NOT FOR NOTHING

"FOUND IT!" and across the page the other drawing I'd posted--yes! When looking through the photo albums and prayer letters Daddy had carefully saved, I finally found the drawings I knew my parents had used...they finally showed up. On re-reading the prayer letter tho', I realized Mommy really HAD been alone at home during that one typhoon: Daddy and Janice were in mainland Japan at a Crusade conference; and Joyce and I were away at summer camp with our cousin.

But wait...what's this? To keep the letter from sliding around in the vinyl sleeve of the folder, old stationary had been inserted to give it extra thickness. I pulled out and read the sheet used; and found myself smiling. It told of the summer my mother's cousin's children had spent their summer months with us, and how I'd been able to lead David, the 8-year-old boy, to Christ. 

I still remember all his questions about Adam and Eve's offering. Little kids aren't supposed to ask hard questions like that. I kept calling for Mommy to come answer. But those answers are what led to his asking Jesus to be his Sacrifice Lamb. And the boy that was just a livewire firecracker before became a delight to take care of when he wanted to learn more about Jesus after that.

I looked behind the second drawing, and sure enough, there was a follow-up for this letter, showing that on the first day of the camp to which I went to with Joyce and the older sister, she too, got saved!

So Mommy's summer facing that typhoon alone wasn't for nothing, was it?

THEY KEEP ME ON THE BALL

When I went to the park, I habitually mouthed the words, "Lord, empower EVERY ENCOUNTER." But when I saw the people inside, I almost felt my bones shriveling. There were high schoolers clowning around with a ball. Senior citizens, children, foreigners, even people of other religions or cults don't bother me...but I don't know what to do with teenagers that just laugh at you!

"POOM!" A misdirected kick sent the ball sailing behind the youths' backs and to the left of where I was walking.

I found myself taking a few quick steps to stop the ball after it had taken several bounces, then I lightly kicked it back to them.

"Did you see that," one of them said, and kicked it back to me, wanting a replay. The unruly group I had been afraid of had my full attention. God showed me again He could make inroads for me if necessary.

So, did I see this as an opportunity to "share my faith"? Not hardly. I think God was just trying to coax this timid turtle-like blogger out of her shell. But if I keep meeting up with my new teen friends, I will talk more with them.

Like someone else who came later. We'd talked last week about my drawings and the Kawasemi. 

This time however, we not only talked about park things; she asked me questions that led to my telling her how my real desire was to communicate through art, God's Love for us.

We ended up talking a long time before she had to go home for dinner--"home"--an hour's walk away!

EARLY BIRD off the mug

In the past, whenever I got back to Iwatsuki after a visit in Okinawa, I got knocked off balance with any problem Satan hit me with. I realized it wasn't so much because they were HUGE problems he was attacking me with but because I'd gotten so spiritually weak. Let me explain.

In my visits to the island, my days have always been filled with blessing and ministry; rich answered prayer and fruit from previous years of missionary work... It hit me for those special weeks, I forgot about scripture memory completely--I'd gotten so excited about what else God was doing, I couldn't think about anything else. The missionary--Christian worker in any way--has a tendency to want to meet others' needs and neglect one's own heart condition--when I read about this caution, I felt it would never happen to me--ha!

When I recognized what happened, I asked friends for prayer before making this trip, that it wouldn't happen again. God had to answer all their prayers for me--not only does He wake me early morning every day for date time with Himself; He also showed me a yummy warm beverage; He made sure one of the mugs here have birdies painted on it...some groggy mornings, the big black one seems to caw good morning.

BULL'S EYE? BIRD'S EYE!

The white heron, a Master Fisherman, alto' at the same time a graceful, beautiful sight for the eyes, a bird I call "The ballerina of the sky," was at Far End again. I guess he could sense even the faintest twitch transmitted thru' the murky water. It should be difficult to detect the movement of fish in hibernation.

But the Great Blue Heron accompanied the egret yesterday. He seemed to want to show that his species too could claim skill in fishing. I was pleased to see the GBH and decided to take its photograph. Just when I plunged the camera's shutter, the heron plunged its head into the water after a fish!

If I had waited for that moment, no doubt, I would've missed this shot.

IN BED IN OKINAWA

I am down in Okinawa now, and tuckered out. Last night, I came out in the wee hours of the night feeling like I wanted to spend some time with the Lord, thus the notebook and pen, and I made myself a mug of hot ginger and yuzu. The various other things on the table are gifts my sister Janice brought from the U.S. to give to people here in Okinawa.

I woke up a few hours later to an epileptic seizure where I had bit my tongue and it felt like my head was splitting.

Luckily, Janice was right there. This morning, she let me sleep in, of course, and after talking with me, she went down to my sister Joyce's basement apartment--she lives here--to get jello or yogurt and things from her refrigerator that I would be able to eat, even with my tongue.

My sisters and I have had a good laugh, not about the seizure, but about the fact that I remembered on this trip to Okinawa to bring my adapter so I could send pictures...but this picture is being sent by Janice's laptop, because I forgot to bring mine!

God had arranged our schedule so that today, I don't have to go out to meet anybody at all. I stayed in bed and colored a few things in my sketchbook I've left untouched for some time.

Here they are. I remember reading about Boaz's reaction to seeing an industrious Ruth, and King Saul's response to the shepherd boy David who fought the giant Goliath when he felt the honor of God had to be defended. They had said, "Whose child is this?"

It made me wonder if people, when they see my life, automatically wonder whose I am.

These will be dealt with in greater detail in the future.