Santa Claus is coming!

If you don't think so just watch this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC6rDqqO4Bc

Indeed he is coming! In fact he's been sighted in downtown Nagano off and
on all through this month.
The normally very busy and somber faced are full of smiles and surprise and are anxious to shake hands or get a picture with the jolly man from the North Pole.
Santa has passed out hundreds of candy canes and bibles that will tell those who read them the true Christmas story.
It's a very busy season for Santa as he spreads the news of Jesus and all that He offers.
With great joy he strolls the streets greeting all with a hearty HO!HO!HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS! and sharing that Jesus IS the reason we celebrate.
We pray that the Truth of Christmas will be contagious!
May you be filled with the joy of Jesus this Christmas season!

some thoughts

CHRISTMAS....
without question a most special time...
in as many different ways as there are people.

I pray for each one to know God and share in His joy and peace no matter where or in what circumstance you may be.

Easy for some.

Seemingly impossible for others.

Lest we forget that "with God all things are possible".

In those moments when I begin to slip in to feelings of less than joy in knowing He is my Lord, I make myself stop and think...

of my brother who for the past year has undergone special treatment for liver disease and still tries to be positive and loves God above all

of the young family in our Mississippi hometown who lost their wife/mommy/daughter/friend this week to some selfish being who is yet to be found

of extended family suffering the unknown whereabouts of one of their children

of too many caught in the grasp of depression

of the thousands making it through one day at a time after living through a disaster

God forgive me and help me never not realize how blessed I am!

I pray and wish all the true Joy and Peace that is Christmas!

This 8 minute video is a gift from survivors of the 3/11/2011 Japan disasters.
I ask you to take the time to watch and then to say a prayer.
Thank you! God bless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMtMg1t9Kbc&feature=share

Zoos..

The first weekend of this month was a kind of mini-at-home-vacation for John and I. Thursday, the 3rd, was Japan's Culture Day and so no school or classes. John always has Friday off and that week so did I so we were looking for some excitement... that would work with our budget - or lack thereof. We decided to drive a bit to see some of the autumn colors and visit some area zoos...for the first time! Geeez...we've only lived here for seven and a half years, don't want to rush into it or anything. Any way, they aren't the biggest or best, but very reasonable..some even free! It was nice for the two of us to have the time to just wander around and enjoy.

So these are some of the faces we enjoyed along the way...



Not sure what secrets these two were sharing but they were very close!


This big guy was really carrying on with John! He kept swaying back and forth and reaching his trunk out through the bars and if we moved he moved in the same direction. Just before we walked inside his barn we saw a bamboo stick fly through the air... guess he wanted someone's attention!


There was a great exhibit of Lesser (Red) Pandas that we really enjoyed. These little fellas must not have an agressive hair on their snuggly bodies! As we walked through their areas they would stroll - literally! - right over our heads! Sometimes stopping to take a closer look at the visitors - and they were CLOSE!



These baby monkeys were having a great time playing chase and then slipping down the slide together.

Something caught his eye! Enough that he stood up to check it out!!

So not anything too news worthy to report, but it was fun getting out together, enjoying the nice fall weather and a lot of God's great creation.
Thanks God! It was fun!

Then and now

For those of you who may have an interest in how things are progressing in Japan in those areas hardest hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami...
I just ran across this link that has some vivid photographs of some of those areas.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2011/09/japan-marks-6-months-since-ear.html
Most show the sites just after the disaster, then 3 months and 6 months later.
Progressing, yes. Still SO MUCH to be done!
Please continue to keep Japan and its people in your prayers.
Thank you and may God bless you always.

Pray with us, please.

Fellow friends, family and most of all prayer partners.  This coming Tuesday, November 8th we are having an all day prayer vigil for our upcoming Love Sonata that will be Tuesday and Wednesday November 15th and 16th.  This is the biggest event ever attempted by our local churches and so far it looks like it is going GREAT!  We are hoping for 2,000 people for the main event on Wednesday evening, but so far only have about 1,400.  We know with His help, the hall will be filled, but even more important that it can be a start of a great revival in our area.  I (John ) am praying from 3 a.m. until 5 a.m. (12 to 2 Monday afternoon central time in the states) and Kim is praying from 4-5 in the afternoon (1-2 Tuesday morning in the states) and invite any of you that can to please pray with us.  If you can't make a full hour, we ask that you at least keep the Sonata in your prayers, and don't limit it to only the 8th, we need prayers each and every day to reach out to the lost in this country.  So thanks in advance and with confidence we will pray knowing that God will PROVIDE!!! 

Trick or Treat!

!Happy Halloween!

No, it isn't a huge event in Japan, but it is a popular and fun subject for English classes.

It's more like when we were kids in that it's just plain fun without all the negative connotations.

This is a weekly class I teach and these girls L-O-V-E to have fun!

The annual Halloween party that John and our friend Mako hold for their English students was this past Saturday. Since they are English students John tries to get them all to use a little of what they've learned as they begin to arrive.

As more show up all decked out for the day everyone is checking out who came as what.

By the time the activities started there were about 170 people there to enjoy all they had planned!

There were songs and games and lots of running and joyful squeals...

...and before settling down for lunch there was - of course! - Trick-or-Treating!

There were six doors the kids could visit and with a 'knock knock' and 'trick or treat' they received lots of goodies.

We were pretty well worn out by the time it ended but it was well worth it to see the fun the kids (small AND big alike!) had.

We look forward to seeing them all again at the Christmas party and hope they'll bring their friends, too!

Someday...perhaps!

Hello there to whoever of you may still check in here once in a blue moon to see if I've said anything new!
I truly want to get to a point that I update this blog..with pics and meaningful info on our lives..on a semi-some-what regular basis. I really do! I just haven't quite worked out the how yet.
I've been back in Japan just barely over 3 weeks now after my 2 month trip to the states. 3 weeks...seems so short and so long simultaneously.
I was so happy to realize that I didn't have classes on the day after my return, as I had thought. It gave me a chance to get unpacked and take a few breaths before diving head first back in to life here.
John and Ian spent a lot more than usual time together in my absence, which I count as a big plus. And they did a pretty awesome job of having the house in good shape when I stepped back in! Thanks guys!!!
John and I managed to sneak away and go see Zack and his team play basketball in one of their league games. He had the time to sit and visit a good bit before their game and I loved every moment! Their home-coming games are this coming weekend and we'll go to cheer them on. They're currently in second place in their league and Zack is playing some in every game so far this season.
I'm in full swing in my class schedule and have already had two 'demo' classes where teachers and school officials from around the area come to observe a class, and have another the end of this month.
I had the chance to go spend an evening with some ladies to watch the movie "No Greater Love". Liz, a friend here from Waco with her husband, was our hostess and four Japanese women joined us. It was a nice evening of fellowship and a chance for them to see a Christian movie and ask questions. Thanks much Liz for including me!
There are several activities going on in the Christian community here this month and it gets busier as we draw closer to Christmas. I ask you to please keep us, and all the Christians here, in your prayers, that we may reach many of the unsaved through the opportunities in the activities that will take place in the next several weeks.
There is still constant need and much activity going on the areas that suffered worst in  the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. Please don't let all those needs slip from your prayers.
I have tons of pictures and much more I could talk about but I figured something was better than nothing...hope you agree.
Thank you from the bottom of our humble hearts for all your prayers and support of every kind.
May God's blessings be abundant in your life!