NEIL MEDAKA

"But even if you can draw an insect ABOVE the water, or others ON ITS SURFACE, then...would you try drawing something UNDERwater?" Way down there in the inky shadows, something was moving. "People who come to the park see carp and big fish that breach, but most don't notice us little guys, I was almost sure I heard murmured from Neil the Medaka.

I've been drawing seriously for only 2 years, but I can at least try to make a drawing of the minnow-like killifish. It would be so easy for our Infinite Creator to trace its teensy weeny fins weaving its way between the seaweeds, but it was terribly difficult for me, and this is the best I could do. Sorry, Neil.

I gave him his name because he claims to be a musician from twanging on strings of seaweed and composing lyrics like the following:

* In the water, the murky water/the spider creeps tonight (he was thinking of the water spider that captures medakas who dare swim shallow waters--Mar.30 post)

* Breaching up is hard to do.(the big fish, of course)

Okay. To be totally honest, it was super hot today, so I didn't even go to the park. This is a drawing from last year, when Neil was swimming at Step Creek, on the other side of the park.

There. Got that off my conscience.

SAYONARA SENSEIS (to the tune of Jingle Bells)

(This is something I found this morning. My sister and I sang it duet for veteran missionaries at a going-away fellowship by fellow missionaries when they were retiring. We had just arrived on the field then.)

"We really hate to go; we'd like to stay some more

We'd leave shoes at the door and sleep upon the floor

We'd ride on crowded trains, drive down left-hand lanes

But sayonara now we say, and head for Stateside planes.

(Chorus)

Many years, Nippon years, full of ojigi

Thank You Lord, for happy years with the Japanese

Many years, Nippon years, now we say goodbye

Thank You Lord, for blessings more we have yet to see."

(Descant)

"Sayonara Senseis, as you go to America

Know that all our thoughts go with you

     And that we do love you so

Sayonara Senseis, may God bless, and may He keep you

Know that warmest thoughts go with you

     How we hate to say goodbye!

(Repeat)

"Sayonara Senseis, as you go to America

Know that all our thoughts go with you

     And that we do love you so

Sayonara Senseis, may God bless, and may He keep you

Know that warmest thoughts go with you

(Together)

Please Gambatte Kudasai!"

 

GETTING THERE

I'm still not back to what I could do last month before I stopped drawing park friends for a while when I went down to Okinawa, but I think this sketch is better than yesterday's--I'm making some sort of comeback.

Peter, the Kawasemi bird that came yesterday, came today too, and he seemed to approve of my effort, while showing off some of his diving and fishing skills.

And no, he wasn't after big fish like that orange one swimming at the bottom of the picture. That's Slit, one of my oldest friends at the Pond, and he's one of the biggest carp there too.

In case anyone's wondering, that red stuff at the top of the picture is supposed to be the Zig Zag Bridge. It got drawn like it's floating in the air; sorry.

Oh--remember I was reading the Japanese translation of the book, "If I Perish", by Esther Ahn Kim? I've read 140 pages thus far. This old hardcover Japanese version has 600 pages, so I have 460 to go!

But the part I read recently, she felt like she and the fiery prophet by her side had been commissioned to warn an entire nation not to rebel against Almighty God; and she described it as two mallards facing waves of a raging sea. What could mallards do?