A Sign To Them (posted with permission)

Where is the line drawn? What is the point that cannot be passed? The thing that will not be relinquished, the pleasure that is too desirous, the one last possession that will be kept no matter what? What is this for me? What remains to be stripped away? And why must it be stripped away? How can You ask this of me?

What is the thing that keeps us from greatness? Not the small earthly greatness of fame and fortune, but the eternal weight of glory that God prepares for us. Because what keeps us from this true greatness is so hard. Not our circumstances, not our commitment, not our knowledge of the holy, not even our relationship (to certain extent, stay with this) will determine how far God will use us.

We so often focus on the stories of where God tests and uses someone that end up with happy endings. Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Job. All of them walked through the fire, in some sense lost everything. But they saw the end result, they gained a better thing than what they lost. They had a happy ending. And we love these stories. We teach them to our kids. Because a life abandoned to God will ultimately be blessed here on this earth, right? No matter how great the hurt we are to walk through, no matter how much God demands of us, as long as we are obedient, we will have everything work out in the end. There WILL be a ram in the bush, a second to Pharaoh position, a sealed lion's mouth, a restored health and family. God wouldn't ask for something that He didn't intend to give back, right? All things work together for good, right?

I read a story that I was not taught as a child, that I never heard as a teen, that wasn't mentioned in our 'deep' college Bible studies. It's in Ezekiel. Yes, I know it is an obscure, nearly impenetrable book at times, usually reserved for the end times nuts. But in overlooking it we miss some amazing things. I'm not saying it should replace John, but it should be looked at during some point in the life of a Christian.

Because Ezekiel found out exactly what following God would require. He found out exactly what God would let him keep. Look through the first 20 or so chapters. Ezekiel loses his homeland, his cleanness (?), his dignity, his hair, his pride, and by all accounts, nearly his sanity. But more was to be required. See, the whole focus of the book of Ezekiel is that the people would again know that Yahweh is God. They had forgotten, they had ignored, they had horribly sinned, and no longer acknowledged Him as who He is. But Ezekiel was appointed to be the change. And he found out what it is that God will not ask of us:

Chapter 22, vs.15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 "Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. 17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover the lower part of your face or eat the customary food of mourners ." 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.

This is too hard; this is not fair. To have his wife, whom he loved so much, taken away from him in a day is not right. And then to be forbidden to grieve... How can God, who loves us, do this? How does this work to Ezekiel's good? We frantically read ahead, we look for the restoration, we look for the reward Ezekiel gets for this unbelievable suffering that he walks through...But it is not there. No tidy wrap up at the end like Job, no family reunion like Joseph. No, this one is hard. Because the why, the reason, the reward, is found twice in the next few verses.

24 Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.' ... 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD."

Did you see it? This is the calling of Ezekiel. This is the road that he walked. To have as our highest and only goal to be a Sign for those who do not know, to those who need to remember. To be a sign for them is what God has called us to as well, and let us get this straight. There is nothing that He will not ask us to give up to accomplish this task; there is no sin so clinging, no position so secure, no love so dear, that it should not be asked from us if God so wills. And here we come to crux of the matter. Is this calling worth it? Because there is nothing that God will not ask from us to make us into the sign that He wants us to be. The 'all things for good' promise is eternal, not temporal. The Jobs and Josephs don't always happen.

But the calling is there. The weight of glory is there. The road to it may be hard beyond what we think we can endure. But here is the one chance to rise, to change the world, to truly be the person that stands in the gap on behalf of a nation. To see the incomprehensible magnificence that is the glorious presence of God. Ezekiel did all this. He was a living sign to them, to those that had forgotten. God will be known as who He is. Will we be faithful, fearful, reckless enough to be the sign?

Written by Josh Hipps, June 2006

For more insight into Scripture like this, click here.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

~ 1 Corinthians 15:57

"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

~ 1 Peter 5:10

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."

~ Psalm 68:19

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it."

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

~ James 1:2-3

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and goodness."

~ 2 Peter 1:3

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."

~ Psalm 126:5-6

"Cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

~ 1 Peter 5:7

"For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God."

~ 1 Peter 2:19

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

~ Romans 8:26-27

"Yet not my will, but Yours be done."

~ Luke 22:42

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

~ Romans 12:14

"We put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ."

~ 1 Corinthians 9:12

"Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

~ Romans 13:14

"It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ."

~ 2 Corinthians 1:21

"God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."

~ Romans 4:17

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

~ 2 Timothy 1:7

"I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

~ Acts 20:24

"Everything that does not come from faith is sin."

~ Romans 14:23

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

~ John 12:24

"I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."

~ 1 Corinthians 10:33

"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."

~ 2 Timothy 2:10

"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."

~ 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

"But because You say so, I will"

~ Luke 5:5

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son."
~ Romans 8:28-29

Romans 8:18-39

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (v 18)

"Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (v 24-25)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son . . ." (v 28-29)

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (v 31-32)

"Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (v 34)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we face death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'" (v 35-36)

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (v 37)

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (v 38-39)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross."

~ Hebrews 12:2

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

~ Matthew 11:28

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as athe world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

~ John 14:27

"Fix your thoughts on Jesus."

~ Hebrews 3:1

The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come
And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

I will live to love You
I will live to bring You praise
I will live a child in awe of You

You are the voice that called the universe to be
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all
You alone are worthy, Lord
And with all I am my soul will bless Your name

Hillsong United - Till I See You

"I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die [to myself] in [Japan] for the name of the Lord Jesus . . . The Lord's will be done."

~ Acts 21:13-14

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free."

~ Ephesians 6:7-8

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible."

~ 1 Corinthians 9:19

"We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body . . . Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though we are outwardly wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

~ 2 Corinthians 4:10-11,16-18

"He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."

~ 1 Corinthians 1:8-9

This Week in Tokyo

Monday, August 18 - 私のお財布を落としました！
Today my friend Shinya taught me the above sentence.
In hiragana it reads: わたし　の　おさいふ　を　おとしました
English translation - I dropped my wallet.

Simple phrase, right? And not a big deal unless you're living in Japan and you dropped it in the subway station between the train and the platform right into a pool of water beside the tracks - as did I this Monday. True story. Amy, Debbie and I were at Onarimon subway station on our way home. Our train pulled up, people got off, Amy got on, I stepped one foot onto the train and then noticed the weight in my hand had suddenly become lighter and the wallet I had been holding was no longer attached to the zipper and cute monkey cellphone charm still in my hand. As my gaze followed my wallet down into the inauspicious black space between the train and the platform, Debbie gasped causing Amy to turn around and notice we were not following her onto the train. When she too realized the situation at hand, she quickly got off the train and the three of us just stood there as the train doors closed waiting for the train to pull away so something could be done.

Many stations in Japan do not have protective railings to keep people from falling, jumping or being pushed onto the tracks, but of course this station happened to be a little more safety-conscious and as a result we could not just jump down and retrieve the wallet ourselves. The railing itself was not enough to keep us back - Amy tried leaning over the railing only to set off an alarm. It became evident we could not handle this quickly or without the help of a station master, so we walked the length of the platform looking for a uniformed train employee only to find there were none currently on the platform. I went up one exit and there was no one. Tried another exit - still no one (why all exits are not connected to the other exits is beyond me). We finally located the train master's station and managed to get the employee resting on a couch in the back to come with us to the spot on the platform where Debbie had once seen my wallet floating in the water but was no longer visible. The next train was approaching so we had to wait for it to make its stop and move on before the train master could do his job. When the train had cleared the station, the train master used his special key to unlock the railing's sliding doors. As he jumped down onto the tracks, Amy, Debbie and I (along with a few other curious commuters) leaned over the side trying to guide his efforts at sticking his hand in the dark, murky water in attempts of recovering my drowned wallet. The wallet had either drifted back in the water's current or been pushed back from it's original dropping point by the wind of the train, and eventually the train master did recover my thoroughly soaked wallet. He handed me back my wallet, locked the sliding doors, and then stayed with us until the next train arrived, we boarded, and departed from the station (it was almost as though he wanted to make sure I didn't drop it again which was only slightly insulting). It was my first time going through the procedure of retrieving items dropped onto the tacks and made for quite an exciting 15 minutes (thanks for tracking with me even if it seemed less than thrilling to you).

As with all of life's circumstances, I learned a few things from this experience:
1. Don't hold your wallet by a cellphone charm attached to a zipper - the zipper may break
2. For some reason water runs along the sides of the train tracks - and it's anything but clean
3. How to say "I dropped my wallet" in Japanese - わたしのおさいふをおとしました (watashi no osaifu o otoshimashita)


Wednesday, August 20 - Wild Monkey Loose in Shibuya Station
Ever seen a wild monkey running through a busy train station? Ever seen the mass chaos that ensues? Interested in seeing it? Check out this video of an actual wild monkey chase that occurred at Shibuya Station just 15 minutes from my apartment.



Friday, August 22 - Jarod Passed!!!
Friday was a monumental day in the life of Jarod Juriga whom I recently wrote a blog about. After 4 unsuccessful attempts to obtain his Japanese driver's license, Jarod found try #5 to be the lucky one. He was denied the first four times for inconsequential reasons such as waiting less than 3 seconds after signaling to change lanes, chewing gum, then waiting too long (4 seconds) to change lanes after signaling. Although the Japanese man administering the test this time around was the same who had denied him on 3 of the previous attempts, Jarod somehow found favor with the man this special Friday. What was the trick? According to Jarod, apologizing incessantly is all it takes. As the test administrator reviewed his errors, Jarod bowed and apologized profusely for each mistake causing the administrator to feel sorry for and console him telling Jarod it was ok. In the end, Jarod walked away victorious with his new Japanese driver's license in hand. Congratulations, Jarod! We're all so proud of you!

Long Overdue

Busy doesn't even begin to describe this summer. A group from my college ministry Prince Avenue Baptist Church came in mid-May and from then until the beginning of August is was a continuous flow of volunteer teams. Throughout May, June and July we had over 400 interns and volunteers come through our Free Greater Tokyo summer project staying anywhere from three days to three months. Click here to see a short video made by the summer interns.


me and a few girl interns during a day at the river

THAILAND
In the middle of June we had company meetings in Thailand which provided a two week break from the volunteer craziness. In Thailand I reconnected with my friends from Orientation, regained focus on the task to which I've been called, soaked in THREE Thai massages, and experienced some traditional Thai culture. Here are a few pictures from my trip to Thailand.

me and melissa riding an elephant

me holding AND feeding an oh so cute baby tiger

isn't he precious?!

one of three pools at our hotel

the view from our hotel

Just for Jay-rod

So at the same time our oh so cool new roommate Debbie arrived here in Japan, an oh so cool career M arrived as well. His name is Jarod. Jarod Juriga. Born April 1, 1979 in Decatur, IL, this 29 year old guy has charm, humor, a bald head and a passion for the Japanese (with the exception of those at the DMV here - did you know you can fail a driver's test in Japan for chewing gum? True story, ask Jarod about it.)
Jarod likes G.I. Joe, Hitch, Ghostbusters and Transformers. He also likes my Oh So Cute Baby Cat and my roommate. For more details on the life of Jarod, check out his blog here.

Additions to the Apartment

April 18th, almost exactly one year after I arrived to Japan, Amy and I welcomed a new roommate to our apartment. Debbie, also a Jman, has been an awesome addition. The Lord brought her in His perfect timing and the three of us were able to bond quickly - within the first couple days of her arrival. Praise God for finally bringing her here 6 years after she originally intended to come.


Another unexpected addition to our apartment came a couple of weeks after Debbie's arrival. A Japanese friend of ours e-mailed one night telling us of a stray kitten he had found on the streets of Yokohama and asking if we were interested. The next day we asked our business manager for permission to adopt the baby cat (praise God all three of us like cats!) and to my surprise he said yes. The very next day we had our own little kitten. He can be quite sweet at times but a little terror at other times. Unfortunately, biting and scratching are two of his favorite things to do. It took us a while to pick a name for him, but we somehow decided on Oh So Cute Baby Cat or Oso for short. Here are a few pictures of our Oh So Cute Baby Cat.

Okinawa

Praise God for a much needed vacation! At the beginning of this month Josh, Amy and I took a 5 day trip to one of Japan's southern islands Okinawa. God's glory was evident to me throughout the trip like never before on any other vacation I've taken. All His creation from the heights to the depths praised Him. Here's 5 minutes worth of trying to capture the beauty we beheld along with a few group pictures and such.

Sakura

Sakura season is a much anticipated time of year in Japan. Some time between mid-March and early April the cherry blossom trees begin to bloom. Every year there's much discussion about when exactly the sakura will be in full bloom based on weather reports and records from previous years. And there's good reason for all this speculation since the beloved cherry blossoms are very short-lived; full bloom is usually reached within approximately one week after the opening of the first blossoms, and just one week later the blooming peak is over and the blossoms will have already started falling to the ground. These breathtaking blossoms in their unique varieties, like all of God's creation, boast His glory and majesty.

The season of cherry blossoms calls families and friends to nearby parks for "hanami" which is the viewing of cherry blossoms. A variety of groups gather together to enjoy the sakura through picnics, frisbee, badminton, and other activities. Unbeknown to many of the Japanese, the One who created them is the same as the One who created the sakura they so love to behold and admire, and indirectly, their praises of these beautiful blossoms are praise to the God who made them, the one true God.

Let none of His words fall

In the Old Testament there's a story of a boy named Samuel. Samuel was a boy who ministered before the LORD under Eli in a time when the word of the LORD was rare. The LORD called Samuel, but Samuel did not recognize His voice because he "did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him" (1 Samuel 3:7). Then the LORD came and stood there at Samuel's side calling to him again. This time Samuel recognized the voice of the LORD and replied, "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (v 10). The LORD then spoke to Samuel. After this incidence, the LORD continued to speak to Samuel and Samuel continued to hear His words: "The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of His words fall to the ground" (v 19).

Imagine a great drought and the excitement and hope that returns as a few drops of rain fall from the heavens. Would you not grab a bucket and stand outside catching each drop of life-sustaining water with great care as to make sure not to miss a single drop? Would you not collect, treasure, cherish each drop of rain? Would you not understand the immense value of every individual drop no matter how big or small and as a result make great effort to see that not a single one was wasted falling to the ground? This is how I picture it was with Samuel. Samuel stood there collecting the words of God, cherishing, treasuring, storing up each word that came from the mouth of the LORD. Samuel understood the immense value of the LORD's life-sustaining word and as a result would not let a single one be wasted on him passing him by and falling to the ground. What a picture of how deeply we should treasure and cherish the words of the LORD collecting them and storing them up in our hearts. Am I letting the words of the LORD fall around me to the ground? Or am I with great effort making sure not a single word slips by me?

New Sisters!

Yesterday afternoon a 6 month intern Adam and I met, Aya-san and Yu-san to study the Bible. Adam met Aya-san at Starbucks a few weeks ago and gave me her contact information since she had a slight interest in studying the Bible and knew a friend who was really interested. I e-mailed the girls, we set a time to meet, and luckily Adam was able to join us. When we met in Shinjuku yesterday, it was my first time meeting both girls. As suggested by Aya-san and Yu-san, we rented a karaoke room for two hours to provide a quiet place for us to study together. While Yu-san knew a good amount about Christianity from watching a tv program, Aya-san had never studied the Bible or heard much of anything about Christianity before.

After reading through the Steps To Peace With God tract together, Aya-san said she couldn't believe it was so simple; she thought it was too easy, too good to be true. We told Aya-san that God created her, formed her, designed her and that He knows everything about her. Overwhelmed with this knowledge a tear rolled down her cheek. She timidly said, "But I don't know God." I told her how He wants her to know Him and how He was pursuing her even in that moment. As I spoke, she partly turned her face away from me and said it was scary. I had her read Psalm 139:1-16 out loud in Japanese so she could hear for herself how God knows her so intimately. Adam then suggested that the two of us pray for her and that she pray as well. So there in the karaoke room Adam and I interceded on behalf of Aya-san asking the LORD to remove her fear and show Himself to be mighty to save. Aya-san was shy about praying but finally did so in her heart language. God heard and answered our prayers - less than 10 minutes later she said she believed and accepted Christ. Praise God!!! We then turned to Yu-san who had said she was not yet a Christian earlier in our meeting even though Aya-san thought she was. Now Yu-san said she was ready to be a Christian too. We spent the next hour discussing what's next: telling family and friends about their decision, praying to God, reading His word, meeting regularly with believers, baptism and such. What a blessing from God to have a front row seat in watching His salvation power at work!

Please pray for Aya-san and Yu-san as they tell their families and friends and as they live this first week as a new creation. Pray for their full commitment to Christ and against the attacks of Satan. Ask the LORD to guide Adam and me also as we disciple the girls and decide what to start studying with them. Pray for us to have the Spirit's wisdom and discernment. And PRAISE GOD that He is MIGHTY TO SAVE!!!

Aya-san and Yu-san decided to accept Jesus's offer
to bridge the gap between them and God.
Will you?

No Smoking Please, Little Fishes

I've never seen a fish try to smoke, but I'm under the impression one should not make the attempt for it would likely prove detrimental to its health. I'm not sure why DisneySea advertises against fish smoking - maybe they've actually seen one try. Regardless, it's probably not a good idea.
(special photo by Amy Baldwin)

CULTURE SHOCK MOMENT
I had a major culture shock moment this morning. I didn't want to wear my new pair of jeans because they reeked of smoke and the restaurant I ate at last night. Then, as I was picking up my bag to double check its contents, the stale smell of smoke reminded me my bag was, unfortunately, with me last night also. Still worse, I took out my travel Bible to check a verse before I left the house and wanted to scream when even my Bible's odor was more than unpleasant. And to top it all off, I had to go put on my winter jacket which permeated the surrounding air with the foul smell of smoke. I left the house wishing for once I could come home not smelling like the cafe or restaurant where I ate or met friends or studied Japanese or the Bible, wishing I could be back in America where I somehow managed to almost completely avoid the smell of smoke. I was angry with this culture's indulgence in such an unhealthy behavior that so strongly affects others not partaking in the behavior. It's unavoidable here. As I walked to Starbucks to meet my mentor, I was complaining inwardly and unceasingly. But then God reminded me it's not about me and that I can be content even in this smoke filled city, so I stopped griping and accepted it. And yet somehow, once again, as I sit in my living room typing this blog at the end of the day I smell like the oh so lovely fragrance of cigarettes that comes with reaching out to the lost Japanese of Tokyo. Shoganai - しょうがない - (it can't be helped - that's life).

Campaigning for a Smoke Free Tokyo

2 Pieces of Random Trivia for you:
1. I discovered a new talent today - I'm apparently really lucky when playing darts. I played for the first time today (I don't count throwing darts in my grandparents' basement when I was little) and believe it or not, I won all three of the games we played. I don't attribute it to skill, only luck. But it sure felt good to be lucky.
2. Today I was told for the first time that I look like Gwyneth Paltrow. I'm not really sure I see it or that Gwyneth would agree, but ok.

Kaori Live

Tuesday night I attended my friend Kaori's concert. Kaori, a Kanda University student, is an extremely gifted and talented singer, pianist and song writer. Her music creates a relaxing and soothing atmosphere with her unique voice similar to Norah Jones's sound and her fingers flying gracefully over the piano producing music comparable to Alicia Keys. Although Japanese, Kaori's lyrics are all written in English - which makes it much easier for me to sing along :)

Besides being a gifted musician, Kaori is a treasured friend. In English her name means "fragrance" which suits her sweet and pleasant personality. She is one who puts what's best for others above her own desires and makes friends easily. I have enjoyed spending a lot of time with her recently and look forward to more late night heart to hearts as well as her becoming my sister one day in the future.

Here I am pictured with Amy and Kaori
so when she's famous one day
I can prove I knew her!

So, I really wanted to put a sample on here for you all to enjoy, but unfortunately you'll just have to wait until she records a CD. Gomen ne!!!!

Salt

So last week I met a Japanese friend for dinner. My meal included rice which is nothing out of the ordinary here. On the table was a seasoning mixture of salt and sesame seeds that I sparingly sprinkled over my white rice. Fast-forward to about twenty minutes into the train ride home which would have been about an hour and a half after we finished dinner. The distinct taste of salt remained strong on my tongue. I was quite amazed at the long lasting effects of such a small amount of seasoning. And then my thoughts drifted to the words of Jesus, "You are the salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13). LORD, make me like the salt at the restaurant in which the flavor lingers even after being consumed. I am the salt of the earth, but You, O LORD, give me my flavor. When I have opportunities to share Your words with the Japanese, may the words You give me linger in their minds long after we part ways.

Random Salt Story
When my parents were here for the holidays, we did a lot of baking. My dad's amazing fudge used up all of our sugar, so before we could make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies we had to venture off for more sugar. To my dismay, the bags of salt and sugar were not as easy to distinguish as I had hoped. I was expecting katakana or hiragana to be written on the bag, but no such luck. Kanji only. And I can't read kanji. I took a while staring at my choices trying to figure out which was sugar and which was salt. Have you ever tried it? It's not easy to do, I tell you. I picked one hoping I was right, and then my parents and I returned home to start our baking. Once at home I opened the bag (you know where this is going), put a sizable amount on a spoon to taste test and was very disappointed to find that my sugar was not sweet at all and was actually quite salty. Yep, I made the wrong choice. But all was not lost because, praise God, we have the Fujino family upstairs to lend us sugar for the cause!

Happenings in January

So much happened in January that I wanted to share about, but I kept procrastinating and now a detailed report of each event would be quite unnecessary. For this reason, what follows is a recap of life in January.

Tsumagoi Retreat

January 7-10 all of my coworkers in Japan came together for strategy meetings. It was great to meet my coworkers laboring for the kingdom in other parts in Japan and to see the Collins' family, whom I went through orientation with last February through April. I was also blessed to meet Liz, the only Journeygirl in Japan not working in Tokyo. Oh and our team got to go bowling together!

Me and Arata Collins, who I hadn't seen since April

Meet Liz (right) - she's pretty much amazing


Amy, Daniel, me, Ruth - our combined score was pretty good :)

Birthday Bash

January 8th was my first birthday in Japan. My wonderful family left a message of them all singing Happy Birthday on my cell phone, and my family in Christ had brownies and chocolate cake for me between some of our meetings. One of my Japanese friends that owns a cafe hosted a gyoza party in honor of my birthday on the 17th. For those of you who don't know, gyoza is absolutely delicious and has become one of my favorite foods in all the world. It was a special night with good friends, food and fun! Thanks, Kuni! Everything was fabulous!

Snow in Tokyo!

Three times it snowed this January. The first snow was small but exciting, the second actually stuck around for a while and the third was enough to stop the trains. With the trains not running all of our plans for the day were canceled. What do Jmen and the Fujino kids do with a free snow day? Snowball fight, of course!

Obirin University

Liz chasing Rickie during our snowball fight

Ladies' Retreat

January 31 - February 2 all the ladies serving here in Japan were blessed to have a ladies' retreat in Gotemba. The theme was "My Cup." We stayed at a YMCA facility and focused on the importance of filling and pouring out our cup as well as how we are each uniquely designed by our Creator. I really needed this time of refilling and refreshing. Praise God for making it possible! We even had snow the first night we were there! The second day the sky was blue and the sun was bright giving us an AMAZING view of Mt. Fuji.

Me, Liz & Amy in the snow

"Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters"

Enjoying a warm fire.
Honestly, one of the things I missed most about home
this winter was sitting near a fire in the fireplace.
Japanese apartments don't have fireplaces
and none of the homes I've been in have them either.
They're missing out over here!

Miyoko, Amy and Me lying on the floor in front of the cosy fire

Mom & Dad in Japan

December 23 my parents arrived in Japan to spend the holidays with me. After 8 months of not seeing them in person, it was such a blessing to hug them, talk with them and just be with them. During their stay we celebrated Christmas and New Year's Day, toured Yokohama, visited Meiji Shrine, and joined a volunteer team here at the same time in their ministry. I also introduced them to my favorite restaurants and foods here in Japan.

Below is a small gallery from our time together. The above picture is of the three of us on our day in Yokohama. A Japanese friend of mine, who lives in Yokohama and is part of a community group promoting the area's history, offered to be our tour guide.


Day in Yokohama



Our tour guide Naoko and one of her friends took us briefly to China Town. Here we all are posing in front of a temple.



After dinner at Bubba Gumps near Tokyo Dome, we stopped for pictures in front of the nicely lit up trees.







Yes, we all had to get one in the exact same spot.

(aren't my parents adorable!)

Momma's just the right size for me!


The three of us toured Meiji Shrine a few days before the New Year Holiday. The shrine was not too crowded except for the workers running around making preparations for the masses who would be attending New Year's Eve and Day.





Here's Daddy and me inside Meiji Shrine. Behind us are wood blocks people buy for writing prayers or wishes for good luck, health and happiness. How sad that they have to pay for their prayers and that their prayers won't be heard or answered.




Mom and Dad standing in front of the torii gate at the entrance to the shrine.


















New Year's Day we joined a volunteer team in visiting the shrine for evangelism and prayer walking. Here's mom surrounded by those waiting to make it to the front of the shrine.




Here's a look at the masses in front of us as we slowly made our way through the shrine in stop and go traffic.






Pictured here are two volunteers asking a man why he came to the shrine and telling him the message they came to bring to the lost Japanese.




Here's Dad patiently waiting in line.














Momma and me sitting down at one of the train stations waiting for the train to arrive .




This is a picture Dad took of Shibuya lit up at night.



Oh, here's a good picture. Mom and Dad successfully using chopsticks (didn't take them long to get the hang of it) at my favorite gyoza restaurant. I was so excited to find that my parents shared in my enjoyment of gyoza! Notice that the plates are empty!



Mom, Dad and I joined the volunteer team in 5 Minute English in Shibuya. I was so proud of my parents as they jumped right in to something so new for them. What a blessing to minister alongside my parents in this way.
There's Dad holding the sign. Mom was taking the picture (Thanks, Momma!)

And finally, here we are at the Government Towers in Shinjuku.
This is the place where I first heard God calling me to move here
for two years to reach out to the millions of lost Japanese.
Behind us you can see building after building as far as
the horizon. Tokyo at a glance from 45 stories high.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for taking the vacation time to come spend the holidays here with me in Japan. Thanks for putting up with my occasional break downs and for being willing to come see a small glimpse of the life I am currently living. Thanks for making my new family and friends your family and friends. どもありがとうございます！