Hey all... I don't know how many "all" of you are, but hello all the same.
How's your end of the year looking? Got big plans to ring in the New Year? The last week of December always feels weird to me. Awkward, perhaps. It's in between two big holidays, and you're just finishing up the year, getting ready for a new one... does anyone else feel the same way?
This year has been quite... adventurous for me. It hasn't been what I expected, but I've learned a lot, grown a lot, and sometimes growing comes with growing pains.
Anyhow, in the next few days, I'll be looking back over this year, evaluate what I learned, where I succeeded and where I failed, and what goals I need to set for this next year. I don't know if you guys do that or not, but I think it's a good way to start afresh.
So, as December is closing out, I'm getting more and more anxious to close the deal with Japan and get going. I'd like to put a date and start to get over there. As I've mentioned, the team over there is asking for me to arrive in March time, which I think is do-able.
Please pray for me, that in the next couple of weeks, people will commit to sponsor me as a church planter in Japan. I'm still short about $1000, monthly support. That's NOT too far! But, it will take lots of prayer.
I know you're busy, but if you'll take a few moments to lift this in prayer right now, as you're reading this. You might not think it makes a difference, but God does listen to you. I know He listens to me too, but covering something in prayer has never hurt anyone!
Well, I'll be back in a few days. If you're in the STL area, hope you enjoyed the snow today! I was pretty happy. :D
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!!
Yay! The long awaited day is here.
Today I worked and it was amusing to me to watch the guys shopping... Looks of confusion, guesses on womens' sizes...
So, I've been crazy busy, as you can tell. It's the Christmas season-- the busiest retail time of the year. So, there's that.
Also, there was paperwork to do with Japan that I had to fill out and have other people fill out...
Oh, Japanese study... Adjectives that CHANGE with past tense verbs. Sigh.
You get the picture.
Well, I'm going to get off here and help my ma peel some potatoes. Hope to have interesting stuff for you soon.
But until then-- I wish you a very Merry Christmas!!
Today I worked and it was amusing to me to watch the guys shopping... Looks of confusion, guesses on womens' sizes...
So, I've been crazy busy, as you can tell. It's the Christmas season-- the busiest retail time of the year. So, there's that.
Also, there was paperwork to do with Japan that I had to fill out and have other people fill out...
Oh, Japanese study... Adjectives that CHANGE with past tense verbs. Sigh.
You get the picture.
Well, I'm going to get off here and help my ma peel some potatoes. Hope to have interesting stuff for you soon.
But until then-- I wish you a very Merry Christmas!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Tis the Season
... to write cards, to do shopping, to hang lights, to go to parties... etc. You know how Christmas is. But I'm pretty excited as I drive at night and see houses decorated for the season.
During the past few weeks, I've been looking at various things concerning Japan-- including the budget. As it turns out, we believe that a budget of $2200 will be more viable, and will enable me to pay everything from rent to schooling and pay bills like social security and buy a ticket home every once in a while.
I'm very excited about that, because while we heard from so many that the budget would be more expensive, we believe that this will be a good budget. Should I be lacking in funds, after the first year, I can teach some English classes on the side to make a bit of extra dough. :)
So, I'm excited, because that's not that far away!!
We're setting the date around March to head over there. That will give me a few weeks before I start Japanese classes, so I can figure out where I am. Kinda seems crazy when I think about it.
However, I'm still getting my head start while I'm here, studying Japanese. We've been working on things like counting in Japanese. There's so many ways to count! I know that seems crazy, because we count- one apple, two apples, three apples, etc. In Japanese, you add a suffix for the type of thing that you're counting-- thin, flat objects; time counting, and several other. We've done about 2 or 3 ways of counting, and learning the different patterns for each counting way.
Also, in the way of counting-- it's kinda crazy-- but, they change counting every 4 digits, not every three like we do. For instance, to say forty thousand, you say basically 4- 10 thousands. I'm not going to go too far into it, because right now, I can do it, but if I think too much about it, I think I may lose it. So, suffice it to say that this is harder than when I learned counting in kindergarten.
Well, I still have a few things to do. I've been on a roll getting things accomplished and I'd like to stick with it.
Talk to you later!
OH! PS- check this out! I learned how to get Japanese fonts on my computer last night! こんぼんわ．
During the past few weeks, I've been looking at various things concerning Japan-- including the budget. As it turns out, we believe that a budget of $2200 will be more viable, and will enable me to pay everything from rent to schooling and pay bills like social security and buy a ticket home every once in a while.
I'm very excited about that, because while we heard from so many that the budget would be more expensive, we believe that this will be a good budget. Should I be lacking in funds, after the first year, I can teach some English classes on the side to make a bit of extra dough. :)
So, I'm excited, because that's not that far away!!
We're setting the date around March to head over there. That will give me a few weeks before I start Japanese classes, so I can figure out where I am. Kinda seems crazy when I think about it.
However, I'm still getting my head start while I'm here, studying Japanese. We've been working on things like counting in Japanese. There's so many ways to count! I know that seems crazy, because we count- one apple, two apples, three apples, etc. In Japanese, you add a suffix for the type of thing that you're counting-- thin, flat objects; time counting, and several other. We've done about 2 or 3 ways of counting, and learning the different patterns for each counting way.
Also, in the way of counting-- it's kinda crazy-- but, they change counting every 4 digits, not every three like we do. For instance, to say forty thousand, you say basically 4- 10 thousands. I'm not going to go too far into it, because right now, I can do it, but if I think too much about it, I think I may lose it. So, suffice it to say that this is harder than when I learned counting in kindergarten.
Well, I still have a few things to do. I've been on a roll getting things accomplished and I'd like to stick with it.
Talk to you later!
OH! PS- check this out! I learned how to get Japanese fonts on my computer last night! こんぼんわ．
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Story from Japan
I'd like to share this with you all! It was posted by Christine Huber-- she and her husband Tim are the original missionaries there in Japan. I'll be working with them and another couple, Mark and Yuiko Blakely working at planting a young adult church. This is what's going on currently over there!
_______________________________
Our church was packed out--people everywhere, in the chairs, on the floor, standing--to witness the testimonies and baptisms of two teen boys today. They both told their stories that impacted everyone. Many tears of joy were shed today!
One of Yusuke's comments: "2009 years ago, Jesus Christ died for me, and so now I want to work for Jesus! So I decided to consecrate myself to Him!" He is an example of a kind, smiling boy who attends to the needs of the little children, and he wants to be a servant of Jesus Christ.
Naoto doesn't know his real father, and his mother abandoned him as a young boy. But Jesus was with him and protected him, and provided people who have loved him through all his trials. He is excited about servng God!
We are soooo THANKFUL beyond words for how God is saving the youth of our church. ALL our youth were present for this special event!! (This took special effort from each one--Japanese youth are super BUSY students!!) We took tons of pictures and it was quite a celebration!
We are praying and believing that NONE of our youth will leave God's path! It's not so difficult for the younger children to come faithfully to Sunday school and spend time alone with God. But at the junior high and high school age, the schools require them to participate in sports or music or other clubs on Saturdays and Sundays. The teens become sooooo busy and tired, it is VERY hard for these young people to continue to put God first. It takes a miracle for them not to fall away. That's why it is such a JOY to everyone to see a teenager making such a difficult stand for Christ!
We thank God sooooo much for our dedicated youth staff who treat these kids as if they were their own. This takes a a super amount of dedication and sacrifice! (Japanese are known for giving their all and their best, and the Christians do this for God! We love working with these amazing Christians!!)
When Japanese youth get baptized, it takes a lot of courage and self-denial. Two other teens were baptized last August, and now today, two more! May God continue to bring revival to our youth, in Jesus' Name!!!
_______________________________
Our church was packed out--people everywhere, in the chairs, on the floor, standing--to witness the testimonies and baptisms of two teen boys today. They both told their stories that impacted everyone. Many tears of joy were shed today!
One of Yusuke's comments: "2009 years ago, Jesus Christ died for me, and so now I want to work for Jesus! So I decided to consecrate myself to Him!" He is an example of a kind, smiling boy who attends to the needs of the little children, and he wants to be a servant of Jesus Christ.
Naoto doesn't know his real father, and his mother abandoned him as a young boy. But Jesus was with him and protected him, and provided people who have loved him through all his trials. He is excited about servng God!
We are soooo THANKFUL beyond words for how God is saving the youth of our church. ALL our youth were present for this special event!! (This took special effort from each one--Japanese youth are super BUSY students!!) We took tons of pictures and it was quite a celebration!
We are praying and believing that NONE of our youth will leave God's path! It's not so difficult for the younger children to come faithfully to Sunday school and spend time alone with God. But at the junior high and high school age, the schools require them to participate in sports or music or other clubs on Saturdays and Sundays. The teens become sooooo busy and tired, it is VERY hard for these young people to continue to put God first. It takes a miracle for them not to fall away. That's why it is such a JOY to everyone to see a teenager making such a difficult stand for Christ!
We thank God sooooo much for our dedicated youth staff who treat these kids as if they were their own. This takes a a super amount of dedication and sacrifice! (Japanese are known for giving their all and their best, and the Christians do this for God! We love working with these amazing Christians!!)
When Japanese youth get baptized, it takes a lot of courage and self-denial. Two other teens were baptized last August, and now today, two more! May God continue to bring revival to our youth, in Jesus' Name!!!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Decisions and December
Today, driving home from dropping off my little big brother at work, I wondered... which day is it???
It took me a while to figure it out, and I did by remembering that Japanese class is Mondays, and I didn't do it last night-- so it had to have been two days ago, thus making today Wednesday.
A bit scary when it gets to that point, isn't it?
So, 2009 is just about over. In fact, right now, I'm watching Christmas in Rockefeller Plaza, which reminds me that Christmas (and thus, the New Year) is indeed right around the corner... even though yesterday it was 60 degrees.
It doesn't feel like December at all.
So, a couple of weeks ago, I made a decision to put off Japan for a little bit-- because I am not financially able to get there yet. As much as I'd like to head off in January, I realize that it would be irresponsible to leave without having my budget at least close to set.
So, I mentioned setting April as my next aim, and the team said, how about March?
February?
I said, ASAP. :)
On that note, please, please pray for me as I'm working on this. I'm taking a look at the budget again, to see where I can cut back, so to speak. There's a balance however between doing it yourself by budgeting and having faith for God to provide. Like I said, it would be irresponsible to go without sound backing.
So, please pray as I look for at least the next $1500 monthly support.
It took me a while to figure it out, and I did by remembering that Japanese class is Mondays, and I didn't do it last night-- so it had to have been two days ago, thus making today Wednesday.
A bit scary when it gets to that point, isn't it?
So, 2009 is just about over. In fact, right now, I'm watching Christmas in Rockefeller Plaza, which reminds me that Christmas (and thus, the New Year) is indeed right around the corner... even though yesterday it was 60 degrees.
It doesn't feel like December at all.
So, a couple of weeks ago, I made a decision to put off Japan for a little bit-- because I am not financially able to get there yet. As much as I'd like to head off in January, I realize that it would be irresponsible to leave without having my budget at least close to set.
So, I mentioned setting April as my next aim, and the team said, how about March?
February?
I said, ASAP. :)
On that note, please, please pray for me as I'm working on this. I'm taking a look at the budget again, to see where I can cut back, so to speak. There's a balance however between doing it yourself by budgeting and having faith for God to provide. Like I said, it would be irresponsible to go without sound backing.
So, please pray as I look for at least the next $1500 monthly support.
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