“It’s Just Water” December 22, 2009

Olivia and I went on a whirlwind six-day trip to Los Angeles to attend our dear friend Laura’s wedding.  I felt absolutely sick after the wedding when I thought I had downloaded my photos, went ahead and deleted them, then discovered that they really hadn’t downloaded yet.  UGGHH.  I had so wanted these photos to show family and friends the amazing experience we had just had at Laura and Ryan’s wedding.

Today, thanks to a tip from our friend Peter, I found a download that for a sweet price allowed me to find the deleted pictures!  You don’t have to be on CSI to do it- if you have a credit card anyone can.  Some of the photos had already been written over, but I was so happy to get some of the pictures, and Olivia watched the photo slide show over and over and over again….

Olivia loved being with Laura in her wedding!  I was nervous about whether she would pull off the flower girl thing, but she loved her dress, her snazzy boots, and being with all the girls.  And I loved watching Olivia, but even more, watching Laura.  She was an amazing bride.

I loved that each bridesmaid picked her own champagne-colored dress – and they all had matching high boots!  Olivia loved her shiny brown patent boots…

This was the most intimate wedding I’ve ever been to — even with 220 people!  It was also the wettest wedding I’ve ever attended.  It started pouring — pouring!! – about thirty minutes before the ceremony.  Even still, Laura and the girls took their photos outside, before the wedding began, and no one really minded getting wet.

The ceremony was supposed to be on a remote beach in northern Santa Barbara, but as the rain poured down it got moved to the nearby reception site — a wonderful, rustic barn that held us in and the water (mostly) out.

The ceremony started with a few hiccups as everyone made the quick adjustment to having it indoors.  Olivia, Laura and the birdesmaids all waited inside Laura’s car, parked outside the barn door, to make their grand entrances.

Olivia was MOST excited that she got to walk down the aisle with Tucker — Ryan’s yellow lab.

She managed to stand still, up front with the groomsmen, through the whole ceremony.  I was amazed.  I think we need to see if Tucker can start coming to church with us…

Here are a few ceremony and after shots.  Laura’s mom Barbara looked amazing!  Our good friend Jack — Laura’s dad — led the ceremony, which was so great.

Olivia didn’t mind having some of Ryan’s military friends take individuals photos with her…

But she DID mind being told that it was time to come in from out of the rain and go to the reception…

Olivia and “Uncle Jack”:

You can find the REAL photos from the wedding at Braedon’sBlog.com and also a special feature at OnceWed.com. (Look for Laura and Ryan).  Amazing, amazing pictures.  I think what I love is that they capture the joy of Laura and Ryan, and their ability to take the dampness of rain on your wedding day and turn it into a thing of beauty.  Because they didn’t mind getting a little (or a lot) wet; no one else seemed to either.  I watched Laura glide through her photos with an umbrella and realized what a great life lesson she was teaching me — it really is a choice.  You can choose how you are going to respond to the disappointing and hard things in life.  Her pictures will forever show how she chose to respond on the most important day of her life.  We may or may not have photos to show how we respond on those less-important days, but it still matters.  OK, Olivia — go play in the puddles with those new boots!

Mario Madness December 9, 2009

On Sunday we celebrated Owen’s birthday — one week early.  Tomorrow, Olivia and I are flying to L.A for a short, five day trip to participate in our friend Laura A.’s wedding (Olivia will premier as a flower girl).  It is also an important trip because upon entrance into LAX we will go through special immigration so that Olivia can become a U.S. citizen.  (Please pray for us as we make this short trip, and especially for Eric as he stays back with Owen, Annie, and Yuu!).

Owen wanted to have a Super Mario Brothers theme (if you don’t know who Mario is, like I didn’t until a year or so ago, ask any boy 5 years or older!)… He was SO SO excited!  Two hours before the party he made signs all over the house (in Japanese) with labels for each room.  (Below:  toy room;  kitchen)

The highlight for the kids was the surprise Mario pinata!  This was a first for all of us in Japan- and a great delight.

Imagine our surprise a little while later when Mario and Luigi came waltzing in!  (our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. I — who are like our children’s Japanese grandparents).

Then, there was little Mario….

We had a fun taco soup dinner…

and then it was cake time!  With Eric’s help I made a Super Mario cake, surrounded by “mushroom” cupcakes.

It was so great to celebrate Owen.  We’ve been proud of how hard he has worked at school and learning Japanese language, writing, culture, stories, etc.  Even though he is still behind his classmates in reading and writing, he has a cheerful spirit and continues to improve.  Pray for him, and for us as we spend a lot of time in homework and helping him move forward.

Advent-ures December 5, 2009

Having little children greatly aids in the continued mystery and joy that Advent brings.  Each new decoration that has gone up over the past week has gotten supreme praise from Olivia:  ”Oh! Mommy!  That red ball on the tree is BEAUUUUUUTIFUL!”  It makes me feel like Martha Stewart is doing the decorating and temporarily allows me to forget that Martha would not be surrounded by baskets of unsorted laundry…

Last year a special gift allowed us to purchase an Advent house while we were back in the U.S. For years I had wanted some kind of calendar that could help the children anticipate Christmas with a daily ritual — we were thrilled to get this one on sale and bring it back!

It has 25 little doors around the four sides.  Thanks to a wonderful idea and resource from our friend Kristin, we have been putting a personalized bible verse in the door of the day – one for each child.  The verses are special promises from Scripture that have the children’s own name in it.  For example, here are a few of Owen’s recent verses:

December 2:  ““Dear Lord, I pray that Owen will trust you with all his heart, and not depend on his own understanding.   May Owen seek your will in all that he does, and allow You to direct his paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

December 3:  “I pray that Owen’s identity may be firmly rooted and established in Christ’s love and that he may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide, and long, and high, and deep, is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, and that he may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:17-19

December 4:  “No matter what plans I may desire for Owen, or that he may have for himself, let your purpose prevail in his life.” Proverbs 19:21

Each day the children find their verse for that day behind the door that is the date, and then they also find another small surprise hidden randomly behind a different door.  We read the verse together, and then pray for it to be true in their lives.  Even though some of these verses are a bit difficult to understand, it has been neat to try and explain it and then pray it over them and with them.  (If you’d like the document with the verses on it to alter for your own family, I’d be happy to email it to you).  I hope this is a tradition to last for many years!

This season our friend Mary is teaching a 3-week Christmas English bible class on the meaning of Christmas.  It is many of my former and present housewife students.  On Wednesday I went as the craft teacher, and had fun this year pulling together a craft that a) was simple enough to do in 45 minutes;  and b) could liven up their homes with Christmas spirit (but c) would probably never make it into the Martha Stewart show).

We made jigsaw puzzle Christmas crafts!  I made ahead of time a sample wreath and Christmas tree:

Most of the ladies chose to make Christmas trees — here is one completed:

Our  close friend and neighbor Naoko actually took  her daughter out of school that day to come and participate:

It was a fun project — I’m hoping to have our kids make their own for gifts this weekend.

Without doubt the most wonderful Advent gift came after the Christmas craft — I went to lunch with Naoko and another friend from our church.  We talked through lunch about marriage — each of us sharing challenges and victories.  And we began to talk about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus.  Naoko and several friends and I did a number of informal bible studies together, and many different Christians have spoken into her life.  On this day, the third day of Advent (at least as the Takamotos are counting Advent!); Naoko decided to begin an eternal relationship with the Wonderful Counselor.  Christmas has come early to our home!

Recipes of Thankfulness November 25, 2009

While many of you are frantically trying to defrost the still-partly-frozen turkey or searching for that favorite pie recipe, we are two-days full on leftovers and trying to find creative ways to remake turkey.  We celebrated Thanksgiving here in Japan on Monday, which is a national holiday and a more natural time for missionaries and expats to celebrate one of my favorite days of the year.

This year we had Thanksgiving at our home, with eighteen friends and family in attendance.  It was a really special day.  We loved having our friend Megumi — she’s really part of our family! –who came down from Tokyo for three nights with 3 of her great friends from the U.S.– Jeff, Christie and Micah.

Micah and Christie (photo directly above) are photographers, and took some fantastic family portraits.  Here are just a few to whet your appetite for cards/newsletters to come.  (Look at their great blog at:  micahgilmore.com)

Monday afternoon friends came over after one for appetizers, and then we all went down to a park below our home.  At my stubborn insistence the last few years, the plan was to play football with everyone.  But with a number of back injuries it was wisely suggested that we switch to kickball- and a great time was had by all!  We humorously created appropriate Thanksgiving teams — the Pilgrims versus the Indians.  No offense, please– but we had just about the number of whiteys and darker, Japanese ethnicity players to divide up evenly.  Although the Indians were winning most of the game, in the end the Pilgrims ruled….

The highlight of Thanksgiving for many of us who have now celebrated six Thanksgivings together in Sanda is our thankful tree.  It started initially with everyone writing on a cut-out leaf what they are thankful for, and hanging it across the room on a string.  It has now become our Thanksgiving tree; in which all the participants each year add a leaf (that is later laminated).  Look at how our tree is growing!

There are several other thanksgiving recipes too that have helped create traditions for us in Japan on Thanksgiving.  I wanted to share a few in case you’re looking for something new…

Yummy Crab Wontons

(This is a Sue/Eric original– the inside of the wontons is basically from a recipe my mom used to make for a warm crab dip)

Mix together:

• 1 package cream cheese
• 1 can crab meat
• about 1/2 teaspoon or so of horseradish sauce
• 3 TB milk
• salt; pepper to taste

Spoon about 1 Tablespoon into a wonton wrapper;  using water on your fingertip fold up wrapper into triangle shape, making sure it is closed well.

Deep fry wontons;  serve warm with sweet chile sauce.

CORN PUDDING (with a sweet top!)  (from allrecipes.com; adapted slightly)

I love making this Corn pudding in our crockpot (our ovens will only fit one medium-size turkey in it so we have to find creative ways to cook/heat the other dishes– rice cookers work great to keep the mashed potatoes/stuffing warm!)

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, flour, baking powder and sugar. Add corn and pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes.
3. In a small sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, water and flour. Cook until clear. Once corn mixture is cooked, remove from oven, pour butter and sugar mixture over top and serve.

(NOTE:  I do it in the crockpot– Double the recipe;  put all of #2 ingredients in the crockpot, cook for about 2-3 hours on high; the last hour add ingredients of #3 after it has cooked clear and cook for 30-60 minutes in the crockpot).

I always make a cheesecake of some kind.  This year since someone else was bringing pumpkin pies I made a new one– it was a pretty awesome recipe– Cheesecake Factory’s White Chocoloate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake.  (Except we couldn’t get raspberry preserves so I used blueberry/cranberry preserves, which tasted good and added to the November spirit).

Here’s the recipe (from creativehomemaking.com)

White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Filling:

1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Optional Garnish:

2 ounces shaved white chocolate
whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.

2. Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss ‘em out), then let the strained preserves sit to cool, then put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or crush 20 Oreo cookie wafers — with the filling scraped out — in a resealable plastic bag) into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

4. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

5. Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 ounces of white chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don’t want to blend the raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

6. Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2 ounces of shaved white chocolate. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Finally- my favorite recipe for Thanksgiving — cooking up a storm with my sweetheart, Eric, and hanging out with some of my favorite people in the world.

Bathing and Bonding November 15, 2009

We have had a really good, full two weeks with our friends Becky (who stayed ten days) and Praise, who stayed about 2 1/2 weeks.  They came from L.A. and led our childcare program during our fall conference, and then spent the remaining time with us in Sanda. 

Last Thursday we had a great cooking and hula class — Becky taught delicious eclairs;  Praise taught everyone how to dance hula to a Hawaiian song.  It was a great way to continue relationship building, and even to make a few new friends.  One of our friends, Suga, brought her sister, Rika, and niece, a high schooler.  They had a great time, and invited Praise and I over this week for lunch.  We had a great 3 hours, and the niece shared that she studied the Bible and is interested in Christianity.  Rika then invited Praise and I to go on her last night in Japan to the hotel where her husband is a manager that is in a famous hotspring town near here, Arima, and use the hot spring there.  We were thrilled!

So the two sisters, Suga and Rika, picked up Praise and I and we went on a wonderful evening adventure.  It was probably the nicest onsen (hotspring)I have ever been to.  Without the free tickets, it would cost $25/person to enter… that is an expensive bath.  But oh… so much more than a bath..

Here we are in the parking lot with beautiful “light-up” maple trees behind us, and the very Japanese-style building in front of us — all part of the experience.

We were given three different outfits over the course of the evening.  Here is our first one.  (I kind of thought we looked like prisoners a bit- the different colors help a bit…)

We couldn’t bring a camera past this point, but I did pull a few photos off of the website.  From here, we went to the “hot rock sauna.”  The four of us were given different outfits (suitable for lots of sweating); a bamboo pillow, and a BIG key that unlocked a small door that led us into our own private sauna.  We laid out our towels and pillow and laid down on warm rocks with warm dry air coming into the room.  

For fifty minutes we hung out in this room, every once in a while going next door to the “cool room” when it became too hot.

During the course of that time, we had some very fun conversations, and even managed to do some group yoga together that Praise taught us.  It was so fun to sweat and talk and rest and – bond together.  

Then, we went to the bath.  It was actually two different stories of many different kinds of baths… gold copper baths; 

 

a silver bath… i

indoor and outdoor baths; and our favorite — a peppermint aromatherapy bath.

After we were sweated, soaked, and all cleaned up, we sat and enjoyed a Japanese parfait together.  What a perfect evening!

As we were leaving the hotel, I asked Praise if she had been told about the stone tradition.  She hadn’t, so I quickly filled her in.  Near the front entrance there was a small rock garden, with white smooth rocks neatly raked into a zen-like formation.  I told her that Japanese always take a big handful as they are leaving, go outside, and throw the rocks over their right shoulder.  She asked if I had gotten mine yet, and I showed her my fist that looked full of the stones.  Praise got on her shoes, then went to the indoor rock garden and got a big-ole fistful.  I had gone ahead of her outside and was talking with our two friends.  She came out, and asked where to throw them.  I said we could do it together right there, and Praise turned around and gave her stones a big toss over her shoulder.  Of course- there were no stones in my hand… I was nearly on the ground shaking with  laughter.   Praise is probably the first, and last person, to pick up rocks from that rock garden and throw them over her shoulder outside, though she is not the first nor the last to be a participant in a Sue prank. She is a great sport- we laughed half of the way home, and several times since.

What a great experience.  Only in Japan can you  spend four hours — bonding while taking a bath!

My Halloween Princess November 11, 2009

Last weekend we had a chance to go to nearby Sasayama for our organization’s church planter’s fall conference. The whole conference was a time of wonderful fellowship; vision and prayer time; and even practical training that included CPR. One huge highlight was the care that our children received from the four women who came from L.A. to minister with us. We loved watching them and hearing their stories! Here is just one photo from one of the fun exercises they did (this wasn’t even halloween!) It really is an important time for our children to enjoy being with other missionary children, as well as to get spiritually fed.

It was fun, too, to be with a group of our North American friends and celebrate Halloween with a harvest party. We were so sad that our friends the Johnstons could not come because of influenza, but we were really grateful for Nozomi’s work in planning the party anyway. Here are a few highlight photos (you have to be impressed in realizing that most people flew in for the conference and packed their costumes!).

We had a few cuties in our family…Yuu-un, the sweet pea (or Japanese edamame)

A cowgirl…
And my personal favorite- the grand prize winner– my Halloween princess! (Rumors have it the princess bribed the judges…)

Here Comes Jesus November 5, 2009

It has been a wacky week.  H1N1 virus hit our family through Annie  last Tuesday– her whole school closed down for a week because so many children and staff had contracted it at the same time.  We then thought that Olivia and I had it– thankfully we both tested negative, and with Annie’s quick recovery we were all able to go (one day late) to our organization’s fall conference for church planters.  It was a really wonderful time of praying, thinking, learning, playing – more on that later.

But the day that Annie’s influenza hit was also the day that my sister Beth left us.  I wanted to post some photos from our time with her and share (with her permission) a short talk that she gave at one of our ladies’ English classes last week.

Here are some highlights from our time together.  I think what touches Eric and I each time Beth visits (this was her seventh visit to Japan over my past twenty years of ministry – isn’t that amazing?) – is how much she enters into our lives, especially the lives of our kids.  They were all so sad to see her go.

It seemed like most of our days were filled with some kind of interaction with our Japanese community- Beth was a great sport!
We spent an afternoon at a friend’s home with three other moms and their kids… all the kids — and Beth– enjoyed making cotton candy, and fighting over holding baby Yuu.

I was also asked at the last minute to come in one day and be lunch mom at Annie’s school — Beth and I went and did it together!  Don’t you love the bandanas and aprons?

We had two wonderful dinners at different neighbor friends’ homes.  For one of them, we surprised Beth with a “half-year birthday party.”  Since we are never around for her birthday, we decided just to do her birthday in a small way while she was here.  I made her favorite cake– Red Velvet — using a special family recipe of a friend’s.  It was a big hit — definitely the first time our Japanese friends have ever had red cake…

Beth- we love you so much!  Thanks for sharing your life with us and so readily entering into ours.  We know that is not an easy task.:)

Here is what Beth shared at the ladies’ English class that meets in our home.  I had asked her to reflect on something she learned while working for a Christian foundation for a number of years and traveling to very poor places around the world.  It’s a bit long but is  really worth the read.

“...I remember in the early days of our organization, my boss gave a staff devotional on Psalm 2.  I can’t remember all that he said, but I do remember that he talked about God wanting to give us the nations as our inheritance.  But in order to be given the nations, we have to be willing to really look at the people of the nations and enter into their suffering.  And I remember saying, “But if I really look at these people and they become real to me, my heart might break. I’m not sure I’m willing to go through that.”

I want to tell you just one story from some women– who are Christians who are giving their lives to help the hurting people of the world.

On one trip to India, we visited Mother Theresa’s Sisters of Charity.  They run a home for throw-away people—those who society has put in trash cans or left by the road to die. Their property is an old warehouse that was given to them.  But immediately upon entering their compound, we were drawn into a cheerful courtyard filled with flowers and plants.

The first part of the warehouse was a huge room which was full of handicapped children.  The room was spotless and each child was clean. While a few of the children walked around shaking our hands, most of them were profoundly handicapped and immobile.  Those who could, were seated on benches in a circle.  Others without limbs were lying in cribs.  Music was playing and the assistants were interacting with as many of the children as possible.  Remembering the importance of touch, I put my hand on the heads of a few of them.  One little one was crying, so I went over to comfort her—she couldn’t even move her body to a different position.

Another large room we went into housed the men with HIV/AIDS.  A radio was playing, around which sat several men. Other men were lying on their beds.  In 1 corner were 2 assistants providing medical care.  One old man had a sore on his leg about 8 inches long.  Around the perimeter of the sore was raw, red skin.  But most of the sore consisted only of bone.  We watched as 1 assistant used tweezers to pick maggots out of sore.  The sister explained he had been hit by a car and then just left on his own.

The next building was for the women with HIV/AIDS.  We were told most of these women were from Nepal and had been brought to India for the sex trade.  Of course, now that they are infected and sick, they are no longer wanted or needed.  Several of them greeted us with their eyes and showed us the handicrafts they were creating.

We were so touched by the dignity offered to each of these people that others would choose to throw away.  16 women live their lives in this compound, touching and talking and ministering to people who will never be able to thank them or reward them.  Yet each one of them had a gentle, joyful spirit.  Each time another broken, diseased, hopeless person is brought in, someone says, “Here comes Jesus”.  They do this because Jesus loves them and fills them with joy.  And they see a bit of Jesus in each of these broken people.

I’ve realized that it is not a bad thing to have my heart broken by the needs of the world.   My greater fear is that my heart will stop being touched when I see the suffering and yet the hope of God’s dearly loved people around the world.  I know that in the midst of the suffering, I often see God — a God who so loves even these broken people that He sends them love and help.  He has promised to do that for anyone who calls out to Him.

Faces October 31, 2009

We have a wonderful reminder every day when we walk into the kitchen of what it’s all about…

These are faces from the Christmas card photos we received last year.  (A few cards got lost in our transition from the U.S. to Japan- sorry if your photo didn’t make it).  We love seeing the people who are so integral to what we are doing in Japan.  To who we are.  Those who pray for us.  Our kids – our family– have such an amazing safety net surrounding us!  There are days that feel a bit lonely in our ministry.  This poster reminds us that we are loved — what a wonderful thing.

Attention October 13, 2009

Sunday’s worship encouraged me in several ways.

It was the once-a-month combined worship time.  Sometimes I feel quite distracted on these Sundays by taking care of the kids’ needs; figuring out what we should be doing, reigning Olivia back in, etc., that I find myself not really worshiping much.  Somehow this Sunday I was able to enter in more fully.

The first thing that really encouraged me was watching Owen!  Recently Owen has been somewhat reluctant to enter into public worship or prayer. These past few months he has just learned (most of) the Japanese hiragana characters.  On Sunday, for the first time, he sat through all of the (Japanese) worship set, paying attention and intently READING the song sheet,  giving singing his best effort.  It moved me to tears to see this.  Thank you, God, for giving a voice to this young boy to worship you.

The second thing that encouraged me was one point of the message delivered by Makio Sensei, the senior pastor of our mother church here.  He was preaching on the woman accused of adultery who was brought before Jesus.  Makio Sensei painted the picture well– even as we were sitting in a large circle, so too, did the crowds and accusers form a circle around this woman who had sinned.  Rather than trying to figure out what she needed to help her out of her sin or to figure out why this had happened, they put her in the very center to be accused and shamed.

Then Jesus started writing in the sand.  We don’t know what he wrote.  But our pastor made a very interesting suggestion… when he stooped down to write, all eyes went from  the woman — to Jesus’ hand.  They all wanted to know what he was writing.  Jesus was able to draw the attention away from the adulterer to himself.  He in a sense covered her shame and took it upon himself.  Just as he did, for all of us, on the cross.  I loved that so much.  How like Jesus!  To choose to draw attention away from the sinner to himself so that she could know His grace.

And I started thinking about how I really don’t like attention on me either, and sometimes I allow it to remain on someone else so that I don’t have to draw attention to my own failings.  And I often don’t think about the needs of the other and how I can take their shame onto myself.  I was so convicted!  And thankful for the covering of Jesus over my own sins and weaknesses.  And for His grace that is more than sufficient to cover any and all of us.

Autumn Treasures October 10, 2009

There are days– or weeks –as a mom of 3 (or right-now 4) young children where I feel like my life has become routine and a bit stagnant.  (Not boring!  Ever!  Just routine).

Earlier this week I got a text from a seventh- grade friend, Manae.  Her family has been ministry partners of ours over the last five years in Sanda, and I’ve always enjoyed her.  (Plus I think related to her as we are both the second of fourth children!)  We texted back and forth a bit, and then I asked if she would like to go for cake this weekend. We did today.  I had about a 2 hour window between Eric’s commitments when he could watch the kids.

I went and picked her up, wondering if I would know what on earth to talk about with a seventh grader.  It’s been a LONG time since I was that age… We drove to a country cake shop somewhat in the middle of nowhere called “Alice’s.”  It was surrounded by quaint little garden spots, carved rocks and fountains.

They only make two kinds of cake each day.  Today’s specials were — fig tart and chestnut cake.  Ugh.  Neither of my two favorites.  We both went for the chestnut cake.

I have to say that chestnuts are one of those food obsessions in fall here that I just have never understood.  They always taste dry and bland, but Japanese LOVE LOVE chestnuts in all forms and ways.  So, I thought I’d give it one last shot.

And discovered a new treasure — this chestnut cake was divine.

The chestnut cake, the ripe persimmon served with it, the autumnal skies beyond the large glass windows made it a perfect fall event.

Earl Kreps, a speaker who came to our Asian Access retreat two years ago, talked about a concept called Reverse Mentoring.  Older peers can learn from younger peers.  As we sat there, I loved entering into the life of a seventh grader.  Manae began to share more about what her life is like. (Did you know:  more than half of her class has their own cell phone –but not Manae!;  everyone in seventh grade joins a club — she is on the  tennis team, and she has practice EVERY day until 6 pm plus half days on Saturday and Sunday;  she is not allowed to bike to school so she walks home in the dark on a country road every evening at 6 pm!)

During our time I felt like, despite the 30-some years difference, that I was having cake and coffee with a friend.  I hope we can do it again soon.  I have a lot to learn.  And maybe next time I’ll venture out and try and the fig tart…