Ai no Kyoukai Christmas Party

Sunday was a great day as Noda Sensei and I split the message and loved on the people. It was so much fun as Noda Sensei is a good guitarist and he travels around performing music. I was able to hit a cajon while he played guitar and Sachiko played the Piano. We shared the Christmas Story from Luke and it was a wonderful time worshiping and glorifying Jesus. We then had a great time of fellowship afterward with a great meal and a gift exchange. Sachiko invited some of the neighborhood kids to come and participate. It was so much fun. Nathan wasn't happy to receive some flash cards to learn the Japanese writing. He didn't like getting homework for Christmas. He was cool with it and we will enjoy using the cards. It will be good for me too. Coming up later this week is our ESL Christmas Party. We are looking forward to that. God bless you all.

Flower Arranging and Testimony

One of the blessings of our small Chapel is we have a new lady who has been coming with her son Tomo San. Tomo is a special person and is an adult. Mrs Kikuchi loves to share Jesus with many people. Mihoko was asked to come to a Flower arranging(ikebana) tea party and to share Rachel's testimony. It was a powerful time and many ladies were blessed. They were also able to arrange some flowers. Mihoko made a lovely arrangement. She was very happy the way her flowers turned out. She has been asked to share at a couple of other meetings as well. May God bring those who hear into his Kingdom.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in Japanese I think?

It's Sunday night and we are messing around on the computer. Here is one for the Grandparents to see Jane adapting to Japanese language very well. I am actually jealous as her little sponge brain has absorbed the Japanese language in less than a year. Pray for me to listen to Jesus' teaching and become like a child to learn the language. I have been at it for 20 years and I am all over the place grammatically. I feel like I ride a bike with loose handle bars and it turns every which way and pops out altogether sometimes. Jane's Rendition of the song has some cute enunciation slips as certain sounds are similar but the intonation can mean something different. I guess the content of the song will be only for those who can speak Japanese. Merry Christmas Grandma and Grandpa.

More Chairs

What a blessing we now have 44 chairs in the Chapel. Lord please fill those chairs. Amen

Fabio and Sakurako

We were blessed to be invited by Fabio and Sakurako to come and dine with them in their new place. God has blessed this family. They attend Grace Christian Fellowship and we are trying to steel them away. NOT! But they are great people and we loved the fellowship with them. Fabio is from Brazil lived in the US in Boston and then Married Sakurako and came back to Japan. They have 2 Kids Sorae and William and love Jesus. It was a blessing. Gochisosamadeshita. God bless you guys.

How do you like the RED shirt my Mom got me? She likes to see be stand out. It's not enough for me to be fat and blond and foreign she has to get me this blaring flag of he look at me. I am so glad I am not a missionary in Spain cause those bulls would love me.

The Big Sandwich WOW

I was in Tokyo today and we decided to get a Big Sandwich for lunch. The packaging is appealing and looks delicious. When I opened up the sandwich to inspect the goods we found there weren't any goods. This was absolutely shocking to me. I spent about 225 yen or $2.50 for somthing that was supposed to be a Big Sandwich. It is a big surprise sandwich as to there being nothing on it. I miss TOGO's and the little green pickle. They have Subway in Japan but it not the same.

Sachiko's Birthday

From the picture below you might think Sachiko is one year old, but I think she is giving the one way symbol,or how many blows it will take to blow out all the candles. At any rate, She had a great time of fellwoship and invited many of her friends from work and church. It was a good time to share with them the love of God and to just get to know the ladies who are not saved. One lady asked Mihoko how to find a decent church to attend? Mihoko thought it was a trick question at first but just answered sincerely and she later indicated she might come to Church on Sunday so pray for God to add to his church daily as He leads.

You know it’s cold when

I am stealing material from the Brother-In-Laws website I got a good laugh out of the last one. enjoy.

You know it’s cold when
Posted December 4, 2009


What happens at these Fahrenheit temperatures:

+65 – Hawaiians declare a two-blanket night.

+60 – Californians put on sweaters (if they can find one).

+50 – Miami residents turn on the heat.

+45 – Vermont residents go to outdoor concerts.

+40 – You can see your breath. Californians shiver uncontrollably. Minnesotans go swimming.

+35 – Italian cars don’t start.

+32 – Water freezes.

+30 – You plan your vacation to Australia.

+25 – Ohio water freezes. Californians weep. Minnesotans eat ice cream. Canadians go swimming.

+20 – Politicians begin to talk about the homeless. New York City water freezes. Miami residents plan vacation farther South.

+15 – French cars don’t start. Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you.

+10 – You need jumper cables to get the car going.

+ 5 – American cars don’t start.

0 – Alaskans put on T-shirts.

-10 – German cars don’t start. Eyes freeze shut when you blink.

-15 – You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo. Arkansans stick tongue on metal objects. Miami residents cease to exist.

-20 – Cat insists on sleeping in pajamas with you. Politicians actually do something about the homeless. Minnesotans shovel snow off roof. Japanese cars don’t start.

-25 – Too cold to think. You need jumper cables to get the driver going.

-30 – You plan a two-week hot bath. Swedish cars don’t start.

-40 – Californians disappear. Minnesotans button top button. Canadians put on sweaters. Your car helps you plan your trip south.

-50 – Congressional hot air freezes. Alaskans close the bathroom window.

-80 – Hell freezes over. Polar bears move south. Green Bay Packer fans order hot cocoa at the game.

-90 – Lawyers put their hands in their own pockets.

(from The Daily Dilly) cited in an email newsletter from PreachingNOW [PreachingNOW@preachingmagazine-info.com]

Jane's Christmas Pageant

Lot's of Mommies and Daddies and grand parents filled a large auditorium in our city. Hundreds of kids 3 to 5 years of age are running around the place. Jane has for a long time been practicing dance steps and singing Christmas songs in Japanese. She has been tired of all the rehearsals. Then as we climbed the stairs and she sees all the people and realizes she is going to be on stage performing for them all in just a moment there is a look of fear that was priceless. She had some cold feet but after a few friends reassured her it cool she went back stage and when the curtain went up she gave the performance of her life. We are so proud of Jane and all the hard work she put into getting everything just right. It was a wonderful Christmas Pageant that had nothing to do with Christmas. Her theme was a safari tribute. Why I am not sure? We just enjoyed the day and had great time. Good job Jane your doing wonderful. We love you.

Can you pick her out of the crowd? She is on the top row.

Grace and Thanksgiving

After Pastor Phil delivered a great sermon at Calvary Chapel Tokorozawa in the morning and then at Calvary Chapel Iruma in the afternoon; we went to Grace Christian fellowship in the evening and had a thanksgiving dinner and message with them. The family of God is so wonderful and such a blessing. We had a great day and are so filled both spiritually and physically. Praise God.

I'm Stumped

Nathan prior to the dedication service decided to tackle the largest stump in our yard and for two days he whacked and cut and chopped on this thing. I was quite surprised at his endurance and veracity with staying the course and knocking this thing out. He was so excited to defeat the rooted monster and we both rejoiced at the victory. It also was a teachable moment about sin in our lives that can get rooted deep down and to try and pull it up as he was attempting to do doesn't work. He learned when your stumped about sin to cut the roots and sever the ties and throw it out of the hole and get rid of it. If things are left sometimes they grow back. Also Nathan learned we can leave a hole but we have to fill it with good soil and sow the seeds of the word of God to be reassured that the monster won't grow back. Job 14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Now if I can get him to dig up the 15 other stumps in our church place...

Dedication service

It was such a blessing I can't begin to describe it. It is now a blur and we are still savoring the fellowship we had with the other Calvary folks that came out to bless. The Ai no Kyoukai folks were overwhelmed and filled with Joy to see God's grace being manifested. It was shocking to for them to see Pastor Phil vacuuming the chapel prior to the service and they wanted to provide him a resting station as most Japanese Sensei require but we told them that God blesses through us serving one another. The pastor is not above the people and is first and foremost a servant of Jesus Christ and then the people and then their own needs. The weather was perfect and sunny and clean. Pastor Phil delivered an awesome message on dedication of ourselves to the service of the Lord. It was beautiful. God bless all who came and continue to pray with us as the ministry work moves forward.

Pastor Phil in Calvary Chapel Kokobunji

Calvary Chapel Kokobunji with Pastor Chizuo Sakurai. It was so cool to hook up with him and see the Lord's blessings upon his family and the church the Lord has belssed him with. We went out to a traditional Japanese restaurant and sat on a floor and ate things I can't tell you what they are as I have no idea. I discovered I might be aclimating to the Japanese culture because I actually enjoyed all the food. 4 years ago at a similar place in Shinjuku I almost lost everything when I got to a dish called chawamushi. I thought it was a sweet flan pudding but it was a tofu clam pudding and it was all I could to do to not launch it at my hosts. But today was a victory because I knew what was coming and it wasn't bad. I enjoyed the chawamushi and my mom would be proud as I ate everything. Pastor Phil enjoyed it more than me. He is quite the adventurous sort to eat everything first time out. Anyway, we went to CC Kokobunji and we had such fun that I forgot to take pictures. We were even serenaded by Pastor Chizuo and his daughter Hanna as they played the song "Hallelujah Jesus" in Japanese for me. I love this song and want to play it in Japanese. God bless you Chizuo May God continue to pour out his love through the Holy Spirit into your ministry and family.

Pastor Phil day 2 Roses are in bloom

The weather could not be more perfect for the dedication ceremony. Today, we discovered some Roses had bloomed early and Pastor Phil was taking picts but more importantly is Sachiko was so blessed to receive Phil and be prayed for. She met Phil at the missions conference in Hong Kong and it was surreal for her to see him here blessing us. After a tour of the place off to Kokobunji.