"Genki mura" here we come!!

May 20-21 was our first ever (annual?) youth camping trip at Toyota East (Christ Church). It was quite the adventure at "Cheerful Village", I must say. We had been prepared for rain, but were more than happy to accept the fog (felt like we were in the clouds being up so high in the mountain there) and then sunshine on Sunday (along with the first burn of the seaon for me -- complete with peeling and all. . . :-s) There were 9 of us altogether, including 2 of my English students, which was really exciting! We spent time together playing group games, doing orienteering, making supper over the coals (that one took a little longer than expected. . .), playing PIT with a new version of "spoons" ("tongues" -- no, you don't grab one another's tongues as I had mistakenly assumed, but stick out your tongue when you get a set, the point basically being getting to laugh at whoever's the last to clue in -- pretty funny actually), and spending time remembering the greatness of our Creator, through songs and reflecting on the unique gifts and abilities He's given each of us. It was a really great time together. . . well, we're not sure about the youth. . . but at least, Chiaki, the other leader, and I both agreed on that. . . ;-)

another rainy day. . .

. . . seems like we've been having a lot of them lately. Which makes having a bicycle as your primary means of transportation doesn't always work that well! It has also made me realize how easily sometimes the not-so-nice side of me comes out when things don't work out as planned -- ie. how I planned them to be.
On Wednesday evenings, I usually attend a Bible study with teachers from an International Christian school in Nagoya (3rd biggest city in Japan, and about 40 minutes by train from where I live). So, I usually have to rush out after my kindergarten kids' class, bike the 20 minutes to the station, catch the train and I arrive after most of the others, but there is always a great potluck supper waiting! ;-) Today, because of the rain / bus and train connections, I was an hour late, wet, and not happy, to put it nicely. . . But, even as I walking from the train station to the house where we meet, I was thinking about what a minimal "issue" the episode really was and how big I was making it in my mind.
And then, as I arrived, to see 15 people sitting around the living room, discussing the Word of God, reaching out to others with that hope, and our amazing, personal God, was. . . a gift.
"O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth."
psalm 8:1,4,9
What a privilege and honour we have to know and be known, and be completely overwhelmed in the presence of that God, our King and Saviour, who wants to relate to us intimately at every moment of every day.
May Your glory reign, as it is even now, O God.

Wow!

I thank you, High God -- you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration -- what a creation! ps. 139: 14 (msg) This is little "Wataru", the baby boy born to my friend Chiharu this past Saturday. That morning, at 5 am I got an e-mail on my cell phone from Chiharu saying she was in the hospital in labour. . . at 9:30 I got pictures, and around 5:30 I was able to go and visit her. New life is amazing. . . and it's so special to be able to be a part of this experience with Chiharu, who is like a sister to me. It makes me think of what my niece Acacia must have looked / acted like when she was born only 8 months ago. . . What a special gift!
The "before" picture. . . this was Monday of last week, when Chiaki (right -- well, I guess it's pretty easy to see. . . the NONpregnant one!), Chiharu and I had a girls' night before the baby came!
I had the privilege of spending the "Golden Week" holiday surrounded by nature in Karuizawa (where I went last summer). We actually had a missionary gathering, so there were 4 who came that were living in Osaka (far left, Amberly, my right, David, middle, Andrea and 4th from right, Doris), the Hieberts -- 3 of them are on the right, and a couple from Canada who are friends of the Hieberts, Jim and Irene London (on either side of Andrea). So, other than Justin, who was home for the holidays, it was neat to be able to spend the time together as MB missionaries here in Japan.
Of course, we had LOTS of chocolate -- almost everyone brought some kind of desserts, knowing they would be well appreicated among us "gaijin" (foreigners)!! We were so blessed to have Jim share with us during the 3 days -- on intimacy with God. I was challenged in soo many ways. . . and especially in my longing for God (not the things that He gives, just Him). . . and a readiness to have Him use me / see Him work.
The morning before we left. . . full, refreshed, challenged and having enjoyed many good talks together. . .but a whole lot more sleep-deprived (after all, chances to talk naturally in English don't just come everyday!!) Definitely a lot of fun! (with Cambria, Doris, Amberly and Andrea)

how pretty!

the pride and joy of the Japanese -- their breath-taking cherry blossoms! I have to admit that even though I too was taken by these blooms, it still did (and does) puzzle me the extent to which life here practically revolves around them. Recently, in talking with some of my students, I feel like I caught a glimpse of deeper understanding of the significance of the blossoms. . . their "fleetingness". And it is this bittersweet reality that the Japanese are both incredibly sensitive to, and highly revere. And in that aspect of being aware of the world around them, I'd say they are incredibly perceptive.
Moe and I at her kindergarten entrance ceremony :-) Children in Japan usually attend kindergarten (totally separated from elementary school) for 2 years, although in circumstances where the mother is working or going to have another baby (as in my friend Chiharu's case), the kids can start as early as age 3 or younger. Since Chiharu's husband is in the States on business, I got to join all the dads and videotape the ceremony. . . ;-)
After the ceremony, the four of us (Chiharu, Hikaru and Moe) spent some time walking around the park, eating our ice cones, and enjoying the cherry blossoms.
"So, this is love. . ." The big day -- giving a Japanese sermon -- what an interesting, difficult, fun, challenging and rewarding experience. It ended up being longer than I thought, but it's a little harder to "shave off time" by talking faster in another language!! All I have to say is praise God for His faithfulness!
Our Easter celebration at the church -- we spent time playing games, singing, and then retelling the Easter story. The kids coloured and the adults put together their thoughts in order to describe each part of the story. It's so exciting to see these times of growing and learning together!

having a hard time. . .

. . . getting around to posting anything these days! I have to admit that during the past two weeks, my excuse is that I've been having WAY too much fun hanging out with a friend from Bible school who came to visit.


It was a whirlwind of events, making memories, doing things with students, getting to know each other a lot better, and for me, the excitement of having such a good friend to spend time with and that she could get to know some of the people that are such a special part of my life here. It often feels like I have my "Japan life" and my "Canada life" and the two are quite separated most of the time, but in those moments when they contact one another, and the understanding, connection, and meaning that comes from that makes me feel blessed to be a part of both worlds. (Thanks for coming Bob -- I love you!)

As you can see, the cherry blossoms were almost too gorgeous to believe they were actually real -- in case you're wondering, I don't have the slightest clue about photo manipulation, but even looking at this picture, it seems pretty "surreal" to think that we had the chance to step onto this "postcard". We saw the blossoms at every stage (in backwards order!) and Bob definitely has the pictures to prove it, but really, how can you resist?!


Part of the new experiences for Bob definitely included trying A LOT of new foods, and this (noodles) was probably the most normal one! Guess the closest comparison is what we call "Mr. Noodles", but they definitely taste better fresh! And, out here slurping is a good thing. Funny how it still seems "rude" though. . . Seeing all of the things that Bob experienced for the "first time" made me realize how many things I consider "normal" already. . . and how my taste buds have adjusted over these past few years. Not only do I "like" a lot of the foods here, as I was telling Bob, I often have to "hold myself back" from buying Japanese sweets (red beans in the rice paste) when I go grocery shopping! ;-)

It was a lot of fun for me and the students having another "native speaker" in the class (good challenge for the students too, since they've gotten used to the way I speak by now!) It was fun having a conversation in front of the class, using natural English expressions, and seeing how much the students caught. . . on the other hand, it was really funny (and kind of hard to keep a straight face) for us, trying to have a "natural conversation" but at the same time so "unnatural"! Sometimes I bring baking to class, so these students wanted to try making cookies together. So, we spent one class doing that together (the idea was "baking in English" -- the baking went well, the English was, well. . . they had fun anyways. . .)! Having the "baking pro" (ie. Bob) by my side through the experience was reassuring for me, but a little shocking for the students when they saw her adding more flour without measuring it out first (gasp!) after they had soo precisely measured it all out! :-) They still turned out great!

So, this is a pretty accurate portrayal of what Bob and I looked like A LOT of the time during the past 2 weeks. . . "not quite" fitting in with the crowds around us (who loved pointing us out, commenting on those two tall foreign girls, and laughing when we hit our heads on objects which should have been placed higher up -- ie. door frames, tv on tour bus. . .), taking pictures (of pretty much anything, but especially the cherry blossoms and our experiences) and having a lot of fun together. :-) So hard to "capture" those moments in time, but it makes me thankful for them, the memories we hold with us, and blessings of friendship.

Random Japan. . .

So, I took the bullet train to Osaka a couple of weeks ago to visit friends and old students there. I don't usually, since I'm cheap, and Japan is an expensive place. Hey, it takes 2 hours on the regular train instead of 1, but I can handle it! It's amazing how you don't really feel like you're travelling at 250 km/hr, but the scenery does whiz by pretty quickly. . . or the passing trains if you happen to be at a "smaller" station where the express "shinkansen" don't stop.
So, I couldn't resist -- this is actually a finding about a 2 minute walk away from where I used to live in Osaka (the 2nd time). Guess some things are pretty transcultural, eh? Only on this poster it's reprimanding the dogs, not their owners -- "what are you doing?" Which reminds me, there's nothing like sitting in the park (especially when you can find one with grass in it, and not just concrete and sand) on a nice afternoon, only to be interrupted by some melody wafting through the air followed by a "friendly reminder" to pick up after your dogs, repeated about 5 times over the intercom system which you now realize is wired throughout the park. . . ahh, just when you thought you had found an "escape" from the hustle and bustle. . .
So, I felt a little awkward trying to take this picture strategically amidst the mobs of people vying to get to the ticket dispensers. . . no doubt to get in on the "no my car ticket" deal. . . Funny thing is next machine over, there was the same thing written in Japanese -- I mean, "no mai kaa dei chiketto". Just another example of how adept the Japanese are at increasing their "English vocabularies". ;-)
Just in case you forgot the fact that I still do stick out in this country. . . I sure didn't miss out on that, since every time I go back people are convinced I've been on some kind of growth spurt. But, thankfully that has nothing to do with relationships. . . and these two are both very special to me. My first year in Osaka, we had a class together. . . I don't remember us doing much actual studying, but we sure covered a lot in the conversation area!! So, this time was no different -- over our Italian pasta buffet we had a great time catching up. . . and actually, we're planning on a trip to the hot springs together sometime next winter. Apparently watching the snow flutter down while taking a healing soak in the mineral water is a Japanese experience not to be missed. I believe it. Can't wait!
"Narunia" is finally here!! It came out on the 4th of the month, and the fact that it's being heavily advertised by convenience stores, not to mention that it's Disney, has contributed to making it a very popular movie here. Many of my students have already gone or want to. . . We were able to get some pretty cool "tracts" (I don't really like that word, but I guess that's what they are) that say they are the "complete guide" to Narnia, and explain it's connections to the Bible, through the characters and stuff. Sometimes it seems there are few ways in which the general public comes into "contact" with Christianity, so these kinds of opportunities are exciting, since there is a natural openess and interest.

What do you think??

So, I have a question for you all. This Friday I'm going to be speaking during the chapel time at the school that Cambria and Trenton (Hiebert) go to. My theme is DOUBT. Yeah, not quite the typical fare. But, it's something I think I needed to hear when I was their age (grades 5 to 9). I remember once in youth Sunday School being asked if we ever had doubts about our faith. . . I was the only one who raised their hand. Is it just me, or are we really "discouraged" from doubting, almost as if it's akin to sin at times? I agree that doubt can be a threat to faith, especially depending on what we do with that doubt. On the other hand, I know that if I didn't have questions and seasons of doubt that I wouldn't have the real faith that, by God's amazing grace, I am daily blessed and encouraged by.
I was looking for the reflections of others on the topic, when I found these:
"Faith which does not doubt is dead faith" - Miguel de Chamuno
"Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith" - Paul Tillich
I'm interested to hear what your thoughts are. . .

So, to continue on the theme of foods I wouldn't normally eat at home in Canada. . . here's a "taste" of our "takoyaki" party at one of my student's houses. (By the way, "tako" means octopus -- it's not Mexican here. . . and "yaki" is fried -- first you dump batter over the grill filled with 18 round indents, throw octopus, green onions, dried shrimp, pickled ginger and deep fried bits of batter randomly on top, wait until the batter has set a bit, and then comes the fun of using shiskabob sticks to cut around each of those indents, trying to get everything into a nicely shaped, browned little ball, to be garnished with brown sauce, mayo, seaweed, and fish shavings that "dance" on top. )
Since this is an "Osaka food", I've had the opportunity to participate and somewhat (and I use that very loosely) hone my art of "takoyaki" making, but most of the students at the party had never tried before -- they were pretty excited (about that, and the fact that the "takoyaki" maker was "dirt cheap". . . who says parties can't be educational?!)
Something else that's neat about this group of women in the picture is that at the beginning of January I had no idea who they were. My first week back teaching and 4 enthusiastic (and talkative) women entered the class. . . things have never been the same, I end up learning more Japanese than they do English sometimes ;-), but it's been great to get to know them!

Making Miso!! So, I've mentioned about my friend Chiaki here who works at a farm, where I've been to visit a few times. This time it was to make "miso" the old-fashioned way. Miso is a popular soup base here in Japan -- many families "drink" miso soup every day (sometimes with breakfast!) When I arrived, they had the soybeans boiling outside, and stuck some potatoes and sweet potatoes in the fire for our lunch later.

Here Chiaki and I are mixing the "ground up" soybeans (yeah, just like hamburger meat) with fermented rice, salt and water. We made balls out of the mixture, and then threw it into a bucket (you have to do this to get the air out, although I have to admit, it was a lot of fun. . . who needs self-help books on stress relief when you have miso?!) It will sit in that bucket, sealed away, for a year. . . when it will be "fermented", ready for use in the kitchen and to be drunk out of someone's soup bowl. It's been really neat to be able to get to know the family at the farm here, and connect with them a few times already. I know Chiaki so much wants to be a witness to those around her, and so it's neat for them to be able to meet another Christian too. :-)

This past Friday, 2 of my students (not including the little girl, but she is studying English and she's pretty good!!) and I went to make pottery!! Since this area is pretty well known for it's articles made from clay (good soil here or something), we drove out to the ceramics museum where they offer little demos on how to make your own creations, and then you just buy the clay, some time in this room. . . and then let your creative energies flow! In our case, it was close to 3 hours by the time we were finished. . . but so neat to see what we were able to "design", and to watch others working nearby (who were definitely not amateurs like the 3 of us!!) Guess we'll see how they turn out when we go back next month to pick them up. . .

What's for dinner??

Any guesses on this one? Well, since I got a Japanese cookbook (written in English) for my birthday, I decided that I should at least try something. . . while getting the ingredients was in a part of the grocery store I had never really explored before, the finished product was pretty good. So, if any of you are interested in this seaweed (black pieces), mushroom, and fried tofu dish, (I forgot the carrots, ironically!!) you know where to go. (But don't worry, Bob, I won't make you eat it!!)


And for dessert, if you "still" have an appetite, you might try out the. . . "Unbelievable" (yes, that was the name of it -- though it's a bit of a stretch to understand the Japanese version of "English" at times). It was a pretty amazing, glorified (even though we went for the 2 litre reduced whip cream version) parfait. Our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs, though, as our stomachs started to feel it by the time we got past all the "toppings" (and to the real ice cream). Nevertheless, definitely an adventure! (with L-R Chiaki from church, Cambria Hiebert and Grimi - Korean girl that comes to youth)

One year already?!?

Ok, so this is actually a few days late, but my "1 year anniversary" in Toyota was Saturday the 4th. Hard to believe I had no idea who these people were only 369 days ago. I was thinking back about how I had pictured things would be, before I arrived that evening last February. I was excited, but incredibly nervous about living with a family here for a month, not the least of which was having to use Japanese!! (Despite my "best intentions" about studying in Canada. . . I think I did about once!) It's pretty important to use the "right language" especially in a situation where I would basically be "indebted" to the family here for letting me stay with them. But everything changed when, within about 1/2 an hour after getting inside the house, Chiharu started talking to me in very friendly, casual Japanese. . . something I hadn't expected! I learned to quickly get used to listening (since Chiharu likes talking ;-), sharing about myself, being part of a Japanese family and immersed in "kids' talk" (with a 2 and 4 year-old) for the first time.
The other day I went to her place for lunch. We laughed, shared what's been going on, I made a dumb mistake in Japanese (said that Martha was sitting "under" Jesus instead of "down" at his feet, and we laughed about that. . .), prayed together, and couldn't believe how soon she had to go and pick up Hikaru (her son) from kindergarten. So, today I reflect especially on what a blessing Chiharu has been in my life -- God gives us family even "far from home", and she is most definitely a sister at heart.

Ureshii na!!

(Literally, I'm happy! Probably gives you a hint as to why there's so much "nonsensical" English around here. . . the two languages are just VERY different!!)
The reason why I'm happy, well, one of them is, this weekend I bought daffodils!! Aren't they cute?! I've been meaning to put something in my pots for a while, and since my outdoor plant died while I was home at Christmas, I decided to go to the home centre to see what I could find. . . and so spring has arrived (at least inside my little house! :-)


Another exciting thing that happened today was. . . all of the "foreigners" -- ie. the Hiebert family and I -- got to wear kimonos!! Two older ladies from church have been working so hard at getting everything ready (including asking numerous people and a rental place if they happened to have a kimono long enough for a 183 cm tall girl -- we ended up giving up ;-), but it's only noticeable in the sleeves!!). Then, two of their friends came to help put the kimonos on us this morning (it's quite a process -- what I'm wearing in this picture was my "underwear" -- 3 layers before you actually get the kimono on!) Making sure everything is in the right place, getting the bottom to lay nicely, and the obi (belt) tied is something that, these days, most Japanese people can't do on their own, and rely on special "dressers" for these kinds of occassions (which, are happening less and less).

My church family -- at least, those who were there this morning! Funny how we are dressed in traditional Japanese garb, and it's the Japanese who came in jeans! The Hiebert family and I in front (L-R): Trenton(12), Brandon(17), Laurence, Leona, and Cambria (15).

Cambria and I showing off the obi in the back of our kimonos. . . notice how Cambria's kimono has long-sleeves (for young women who aren't married) and the bow is tied up (hard to see in this picture). Here they often refer to young women "older sister" and a little bit older (30s-50s) as "aunt", even older becomes "grandma". It's the same for men. So, I was joking with everyone that I had already gotten "promoted" to the "aunt" style of obi tying -- no longer "cute and fun". . . ;-)


Just me (and my camera) -- having a little fun at my house! Definitely a special memory. . .

Couldn't resist. . .

Here she is. . . little miss Acacia. . . wearing, I must say, something I'm sure she will treasure for the rest of her life!! (thanks Suzanne :-) Only thing is, I know she's already surpassed me in terms of charming, and it's only a matter of time with sophistication. . . ;-)

So, this is Christmas. . .

. . . reality check. . . so I was already having a few identity issues about "visiting Canada" for 2 weeks, when I fell, out skating with my dad and brother. Ok, so I wasn't that great at it even when I did live there. . . It was definitely a lot of fun to skate out on the little river like 1/4 of a mile away from my house -- first time ever, so I guess you can't say there was NO benefit to all the rain. . .
Bob and I at New Year's -- yeah, I'm guessing that's probably quite "self-explanatory" for many of you. . . Had a great time hanging out with a few Bethany friends at Rochelle and Harley's place! Bring on the bowl game, Cranium, and a whole lot of Rochelle's amazing fruit and taco dip (NOT the same thing, in case you were wondering!)
My "new and expanded" family. . . Absolutely fabulous to spend time with my family -- laughing, playing games by the fireplace, and being together!! And it was nothing but amazing to finally meet my Acacia (niece). . . definitely one fab girl who holds a big place in my heart!! Hard to explain how proud and blessed I feel. . .

Kristin, Foord -- I apologize, well, in retrospect. . .?! Yeah, sorry, no privacy regulations on these blogs. . . I can't say how much I love all of you, my friends, and how incredible it was to spend time together -- reminisce, be crazy and share our hearts.
The continuation of New Year's (sorry, I'm too scared to try moving things around in here because I've had it backfire before. . . and you know how often I write, so that could end up being more than a little detrimental ;-) Out in Rochelle's backyard (before being bombarded by snowballs) enjoying her hot tub in the, well, early hours of the morning. . .

I have to say that I was blessed to spend with all of you at home during my time there -- I was refreshed by seeing you. I often remember you, pray for you and miss being with you. Thanks for enriching my life in so many ways!! XOXO

December reflections. . .

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!! We were all surprised to see how much snow there was this week (I was very excited, others weren't so much!) Although it melted rather quickly, it made for a very pretty world of white, and. . . I think Christmas is just better with snow!

At the beginning of December, there was a baptism at the church!!! Yohei (jr. high student) and Cambria Hiebert (part of the missionary family here) took the plunge! Very exciting to hear their testimonies, and be encouraged about how God is working in their lives

Playing games together after the "Canadian Christmas Dinner" we hosted last weekend. . . interesting how quickly the salads went (as compared with meat!!), but I think everyone really enoyed it! Of course, in keeping with the theme for the night, I had to introduce them to a truly "North American" game (?!) -- spoons!! I think it was a little on the "wild" side for a few, and I hope I didn't ruin the "Canadian reputation" over here (after all, it's a pretty big responsibility!! ;-)

Food as an art. . .

It most definitely is more than just "eating" here -- the beauty, colour, shape and appearance of the (many) dishes are just as important as the taste of the food, which of course often relates to whatever is "in season" at any particular time (menus in restaurants frequently change here!)

A more traditional Japanese "set" meal.

A step up from your basic "Ichiban" or "Mr. Noodles" -- the Japanese version of "fast food". . . there are noodle shops in trains stations where you can stand as you slurp (which is polite here) down the noodles, leaving just enough time to catch your train!
Once again, the cakes are no exception to the "beauty in the details" that is prided by Japanese people. They may be small, but they look amazing!! Actually, most people here, if you ask them about Christmas, one of the first things they mention is "Christmas cake", since it's become popular to order a cake and eat it with family on December 25th.
Some squid and other seafood up for sale. . . you also often see packages like this filled with Japanese "pickles" -- NOT my favourite part of the cuisine, but they enjoy them on the side with many meals.
And, of course. . . what would Japan be without SUSHI?! Actually, these are wax models of the "lunch boxes" the store is selling inside. . . quite handy for foreigners, since at many restaurants you can decide what to order before even stepping inside the door!

These things are everywhere. . . standing out in front of some houses next to the gate. . . you are never more than 300 metres away from one. . . and at train stations sometimes you find whole rooms full of vending machines -- everything from hot (milk tea, coffee) and cold drinks (pocari sweat, calpis -- which, I happen to like by the way, even though it is, umm. . . fermented milk :-s) to ice cream, noodles, energy bars, hamburgers, and probably whatever else you can imagine. . . They even have digital displays showing beautiful Japanese cartoon women bowing in gratitude for your purchase!!

Not exactly your "traditional" Japanese cuisine, but I thought it was rather amusing how the McDonalds here are trying to portray their "healthy image". . . by comparing the amount of calories in other Japanese dishes with that a Big Mac, apple pie or fries. Guess the new "trend" to at least look healthy is universal. . . only here they've started from the other side!
A shop selling bars of jellied sweet beans -- with flavours ranging from green tea, brown sugar, "cherry blossom" (whatever that really means) and the ever popular "red bean" flavour. And, I do have to admit, once you've been here for a while, you start to crave it too. . . no longer are beans only a vegetable. . . :-)