Movies in Japan

Last night I watched a Japanese movie called "Smile." I really liked it. It was just what I needed on a Friday night, light-hearted comedy, a little romance, and elementary school kids playing hockey, yes, ice hockey! (Plus it had English subtitles which were pretty well done)

It filled all the formulas for a good movie, little scrawny kids learn to work as a team under a coach who has never even played hockey and win the tournament (sorry if I wrecked it for anyone:) Because of the win the rich girl's dad who owns the team allows his daughter to marry the unqualified and less than rich coach.

There was a twist that doesn't always happen in the American movies. A classmate who is in figure skating and likes one of the hockey boys gets sick. She gets leukemia, or relapses, and actually dies, during the final game of the tournament. So, when the guys are all excited about winning they find out she has died, the girl who gave them a reason to fight and win. As they stand there getting their medals they are all weeping because she has died.

I like that about movies in Japan, everything doesn't always turn out all right in the end. Just like real life. Sometimes we fight hard and try our best and still fail. But, that doesn't mean we give up on life. We learn to work through it. As Christians we learn to lean more heavily on God and trust His arms to hold us up, knowing that we can, knowing that He is trustworthy. He will not let us fall, even though it feels like it sometimes.

Birthday Celebrations

This year's celebration of my birth happened over a whole weekend! Saturday evening my English students brought a cake to class and sang to me. It was our first class so I was a bit surprised! My friend Ayako told them it was my birthday. (I met the lady who is in charge of the class at Small Talk restaurant last winter, I guess it was. She has been waiting for English classes to start since then! Since we met at the restaurant, she invited Ayako to be part of the class, too, although she couldn't come last week.)

On Sunday Ayako came to church with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Naka. Then after church the three of us went out for a wonderful Italian lunch. We made a reservation about a half an hour before we went and once we got there were glad we had. Several groups were turned away because the restaurant was full and the wait time would have been well over 1/2 an hour!

Sunday night my friend Kyusai san (pronounced Q sigh) from Gospel choir came over. I had planned for her husband and daughter, too, but they were not able to come, so we had a lot of food to eat! Even though it was just the two of us we had no trouble talking for well over 4 hours about everything under the sun!

Then, on Monday, I went to Ewings and we celebrated Paul's birthday, my birthday, and our friend Yumi's birthday. Ewings used to live next door to Yumi's family and Yumi taught Melissa everything she knows about yochien! (Well, probably not everything, but a lot anyway!) We had a wonderful pork tenderloin on the grill-finally got the propane refilled- and an incredibly delicious ice cream cake for dessert.

I also got to talk to my parents and sister and brother-in-law on my birthday, so it was a great weekend! Thanks to all of you who sent cards, e-cards, and e-mails! God has blessed me with a wonderful family and amazing friends!

The top picture is the birthday gang and Yumi's younger daughter.




I don't know what Jonah said, but obviously it was funny!

Life-challenging/changing book

Yesterday I went into downtown Osaka to go shopping. This time the shopping was for specific items for our church plant or for English classes, etc. While in the bookstore looking at textbooks I decided to take a wander through the paperback section on my way out. In the bestseller section a book caught my eye.

I just received my September/October Discipleship Journal. The first thing I do when I receive it is look through the whole thing without reading any articles, just anticipating and looking at the ads for new books. One ad for a book said, "This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress did for his. It's that good!" -Eugene Peterson

When I read that I thought, "That sounds like it might be an interesting read, I'll add it to my list for the next CBD order."
***update-it wasn't in DJ that I read about the book, it was in my Japan Harvest Magazine in the book review section!

On Thursday when I was shopping I couldn't have told you the name of that book, but when I saw it at the store with that review from Eugene Peterson on the front, I picked it up immediately.

The book is called, "The Shack."

Being the impatient person I am as soon as I got home and got my dinner ready I sat down with the book. Now, just over 24 hours later, I have finished the book. There are so many pages dog-eared to go back and read that I should have dog-eared those not to reread!

The book is a novel. However, it is also a theology book. I can't say that I agree with all of the theology, mostly because I read it too quickly the first time. But, it has already made me start to think about God in a different way. It has challenged my ideas of Christianity and given me a fresh faith.

It was published last year so many of you may have already read it, or at least heard of it. Buy it, read it, mull it over.

Some fans of the book are working with a movie producer to get it made into a movie. Apparently, the book has to sell so many copies before they can produce it so they are challenging people to buy the book for themselves. If you want to know more, go to http://www.theshackbook.com

One of the many lines I liked...
"'Oh child,' spoke Papa tenderly. 'Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.'"

Farewell Party

Tuesday night we had a farewell party for one of the gals from Gospel Choir. Well, more like a see you again soon, we all hope. Her husband is being transferred but they are keeping their house here and planning to return. We will miss Mori san while she is gone!
















The owner of the restaurant gave us permission to sing a few songs. Someone kindly brought a few instruments! Mori san has a donut-shaped instrument (I can't remember how to spell it:)

A Walk Around Karuizawa

Today I had a chance to just walk and enjoy some alone time for a few hours. I walked to the outlet mall from Yuko's house. The walk is really nice through the woods and next to a golf course. I noticed a river I knew was there but had never really looked at before. Since there has been a bit of rain in the past few days it was running nicely over the rocks making a beautiful sound.

Then I shopped the west half of the mall (I know it is the west side because that is what is written on the sign!) and had a rest at Starbucks with my iced cocoa and book.

I shopped the east half of the mall finding that Eddie Bauer was having a sale! Next I walked through part of the town into another part of the woods to Megumi Chalet and the Woodshed coffee shop (pictured at the top). I had another rest with chocolate cake and my book.

Following this rest I walked through more woods enjoying the green and cool air. I ended up on the main street walking toward Natural Leaf and dinner with the candle shop couple at one of my favorite restaurants.

It was a lovely day! God and I had some good talks. I enjoyed His beautiful nature. I enjoyed time with friends. And I got a couple of good bargains.

Driving

Yesterday I drove from Mie Ken, where I used to live, to Karuizawa, where I also have lived. This week is about the busiest travel week in Japan besides New Year's. I knew that going in and expected delays but only had a 10km traffic jam to sit through. It was a beautiful drive from the sea to the mountains. As evening approached I watched the moon rise over the mountains and the thunderstorm developing off in the distance. Every once in a while I also saw some fireworks flying.

I have been taking the train every where for a while and had sort of forgotten how much I like to drive. Of course, Garrison Keillor helps make the drive more entertaining! I don't have any pictures from the drive but just wanted to share a little about my drive. There will be more info on what's been going on in Mie Ken for the past three weeks in a future post.

While here in Karuizawa I hope to see several friends as well as sit and read for a while in the comfortable mountain air, still humid like Osaka, just not as hot.

More later...

To make you go 'hmm...'

Oswald Chambers flip calendar from August 4 entitled "The Brave Friendship of God"...
Luke 18:31 He took the twelve aside...
Oh, the bravery of God in trusting us! Do you say, "But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing good in me and I have no value"? That is exactly why He chose you.