Break Time

It’s been awhile since I took a blog break.  Something has come up that brings a need to step away for a couple of weeks.  We are all fine.  Thanks for your understanding and your ongoing prayers for our family.

An Ordinary Day

Today was a pretty ordinary day.  I kind of had the blahs and didn’t much feel like doing anything.  I pushed myself and made a nice evening meal for the family.  Later in the afternoon, I went with my hubby to a park where you can see all of our city.  I did some walking while he took photos on his fancy camera, then I took a few pictures on my not so fancy camera.  Nothing cures the duldrums like a walk in the cold, windy sunshine.

My DH taking photos.

I loved seeing the snow covered mountains in the background.  In the foreground, you can see the “dryers” that they use here.  This photo is a little bright because of the sun.  I didn’t realize how close we are to the harbor as the crow flies.  The smoke stacks are at the harbor which is on the Pacific Ocean.The water tower on the right is my landmark.  Whenever I get turned around and I’m not sure where I am, I look for the water tower.  There are a lot of the apartments that you see all over our city.  These are government owned.  The rent is cheaper that others.

more of our skyline

This evening, I decided to do some sewing.  It’s been awhile since I used my machine and I was itching to do something.  I found a great pattern for a Bible cover.  I’m pleased with how it turned out.  

Until the next time…

Sparkpeople

As you may know, I am an active member of the popular healthy-living website, SparkPeople.com.  I have posted a link to the site on my sidebar.  In an effort to help SparkPeople live out their mission of helping millions of people reach their goals and live healthier lives, I have joined a contest they’re holding called “The Spark Free Chapter Challenge.”  If you have one minute to spare, I could use your help, because I REALLY want to win!  Actually, I don’t care if I win.  I just believe in Sparkpeople and want to share.  The Spark is a new book out.  I haven’t read it yet, because I am not in the states and it is hard to get here.  I am going to read the free download chapter that they are offering.  I do recommend reading this with discretion as I do any book that I recommend.  Sparkpeople is a wonderful place and I belong to a few great teams that have helped me with my goals.  As with any internet activity, you must be careful.  There are some great teams and some not so great teams.  In order to get your free chapter download of The Spark , please click here.

My God is in control.

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:  he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. ~Psalm 18:30,32

But our God is in the heavens:  he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. ~Psalm 115:3

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:  for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.  Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.        ~1 Chronicles 29:11,12

The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. ~Proverbs 16:33

For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?  and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? ~Isaiah 14:27

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: ~Isaiah 46:9, 10

Throw Away Cars

On Tuesday, we threw away this car.  WHAT!!! I hated to do it.  First, it was a free gift from my God.  Second, it seemed a terrible waste to my American way of thinking.  I drove this Nissan Laurel for 4 years.  I loved it.  Never had any problems with it.  It had around 80,000 kilometers on it.  That’s about 50,000 miles.  So why did we throw it away??  Because that is the cultural thing to do.

In Japan, people don’t drive very old cars.  Every two years, you must get your car inspected, registered, and pay taxes.  The older the car, the more expensive this becomes.  When the car is inspected, every little thing must be fixed.  The total cost of this can be anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000!!!  When a car reaches a certain age, you cannot sell it.  I received the car from another American who didn’t want it any more and couldn’t sell it.

We had to go through the inspection process on the car by the 21st.  We didn’t want to do it, since we are getting ready to return to the states for a year long furlough.  It wasn’t worth the money that it would cost.  We tried in vain to give it away.  No one wanted it, so we threw it away.  Normally this would cost some money.  We were able to do it for free since we know someone with an auto shop who can use it for parts or sell it for scrap metal.

We are now a one vehicle family.  We are learning to juggle schedules.  I use public transportation, or my hubby can use his scooter.  That’s pretty funny!  I’ll try to take a picture sometime!

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.

*Thomas A. Dorsey wrote this song in Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois, af­ter his wife Net­tie died while giv­ing birth to a child (who al­so died short­ly there­af­ter).

Nabe American Style

One of my favorite things to eat in the winter here is Nabe (gnaw-bay).  When the Japanese make it, they use a special pot on a portable burner on the table.  I make it like American stew.  If you are Japanese, you might not want to read this post.  If you do, you will know that I need help! 

The first thing you need to do is buy your broth.  This is already prepared and there are many flavors.  My favorite is the one on the right.  Japanese would never mix 2 different broths, but I am American and we do things like that…

The next thing you need is a good meat.  You can use anything.  Shrimp, beef, chicken, meatballs, sausage, etc.  I chose a nice pork.  The Japanese buy the meat shaved, a little thinner than bacon.  This pork was a good price without a lot of fat, so I am cutting it up like stew meat.  The Japanese would never do this, but I am American and we do things like that…

Next, I put the meat and some diced onions in the dutch oven with a little oil and saute until the meat is cooked.  When this is finished, I add the broth and bring it to a boil.  The Japanese add the meat to the boiling broth.  Since it is shaved thin, it cooks instantly.

Next, I slice and dice vegetables.  You can add anything you like.  I am using shitake mushrooms, red pepper, carrots, cabbage, potatoes and kabucha (acorn squash).  The Japanese would not dice or use kabucha, but I am American and we do things like that…

Next, add all the veggies to the Dutch oven with the boiling broth.  Stir, put on the lid, turn down the heat and simmer until the veggies are tender.  That’s all there is too it!

When the Japanese make this, they arrange it so very nice (no stirring) in the pot on the portable burner as in the diagram below.  They all sit around the table and take what they want out of the pot  and place it in a bowl and eat the veggies and meat with chopsticks and drink the broth.  It’s nice and cozy, but I don’t have a portable burner or a Nabe pot and I am American and we don’t really do things like that…I will say that when I am at a restaurant or someone’s house and I eat Nabe this way, it makes me feel all nice and warm inside!

This is the most delicious “stew” you will ever eat!

Something to think about…

Knowing God

Years ago I was at a ladies’ retreat and the author, Mardi Collier, shared her testimony and talked about a study that changed her life. It is now out in book form. In What Do I Know About My God? Mardi talks about what a difference it made in her life when she began applying truths about God to her circumstances. She started a simple study in which she wrote a truth about God in sentence form at the top of a page. Then as she was reading her Bible and she came across a verse that taught that truth, she wrote it on the page. She placed the pages in a notebook in alphabetical order. When difficulties came and she needed to know something about God, she would turn to her notebook and read the verses she had written out.
This study has changed my daily Bible reading. It is no longer just something to cross off my daily “to-do” list. It only takes a few minutes to jot down a verse. I am daily learning truths about my God. I try to memorize some of the verses and I have seen the Lord bring them back to my mind in a time of need. For example, when I had to undergo a routine medical procedure here it was a little stressful. In the USA, it would not have been a big deal. Things are done so differently here and my husband was translating everything. I found myself thinking about the circumstance instead of my God. Then the Lord brought 2 Cor. 4:16-17 to my mind. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; ” The Lord was using this light affliction to work in me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of His glory. I laid there thinking about the verse and praying through it and before I knew it the procedure was over and there was no stress. I could go on through the rest of my day without the frazzled, uptight feelings that I have been known to have after such an experience. Our God wants us to know Him. He promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him!
Recently, I have been in a stew. There are so many changes going on in my life and around me. It is quite disconcerting. The political changes here and at home, the economy, health issues in my family, changes in ministry…the list goes on. My thoughts have been out of control I have been reviewing through my notebook and decided that I wanted to share what I am learning about God. All my old posts with regards to this have been imported from blogspot.  You can read them by clicking on the category Knowing God.  Maybe this will help someone else as well. If you decide to join in this study, please let me know so that I can stop by and see what you are learning.  Thanks for sharing in what the Lord is doing in my life.

Sunday Meditations

Discouraged???

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish,yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

~2 Corinthians 4:16-18