FISH EGGS

When Rumiko first expressed a burden to meet with our cousin on Dad's side, I wasn't sure of what to do.

It was really hot, I wasn't doing very well, and I said to myself, I couldn't ask Kazue if we could make an appointment to see her and then--knowing me and my medical condition--be the very one who might have to cancel if temperatures got too high that day. 

I'd hand-delivered a note to Kazue's home (I wanted to see if I could walk to her house in the heat) telling her about how Rumiko wanted to meet her but it might be my fault she wouldn't get to do so, etc.) She phoned saying we could meet again when it got cooler, not to worry about it this time around. BUT Rumiko decided she'd just go over by herself.

We prayed, and God had Kazue come home from at the right time, and they had a good talk--for 2 hours? Thank you so much for praying.

And the Bible Conference and Bible School graduation Joyce went to, I was able to see online. Someone I noticed viewing proceedings via ZOOM was Kaoru Kurokawa, who had been in Bible School the same time as my husband Kinya.

Kaoru introduced me to Ikura, or Japanese Caviar. Pastor Ishikawa remembers how Daddy introduced him to lemonade. We remember the strangest things, yes? We just need to be faithful in the smallest, seemingly insignificant ways. Then maybe someday God will ask us to speak to a distant relative about important eternal matters, answering questions and talking for 2 hours.

For now, we just need to give out fish eggs...I mean, we need to be faithful.

They that were afar off are made nigh

Can I call on you for more prayers again?

Tues., Joyce will be going up to mainland Japan for the Bible School graduation. It turns out God wanted me to stay in Okinawa for something else--and it is for this I am soliciting your prayers.

Wed., my cousin Rumiko, pictured on the left before leaving for Bible School, will be coming to stay here.

She is the cousin on my Mom's side who labored for the Lord on the island of Izena even after her husband passed away. Now in her 70's, she lives on social security in an apartment on the southern part of the island. I feel the Lord has given her a special gift to reach souls.

Rumiko's deceased husband's sister will be bringing her here Wed. by bus.

Rumiko has felt a burden for Kazue, our cousin on Dad's side. We've prayed God would open up a way for the two to meet and talk.

Since she lives 3 mins.' walk away, and we could think of no other way to do it, we decided to simply ask if they might be able to meet. They are cousins--distant relatives, after all.

Rumiko & Grampa Nagata; Little Kazue and Grampa Kawasaki (that's Daddy!)

Some readers may remember Grampa Nagata, who came from Hawaii to help work with the elderly in Okinawa. He ended up leading his brother to salvation and then his granddaughter--Rumiko! Unfortunately, Kazue did not have a grandfather who knew the Lord to show her the way of salvation. Grampa Kawasaki, the wealthiest man in the village (he was responsible for taking in my Dad and family during the Depression), could not pass on eternal life to those he loved and cared for.

Perhaps after Tues.' talk, these ladies, formerly mere distant relatives, will find they are, in Christ, inseparable relations forever. Would you pray with us this be so?

BEARDED LADY

A Bearded Lady came for my grandson Yusei's Birthday Celebration in 2023?! Well, to tell you the truth, I'd taken a photo of the family in the kitchen and drew a picture of it. (Last picture of post.)

But I'd stayed up the night before making preparations for the day so got real sleepy while doing the sketch, and I found I couldn't concentrate. Instead of drawing simple shadows under the nose and chin, I ended up giving myself a moustache and beard!

Actually, my favorite picture of Yusei is when he was several months old and still in his baby crib. He'd been having a crying fit when nothing his mother did seemed to settle him down. Exasperated, she'd dumped him in the crib and gone out to the kitchen. I took off my glasses and quietly scolded him in English about how much God, his parents, his grandparents loved him anyway. Yusei, of course, doesn't understand English, much less speak Japanese yet, but he seemed to listen, amazed, and even smiled. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter got the whole thing on video behind me.

Today is Yusei's 4th birthday. My prayer is that he wouldn't do as I did working himself silly with efforts to make life succeed, but one day find a Heavenly Father to call His own so that he too would know a smile that could never be taken away from him.

But I Looked for Carp, Not Minerals...

I couldn't find it! Usually, the local church worship service is streamed on Discord, but this morning, the church icon wouldn't show on Discord...I looked and looked until I managed to find it.

YESSS--! I KNEW it had to be here! Then I looked forward to the honey I knew my heart was going to get treated to for a while.

That was what I remembered doing at the park up in Iwatsuki. I'd go to the creek, to a certain spot just around the bend where I KNEW there were carp under the brush and peered hard.

At first, I couldn't see anything, but after a while, I would see something move and then something else.

Then I could see them clearly, sweetly--about four or five carp--because I was EXPECTING to see them there. Other people walking thru' the park would look in the water in the exact same place but see absolutely nothing. These people would scratch their heads, look at me kinda funny, and walk on. Of course, they would never hang around to see the baby carp come out from the back or witness delightful rare antics of swimming things!

EXPECT God's blessings, we're told, and "mine for wisdom as for silver, gold, or precious stones. (Job 28)" But I know how to look for carp in the water, not mine for minerals in the earth...

これから日本語のブログを始めます

 

岩槻城址公園のギザギザ橋の下で甲羅干しをしていた亀さん３匹です。

姉妹と自分のことを考えずにはいられませんでした。

だって、姉の里子と自分は、陸に上がっているあの２匹亀のように、この沖縄にいるでしょう。

そして、妹の愛子は水の中にいる１匹のように、３人一緒になるときは、海を渡って来るので。

これから、自分は「やっと戻ってきた」という、日本語だけのブログを書いてみようかなと思いました。souseiki28-15.blogspot.comで見てください。

英語で書いたものをプロが訳したものの方が、もっと正確な日本語になるかもしれませんが、時々は、言いたいことが違ったりするので、ときには、自分の言葉がおかしくても、最初から日本語で書いた方がいいかも・・・いいものが書けるように、自分の日本語のために祈ってくださいね！

CAN'T TOUCH BOTTOM やく

When I woke up from my nap yesterday, I worked on the below:

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5月5日のCan’tTouchBottomという英語のブログを、乱暴に訳したものです：

5月4日の礼拝特別賛美は、新婚者キナ・アヤノによるピアノの「ああおどろくべきイエスの愛」だった。日本語歌詞は、「測り知れない」と、いう表現をつかう。

　

ほとんどのクリスチャンは、父なる神が子なる神を愛していているか信じているか聞かれると、勿論と、答えるけれど、同じクリスチャンに、イエス様が全く同じ愛で救われた人間をーーつまり、アナタをーー愛しているか聞かれると、冗談でしょうと、答える。

ちょっと待った。イエス様自身の言葉でしょう？「父がわたしを愛されたように、わたしもあなたがたを愛しました。」

 

忘れがちなのね：人間の「愛」は、愛される者の価値によって、それに感じる愛が強くなったり弱くなったりするのね。だけど、真の愛は愛されるものでなく、愛するものによるのである。イエス様が愛せない存在になるのを、想像できる？？愛を少しでもケチったりすることを、想像できる？やっぱり、クリスチャン一人一人を凄い愛で愛するよね。

神様がどれほど自分を愛しているか、この嬉しい事実を信じるのに一生かかると、メッセージに聞いた。エペソ3:18-19に、この愛の広さ、長さ、高さ、深さがどれほどであるか、または、人知をはるかに越える、ずっと頭のうえを超えているのね。

神様の愛の海には溺れてもいいかな。

（イメージは5月5日と同じです。）