I've been house hunting today. And yesterday. And the day before.
It seems like it's been weeks. But I found something today, that just might do.
It's about 15 minutes out of town, but it just exactly what we had wanted.
What's more, it's just around the corner. (I mean, really just around the corner. Only about 4 houses away) from Miss Yanaga, a young woman who is a member of our church, but hasn't been to a service in years, because she is blind, and in very poor health.
We haven't been able to visit Miss Yanaga much, because her family is terrified of being a burden to anyone, but if we live that close, she should be able to come visit. Perhaps we could have Bible studies, and invite her to attend.
We're not sure about the house yet. There's one other that we haven't looked at, but I'm so grateful to have something that is a possiblity!
Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we will be making a decision in the next week.
Also, that He will provide the 6 months key money required to move in.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Influenza
It's been nearly three weeks since I've posted. I apologize for the silence.
I had a bad case of the flu with a fever, sore throat, cough, and horrible stiff neck. Thought it was going to fall off! I'm much better, now. Next time I'll go to the doctor and get a dose of tamiflu. The cold turkey thing is not fun.
God was gracious, and through the whole ordeal I only had to cancel three English classes. I was in bed whenever I wasn't teaching, though - thus the silence.
The cherry trees have started to bloom. This is a big event in Japan, and as there are cherry trees in every school yard and park, as well as all up and down nearly every mountain road, and in many private homes, the whole world seems to burst out in pink and white.
The school year starts in April, as do most new jobs, so the cherry blossoms are a symbol of new beginnings and graduations. Everyone seems to have a reason to celebrate.
Our new beginning is going to be a new place to live starting in May. We are going out almost daily to look for a new place right now. Each one seems to have at least one big flaw that makes it a no go for us. One house was perfect, and had a (very) small wheat field on one side of it, but it was right behind a drug store with a loud hum. I think it was their air conditioning system. We tried closing all the windows, and the noise didn't get much softer. Too bad. There's a nice condo on the 11th floor of a building right near the church, but it has a full view of a 150 foot idol out the front, and a big temple out the back. Oh, well. Keep praying that we will find the right place.
All we can see is the visible environment, and what little we know of various sections of town, but God knows where the people who need Him and would be open to the gospel are. We want more than anything to follow His leading in this important decision.
Mrs. Tsubakihara came to visit today. We talked over tea and apple pie for nearly three hours. She has an amazingly simple and beautiful faith. Whenever the phone rings, or she makes a phone call, she stops and prays that God will guide her words and protect her from saying anything that might hurt someone before she picks up the reciever. Hmm.... I could take a lesson. Please, please pray for her. Satan attacks her daily, telling her she is unworthy and in the way at church. She longs to pray for salvation and spiritual growth for the church members and their families, and feels out of place at prayer meeting and the ladies Bible study because the others are praying only for health needs. Satan tells her she has no right to be there if she doesn't care about people's physical problems, and she constantly struggles with whether it would be right to go back the next week.
I had a bad case of the flu with a fever, sore throat, cough, and horrible stiff neck. Thought it was going to fall off! I'm much better, now. Next time I'll go to the doctor and get a dose of tamiflu. The cold turkey thing is not fun.
God was gracious, and through the whole ordeal I only had to cancel three English classes. I was in bed whenever I wasn't teaching, though - thus the silence.
The cherry trees have started to bloom. This is a big event in Japan, and as there are cherry trees in every school yard and park, as well as all up and down nearly every mountain road, and in many private homes, the whole world seems to burst out in pink and white.
The school year starts in April, as do most new jobs, so the cherry blossoms are a symbol of new beginnings and graduations. Everyone seems to have a reason to celebrate.
Our new beginning is going to be a new place to live starting in May. We are going out almost daily to look for a new place right now. Each one seems to have at least one big flaw that makes it a no go for us. One house was perfect, and had a (very) small wheat field on one side of it, but it was right behind a drug store with a loud hum. I think it was their air conditioning system. We tried closing all the windows, and the noise didn't get much softer. Too bad. There's a nice condo on the 11th floor of a building right near the church, but it has a full view of a 150 foot idol out the front, and a big temple out the back. Oh, well. Keep praying that we will find the right place.
All we can see is the visible environment, and what little we know of various sections of town, but God knows where the people who need Him and would be open to the gospel are. We want more than anything to follow His leading in this important decision.
Mrs. Tsubakihara came to visit today. We talked over tea and apple pie for nearly three hours. She has an amazingly simple and beautiful faith. Whenever the phone rings, or she makes a phone call, she stops and prays that God will guide her words and protect her from saying anything that might hurt someone before she picks up the reciever. Hmm.... I could take a lesson. Please, please pray for her. Satan attacks her daily, telling her she is unworthy and in the way at church. She longs to pray for salvation and spiritual growth for the church members and their families, and feels out of place at prayer meeting and the ladies Bible study because the others are praying only for health needs. Satan tells her she has no right to be there if she doesn't care about people's physical problems, and she constantly struggles with whether it would be right to go back the next week.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Job All Over Again
Remember how many children Job had at the beginning? After his trials he had twice as many sheep, goats and camels, but only the same number of children as before. I've heard the theory that this was because his first set of children were in Heaven and he hadn't really lost them.
Did you here the news about the triplets that were born in Indonesia a couple of days ago?
The story is that an Indonesian man lost his wife and three daughters in the tsunami. It was a heartwrenching scenario. He told reporters how he had tried to hold on to one of his daughters, and the water wrenched her out of his arms. He never saw her again. He subsequently remarried, and this week God gave him three daughters all over again. And all at once.
Praise the Lord, He never changes. Even after all these thousands of years we still have evidence that He cares about every detail in each of our lives, and that all things will be just and fair and good in the end.
I'm so glad it's safe to trust Him.
Did you here the news about the triplets that were born in Indonesia a couple of days ago?
The story is that an Indonesian man lost his wife and three daughters in the tsunami. It was a heartwrenching scenario. He told reporters how he had tried to hold on to one of his daughters, and the water wrenched her out of his arms. He never saw her again. He subsequently remarried, and this week God gave him three daughters all over again. And all at once.
Praise the Lord, He never changes. Even after all these thousands of years we still have evidence that He cares about every detail in each of our lives, and that all things will be just and fair and good in the end.
I'm so glad it's safe to trust Him.
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