Why is that?

    WHY IS THAT?

I expected a repair on our Nissan headlight to be a couple of hundred dollars it was 2000 yen (or $24.00). Why is that?

You make a plan to go to a nice restaurant and get all ready and make the trip only to find out it is closed that day. Why is that?

Amazon is known in Japan for shipping things real fast within two days most of the time. The one time you needed it fast it comes in five days. Why is that?

You know how somethings are so odd they can make you wonder why is that?

So many times what we have expected is just the opposite. Whether it is that Murphy's law or just coincidence everyone has times that what they have expected didn't happen. Or something happened that they didn't plan on. I often wonder about things like when the Wise Kings of the East took all that time to come and worship this great king who had his own star, expecting palatial royalties only to find humble accommodations. Still they rejoiced.


Paul standing on the temple steps finally able to give his grand testimony only to have them riot and he gets beaten and thrown in jail. He must have wondered what is going on? This isn't what I planned. God may have shown him the things he must suffer but it appears he had the expectation of a different result.


Jonah sitting on that hill giggling to himself…"Hee Hee Hee, any minute now the fire of God is going to wipe out the Ninevehites. I had better get my marshmallows out." Only to find they don't get wiped out but they repent and turn to God. What? Jo was fuming mad. He was mad at God why? Because he did what he expected which he hoped wouldn't happen. When it did he has that "I knew it." My mortal enemy is saved by my preaching just great he wanted them dead.

So for the Bolinger's on the mission field our coming over here we expected it to not be easy, we'd within a few years plant a church and originally go back home after two years or so. We are passing the or so point and in July we will be going into our 5th year here. Medically, I Dan feel like I am not doing that great. The Doctor says, "Man you're doing great." Mihoko says, "Wow honey you're doing great." I am getting better. I sure don't feel like it. We came to the mission field expecting God to do great things. I didn't expect that would include a sickness.

What's Next:  As Mihoko and I have prayed we have never been ones to sit back to listen to secular common sense. So we are praying forward for a venture of faith. The English school is continuing.  The Church is continuing and people do come wow. God brought us here to do a work to glorify him. How can we not expect God to bless another venture of faith? Pray for us in this venture. We are going to Lord willing rent a facility. This process can take up to a month or more. We will let you know when we know.

It's really funny that as my health goes south, we turn around and press forward with a venture of faith. People expect us to throw in the towel and go back to California. We are committed to the cause of Christ. My limitations are not totally debilitating. I find courage in some people in the field where one husband had a severe stroke and they continue on with the wife fulfilling the call God has put on their lives. Or like another family I know, the dad died and the family remained on the field committed to the mission. The kids all have gone into missions and carry on their Fathers work. We take courage and will continue.

It is so typical of humanity, we expect one thing and they do the opposite. Why is that? Just when we think God is bringing the curtain down on our ministry he opens a wide door. Why is that? God is good,