Think Bible!

Think Bible! is a blog/website that encourages you to do just what the title says, Think Bible!  Many ladies contribute to this blog and there is much there to ponder. There is something for everyone!  A recent post by a friend was a great encouragement to me in the area of rehearsing God’s Word instead my problems.

I feel privileged to be one of the contributors.  You can read my post on Adjusting to  Life on the Mission Field here.  If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you may have already read this.  Maybe a review will be an encouragement to you.  It was good for me to take the time to review the truths in that post!

An Update and A New Bible Memory Project

I have safely returned to Japan.  There were a lot of requirements, but I was able to meet them all.  I thank the Lord that the final step of another cov1d* test upon landing was negative.  I was permitted to go home for my 14 day quarantine.  I couldn’t use public transportation or take a domestic flight, so my husband picked me up in Tokyo and we made the 5 hour trip home.  It was a long trip with little sleep.  One of the blessings of a quarantine is that I can catch up one some much needed rest…maybe!  HA!  I tend to try to play catch up on things, but I am trying to slow down a little.

My daughter has fully recovered from her surgery and we are amazed at what God has done.  Thank you to those who prayed!

This is also a good time for me to start a new memory project.  I was praying about what that should be when my favorite online memory group announced their latest project.  If you are interested in participating, please click on the button below.  As a disclaimer:  I do not participate in Lent, but there is value in memorizing Scripture.  I hope you will join us!

*This misspelling is deliberate. I have been flagged on other sites when I use that word, so I am trying to avoid that. I also don’t want that little pop-up that often arises when that word is used.  Thank you for your understanding.

A Cultural Moment

Context can be everything. Even though we have lived in Japan for many years, we still think and act instinctively like a westerner.

My husband and I had lunch at a favorite lunch buffet recently. He came back to our table with some fish and commented that they had avocado for the fish and how unusual that was.  I was so excited!! He got some for me too. I slathered it all over my fish as he took the first bite. I am so glad that he took that first bite. Turns out it was wasabi!  The heat from wasabi can make you feel like your face is coming off. The only good thing about it is that the heat doesn’t last like it does when eating hot peppers. We should have known that it was wasabi.  After all, we were in Japan and when did we ever see them serve avocado with fish? I’m sure that when we see what looks like avocado in the future, we will be more apprehensive.  

P.S.  Wasabi is good in moderation swirled in soy sauce, especially with sushi.  

A Cultural Moment

Japan is  well-known for their high-tech toilets.  This latest invention takes it to a whole new level.

This Month on Instagram

I have joined the #happyhomemaker2020 challenge on Instagram this month. I am sharing some things about my home in Japan. I thought this might interest some of you here. My Instagram account is public. If you are interested, scroll down on my sidebar until you see the Instagram widget. You can click on any photo and it should take you to my account. Enjoy!

Stranded at World’s End

“How wonderful to find Him always there, when we have unexpected need of Him! That living touch with Him is so precious; it makes Him so real; it obliterates the line between the earthly and heavenly; it is so humbling to find Him waiting there.”

“There are many apparently needless trials in life, but the Lord stands with us through all of them.  ‘May you lose nothing in the furnace but your dross,’ said Samuel Rutherford.  The Lord will preserve everything else for us.”

“Stranded at world’s end?  Maybe. But if we lean back we will find ourselves on the bosom of Christ—sweet, familiar place.

Sometimes on the Rock I tremble,
Faint of heart and weak of knee;
But the steadfast Rock of Ages
Never trembles under me!”

~from pages 78-80 of In the Arena by Isobel Kuhn

Staying at Home

It seems the whole world is under a “stay at home” order.  Ours started the second day after my return to Japan.  It’s been almost 2 months…Just like everyone, I have lots of projects that I want to get finished.  I’ve been doing some serious spring cleaning.  I didn’t really do it last year since we were leaving for furlough and my home was in need of some TLC.  Even though others may not notice, I do and it makes me feel so good to have it done.

Another project that I’ve been wanting to get done was painting our guest room.  The walls were a dark blue.  This was my youngest son’s room in a previous life.  He had a blue camo theme going on. I lived with it for almost 8 years after his departure to college.  It felt so dark.  I wanted to brighten it up a little.  This week, I finally got it done and it.feels.so.good!  I also painted the back door of the church and our house since I had the mess out.  I didn’t want to put it all away just to get it out again.

Here is a short video I made of this project.  I hope you enjoy.

Our Church

My husband made a video of our church property.  I thought you might enjoy seeing it.  It’s very small by American standards, but I’ve heard that Japanese think it is big.  We are thankful for the property the Lord has given to us.

A New Spring

Spring in Japan is my favorite season.  It is so lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year is a very different spring with the corona virus threat. Some of my favorite haunts to view cherry blossoms are out of the question since we want to avoid crowds.

Last week, we went to visit my in-laws in the country.  They live near a river lined with cherry blossoms.  There were no crowds, so we enjoyed a couple of  lovely walks.

I’m so thankful that I could enjoy this time.  Perhaps these photos will help you to understand why this is my favorite season in this corner of the world. I never tire of it and look for every excuse to go for a walk or a drive to see these beautiful blossoms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returning to Change

By the time you are reading this, I have returned to Japan.  Many things have changed since we departed for our furlough the end of April 2019.  Favorite restaurants have closed.  Favorite shopping places have closed. Even a favorite shipping company that we used to ship items from the USA has closed.  Foods and toiletries that we previously shipped to Japan are no longer able to be shipped due to changing custom regulations.  Some responsibilities are no longer mine, while new ones are being added.  In some regards, it is like starting over.

I don’t like change very much.  I often wish things could just stay the way they are, but in the world that we live in, it will never be.  I’ve shared here before, but maybe you need to be reminded too. What a great comfort to know that there is ONE who never changes!

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
~Hebrews 13:8

“For I am the LORD, I change not;”
~Malachi 3:6

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
~James 1:17

“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”
~Psalm 102:25-27