Our visit to the Hori's in Nagano

Takemichi Hori san Mihoko's Uncle asked us to come up for a visit. So we did and it was a blessing. They are such wonderful people. They loved us so much. They took us to see some lovely sights and fall trees and we went to a real onsen in the mountains they had an outside bath over looking the Nagano valley. It was weird for me as I was insecure about this. I felt like Adam and was looking for a fig leaf. The men are on one side and the ladies are on the other divided by a wall. Yet we could hear them. ANYWAY...Mr Hori lost his leg in a freak accident two years ago. He was a Taxi driver and was waiting for a call at the train station and standing between two cars talking to another taxi driver. The car before his got a call and the sleepy driver jumped up and accidentally jamb the car into reverse and crushed Hori Sans leg. He was in the Hospital for many days and they leg got an infection. They took it off from above the knee. He is adjusting and having much time now retired. He has been reading a lot. He is mostly studying Buddhism but is also reading about Christianity. So at night when kids were asleep and we were warming ourselves in the Kotatsu sipping coffee and eating yummy snacks. Hori san asked us what is Christianity all about. We talked past midnight in a God ordained appointment of educating a man searching for meaning and purpose. I wish I could tell you he received Jesus but he is confused because of his dedication to his countries roots. He know now how to ask and receive salvation. It is now a matter of time and God's faithfulness to grow the seeds of faith placed into his mind. I pray they will settle into his heart and sprout an eternal work of God. Let's pray and water the seeds for his faith to grow. Pray for truth to be manifested and for the lies of the devil and false religion to be crushed. Pray for his wife and two daughters. They are such wonderful people. My heart was deeply touched by their love and kindness. Oh how I wish to be with them in heaven for all eternity.






We had some fun at a restaurant. When all attempts at speaking the language fail then you make faces. Although, Hori san tried to mimic me he wasn't that successful. But it was funny to say the least.

I liked this and thought you might too

http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?filter=app_2309869772#/video/video.php?v=1137213956210&ref=nf Are you ready?

Global climb of Taxes

Climate Chains from Climate Chains on Vimeo.

The World is primed and ready for the coming world leader. Are you ready? Jesus will rapture the church before the tribulation and it is coming fast.

Lieutenant Pastor Steve Brown

Hey my buddy Pastor Steve Brown who has been heading up the Armor of Light ministry at Camp Pendleton California has been deployed. He is on Ship with his new commission as a Lieutenant. He had his first Sunday services this week and 65 attended and it was a blessing to see such a turn out. Steve and I went to School of Ministry together it was a blast and we had some awesome prayer times together. It is great to see that God has used all of that to direct us to his perfect will. Praise God and where he leads us. Just a note of information Steve is one of the few the proud the Calvary Chapel Marine Chaplains. He is on the cutting edge of ministry as Calvary's have grown so much the military has recognized the need to commission Pastors of the Calvary style and allow ministry to bless the troops.

Also Pray for his wife and kids all 4 of them. They are home in California really missing him a lot. Steve and Dawn are a true team as they tag team the kids in loving on them. Without Steve it can be such a trial. Pray for the Brown family and all the other Men in the military whose families are left to fend for themselves.

Now and Then

The Ai no Kyokai folks are having a memorial service and I have been making a slide show for them. I found in the church some photos from the mid 90's and then compared them to now. kind of fun. This is one of those you have to be here to see it and say oh wow. Things are going great here I'll post more later

Taking Steps backwards

We are making a lot of progress here at Calvary Chapel Iruma but some days we find we have to stop our plans and take a step backwards. I was ready to tear up some more linolium flooring and finish painting the Chapel when Nohato and Mario came in saying they won't take the carpet at the dump. What? Why? It is too big? Oh so we have to cut it smaller and like roll it up and tie it? No. We have to cut it into 20cm X 20cm square swaths or smaller. What we just took out over 2000sq ft of carpet and padding and it all has to be cut that small? Yep. Come and help us please.
So I drop what I am doing and go out to cut the rug literally. We worked for hours and the carpet was the moldy stuff what was still wet from the typhoon we had last week. Needless to say I was at first grumbling and complaining how strict the Japanese are in these recycling rules. You can go to some other cities and the rules are different. Iruma is strict. So as a Christian/missionary I submit to authorities and do what they say. Once I do it for Jesus and not the city then the work is light and we just had a pleasant time working together. I got to know Nohato san more and Mario went crazy and made a Halloween mask. He is one fuuny guy. It was gross work as the carpet was yucky but it got done. We still have half the padding but the carpet was completely cut. Praise God.

Bible Charades

When I was a kid we had family devotions. They were sometimes very fun sometimes not so fun. Mom and Dad were sure to try and make sure we were listening and comprehending the stories of the Bible. So every once in a while we'd have a Bible Charades night. It was more like after a week of learning then we kids put on a play for Mom and Dad. Well I am keeping with the family tradition. We do many nights read our Bibles together yet at least once a week we do Bible Motions or Charades. The kids put on skit of their favorite Bible stories and then Mom and I try to guess what they are doing. Sometimes we get into the act ourselves and just have fun. I hope you don't mind us being in our jammies. It's cool with us. If you have a thing about seeing someone in their sleepwear quick close your eyes. See if you can tell what Bible Stories we were acting out?

Police Box redefined

In Japan they have the Koban or police box where a police field office holds one or two policemen. I have seen some Koban hold 5 or 6 for a meeting. While we were in Tokyo near Tokyo Tower I saw this police guy sitting in this metal box near an intersection. Now that is a police box but he is not directing traffic and he is not really doing anything that we could see of reconnaissance type work. He was just pleasantly watching cars go by. So he is really the police in a box. He looked very happy in his box. I wonder how long he stays there and can he nibble snacks while in there. What if a car hits the box? Does he have an escape route procedure to follow? I wonder if there was a phone and TV in there? Where does he go to the bathroom? There are vents in the bottom for gas to escape I guess. My kids wanted to visit the box because it was cute. This is just one of those posts that just informs my family of what I am seeing here in Japan and experiencing. God bless

Spiritual Abuse by Holland Davis

One of my friends Holland Davis posted this on Facebook. We have some friends here who have been dealing with Spiritual Abuse from church leadership which happened years ago at some denominational type ministry; and it still affects their relationships today. I thought I'd post this for others to watch for warning signs. Pray for your leaders and love them. The enemy wants us to attack leadership and beat them up but we have to see things from God's perspective.

Ten Signs Of The Presence Of Spiritual Abuse
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Ten signs of the presence of spiritual abuse, manipulation, domination, or intimidation. Spiritual Abuse (which is always expressed in varying degrees) is occurring when a pastor, leader, or even a friend:

1. “Hears” God for you. God apparently “goes through” him/her to speak to you. (This requires a sense of superiority – from him or her and is often framed as being “more mature,” and a sense of being “less” from you.)

2. Alienates (shuns, ignores) you if you do not adhere to his/her guidance, leadership, or authority. (This is usually VERY subtle – so it is easy to deny.)

3. Suggests that rejection of his/her “higher understanding” is done so at your spiritual or even physical peril. (You will hear things like, “Be careful. You will move yourself from the covering and protection of God.”)

4. Rewards your obedience with inclusion, and punishes your questioning or resistance with withdrawal. (Compliance gets stroked, resistance gets struck!)

5. Demands “cathartic” honesty. Unless you spew out every detail of your life you must be hiding or withholding something (and that “something” will, of course, impede your spiritual development).

6. Lavishes you with praise, acceptance, and understanding when you are “good” and “pushes” you away when you are “bad.”

7. Is apparently fixated on the use of titles like reverend, pastor, elder and cannot appear to relax in the company of “ordinary” mortals. The issue is not in the use of legitimate titles (or robes or religious garb) – it is that identity seems impossible without the titles or the trappings.

8. Leaves a trail of cut-off relationships. Usually in the trail are those who refuse to bow, to submit, to stand in awe of, to be thoroughly entranced by, the will of the pastor, the leader or the friend. Always regard with suspicion or caution leaders who are cut off or alienated from members of their family, especially their parents.

9. Lives from a “for me/or against me,” “black/white,” “all/or nothing” platform of “relationships.”

10. Genuinely sees God’s Call so zealously, so fervently that any signs of resistance are seen as the expressions of The Enemy or an enemy – thus, relationships are expedient (disposable) in the light of getting on with God’s work.

Planetarium Field Trip

The Yokota Airbase Homeschoolers group had a field trip to a local Planetarium. We were invited to come and hang out and we also had the Ohkawara kids come along. It was a fun day of discovery. It was a great time to get to know some of the families that are stationed at the airbase. They are great people with great kids. God bless the Military men and their families.

Tokyo Tower

We took the day and went on a family field trip to Tokyo Tower. It was fun. The girls and I had a great time looking down from 250 meters high and we enjoyed the glass floor that was scary but fun at the same time. Nathan was not liking the height. He didn't have too much fun and got mad when I picked him up and carried him to stand on the glass panel. He had a very real fear of falling through the floor. I have repented of my provoking him to anger and promise to be more sensitive next time we go to Tokyo Tower.


The view was marred by the hurricane that was passing by. We did have a break in the rain and did get some shots of Downtown Tokyo. Yet on a clear day you actually can see the outline of Mount Fuji from the tower...so they say? Like you can see Downtown LA from Palm Springs? Clear day? What's that? We still had a great time and enjoyed the new food court. Mihoko and I came here 20 years ago before we got married. I was a short term missionary here for 3 months and we took a date and went to Tokyo Tower. I was so in love I don't remember much of that date other than the beautiful girl I was with. But I did recognize that they have added an amusement park and a pretty cool food court. They even had McDonalds. Yep I am so not Japanese I always punt for the safe call of a cheeseburger when in doubt. Plus the cost was so within the budget. You can't get much on 500 yen these days at Tokyo Tower.