JUMPING THE GUN

"Mind the STOPS June." The Okinawan blown-glass turtle in the corner seemed to whisper to me as I polished it and set it back down on the shelf. But where have I heard that before?

Would you please pray with me that I wouldn't jump ahead of God?

I mean, it's a pretty sad thing if an athlete trains for months for an important meet then gets disqualified for jumping out of the starting blocks early! (No; this isn't a photograph of a historic Olympic race in which that happened; it's a picture taken during Daddy's coaching days at Coaldale High.

 

The reason I say all this is because AFTER putting slide images of all the pictures into the computer; turning Daddy's corner room shed of sorts into a semblance of order; and remembering then reorganizing everything from writing I'd started 18 years ago and re-writing 40 pages of it...God seems to be slamming on the brakes.

At first, it was confusing, to say the least. Didn't God want me to go forward now, I wondered.

But for some reason, He seems to want me to get a CLEAR HANDLE on everything that's happened up 'til this segment and go no further. Actually, I see His wisdom in making me wait even the 18 years since the last time I left off writing.

I shared with another friend how God knew someone would give me permission to write about something which, at the very beginning had told me I could not write about: unbelievers wouldn't understand. They died in the 18 years. (So did the Christians they might've been upset with!)

We can never question God's ways. Okay Lord--18 days, 18 months, another 18 years--it's Your timetable. Help me not to jump the gun.

Tying Up Loose Ends on Sept 29

"We've been here a month already." Kinya and I looked at each other. We could remember thinking we had only a month to pack for the move...but we've been here in Okinawa a month?! Transforming the photo museum into a home has made the 4 weeks zip by.

This post is going to be a hodgepodge of loose ends, because I just want to report things I know you want to know about, and there's no way to keep them connected.

First, I want to say a big thank you for praying God help me keep my head on straight, that I not lose sight of what's important. There've been days I've almost forgotten, and the Father has had to yank me back with a "Where do you think you're going? Haven't you forgotten something? I can't afford to start the day without gazing into God's Face...any more than anyone could start the day running outside without his clothes on! Tomorrow, I'll be working on learning the last verse of Rev. 4--yes--my goal was to do chapters 1-5 this year!

While clearing out my Dad's study, and taking down all the photos around the house, I was able to compose 5 different types of "slide shows" with them to display on the monitor in the study. I did an experimental slide show just to see if it could be done; a short tour of the house BEFORE taking down the pictures; a longer one showing Missions in Okinawa; a detailed one giving Roy Oshiro's history; and a family one for relatives or any who might be interested.

Oh yes--I mentioned my Dad's beautiful Canadian clock had wreaked havoc on my foot when I dropped it last week. But it's doing nicely, see? My Dad, when he was making the photo museum, fell off a ladder and hurt himself--his hand got all black such he phoned us in mainland Japan, and my husband and I flew down and finished the construction work at that time. I just thought about it. Doesn't that mean there are some places Kinya actually dismantled the very things he built years ago?!

My stepmother's sewing//reading/room, we were going to let Keima use, but since it doesn't have AC, it can get uncomfortably warm in the summer, and my son opted for the dining area near the AC, moving the tables and chairs into the main living room area and bringing his mattress and computer desk and equipment in where it gets cooler. The smaller room will be my private workplace to write, draw, translate, read...of course, later in the evening, when it's cooler..

Yesterday, with the bulk of the cleaning out of the way and everyone pretty much set on where they wanted to sleep, I decided to get out my colored pencils and watercolor markers. I haven't done any serious drawing for about 3 months now--please pray it come back to me smoothly. Of course, God may want me to forget all the bad habits I picked up in Iwatsuki and do it right this time!