Give Thanks 24

I am thankful for my mom!  Sunday is her birthday, and I think this is a good time to celebrate her!

I appreciate my parents and all they have done for me, taught me, helped me through.  I am thankful for how they showed me God's love.

I am thankful for our family.  What a great friend I have in my sister!  I have amazing aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family.

What a blessing it was to have my parents visit me last year.

And, what fun to have my parents and sister and brother in law all visit a few years ago!

Thank you, God, for my family!

Give Thanks 19

I am thankful for music, especially as a way to praise and worship God.  I know I talked about AGC before, however, I am returning to the music theme.  It is such a powerful way to draw people closer to Jesus.  I have so many pictures of different music events I have attended/ participated in over the past year.  (I will try not to post too many!)  (Oops, I posted a lot!)

I, personally, am not such a musical person.  I like to sing and play my clarinet.  My rhythm is not always on.  But, I love to listen and participate in music!  I am thankful for all of the places God has allowed me to participate in worshipping Him through music.

Piano Seminar Concert Fall 2011

Men of Excellence at Spiritual Night

Mom and Yuri lead music at Komyo Church

Amber and Yuri lead music at Komyo Church

Q and McKee + Aichan at Live Gospel Cafe

Choir practicing at Sendai Franklin Graham Festival

Harmonica music at Miyoko's church

Band at Seikai

Yamauchi Mama sings with Kaori san at Ladies' Lunch

VOV at Live Gospel Cafe

Singing down by the riverside!  Hitomi's baptism

Coco shares at Ladies Lunch and Talk at Komyo Church

AGC with Elisabeth and Flat Stanley

AGC concert Fall 2012

Singing at Living Church

Give Thanks 12

I am thankful for the still small voice that encourages me to go places and talk to people.  The introvert in me would prefer not to always be out meeting with and talking to people.  However, even when I think I am going somewhere alone or to be alone, God puts people in my path and it is pretty obvious that He has planned for me to meet them!

In the past year I have taken pictures of two such encounters...

About one year ago I went to USJ because I wanted to see the Christmas show and ride the roller coaster.  Everyone was busy so I went alone.  When I rode the roller coaster I met these three.  Well, two of the three.  The gal in the hat didn't want to ride so I met her after we got off the ride.  Throughout the year we have gotten together again several times!

In August when I went to the beach, this lovely family was staying at the same hotel.  It was their second time to stay there.  They very kindly asked me to join them at the end of dinner, and their daughters even liked me!

I am thankful for these new friends and the variety they bring to my life!

Give Thanks 8

I have been baking this evening and it has reminded me how grateful I am for baking!  I am grateful to my mom for teaching me how to bake and to my grandma for teaching my mom how to bake.  I enjoy getting lost in a new recipe or an old stand-by and creating something delicious.  (There have been times when it wasn't delicious, but that doesn't happen super often!)  I enjoy getting to share what I've made with people-who usually say that they like what I've made...
Here are a few pictures of baking over the past year-well, mostly last year during the Christmas season when my mom was here to bake with me.

I have more pictures than this, but I have to go to bed soon so I stopped hunting! :)

Give Thanks 6

I am thankful for four seasons.  Although summer is my favorite season, I love the other seasons as well- as long as I don't have to be outside too long during the winter!  I enjoy the crisp evenings, wearing sweaters but not needing a heavy jacket, and the beautiful leaves of fall.  I love the silence of a freshly fallen snow, sitting under my kotatsu, and drinking hot cocoa during the winter.  The way everything comes back to life and color pops out every where and the fresh smell of spring are wonderful.  Hot, sunny days and hot, starlit nights finally warm me up during the summer.  Here are a few pictures of the seasons from the past year:

Giving Thanks 5

Yes, I know I missed a few numbers, but today is the fifth day of November.  I am staying with the number of the day otherwise I will not remember what number I am on!

Today I am thankful for birthdays.  It is not my birthday, or actually anyone's that I know.  But, about this time last year I was celebrating a friend's birthday with Yuri.

A great thing about birthdays is cake!

The best thing about birthdays, though, is the gift of life.  Just thinking about how we all started out, it is pretty amazing that we were even formed and born!  This past week my cousin and his wife had a baby boy.  He is absolutely precious, and his older brother and sister seem quite pleased with the arrival.  Because of circumstances in my cousin's life, his children are extra miraculous.  Life is amazing!

Of course, from what I understand from the Bible, this life has nothing on the next life for those who believe in Jesus!  I am thankful that I have a birthday, both a physical and spiritual birthday.

Give Thanks 2

Today I want to give thanks for AGC, Anointed Gospel Choir.  I have been a member since 2007 and have enjoyed each lesson, concert, coffee time, tea time, dinner, dessert, conversation, laugh, and song that we have shared.  Yamamoto Sensei's ministry is touching lives and sharing God's love around Kansai.  I have enjoyed watching him lead and grow, encourage and learn as he has taught us.
Last year about this time we had our 2011 annual concert.  Here are a few pictures (You can see last year's post here.)

Give Thanks

November has started and my quest to share my thanks daily here on my blog will pick up where it left off last year.  Actually, I have been keeping a gratitude calendar this year.  I got a pocket calendar that has a section with the whole month on a page at the front of the book, and then has spaces to write daily activities at the back of the book.  Every day this year I have written at least one thing, usually three, for which I am thankful.  It has been a great way to close out each day.

This year I am going to try something a little different.  In my iPhoto program there is a collection of pictures called "Last 12 Months."  I guess if I have taken a picture of something in the past 12 months, I wanted to remember it for some reason and may be thankful for it.  So, I will start with the oldest pictures and post a picture each day explaining what in that picture causes me to be grateful.  (I won't post every picture since the album contains 2300 or so photos!)

Today I am thankful for Mr. and Mrs. Sakamoto.  One year ago they received this picture of the names of Jesus to hang in their house.  I am thankful for the way God has worked in their lives, helping them to understand who He is.  I am thankful that they were baptized last month (that picture may come up later!).  It amazes me that God has allowed me to be part of the watering process in their spiritual lives.  I am grateful!