Merry Christmas from Japan via Hawaii!  Our family has enjoyed two days so far with Eric’s family, and are looking forward to visiting Eric’s home church tomorrow morning and celebrating Christmas there as well.

Our first day of travel to get here was crazy — reminding us of our humanity!  As we were loading our luggage onto the luggage belt at Kansai airport, we realized that one of our backpacks wasn’t there – the one with my computer in it.  Ouch.  We were getting to get the battery replaced in Hawaii, and I was hoping to make several photo albums for some Sanda friends.  Bummer.  While we were waiting for our boarding passes to get printed, I checked all of our flight schedules in my notebook.  And it dawned on me that I had bought our tickets for our three-day trip to the island of Kauai over new years to Kona (the Big Island) instead of Lihue (Kauai).  I felt sick.

We went through immigration, and as the officer was checking all of our passports, she stopped at Olivia’s, and pointed to the expiration date.  It had expired last MAY!  Our mission requires us to check all of our documentation twice a year and send the dates in to the office.  We still don’t know how this got by us and them, except that Olivia (and two of her siblings so far) have two passports – a US and Japanese one.  At any rate, we were moved over to a special office, and after ten minutes of discussion were allowed to pass through (in reality, because she had one passport that was not expired, we were ok.  But it was still unnerving!).  To top things off, I realized that we had never sent in our official mission travel form for our trip to Hawaii.  Strike four.

The day after we arrived, I was able to change our island tickets for a fairly minimal cost.  We are fine without the backpack and computer.  We can get Olivia’s passport renewed when we get back home.  I sent an apology in for the travel form.   But I just felt so deflated – exhausted –almost numb.  The past month feels like a blur of many special “lasts” in Sanda, milking the season with lots of people over, special events for friends and our family, lots of occasions where we had to prepare and be “on.”  I got on the plane and just wanted to collapse (which doesn’t really happen when you are flying with four kids aged two to nine).

Two days here and I feel my tanks being restored.  Tonight is Christmas eve, and we have been very blessed and taken care of by Eric’s family.  And in a strange way it’s been good to be reminded of our humanity.  Today we received a digital Christmas letter from our friends Jay and Elisha Case.  It was just what my heart needed.  I quote the last paragraph:

It seems to me that a fuller understanding of Christmas gift-giving would lead us to see that God has given each of us talents, resources, and opportunities that we are to share, enjoy, and use for His purposes.  However, we should also recognize that each of us is beset by flaws, sins and limitations, some of which run much more deeply than escapades with air conditioners and trenchers.  We are not able to make everything right by our own power.  But, as I understand the Christian faith, God has given us the gift of Jesus Christ, so that we might be able to accept the grace that we all so desperately need.  May we all be willing to open ourselves up to that grace this Christmas.

Our flaws and sins and limitations have come out this week in me through lots of forgottenness  and mistakes….  There are gonna’ be days like this.  How desperately I need the grace of Christmas;  the grace of Jesus this Christmas.  I’m happy to receive it all.

And my greatest present this Christmas is a reminder of the amazing family God has given us.  These four children are probably part (a lot?) of the reason I am more tired and forgetful, but they are the greatest daily displays of God’s grace that Eric and I have in our lives.

Grace upon grace upon grace.  Merry Christmas.

This morning my Spurgeon devotional took me back two years ago.  I remember exactly how I was feeling as I read it;  the angst in my heart.  We had just made the hardest decision ever about our foster baby, whom we loved dearly.  We were seeking to follow God’s leading, but it didn’t make sense with our hearts.  But we followed.

The verse for this day is Proverbs 16:33:  “The lot is cast into the lat, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”  The Amplified version says, “Even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him.”  Spurgeon writes, “If the disposal of the lot is the Lord’s whose is the arrangement of our whole life?  If the simple casting of a lot is guided by Him, how much more the events of our entire life…?”

The Lord proved himself two years ago through some amazing circumstances that only He could do.  Baby Ian did come back to us and is now one of the four joys of our lives.  I read this now and once again am amazed.

Two years later, it is good to be reminded of these profound truths again.  We do not have any compelling housing options in Ishinomaki at this time.  There are times when I start to doubt and to fear.  I am reminded in this reading to “Come and survey my Father’s storehouse…”  It is rich and full of abundance;  over and over He has proven himself to us and he will not doubt do it again.  A wonderful reminder for all of us: even the events that seem accidental are ordered by Him.

 

This morning our children’s elementary school had their annual cross-country race, in which each grade runs a given distance outside (a longer course as the grades go up).  All the moms, and a few dads who are available, go and line the field and the streets to cheer as the kids go by.  It’s a really fun time – at least for the parents!

This year both Owen and Annie were competing, of course;  Annie for the first time.  Last night she showed a lot of anxiety about the whole thing… nervous that there would be a lot of people watching her.  (“It’s different than dance because I’ve done that a lot.  This is my FIRST time to RUN in front of people!”)  And then there was the parental embarrassment factor (“I know what you’re going to do, Mom.  You’re going to yell my name REAL loud as I run by and then when I finish you’re going to come over and say you’re SO proud of me and it’s going to be REALLY embarrassing!”)  I promised to keep it minimal as long as she did her best.  (“But if you don’t do your best I’m going to cheer louder than ever!”)

What we loved was watching both of our kids really really do their best.  In the practice sessions, Annie had come in about twenty out of sixty-some kids.  Today, as the parents waited, cameras poised, by the front of the school for the kids to return from the neighborhood streets where they were running, we watched some of the fast boys come in.  And then!  Annie – our daughter with asthma!  She was the first girl!  She came in #15!  I bit my tongue.  I tried REALLY hard.  But the trying was as much to not cry as to not scream.  She really did her best.

After the second graders ran, and we cheered for some of the children we know (I tried not to be too loud!), it was Owen’s class.  In his previous practices he has ranked about tenth among the sixty-some.  Eric told him last night to really focus, and to see if he could come in #7.  It was fun to see him round the last bend coming up to the school. Thankfully he seems to enjoy our cheering, so I let it rip!

He, too, ran with his whole heart – and came in seventh for the first time, with his fastest score to date.  We were very proud and thankful parents.

When Olivia got home from kindergarten/youchien, I was in the middle of our ladies’ English class Christmas party.  But she reminded Eric of his promise to take off her training wheels.  Yesterday at the toy store she borrowed one of the low two-wheel display bikes and found herself able to ride it!  Tonight before dinner I went to the park with her and witnessed with my own eyes her new abilities.

Growing up without a lot of athletic-abiity DNA, it has been fun to watch our children explore their abilities and find areas in this arena that they can work on excelling.  And SO much fun to see them develop into the neat kids God has created them to be – whatever place they come in, as long as they do their best. (And Mom doesn’t embarrass them too much).

Yesterday after school Owen and I were doing ourAdvent house Christmas ritual.  He (and the other kids too) find their bible verse for that day in one of the doors, as well as a small treat. We read the verse together, talk about it, and then both of us pray that God will do this in his life.  Then he gets the treat!

Yesterday’s verse for Owen was from Romans:   “Lord, give Owen hope and encouragement in all things that would please you.   Teach Owen to wait patiently for your promises to be fulfilled.”   Romans 15:4

I was trying to teach him what it means to wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled.  I reminded him of God’s promise to me four and a half years ago that he would provide a bigger home for us.  I told him that God hasn’t fulfilled it yet, but we still are waiting for God to fulfill it (sometimes patiently, sometimes not so!).  Then Owen said, “Mom- don’t you think it’s a good thing that God hasn’t fulfilled it yet?  Because he wants us to move to Ishinomaki.  He was waiting because he knew the tsunami was going to come and we were going to move up there to help out.  We didn’t know, but He knew.  So he was making you wait a long time.  He wants to give us a bigger house in Ishinomaki!”

His words made me cry.  We have been worried about him recently because we know it will be especially hard for him, our child who hates transitions,  to move.  But to hear him share with me words of  Truth, words of perspective, words of hope – it touched my heart.  So far the possible tsunami homes in Ishinomaki have not seemed like good options.  We have been praying.  It is possible God will guide us to a home that is not bigger for this next stage of our lives, and then we will wait longer. But we trust in God;  we trust in his timing and care for our lives.  Sometimes it takes a child to remind me.

One of our joys with our two girls is how much they LOVE music -dancing, singing, instruments!  And one of my ongoing sad things is that our U.S. family and friends aren’t nearby to witness this.  So this is one of those posts for those who I wish could be here to see some of these things live…

This morning was Olivia’s winter music recital at her pre-school.  This is my favorite of all the “public” events.  Watching thirty adorable children gleefully play an instrument that they have practiced over and over and over again for weeks, and hearing them sing their hearts out – it brings warm tears to my eyes even when it’s not my own kids!

Our five year old cherub was glowing today!  This year she worked on mastering the castinet (sp?) and the pianika.  (Sorry – I don’t know the english names/spellings for these things!)

In addition to It’s a Small World and We Wish you a Merry Christmas, they sang a song to the tune of “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory…” Struck me as a little funny….. as did this scene with the rest of our family, fully engaged in Olivia’s musical production:

Yes- they sing with all their hearts!  Here is a little clip.  (Olivia is on the far left).

In downloading today’s photos, I realized that I never fulfilled my sister’s request to post photos of our girl’s short dance recital in November.  This is Annie’s third year, and Liv’s first, in a weekly jazz/ballet dance class.  Although there is usually just one recital in March, this year they had the chance to dance one of their numbers at a community event several weeks ago.  This was, unfortunately, Olivia’s debut and finale, at least in Sanda.  Because of our upcoming move which will likely be the same week as their spring recital, we have had Olivia stop the dance  class (it will be too difficult for me to attend all the final rehearsals with her;  Annie is old enough to not need mom there for all of those times so she will continue until March). So, we made a big deal out of Olivia’s one special dance!  The girls were quite thrilled with the song choice and the costumes — they are based on a popular girl’s manga show on tv right now – you can find this character on all the lunch bags, bubble gum wrappers, pajamas, etc. in this country.   It was a LOT of pink!

Here is a small clip….

Today we finished our second annual ladies’ Christmas tea.  It was  a joy to partner with Sanda friends and have such a special time!

We had forty-some ladies come (thanks to Erik and Eric for watching the children who came as well!) and enjoy lots and lots of homemade Christmas cookies and pastries, special Christmas decorations, Dunkin Donuts coffee, fun games and craft, and a special sharing about love and Christmas.

For the ice breaker game, we had each table dress up one of their members in a Christmas theme… pretty creative ladies!

This year, for the craft we had each lady paint their own Christmas-themed candle.  There are some great artists in our midst!

I asked our friend Aya Linscott to come and share a message about Christmas.  She said she wanted to “go for it” in terms of sharing about the real meaning of Christmas.  As she shared, I was standing in the back, rocking a friend’s baby to sleep, and felt the Lord remind me that this is HIS word, and His Holy Spirit who is moving and working in hearts.  I felt such a sense of peace, resting in the Lord just as little Jun-chan was resting in my arms.

Near the end of Aya’s sharing, she showed a four-minute video clip of a father and son that parallels the love of our Father for each of us.  It was really moving.  I’ve posted it at the end.  Wow – what a loving father.

As we closed our time with two Christmas carols, I looked around the rooms at the table of faces of women I have had the chance to love – and who have loved me – over these seven and a half years.

I was overcome by the love of the Father for my dear friends; for me.   I couldn’t sing two verses of the First Noel.

One of my visions while working here in Sanda has been to find occasions to partner with believers from other fellowships, and help break down some of the walls that exist in Japan.  Even though it is small scale, it was wonderful today to have five or more different churches represented and helping out.  It is hard to think of leaving!  Aya prayed a blessing with me at the end of the tea for God to carry the seeds that have been sown to new depths and to give others a vision to carry on what He has been doing.  I say amen….I know that my Redeemer lives; I know that He is at work in Sanda.

Eric is doing well.  He is working with a group of five guys from Hawaii, our friend George, and even a local junior high boy he has been hanging out with.  Awhile ago, Eric and Chad helped to move Y., his mom, and sister out of the school temporary shelter to one of the temporary units built outside of the town.  It was a hard move for Y.; Eric could hear his disappointment and bitterness at their situation and towards their dad who had left them.  We have been praying for Y. since that time.

Eric went to visit Y’s family, this past week, and then Y. called him on Sunday morning and said he needed a ride to visit some friends.  Eric felt it was worth it to continue the friendship, and during the drive had a great talk, and challenged Y. to come and help with some of the relief efforts this week.  Much to Eric’s surprise, he agreed! Today he has been helping and spending time with this great group of Christian guys.  I love this!

Last Thursday Eric sent photos of one home that he and Chad went to see that is for sale in the area where Be One has been ministering.  You can’t beat $100,000 for a 3-bedroom home, even one that’s had a tsunami come through it… but I saw the photo and realized that I really have to reset my expectations.  It is just one home of various options that will probably come up,  but it’s not the kind of home I imagined us moving into.  I realized how I need to surrender – or reset – my expectations…. and was rather caught by surprise at my own reaction.

On Sunday morning at house church we were looking at the passages where an angel comes to Joseph and tells him of Mary’s pregnancy, as well as the angel who comes and tells Mary what is about to happen to her body and her life.  I had left my Bible in the car, and so was using my iPhone Bible- set to the Message translation.  When I got to the angel’s words to Mary, I felt like the angel was speaking them to me:  “Don’t be afraid, [Sue]! God has surprises for you that you can’t imagine.”  And I read on at how Mary responded to God – she declared her willingness to follow God down this unknown path, and to trust Him in the process.

God wasn’t promising Mary that there wouldn’t be some big bumps in her journey.  I can imagine the ridicule and scorn that followed as her tummy grew larger and the rumors started.  Perhaps wondering what her betrothed really thought of her.  Needing to make that crazy journey when she was 9 months pregnant.  It wasn’t an easy process.  But God’s promise was for surprises along the way- that following God doesn’t necessarily make the path easy but it does bring along surprises – and joy — we can’t imagine.

I really believe this – and have continued to see this played out in my own walk with Jesus.  God surprises us along the way.  I don’t know what our home, or our community, or our life will be like in Ishinomaki, but I am determined with God’s help to follow the likes of Abraham, Mary and many others who set their hearts in obedience to God’s will.  (And really appreciate  prayers for this kind of faith and obedience).  Bumps and all, I look forward to sharing with you the surprises that He brings along the way.

Eric has been up in Sendai and Ishinomaki since Monday – I have not had a chance to update our blog but he’s had some really great meetings and encounters.  The first two days he represented our mission at a JEMA consultation of organizations/groups who are doing relief work in Tohoku, for the purpose of better collaboration and efficiency.  Even though Eric doesn’t like meetings too too much (say with me — understatement!)… he really enjoyed the chance to share, listen,  and strategize with others with a similar heart.

He went on Tuesday afternoon up to Ishinomaki, where he is staying until Tuesday night.  On Thursday, he and Chad took part in a similar meeting specifically for those working in the same areas in that city.  This, too, was a great chance to hear what others are doing and seek to find common vision and hope.

Yesterday Eric, Chad and a few others continued work that was started for Mr. A.  His mechanic’s garage was completely washed away in the tsunami.  Last week he went back for the first time since March 11 to his home that had been filled with tsunami soot because Be One volunteers were able to help.   Last Saturday, the Huddlestons had this family over for dinner.

Chad wrote on Facebook after the meal:  “Today was a Kingdom encounter day for the A-family, who lost their mom/wife in the tsunami, but have still not been able to find her body. We cleaned their home and business- it had not been touched since 3/11. Over dinner later they kept saying how much this day and meant to them and how different Christians are from those they have met before….”

Eric said it was such  blessing to continue ministering to this family!  He had a chance yesterday to visit a family he has befriended in one of the temporary housing locations and take them a heater and a heated rug.  It is below freezing up there, and so there are many needs to help those in quickly-made housing situations to stay warm.  I’m so thankful that we can be part of helping, even in small ways.

Our friend Mike Wilson (Asian Access) has been spending the day up with Eric and Be One.  Tonight he is driving to Sendai airport to pick up our friend George/Yoji, who is going up from Sanda for three days to help out.  George blessed Be One so much by donating enough wood flooring to redo all of the downstairs of the Be One home, with some left over.  I know George’s heart will bless the people up there over the next three days!

Over the next three days two different teams from Hawaii will be coming to volunteer.  Our Hawaii friends continue to bless Be One and us by their hearts to come and help out!  Eric will return back on Tuesday night.

On the home front, it has been a good, hard, busy, fun week with the kids.  We’ve missed having Eric here as we begin Advent celebrations, but it’s also given us a chance to have some special times together.  One important tradition that we picked up again this week was our Advent house (photo here from a previous year).  What amazes me again and again is how God uses Scripture even in the hearts of children to meet and touch them.  I put an individualized bible verse behind one of the doors each morning – and a treat… and then I read the verse with each of them and we pray.  There is great power in the Word of God!  One of our children was convicted of telling a lie this morning after reading a verse about sin.  Yesterday, I was touched by the prayer of Owen after talking about  his verse and the promise of salvation and eternal life:  “Jesus, thank you that Mommy’s mom, and Daddy’s dad, already have eternal life in heaven….Help me to live a life that is protected by you…”

Here are a few photo highlights from this week:

1)  Annie lost another tooth – now all she wants for Christmas is her FOUR front teeth:

2) Eric had a chance to put up our lights and our white light reindeer outside before he left.  The other night we drove home and Ian walked up the outside steps, sat down, and sighed, looking at the reindeer, saying, “OOHH, they are SO beautiful!”

3)  Annie and Olivia learned how to blow bubbles with gum this week.  OH- such joy in our household now!

Thankful for this first week of Advent.