Saturday, May 11, 2002
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Cherry blossom season
Cherry blossom season in Japan is one of the most beautiful, magnificent things I've ever experienced in my life. Everything turns into clouds of pink or white (plum blossom) almost overnight, blanketing the ground in petals. People come from miles around to do "hanami," literally translated "flower-seeing." There are picnics in the park with fresh corn and grilled chicken on skewers (yakitori), stir-fried noodles with meat and vegetabes (yakisoba), and hours of sitting under the trees on blankets.
Cherry blossoms (sakura) have a special, poetic significance in Japanese culture - one of fleeting time, of how brief life is. Just as the blossoms appear suddenly, shine for about a week, and then quickly fade, so is life.
The Bible agrees with this idea: "What is your life?" Jesus asks. "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
The book of Isaiah says that all men are like grass - "and all their glory is like the flowers of the field."
Yet that is not the end of the story! For those who believe in Christ, it is just the beginning. Even Isaiah continues this glorious thought: "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. (My people) will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams."
Cherry blossoms (sakura) have a special, poetic significance in Japanese culture - one of fleeting time, of how brief life is. Just as the blossoms appear suddenly, shine for about a week, and then quickly fade, so is life.
The Bible agrees with this idea: "What is your life?" Jesus asks. "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
The book of Isaiah says that all men are like grass - "and all their glory is like the flowers of the field."
Yet that is not the end of the story! For those who believe in Christ, it is just the beginning. Even Isaiah continues this glorious thought: "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. (My people) will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams."
Sunday, May 5, 2002
Saturday, May 4, 2002
Sunshine and more sunshine!
Thank you so much for praying and remembering the Lord's work here in Sapporo! You wouldn't believe all the the awesome things that have been happening since I sent out those last long emails asking for prayer. I'm sending this out in a hurry as blue and pale grey criss-cross the sky, face sunburned from cherry blossom viewing, Heidi playing the guitar nearby, the apartment smelling of freshly baked cookies.
The two of us are getting ready to go to our Christian friend Takako's apartment for an evangelistic tea party (and we've been asked to sing! Who needs prayer most - us or them??!) :) Takako is unusual in her boldness for Christ. It's so hard for Japanese Christians just to go about their lives here - being accused of not being Japanese, being associated with cults and subway gas attacks, not praying to traditional family altars - but to be outwardly evangelistic? God has truly given Takako "power, love and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) rather than a "spirit of fear."
But before that, I'm meeting IMB photographer Matt Jones, who has been here since last Wednesday snapping photos for a Commission magazine article. It's been so much fun - opening a huge box stuffed with great stuff from my best friends in Richmond, hearing news from my co-workers and those I love, running through Sapporo trying to meet friends, walk through parks full of pink and white cherry blossoms, inviting neighbors over for pizza, eating ramen. Matt will be here until next Wednesday, so we still have a few more days of work/fun/adventure. Wonder if I can get him to eat sushi... :)
One last quick thought - remember the ESS club with two members? Well, it seems that 55-year-old Shinobu recruited SEVEN of her classmates to come last Thursday night - leaving me staring at NINE young people sitting happily around the table!
On the way to the bus... pray we don't miss it!
More sunshine...
Man, there is nothing like a brilliant blue sky full of sun to start the day off right! I feel alive again, invigorated, ready to run into the fresh spring air and throw my arms up to the sky in gratitude.
The good news just keeps coming...
Last night I went to a Hawaiian gospel concert with my friend Aki, who I meet every week at her home. Besides the shock of meeting a pile of Christian friends there, Aki and I stopped for doughnuts :) on the way home. As we ate and talked, I felt the prodding to ask her about her beliefs - I did; she answered. For the first time since I've known her we had an amazingly open spiritual conversation about her beliefs and how Jesus can change her life.
"I believe in God," she said. "But when my father was sick, I prayed to God every day, and he still died. And my parents are Buddhist."
I told her about Jesus and how He changed my life, how He answers prayers and opens the door to God.
And she listened!
The day before my two friends had come back to the apartment after seeing cherry blossoms all day - one Christian (Yuko) and one non-Christian (Natsuko). As we sat on pillows and rested, I showed them the unusual English I found (and bought) on my shirt: "The word of the Lord remains forever."
They both wanted to know where it was in the Bible, so I pulled out my English Bible and grabbed the Japanese Bible off the shelf. As we paged through Isaiah, Natsuko asked suddenly, "When did you decide to be baptized?"
So I told her my story... God's story... of how He loved me before I loved Him.
Today Matt and I will go to the Cookseys' house church, then to meet with an awesome, rowdy bunch of young people who have been going to English worship each week at Sapporo Baptist.
Thanks to my friends in Richmond, my Texas Pete hot sauce supply is well stocked, and I have an entire photo album of pictures to show the Katsuis when we meet for dinner tomorrow.
Our now SIX Christian youth outreach members are gearing up to meet Saturday to plan our first meeting.
The ground is pink outside with scattered petals.
Mike and some friends in Richmond are thinking about a possible mission trip to Sapporo in early fall.
Our team leaves for a retreat in Okinawa next week.
I speak in chapel at a Christian university next Friday - about HOPE.
I found an email from my beloved brother Dan in S.C. this morning that started, "Dear sister..."
The 16-year-old girl who lives next door is planning to come over Tuesday night to study the English Children's Bible (which she's been reading).
The sun, the sun - it's shining bright!
Please keep praying!
The two of us are getting ready to go to our Christian friend Takako's apartment for an evangelistic tea party (and we've been asked to sing! Who needs prayer most - us or them??!) :) Takako is unusual in her boldness for Christ. It's so hard for Japanese Christians just to go about their lives here - being accused of not being Japanese, being associated with cults and subway gas attacks, not praying to traditional family altars - but to be outwardly evangelistic? God has truly given Takako "power, love and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) rather than a "spirit of fear."
But before that, I'm meeting IMB photographer Matt Jones, who has been here since last Wednesday snapping photos for a Commission magazine article. It's been so much fun - opening a huge box stuffed with great stuff from my best friends in Richmond, hearing news from my co-workers and those I love, running through Sapporo trying to meet friends, walk through parks full of pink and white cherry blossoms, inviting neighbors over for pizza, eating ramen. Matt will be here until next Wednesday, so we still have a few more days of work/fun/adventure. Wonder if I can get him to eat sushi... :)
One last quick thought - remember the ESS club with two members? Well, it seems that 55-year-old Shinobu recruited SEVEN of her classmates to come last Thursday night - leaving me staring at NINE young people sitting happily around the table!
On the way to the bus... pray we don't miss it!
More sunshine...
Man, there is nothing like a brilliant blue sky full of sun to start the day off right! I feel alive again, invigorated, ready to run into the fresh spring air and throw my arms up to the sky in gratitude.
The good news just keeps coming...
Last night I went to a Hawaiian gospel concert with my friend Aki, who I meet every week at her home. Besides the shock of meeting a pile of Christian friends there, Aki and I stopped for doughnuts :) on the way home. As we ate and talked, I felt the prodding to ask her about her beliefs - I did; she answered. For the first time since I've known her we had an amazingly open spiritual conversation about her beliefs and how Jesus can change her life.
"I believe in God," she said. "But when my father was sick, I prayed to God every day, and he still died. And my parents are Buddhist."
I told her about Jesus and how He changed my life, how He answers prayers and opens the door to God.
And she listened!
The day before my two friends had come back to the apartment after seeing cherry blossoms all day - one Christian (Yuko) and one non-Christian (Natsuko). As we sat on pillows and rested, I showed them the unusual English I found (and bought) on my shirt: "The word of the Lord remains forever."
They both wanted to know where it was in the Bible, so I pulled out my English Bible and grabbed the Japanese Bible off the shelf. As we paged through Isaiah, Natsuko asked suddenly, "When did you decide to be baptized?"
So I told her my story... God's story... of how He loved me before I loved Him.
Today Matt and I will go to the Cookseys' house church, then to meet with an awesome, rowdy bunch of young people who have been going to English worship each week at Sapporo Baptist.
Thanks to my friends in Richmond, my Texas Pete hot sauce supply is well stocked, and I have an entire photo album of pictures to show the Katsuis when we meet for dinner tomorrow.
Our now SIX Christian youth outreach members are gearing up to meet Saturday to plan our first meeting.
The ground is pink outside with scattered petals.
Mike and some friends in Richmond are thinking about a possible mission trip to Sapporo in early fall.
Our team leaves for a retreat in Okinawa next week.
I speak in chapel at a Christian university next Friday - about HOPE.
I found an email from my beloved brother Dan in S.C. this morning that started, "Dear sister..."
The 16-year-old girl who lives next door is planning to come over Tuesday night to study the English Children's Bible (which she's been reading).
The sun, the sun - it's shining bright!
Please keep praying!
Friday, May 3, 2002
A package from home!
I'm still on cloud nine after getting that box! I have hardly been able to get to the computer for a second these last few days because of everything going on here - constantly gone, running around with Matt, on the phone trying to schedule new stuff. I wanted you to send these around or post them - pictures of opening the box. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all are amazing - I love you so much! No one in the world is as blessed as I am with friends like you!
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
FUN!!!
I've had some fun moments lately - check them out!!
Eating good old cherry pie with friends Dorothy (center), a teacher from Maine, and Christians Michio and Jerry (left and right) Halvorsen. Eat up!
ESS club - two students, one tomato, and a famous Japanese rock star. What more could I ask for?
A sort of "beware of fox" sign - found ONLY in Hokkaido!
Freshman orientation! (P.S. - Foreign women are an instant hit!)
Seeing my first cherry tree in Japan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
??? You tell me.
Momentary insanity in McDonald's.
Kimchi nabe - a beautifully delicious dish simmered in a hotpot and chock full of Korean kimchi cabbage, onions, meat, mushrooms, and all kinds of good stuff. It`s slightly spicy, filling, and most of all, feels wonderful when eaten inside on a cold day. The warmth just goes straight to your bones.
McDonald's again? Man, I must not be getting out enough...
...More to come! Stay tuned!
I've had some fun moments lately - check them out!!
Eating good old cherry pie with friends Dorothy (center), a teacher from Maine, and Christians Michio and Jerry (left and right) Halvorsen. Eat up!
ESS club - two students, one tomato, and a famous Japanese rock star. What more could I ask for?
A sort of "beware of fox" sign - found ONLY in Hokkaido!
Freshman orientation! (P.S. - Foreign women are an instant hit!)
Seeing my first cherry tree in Japan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
??? You tell me.
Momentary insanity in McDonald's.
Kimchi nabe - a beautifully delicious dish simmered in a hotpot and chock full of Korean kimchi cabbage, onions, meat, mushrooms, and all kinds of good stuff. It`s slightly spicy, filling, and most of all, feels wonderful when eaten inside on a cold day. The warmth just goes straight to your bones.
McDonald's again? Man, I must not be getting out enough...
...More to come! Stay tuned!
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