Friday, April 6, 2012

We went to a store so I could get the fixings for rolled sushi. At the store there were all sorts of imported goods from fresh veges to rices to canned and bottled goods.  I found a 5 lb. bag of sushi rice and bought some small shrimp to tempura fry for Saturday’s lunch at FIBC. 

This evenings service the Pape’s showed their DVD and Mrs. Pape sang a special called “Bury My Heart on the Mission Field”.

Pastor Creed preached on when God pulls back the curtain on missions.  A) grace of God in giving.  The church in Philippi begged to be involved.  They gave to their power and beyond their power 2 Cor. 8:5.  B) They realized the need of the hour. 2 Cor. 9:7-8—the need of world wide evangelization.

Here is a thought from Pastor Creed:   What is the color of a soul?

Wednesday April 4, 2012

Today Henry and I went to the library to connect to the internet.  However, I did not get the blog written then.  Anyway after getting somewhat caught up, I walked back to the house.  Wildwood Estates is an older neighborhood of brick homes with basements and wide streets and beautiful trees.  I’d like to live here if possible, but the house prices are about $400,000; about 10 times the original cost.  Maybe, someday.

 One of the new homes across from the FIBC in Glendale.

The plum trees are really beautiful.

We went to Faith Independent Baptist Church in Glendale for our first Missions Conference.  The Rick Dove family is in  Costa Rica and the Pape family are on deputation to the Dominican Republic.  Ricky gave his testimony, and Pastor Mike Creed from our home church preached about the four areas of giving.

The first point was every Christian needs to tithe, Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7:4.  The second was giving with a willing heart—stewardship giving as a need arises.  The third is alms giving or benevolence giving in secret, Matthew 6:1-3.  The fourth is faith giving, 2 Corinthians 8.  Don’t tip God, but give obediently. 

After service we talked until nearly 9:00 p.m. with folks then headed home.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Tonight Pastor Creed preached on the Other side of Obedience.  1) we must be obedient to God’s plan. Acts 1:8. Can I trust God to do what He says?  Can He trust me to do what He asks?  Obedience is not temporary.  2)  Must be obedient to God’s command.  3) Obey regardless of Satanic activity 2 Tim. 3:12. They...shall suffer persecution. 4)  Understanding there is fruit in the future.   God is faithful.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

This morning we mozied over to the church to get our new prayer cards and we talked with some folks while there.   Then we went down to the bank to make a deposit and the on to the voting precinct.  I told the lady that checked my registration that it was the first time in 20 years I had voted in person, explaining we are missionaries in Japan.  She praised the Lord and was appreciative of our service.  Then I voted on the electronic machines.  It was a good feeling to have performed a civic duty.

Later in the day I went with Mary so she could vote at a different precinct.  There were few people voting there also.  While Mary voted, I talked with the man who was the greeter, a really nice older gentleman.  I mentioned that we’ve come a long way from paper ballots and he agreed.  The electronic machines could easily be programmed to record something different that voters intended.  Mary came over and we found out he was a member of the AME church and has great grandchildren.  He commented on my nearly white hair or “crown of glory.”  We invited him to our church’s Easter drama this Saturday and he was interested in going.  

While we were out Anna Gill called and asked if she and Sara could go with Peter and Joe to get ice cream from Miller’s Farm.  After we call got back to the house, Mary made some pasta and meatballs.  Matthew came over after work and we all ate and talked.  Hugs all around.  Joe said he had found a car to buy, so Henry drove him over to the place and they put a deposit on it.  Joe was going to get a loan from the credit union for the balance.  It is a 2000 Volvo with under 100,000 miles and total cost will be $6100.  Good deal.

April 2 landing

We arrived in Toronto about 4:30 p.m. local time.  After getting our luggage, we went through pre-customs clearance for the USA.  There must have been at least 100 people in line as it slowly snaked to the Customs officials.  Just 6 windows were open out of 12.  That took over 30 minutes. We were cleared and went on to wait at the gate. 

While we waited there was a huge sealed aquarium on the second floor.  It had floating plastic squares near as I could tell, that were moved about by bubbling water.

The flight had maybe 30 passengers tops, so we pulled back from the gate about 20 minutes early.  We landed at Reagan National Airport about 10:00 p.m., ahead of schedule. Then after getting our luggage we got on a shuttle to get the rental car.  We got to the Gill’s house about midnight.  The end of a very long day.

April 2, 2012 Flight to USA, Start of Our Short Furlough

We got up at 5:00 a.m. and were loaded and out of the house by 6:10; got to Itami Airport by 6:40 and through the check-in process by 7:00 a.m. for our 8:00 a.m. flight.  So far, so good.  Then through the security check.  All the computers, electric dictionary, cell phones, pens, watches, belts, hair pins, my clip-on sunglasses, tape measure, coin purse, etc, went into the baskets and through the x-ray machines.  Then it was all put back into the carry-ons and on to the gate where we waited to board the first leg of the trip.  Passengers were called about 7:45 to board and I said to Henry that they were not going to get us all boarded and belted in before 8:00 a.m.  I was wrong.  We pulled away from the gate by 8:01 and were airborne by 8:15.  


It was a clear, smooth flight and we landed at Tokyo Narita Airport about 9:05 a.m.  Then, once again, through the lines to connecting international flights where once again we had to unload everything into those baskets and go through the x-ray machines. 

It is now 11:30 a.m. here at Narita Airport Tokyo.  We are waiting here all day for our flight to Toronto at 6:00 pm.  So in the meantime we are in a WIFI area doing mail and recharging the computer battery.  It will be a slow day waiting, but we shall explore the airport at various times. 

After we board our Toronto flight, it will be 14 hours to there, then a four hour wait, and then two hours to Reagan National Airport, arriving about 10:30 p.m.  It's about 30 hours travel from the time we left the house until the time we arrive at the Gills house where we will be staying.   God is good.

Sara's First Solo

Sara sang her first solo special in church today.  She told Henry on Saturday she wanted to do this and they practiced just a couple of times. She has been singing this song in her room before going to bed for the last several months.  She got up and sang the song in Japanese from memory.  Everyone was surprised she did this as she is so shy and rarely talks to anyone.  The title in English is I've Found a Friend.

Sara's Latest Cross Stitch

Sara finished this cross stitch sampler on March 13 after five months.  She is very proud of this accomplishment.  We will probably put a fabric border on it then get it framed. 

KIBBS Thank You

Three students will graduate from the KIBBS Bible College here in Kobe. This was last week at the Kanshakai (thank-you dinner).   In the first video Henry and Mr. Uehara sing a duet.  The three ladies are in  last photo.  Pastor Omote speaks in the second one, although you don't know what he said. :-)

February 20, 2012

We are in the midst of passing out 40,000 gospel flyers in our area; only 10,000 or so to go now.  Lots of walking and exercise, perhaps a handful of responses.  About average in our experience.

Finished a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  I received the flowers from a friend in various sizes, so finished it this way.

 

  The back is a multitude of floral prints (a stash buster).  It's a big lap quilt, but not big enough for a bed cover. 

February 14, 2012

Sara and her Dad played a duet in the morning service on February 12th.  She has been taking lessons since last September.   Do you recognize the hymn?  

 There was a grand total of eight in the service, mostly the faithful ones that were not out sick.  Good performance! 

New Windows Jan 16, 2012

We have been in our hand-built house for 10 years now.  Over the course of time, several windows have cracked for one reason or another.  Today these broken ones got replaced.

Yeah!  The temp outside was about 6 C, rather chilly, but a clear day.  Mr. Yamashita and his son did the work.  The first two replaced were the last ones broken.  The kitchen window above the sink managed to get really cracked last fall.  Henry taped them so the glass would not fall our.  Lovely view, n'est pa?    Now they are much better!

 The one in the dining room has been broken since construction--a BB went through it, we think.  All windows are double-paned or pair glass in Japanese.  The entire unit of the rectangular ones was replaced.    This one had the hole in the left window, upper right. 

 The new view.

These two curved windows are in the church area.  The top is the classroom.  That was broken in 2005 by a rock.  The bottom was broken in 2008 during cleaning and repainting the outside.  Both have condensation between the two windows.  We asked the men to clean the undamaged one before replacing the broken one.  Now it looks so nice.  There are three other curved windows that need replacing at a cost of about $350. They are not broken, but condensation is between the windows.   The five replaced today cost about $1000.  Fortunately, our church building fund has enough to cover this cost.

First quilt 2012

This Christmas quilt was pieced in December 2011, but since I was too busy to finish it then, it got completed on January 3rd. It is a 25-block sampler, queen size. 

I like the Scotty Dog block and the Cross one in the middle the best.

The backing for the quilt is mostly scraps and leftover blocks from other projects.  Now there are three quilts and flannel sheets on the bed for the winter months.  We do not have central heating here in Japan. 

I gave away my previous Christmas quilt to a missionary earlier this year and just got around to making another one.  Maybe I will keep this one.  "-)

Thanksgiving week, 2011

On Wednesday the 23^rd this week, was the Japanese thanksgiving holiday.  I was able to secure a space at a recycle market at the local sports park that was held on this day.  The weather was threatening rain on Tuesday night. The morning dawned a bit cloudy, but the sun came out and it was a go for the day.  We packed the van with the items we were going to sell and headed out.  We had a vehicle space meaning we could set up shop out of the van.  We set out a plastic sheet over the ground and put out the items.   The crowds started coming just before 10:00 a.m. 

The weather was cloudy all day, just a few drops of rain fell.  Why Sara has her hand over her face, I do not know.  :-)

Across from us was a petting zoo and pony rides for 100 yen. There were numerous activities for the kids on the inner ballpark field such as a mini train ride, games, big taiyo drums playing.  Plus there was plenty of Japanese food and long lines.  One interesting thing was seeing people eat something wrapped around a stick.  Not just any stick, but a small branch cut from trees—rough cut.  There were several open fire pits with people holding the sticks wrapped with bread over the fire, similar to roasting marshmallows. I don’t know, but eating it off what looked like a not-so-very-clean stick did not appeal to me.  These pictures are the petting place, the bottom picture is of two rabbits.

Anyway, back to the recycle market.  Sales were slow going until about 1 pm when I lowered most of the prices by half.  Nothing was originally priced over $15 and most was under $5.   Sales picked up and as I told more than one person I did not want to take the stuff back home, so many got a good deal.  I had made three large pine cone wreaths which all sold (yea!) and about a dozen or more fabric ornaments which also all sold (yea, again!), plus several handmade quilted bags and coin purses, most of which sold.  There were a bunch of beads and jewelry that actually sold well this time.  Clothes did not sell except maybe three items.  Fabric pieces did not sell, so they went back into my stash at home. 

Bottom line was I cleared 12,000 yen or about $130 which was way better than I thought would happen.   It was a good day.  

November 17, 2011

Good news.  The cost to repair the damaged car will be about $300 or 26, 250 yen.  This was at least half of what I thought it could be.  The work is being done by the same place where we purchased it last December.  The man said the entire rear door would be replaced instead of just the window as that is cheaper.  Thank you, Lord, for this blessing in a blessing.  Perhaps by Saturday we can get the car back.  God is good all the time.

November 14, 2011

 

The morning was chilly, dew on the windshield, as I took the non-burnable trash up to the collection cage.  Normally I do not pull as close to the cage as I did this morning.  There are two small buildings to the side of this place and a driveway on the far right as you face it, and I usually backup to turn around there.  However, this day as I was backing up and turning the wheel to the right, I was aiming for the driveway but misjudged and hit the building instead.  I heard shattering glass as the rear window broke into a thousand pieces, easily a 1,000.   Oh, great, just what I need!  I did not get out and inspect the damage mostly because it was just me out there and I hit a building and not a person.  So, I returned home and woke up Henry and told him.  “It will be OK,” he said.  I was not convinced. 

After breakfast about 9:00 a.m. I walked to the gomi station to clean up the glass, armed with a dust pan and broom and trash bag. I forgot the camera.  A pile of black glass was around the corner of the building and in front of the sliding door.  This building is the local bulletin board.  I could see a crack in the wall by the door frame which went into the foundation about an inch or two, but nothing else.  Now, whether that was there before, I do not remember.  So it took about 10 minutes to clean up the broken glass from under rocks and around the door.  Since this trash could go out with the non-burnable stuff, I put it into one of the bags I brought up earlier.  Then I returned home and explained the damage I saw to Henry.  I thought it would be easy enough to repair. 

 

The frame has scratches, above, where the car hit it.

About 10:00 a.m. Henry took the van and the camera and inspected the damage.  The pictures showed some glass shards on the bulletin board frame that I did not see.  There was little damage to the car itself.  When he got back home he called the police and was told to go to the local station and file a report.  We drove the car to the Upper Hata Cho station, a little outpost really.  No police were there, but a phone was available and he called; someone would be there shortly.  About 10 minutes later a cruiser with flashing lights pulls up and two young officers step out.  Immediately they notice the back of the car—no window.  I noticed that one of the men was left-handed, which is really rare in Japan.  He said “southpaw!” when I said I was one also. 

 

After exchanging information on the car and my license, we led them over to the gomi station.  They determined that the car apparently hit the bulletin board frame and not the building where the crack was.  It was not a city building like the one next to it, so they would have to find out the owner and the owner would contact us.  They said not to worry about it as the apparent damage was very minimal. 

So that was the morning events here in Kobe.  Now to find out what the replacement window will cost…

October 2, 2011

I saw this new idol at a local stone masons shop.  The English writing (no Japanese) says The God of   things  as they  Ought to Be .  This god's name is Billiken.  Such a serene look on that face, but it can't see, speak or hear. It may be a cute object sitting there with all its toes, but it sure cannot answer anyone's prayers to make "things as they ought to be." 

October 1, 2011

Summer is over and cool weather prevails.  Such a pleasant change.  The garden is winding down; I have taken down all the tomato plants.  The Cosmos and morning glories are in full bloom.  Now to prepare for winter and next year's planting.

In mid September there was another typhoon that rolled through; it took about 5 days to finally cross Honshu.  We got buckets of water, flooded creeks and flower beds, but very little wind.  The wells will be stocked for the fall.   I added dirt to this flower bed and removed the iris as they have rotted the last two years.  That was just a couple of days before the storm.

 

This is the creek at the back of our property with the adjacent fields and streams flowing into it.  That was a lot of water.

August 21, 2011

Just finished this patriotic quilt for a U. S. military church in Okinawa.  It has a center panel from the Quilts of Valor collection bordered by 5" squares of military branches and patriotic fabrics, and finally bordered with RWB star fabric I found at the local fabric store.   The reverse is pieced with left over fabrics from the front and a blue stripped piece from my stash.   This was photographed hanging in the front of our church room.