Happy New Year!

The last sun of 2001 is going down over snowy rooftops and deepening blue shadows, shining gingery-gold over mounds of snow and lacy trees. The basil plant Heidi planted this summer is a skeleton, blanketed in freshly fallen snow. Thick clouds gather in the west, shimmering like mother-of-pearl against a pure blue sky.

Outside a drainpipe drips, drips... melted snow from yesterday's fubuki (blizzard). In an hour the sun will be gone and the dripping will cease into rivulets of soundless ice.

This time last year I spent half of New Year's Eve at the home of my adopted parents, the Kellys', playing Jenga with Brittany and Jenny, eating chocolate chip cookies with some of my favorite people on earth like Shannon, Michelle, Atsushi, Mike and Greg, arguing with Atul, practicing French with Mario, learning strange Korean phrases from Young Jin.

I spent the other half with a houseful of happy, partying Brazilians (Luis being the foremost) and watching fireworks over the ocean at Rio de Janeiro on Brazilian TV.

This year is different. This world is different. In January I sat in a cold hallway at Grove Avenue Baptist Church and marked on a sheet of paper, "First choice of missionary service: [Northern] Japan."

In February ReNee and I sang hymns with Mexican believers in Guadalajara, Mexico; in the spring I packed boxes and finished last articles at the IMB. During hot summer days I studied cross-cultural relations and church-planting movements at the missionary training center, and in August I spent my first days in Japan. On September 11 I watched from the TV in our living room, in bilingual broadcasts, as the World Trade towers crashed down in clouds of smoke. I saw Sapporo's first snowfall and celebrated Christmas with five missionary children.

Eight weddings have come and gone since I played Jenga at the Kellys' last year with Brittany, including her own.

What hope do I have to give to the coming year?

I have none, but Christ has many - His promises that ring true year after year.

It is at this time every year I am tempted to look back over the days gone by, the opportunities taken and lost, things I wish I had done or finished or never said or had the courage to say, people whose faces bring tears to my eyes... and I am tempted to despair over the way things change.

After all, "you can't go home again," the old proverb says.

But if you're following Christ, should you WANT to go home again?

For if you have Him, you ARE home!

I did not chose this verse randomly: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may GAIN CHRIST and be found in Him..." (Phil. 3:7-9).

Is there anything I can look back to that is worthy to stand up in the presence of Christ?

Is there anything I had, or enjoyed, or gained that I could trade for the salvation of my soul (and life)?

No, there is none but Jesus... He was there with me on my first New Year, and He will be with me at my last.

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14-15).

Press on!
It is dark outside now, completely black, speckled only with the bright lights of the city - amber, red, green, blue, white. The bottom of the drainpipe has congealed, as expected, into a rough claw of icicles.

Thank you for making this year for me be one of joy, of wonder, of the realization of God's great blessings through memories of YOU - memories I can treasure and run with when my own strength grows weary. Thank you for your prayers and words that sustain me daily. Thank you for being there with me, for growing with me, for pressing on at my side.

I close 2001 as Paul closed Philippians - with much love, and with a prayer: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

May God bless you more this coming year than He ever has before!

Christmas!

Heidi and I spent the night at the Cooksey's house on Christmas Eve, and we woke up (early!) to open presents with four of the five children. Kathy fed us WELL throughout the day... There were home-baked cookies, chips and French onion dip, and all the goodies not normally found in Japan, plus a wonderful Christmas dinner.

My Christmas gift of green elephant slippers (perfect for the cold floor!) from Cornelia.


Josh (age 4) in a monkey suit, running around the living room.


Mattie (age 2), who loved ripping the paper off boxes and running around with it.


Josh, on the hunt for another new present...


The status of the living room after four children, two parents and two journeymen opening presents. Bethany, the baby, slept soundly through it all and then explored the wonders of chewing on wrapping paper.

Top Ten Ways I Knew I Was In Japan This Christmas

10. The holly berries on Christmas wrapping paper instantly reminded me of fish eggs (I covered it up).

9. I ate sushi at a church Christmas party.

8. Heidi and I stored ice cream on our porch (it melted).

7. The mail ran on Christmas Day, and most of my friends had to work.

6. The statue of Col. Sanders outside every KFC was dressed in a Santa suit and hat.

5. The only real, dressed-up Santa Claus I saw needed to gain about 400 pounds. The suit bagged around his middle, arms and legs.

4. As I was typing number six I debated on how many kilos that would be. I gave up.

3. I had a white Christmas... a white Christmas Eve... a white Thanksgiving... a white Halloween... a white...

2. I asked college students if they knew the real meaning of Christmas, and they said, with blank looks, "No."

1. I missed your beautiful faces!!! I pray God's great blessings not only on the Japanese, but on YOU - whose friendship is the greatest Christmas present I could hope for! Thank you for your love and faithfulness that warms me all the way from north Japan!

Limday Festival

Here are some more pictures from Limday, a festival at the local university/junior college where I go each week for English club. Last Saturday I helped cut pumpkins at the invitation of two American teachers - one Christian and one non-Christian, both married to Japanese women. That was the night I met Yuriko, one of my favorite people here.



My new friend Yuriko, a girl my same age who came to our apartment a couple of weeks ago.



Jerry, one of the American university teachers who is a Christian. He introduced me to my Christian friend Amiko who I now meet with regularly.







College kids cutting pumpkins. The girls I meet with on Thursday for English club think the guy in the back, in black, is the hottest guy on campus.



Jerry, Yuriko, me, and another student outside watching the last of a crazy student-led game show on stage.