NOT HALF BAD

When Joyce came up with old markers and told me I could have them but she'd had them for years so wasn't sure if they worked, I decided to try sketching yesterday's ladybug candle with them. I pulled out a cheap dollar-store sketchbook and started scribbling in it. But when the inks seemed to flow nicely, I ended up filling in the picture with color pencil, wishing I had been less careless at the beginning.

My sisters and I will be trying to make visits on the far south of the island Tuesday. The first stop we will be making is to see a fellow high school graduate, whom the Lord gifted with musical talent, a loving family, and later in life, a stroke that left him wheelchair-bound and unable to speak. His wife Nari and a son pretty much watch out for Eddie 24-7.

Eddie and Nari are the kind of people you want to encourage, but every time you're with them, they end up encouraging you. They're never without a smile. Even if Nari herself was, several years ago, diagnosed with cancer and must battle fatigue as well as constantly look to God for the future, and Eddie too is well aware of all this.

We say we believe the God Who cares for the fowl of the sky cares for us, but do we live like we believe it? Eddie and Nari do.

SHINING CANDLES

I started feeling unwell after worship service yesterday so came home and rested a bit; got up and had all day at the computer to compose the below post:

"A DARLING LITTLE LADYBUG!" I thought, then I looked more carefully. The leaf raft underneath was a crafted piece of floating wax with a wick; it was a candle. Janice had found it among Joyce's things and decorated her kitchen with it.

She has already spent so much time in the kitchen for the Lord. Christmas Eve, she and Joyce spent hours putting together a soup-and-salad dinner for our family meal. The next night, they had the Saitos down for dinner again, then Janice brought out Christmas craft and fun things from the U.S.

On the 28th, my sisters made a Taco Salad meal for our cousin Rumiko and her sister-in-law Kuniko; and they gave us another invite on New Year's plus had church member Jaime join us. Coming for the meal next Sun. will be Chieko and Masako (mentioned in the 2-24-'23 "Six Cousins" post); and the next day, Kazue (the cousin who lives 2 mins. from us) will be having dinner here too.

It's not just in the kitchen tho'. Ever since we were little, I remember we always looked around church to see if there were newcomers or people who might need any kind of attention...Saturday, Joyce was "shining her light" teaching piano there.

Saturday evening, Janice came home after spending the day with "The Nakamatsu Kids" (they're in their 30's and 40's now). Masaki was told he had to be the Pillar of Hope in the family when his father passed away last year. I almost forgot another friend Junko with the group yesterday, who took over her deceased father's farm. All of these know the Lord, want to shine for Him too.

What do you mean Jannie, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine?!"