?! Especially considering that my oven is the size of a regular microwave. Haha! Anyway, I did. Although I eventually gave up the decorating and decided the adults would have to forego the pretty colors.
Well, that's a little bit of what's going on in Japan this time of year. The Gospel Choir Workshop has a heavy agenda coming up as well. December 17th is the mass concert where all the choirs come together, about 200 people. December 18th is a small concert at Iriso Church. December 23rd is a special evening of music at our church, Good News Chapel.
On a personal note I've been enjoying the movie 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Does anyone else love that movie? Cause I've been recently disappointed to hear that some people don't. :-( It has a good message and this year has certainly been making me think. Do I lead the kind of life and exemplify such character that those around me would not hesitate to back me up? Do I understand what life means and am I thankful for every moment? How can one not appreciate such a story? It's a classic!
There's another classic story that is too often overlooked, even among Christians. The birth of Jesus Christ was more real than any Hollywood movie or Santa Claus creation could ever be. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fun of presents and imaginary elves (yes, I'm still a kid probably). But don't you think it's sad that we can make 'Santa radars' (like NORAD has done for years) for someone who does not exist, and practically ignore, or condemn as some do, the actual birth of a real King?
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Gum...yum
Yes, I am sometimes a random person :-) But, I feel the need to say that American gum (the kind you chew) is REALLY good. I never really chewed it all that much when I lived in the States, but when I came to Japan I cut it out altogether and nearly forgot what it was. Although, they do have a kind here that is pure caffeine, and it has been fun on rare occasions. So when Chris and Regina came a couple of weeks ago they had several packs of Orbit's gum that they decided to leave with me. I thought I would never chew it, but I tried a piece while they were here and it is good stuff!!
I may be high-maintenance (haha Ruth!), but it's pretty easy to bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart :-)
PS: this is not a request for everyone I know to send me gum, thank you.
I may be high-maintenance (haha Ruth!), but it's pretty easy to bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart :-)
PS: this is not a request for everyone I know to send me gum, thank you.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Waseda University E-Crew
A small group of missionaries has been eating lunch weekly at Waseda University to take part in an English conversation group called E-Crew ('E' for English, of course). This is something that is organized by the students themselves, with the missionaries providing native English speakers. A few of the students are Believers, but I believe the majority are not.
I came in contact with one of the missionaries who participates several weeks ago and that's how I got involved. This is an open door with tremendous potential for outreach right in my back yard. I've enjoyed so much having this connection with college-aged Japanese people and look forward to going every week. This age group in Japan is a different culture in itself it seems, and unlike high school kids, they have greater freedom in almost every area of their lives.
Who to pray for:
*Shion-he's the guy in the picture who is sitting in the chair across from me. He is a Christian and one of the influential people in the group.
*Yuichiro-in the picture he is standing to the left (your left) of the girl in the Gap sweatshirt. He is the fearless leader, big boss, of E-Crew. Please pray that his heart might be softened and curious about the Gospel.
*Kara Enns-the girl in the Gap shirt. She and her husband, Jeff, moved to Japan about four months ago for work and ministry. Please pray for healthy, quick adjustment to a new culture and lifestyle and for their lives to have a great impact on those they come in contact with.
*Steve Weemes-he's taking the picture. He and his wife are missionaries with OMF (Overseas Missions Fellowship), they've been here for a good long time. Pray for Steve as he helps plan various activities to invite the E-Crew to participate in, and for the Lord to use his relationships with the guys, in particular.
*Everyone else! I can't even begin to remember EVERYONE's names, but you can still pray :-) Pray for good relationships, good conversations and open doors through them, interaction outside of our regular times, and the power and work of the Holy Spirit in all that happens so that the Enemy may have NONE.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Visitors from another planet
Chris, Regina, and Jordan and Jason Wright...ok, they're not from another planet obviously. But, when you've been overseas for over a year sometimes the States can seem like another planet :-) Anyway, the Wrights were here Nov. 22-28 and (I think) they had a wonderful time seeing Tokyo, eating Japanese food, and meeting Japanese people. I was certainly thrilled to have them here. I won't give you a run-down of our entire schedule cause, frankly, you'll survive without it, right? So, let's skip straight to some pictures!!!! YAY, pictures!
Day 1: down in the left-hand corner you can spot Regina, Jordan, and me souvenir shopping in an area called Asakusa. It's a big attraction for tourists and Japanese people alike, known for it's many souvenir shops and one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. It was only moderately crowded that day, believe it or not.
Day 1: we were excited (and lucky) to find this traditional Japanese restaurant in one of the train stations. The food was really good, and I even ate some fish. Jordan and Jason did great and never complained if there was something they didn't like, and they liked a lot of it.
Day 3: I was gone to teach a class one night when the Wrights decided to find a place to eat. They are so much braver than I am! I wish I could tell you in detail about their experience at this restaurant. I'm so thankful I wasn't there, because they ate things that I wouldn't even go near :-)
Day 5: Me and the boys in front of KFC, or 'kentucky', as they say in Japan. They're all about Christmas at KFC right now. Did you know that Americans eat KFC and 'Christmas cake' on Christmas day? Neither did I. :-) It's cute though. I wonder how countries develop their perceptions of other countries.
Last day: We were invited over to my friend Tomiko's for the afternoon. (She's one of my Starbucks friends, for those who are new to the blog) Tomiko and her husband were there, along with their son, Shinichi, their daughter Rieko and her two sons, Hayaki and Yuki. It was fun to watch the four boys try to play together and see Shinichi try to translate or call for help. Laughter is universal.
We had a good time at Tomiko's. I'm really glad we were able to spend time with them. I think it was an important experience for the Wrights and for Tomiko's family. Thank you Chris, Regina, Jordan, and Jason!
It's a miracle Chris doesn't have a concussion after a week in my apartment! He hit his head literally every day.
As my dad would say, 'a good time was had by all'!
Day 1: down in the left-hand corner you can spot Regina, Jordan, and me souvenir shopping in an area called Asakusa. It's a big attraction for tourists and Japanese people alike, known for it's many souvenir shops and one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. It was only moderately crowded that day, believe it or not.
Day 1: we were excited (and lucky) to find this traditional Japanese restaurant in one of the train stations. The food was really good, and I even ate some fish. Jordan and Jason did great and never complained if there was something they didn't like, and they liked a lot of it.
Day 3: I was gone to teach a class one night when the Wrights decided to find a place to eat. They are so much braver than I am! I wish I could tell you in detail about their experience at this restaurant. I'm so thankful I wasn't there, because they ate things that I wouldn't even go near :-)
Day 5: Me and the boys in front of KFC, or 'kentucky', as they say in Japan. They're all about Christmas at KFC right now. Did you know that Americans eat KFC and 'Christmas cake' on Christmas day? Neither did I. :-) It's cute though. I wonder how countries develop their perceptions of other countries.
Last day: We were invited over to my friend Tomiko's for the afternoon. (She's one of my Starbucks friends, for those who are new to the blog) Tomiko and her husband were there, along with their son, Shinichi, their daughter Rieko and her two sons, Hayaki and Yuki. It was fun to watch the four boys try to play together and see Shinichi try to translate or call for help. Laughter is universal.
We had a good time at Tomiko's. I'm really glad we were able to spend time with them. I think it was an important experience for the Wrights and for Tomiko's family. Thank you Chris, Regina, Jordan, and Jason!
It's a miracle Chris doesn't have a concussion after a week in my apartment! He hit his head literally every day.
As my dad would say, 'a good time was had by all'!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Time flies when you`re having fun?
Why do we even bother saying `when things slow down` or `when life gets back to normal`? It never happens!
I had a full, enjoyable week just after CPI conference. I had my English classes as usual and they went well for the most part. Wednesday I made sure I took the day off (after spending the morning cleaning, doing laundry, etc) to relax and go watch a movie. Friday I did something new...
Waseda University in Tokyo has a campus near my house which I visited for the first time last Friday. There are two or three other missionaries who have been eating lunch weekly with some of the students for English conversation, they call it E-crew. It is specifically for English, so there is no Bible study involved, but it`s a great opportunity to break into their world and get to know them, and hopefully to invite them to various activities where they can meet Christians. I`m excited about getting more involved with this group. I do have a picture, but it`s not quite ready.
Saturday was Gospel Music Workshop day. We don`t have very many practices left already and some of us are a little nervous I think :-) We were missing some people this past week and everyone seemed tired. Please be in prayer for the last three practices: we need good attendance, energy, and atmosphere, but more than that we need to stay connected to the Japanese people who are coming. There will be several performances during the Christmas season that we are all looking forward to.
A few hours before last week`s practice my friends, Tomiko and Junko (starbucks), came to my place for cake and coffee. I think I was mostly excited about having someone to cook for!! They are fun ladies and we had a good time. Thank you for praying for them, please continue to do so. Pray for me as well as I look for open doors to speak with them and connect with them on a deeper level.
Yesterday was an early Christmas for me when a large box from my friends Mark and Heather Littlefield arrived! I must`ve looked ridiculously childish when I opened it. What can I say? Maybe I`ll never completely grow up.
This week is buzzing with activity and good times. My friends Chris and Regina Wright and their two sons, Jordan and Jason, (from Chicago) arrive tomorrow night for a six day visit! I will still teach my regular classes, and spend the rest of my time with them :-) I am grateful to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with them, the McDonald family, and Etsuko Asahi (she is from our church), and maybe others?
That`s it for now I think. I hope to have some new pictures up in the next couple of weeks. Thanks to you who read this blog and keep up with me in Japan. If you have questions or things you`d like to see in the blog please let me know, I`d be happy to oblige.
`Happy Thanksgiving, and in case I don`t see ya...Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Best Wishes`
I had a full, enjoyable week just after CPI conference. I had my English classes as usual and they went well for the most part. Wednesday I made sure I took the day off (after spending the morning cleaning, doing laundry, etc) to relax and go watch a movie. Friday I did something new...
Waseda University in Tokyo has a campus near my house which I visited for the first time last Friday. There are two or three other missionaries who have been eating lunch weekly with some of the students for English conversation, they call it E-crew. It is specifically for English, so there is no Bible study involved, but it`s a great opportunity to break into their world and get to know them, and hopefully to invite them to various activities where they can meet Christians. I`m excited about getting more involved with this group. I do have a picture, but it`s not quite ready.
Saturday was Gospel Music Workshop day. We don`t have very many practices left already and some of us are a little nervous I think :-) We were missing some people this past week and everyone seemed tired. Please be in prayer for the last three practices: we need good attendance, energy, and atmosphere, but more than that we need to stay connected to the Japanese people who are coming. There will be several performances during the Christmas season that we are all looking forward to.
A few hours before last week`s practice my friends, Tomiko and Junko (starbucks), came to my place for cake and coffee. I think I was mostly excited about having someone to cook for!! They are fun ladies and we had a good time. Thank you for praying for them, please continue to do so. Pray for me as well as I look for open doors to speak with them and connect with them on a deeper level.
Yesterday was an early Christmas for me when a large box from my friends Mark and Heather Littlefield arrived! I must`ve looked ridiculously childish when I opened it. What can I say? Maybe I`ll never completely grow up.
This week is buzzing with activity and good times. My friends Chris and Regina Wright and their two sons, Jordan and Jason, (from Chicago) arrive tomorrow night for a six day visit! I will still teach my regular classes, and spend the rest of my time with them :-) I am grateful to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with them, the McDonald family, and Etsuko Asahi (she is from our church), and maybe others?
That`s it for now I think. I hope to have some new pictures up in the next couple of weeks. Thanks to you who read this blog and keep up with me in Japan. If you have questions or things you`d like to see in the blog please let me know, I`d be happy to oblige.
`Happy Thanksgiving, and in case I don`t see ya...Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Best Wishes`
Monday, November 14, 2005
I'm back
It's been a busy couple of weeks over here. Last week was the CPI (Church Planting Institute) conference near Mt. Fuji, for all missionaries, tent-makers, Japanese pastors and lay people, and anyone else interested in church-planting in Japan. The conference started on Tuesday and ended Friday at lunch. I definitely benefited and was challenged by Josiah Bancroft, whose seminars were the ones I attended the most. He spoke about Grace, and how grace works itself out in our relationship with God, with our families, with our teams, and then in our world. (Josiah has been a missionary to several areas, including Ireland) I was very encouraged and energized by the people who came from the States to serve in various capacities at the conference. They were great fun to be around. I also had the joy of meeting some new people (to me) who are working in Japan, including 5 french-speaking Europeans! I thoroughly enjoyed speaking French throughout the week and realizing, to my great relief, that I can still sound French.
Before and after the conference our missionaries from Hokkaido came down, some before, some after, for some fun times. When you're from the States living and working in Japan, you take advantage of the times you get to eat American food. So we feasted at Outback Steakhouse, TGIF's, Wendy's, and El Toritos. Yum!
Now it's back to work and classes this week and it's going to be full. I have classes today; Wednesday is always my day off; Thursday I have classes; Friday is yet to be finalized; Saturday my Starbucks ladies (Tomiko and Junko) are coming over for dessert and coffee, after which Tomiko and I will head to the Good News church for the Gospel music workshop. Sunday will be church and who knows what else; next Monday is my longest teaching day; and then next Tuesday the Wright family from my church in Chicago is coming to visit!! As you can maybe see...busy, busy, busy.
When life moves faster than we can humanly keep up with, it's absolutely vital to grab hold of the fact that we are human and in great need of a supernatural, super-energetic, super-organized, super-restful, super-enduring and purposeful God. I hope you can claim that too, as I imagine every one of you is getting busier by the minute with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner. :-) As my friend Chris Wright always tells me....don't forget to have fun!!
Before and after the conference our missionaries from Hokkaido came down, some before, some after, for some fun times. When you're from the States living and working in Japan, you take advantage of the times you get to eat American food. So we feasted at Outback Steakhouse, TGIF's, Wendy's, and El Toritos. Yum!
Now it's back to work and classes this week and it's going to be full. I have classes today; Wednesday is always my day off; Thursday I have classes; Friday is yet to be finalized; Saturday my Starbucks ladies (Tomiko and Junko) are coming over for dessert and coffee, after which Tomiko and I will head to the Good News church for the Gospel music workshop. Sunday will be church and who knows what else; next Monday is my longest teaching day; and then next Tuesday the Wright family from my church in Chicago is coming to visit!! As you can maybe see...busy, busy, busy.
When life moves faster than we can humanly keep up with, it's absolutely vital to grab hold of the fact that we are human and in great need of a supernatural, super-energetic, super-organized, super-restful, super-enduring and purposeful God. I hope you can claim that too, as I imagine every one of you is getting busier by the minute with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner. :-) As my friend Chris Wright always tells me....don't forget to have fun!!
Friday, October 28, 2005
'In the beginning...'
We all know the account of Creation recorded in the book of Genesis. Yet it is somehow easy to overlook the fact that God did indeed speak the heavens, earth, water, sun, moon, sky, land, plants, and animals into existence. As easily as my mind runs through my daily routine, He thought it and spoke it, and it was. The beautiful thing about nature, as opposed to man, is that it has no choice but to point to its Creator. It cannot fail to be proof of an artistic, logical, intelligent, purposeful, amibitious, powerful Designer. Unlike man, nature worships and glorifies its Maker 100% of the time. Certainly this pleases God. He said himself that it was good. Imagine how much more it must please Him if by his own will man enjoys and admires (worships) the Creator in His created world.
Sometimes you just need to get out of the city. This is exactly what I did this past Wednesday, but I wasn't expecting how the Lord would meet me there. "This is my Father's World".
I took a train about 1hr45mn away, yet I was still unbelievably within the Tokyo metropolitan limits! This is near the top of Mt. Mitake, very beautiful time of year. I walked over to the village in this picture; had lunch there; kept on walking and hiked behind what you see here for about 4hr30mn. It was perfect!
For those who want to see some real Japanese food. And it's not sushi! I ate 'nikku soba' for lunch. Nikku just means meat, and soba is a type of noodle common to Japan. It was quite yummy :-)
The cute little souvenir shop/restaurant where I had my lunch break.
A thatched roof house in the completely tiny village in the mountains. I can't remember the last time I saw a thatched roof, but I imagine it was in France.
This is the 2,000 year old Shrine at the top of Mt. Mitake. Can you imagine? Two thousand years ago people were climbing this mountain...going through all that trouble...to pray to nothing. That's a long history of idolatry for Japan.
This is a small part of the very steep and narrow path I went down to reach the waterfalls and rock gardens near the foot of the moutain.
Too bad I don't have my brother or father's photography talent, but it was terrific scenery down there.
Living water? Not quite, but they assured me it was delicious and safe to drink so I did. It was pretty good.
"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!" (words by Malthie D. Babcock)
Sometimes you just need to get out of the city. This is exactly what I did this past Wednesday, but I wasn't expecting how the Lord would meet me there. "This is my Father's World".
I took a train about 1hr45mn away, yet I was still unbelievably within the Tokyo metropolitan limits! This is near the top of Mt. Mitake, very beautiful time of year. I walked over to the village in this picture; had lunch there; kept on walking and hiked behind what you see here for about 4hr30mn. It was perfect!
For those who want to see some real Japanese food. And it's not sushi! I ate 'nikku soba' for lunch. Nikku just means meat, and soba is a type of noodle common to Japan. It was quite yummy :-)
The cute little souvenir shop/restaurant where I had my lunch break.
A thatched roof house in the completely tiny village in the mountains. I can't remember the last time I saw a thatched roof, but I imagine it was in France.
This is the 2,000 year old Shrine at the top of Mt. Mitake. Can you imagine? Two thousand years ago people were climbing this mountain...going through all that trouble...to pray to nothing. That's a long history of idolatry for Japan.
This is a small part of the very steep and narrow path I went down to reach the waterfalls and rock gardens near the foot of the moutain.
Too bad I don't have my brother or father's photography talent, but it was terrific scenery down there.
Living water? Not quite, but they assured me it was delicious and safe to drink so I did. It was pretty good.
"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!" (words by Malthie D. Babcock)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Today's favorite thoughts...
"The church is not a theological classroom. It is a conversion, confession, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness, and sanctification center, where flawed people place their trust in Christ, gather to know and love him better, and learn to love others as he has designed. The church is messy and inefficient, but it is God's wonderful mess--the place where he radically transforms hearts and lives." (by 'church' this author is referring to a body of believers, not a building of any kind) ~Paul David Tripp ("Instrument's in the Redeemer's Hands")
"When a certain set of desires rules our hearts, we reduce our prayers to the menu of human desire." ~Paul David Tripp ("Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands")
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." ~1 Corinthians 13:12
Thankful today that we are called to Christ himself, not to perfection, for He is indeed the perfecter of our faith.
"When a certain set of desires rules our hearts, we reduce our prayers to the menu of human desire." ~Paul David Tripp ("Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands")
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." ~1 Corinthians 13:12
Thankful today that we are called to Christ himself, not to perfection, for He is indeed the perfecter of our faith.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Arts and Music
My friend Tomiko (from Starbucks) is enrolled in a painting class that holds an annual exhibit to display the student`s art for the community. We went to see it a couple of weeks ago and it really was beautiful. It`s good that they weren`t for sale or that would`ve been a temptation to fight.
Left to right: Tomiko, Junko, Mitsue, Rieko (Tomiko`s daughter),and me.
After the exhibit we went out for coffee and tea. On the way home I called Ken Bailey to check on the progress of Mirial Gainer`s back surgery. It turned out to be a good opportunity to give a fresh testimony of the Lord`s faithfulness in answering prayers and giving peace to those who ask.
This was last Saturday at the Gospel Workshop. We had a blast! I`ll be looking forward to the next one in a couple of weeks. We had somewhere around 15-17 people I think, including Tomiko and Rieko.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying from my Starbucks ladies (Tomiko and Junko), whose circle of friends I am always being introduced to, as well as for the Gospel Music Workshop and the impact it can have on the choir members.
Left to right: Tomiko, Junko, Mitsue, Rieko (Tomiko`s daughter),and me.
After the exhibit we went out for coffee and tea. On the way home I called Ken Bailey to check on the progress of Mirial Gainer`s back surgery. It turned out to be a good opportunity to give a fresh testimony of the Lord`s faithfulness in answering prayers and giving peace to those who ask.
This was last Saturday at the Gospel Workshop. We had a blast! I`ll be looking forward to the next one in a couple of weeks. We had somewhere around 15-17 people I think, including Tomiko and Rieko.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying from my Starbucks ladies (Tomiko and Junko), whose circle of friends I am always being introduced to, as well as for the Gospel Music Workshop and the impact it can have on the choir members.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Hangin' out
I was recently back up in Hokkaido for ten days to attend our annual Field Council meeting. All of our career missionaries (and short-termers alike) seemed very positive at the end of the week, for which I am very grateful. May we never say God doesn't answer prayer. We also had the joy of having Robert Morgan (Pastor of Donelson Fellowship Church, and an insightful writer) with us for most of the week. He shared with us in our morning devotion times and spoke a couple of other times as well. It's always refreshing to be on the receiving end of the spiritual feeding when you are so often on the giving end.
I was able to spend a lot of time with my friends up there, both missionaries and Japanese. I couldn't have asked for nicer memories to take with me when I left.
Top: Mika, Hollie, and Kenji Bottom: me, Atsushi. We went to eat one night at our favorite Indian restaurant. If you've never tasted Indian food you're really missin' out!
Top: Atsushi, me, Hollie, and David Snow Bottom: Megan Snow, Mika, Haruka, and Anna Snow.
Atsushi, Mika, and Haruka are Christians so as you remember to, please pray for a continued deepening of their faith and relationship with God. They are among a great minority of believers living in a spiritually blinded nation. David, Anna, and Elizabeth Snow (taking the picture) are siblings, and Megan Snow (along with Daniel, Andrew, Jake, and Noah) are their first cousins. They are of course missionary kids! (love the MK's!!) Please pray for them as well. Being an MK carries with it a load of stresses and interesting experiences that can either benefit you or harm you far into the future. Pray that they will have the ability to adjust and learn well from their backgrounds as they grow up.
Noah, Daniel, and thier mom, Linda Snow. Isn't Noah the cutest? Nathan and Linda Snow have five kids, if you can't think of anything else (and surely you can)...that is reason enough to pray for them :-) They are sweet parents, friends, and missionaries.
I was very excited to be able to attend our association's Hokkaido area women's retreat. I believe this was the best attendance to date with 26 women from seven churches.
I was able to spend a lot of time with my friends up there, both missionaries and Japanese. I couldn't have asked for nicer memories to take with me when I left.
Top: Mika, Hollie, and Kenji Bottom: me, Atsushi. We went to eat one night at our favorite Indian restaurant. If you've never tasted Indian food you're really missin' out!
Top: Atsushi, me, Hollie, and David Snow Bottom: Megan Snow, Mika, Haruka, and Anna Snow.
Atsushi, Mika, and Haruka are Christians so as you remember to, please pray for a continued deepening of their faith and relationship with God. They are among a great minority of believers living in a spiritually blinded nation. David, Anna, and Elizabeth Snow (taking the picture) are siblings, and Megan Snow (along with Daniel, Andrew, Jake, and Noah) are their first cousins. They are of course missionary kids! (love the MK's!!) Please pray for them as well. Being an MK carries with it a load of stresses and interesting experiences that can either benefit you or harm you far into the future. Pray that they will have the ability to adjust and learn well from their backgrounds as they grow up.
Noah, Daniel, and thier mom, Linda Snow. Isn't Noah the cutest? Nathan and Linda Snow have five kids, if you can't think of anything else (and surely you can)...that is reason enough to pray for them :-) They are sweet parents, friends, and missionaries.
I was very excited to be able to attend our association's Hokkaido area women's retreat. I believe this was the best attendance to date with 26 women from seven churches.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Shout out
I know I'm a few days behind but no worries, within the next couple of days I'll have some new pictures and updates for your reading pleasure, or not :-) This entry is not about me though...
I want to send a shout out to my friends David Potete (pastor, Northwest FWB Church, Chicago, IL) and Chris Wright (treasurer, same church). CONGRATULATIONS!! After training for several months, both of these men not only completed the Chicago marathon..they did it in 4hr34mn!!!! Chris got in on last year's marathon two days before the race and finished in less than six hours. For David it was his first marathon. Pretty amazing, isn't it?
They ran for a reason too. So before long I hope to hear how much money was raised to help pay off Northwest Church's mortgage. They're getting close.
(A reliable little birdie told me that Chris Wright has now received an invitation to run in the Boston Marathon...we'll keep the updates coming!)
I want to send a shout out to my friends David Potete (pastor, Northwest FWB Church, Chicago, IL) and Chris Wright (treasurer, same church). CONGRATULATIONS!! After training for several months, both of these men not only completed the Chicago marathon..they did it in 4hr34mn!!!! Chris got in on last year's marathon two days before the race and finished in less than six hours. For David it was his first marathon. Pretty amazing, isn't it?
They ran for a reason too. So before long I hope to hear how much money was raised to help pay off Northwest Church's mortgage. They're getting close.
(A reliable little birdie told me that Chris Wright has now received an invitation to run in the Boston Marathon...we'll keep the updates coming!)
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Strategy
Every year all of our missionaries who are currently in Japan get together for field council, a week of meetings and business, and some fun too. I've been hearing a lot of talk about 'strategy' and I started wondering what the actual definition of that word might be. It's quite interesting:
The New Webster's Desk Reference Dictionary describes strategy as "the science and art of conducting a military campaign in its large-scale and long-term aspects." Encyclopedia Britannica Online says "a coordinated application of all the forces of a nation to achieve a goal...strategy's components include a long-range view, the preparation of resources, and planning for the use of those resources before, during, and after an action."
I appreciated these definitions because we really do find ourselves in a spiritual battle throughout the world. We have an urgent need for wisdom and direction from, and faith in the Ultimate Strategist.
The New Webster's Desk Reference Dictionary describes strategy as "the science and art of conducting a military campaign in its large-scale and long-term aspects." Encyclopedia Britannica Online says "a coordinated application of all the forces of a nation to achieve a goal...strategy's components include a long-range view, the preparation of resources, and planning for the use of those resources before, during, and after an action."
I appreciated these definitions because we really do find ourselves in a spiritual battle throughout the world. We have an urgent need for wisdom and direction from, and faith in the Ultimate Strategist.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Pictures
It's been a while since I've put some pictures on here. These are not all recent though, sorry.
This was a kind of parade that we saw during the neighborhood festival around our church in August.
This is Caroline McDonald (who just turned 5 this week!) with some of the neighborhood kids at that same festival.
Beautiful green rice field in Hokkaido.
Ha, this was a year ago at Universal Studios Japan. I couldn't believe that someone actually made a mural like this! I just had to take a picture in front of it! (By the way, 'do you like sushi' is one of the most commonly asked questions for foreigners in Japan)
This was a kind of parade that we saw during the neighborhood festival around our church in August.
This is Caroline McDonald (who just turned 5 this week!) with some of the neighborhood kids at that same festival.
Beautiful green rice field in Hokkaido.
Ha, this was a year ago at Universal Studios Japan. I couldn't believe that someone actually made a mural like this! I just had to take a picture in front of it! (By the way, 'do you like sushi' is one of the most commonly asked questions for foreigners in Japan)
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
I'm different, but I'm okay with that now
They say there's a first for everything (which is really kind of obvious). June 2001 marked the first time I cried over cheesecake (yes, it's true-home missionary David Potete from Chicago, IL can testify to the whole ordeal). March 2004 was the first (and so far last) time my cousin, Heather, and I ate sushi. April 23, 2004 was the first time I witnessed an ENTIRE airplane of Japanese passengers execute stretching exercises in perfect synchronization. I could go on but I won't. This brings us to Sunday, September 18, 2005.
We had now had three days in a row of temperatures below 90, with the low being around 84! I was having my prayer time on Sunday morning, pouring out thanks to God for a variety of blessings, when I suddenly found myself crying as I profusely thanked Him for the cooler weather. Don't think I've cried over the weather before...but I'm likely to do it again, probably this week!
NEWS: 1) the Good News church is looking for a new location to rent; we have until October 31st to be out of our current facility. There are some options, it's just a matter of making the best decision. Sometimes that's harder than it seems. 2) Gospel Music Workshop, with Ruth McDonald as our director, will kick-off October 1st. We're excited to see what happens. 3) Annual Field Council meeting is Oct. 3-7 in Hokkaido. This is a meeting with all our missionaries currently on the field. I'm excited to see everyone in Hokkaido!! :-)
We had now had three days in a row of temperatures below 90, with the low being around 84! I was having my prayer time on Sunday morning, pouring out thanks to God for a variety of blessings, when I suddenly found myself crying as I profusely thanked Him for the cooler weather. Don't think I've cried over the weather before...but I'm likely to do it again, probably this week!
NEWS: 1) the Good News church is looking for a new location to rent; we have until October 31st to be out of our current facility. There are some options, it's just a matter of making the best decision. Sometimes that's harder than it seems. 2) Gospel Music Workshop, with Ruth McDonald as our director, will kick-off October 1st. We're excited to see what happens. 3) Annual Field Council meeting is Oct. 3-7 in Hokkaido. This is a meeting with all our missionaries currently on the field. I'm excited to see everyone in Hokkaido!! :-)
Monday, September 12, 2005
Home sweet home
I don`t really know what that means, home sweet home, I`ve lived in so many! But anyway, I`m back in my apartment. I have a new tatami floor and new carpet, which smell awful, but that`s not something I`m gonna complain about at this point. It was nice to sleep there again. I felt like I was on vacation, having a grand ole time with the McDonald family...but that`s not my normal life, so it`s nice to get back to the regular things. Too much chaos and unpredictability is not good for one`s emotional health.
There is light at the end of sweltering summer tunnel! Just a couple more weeks, and fall weather should be coming my way. Woohoo!! I can`t wait to use my crock-pot, and not be afraid off melting in the kitchen, drink hot coffee or tea at night, and burn some vanilla candles.
It really is amazing and beautiful to watch the four seasons God created.
There is light at the end of sweltering summer tunnel! Just a couple more weeks, and fall weather should be coming my way. Woohoo!! I can`t wait to use my crock-pot, and not be afraid off melting in the kitchen, drink hot coffee or tea at night, and burn some vanilla candles.
It really is amazing and beautiful to watch the four seasons God created.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Drama
Drama, drama, drama. I've had an interesting, kind of stressful, couple of weeks. So, to top it all off I returned to my apartment late Sunday night to find that my bedroom floor was sopping wet. Thankfully Donnie MacDonald was nearby and was able to help me move furniture and remove the carpet that was covering the tatami floor. (Tatami is a delicate kind of Japanese mat that is used on the floor) It was a big mess, and it turned into a bigger mess yesterday when the real estate agents and other workers began assessing the damage and determining the problem. I'm also really thankful for Mirial Gainer's help here, she took care of everything right away.
My bedroom has a skylight window and it seems that the ventilator fan just below it is the problem. There is air space behind the fan that had been accumulating water with all the typhoons we've had recently. So they'll have to fix that, and my floor as well.
This means that I'm not sleeping at my apartment for the next few days. I'll be house hopping it looks like (thank you to the MacDonald's and Mirial!).
I've read the last verses of Isaiah 40 over and over since Sunday...
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his undersetanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and incresases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." ~Isaiah 40:28-31~
My bedroom has a skylight window and it seems that the ventilator fan just below it is the problem. There is air space behind the fan that had been accumulating water with all the typhoons we've had recently. So they'll have to fix that, and my floor as well.
This means that I'm not sleeping at my apartment for the next few days. I'll be house hopping it looks like (thank you to the MacDonald's and Mirial!).
I've read the last verses of Isaiah 40 over and over since Sunday...
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his undersetanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and incresases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." ~Isaiah 40:28-31~
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Psalm 29
In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina...
"Give honor to the Lord, you angels; give honor to the Lord for his glory and strength. Give honor to the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon's mountains skip like a calf and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull. The voice of the Lord strikes iwth lightnin bolts. The voice of the Lord makes the desert quake; the Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple everyone shouts, 'Glory!'. The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace." ~Psalm 29~ (NLT)
"Give honor to the Lord, you angels; give honor to the Lord for his glory and strength. Give honor to the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon's mountains skip like a calf and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull. The voice of the Lord strikes iwth lightnin bolts. The voice of the Lord makes the desert quake; the Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple everyone shouts, 'Glory!'. The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace." ~Psalm 29~ (NLT)
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Random
What would great men like Paul or John the Baptist...better yet, Jesus himself...answer to the question 'what's your idea of an ideal church-planting strategy?'.
Lessons from a mountain
As I made my way up Mt. Fuji a few weeks ago God gave me a picture of my journey through life. I've been thinking about it today as I wonder about life.
At the beginning of the climb I was so excited and ready to conquer the mountain. Energy, desire, motivation, and will power were all very present. I actually felt the guide was moving way too slow! I sometimes wanted to say: 'see ya dude, I'm outta here, I can move much faster than this'. But in a Japanese tour group that would've been absolutely unheard of, and after some consideration I knew that he held his job for a reason. So I stayed in line and followed.
I found that I impressed myself with my endurance and energy level. I was doing great, until I realized I wasn't all that far from where I started. "No big deal," I thought, "I'm at cloud level now! How cool is that?!". A tiny bit discouraged, but I kept following.
Somewhere along the way I realized that the energy and motivation had run away. At this point it was becoming more work than fun, and I'd rather have fun. I started telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other and not pay attention to those who were whizzing by me. It was frustrating because I couldn't see anything below cloud level. I wanted to see how far I had climbed! But I couldn't, so I just kept following.
Then the darkness came and I had nothing left but will power to keep going. Not only was it hard work, it sometimes became downright scary not being able to see but a few feet in front or behind. I knew my guide was up there somewhere because I could see the fluorescent light on his back-pack. I kept following.
Then all of a sudden the clouds cleared and behind me I could see all the way down to the bright city lights! I stopped in amazement to look around and see where I had come from. Now I was thankful for being blinded by the earlier clouds. Had I been able to see that entire journey I would've been so frightened at the height. Now I felt a little exhiliration, now I was actually getting somewhere. So I gladly kept following.
For a while I thought I was nearing the top so I marched on with renewed enthusiasm. Grateful for my guide's light, and grateful for those clouds rolling in again to blind me from the height. I was sorely disappointed however, when the place I thought to be the top turned out not to be. I couldn`t even see the summit! Yet, at just the right time, the clouds dissipated again to reveal the long road I had already travelled. So I figured, just as I couldn`t always see the details of where I had come from, it might also be best not to see all the details of where I was going, lest it be too scary. I resolved to keep following and enjoy the cool air (a wonderful relief from the Tokyo heat).
Little by little; one step at a time; and following the light from my guide, I finally stood on the summit! And in my mind I thought, `Wow, this is amazing! I made it! This is by far the most exciting thing I have ever done!` As I made that last step my guide was actually there saying (in Japanese), `Congratulations, good work. You did it.` Crossing that finish line was worth all the effort. I had a unique and special view of a breath-taking sunrise.
`I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.` ~Philippians 3:14~
At the beginning of the climb I was so excited and ready to conquer the mountain. Energy, desire, motivation, and will power were all very present. I actually felt the guide was moving way too slow! I sometimes wanted to say: 'see ya dude, I'm outta here, I can move much faster than this'. But in a Japanese tour group that would've been absolutely unheard of, and after some consideration I knew that he held his job for a reason. So I stayed in line and followed.
I found that I impressed myself with my endurance and energy level. I was doing great, until I realized I wasn't all that far from where I started. "No big deal," I thought, "I'm at cloud level now! How cool is that?!". A tiny bit discouraged, but I kept following.
Somewhere along the way I realized that the energy and motivation had run away. At this point it was becoming more work than fun, and I'd rather have fun. I started telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other and not pay attention to those who were whizzing by me. It was frustrating because I couldn't see anything below cloud level. I wanted to see how far I had climbed! But I couldn't, so I just kept following.
Then the darkness came and I had nothing left but will power to keep going. Not only was it hard work, it sometimes became downright scary not being able to see but a few feet in front or behind. I knew my guide was up there somewhere because I could see the fluorescent light on his back-pack. I kept following.
Then all of a sudden the clouds cleared and behind me I could see all the way down to the bright city lights! I stopped in amazement to look around and see where I had come from. Now I was thankful for being blinded by the earlier clouds. Had I been able to see that entire journey I would've been so frightened at the height. Now I felt a little exhiliration, now I was actually getting somewhere. So I gladly kept following.
For a while I thought I was nearing the top so I marched on with renewed enthusiasm. Grateful for my guide's light, and grateful for those clouds rolling in again to blind me from the height. I was sorely disappointed however, when the place I thought to be the top turned out not to be. I couldn`t even see the summit! Yet, at just the right time, the clouds dissipated again to reveal the long road I had already travelled. So I figured, just as I couldn`t always see the details of where I had come from, it might also be best not to see all the details of where I was going, lest it be too scary. I resolved to keep following and enjoy the cool air (a wonderful relief from the Tokyo heat).
Little by little; one step at a time; and following the light from my guide, I finally stood on the summit! And in my mind I thought, `Wow, this is amazing! I made it! This is by far the most exciting thing I have ever done!` As I made that last step my guide was actually there saying (in Japanese), `Congratulations, good work. You did it.` Crossing that finish line was worth all the effort. I had a unique and special view of a breath-taking sunrise.
`I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.` ~Philippians 3:14~
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Back to School
Why is it always hard to get back into the routine of classes once you`ve been on vacation? It`s just one of those `yuck` feelings if you ask me, even if I am a missionary :-)
What else have I been up to since Natalie and Hollie left? I had lunch with one of my Starbucks friends again, Tomiko. This time her daughter and two grandsons, and another lady and her son were all there as well. We had a really good time, and in true Japanese fashion they sent me home with enough food to last me a week. I hung out with Noriko on Friday night, lots of fun. Spent some time with the MacDonald family over the weekend, more fun. Was pretty sick Saturday night and some on Sunday, not so much fun. MIGHT get to make a trip to Costco on Friday, always fun!
That`s it for now though. Life is fairly calm I suppose.
Oh, I`ve received a couple of emails from Haruna. She loves Ohio and has made several new friends. She`s even visited Niagara Falls and she`s looking forward to arriving in Canada. No mention of church or anything related though. Please continue praying for her.
What else have I been up to since Natalie and Hollie left? I had lunch with one of my Starbucks friends again, Tomiko. This time her daughter and two grandsons, and another lady and her son were all there as well. We had a really good time, and in true Japanese fashion they sent me home with enough food to last me a week. I hung out with Noriko on Friday night, lots of fun. Spent some time with the MacDonald family over the weekend, more fun. Was pretty sick Saturday night and some on Sunday, not so much fun. MIGHT get to make a trip to Costco on Friday, always fun!
That`s it for now though. Life is fairly calm I suppose.
Oh, I`ve received a couple of emails from Haruna. She loves Ohio and has made several new friends. She`s even visited Niagara Falls and she`s looking forward to arriving in Canada. No mention of church or anything related though. Please continue praying for her.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
MT. FUJI!
Ok, so we left my house at 6am on Monday morning, met up with our tour group, left Tokyo on a bus and arrived at station 5 of Mt. Fuji around lunch time. There are either 8 or 9 stations on the way to the top, the vast majority of people start climbing from station 5 though. From station 5 to the summit is 6.3 kilometers, which is somewhere around 4.5 miles I think (I'm not good at math). Station 5 is at 2,305 meters above sea level; the summit is at 3,776 meters (or 12,836 feet).
It took us 9 hours to reach the summit, which unfortunately is longer than normal. But we were in a group of 42 people, including children and some elderly people, so I guess it couldn't be helped. Hollie and I are positive we could've done it quicker than that on our own, but we're glad we went in a group since we were novices. It was such a challenge! I never imagined how rocky and steep it would actually get, or how unattractive the mountain is. We did surprisingly well with the air pressure change as we climbed. The higher we got I noticed that it made me a little dizzy sometimes (definitely not a good thing on those rocks!).
It was humorous to us being the only three foreigners in a group of 42 :-) Life is never mundane here. We stayed a few hours at a lodge on the 8th station to sleep and eat a little. I wish I had more pictures of our accomodations for you! 42 people slept in a space about as big as my parents living room. The set-up was kind of like bunk-beds, except very hard ones since we are in Japan. You were sleeping next to strangers in a very tight space, so making yourself comfortable was a little difficult.
It was extremely crowded so when we neared the summit you could look behind and see a trail of flashlights reaching behind you. We had a great view of the surrounding city lights at night. When we finally reached the top I'd say there were several hundred people waiting for the sunrise. It finally came through and it was absolutely beautiful. I would've loved to stay up there all alone for a few hours.
The descent, believe it or not, was the most difficult part. The trails were nothing but steep, slippery rock and gravel and it took a lot of effort to stay on your feet. You definitely didn't want to venture too near the edge either. As we went lower the view got even more amazing. It took us 4 hours to get back to station 5. We had a good time climbing, but we were thrilled to be finished and get cleaned up.
Now for some pictures:
Natalie, me, Hollie near the beginning of our journey. We look a little more tired in the pictures once we reach the summit :-)
The picture can't really capture it, but maybe you can see some of what we climbed.
Natalie and Hollie forging ahead.
Natalie and me in the clouds.
Our 'we made it' picture.
Obviously, the sunrise.
Natalie, Hollie, our guide, and me. (Can you imagine having his job? No thanks.)
Don't be deceived by the picture...the descent was hard!
That's Mt. Fuji in a nutshell. We're definitely glad we had the experience. It was totally worth the effort!
It took us 9 hours to reach the summit, which unfortunately is longer than normal. But we were in a group of 42 people, including children and some elderly people, so I guess it couldn't be helped. Hollie and I are positive we could've done it quicker than that on our own, but we're glad we went in a group since we were novices. It was such a challenge! I never imagined how rocky and steep it would actually get, or how unattractive the mountain is. We did surprisingly well with the air pressure change as we climbed. The higher we got I noticed that it made me a little dizzy sometimes (definitely not a good thing on those rocks!).
It was humorous to us being the only three foreigners in a group of 42 :-) Life is never mundane here. We stayed a few hours at a lodge on the 8th station to sleep and eat a little. I wish I had more pictures of our accomodations for you! 42 people slept in a space about as big as my parents living room. The set-up was kind of like bunk-beds, except very hard ones since we are in Japan. You were sleeping next to strangers in a very tight space, so making yourself comfortable was a little difficult.
It was extremely crowded so when we neared the summit you could look behind and see a trail of flashlights reaching behind you. We had a great view of the surrounding city lights at night. When we finally reached the top I'd say there were several hundred people waiting for the sunrise. It finally came through and it was absolutely beautiful. I would've loved to stay up there all alone for a few hours.
The descent, believe it or not, was the most difficult part. The trails were nothing but steep, slippery rock and gravel and it took a lot of effort to stay on your feet. You definitely didn't want to venture too near the edge either. As we went lower the view got even more amazing. It took us 4 hours to get back to station 5. We had a good time climbing, but we were thrilled to be finished and get cleaned up.
Now for some pictures:
Natalie, me, Hollie near the beginning of our journey. We look a little more tired in the pictures once we reach the summit :-)
The picture can't really capture it, but maybe you can see some of what we climbed.
Natalie and Hollie forging ahead.
Natalie and me in the clouds.
Our 'we made it' picture.
Obviously, the sunrise.
Natalie, Hollie, our guide, and me. (Can you imagine having his job? No thanks.)
Don't be deceived by the picture...the descent was hard!
That's Mt. Fuji in a nutshell. We're definitely glad we had the experience. It was totally worth the effort!
Friends
Before I share my Mt. Fuji pictures I want to show you some of my friends here. I've mentioned Noriko on here several times already but have never had a picture of her. I finally got one while my sister and Hollie (Hubbard) were here visiting. Noriko and her mom, Naomi, showed us a great souvenir shop and had coffee with us. They're wonderfully sweet ladies!
Me, Noriko, and Naomi
98% of you have heard a whole lot about Mika. She is up in Hokkaido of course but I still keep in regular contact with her. I miss her quite a lot. She was in the Tokyo area for a few days visiting her boyfriend, Kenta, so we all had dinner together. This was the first time Hollie and I had ever met Kenta (who is not a believer). We had a great time and were very proud to see Mika initiate prayer before our meal. Continue praying for her of course.
Me, Hollie, Natalie, Mika, and Kenta
Me, Noriko, and Naomi
98% of you have heard a whole lot about Mika. She is up in Hokkaido of course but I still keep in regular contact with her. I miss her quite a lot. She was in the Tokyo area for a few days visiting her boyfriend, Kenta, so we all had dinner together. This was the first time Hollie and I had ever met Kenta (who is not a believer). We had a great time and were very proud to see Mika initiate prayer before our meal. Continue praying for her of course.
Me, Hollie, Natalie, Mika, and Kenta
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
It's coming
I've had some emails asking about Mt. Fuji pictures. They're coming soon :-) I'll have it all updated on here before long I hope. I'll have some other pictures as well of Natalie and Hollie's visit. We've had a great time and it will be really sad for me to see them go.
In the meantime, here's one picture for you:
Natalie, me, and Hollie before we started climbing. We still felt energetic!
In the meantime, here's one picture for you:
Natalie, me, and Hollie before we started climbing. We still felt energetic!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Twenty-six years
'My cup overflows with blessings.'
I listened today as my friend Tomiko told my life story to her son and I thought 'wow, that's a fun life!'. I've seen my own troubles and felt plenty of heartache, but the great things far outweigh the not-so-great. Bear with me as I get a little nostalgic and remember the countless blessings God's given me along the way...
My birth certificate clearly says Ferkessedougou, Ivory Coast, West Africa. Yet I spent 95% of my formative years running around as a seemingly true French person. But I am indeed American according to my passport and part of my heart. I've seen the beauty of the Alpes; tasted authentic Belgian waffles; seen Holland in Tulip season; visited the home of Corrie Ten Boom; eaten bratwurst sausage on a rainy day in Germany; breathed the clean air of Geneva, Switzerland; walked the halls of castles like Versailles (and so many others) previously inhabited by Kings, Queens, Dukes, and Duchesses; seen Franco's grave in Spain; witnessed more than enough bull fights and runs; played a game called 'red rover' on the rock of Gibraltar; walked down the Champs Elysees at Christmas time; eaten some not so delicious food while sitting next to Big Ben; seen the history of the Roman bath in Bath, England; witnessed the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace; seen U2 in concert!; walked the grounds of Oxford University; got my ears pierced in Spain; walked along the beaches of Normandy and felt the eeriness left by graves and empty German bunkers; spent some time in the emergency room of a hospital on Jersey Island (between France and England); walked the streets of beautiful cobblestone roads in Brittany; eaten the best smelly cheese in the world!; I've been lost in Spanish mountains with siblings and cousins for four hours and lived to tell about it; I've ridden down the crookedest road in San Francisco; eaten the best cheesecake, pizza, and hot dogs in the world in Chicago; lived in Nashvegas, music capital of the south; eaten the best fried okra you could ever eat cooked by my Granny; survived a scary incident involving a frozen lake that proved to be not quite frozen; walked along the Plaza Mayor in Madrid; been to zoos in three different countries; lived on four continents; seen a Penguin parade in northern Japan; snowboarded down an Olympic mountain in Japan (graceful or not, I made it); walked my way through a sunflower maze; seen the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan, Sea of Ohotsk, Meditarranean Ocean, the English Channel, and probably some other body of water I'm forgetting; been to Disneyland Japan and Universal Studios Japan; stepped in century old Shrines and Temples where the effects of Satan can still be felt; spent time in the country and yet also lived in a city of 29 million people; drove three hours from Nashville to Knoxville with my eyes dialated just to see a basketball game; learned a few languages; made friends around the globe; made countless special memories with family and friends; sat in worship services on a Sunday morning in six different countries; and I'm about to climb Mt. Fuji, one of the world's most famous mountains; and the list goes on and on and on...as if that weren't already long enough, huh?
All that in only twenty-six years! I am sitting here with a smile stretching from ear to ear, in total amazement at the places God's showed me and the experiences He's allowed me to have. Not even allowed me to have....WANTED me to have. And all the sad and heart-wrenching experiences were part of His plan too, and trust me, there've been plenty. But God is good ALL THE TIME, and ALL THE TIME God is good.
I've shared with you so many of my blessings, but those are mine. I am so grateful that God is personal, and individual when it comes to His children. He's given YOU your own blessings and experiences! You've done things and been places and eaten things I've never dreamed of! Take some time to 'count your blessings one by one'. You might find that once you start, you can't stop.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." ~Psalm 136:1
I listened today as my friend Tomiko told my life story to her son and I thought 'wow, that's a fun life!'. I've seen my own troubles and felt plenty of heartache, but the great things far outweigh the not-so-great. Bear with me as I get a little nostalgic and remember the countless blessings God's given me along the way...
My birth certificate clearly says Ferkessedougou, Ivory Coast, West Africa. Yet I spent 95% of my formative years running around as a seemingly true French person. But I am indeed American according to my passport and part of my heart. I've seen the beauty of the Alpes; tasted authentic Belgian waffles; seen Holland in Tulip season; visited the home of Corrie Ten Boom; eaten bratwurst sausage on a rainy day in Germany; breathed the clean air of Geneva, Switzerland; walked the halls of castles like Versailles (and so many others) previously inhabited by Kings, Queens, Dukes, and Duchesses; seen Franco's grave in Spain; witnessed more than enough bull fights and runs; played a game called 'red rover' on the rock of Gibraltar; walked down the Champs Elysees at Christmas time; eaten some not so delicious food while sitting next to Big Ben; seen the history of the Roman bath in Bath, England; witnessed the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace; seen U2 in concert!; walked the grounds of Oxford University; got my ears pierced in Spain; walked along the beaches of Normandy and felt the eeriness left by graves and empty German bunkers; spent some time in the emergency room of a hospital on Jersey Island (between France and England); walked the streets of beautiful cobblestone roads in Brittany; eaten the best smelly cheese in the world!; I've been lost in Spanish mountains with siblings and cousins for four hours and lived to tell about it; I've ridden down the crookedest road in San Francisco; eaten the best cheesecake, pizza, and hot dogs in the world in Chicago; lived in Nashvegas, music capital of the south; eaten the best fried okra you could ever eat cooked by my Granny; survived a scary incident involving a frozen lake that proved to be not quite frozen; walked along the Plaza Mayor in Madrid; been to zoos in three different countries; lived on four continents; seen a Penguin parade in northern Japan; snowboarded down an Olympic mountain in Japan (graceful or not, I made it); walked my way through a sunflower maze; seen the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan, Sea of Ohotsk, Meditarranean Ocean, the English Channel, and probably some other body of water I'm forgetting; been to Disneyland Japan and Universal Studios Japan; stepped in century old Shrines and Temples where the effects of Satan can still be felt; spent time in the country and yet also lived in a city of 29 million people; drove three hours from Nashville to Knoxville with my eyes dialated just to see a basketball game; learned a few languages; made friends around the globe; made countless special memories with family and friends; sat in worship services on a Sunday morning in six different countries; and I'm about to climb Mt. Fuji, one of the world's most famous mountains; and the list goes on and on and on...as if that weren't already long enough, huh?
All that in only twenty-six years! I am sitting here with a smile stretching from ear to ear, in total amazement at the places God's showed me and the experiences He's allowed me to have. Not even allowed me to have....WANTED me to have. And all the sad and heart-wrenching experiences were part of His plan too, and trust me, there've been plenty. But God is good ALL THE TIME, and ALL THE TIME God is good.
I've shared with you so many of my blessings, but those are mine. I am so grateful that God is personal, and individual when it comes to His children. He's given YOU your own blessings and experiences! You've done things and been places and eaten things I've never dreamed of! Take some time to 'count your blessings one by one'. You might find that once you start, you can't stop.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." ~Psalm 136:1
Starbucks friends
Most of you know how much I love Starbucks, and coming to Japan hasn't changed that a bit. It's a great place for me to temporarily escape the demands of life. It's also proven to be a good place to meet people. A couple of months ago I was reading when these two sweet looking ladies came and sat at the table next to me. I might not have noticed them except that they were obviously watching me with huge smiles on their faces. So I smiled back and said hello, and the story goes from there I suppose. We enjoyed an hour long visit and made plans to get together again. Since then Junko and Tomiko have taken me out for Italian food and invited me into their homes.
I've just returned this afternoon from having a delicious lunch with them at Tomiko's house. They asked if I like music, to which I replied 'of course!', and the next thing I knew we were listening to an entire CD of gospel music and classic hymns! Songs like "Amazing Grace", "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and the "Doxology". I was sitting there trying to take it all in...think of it...a follower of Christ come to Japan for reasons beyond even her own understanding, doing such a normal thing as eating lunch, with two ladies who have never heard the message of Christ, and He was there. And they hadn't a clue, yet.
Top row: Tomiko and Junko. Bottom row: Ryou and myself.
Ryou is Tomiko's nephew and he is hilarious! He's only six years old but I think he should be a comedian on tv someday. You're not gonna believe this...he tape recorded the entire time (about 4 hours) just so he could hear me talk later!
I've just returned this afternoon from having a delicious lunch with them at Tomiko's house. They asked if I like music, to which I replied 'of course!', and the next thing I knew we were listening to an entire CD of gospel music and classic hymns! Songs like "Amazing Grace", "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and the "Doxology". I was sitting there trying to take it all in...think of it...a follower of Christ come to Japan for reasons beyond even her own understanding, doing such a normal thing as eating lunch, with two ladies who have never heard the message of Christ, and He was there. And they hadn't a clue, yet.
Top row: Tomiko and Junko. Bottom row: Ryou and myself.
Ryou is Tomiko's nephew and he is hilarious! He's only six years old but I think he should be a comedian on tv someday. You're not gonna believe this...he tape recorded the entire time (about 4 hours) just so he could hear me talk later!
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Completely random word! Thank you Mary Poppins.
Memo to all North Americans (especially those of you from the southern United States)...should you ever find yourself in Japan and in need of something from 'back home', run to your nearest KFC restaurant. KFC is probably the only place in Japan where you can hear true blue country music. It's an odd feeling to leave the streets of Japan and enter a semi-western world of fast-food and good 'ole boys and girls singin' about their lost loves and a tractor. Yeehaw.
P.S: we had another earthquake today! I was actually standing in my kitchen for this one and it made me kind of dizzy. They're kind of exciting (unless they don't stop).
Memo to all North Americans (especially those of you from the southern United States)...should you ever find yourself in Japan and in need of something from 'back home', run to your nearest KFC restaurant. KFC is probably the only place in Japan where you can hear true blue country music. It's an odd feeling to leave the streets of Japan and enter a semi-western world of fast-food and good 'ole boys and girls singin' about their lost loves and a tractor. Yeehaw.
P.S: we had another earthquake today! I was actually standing in my kitchen for this one and it made me kind of dizzy. They're kind of exciting (unless they don't stop).
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Haruna
Yesterday I helped Haruna shop for gifts to take to people she will meet in Canada. We had a nice time and even ate some donuts :-)
(By the way, the 'r' in Japanese sounds like a mix between and 'l' and 'd', a little closer to 'l', for future reference).
I have been praying that the Lord would bring Christian people into Haruna's life while she's overseas, and specifically that her host families would be. Today Haruna told me she just found out that her host family in Ohio (she will be there for one month meeting other students before heading up to Canada) are Christians!! Her host mother is the church secretary at the church where she and about twenty other foreign exchange students will be studying and preparing for this next year!! Praise the Lord once again for answered prayer and God's perfect plan!!! (I love exclamation marks...yes, I admit it) Haruna is looking forward to taking her new bilingual Bible with her as well. God is working and creating something new in this precious girl. With His power it's only a matter of time.
(By the way, the 'r' in Japanese sounds like a mix between and 'l' and 'd', a little closer to 'l', for future reference).
I have been praying that the Lord would bring Christian people into Haruna's life while she's overseas, and specifically that her host families would be. Today Haruna told me she just found out that her host family in Ohio (she will be there for one month meeting other students before heading up to Canada) are Christians!! Her host mother is the church secretary at the church where she and about twenty other foreign exchange students will be studying and preparing for this next year!! Praise the Lord once again for answered prayer and God's perfect plan!!! (I love exclamation marks...yes, I admit it) Haruna is looking forward to taking her new bilingual Bible with her as well. God is working and creating something new in this precious girl. With His power it's only a matter of time.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
'Treasure of Jesus'
A song written by Steven Curtis Chapman that's been on my mind lately...(based on Matthew 6:21, 13:44, and Philippians 3:7-9)
'What can I do, how can I live
To show my world the treasure of Jesus
What will it take, what could I give
So they can know the treasure He is
If I can sing, let my songs be full of His glory
If I can speak, let my words be full of His grace
And if I should live or die
Let me be found pursuing this prize
The One that alone satisfies
The treasure of Jesus'
'What can I do, how can I live
To show my world the treasure of Jesus
What will it take, what could I give
So they can know the treasure He is
If I can sing, let my songs be full of His glory
If I can speak, let my words be full of His grace
And if I should live or die
Let me be found pursuing this prize
The One that alone satisfies
The treasure of Jesus'
Monday, July 25, 2005
Fireworks
This evening marked the last outing that Haruna, Maichi, Katie MacDonald, Pastor Kojima and myself would have together for a long time, maybe forever. We went to a yakiniku buffet restaurant for dinner. This is where you pick your own meat, veggies, sea creatures, etc. (all raw) and cook them yourself at your table. It's quite yummy!
Haruna, Maichi, Katie, and me at the restaurant.
After dinner we had decided to do some fireworks because Maichi loves them so much. Pastor Kojima had the idea to go next to a river for this excursion. When we arrived at the place where the river should've been we found nothing but muddy over-grown weeds and plants. So we opted for the neighboring softball/soccer field (which is what the sign on this picture indicates).
Haha! Right as the picture was about to be taken my sparkler died and I screamed! Not sure why I screamed, but I did ;-)
Me and Haruna :-)
Me and the girls. You can actually see all of our fireworks, we worked really hard on that!
(Seven days until my sister arrives in Japan for a ten day visit!!!!!!)
Haruna, Maichi, Katie, and me at the restaurant.
After dinner we had decided to do some fireworks because Maichi loves them so much. Pastor Kojima had the idea to go next to a river for this excursion. When we arrived at the place where the river should've been we found nothing but muddy over-grown weeds and plants. So we opted for the neighboring softball/soccer field (which is what the sign on this picture indicates).
Haha! Right as the picture was about to be taken my sparkler died and I screamed! Not sure why I screamed, but I did ;-)
Me and Haruna :-)
Me and the girls. You can actually see all of our fireworks, we worked really hard on that!
(Seven days until my sister arrives in Japan for a ten day visit!!!!!!)
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