Live Gospel Cafe!

July 7th we had Live Gospel Cafe at Komyo Christian Church.  What a great evening!

Our guest was Cassandra Peake.  She brought some of her students along to lead us in an evening of praise and worship.

Here are a few pictures from the evening!

The sign language added much to the music!

A powerful solo: The Battle is Not Yours

Amazing Grace!

Enjoy the music

Another solo by Cassandra

Now things are really heatin' up!

What a lovely evening!  We are praying that the newcomers will come again for another event!

Just another thought

Since last week the big news has been about a boy who died last fall.  Actually, he committed suicide.  He was bullied.  His parents had to file four reports with the police before there was an investigation.

He is not the only child to take his own life due to bullying.  (According to the findings of the investigation, bullying could have been one of the reasons the boy committed suicide.)  During the 2010-11 school year, 156 children took their own lives, not all due to bullying. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120208b1.html#.UAamsY57Qk8

These two issues, bullying and suicide, are problems about which the public and parents are concerned.   In the past week or so I have asked several friends, both Japanese and non-Japanese, as well as read several articles online, about these issues.

The most common comments about why bullying happens in Japan include: the group society of Japan and lack of love from parents.  Another interesting comment was that parents do too much for their children so that they can study which results in children who don't know how to take responsibility.

Although I am not sure that bullying because someone is different from the rest of the group is so different from any other place in the world, the group society of Japan is a strong force.  Being from the US where we are taught independence from the moment we are born, the group think of Japan and other Asian countries takes much observation and interaction to understand.  I do not claim to understand this concept, however, I do understand it better than when I first came to Japan.  I do think this cultural point adds some extra pressure to conform as well as to participate in bullying.

The way people groups show love within their culture varies from group to group.  I don't think I would say that Japanese parents love their children any less than parents in other cultures.  However, I have observed that the way that love is shown here often seems ambiguous which, I suspect, would make children wonder about their parents' love for them.

If these are some of the common causes of bullying, what can be done to help decrease the occurrences of it?  Once again, just as with not having a complete list of causes, I do not have complete answers, either.

It seems that as parents, adults, teachers, friends of children, we need to not only teach with words but also in our own actions and attitudes.  Children learn much from observation.  Bullying is not limited to schools, it is also happens in work places and among groups of adults.  I wonder if the children of these adults who bully are also bullies themselves.  I have not researched this idea, I am just wondering aloud.

I think that education and attitude are two things that can help reduce bullying.

Here is a comment by Midori Komori, her daughter committed suicide because of bullying:
"Every adult has to teach children not to do anything they don't want their friends to do to them.  If we can teach our children that I think we will no longer see bullying in our society."
(quoted from this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6213716.stm )

This is a teaching of many religions.  In Matthew's gospel, Jesus says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Imagine a world, a society, a city, a school, a home where everyone treats others as they want to be treated!

A little seasick

Every year our group of missionaries takes some time out of our busy schedules for some time of study and refreshment.  Since we are a small group, it is a bit like a family vacation!

Last month, the seven of us on the field took a trip to Hokkaido.  We studied the life of Ayako Miura, a Christian Japanese writer.  Since she was born and raised in Hokkaido, specifically, Asahikawa, we decided to travel there.

On Monday evening we boarded the Taiheiyo Ferry in Nagoya for the two day trip to Tomakomai, Hokkaido.

The first night the seas were a bit rough and five of the seven of us had stomachs that did not react to that well!  We were thankful for the two who did not get sick and their willingness to take care of us-which included sleeping on the lobby floor for one of these helpers!

Morning brought calmer seas and stomachs, some time to relax, and a jazz concert in the lobby.

Our group can be seen in the background
(This is also where a few of our group slept the night before!)

Upon arrival in Tomakomai, we headed to Sapporo for ramen followed by a tour of Hokkaido University, lead by Yuri's dad via Skype!

Headed to the building where Yuri's dad studied
It was a beautiful campus filled with trees and wide open spaces!

We toured the botanical gardens and Ainu museum.  Then we drove to Asahikawa.

In the morning we headed to Shiokari Pass.  This is the name of one of Ayako Miura's books about a young man who sacrifices his life to save a train-full of people.  The book is based on a true story.

We enjoyed some time in nature trying to get our fill of mountain air, flowers, trees, pinecones, etc.

Then we headed back to Asahikawa to the Ayako Miura Literature Museum where we had an appointment with Mr. Miura.  We had a lovely tour and talk with Mr. Miura, hearing stories of their life together as they sought to share God's love through their lives and writing.

Another of Miura's books is called "Freezing Point" in English.  Next to the museum is the woods that were used for the setting of the book.  We spent some more time enjoying nature, trees, the river, animals, etc.  (Since this was the book I read, I was especially excited to visit the woods!)

In the car on the way back to Sapporo we had a wonderful sing-a-long with all the good old songs from Sunday school days, some of the songs were not known by all!

Friday morning we visited with a lady who is a friend of the Miuras and has translated some of Ayako's books into English.  Then we headed to to the Winter Sports Museum where we tried ski jumping, figure skating, bobsledding, and other winter sports.

Then we went to the top of the ski jump used in the 1972 Sapporo Olympics and is still used today.  We also ate the best soft cream in Sapporo at the top of the mountain!  It really was good!

The ferry ride back to Nagoya was less eventful!  We enjoyed some time of karaoke followed by a time of communion together.

 It was an amazing trip with lots of laughter, learning, love and a little seasickness!

Bragging

This is the day when bragging seems to be everywhere.  The most common phrase is: "my dad is the best dad in the world."  I love hearing the dad bragging.  Dads are so important in our lives and sometimes they get a bad rap.

For us girls, dads are the first relationship we experience with the opposite sex.  They teach us how to interact with males and how we should be treated by males.  Their presence in our lives gives us confidence and teaches us what love is about.

For boys, dads teach their sons how to interact and how they should treat women.  They teach their sons what it means to be a man and give them confidence.

For all of us, dads can also help us understand our heavenly Father's love.  We learn about unconditional love and how to accept that love.  We learn how to show love, about joy, about laughter, about suffering, and about forgiveness.

Dads are human and sometimes make mistakes.  But, it is through my dad that I have learned the most about my heavenly Father.  I am eternally grateful for the love my dad has for his Savior and they way he lives that out in front of me and our family.  I am thankful for the way he has loved my mom, my sister, and me.  I am thankful that he has shown us how to love our neighbor as ourselves.  I know he has made a couple of mistakes along the way :)  but through those I have learned how to say sorry and ask for and give forgiveness.

God has blessed me deeply with a father who I can call dad.  Thanks for letting me brag a little!

Just a thought

My coworkers at Komyo Christian
Church

I recently was introduced to a blog series through a blog that I've been reading.  The series is on women in ministry.  I found it interesting, helpful, and sometimes sad.

I feel like I am a sort of accidental woman in ministry.  When I was in high school I felt called to be a missionary in Japan.  I didn't think of the consequences of this call.  I probably expected that I would go to college, get married and go to Japan, in that order.  I think I figured I would be in Japan not as a woman in ministry but as a family in ministry.

God had other plans.  When He opened the door for me to come to Japan, I walked through, because He opened it.  I didn't think of the consequences.  I never thought I couldn't be a missionary, a single missionary, because I am a woman.  I just walked through the door because He opened it.

I grew up with parents who love Jesus.  They taught me to love, trust and follow Him.  We never talked about what we could or could not do.  We only talked about loving and following Jesus.

My home church supported several missionaries.  One of those was a single woman-who ministered in Japan!  I loved hearing her stories of sharing Jesus' love in Japan.  I never thought there was anything unusual with her ministry.  I just thought that she loved and followed Jesus.

My first year of college I met a gal who wanted to be a pastor.  This was the first time I had ever met a woman who wanted to be a pastor, but I didn't think it was unusual.  I just thought that she loved Jesus and wanted to follow His calling in her life.

As a college student I was in a leadership position at the church I attended in the youth group.  There were other college students, as well as men and women of the church who were also leaders.  We all worked together.  We all wanted to share God's love with the youth as we loved and followed Him.

Almost all of my experiences as a woman in ministry have been positive.  A few people have made interesting faces or comments about what I do.  However, I am thankful that I have mostly been given the freedom to minister as God has called me to minister.

When I was in high school answering God's call to be a missionary in Japan, I never would have imagined that would have included leading a church plant with another single female missionary.  In fact, in seminary I avoided preaching, MDIV, or anything that looked like it might have to do with leading a church because I absolutely did NOT plan to be doing that.  Once again, God has a sense of humor!

So, when I read the blogs by women about their experiences in ministry, I am saddened by the experiences others have had.  I am in no way naive enough to think that their experiences are unusual or that my experience is the norm.  I know that there are those who don't appreciate or agree with what I am doing.  But, actually, what I am doing is loving and following God.  It has nothing to do with my gender or my theological training.  This is the position God has placed me in for this time.  I am absolutely trusting Him to work in and through me because there is no way my colleague and I could be doing this on our own!

These are just some of the thoughts that have been floating around in my mind since I started reading the women in ministry series.

It's not about me

Some of the amazing women in my life

In my previous blog post I talked about my mom and how much I learned from her.  I enjoy having a day set aside to celebrate my mom.  I hope I take time to celebrate her more than twice a year-on her birthday and on Mother's Day!

I have read a lot from various blogs and Facebook status updates over the past couple of days to realize that not everyone likes Mother's Day.  I knew this before.  I have seen it on faces and heard it in voices before.  I haven't thought about it very deeply before.

For me, personally, this Mother's Day, I have realized that it is not about me.  This is a day to celebrate my mom, my grandmas, my aunts, my 'adopted' moms, the women who have spoken truth into my life.  I am not a mom.  I am pretty sure I will not ever be a biological mom.  I have gone through a lot of struggles getting to the point of being able to say that with contentment-most days.  But, as I celebrate Mother's Day, I do not lament the fact that I am not a mom.  I celebrate these wonderful women in my life.

My friend, Stacy, introduced me to an incredible blogpost from a woman in a similar life situation to mine.  She is a single missionary.  I really appreciated what she had to say, the way that she encouraged the readers to think about what we say to others before we say it.

Then, Stacy wrote a blogpost about losing her mother, about being a mother and about sharing joy and pain in our faith community.

Both of these women helped me understand, in a deeper way, the joys and pains of celebrating.  As a fellowship of believers, we should be there to stand with our sisters when they rejoice and to weep with our sisters when they grieve.  We shouldn't hide either our joy or our grief because we are afraid to hurt others or be hurt by others.

It hurts my heart to think that there are women who don't want to attend church on a day that celebrates mothers.  They have a pain that is deep.  Maybe I don't understand it fully, but as their sister in Christ, I want to share the pain with them, to help carry the burden.  And, I believe Jesus calls us to do just that.

Mother's Day is not about me.  It is about me celebrating with and grieving with my sisters in Christ, as He has called us to do, not just once a year, but every day.

Mom

A few years ago I wrote a post about my mom.  This week I reviewed it since I am speaking at CrossRoad on Mother's Day.  As I prepared my message on 2 Timothy 1:3-7, here are some thoughts that crossed my mind to add to what I had already written.  Since it is Mother's Day, I am talking about my mom, however, this also applies to my dad!

I learned about God from my mother's sincere faith (and she learned from her mom!)  I learned by watching her.  I watched her interact with people in a sincere way.  I watched her love her family and friends through her actions and words.  I watched her love God through her Bible reading and worship at church.

I didn't just learn through watching, though.  She also taught my sister and me directly.  Every night after supper, we read the Bible and prayed as a family.  When we misbehaved, she taught us how to apologize.  When we went to church, she taught us how to worship and learn and asked us about what we thought.

I am thankful for parents who believed it was important for me to know Jesus.  Not just know about Jesus, but to really know Jesus.

Thank you, Mom!
Thank you, Dad!
Thank you, God!