Why Count Sheep?

So this past weekend I spent laying in bed, laying on the couch, and moving between the two. I was wiped out with a bad cold. I have not slept so much on a weekend since... well, I can't remember when I last slept so much!

Anyways, I got this idea at one point: I think it was the middle of the night, and I could not fall asleep. So I decided to count. No, not sheep. No, not the cliche "blessings" -- although what I counted was indeed a blessing, and I would never discourage anyone from counting their blessings.

But I decided to count (and pray for) my cousins. For some of you out there, one hand suffices and you've got everyone accounted for. Not me! As you may know, my dad has 4 siblings, and my mom has 8... which means the number of cousins (and now spouses and children) is almost uncountable!

And in fact, it took me 3-4 sleeps to get everyone counted and prayed for. I started with my mom's eldest brother's eldest son, and ended with my dad's younger brother's two sons. And in between I was able to think deeply about each cousin (30, if I'm not mistaken, not counting spouses and kids), what memories I have with them, what some have been going through lately (marriage, pregnancy, loss of father, move, among other joys and trials), and really pray for them like I haven't done in years.

I even counted and prayed for the uncles and aunts, brothers and nephews, and parents, of course.

I did not have a particularly great weekend. No one really enjoys being sick, having a stuffed up head, feeling helpless and being waited on by a caring wife (well, that part isn't so bad, but only in a selfish, tongue-in-cheek way). But being able to lay there and think about family, about the people who have shaped who I am, about how nice it is to have a large extended family... that part of my weekend was truly blessed. Not to mention more quiet time with the Father.

And so I count my weekend of sickness a blessing. Thank You, God, for making me slow down.

File It Away (Part 2)

Alright, so here was the second event that triggered thoughts in my mind:

Last weekend I was in Kyoto by myself, in a part of the prefecture I had never before traveled. I walked around ten minutes from the train station, took care of the business I had to accomplish, and then started to walk back to the train station. This was a Sunday afternoon, and there did not seem to be any reason for what happened next. I still do not know why, but there were literally hundreds of people walking towards the station along the sidewalk. I had never seen such a mass of people all walking (more or less) in unison in this way! It was like a crowd of people leaving a sporting event or music concert, heading towards the nearest public transportation stop, or perhaps a parking lot! LOTS of people!

Right in front of the station, there was an overpass for pedestrians. I thought, "Everyone else seems to be taking the overpass... and since it's right near the station, it MUST lead up to the platform or the wicket or something. I mean, this many people can't be wrong, can they?" I also figured they all HAD to be going to the station... there really was not any other reason to be walking from where they were, towards the station, like that!

And I remembered a conversation I had with my friend Steve up in Hokkaido. He once said that sometimes the Japanese people all will walk in the same direction (not literally) but they are all being misled. There was something in that conversation about "going to hell in a handbasket" or the "highway to hell" or something... like, the blind following the blind, in a sense. Masses of people all doing the same thing, and others will just follow suit because "everyone else is doing it" and "that many people can't be wrong!"

Back to my story... so I join this huge number of people and wonder, "Just how crowded is this train going to be?" But also thinking, I must be walking in the right direction, towards the train station, towards the platform, because "this many people can't be wrong!"

Well guess what? They were wrong! That overpass did not lead to the station, but rather, past it! The people kept walking, down the slope to the other side of the train station, and beyond... and there were people walking in masses as far as the eye could see! (They turned a corner and were no longer visible... it wasn't like a Manitoba landscape where the horizon is the only thing stopping you from seeing the ocean.) So by following the masses, I actually made a wrong move, and had to then wade against the current to get back to the station.

But it got me thinking, "How easy it is to follow the crowd! And how comforting it is to know that 'everyone else is doing it'!" There are times I get overwhelmed by being a Christian in Japan. SO many people do not know Jesus, and even if they have heard the name, their reaction (in their hearts) tends to be, "Well, no one else believes, why should I?" In other words, "That many people (non-believers) can't be wrong!" But they are at times, and they will lead you to where you do not want to go!

And I also got to thinking, "Those people were not wrong at all. They knew where they were going, and were simply walking together. The person in the wrong was ME, for blindly following a crowd of people that I assumed had the same destination as I did." If I had known how to get to where I needed to be, there would have been no reason for me to follow the masses.

So I ask you, dear reader, do you know where you are headed? Do you know how to get there? Are you on the right path? Are you blindly following the masses? Do you believe that just because everyone else is doing something, it must be right?

Your comments and thoughts are always appreciated, folks!

File it away... (Part 1)

Lately I have had a few really interesting "light bulb" moments... where something really cool dawns on me and I think, "Wow, what an insight!" But as is often the case when epiphanies hit, we need to reflect on it a little before we can actually "own" the thought or idea. And in the past month, when I have had two kind of cool ones, I have not bothered to dig deeper and really make the thoughts/ideas even more powerful or impacting. But here they are, I share them with you, my friends and family (and anonymous lookers-in).

1) At the start of the month, friends of mine were heading out on their honeymoon. We were talking about their destination, and what their plans were, but then the conversation turned to omiyage. Now, that word gets underlined in red on this computer because it is not English, but for anyone living in Japan, whether they speak the language or not, they know its meaning. Omiyage is like a "souvenir" or something you buy for people back home. Some is bought with joy, some with obligation. It is usually a local delicacy or snack that can be shared with many people. We bring them to our workplaces if we have taken any amount of time off work to go anywhere, for any reason... including business trips!

Anyways, I was thinking, they are already thinking about what they can buy in a land they have never been, to give to people they have not yet "left behind"! Being a guy who was not born into "omiyage culture," I would tend to not even think about buying people snacks at all, and if I did it would be last minute. It's my vacation, my time and my money! And so I was asking myself the question... how preoccupied do we get with obligations, that we do not even enjoy looking ahead to vacations?

And I was also thinking... do we really hope to have our eyes opened on these vacations? Do we want to have our thinking challenged? Do we want to have our worlds changed? Or do we just want a collection of pictures of us with different backgrounds that we can talk about when company comes over for the next six months?

And I was also thinking... do I really look ahead to my future "vacation" in heaven? Am I planning for it? Do I realize that there will be no coming back to this "home" that I live in now? I will not be buying omiyage for anyone, I will not be snapping pictures to show off, I will not be thinking about what stories to tell others when I "get back home"?

And unfortunately, I have not really reached any conclusions about any of these matters. Just a bunch of thoughts filed away in my mind, hoping to find the light of day sometime.

And unfortunately, my bed is calling me, and deep thoughts, part 2, will have to wait until tomorrow or another day when I have my computer opened and a chance to sit and write for a substantial amount of time.

Sea of Japan

Last week I got to go up to Kinosaki, a well-known hot springs area in Hyogo. This was not a pleasure trip, but a school swimming camp. All 7th graders go up and swim and play and bond for 4 days and 3 nights.

Here is the hotel we stayed at.

The second night we had a campfire and the kids performed songs. It was a class contest and they had a blast. A shot from the fire night:

Then on the third day, the kids went to a rocky area to look at sea life and fossils. It was way too hot to be out in the sun for 75 minutes, but everyone had fun! Here's a shot of the area.

Overall, I had a great time with my students and co-workers, despite the threat of being "initiated" (hazed) by the veteran teachers. It never happened. Made me think of how often we fear things that may never come to be. Are you living with unnecessary fear? Give it to God. Just enjoy the beautiful things He has prepared for you, and if hardships come, count on His help.

The Romantic One

Sometimes God sets things up so that you look way more romantic than you actually are.

Today I went on a few errands: get money from the bank, get a haircut, and buy a few food items. So I got the first two done, and realized all I needed to buy was flour. For some reason, I also thought it might be nice to buy my wife flowers, so I cycled from the supermarket to the flower shop -- about 5 minutes. On my way home from the flower shop, I ran into my wife -- not literally, but we happened to both be on our bicycles and on our way home, so we met up right in front of our apartment.

Anyways, she asked me, "What did you buy?" I lifted my left hand and showed her the flour and said, "Flour...." and a few seconds later, I lifted my right hand and said, "and flowers." She was so happy.

The thing is, if I had not cycled to the places I went in the order that I did so, and had I not chosen that exact time, and even that speed (and even stopped to down a soft drink and throw away the evidence before getting home), I would not have run into my wife when I did, and I would not have met up with my wife when and where I did... it might have been an in-the-house encounter, and I would not have been able to riff on the word "flour/flower"... so I say this whole thing was orchestrated by God. Well, the idea to buy flowers was mine (though I can give God credit for placing my wife on my heart in a special way today), but the timing and making the moment more romantic, that's 100% God! What a Romantic One He is!

Days of victory

Some of you may know that I really like The Lord of the Rings series. Recently I have found the time to watch the entire trilogy (extended version, no less).

I got to thinking, "There's an awful lot of fighting in these movies. Feels almost nonstop! No wonder some people don't like it, or feel like it's rather repetitive!"

Well, isn't that life, though? One battle after the next. Sometimes it feels like there's no end to our struggles, to our quest for victory or freedom from pain, anguish, struggles.

And then I got to thinking, "There are so many weird creatures in these movies! No wonder some people get turned off by fantasy!"

But then, don't we encounter some weird, formidable beasts in our lives? Weird people, strange situations we couldn't have possibly imagined ahead of time. But we gotta deal with them, often clumsily or uncertainly, as we face new challenges almost daily.

Then I got to thinking, "Aren't their battles unrealistic? Small, ill-prepared, inexperienced warriors against armies that are way too large for them to defeat. And yet they win. How unrealistic! No wonder people don't like these movies!"

But then, aren't our lives like that at times? Odds stacked against us, victory seeming impossible or improbable. But then some army of trees, or legion of dead pirates (Lord of the Rings references) comes out of the blue to aid us to victory. I prefer to think of our aid as ANGELS or even the "cloud of witnesses" (fellow believers, past and present) found in Hebrews 12.

This time through the trilogy, I was captivated by different scenes than ever before. Between the battle scenes, there are a lot of victory parties. Lots of drinking, smoking, dancing, and laughing.

And I asked myself, "Now, why doesn't my life reflect this aspect of the movies?" Not the drinking and smoking per se (I'll spare you my views on these "Christian controversies" for now), but the idea that it's OK to celebrate the small victories on the road of life!

These days, for me, are days of victory. Life is going well. Really well. No, my life is not without battles. But it seems like I've been winning them left, right and center!

So, I need to celebrate in my own way and be thankful to the One who has granted me victory.

But like the fellowship in Lord of the Rings, I also have be of the mindset that more battles, of larger magnitude and steeper odds, lie ahead.

My enemy is a prowling lion, waiting for just the right moment to pounce! So I celebrate with an eye on the challenges that await me.

The war is over! Jesus was victorious over the grave! But the battle rages on...

American Idol

This post's title does not refer to the television show in particular, but to the general idea that we (North) Americans are idol worshipers. We may not want to admit it, but we are.

Let me ask you a question: What is your passion? What do you get really excited about? Whom do you talk to the most? Whose advice are you quick to take? What words do you have memorized, flowing from your mouth more often than not?

I have a passion for sports. I get really excited about the Jets, my fantasy baseball team, and new Switchfoot albums. I talk to my fiancee the most (in my estimation -- I have never measured my talking time). I am quick to take the advice of people that I respect. And I would say I have the lyrics to my favorite songs memorized, and I can quote them or sing them to anyone at almost any given time.

I have a passion for God, but sometimes I think sports get more of my love.
I get excited when I hear about people receiving eternal life, but I probably shout out for joy more when I beat my rivals at fantasy sports.
I talk to the Lord, whenever I think of it, but I probably still speak more to my lifelong partner.
I know the Bible fairly well, in my own estimation, but I probably still have more music data stored in my head than I do Bible data.

So what?

Exodus 20:3 - You shall have no other gods before Me.

Back in the day, those "gods" were wooden or metal statues that people bowed down to. People would get all worked up, sent into a frenzy. They would belt out words in loud voices, they would dance, they would cry, they would release all sorts of passion towards these statues.

CRAZY, isn't it? Who could even THINK of doing such a thing? It's absurd!

I do not have statues of the Winnipeg Jets. But I do have a t-shirt, and I used to have posters and jerseys, among other memorabilia.

I do have a sort of statue for my fantasy baseball team... well, it's a trophy that I need to send away to this year's champion.

I do not have a shrine to Switchfoot or any other band, but I do have all their music, and it's in pretty heavy rotation.

I have never bowed down before my fiancee in worship, but I do think about her a whole lot.

Do any of these things make me an idolater? Good question, in my estimation.

Every Winnipeg Jets game at the MTS Centre features 15,001 fans screaming at the top of their lungs, getting into a frenzy. Especially when their beloved team scores a goal or wins a game. The passion in those arenas is unparalleled in the world of NHL hockey, according to many. There is such adoration for the players, it borders on idolatry.

I have only seen Switchfoot in concert once (at a festival, and I was a good hundred yards from the stage), but I know from seeing live footage that fans get pretty intense. Lots of sweat is poured out, lots of people scream and cry, and many even fantasize about spending time with the band members. Just shaking hands with them is a big deal, one that has a lot of people losing track of who they are.

(Just as an aside, I can recall experiencing this twice. Once, when I was 16, I met members of the band Slaughter, and shook their hands, and did not know what to say to them. I was completely star-struck. Also, around 5 years ago, I saw legendary pastor Chuck Smith in person, and I was so flabbergasted that I could not say a word.)

So at music concerts, too, people are practically idolizing the bands they are watching. It's crazy.

I am not saying any of this to condemn others. If anything, I have to point the finger at myself first. I am an idolater. I put others before God. It is something I hope to change about myself, though. I believe God can, and will, change me.

It all begins with an admission that I am an idolater. If I make any kind of excuse, or belittle my behavior, saying "everyone does it" or "but they're a Christian band" or "but I still read my Bible a few minutes each day and I pray every night, too" then I am not in a repentant state of mind anymore.

So I some out clean, and admit it to you all. I am an idolater. I have broken God's first commandment. Lord, have mercy on me.

The Power of Words

I have to say, recently I have really been enjoying reading again. One particular book has gotten a lot of love from me. (No, not the Bible, though I do love it and have been giving it love, too.) The book Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears is so real... so theologically sound, but so presently relevant, and funny, and thought provoking, and everything I like about non-fiction theological books. A few snippets:


"I have never had a suicidal thought, but in the darkest seasons of life I do find myself daydreaming about Jesus' return, some people getting loaded into a wood chipper, the curse being lifted, and the never-ending sunshine promised in Revelation so I won't have to put the top back on my Jeep. In the meantime, the feces and the fan are certain to continue interfacing until the day Jesus gets back and cleans up the mess we've made."

"In the depths of my soul is a deep and profound love for righteous judgment and justice. I do not labor under the silly myth that deep down we are all good people and that our sins are simply occasional aberrations. No, we are rebels, lawbreakers, Satan's minions, fools, and evildoers without exception, beginning with the guy I see brushing his teeth in my mirror every morning. That fact is blinded by our own hypocrisy. We are prone to clearly see the sin that others commit against us and the corresponding pain that it causes. Subsequently, when we are sinned against, we tend to complain, yell, or honk our horn because we refuse to sit idly by without demanding justice. Conversely, when we sin, we cry with equal volume, not for justice, but rather for mercy, which is only a further indication of how corrupt and hypocritical we are."

These are just two paragraphs of a book that is packed with powerful words... some encouraging, some convicting, some eye-opening, some laughter-inducing, some painfully hard to read because they're sad truths about humanity's depravity. But through it all, Driscoll points our eyes to Jesus, and how His existence, death and resurrection (all facts, by the way) cover the multitudes of our sins, and gives us hope and reason to keep living. My favourite chapter was probably the second-to-last, entitled What Difference Has Jesus Made in History? Amazing to read in plain English just what an impact Jesus has had on the world as a whole, let alone the lives of millions upon millions of individuals. Read this book if you get the chance!

God Still Does Miracles

This morning, I woke up feeling warmer than I should have. The temperature outside was quite cool, after all, and I set the timer on my heater to turn on at 5:30am -- about 40 minutes before my wakeup time. But this morning, I felt a lot warmer than usual. I checked my cell phone to see if my alarm was about to go off. Uh-oh... the battery's dead!

I jumped out of bed and checked my clock. The time: 7:22am. I have to catch the 7:46am train to Ashiya if I want to get to work on time. I also stink and need to shave. And the train station is nearly a kilometer from my house. A 10-minute walk, if I take my usual long strides.

Somehow, despite having only 24 minutes to get from bed to presentable for work and to the station, I made it... with a few more seconds to spare than I do on some days! So ironically, I get to work on time, but sit at my desk, browsing e-mails or something, and end up late for class anyways. But fortunately, the students were also all late for class because of scheduling changes.

So the morning has been interesting and kind of weird, but I have come to the conclusion that this morning was nothing short of a miracle of God. Oops -- gotta go -- class is about to start!

今は昼休み中なので、職場からブログ更新してもいいかと思っています。今朝は、いつもと比べて部屋が暖かかった。このころの神戸は少し寒くなってきて、朝は暖房のタイマーを使って、５時半から部屋を暖かくしています。要するに、起きる前に４０分くらい使って、お風呂入った後は切って、仕事に出る準備をします。でも今日は、暖かかった。携帯をとって、時間を確認したら、電池が切れていることに気づいた。アラームがな鳴らなかったのではと。たちまちベッドから起き上がり、リビングの時計で時間の確認をすると、

午前７時２２分でした。芦屋駅への電車は、７時４６分に最寄の駅から出る。家から早歩きしても１０分くらいかかります。体がくさい。ひげが濃い。腹が減った。どうしよう！？！

急いで準備したら、７時４０分くらいに家を出ることができました。少し走れば、間に合えるかも！と思ったら、走り出した。なんとか電車に間に合いました！時間通りにバスにも乗れていつもと同じ時間に出勤することができました。ハレルヤ！神様が奇跡を起こしました！

と言いながら、ホッとして教員室でメールチェックしながらコーヒーを飲んでいた。一息して、気が付けば１時間目だ！ヤバイ、遅れる！また教員室から走り出して、教室へ。奇跡的に、時間割の変更で、生徒は全員遅れていたので、私が一番早めに教室に着きました。またまたの奇跡！神様はすばらしい！

The Power of Hyperbole

I have always liked music, and I have usually had an appreciation for poetry. Combine those and you get someone who loves song lyrics. When I listen to music, the words always make a difference to me. If the lyrics are good, I tend to like a song better even if it is not musically strong. If the lyrics are weak, I tend to like the song less despite its musicality.

Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration of something in order to make a point clearer. A good example of hyperbole in the Bible is when John said, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25). While this statement may be "true"... if you really think about it, Jesus lived 33 years and spent 3 of those in ministry... so I do not think it would be impossible for "the world itself" to contain the books. BUT, the point John is trying to make is that Jesus' works were innumerable and incalculable. So great were they in number, that it astounds our minds to think about it.

Anyways, I have really been struck by a song lyric recently. It is in the song "I Can See Your Love" by Leeland. The song is pretty cool, with a great guitar lick and a vocal track to match it. But suddenly towards the end of the song, the tempo slows down and the following words are calmly delivered:

"Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of paper made
Every tree on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky
Oh love of God, how rich and pure
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song..."

The powerful images that this creates in my mind are absolutely astounding, and it has reduced me to tears just thinking about how great His love is. The truth is, His love IS written across the skies, and every man SHOULD be a scribe (not necessarily writing, but transmitting/imparting His love in some way), and yet there is no way to contain or fully express the vastness of His love. I can't wait for the day when I meet Him and experience that love in its purest form, uninhibited by my pride and weak flesh.

Beautiful song lyrics, to say the least. What do you all think about them?

Editor's Post-Publishing Note: I just did a little "research" and discovered that this was originally a hymn (?) written by Frederick Martin Lehman. Alas, the English did sound a little old-fashioned. Incredible poetry, nonetheless!

Adullam in Kobe

This is the church group I have been worshiping with here in Kobe. A very tight-knit group, filled with love and a desire to worship the Lord with all their hearts.

神戸でこのグループと主を賛美しています。みんなが親切で、心を尽くして神様を拝んでいます。

Last Calvary Chapel Sapporo Service

Another "final" for me -- at least as a citizen of Sapporo City. Sunday evening we gathered as usual (well, we started 2 hours early) to worship the Lord. After worship, communion and the Word, we had a HUGE meal, lots of dessert, played games, chatted, and finished around 9pm (our usual finishing time). So it was a full day of fellowship. I love the little Calvary Chapel Sapporo family that has developed - from those who are there week in and week out, to the semi-regulars, to the first-timers! Great atmosphere, and always great food! Calorie Chapel lives!


先日はまた"ラスト"の何かでした。今回は、札幌市民としての最後の日曜礼拝でした。いつも通りに神様の御名を賛美するために集いましたが、今回は２時間早くしました。そして、賛美、聖餐式、メッセージの後は、ごちそうがありました。みんなが美味しいものを持って来てくれて、お腹いっぱいになりました。それにゲーム、ゆんたくタイム（うちなんちゅもいたから、そう言える）、いっぱい共に喜びました。私に色んなプレゼントが与えられて嬉しかったです。カロリーチャペル札幌の皆さんが大好きです！これからも主の御心に従って歩んでほしいです。そして皆さんの信仰がますます強くなり、札幌にイエスキリストの素晴らしい救いが広まりますように！

New Job - NOT in Sapporo!

Well, I have kind of been delaying this news for awhile. At least I didn't change the post-date and hide it lower in my blog, as I did with this bit of news! Anyways, in my last post, I said it was "too bad" I was only working at DLS for another 2 weeks. The reason? Well, watch the video below, but I think the picture above gives you a hint about it. Can I just say I am beyond excited about the changes going on in my life? And can I also just say that God is GOOD? I will say both. I did say both. Rejoice in the Lord!

この投稿をちょっと後回しにしてしまいました。でもまぁ、この投稿みたいに日付を変更してブログの奥に隠したわけではありません！前の更新に、DLSはあと２週間しかないことを残念に思っていると書いたと思いますが、その理由は書きませんでした。以下のビデオを見てくれたらおわかりになると思いますが、上の写真がヒントになります。神様が最近、私にたくさんの祝福を与えています。本当に喜びでいっぱいです。幸せです！そして、これからの生活は、本当に楽しみにしています。主にハレルヤ！

Farewell Party

I started working at Kumon about 2 weeks after my arrival in Sapporo, last May. It was such a blessing to have employment, no matter what the form, as soon as I arrived here! God is good! Well, at the end of April, I resigned from my position, in anticipation of other things God was going to do in my life. As it turned out, my May and June have been fairly lax, and the busy rush of April was a one-month deal. But anyways, yesterday, Mrs. Yahashi (my boss, sitting on my right in the picture) decided to throw me a farewell party, 2 months after my final work day there! It was a blessed time of food, fellowship, and sending me off.


札幌に来て２週間後から、公文教室で勤めることになりました。神様は本当に忠実なお方だから、すぐに仕事が与えられました。春になって、いろいろと忙しくなるだろうと思って公文のアルバイトをやめました。結局は、４月だけが忙しくて、その後はわりとのんびりしています。昨日は、矢橋先生が私のために送別会を計画してくれました。おいしい食事の後、甘いケーキをごちそうしてもらいました。皆さんと楽しい時間が持たれて、感謝しています。公文教室の仕事も、矢橋先生との出会いも、子どもたちに触れる機会も、すべて感謝しています。

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

So I guess this post is worthy of 3,000 words. But you will get just these. Enjoy the pics, and ask me in person (e-mail or phone will do fine, too) if you want to know more. You'll get your 3,000 words of stories from me! Praise the Lord!

百聞は一見にしかず。それなら、この投稿は３００聞分でしょう？とりあえずは、これっきりです。写真をゆっくり見てください。詳しく知りたい方は、メールでも電話でもかまいませんので、聞いてください。３００聞分、話してあげます！主にハレルヤ！

CC Sapporo in Kotoni

Steve and John, the other two foreigners!

Tonight we had a full house. Literally. The home church had 14 in attendance, in my little 1 LDK apartment. It was cozy and the worship was flawed (gotta keep practicing guitar) but it was all blessed. The Lord is doing a work, and people are coming to hear His Word and fellowship with His people. All glory to Him! May His name continue to shine brightly in this place, in this city, in this country!

Miwa and Masumasu

今晩は、１４人がカルバリーチャペル札幌に出席しました。私の１LDKのアパートで礼拝を行うのはそろそろ限界かな？まぁ、そんなに狭くは感じませんでしたが、椅子が足りません！神様、私たちに快適な会場を与えてください！待ち望んでいます！そして、私にもっとギターの才能を与えてください！皆さんがあなたの御名を歌いやすくほめたたえるように！すべての感謝、すべての栄光を神様に返します！これからもその素晴らしい名前がこの場所で、また札幌市内、日本全国に大きく響きますように！

Mami-sister, Naoko and Miwa

Michiyo and Tetsuo

Eriko and Naomi

Motoko "Moko" and John

Not pictured: Tetsuharu, Koizumi Mama and Trevor

Easter Service 2011

Wow, God blessed us with a huge group on Sunday! The mission team from Oki led the entire service. Kazuki led worship with Aya and Naoko, and I was able to play cajon. Then the team participated in the skit (5 of them -- Chuck as God/Jesus, Yoshua as Adam, Naoko, Aya and Anna as temptation/sin), and then Chuck taught the Word with Yumi translating.

After service, we headed next door to a fancy restaurant where we ate crab and other delicacies. It was truly a blessed time of fellowship, as we had at least 26 people in attendance including kids. Thank You, Jesus, for not only dying on the cross but resurrecting from the dead, giving us hope and the promise of eternal life! HE IS RISEN!


イエス様はよみがえられた！ハレルヤ！これが私にとって、札幌での最初のイースター（復活祭）礼拝でした。そしてなんと、２６人くらいが出席してくれました！沖縄の宣教チームが礼拝を最初から最後まで行ってくれました。一輝兄が賛美のリードをし（あや姉も直子姉もボーカルをして、僕がカホーンを叩いた）、チームの５人（チャック兄は神様／イエス様役、ヨシュア兄はアダム役、アンナ姉、あや姉、直子姉は罪／誘惑役）が福音の劇を発表し、そしてチャック兄がメッセージをして、奥さんの由美姉が通訳をしてくれました。とても素晴らしい礼拝でした。

また、礼拝後には隣のレストランで豪華な料理をみんなと一緒に食べました。残念ながら写真は撮っていない。でも、ステキな交わりの時間を持つことができて感謝しています。神様、イエス様、ありがとう。復活の希望を私たちに与えてありがとう！

Calvary Chapel Ginowan

For one Sunday, I felt like I was transported back in time, as I sat in at Calvary Chapel Ginowan on a Sunday morning, hearing Eder lead worship, Pastor Tommy preach out of Matthew, and Natsuki translate like a pro. It was awesome. I love and miss my home church family/fellowship so much. Thanks Lord for giving me the chance to go back and visit and soak in Your love.

１年前に沖縄を出ました。長年、同じ教会に行って奉仕して御言葉を聞いてキリスト教徒と交わりの時間を持って最高でした。先々週は久しぶりに沖縄に戻って、カルバリーチャペル宜野湾の日曜日の礼拝に出席しました。エダー君の賛美のリードにトミー牧師の御言葉の教えになつきさんのプロ級の通訳に改めて感動しました。やっぱり母教会は最高に祝福されています！神様、この機会を与えて感謝します！また行かせてください！

Skype Sessions

My life has been overtaken by skype lately. I mean that in a good way, of course! It is so awesome that we are able to communicate with loved ones around the world with the click of a mouse, and for free! Next month, a team of missionaries will be coming up to Hokkaido for a mission trip from my home church. It is SO exciting for me, to see these young men and women with hearts for Jesus and for the Japanese people, and that they desire to come up here and spread the Word! So on Sundays lately, I have been skyping with them as we plan the agenda for their 6 days up here. The pic is not too clear, as I made it fullscreen, but as you can see in the bottom left corner, I was using my headset on one ear, and my cell phone on the other - we were having audio issues. Anyways, pray for these guys and gals... and for the people of Sapporo and Yuni especially!


最近はスカイプを使って色んな人達と話しています。一日５−６時間スカイプを使う時もある。でも、神様に感謝しています。こうやって好きな人たちと好きな時間に無料で話せるとは大きな祝福です！来月は、沖縄の私の母教会から７人の宣教師が北海道に伝道しに来ます。その計画を作るために毎週日曜日にスカイプで話し合い、聖書の分かち合い、そして祈り合いの時間を設けています。上の写真はチャックと由美さんの家で集まっている宣教師達の画像です。左下に私がヘッドセットと携帯電話を同時に使っている。向こうの話が聞こえなかったから、携帯電話を使わなければならなかった。とにかく、宣教師チームと、札幌市、由仁町の人たちの救いのために祈りましょう！

The Blog's Purpose - このブログの目的

左側にいつも載せてあるサブタイトルですが、この頃は、このブログの目的はいったいなんなんだ？と考えています。私はこのブログでイエス様の愛を本当に伝えているのかな？ただ自分が北海道で楽しんでる様子を皆さんに見せているだけのかな？しばらくはこれについて考えさせてください。必ずしもかたちが変わるというわけではないけど、たぶん載せる写真の数（特に自分が入っている写真）を減らして、言葉を中心にしようかな。最近は写真を撮る気もしないで、神様に与えられている時間を心から感謝し、ブログのことを忘れて、主に語られることが聞きたいからこそ、カメラを放っておくことが多い。このブログを読んでいる皆さんの祈り、支援を本当に感謝しています。これからも時間がありましたら読んでください。主が最大限にこのブログを用いてくださいますように！

Lately I have been thinking about the left panel of my blog: what IS the blog's purpose? Is my blog truly sharing the love of Christ with the world? Or is it just showing some of the fun things I've been up to in Hokkaido? (It can be both, I suppose...) I've been giving this some thought, and will continue to re-examine what I am doing with this piece of cyberspace real estate. I don't know if I will change the format of the blog or not, but I may not put as many pictures up (especially ones featuring yours truly). It may become a bit "wordier" than before. Lately I haven't really felt like taking pictures - I would much rather just be thankful for the times God has given me, and take them in and forget about how I can update my blog because I went out and had fun. So I've been giving my camera a rest quite a bit lately. Thank you all who read this blog and pray for me and encourage me - hope you can put up with the silence and/or changes, and may the Lord use this blog for His glory even more than ever!