Autumn -- Time for Festivals

Some lanterns at the shrine~
Each of the 8 floats used for the Koromo festival belong to the communities near downtown Toyota. They are all about 200-300 years old, and pulled on long ropes by people from the community.
Young men ride on the very top, shouting, blasting a trumpet and throwing paper like confetti out over the float, and along the street. The kids have a great time playing with the confetti all over!
All of the floats gathered in front of the station, took a little tour around the area, and then returned to their neighbourhoods. A traditional festival, with a bit of modernization (mowhawks), perhaps?!
Kimie is one of my students, and she is such a sweetheart. She often invites me out to places to experience Japanese culture and does a great job of explaining what's going on. Another great part of the day was I found out about this little restaurant. . . they serve shaved ice drizzled with syrup (we had lemon milk, which was actually supposed to be in the picture! :-s), and these desserts that are like a pancake with red or white sweet bean paste inside. . . fresh and hot, they are absolutely delicious! Definitely going to be back!!

just a little exploring!

Here is the newest member of my "family" out here. . . pretty cute, eh? Yeah, we're getting to be good friends already -- still working on names (any inspirations?) So, this is where we've been to lately. . .
It's called "Hirato bashi" (Hirato bridge), and there is a really neat pathway near the river, lined with baby bamboo trees -- I love the bamboo here!
This is the scene I fell in love with when I was driving over the bridge with some students (on our way to eat the river fish that I posted about a while back). . . I love the rocks, trees, and the river winding through.


So, for one afternoon, this was my little "sanctuary", a spot on the rocks with my feet in the water, hearing it rushing past me. . .

rice harvest. . .

living out in the "country" definitely has its benefits -- ie, having rice paddies within walking distance where I can see the seasons progressing. . . September and early October is when the rice ripens,
and is ready for harvesting. They do have tractors (small-scale ones) here for harvesting, but a lot of the rice paddies near here have been passed down through the family, so they're still cut and hung to dry by hand.
These flowers often grow alongside the rice paddies around harvest time.

Near my house -- I thought it was interesting how they even used the space under the billboard for hanging rice and I like the contrast with the houses in the background!

happy thanksgiving!

Although Thanksgiving isn't a holiday here (most people are not sure if or how it's different from Halloween -- just think pumpkins!) So, it gives a good opportunity for discussion in class. . . and me a whole week to prepare "what I'm thankful for" for reporting on Thanksgiving at home! ;-) I have 2 this year -- I'm thankful for the "small things" -- a note, a smile, a conversation, something that encourages my heart, and brings just a little more meaning to the day-to-day. Secondly, for second chances, praise God that He welcomes back the prodigal and the ungrateful, when they come to their senses. I am so thankful!

This past Saturday, I had the fun of going to Hikaru's sports festival again. The kids practice so much for this special day, and Chiharu told me that Hikaru was just flying high all morning before the event. . . They perform different races, dances, throwing bean bags into a net (along with their grandparents), racing in giant pants (with their mom or dad, or "fill-in" -- I went in with a girl from my English class!), adult tug of war and relay.
Just a little regroup for team spirit -- go green!

So, after the morning festival, we had a wedding -- the first ever in our church!! The couple started coming to our church at the start of this year, his family and siblings are also attending now. It was really exciting to see such a committed Christian couple get married, not as common here! I think things went pretty well (including my first shot at playing the "Bridal March" - "here comes the bride. . ." That's the most I've practice in a long time!! ;-)
That's right -- Happy Wedding. . . I really think they could care less about whether it's "real English" or not -- it's so funny how they just insert these little phrases into conversation / shop signs. . . (Isn't Moe sweet?!)
Just had to put this one in. . . any takers?!

Sunday "at home". . .

So, thanks to all of you who have been in on this little journey with me. . . a desire for connections to happen between English students and those in the church. This past Sunday was the start of what I pray will be an important part of that. Do you ever feel like something that you've waited for, and maybe wondered if you shouldn't have "done something about it sooner" was, of course, right in God's timing? I can't say that it was really anything in particular, but I really feel like God has been preparing some people's hearts for just this opportunity. . . not the least of which is mine!
We spent time just visiting and making introductions over snack food (I have to admit I didn't mind having the excuse to make something for that either!), and then just scratched the surface in exploring who God is, and how He has revealed Himself to us through the Bible. I was overwhelmed by the support of those in the church, and the 4 women who came seemed excited to have been there, and to share a bit about their stories. There were 3 students who came (and one girl's mom), so it was neat to see Christians and non-Christians there talking and learning together. I really desired to leave them with the fact that coming "home" to Jesus is something in which there is no fear, it is a learning to trust in the One who wants to walk beside us through all of life (both here and in eternity).
Please continue to pray for hearts to be challenged, me to submit to and follow God's leading and a sensitivity and wisdom in knowing how to involve those in the church with this group. . . in ways that they and I will grow and be encouraged to know Jesus more and more. . . and more. . .

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us,

that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.

Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God will bless us.

God will bless us,

and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

-psalm 67-

aren't they sweet?!

Ok, so I can't even count the number of times (practically) I've tried to upload these pictures onto my blog but, yay, they are finally here. . . hallelujah!
So, these are my cuties here, like my brothers and sister (yeah, with a bit of a "generation gap" since I could be their mom! :-s) Moe (4) with her masterpiece -- I drew, she coloured, with a bit of improv. . . This is my house / yard in Canada (did you recognize it mom and dad?), and the improv bit is Moe adding ocean on the top right. Yeah, I told her that the ocean is not that close to my house, but then decided that it would be a fun modification (if only you could do it that easily in "real life"!)
Hikaru (6) and I. . . Hikaru is a really creative kid -- the other day I was over there, and he was crafting a rocket out of a plastic water bottle. He also loves drawing / looking at flags of different countries, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's already surpassed me general geographic knowledge!
With Chiharu (I'll refrain from including the age), Hikaru and little Wataru -- he's figured out how to get onto his stomach from his back, but not the other way yet, and you can get him pretty excited with peek-a-boo, no need to hide, just turn your head!
Me and the kids. . . you can't beat family!
The September cooking class. . . cheese ball, shiskabobs and coconut cream pudding. We had a great time, and they are really getting the hang of the fact that it is laid back (ie. no levelling off measuring cups with knives!) It's so much fun to have others to cook and eat with too. . . :-)

that's so cool!

Just wanted to share about something neat that happened on Thursday (I tried to post on that day, but was having problems). So, I wasn't particularly looking forward to the evening classes since the students have been coming really sporadically and sometimes not at all on Thursday nights. . . I was wondering how it would go, hoping people would come. Anyways, the first class had 2 students -- one was a "regular", the other I had met the week before since she is now checking out classes, trying to find one that's at her level. So, after class, we were talking about how Jesus came as a light to the world. The new girl, Yuka, started asking a bunch of questions, like "what did people do before Jesus came?" and "if God was a human how could he save us?" So, we talked for a while, the other girl left, and we kept talking for an hour and a half after that. . . Turns out that Yuka's mom is a Christian, and has memories of going to church as a kid. Although she believes in God, believing and knowing God as a friend is still a difficult concept. She is really searching, though. . . for something that is real (not just something with the "right" or "easy" answers). Obviously the fact that there were no students that came to the second class was part of God's plan for tonight. . . please pray that God will keep softening Yuka's heart, and that we will have many more good talks (maybe even as members of the same "family"!) What an encouraging night!
By the way, we also had "Let's Cook!" again today (last Thursday) -- cheese ball and crackers, shiskabobs, and coconut custard pudding. . . and a lot of good laughs and conversation around the table! (I haven't been able to get any pictures on for a few days, but will post them when I can. . .!)

potluck. . . by bike!

Ok, so I've mentioned about my Bible study group on Wendesday nights before. . . We actually have a potluck together every week as well. I usually bring something really simple -- ie. fruit or cookies, and sometimes nothing at all, so I decided I should at least make one good meal to bring in exchange for the amazing suppers I have eaten every Wednesday over the past year (seriously, I don't only go for the Bible study! ;-) So, I did lasagne -- borrowed a Pyrex portable carrying case from the Hieberts' house, and braved the 20 minute bike to the station (seriously, I was close to losing that thing / control of my bike several times). All turned out well, with just a few stained towels at the other end. . . and the best part is that I can now enjoy "guilt-free" eating again for at least another few months! ;-)

So, the rice paddies are in the midst of being harvested here -- there are quite a few in my area, within a 5 or 10 minute walk. Most of the ones close by are owned by individual families, who grow the rice as a hobby, or because they have inherited family land.
A picture of Wataru and I a couple of weeks ago. . . (My friend Chiharu's little guy) Gotta love the mowhawk he has going on -- how cute! :-)

"Ladies Luncheon" at Karis' place last Friday. . . Yes, we are going to have to make this more than a "one-time" thing!! These are all women from the church - clockwise from me is the pastor's wife, Kumiko, with Wataru, a Korean woman, Mrs. Pyon with her daughter Iean (means the peace of Jesus -- neat, eh?), Chiharu and her daughter Moe, Mrs. Takekawa and Mrs. Inoue -- the two older women are sooo hilarious! I love them!
The youth event this past Saturday -- Taro, Kousuke, me and Yohei. . . never a dull moment with Sudoku at hand!
And, this is the picture from the link I sent for the car. . . keep in mind that mine is used and doesn't quite look exactly like the picture, but it's still cute (I think. . . still living in faith that I'm actually getting it sometime soon. . .!)

life as of late

As I sit here chowing down on Pringles Salt and Vinegar Chips, sipping my vanilla milkshake on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (albeit with warnings of a typhoon coming), everything just seems right with the world! ;-) Thanks for your prayers, support and everything -- I am doing much better, thanks! You'd think that I would remember about the "adjustment time", but it hits hard every time. Time, God's great faithfulness and the love of friends tend to do wonders, though.
Last Sunday, we had BBQ for "youth" from the 4 MB churches in this area -- I use the term "youth" loosely since there was a 70 year old pastor and his wife there, and a bunch of kids, but in general 15 to 35 year olds. Since I arrived last February, we've been able to meet together as leaders from each of the churches, in order to plan events (fellowship, outreach, study, service) every 3 months. Especially since the churches here are small, it is a great way to meet with other young people, strengthen faith and build relationships. It's really exciting to see the excitement of the young people, and the churches working together to make it happen!
On Friday I had a few women from church over for lunch (well, with kids and all, there were 9 of us!). It's the first time (outside of student get-togethers) that I've really hosted people at my place. We had a great time! One of the ladies was telling me at lunch today that we need to have a "Ladies Luncheon" more often from now on! ;-) Since I often don't see those from church outside of Sundays, it was so neat to just get to know each other better, sharing stories and laughs across generations -- from me all the way up to 70! And, since Japanese people are so into gifts, I ended up with more food after the get-together than I had before, so that was definitely a bonus! ;-)
Saturday -- I bought a car in the morning! (Which I have not seen or driven yet, but hopefully in about a week and a half!) One of my students, who exports Land Cruisers to Canada, has been a huge help with looking for, and then buying a Wagon R (Suzuki) through an internet auction. Up until this point, I've been getting by with my bike, but I'm looking forward to being able to go more places nearby -- it is gorgeous here, with all of the mountains, small rivers, bamboo (really, you need to come and check it out, right Bob?!), inviting friends out, and using the car for youth or other events at church. If you check out the link, you can see it's a pretty small car (660 cc.), so I'll have lots of chance to practice driving on the left-hand side of the road at low speeds, I'm guessing! http://www.globalsuzuki.com/globalnews/2004/0117.html
Saturday night we also had our first youth event after summer -- all 4 of us that were there! It was "Challenge Game Night" -- we played life-sized Sudoku. Funny thing is that no-one here knows about the "Japanese game that's all the rage" these days! :-b Guess I'll have to be an ambassador from North America. . . We made milkshakes, and talked about God as being our "safety net" -- I must say that has challenged me over these last few days -- the fact that we don't really have to be afraid to fall, but what we have to be afraid of is not having a safety net!! (And "using" that safety net only "sometimes", doesn't really do a lot of good!)
Today in church, the pastor talked about leaving a legacy of faith. . . It's true, we've all been influenced to a great extent by the faith of those around us -- friends, family -- and that we also are also leaving an impression on those around us. When I came here last year, I was incredibly impacted by the realization that God calling me here to serve was the result of, not only His will, or a desire or experience of mine, but the fact that I have an amazing heritage of faith of those who have gone before me. And for that I am extremely thankful, and only pray that I will be able to continue so faithfully.
I have a prayer request to share with you. Today I spoke with a few of the people in church about the possibility of starting up an English / Japanese Bible study, along with students from my classes. (How many students will come or not, I don't know, but it's something I'd like to offer them). I really feel like God has been putting on my heart to facilitate connections between those who don't know Christ yet and Japanese Christians. I hope this will be a great opportunity for my students to learn about who Jesus is and what it means to have a relationship with Him, and for us as Christians, to grow in our faith as we share together and have opportunities to talk about what Christ means to us. Please pray along with me that if this is something God wants to happen that He will provide those to help from the church, and also students or other non-believers who are interested in studying together. I think we are going to meet for the first time on October 1st, in the late afternoon, spend some time eating and chatting together, and then be able to read / talk about the Bible and pray. Thanks for your prayers. . . I appreciate it more than you know!! I will keep you updated! May this be a blessed Sunday for you -- a special day to meet with our Amazing Saviour!

Finding joy. . .

. . . in the most unexpected places?! (I shouldn't really say "unexpected", but let me give a little background. . .) This week back has been hard. They always are. It's not that I'm not happy to be here, or excited to see everyone, or that I don't enjoy Japan like a second home, but it's the difficulty of separation from my other (earthly) home, and some of the anxiety that comes with starting something again.
That said, I had a BLAST with my kindergarten kids this afternoon, playing games and "catching up" -- and then talking with their moms afterwards (I've gotten to know some of them better through the cooking class too, which one mom was already asking about! :-). Although I like kids and have fun hanging out with them, I can't say it's necessarily my "strong point" and discipline is sometimes an issue, so I have to admit that I don't always have high expectations. Guess God knew I needed a "pick-me-up" today. . . this must be the start of a great year!
Here are the pics you missed last time. . . how could you not "fall in love"?!

God's drawing board. . .

what is it about that blue canvas stretched above our heads, almost close enough to touch, yet deep enough to lose ourselves in, scattered with a few puffy white scrunches, or stretched over with a thin haze, that place we look to just above the horizon, for the vibrant colours as our flaming torch continues its journey past our view, or the flashes of brilliance scratching across in a frenzy, or hues of blue and green dancing to the ryhthm of the night, watched in solitude by billions of tiny portals into the universe?
i don't know. if I said I did, I'd probably be just fooling myself, because really, there are not a lot of things that I know, if I'm really honest with myself. what I do know is that it's special, though -- and there is something in me that is definitely moved at the sight of the (prairie) sky -- ok, so I am biased -- the movements of grace and fury, the subtelties, and a complexity to which words or the stroke of a paintbrush could never fully do justice. As I have heard it explained before, it seems that great dome above us is simply a reflection of the Glory of the Author of glory, the One to whom all glory is rightfully due. Simply a reflection. . . After all, it only took a word and less than half a day, and the whole thing was in place. Yep, guess you could pretty much call that glory. . .
to so many of you who have also been a reflection of that Glory to me, thank you. . . I spent a much refreshing few weeks back in Canada, and it was good in many ways. It's very good to be here again. Sometimes that becomes clouded when things from "home" get close again. . . or when I lose perspective of what's most important. But the truth is that the Glory that surrounds us isn't bounded by the things or thoughts running around in my or your life or in our heads. A Glory that not only encamps around us, but longs to embrace us -- with a permeating closeness and somehow, a sense of reassurance in its vast and changeable yet continual Presence.
may that Glory capture, and consume, and captivate us, that we may, with confidence approach our God and together, continue on in the world in which His magnificent Glory is ever on display.
(I wanted to post pictures with this, but apparently I can't, so you'll have to imagine with me! ;-)

"Kiseki wa okiru, shinjireba. . ."

Yes, that's the song that's been running through all of our heads this past week. . . the Japanese version of "When you believe" from "Prince of Egypt". It was kind of our theme song for the 3 days of Summer Kids' Club this year. . . Making pizza the second day -- these girls were so artistic!
Things went really well -- both the kids and adults had a lot of fun, I think (maybe the adults even more than the kids sometimes! ;-) I had the brilliant idea of a "staff wheelbarrow race", which I thought would be fun for the kids to watch after they were done theirs. . . think the kids weren't quite sure what was going on, but we had a great time! We also had team colours during the week, so the leaders got pretty competitive at times. . . This picture is us making garden stones. . . just like the Israelites!
Game time upstairs. . . duck, duck goose can work miracles. ;-) But according to the YMI team (from Canada and the States), since the kids didn't really say the words, you had to distinguish between the pat and the slap on the head, as to when / if you should run!! It was soo nice to have the church building this year, since before this, they have always used a community centre.
I was so thankful for all those from the church who volunteered their time in working with the kids, making meals, and just pitching in (especially the Sunday before when it looked like I was going to lose it!! :-b) It is a blessing to be part of such a family, and for connections to be built between the kids and people in the church -- I pray that those will continue from here as well. The YMI team was also amazing -- a group with servant hearts, wanting to be a blessing to those they meet here in Japan.
Just one of the things the YMI team added to our week was the "Pharoah Pharoah" (now "Paro Paro" ;-) song. . . the kids just loved it (as you can see in the group picture)! For the last afternoon, we went to the park, played some water games, had a watermelon breaking contest (the other kids "coach" the blindfolded one towards a watermelon lying on the ground, who takes a whack at it).
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers -- God is so faithful, and He provides much more than we could imagine.
I leave Toyota in almost exactly an hour to go to the airport for Canada -- yay!! Can't wait to see you all. . . hoping you are having a great summer too!

to all of you. . .

. . . who check this space for random postings -- thank you so much! There's something neat about "connecting" with you here, even though I don't know when you come, or even who some of you are probably. . .
It has been a bit of a trying time for me here these days. . . in many ways, I guess. I think I realized today that I am being reminded I need to be a learner, who is able to admit my shortcomings. These past few days have been filled with a lot of great and fun things, a lot of hard work (I'm not used to that ;-) and finding out some things about myself that maybe I didn't really want to! :-s I guess I've always thought of myself as a pretty respectful person, and yet, many times that's just the image I try to portray on the outside, as long as I can "fool" the other person into believing my facade, I justify it to myself that everything is ok. Guess lying, even to yourself, always ends up showing itself. It wasn't like a "big event" that shocked me into the realization, but just the comment "You must be busy". It came after I had agreed to do something for this person, and I stood there impatiently while they tried to tell and show me how to do a very basic thing (as if I had to do it that "specific" way). It was obvious how I hurredly asked if I could take the supplies to my house to do the job (since I didn't want to wait around any longer). That's when the comment came, "You must be busy". It kind of made me cringe. Even though it was true, do I really want to be a "busy" person?! Too busy to have meaningful interactions with people, or feel like I'm always jsut rushing through something to get onto the next?
The other thing I think God is trying to knock into my head is the practice of humility -- an independent and strongly opinionated personality doesn't always readily accept the advice / good intentions of others, or recognize her "guest status" here in another country. How did Jesus ever humble Himself to the point of coming to this earth to live with us?! When things frustrate me about living here, I sometimes want to just "rebel" against them, and exert my individuality as a "Canadian". . . I think looking at my situation, I've had a lot of "freedoms", to continue life (at least in many ways) the way I'm used to or comfortable with, that many of my other friends who work at Japanese companies haven't had.
Seems like another twist in the road that I hadn't expected, but I hope that I will be able to keep my eyes focussed on the One who humbled Himself to the ultimate sacrifice for us. . . and take my cues from Him. Thanks for "listening" -- let's talk again soon. . . ;-)

Happy birthday Canada. . .

Ok, so I know it's a few days early. . . but some of my students asked about what we usually did for Canada Day -- get together, have a BBQ, eat a cake with a maple leaf made out of strawberries on the top (if you get the "Kraft Kitchen" magazine, you'll know what I'm talking about), watch fireworks maybe. . . bottom line, basically a good excuse for a party, eh? So, that's what we did -- Canadian style in Japan!! (first time I've used a BBQ here -- it's usually veggies, seafood, and meat on a grill over charcoal). I was pretty intent on it being "realistic", so I asked the students to bring either a snack (ie. chips) or a drink. . . we ended up with boiled beans, chicken nuggets, lots of cherries and grapes, oranges, some small ice cream balls. . . one canister of Pringles look-alikes (chili pepper flavour) and some drinks! ;-) It was interesting to see them try raw veggies and dip, but I don't think they quite got the idea since I heard one guy explained it to another student as "stick salad" -- because of the shape of the veggies??!
I invited all of my adult students, and about half of them came. I usually have one of these "get togethers" about every 3 months, and it's a lot of fun to just connect more casually, eat and laugh together. I'm so thankful for Keiko (in the red) who has been attending my classes for about a year. . . she's a lot of fun, and ended up getting the gas for the BBQ even though the tank had actually expired!! She's also a member of the church here and comes to the classes more for the chance to get to know the students and develop friendships than the learning English part. It's so great to see that happen and her desire to reach out in that way! :-)
Checking to see if the hamburgers are done yet. . .
and other preparations (as you can tell, I was strictly the "supervisor" and "go-to" person. . . ;-)
Don't worry, I have definitely not forgotten my identity. . . actually I feel like I have a pretty big role out here representing all you Canadians back home (I apologize in advance for any strange opinions my students / friends may have formed, ignorantly supposing me to be an "average" Canadian :-) We listened to "O Canada", learned about maples, Anne of Green Gables (they probably know more than me, though -- they love her out here!), the Canadian Pacific Railway and Terry Fox, watched the "I am Canadian" ad in the intermediate / advanced classes, and the kids sang "Happy birthday Canada" -- hey Canada, here's to you!

my week. . .

. . .started off with meeting old friends in Osaka (ok, I have to admit that I don't really know everyone in this picture :-s) The girl beside me, Naoge used to be my student and drive me home every Tuesday night after classes -- somehow, despite my inability to speak any Japanese and her limited English, we managed to communicate amazingly well (we both know that is definitely a gift from God) and develop a friendship that still continues! The other girl beside me is Amberly, an MB missionary and English teacher working at that church now. Rika (the one in yellow) is also a good friend.
Back to my old stomping grounds. . . yeah, occassionally when I go back to Osaka to visit, I take a stroll in the neighbourhood where I used to live, just for "old times' sake". The apartment building was called "Minoh Garden Heights", where I lived for almost 11 months, 3 years ago. Walking around that area again brought back so many memories of going to station (either by bike, before it got impounded, or running, since I was always late for the train!), the older man who used to stand outside the post office, who would try to practice his English on us, trips to 7-11 (next door) and fireflies by the river nearby. It also made me realize how spacious it is here in Toyota -- in Minoh, most people have no yard at all, and in most cases it's one step from the street, through the gate, and straight in the front door!

This Wednesday was also the final Bible Study for the (school) year. I've been meeting with some teachers from the International Christian school Cambria and Trenton Hiebert attend. It's been such a rewarding and growing experience to meet together with others, communicate freely about the Bible, share songs and good food (potluck :-), and just have a night to hang out with North Americans!! (I should actually say "Americans", and a couple of Japanese -- out of the 15 or so of us, I'm the only Canadian!)

This is most of those who come to the group regularly, almost all teachers from the school. The guy in the red shirt is Justin, who has been teaching English this year in the Nagoya area with three different MB churches, so it's been neat to connect with him during these times too. He will be returning to California this August.
"Let's Cook!" We had a great time. . . but I do have to admit that maybe I didn't take things quite seriously enough. First of all, I didn't put "aprons" on "things to bring" list, but, true to form, 3 of the 4 women showed up "prepared". Once the aprons were donned, they stood in front of me (on the opposite side of the island in the middle) awaiting instructions from the "cooking expert"(?!) I did have the thought to at least translate and print the recipe (whew!), and got them to follow the recipe. I think they were a little uptight about the order of adding ingredients and doing things precisely (ie. using a knife to level things off when measuring!), but as we got into things, they realized that this cooking class used "about" measurements, and that the veggies for the soup could be cut whatever way they liked. . . After all, if they want "Canadian cooking", that's pretty "authentic Canadian", eh?! (Or at the least, makes for more working together, and less me trying to look like something I'm not -- ie. a pro!)

You always do wonder a little how things are going until the finished product is ready, and has reached your taste buds with at least (and hopefully a little more than) moderate satisfaction. I did kind of revel in the comments -- "Wow, this dressing goes so well with the spinach and raw apples. I would never have thought of this combination" or "I can't wait to make this lemon dessert for company and hear them say how good it is!" But, then again, like I told them, as long as you can read and follow a recipe, you're good to go. The woman on the far right used to attend my English classes, and the other three have kids in my kindergarten classes. It was so neat to be able to spend time together talking as adults (not just about the kids!), and getting to know one another. I'm excited about the opportunity to continue. . . and praying that some women from church will also be able to get involved (I really desire for this to be a place where relationships can be built. What a better way than over food?!)
My second bus tour -- yay!!! The "Japanese bus tour" is definitely a unique experience that will, in any case be memorable and, if you know what to expect and are free to just go along with the flow, can be a great cultural adventure. The day started at 7 am at the bus stop near my house (ok, it was supposed to be 7 -- for me it was 5 minutes later), and ended around 8:30 in the evening. I honestly can't say that we really saw that much (except from the windows of the bus), or that we didn't spend 3/4 of the time on the bus or at rest stops (every 45 minutes is apparently the extent of a Japanese bladder :-b), but we did travel quite a long ways (almost to Mt. Fuji -- we could see it from the bus), ate a lot of good food (including real ice cream from the farm -- :-D), enjoyed each others' company, and. . .
. . . went for "all-you-can-eat" cherry picking. That's right -- it's all the rage over here. Get a group of friends, join a bus tour or use your own car, and sign up for an all you can pick and eat "fruit of the season" excursion. Many of these, such as cherries, strawberries, and grapes are obviously popular, especially when buying a pack of cherries (about 30) in the store will cost you about $5. The trick is that you have a time limit (which, really, is a good thing, as I found out!), and you can't take any home. I was a little skeptical, but can tell you I've turned into a fan (especially since the three of us -- Kimie on left, and Junko in the middle -- found the most delicious tree in the whole greenhouse. . . and once again, my height came in handy -- apparently, cherries that get more sunlight taste the best!) Along the theme of "all-you-can-pick-and-eat" tours, though, I still have a bit of a hard time with the cabbage one. . . :-s
Today was a very exciting day!! During the church service, we had a prayer of dedication for little Wataru (my friend Chiharu's baby boy), and an engagement ceremony for a couple that started coming in the past few months. Yuuji (some of you may remember, the guy my age who has been undergoing treatment cince last fall, for depression, and things related to being a child of an alcoholic) also came to the service!!!! It was soo exciting to see him, and even though he is not returning yet, he seems to be doing much better. With God's help, he is gradually healing, and regaining confidence and the ability to return to a more normal, but healthy, lifestyle.
Every year Toyota Church has a Father's Day BBQ (a week early) out by the river. This year it was a different location than last year, which was a relief with the roof and tatami (straw mat) rooms, since it was raining! It was a good time to just visit casually, laugh together, and eat some good beef (and tandoori chicken that one woman in the church makes -- yum!)

The coals were burning MUCH better than during the youth camping trip (at several points, a little too hot!), so we could stand around the grill talking, put on meat, shrimp, squid, potatoes, and vegetables, and then take off the finished product, dip in sauce and eat. We also made fried noodles afterwards (you can see in this picture). It was neat to have the Kurokawas (the couple in the top middle of the picture) join us, as in about 2 weeks, they will be taking over leadership in the church for this next year. It was definitely a full week. . . but even as I recount these things, I realize I have so many blessings to be thankful for!