Do the Next Right Thing

We are delighted to still be serving here in Japan after all these years. There are times It's really exciting–when people are baptized or share what God is doing in their lives. Other times we just do the next right thing. Mission work is not like a business where a person can judge how a business is prospering by looking at a balance sheet. Even counting people who have committed themselves to Christ doesn't give the whole picture. So much of what we do is about listening to the Holy Spirit's prompting and doing or saying that thing.

I'm reminded of Zech. 4:6 (NIRV).
"Your strength will not get my temple rebuilt. Your power will not do it either. Only the power of my Spirit will do it," says the LORD who rules over all.

I'm learning more about depending on God's leading. Last night I got a call from a stranger. Ordinarily I would just hang up on an inappropriate caller, but for some reason God led me to keep talking to him. When I asked if he wanted to talk to my husband, he nervously hung up on me. I really couldn't understand everything he was saying, but it occurred to me that maybe God prompted him to call us so that I could pray for him. What if no one else is praying for him?

I can't see the whole picture of our lives or influence, but I know this–God wants me to do the next right thing.

Because my life is very full with school responsibilities, caring for my husband's needs,  and other ministry needs, I don't often go out with friends. But recently the "next right thing" to do was to go out to tea with friends from church. We had a delightful time at Rose Town Tea Garden. I was introduced to Angel Falls Mist tea and discovered that I love it.

Seaweed Sandbag Project

Three Eleven. What do those numbers mean to you? For those of us here in Japan, we immediately remember where we were when the big earthquake hit on March 11, 2011. Our church continues to help with the recovery effort. This weekend there's a group up north who went to prepare a meal for those still in temporary housing. Last weekend we made sandbags. I enjoyed helping prepare these sandbags for seaweed farmers who lost their total livelihood when their wakame plants were washed out to sea.

Wakame, an edible sea plant, plays an important part in the Japanese diet. While admittedly the slime factor bothers me just a tad, the nutritional value is hard to argue with. It's low in saturated fat, is very low in cholesterol, and is a good source of vitamins A, C, E, K, and other helpful nutrients. Japanese use it in many ways, particularly in miso soup and in salads.

Wakame is grown on lines in the ocean. These lines need to be weighted down with sandbags to keep them from floating away. Each farmer needs about 500 sandbags. Our church took up the challenge to help. We sewed the sandbags and decorated them with encouraging messages. I'm not very handy with a sewing machine, but we had good machines and a sandbag doesn't require any complicated stitching, so I made a few. However, most of the time I was on the decorating team. I enjoy writing Japanese and doing anything that even remotely resembles working on a scrapbook page. Thinking that it will help a farmer get on his feet again made the afternoon all that much more rewarding.

Working together with this diverse group of men, women, and children was great fun. Our group hailed from Japan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Australia, Kenya, and the US. What do we have in common? We love Jesus and the Japanese. I didn't do much, but I was glad for the teeny part I could play in this project.

SSS Library Makeover

I've lived with messes this summer. Converting the School Support Services library from a somewhat traditional library to one where books are categorized into book packs has been an arduous task.

But it has been oh, so rewarding. Several things kept me going through the hot summer days. For one, my office is in the basement which made the temperature comfortable. I used the air conditioning moderately and emptied dehumidifiers every day!

I got to handle children's literature all day. The hardest part of that was not letting myself stop and read each book. It was motivating to know how much more useful the library will be for missionaries who live in Japan but are too far from Tokyo to come to our office. They'll be able to give me a topic or reading level and I'll be able to send them English books for their children easily.

Along the way God sent various people to help me with the project. What would I have done without them?! Each day Russ would ask me what specific thing I was working on and then prayed me through the busy, hot days of summer.

School began on Thursday. Friday I felt so overwhelmed. I had worked hard all summer, but hadn't been able to finish the job. There were book packs everywhere. Many high school students did not have all their class assignments yet. All day long the registrar sent me a steady stream of students to help get the book packs in place. Friday we moved a mountain! There's still plenty to be done, but the book packs are neatly organized and that makes me oh, so happy!

Tada! Now our new book packs are happily ensconced in their SSS library home.

Can you find the Dr. Seuss books? How about Clifford books? Arthur? I love color so the labels make me happy...and of course the color coding will help keep us organized.

Thank you, God, for a productive summer!

No Longer an Alien

It feels strange. After being a card-carrying alien for 44 years, the Japanese government is changing their policies as of this month. Our alien registration cards are being exchanged for residency cards. Not everyone has appreciated being called an alien, so some may feel this new designation sounds more welcoming.

While I have never resented being called an alien, carrying that ID has helped me remember where my true citizenship is. I love it that Ephesians 2:19 says I am not a foreigner or an alien, but a fellow citizen with God's people and members of God's household.

As a child here in Japan I was tall, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed. I always stuck out and was stared at. My hair has naturally changed colors several times over the years, but the height and blue eyes are still noticeable here. No one ever mistakes me for a Japanese. Even when I'm in America I'm what's called a hidden immigrant. I look like I should fit in but have lived so many years overseas I'm always a bit on the edge of understanding what's going on.

That not-quite-belongingness is really a blessing. My residency here on earth is temporary. It's so easy to get caught up in how I fit in or don't fit in here on earth. But in my heart of hearts I know it's really my eternal ID that counts. My most important identity is as a child of God. I love that. I want to "fix my thoughts on Jesus" (Heb. 3:1) while I continue being an alien in this world...whether it's what that little card I always carry with me says or doesn't say.

When Does Monopoly End?

Recently I got in some grandma practice. I had two kids over to our house and I taught them how to play Monopoly. After they seemed like they had the hang of it, I went into the kitchen to make supper. Some time into the game came the mournful question, "When does Monopoly end?" Ut oh. I forgot to mention that important point. Monopoly does go on and on...like stroke recovery, my to-do lists and, let's face it, sometimes spiritual growth. It's a temptation to lose sight of the overall picture unless we intentionally take notice.

I'm frequently asked how Russ is doing. I'm never quite sure how to answer. Compared to what point do you want to know? He's made remarkable progress since the spring of 2006 when he had a massive stroke and fought for his life. Compared to most other people, he's remarkably content in spite of his many limitations. Compared to this past winter? Though very gradually losing strength, we've had these three victories:
• he fell twice, but was not seriously injured
• he answered the phone in Japanese and was able to arrange for maintenance on some mobility aids without my help (He does not want me to remember this accomplishment next time he needs a phone call made. Smile.)
• when I asked him to say the books of the New Testament to me for speech and cognitive practice, he said he'd go a step further and say them backwards. He did it!

No doubt, like you, my to-do lists feel endless. Over the summer I'm working on reorganizing resources in the SSS office where I work. In July I'll have two summer worker to help me. I'm excited with how things are shaping up!

In order to effectively minister to others, our own faith journeys need careful attention. I'm grateful for daily encouragement from the Bible verses and thoughts from the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I'm being challenged by reading aloud to Russ Christian Counter Culture by John Stott. At the international church we attend, our pastor is giving a thought-provoking series on the Sermon on the Mount. All these things together both encourage me and make me thirsty for more and more of Jesus.

Endless isn't always bad. Enjoy the seemingly endless journey of growing. It's worth the struggle.

Unapproachable Light

This morning as I was reading in I Timothy 6:16 about God "who lives in inapproachable light," sunlight came streaming in through the window enveloping my Bible and notebook. My mind quickly reverted to the total solar eclipse Tokyo experienced last Monday. Thanks God for the special effects. I get it. You're awesome!

Mothers Day Musings

The thoughts I share today are a bit random...a slice of life here in Japan.

A week ago Russ and I were out taking a walk. We decided to venture beyond our usual path and walk along the river. I pushed Russ' wheelchair across busy streets until we got to a safe place for him to practice his walking. After walking a ways, Russ sat in his chair for a rest while I dashed over to the strawberry farm to buy our last strawberries of the season.

When I returned, Russ tried to stand up to resume walking but lost his footing and landed in the nearby bushes. The bushes broke his fall (thank God for no broken bones), though he did get some nasty scrapes. The challenge before me was how to get him up out of the bushes when he was awkwardly tangled in branches and the wheelchair front wheels. I tried to pull him up, but was no match for his 6'2" paralyzed body. Others also out for a stroll offered to help, but they were all older than Russ. I could just picture a geriatric pile-up in the foliage. I didn't know what else to do so accepted their offers of help. I was almost more concerned for them than for Russ, but we got him up and he lived to smile for the picture.

On a totally unrelated topic...my mother turned 88 this past week. Her poor hearing means I can't often talk to her on the phone, but on her birthday she was able to catch two or three sentences before turning the phone over to Dad. I cherish those few sentences. My brother and sister-in-law took her a cake and followed it up with a rousing game of Scrabble. Mom won! What a way to celebrate 88 years!

Speaking of mothers...I have a dear mother-in-law too. God has really blessed me. I rarely get to see these precious women since we live on the other side of the ocean, but we pray for them every day and love them dearly. The necklace I'm wearing in the picture is from my mother-in-law. As I put it on this morning it suddenly struck me that I have worn that cross necklace many times without thanking Jesus for dying on the cross for me. How do I let such a profound sacrifice become just another accessory?

Blooming Sakura

Plum Blossoms

It’s been a long winter…our coldest in 28 years. But, it’s finally warming up. The plum blossoms opened a month later than usual. The cherry blossoms greeted us well after Spring Break, but their timing was perfect–full bloom on Easter Sunday!

Sakura-Cherry Blossoms

Sometimes life is like that. God’s timing isn’t always what I expect or would choose, but God’s will is always rest-worthy. In recent weeks I sensed God was preparing me for something. I wasn’t sure what it was. I suspected it would be something I wouldn’t like, though part of His plan for my greater good. If you’ve followed my blog you may know that God has been reminding me to embrace the unexpected and take the long view. My unexpected happening happened.

My brother and his wife have made the decision to relocate to the US after serving with us as TEAM missionaries here in Japan for 25 years. We will miss them! Jeannie has been a friend for 38 years and we’ve worked together for 20. I have gotten used to having my brother nearby for support and fellowship.

I’m really sorry to see them leave Japan, but I choose to believe the sakura will still bloom at just the right time. This will work out for good for them and all of us here in Japan missing them because we’re resting in Jesus.

The day before Easter I took a walk to run some errands and saw the usual…the altars, shrines, and temples everywhere. I startled with pleasure when I saw this tree decorated with Easter eggs. My first thought was that a missionary must live there so I checked the name plate at their entrance. The name was Japanese. Could it be that a Christian lives there? Very few people know anything about Easter. Many holidays-Valentines Day, Halloween, and Christmas–have been introduced into mainstream Japanese society, but not Easter. I was thrilled with this Easter egg tree–a symbol of new life amidst the darkness. The next day we had an inspiring day celebrating Christ’s resurrection with brothers and sisters from many countries. And the sakura bloomed.

Our daughter was laid off from a job she loves. It’s tough, but I hear they have sakura in Seattle too. I wonder what God has for her.

Russ and I enjoyed a sakura-framed therapy walk on Tuesday. We stopped long enough for him to rest and to ask a stranger to snap a picture of us.

Taking the Long View

(Post written on paper March 26)

I'm sitting in the waiting room of the hospital where I was born exactly 57 years ago today. (It's just a routine exam–no worries.) I have time to think back on what that day might have been like for my mother.

Though the hospital itself has been completely rebuilt, the nearby shopping street is amazingly familiar. Obviously I don't remember my birth, but our family frequently came here to Ogikubo from the 1950s onward. The streets are still only the width of a city bus. The merchants still sell sweet bean and pounded rice treats. The launderer still irons shirts by the large picture window. And bicycles still jostle with pedestrians coveting a path to the train station.

What's different is that now walkers are listening to their iPods or messaging on their smart phones. I'm sure when I was born, my mom never imagined such technology or that I'd be here in Japan in my 31st year as a missionary.

What has kept us here when in 1986 we were told our deaf daughter needed special education, when in 2006 Russ had his massive stroke, when on March 11, 2011 the earth shook violently causing tsunamis and radiation leaks, and when people remain resistant to the gospel despite our efforts to share the good news? It comes down to taking the long view.

Our lives on earth are so short. If I focus on my immediate comfort, safety, or personal satisfaction, I miss out on the peace God offers when I just do the next right thing.

Sometimes the next right thing is sticking with it when the going gets rough. Other times it's leaving my comfort zone and boldly trying new things.

Suffering has many purposes such as drawing me closer to God, using my situation to encourage others, or redirecting us. When I focus on my present pain...well, it's awful. But when I recognize God's soveregnty in my life, I can rest knowing that all that really matters is the last chapter of my life–eternity.  The long view reveals beauty that a snapshot view misses.

So this day I choose to enjoy the pleasures and remember that the pain is temporary–part of God's great design to prepare me for eternity.

One Year Later--March 11, 2012

It's been one year since the earthquake/tsunami/radiation disasters rocked our beloved Japan.

Are we encouraged? Yes. Japanese churches are working together in unprecedented ways and making an impact on their communities. People are coming to Christ. Here's a short article telling what happened after the Franklin Graham Crusade last week. I've heard from several missionaries who are working up in the hardest-hit areas that people have said that many came to help them initially, but it's the Christians who keep coming.

At the same time fear and hopelessness seems to be escalating. I have friends who have moved from place to place trying to find a home where they feel safe. The newspapers published the grim forecast that there is a 70% chance of a major earthquake in Tokyo within the next four years. I just learned that another friend's mother committed suicide in December. They didn't see it coming at all. I was shocked to hear that over 50 people committed suicide within our suburb of only 115,000 people in 2011. 

Please pray that we'll be lights in the darkness. We love these dear people. We will stay here until God leads us away. We live in hope and want to faithfully share that with others.

Embracing Change

I like my routines. A fresh cup of tea with my hearty breakfast daily. Using Saturdays to get things prepared for the week ahead (Russ' medicines distributed, menus planned, groceries purchased, bank statements settled, and bread and yogurt made). And one of my all-time favorites...reading before I go to bed at night so that I'm learning, being entertained, and making it easier to sleep all in one. (Except when I was reading that book on organization. That totally kept me from sleeping as all those great ideas bounced through my brain.)

Sarah Young in Jesus Calling (Feb. 17 reading) says that, "It is easy to make an idol of routine, finding security within the boundaries you build around your life...When you cling to old ways and sameness, you resist My [God's] work within you."

Is. 43:19 reminds us that God is doing a new thing! 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds me that He's making me into a new creation. Here in Tokyo we're making changes in the office where I serve supporting homeschoolers. There may be some loneliness with our staffing reduced to help balance our budget, but I'm excited that when God directs, He equips. Ideas for improving our services are flowing easily. I really think we will support missionaries in outlying areas of Japan better because we're willing to give up some comfortable routines in exchange for new ways of doing things.

Routine and sameness aren't intrinsically bad. I just need to hold everything in an open hand. You too? Is there something you love you need to unlock your grasp on and offer it to Jesus for a makeover?

Dr. Seuss' birthday

Today, March 2, is Dr. Seuss' birthday. It just seemed fitting this morning to make green eggs and ham for breakfast. I like to prepare real food and not use artificial coloring so I made the eggs with spinach and they turned the perfect shade of green. I covered the ham with kiwi so they looked green too. Just in case Russ missed it, I made a little Cat-in-the-Hat hat to decorate the plate. It all tasted great and was fun too.

The Unexpected

Last summer when our son got married he wore a black tuxedo and his bride wore a beautiful wedding gown. The usual wedding garb. But I loved their quirky additions-a hot pink bow tie for the groom and hot pink high heels for the bride. The samurai sword and techno processional made the day memorable–a touch of the unexpected. (And we got a great daughter-in-law...not unexpected.)

In November as I walked to the train station, I passed a half dozen persimmons reluctant to let go of their mother tree and fall to the ground. It was lovely. Orange persimmons. Blue sky. Promise of tasty treats. But what startled me and caused me to fish out my camera was the audacity of an azalea bush–a spring, early summer flower–to parade alongside the autumn persimmons. It made me smile. Brave, I call it. And definitely unexpected.

In January I was taking a walk and saw a man pull a long white radish out of the earth. It seemed a bit late in the season for gardening, but there is was all fully grown and ready to provide its tang and vitamin C for its master. Another unexpected happening.

Later that month I geared up for hosting a bunch of teenagers for Spiritual Life Emphasis Week (SLEW) and at the end of the week found myself unexpectedly energized.

In February I traveled to Karuizawa for TEAM Ladies' Retreat–always a highlight of my year. As I walked by the train station waiting room in that snowy mountain town, I startled. There was no one in sight. The last time I saw that room was March 11, 2011. It was overflowing with people watching the newscaster share the overwhelmingly sad details of lives lost and property wiped out in the tsunamis. We were all trying to get home. None of us did that night. But God was faithful even in that unhappy unexpected happening.

Last Saturday my co-workers and I hosted our annual Arts & Skills Day for English-speaking homeschoolers and small schools. It was a smashing success. Every class was outstanding and kids and parents alike were delighted. Over a month earlier I had been overwhelmed with all the details of planning SLEW, coming up with a balanced budget for our division for next school year, writing evaluations for the students who took achievement tests, and preparing for Arts & Skills Day–our biggest event of the year–all within six weeks. God reminded me that the busier we are, the more we need to pray. To help me keep my focus and not let myself panic or plunge into work before praying, I made lists of all the things I hoped for in each activity and used them as my prayer lists. It's astounding today to read those lists and see how God answered. It really shouldn't have been unexpected. We serve a mighty God!

This week I saw a Japanese businessman on the train dressed in the usual...black suit, black socks, and black shoes. But he finished it off with a fluorescent yellow tie. I loved that man's courage. I got off the train and found a store with a real snowman and real tulips blooming advertising their wares from Niigata (prefecture by the Japan Sea). I'll bet in Niigata folks don't see those at the same time!

This hunt for the unexpected has heightened my awareness of God's love and creativity. I hope you'll enjoy God today!

Spiritual Life Emphasis Week

We're having a great week! A dozen homeschoolers have come from across Japan to join us here in Tokyo for Spiritual Life Emphasis Week. We had a dozen extra people at our house for supper tonight. We enjoyed roasting marshmallows over candles to make smores for dessert.

We packed lunches to take downtown to the homeless tomorrow morning. It will be an early morning leaving the house at 5:30 AM. It's snowing huge flakes right now. Hopefully it won't put a wrinkle in our plans. If the trains are running, we'll stick to our schedule because the homeless will need the warm socks and hot drinks we've prepared more than ever since it's so cold.

Five teens are staying overnight at our house. Russ and I are feeling younger all the time! The kids have no trouble entertaining each other even though most of them just met each other for the first time today. They are a great group of kids!

The first chapel today went well. Please pray for a profitable week.