::: eucharisteo :::

Each year I choose a theme.. something I both need and want to grow in my understanding of better. This year, 2013, I chose JOY.

What is it? Where does it come from? How does it appear? Who has it?

The books I've chosen to read this year have all been part of discovering more joy in life.

One such book is, "one thousand gifts", by Ann Voskamp

eucharisteo: its thanksgiving and it always proceeds the miracle.

There are countless accounts of Jesus healing people.

His words are simple but bold.

         " Rise. Go. Your faith has made you well"  Luke 17:19

The very word for " well" here in Greek is sozo. It means being made well or whole.

More literally... to be saved.

When did the leper and the countless others receive their sozo? 

When he began to give thanks.

"Our very salvation is associated with our gratitude."

The book paves the road for one to begin making steps to the full life...

Naming any and everything around you as something to give thanks for.

thank you for sunshine on my face

thank you for the refreshment of rain

thank you for a chance to see the world through Children's eyes... everyday.

thank you for clean clothes

thank you for a place to sleep

thank you for kind eyes

thank you for kind smiles

thank you for food to fill my stomach and to feel satisfied

thank you for daily graces

thank you for sound nights sleep

thank you for laughter that makes my heart elated

thank you for dance

thank you for legs that can jump

thank you for feet that can run

thank you for arms that can hug

thank you for hands to hold

my list continues...

slowly unwrapping more than one thousand gifts.

While I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because He knows that the feeling of joy begins in the action of thanksgiving.

though relationships may not "bud" and I may continue to "fail", and my work produce little "yield", though there is not enough money it seems to float my dreams, or at times no dream left in the heart...though others may choose different ways to live their own life, till my last heaving breath, I will fight to the death... " I will take joy" Habbakkuk 3:18

oh, what on earth does it look like to " rejoice in the Lord always". (Philippians 4:4)

I'm still learning... to consider it joy when troubles come my way. (James 1:2)

Perhaps its because without struggle we all too quickly take the pedestal of pride. 

"Pride slays thanksgiving"- Henry Ward Beecher

And all the while..true humility ( the kind that requires we go lower/ deeper) is filling us with grace.

As graces flows on and on and on ... the joy grows. From a heart marked with thanksgiving.

thank you for life... a full life.

:: humble "who" ::

"humility is not thinking less of yourself,

its thinking of yourself less."

c.s. lewis

::: 少しずつ ::: little by little :::

day break broke with light over japan this morning dawning on us a new day...

 for most around the world this brings renewal and hope.
maybe even a chance to put yesterday behind you.
but for all here in my dear,Tohoku, it signified a day marked with pain, destruction, and loss.
some with hope but still more  barely holding on.


"can there be such a "good" God? Where is God, really? " ... when thousands of lives were lost, and people continue to choke down the stingy taste of what is not a " then" yet and still very much a "now". for the most part you don't see it on the faces of the people here. 
the people of Tohoku are remarkably resilient. very slow to complain. hard working. determined to rebuild and restore their land. but its been two years, today.  and its from very raw voices I hear stories emerging from the lips of the people here. its good. it needs to be talked about. 

but the truth remains we cannot save ourselves from such destruction happening again...
and many are giving up.  so what are we to do? just endure? its not enough to recover from a negative to zero... we have to find ways to move from zero to the positive. to return to a place that enables us to " full lives". 

How do we live "full lives" when life is full of so much hurt, though?

 I can easily understand if such questions fill many minds and hearts today.
How can He be "good" when babies and loved ones died, communities were destroyed,  and dreams perhaps blown away? All in a matter of a moment.

to be frank... preparing to write this is something I have really put off.

i don't have the words for it.

and I dont have an answer for "why" the events happened or how long into the future it is until the people find their revival and Tohoku finds healing for the ache it feels.

but last night after grappling and spinning about this trying to fall asleep...  I dreamt of eyes looking on this land loving it only the way eyes can rightly express. these eyes were a Saviors eyes... full of loving kindness.

the way only a Fathers eyes could look on His daughter lovingly.

you see... he is slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. 
many think that the events of march 11 were God's punishment on the people here for wrongs done in the past, but this is not the loving God I know.

God is
slow to anger......

abounding in lovingkindness......


i often ask the wrong questions too, like "WHY", when I am faced with tragedy or uncertain circumstances.  but to ask why is to question His sovereignty and goodness.  the question we should better ask is, "WHO"? who is there at the time of tragedy? Who can we depend on? We can depend on God. 

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.   

Selah

詩篇 46:1-3 JLB

"神様は私たちの隠れ家、また力、そして苦難にあえぐ時の確実な助けです. ですから、たとい全世界が吹っ飛び、山々が海に沈もうとも、こわがることはありません。 海よ、鳴りとどろき、白くあわ立つがよい。　山よ、激しく揺れ動くがよい。"

blessings  on you today and in all the tomorrows Tohoku.
there is no way that I can say something to make the pain go away or even know what its like for you...

keep your "spirit" that only you, Tohoku, have... but know that you don't have to go it alone.im going to keep on praying for you. with the smallest bit of understanding I can possess...my heart cries out to God with you. 

you are not alone.

yoriiso, minamisanriku, miyagi, japan 2012

::: full :::

life is so fragile.

what is here today, 

may be gone tomorrow.

love each day like its your last.

love your children.

love your husbands, wives...

love your friends.

love your mother and father.

love your neighbor.

don't miss a moment with each other.

... think on what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful!

：：祈り：：

i was asked recently when do i pray? 

the person asking wanted to know what holidays were traditional occasions for prayer.

 as someone who believes in God and follows Jesus... we are given the goodness of knowing an intimate relationship with God through prayer. 

we can pray any time.

we can pray any place.

there is no formula.

in fact the simpler... the better.

it is simply and humbling asking for God's help.

it is recognizing that you (me too) are in fact "created". 

this is only recognized by the acceptance of imperfection and therefore, 

need of a Creator (God) who is Perfect.

when we can accept this as truth for our lives... 

we can sit humbly before God without fear of condemnation.

instead... we can approach him assured of complete acceptance and love.

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

Sweet Daisy Love , only 8 years old, who has been battling cancer for the past three years both knew it and believed it! This morning she went home to be with Jesus. Her family  remains in our prayers. You are not forgotten sweet girl. Your 8 years of life spoke volumes of His love through your courage, cheerful disposition, and faith! You have touched more hearts in your little time on earth than I could even hope to have done in all my years. 

When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up she would say, "Im leaning towards astronaut, but maybe warrior for the Lord". 

When I grow up... I want to be like you Daisy Love.


We, simple-minded humans, cannot understand the ways of the world. Life is pain. Everyone whether they admit it or not has it. But God is present... everywhere, and is working all things....Let not your hearts be troubled. There is prayer.

Peace be yours.

pray as simply as this:

"our father in heaven,

reveal to me who you are,

set the world right,

do what's best- as above , do so also below,

keep us alive with three square meals,

keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others,

keep us safe from ourselves and from the Devil,

You're in charge.

You can do anything you want.

You're ablaze in beauty!

YES, yes and forever again yes!"

::: a plate of good memories, please ? ::::

"Everybody is a story. When I was a child, people sat around kitchen tables and told their stories. We don’t do that so much anymore. Sitting around the table telling stories is not just a way of passing time. It is the way the wisdom gets passed along. The stuff that helps us to live a life worth remembering."-Rachel Naomi Remen

 

This past week while sharing food and drink with co workers, I was reminded of the goodness of this that fills not just ones stomach but the deepest places in us.

 These pictures are from months ago when visiting Fukushima, Aizu ( 鶴ヶ城)Tsuruga Castle with dear friends. At one point during dinner, the conversation turned to history of samurai and I had to have a silent giggle to myself thinking of this day as I remembered the memories. But what I've learned in reflection is these stories are meant to be shared. When we visited Aizu Tsuruga Castle we learned about the history of the place... there were stories being shared.  Dinner reminded me of the importance of doing life together with others as well as sharing the stories. We are each rich with history and therefore each and of ourselves a story to be shared. Each new place we go and person we share an experience with creates a new story.

 

 

They say that helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. 

When you help, you see life as weak. 

When you fix, you see life as broken. 

When you serve, you see life as whole. 

 

Fixing and helping may be the work of the ego, and service the work of the soul.    

If this is the case, then simply sitting around a table in the company of friends, family or co workers sharing stories is a valuable thing... 

If not the finest!

 

Stories are your offering served up to those whose company you are within. 

You are making the world more whole by doing so... please tell your story!

 

love me some Japanese grandma... they have the BEST stories.

it was not easy to get this photo and if you really know me... you know why!

 

::: joy :::

i haven' t written in a long while.

its a mix of not knowing what to say and processing that which i do want to say.

i apologize too because I feel its my own fault that others dont understand or know me better and that I do not know others better.

but most of all... one thing I am certain of, and that is, that no matter how much I experience here, the difficulties, the heartaches, the laughs, the beautiful moments, the blahs, 

the shake um offs, the mundane.... there is: 

JOY!

there is so much JOY in living this life.

this years theme for 2013 is "one thousand gifts of joy"!

I want to remember everyday all that we are given.

My goal is to look back at the end of this year and have well over 

one thousand sheets of paper in my jar 

 filled with sweet reminders

 of how I was "gifted graces" in life this year... how I found joy in daily life.

"He who is grateful for little is given much laughter... and its counting the ways of Love..

 this is what multiplies joy."

Before Christmas we got to celebrate all that has been given since 3.11

My heart was full of so much JOY this day. It was a really nice time.