There's a lot to celebrate these days...Christmas, Train Day, New Years.
Train Day is Russ' and my private holiday. The first time he told me he loved me was while riding a train on December 28, twenty-eight years ago. To remember that special day, we celebrate the anniversary each year. Up until 2006, the usual celebration involved taking a train ride together somewhere and sharing those precious words–
I love you. Since Russ' stroke we've expanded what constitutes a proper celebration.
This year we celebrated by baking and admiring fresh loaves of homemade bread arranged to resemble a train. Well...I baked. Russ admired. We both ate and thought loving thoughts about each other.
It's been just plain terrific having Christie home! We've been able to have a wonderful balance of hanging out together and working on our ever-present to-do lists. She introduced me to the anime artist, Miyazaki. The Ghibli museum was great fun. Another treat was visiting a deaf school here in Tokyo that uses Japanese Sign Language (JSL). Christie had no trouble communicating with them even though she considers American Sign Language (ASL) her native tongue. (Do you call it a native tongue when it's a sign language?) On Christmas Day at church I sang a solo while she signed the song. She heads back to Seattle on New Years Day.
It's been a joy to have several Japanese friends drop in to share greetings or send us gifts. We were particularly touched and humbled by those who gave so generously in spite of their great financial challenges. We feel so privileged to be able to minister in this land.
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