THOUGHTS FROM CHRISTMAS 2001: 5 THE MANGER

Christ's humiliation explained. And He was willing to become limited, habitually-sinful depraved man, to be born in a stinky, bacteria-infested cave where they kept animals and feed!

A missionary from Russia once came and spoke of how some of the toilets there consist of nothing but a hole in the ground, and how opening the door to that room you'd wonder if some of the previous occupants couldn't see that hole for all the droppings AROUND it, all over the floor.

To think how repelling that must've been--but Jesus was born in a place with animal manure all over the place and laid to rest in the cleanest thing in the room: a feeding trough! (At least, it was for containing things that went INTO the mouth, not came OUT the back end!)

And the God of Heaven protected that low-resistance newborn from disease and death, despite how hell must've fought against it. NOTHING can harm a child of God when GOD is the One protecting him!

Swaddled in God's loving care; the secret of sure safety and sanctity...MAKING EVEN A FEEDING TROUGH BETTER HAVEN THAN A BED OF DOWN FEATHERS AND CLEAN SHEETS! O to be forever "lost in His Love" too!

Thoughts from Xmas 2001: 4 The Shepherds' Response

In preparing this morning's Sunday School Lesson, tho', God showed me something else: the shepherds, after being given the angelic proclamation, went to the stable to SEE the new-born Messiah. No doubt, they entered into the place pretty oblivious to the "animal aroma", the "earth-tone decor", or "animated objects" in the room. The only thing that captivated their attention--and held their worship--was the Christchild in the manger! What a picture of true worship: eyes held by the King of the Universe...provided in love, for even me!

Thoughts from Xmas 2001: 3 The Angels' Message

Something God showed me was in the message of the angel. His proclamation began with the words, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David". No doubt the shepherds quaked at this announcement--it had to do with King David! Royalty, with whom they had little connection. But then, that notice was detailed with the birth of a "babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Now THAT they could identify with! That was birthday, shepherd-style...but wait, didn't the angel say it was the birthday of a Messiah? The King of the Jews? The two bits of information...did not compute!

And had it been scholars, they may've rationalized and analyzed and scoffed at the seeming incongruity, the mismatch of data...and in the end, concluded the words to have been allegorical or symbolic, NOT LITERAL But it wasn't scholars, it was shepherds. And they said, "What are we doing just sitting here? Why stand we here idle? If we tarry 'til the morning light, some mischief will come upon us! Now let's go see what that angel was talking about!" And they got up off their heinies (SP?) and rushed off to Bethlehem. And, as a result, they were one of the first to feast their eyes on Jesus!

God doesn't want ROYALTY, an "impressive" display of that which might look good to us; He wants our love, our worship, our single-minded desire to see Him! (And sometimes, even our power of reason can get in the way!) Oh Lord, take me in my simple weakness, just as I am, and as you did for those shepherds thousands of years ago, show Yourself to me! Immanuel.

Thoughts from Christmas 2001: 1 Reconciliation--Finally

Back in 1989, when my husband disappeared, and we got back together for Christmas that year, I remember feeling, "FINALLY!" And it had only been 9 months.

I remembered at BJU, one of the assignments for Old Testament Survey was to read the entire Testament through. The teacher said man had to see his utter sinfulness; then the New Testament would come with the arrival of a Savior. I remember beginning at Genesis and seeing man getting worse and worse, and he was so wicked by the end of the book...AND THIS IS ONLY GENESIS? There are 38 more books? How much worse does he have to get before he sees he needs a Messiah?! And I cried.

Thousands of years pass, then the New Testament comes and Jesus is finally born.

It occurred to me in '89, as strongly as my "Finally" felt to me, it had been only nine months. God had waited thousands of years before seeing a way provided for reconciliation with sinful man! No wonder, I said, a THRONG of angels song! NO WONDER!

Since then, "Angels We Have Heard on High" has carried a new meaning for me. When Jesus was born, not only was man given a Savior; God in Heaven was full of joy at the prospect of being reunited with lost man again! FINALLY.

STUFF

Enjoy w/o being Entangled (Obsessed; Addicted!)

Convey; not Impress (Communicate Clearly; Not Polish!)

Wage War; not Flaunt Style

"Not Self-Perfectionism, but God-Magnification

Master of Heart and Thought and Fingers;

    Show me the secret delight:

    of doing "unprofessional" work for Thee,

    of shedding beautifying detail.

    Show me how to

    shine w/o being "shiny"

That previous paragraph, when the three of us sang at our Dad's banquet in Okinawa, was prayed: "Lord, do let us sing Thy music without human flaw that would detract from the message praising joy in Thee, but oh do let us ring true Thy praise--and if flawless singing would detract from THAT truth, oh let us "FLAW for Thee!"

That was on Daddy's birthday, so it would've been July 20, 2001.

SONG OF PRAISE

 A thought just came to me: is not "testimony" a song of praise?

「霊的元気がでる証」should be what「特別賛美」really is!

Dec. 2001:

Lord, make my life a song to praise Thee;

    May others see-hear and feel vibrations of their own heart-strings,

    To somehow KNOW there is a ring of truth there,

    That only a Living, Satisfying God could compose such a song!

WE DON'T KNOW

 (for the patient who's been told by the doctor that he has a terminal disease:)

None of us really know how much time we have left;

        it's just that some of us know we don't know how much time we have left, 

        and the rest of us don't know we don't know.

-Dec, 2001

PUMPED UP AND OVERFLOWING

 And then for several months, it seemed my heart was so full of praise no poetry I could compose could do it any justice. I borrowed a hymnal from the missionary family here and enjoyed it during my Garden Times. "Love Divine", "And Can It Be", "How Great Thou Art", "The Love of God", "A Child of the King", "Blessed Assurance", "More Love to Thee", "Draw Me Nearer", "I Need Thee Every Hour", "Wonderful Grace of Jesus", "Once for All", "Come Thou Fount"--I can't tell how many hours of "Gushing Joy Time" came from reading those words! One of my email friends is in the charismatic camp, but I kinda doubt she had me beat in emotional response during some of those times!

GOOSEBUMPS NOT PROHIBITED

 THIS IS THE ONE I WANTED YOU TO SEE, THO'. And it's not a poem at all, just a collection of "wham-o" realizations when getting into Piper's "Desiring God" book!

Yes! The omnipotent God is My God--rather, I am His!

"June--both; don't you see? Both--June, you are precious to Me." 

Oh, my God! My Lord and my God and my Love!

In months gone by I was afraid that when I sought Him,

    It was the spontaneous, bubbling joy in knowing Him,

        the drowning in awareness of His love,

            the irrepressible life--boldness -

                                                    -motivation in daily contact with others

    that I yearned for, not God Himself.

I prayed--Lord, all this I seek, as Thou well knowest.

But use these yearnings Lord, to draw me to love of Thyself.

No doubt, He delighted in my prayer. Lord, I remember the pleasure

I have when "Thou art mine;"

    help me to remember where that pleasure came from

    that I might feast upon Thee once more.

"Don't you see? I sent that pleasure to remind you of

Who I am. All that happiness is something I want you to have--

Because I love you."

It may be wrong to desire a lover's flowers, gifts of chocolate,

    and forget the lover;

But isn't it equally foolish to deny delight in Him

    because of a realization of--and dismay at--delight

    in the expressions of His love?

God gives because He is love, and His utter pleasure is

    our joy in receiving;

All I need say is, Thank you so much, God; I love you,

    and He is happy!

My omnipotent God is happy!

And my prayer, More! More of Thee! Give me, show me more of Thee!

Is equally His delight and desire!

"God doesn't want us reading the Word for the goosebumps it gives," but

He doesn't prohibit or criticize our enjoyment of them when they come!

I'D COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS ONE

I'd completely forgotten about this one until I saw it this morning,/perhaps because it isn't really poetry:

Others cannot be attracted to Our lives/ But they can be drawn by Thy Life which they see in me.

All that I find precious--because God loves me--/ Is of dear concern to His heart, too./ And He will let no harm come to them that would damage my heart.

I hear the rolling thunder and feel secure/ Because that is the power protecting me! Nothing can harm me!

I cannot shrink from others if/ That is the power engulfing me--and reaching out to them thru' me.

I cannot fear what others think of me if/ Who I am is no longer relevant; it is what others think of Christ.

Even the sin habit so coloring my own heart/ Cannot dismay me when I know that/ Because Christ lives in me, all His strength and goodness are mine too.

-Feb, 2001

MAKE ME A PRISONER OF THYSELF

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thou art infinitely patient

Thy love only eternity can comprehend

May my poor heart tho' in earthly wrapping 

Be totally consumed with, obsessed with, enthralled by Thee

Make me a prisoner of Thyself

That those who see me may see

All that is worthy of complete ownership,

                                    of full worship,

                                    of absolute adoration

That those who walk in my life

May yearn for the same blissful prisonership

Of knowing Thee.

Jan, 2001

SHHHHH

I started into prayer this morning with, "O Lord, today, please help me to think, not of what others think of me, but what they think of You, and..."

"Shhhhh." It was like God put a finger up to my chatterbox lips.

"Huh? Well, right. What YOU think of me is the most impor..."

"Shhh," He put that finger there again.

"Wh? Lord?"

"Sh." That finger, and a look that said, "Stop. Stop and just hold still."

And God pulled me into an embrace that let me know I needed to start off the day knowing just how much He loved me.

That embrace--I've decided to start all my Garden Times that way, just resting in the arms of the Lord. Oh that all other human beings would be able to "start" every day like this And Lord, remind me that You're a "Huggy God" too, how it would bring pleasure to Your heart and immeasurable joy to mine too--to look up to You during the day for another quick squeeze. I'll call it my "heart massage"--all through the day.

SEAGULL EXTRAS

Okay, so there's the story of the winning painting of the art contest of the theme "Peace" being of the Raging Tempest and Craggy shoreline, with Nesting Bird, showing the UNSHAKABLE CALM of the GULL. But...

But that bird doesn't stay on his nest all his life, but spends plenty of time dancing in the skies, playing with his friends, and even dives into the water to get yummy for his tummy! He isn't about to let a few bad storms rob him of any joy in living! As I told Joyce, if he's a real optimist, even during that storm, when a wave crashes on the rocks near him, the spray won't frighten or irritate him; he'll be looking on the boulders to see if there are any fish flip-flopping about, lifted and deposited there by the water!

And most of birds' heads are filled with EYES, little room left over for the thinking BRAIN. Methinks we Christians would do well too, to LOOK for the beauty of God's working in our lives instead of THINKING of potential problems (You know, lifting our hearts to the Lord often with comments like, "Thank you God, for giving me little blessings during the day, like that CUTE little baby that grandmother was holding!"

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

The past few weeks, I feel like I've been in spiritually inconsistent mode, far from the bubbling-over walk I've known the past year or so. But it's so confusing. For three days in a row now, I've written Kinya two letters a day...and none of it is forced, yet I feel so dry all the time. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit CAME INTO people sometimes and LEFT too; that was supposed to change in the New Testament, but sometimes I feel like that's  what's happening to me: when God "hits" me with something, I gotta tell you, it's REAL like life could never be less than heavenly then, but in a few hours, I'm "on empty" again.

I wish you could see me. I don't get up in the mornings hungry for Garden Time like I used to; the kids get on my nerves; and the way you can really tell is I get self-defensive, inhibited, and timid. "Bubbly" June gets quiet and reserved. And when she tries to work up some kind of spirit on her own, she ends up getting silly, unthoughtful, and self-centered. Ack. What do you think? (Can a person be in PMS for a whole month? I really don't think that's the problem here.)

What I am really like or where I am spiritually really doesn't matter--or, shouldn't matter. The Lord Jesus never changes, HE is worthy of highest praise and following into abundant life. I don't need to look at my ever-sinking feet but the Hand that lifts me out of the water EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Heb. 12:2, Isa. 26:3, II Chron. 2-:12, Ps. 73:25, Jn. 6:68.

Just call me Chicken Little. I like to run around screaming, "The Sky is Falling!" God just shakes His head at me, and says, "not as long as I'M alive, little birdie."

SPRING EVERY DAY

Emily asked me what my favorite season of the year was. My first thought was spring. But, I told her, I can't stand feeling sleepy all the time, as I often seem to feel at spring. Other than that, I like spring. In Glory, we won't have physical limitations to think about. Besides, we won't have to worry about the other seasons; it'll be SPRING EVERY DAY FOR ETERNITY! 

(I'd actually added, in my journal,"I wonder if there'll be bush warblers in Heaven?")

THIMBLES

I told you about poking myself with the needle when working on Raymond's gym clothes. I remember wishing for a thimble then. My first thought when looking at thimbles was about how bulky and restrictive they were, how I never wanted to put stuff like that on my finger when sewing! But now I see that with it, you're not afraid of poking yourself so can sew with much more ease of mind and speed. Trials God may choose for us, altho' they seem uncomfortable and undesirable at first glance, may actually be the protection and blessing we really need.

I think for American girls pondering spending life in Japan, it can apply to cultural surroundings, too.  Sometimes the very "do's and don't's, the can's and can't's, can be our guidelines to the "get-to's" God has for our greatest happiness! When things come up "Why can't I do this here in Japan?", remember, "maybe it's so I won't hurt myself and so I'll be more effective in being a living testimony for God's glory?"

SPRINGS AND CISTERNS

John 4:14, from the story of the woman at the well in Sychar: "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a WELL OF WATER SPRINGING UP into everlasting life." and "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, OUT OF HIS BELLY shall flow rivers of living water." (Jn. 7:38) There's this picture of ABUNDANT, ANIMATED, PULSATING life, not just "sufficient".

And "As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: ALL MY SPRINGS ARE IN THEE" (Ps. 87:7) ANY praise, overflow, originates in the Lord Himself! At the same time, it's irrepressible and results in geysers of praise, I felt, and saw the music bursting out in my life as just that.

But when I got to church and sat down at the piano, going through the morning numbers to "warm up" for worship service accompanying, I realized my two-week's rest had resulted in my fingers getting stiff.... I don't know how to describe the dismay I felt at the realization I couldn't do things on the keyboard I had been finally able to do two weeks ago! And it hit me.

That morning, I'd also been taken to Jer. 2:3: "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me the FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS, and hewed them out cisterns, BROKEN CISTERNS, that can hold no water." My immense loss of joy--wasn't it because I had taken my eyes off HIM WHOM MY SOUL WANTED TO ADORE IN SONG and made an idol of the increasing ability (piano-playing technique) to do so instead? While practicing, I usually didn't think about fellowshipping with others present; while practicing, I felt meeting my children's needs were interruptions, irritations; how was practicing then different from any other obsession?

That morning's message was from Hab. 1:1b, but the Japanese translation made it much more clear:

"making his own strength his god". It was like I'd emphasized in the Sunday School lesson that morning: as God gave Eve as a helpmeet, but it resulted in sin, so often we receive blessings from God and turn them into idols. It hit me God had sent me "finger-freedom", and I was turning it into heart-shackles instead! It was like God spoke a strong, "Stop, June, right now, before you go too far and mess up the good thing I wanted to send you." Oh for a balance between "enjoy" and "idolize"!

God, I guess, saw my heart. That night was English service. We sang "Shout to the Lord", choruses like: "I'm So Happy", "Give Me Oil In My Lamp", "Isn't He Wonderful", "He's Able"--and I found myself singing all over the world (you know, notes that aren't on the songsheet) again, doing descants (by myself, tunes I've been dying to sing since a long time ago but never had the courage to take off on alone).

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Wednesday, I shared with the church ladies about a person I met in college. Her name was Julie Keyt. We'd never met before, but knew about each other through a mutual friend. Most people, when introducing themselves, say normal things like, "Hi. I'm (name goes here). Nice to meet you." Not Julie. The first sound out of her mouth--accompanied by uninhibited gesturing--was, "...and UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS!"

I remember thinking, "I can tell we're going to be real good friends!" But I haven't heard from her in two decades. I wonder what her last name is now? And what kind of situation she might find herself in? Everlasting arms of love--oh Lord, I found myself crying, may they be very real to her even now.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

Friday morning was my "hata toban" day (mothers take turns at crosswalks. Before the kids came, I saw sparrows--on rooftops, on T.V. antennaes, on telephone lines--and began singing "The Birds upon the Treetops" as well as 「そらのとりは」,then went onto singing「イエスのみうでに」.Perhaps there were others, I don't remember. But what I DO remember was when the children came to cross the road, I couldn't help smiling and 「おはようございます」-ing. Something inside said, "I don't care if I'm not supposed to be overly expressive; I'm happy, and I've gotta show it!"

God sends birdies to lighten my spirits, melodies to cheer my heart, then smiles to seal it all--thank You, God!

NERVE WORK

 At any rate, I've seen this year that God can 

1. use physical pain to help us forget emotional stressors...but then He 

2. helps us forget even that physical pain!

Wow. And He doesn't specialize in just helping us FORGET negatives, but He opens our eyes to things we didn't even know to ask for!

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of your calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." (Ephe. 1:18)

DISCOMFORT PEARL

Back. I gotta share something with you pretty directly related to your mail yesterday. About not writing about my physical condition several months ago. I decided to stop using the word "pain" and substituted it with "discomfort". My daughter Emily's been praying for me every night that God would help me forget the pain. After the evening meal last night (we had two MK's over), I was absent-mindedly wrapping on the medical corset (over my clothes) to do the dishes, when one of them asked, "It still hurts?" I wanted to respond, "Of course it still hurts! It has since July!" And then it occurred to me although the "pain" is still around all day every day, I NO LONGER NOTICE IT! (That's why I didn't mention it in the last letter to you! When you mentioned it, I was surprised!) It's like an invariable, a background noise, and my conscious life has been adapted around it, so it really DOES NOT MATTER MUCH ANYMORE! God not only has been answering Emily's "forget pain" prayer--I don't even find it a "discomfort"; just a "constant"! My email didn't mention it, and you hoped that was a good sign? Absolutely!

The "discomfort" was the grain of sand in the oyster (clam?); God transformed it into a beautiful pearl (the former discomfort is no longer an irritation, even cause for thought; I'm not omniscient God, but methinks much of my present understanding/enjoyment of God's Love/Christian Joy is owing to my physical condition). Oh the genius of God!

CAN-DO vs. CAN-BE

Philippians 3:1-4 is too often used to support accomplishing tasks for God but reading the entire text seems to say I CAN BE CONTENT in all circumstances. Natural man may say, "health" consists in being well; scripture seems to say "being robust" isn't bound by physical wellness (it no longer matters) but you can love life to the fullest, so much so that it "overspills" to others! Natural man says, "wealth" consists in possession; the Bible says man, in God, can gain all his desires--unlimited by human attainment! There's so much more, but I'm falling into that mental-analytical trap again so will stop here.

MISPLACED VALUES

God tells us to fill our minds with good things: true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). But most of the things on the air talk of negative news, and even the "positives" are MISPLACED VALUES, when you think about it. (Nature, delicacies, traditions, family, courage, patriotism...things that seem to say, "YOU DON'T NEED GOD TO BE HAPPY!") I think the media has most of us fooled into thinking the world's SHADOWS are reality...when Christians ought to know that God is THE LIGHT--true reality, and things of the world are SHADOWS that form when that light has been rejected!

GARDEN TIME

I call devotions "Garden Time" now. I got to the place where I was enjoying it TOO much, wanting to "stay in the garden" and "short circuit" with blessing...instead of listening to the Lord's voice to "leave the garden" and "magnetize" others to Himself (sorry about the mixed metaphors!)

This morning, I realized, in this age of cell phones, we Christians have "portable" "gardens" too to carry around all day - SONGS! Instant worship, instant praise, instant prayer, instant fellowship, instant emotional intimacy...even if the mad rush of the day cannot afford LONG CONCENTRATED time blocks, singing only takes a few moments! YES!

(Of course, while all this is provided for our hearts' enjoyment, a diet of ONLY songs will result in a shallow soul, needing instant gratification!) I'd made the addition in my own notebook and needed to write it here as well. I'd also noted the following:

Songs, by themselves, will only add; there really should be scripture so memorized that the hymns themselves bring echoes of that inspired word! (Often that works on reverse too, since songs can holp with scripture memorization.) 

Something that came to me last night: I thot I dreaded housework. Long story short--IF that housework time is enjoyed, not for itself, but for the melodies hummed and praises sung during that time, it can actually become an EXTENSION of "Garden Time" begun in the early morning! Then, I can enjoy time in the Word almost all day AND NOT FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT; after all, I'm taking care of all other responsibilities in the meantime too! Added plusses: 1. Place will always be presentable for unexpected ministry; 2. The family benefits if it's clean and straightened; 3. I will feel better.

So...will go "portable gardening" now. Bye!

    Washing while I whistle,

    Pressing while I praise,

    Sweeping while I sing,

    Brightening home and heart!

Devotional BICYCLE

The time I learned to ride a bicycle (3rd grade), we lived next to a huge parking lot that was a paradise to ride around in. I remember one afternoon, on my bicycle on the sidewalk about to turn the corner and come home, my “mental computer” jammed. I saw a post man—there was no e-mail; we wrote letters back then—walking in my direction. If I turned the corner, I would run straight into him. I COULDN’T!!! My brain froze. Instead of turning the handle, I let the bicycle plow on straight ahead…into the car parked at the curb!

Bonk. (Good thing my child’s bicycle wasn’t going very fast anyway.) The bicycle’s rubber wheels hit the car’s metal fenders, spilling me onto the grass. The mailman came running, questions flying.

“What are you doing? Are you all right? What happened?” 

“I…I saw you…I was going to turn the corner…But if I did, I knew I would run into you, and I didn’t want to do that, so I didn’t know what to do and so kept going straight” (like the time I stayed on the bus and went all the way to the terminal!) 

“Why didn’t you just put on the brakes?”

“I…yeah…uh…I didn’t think about it.” I didn’t know what to say, really.

I think he saw I wasn’t hurt (except my silly pride) and sent me back home reminding me to use the brakes next time. I can’t remember too clearly. That’s a memory I don’t often think about, try to forget, actually; don’t really know why I’m sharing it with you. Perhaps it’s to show if God can choose things this foolish to serve Him and to glorify himself—all He asks is that we say, okay God, YOU DO YOUR THING, because I’ve proven I can make a mess doing mine.

Devotional THE POOR LITTLE THING

Sarah, my daughter's friend, was a spirited, adventurous personality. One Sunday afternoon when she was a toddler, we couldn’t find her in any of the church rooms—even closets--; rooms at the house, around the trees in the yard.... And she’d shown up on her tricycle, where she’d gone across the street by herself! 

Sarah had 3 older brothers—she was a tough one, but her heart hadn’t forgotten its quick soft smile, and she and Emi were fast friends. One day, one of her brothers was teasing her to an extreme, it seems, such that it brought Emi to tears.

"Stop that! No more!" she wailed, and the mother came rushing into the room; the siblings had to explain that no one had been mean to Emi, and they had to calm her down!

Then there was the day Sarah found a dead baby bat. Most little girls would be screaming at the sight of a rat, but Sarah shed tears for “the poor little thing.”

Adults might look at these two girls—one who would cry for a dead animal, and one for a teased friend—and conclude they were just immature.

I wonder if their tears show their hearts were still tender, and they hadn’t yet lost the ability to express love? Maybe THEY were still rich, and we “mature” adults are the actual “poor little things”?)

Devotional PEARLY’S FLOWERS (Written May7,2022)

 When my daughter gave me my first grandchild, Kinya and I were asked to go over to help out about three times a week.

The background? I wanted to draw a flower garden but didn’t know how so just cut out the sketch of the baby and plopped it on my Bible cover. Well, of course I felt prayers he would find life in the Word.

I found that picture of “Pearly” and took just the pink gladiolas she pointed to with her tail. And I gave it to the young parents, congratulating them for their new arrival. They told me the picture was perfect, since they wouldn’t have to worry about the pollen and insects as if I’d given living plants.

Not only that, Naoki, my son-in-law, liked the flowers so much, he right away double-stick-taped them to the baby’s crib musical mobile motor, and it fit just right.

I could almost hear Pearly saying with approval, “Looks purrrrfect!”

I’d started serious drawing in May 2021, and that was June, just one month later. I’m sure Naoki had no idea what a big encouragement he’d been.

God gives us encouragements, in even the littlest things, doesn’t He?

Devotional FLIGHT STUFF

On board when I was a Baby:

Most people don’t know what the pilots’ quarters look like, because now they’re sealed off from passengers’ cabins. Did you know that a long time ago—I’m talking 1960; I don’t know what it’s like now—there was a sleeping area back there so that for overnight flights, the pilot and co-pilot could take turns resting while they set their side of the instrument panel on automatic flight control?

How do I know? My mother told me about a flight when I was a year old, and my sisters were two years old and only a few months old. A helpful flight crew, seeing my parents’ situation, gave them the pilots’ bunk cubbyhole. So my folks were able to stretch out their legs, and we were able to crawl onto their laps, nurse, or sleep all the way across the Pacific. And we had booked economy!

He cares for me.

On board as a Youth:

Does God see our problems? Yes, He sees, but let’s get back to the plane.

One morning, when I awoke—I’d been asleep on board—and looked out the plane window, it was dark. Just plain black. But we were flying into the morning, so gradually, it got brighter, and the tops of the clouds could be seen, slightly lighter gray than the surrounding ash. Then the blues came, then pretty pinks, and then all the light! Wait…what was that below? In the white billowy stuff was a teeny tiny, squarish opening of whispy threads. I kept looking hard at it, and after a while realized what it was: a tempest! Torrents of wind and rain engulfed the ship down there. Hm; I thought to myself. Fiascos that terrify human navigators are no bigger than postage stamps to Him Who rides the stormy skies and manages the seas!

He cares for me.

On board as an Adult:

Have you heard the illustration of the person “cured” of his terrible headache when his friend stepped on his foot? He was so busy thinking of the pain in his foot, he completely forgot about the pressure in his head.

Several years ago, just before getting on the plane, a terrible misunderstanding was mentioned, and during that flight, I was trying to read scripture and wrestling with God about it. The frustrating part was that our plane was flying over a minor typhoon, and some of the trip was so rough, even flight crew had to get strapped into their seats. The passengers seated to my side or across the aisle were sweating in their seats, but my mind was too full of my problem to be terrified, and the jostling upset me more that I couldn't read what I really needed.

I’m usually a fraidy cat big time when it comes to air turbulence, but this time, my mind was so full of another heart pain, it had no time to think about it! I guess God’s way of giving us the help we need is 100% effective. Perhaps sometimes in wisdom He even brings pain into our lives that actually weakens the blows of other fears!

This awesome God cares for me.

Devotional ISN'T IT UNCLEAN？

After I'd spending time with my daughter and grandson, the Lord reminded me not to neglect my own son. I remembered the e-mails I sent him in December, thought maybe I could do a repeat, or draw a nice picture of something he liked.

I rushed over to his room and asked what he was interested in. But as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn’t have. Sure enough, my son said, “FPS Gaming.” and pointed a gun with his fingers.

“A killing instrument God? For real?” God seemed to have led me to ask what to draw, but...”isn’t this an ABOMINATION, GOD?!”

For a few days, I tried stalling. Maybe God would give me another idea. I chose the paper, canvas, sizing, preparing, base coloring, drying, smoothing...until I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer, and God hadn’t given me any thoughts about what to do. Then I thought I’d add the theme of the roaring lion hunting the souls of men, transfixing their minds with spiritually insignificant battle...maybe this roaring lion could fight with the “lion the tribe of Judah”? Nah. Too much like “Lion King”, where Scar fights Simba. A Shepherd protecting His sheep from the lion would be better! But who was I kidding? Those ideas weren’t Heaven-sent but were my own desperate attempts to steer away from raw FPS.

I actually began drawing and painting the lion...but then God made the colors, lines, and textures so fit another painting, it was as if He declared if any lions were drawn, they should be kept there, not here, in this picture.

Doesn’t it look like he fits here, in a Safari?

So I threw up my hands mentally and said all right God; You know what You’re doing. I’m just going to draw the picture then, and did, drawing my son’s chair in the dark--from the back. I pretty much kept the computer display down to a firing mechanism, a horizon with some clouds, and an approaching ogre-like figure.

Along with the picture, I sent my son an e-mail. “I hope you know your mother well enough by now to know this is not saying I think violence is ok as long as it’s only a game. It’s still wrong. But I love you, want you to be all you can be, and want you to know I want to spend time with you, okay?”

The next day, for the worship service message, it was as if God sent His approving smile. The text was from Acts 10. Barry Potter said Peter too had responded to God’s voice: “Rise, kill, and eat.” with an unequivocal “No!” In God’s patient dealings with Peter, I don’t know if Peter stalled or came up with his own “clever” ideas and slippery dodges, like I tried...until he too agreed with the Lord: ”What God has cleansed, call not unclean.”

In the text, it was shown how Peter was able, right after that, to show peace by Jesus Christ to Cornelius and the Gentiles. (Acts 10:36)

Details may differ, but when our Lord tells us to do something that goes against our grain, we need to swallow pride in our past and just obey Him. Maybe then God can show others the peace of Christ through us too.

Devotional NIBBLING ALL DAY LONG

Today, as I was watching the mallards at Step Creek look for bugs at the bottom of the creek; forage for food on the side of the slope near the waterfall; I said to myself…they are looking for food all the time, getting teeny tiny mouthfuls at a time, staying alive that way. No wonder they’re in shape. I rarely see an obese bird.

And I said to myself, hm; we Christians should learn from the mallards—you have to keep nibbling life all the time. You don’t just ingest truth at Worship Service or Sunday School or Midweek Prayer Meeting. Some people think they are good Christians if they pray before meals or at bedtime. To others, an even better Christian discipline is to start each day with “quiet time”.

But it’s gotta be smiling with the Father and whispering with Him all day long, to really stay in any Father-Son relationship. Nothing else really works—and actually, once tasted, nothing else will do.

Devotional WHY SERPENTS, FATHER?

Snakes. It seems to be these creatures are what God has been talking to me about recently. And I think the light bulb that finally turned on in my mind was the concept: God permits evil to fulfill His purposes.

l White Snake from the ceiling – When I opened my eyes from a nap, I saw one looking down at me from the ceiling. I screamed, and threw up my futon at it, “smothered” it. Kinya told me I’d been asleep until he sneezed, when I’d let out a yelp and woke up. God may’ve chosen some of my spouse’s seeming “wisdom of a snake” ways knowing someone like Kinya would be needed to watch over me.

l Tai & Lenny in part 4 of my book – at first, I thought, does the Father not want the public to read about these animals, or what? Then I realized: my being an outcast from others had led to unique friendships with these two snakes in the park, had it not? (Maybe I’ll share about it later. ) No; He definitely wanted them written.

l “Kaa’s Hunt” was what I read then in the “Jungle Book”. I wasn’t sure how to respond to this, because the snake Kaa is shown as a powerful and almost scary spell-binding force, but he did come to their rescue. That made me think: great potential for evil can be turned, in the Hands of the Almighty, to protect the righteous.

l Snakes Nag & Nagaina come up later. Hadn’t seeming danger and sinister threat ended up making a timid mongoose like Rikki Tikki Tavi, who began the tale half-drowned, into a gallant life-saver himself? God knows just what we need to make us what we need to become. And usually, that includes things we may find distasteful.

God permits evil to work good ends. Isn’t that the message behind the redemptive work of the Bronze Serpent in the Wilderness? Fiery serpents were sent among the people to bite and inflict suffering and death, yet looking to an image of the creature of agony was supposed to bring deliverance. The serpent, in the Garden of Eden, enticed the woman—and all mankind—to suffering and death—yet the seed of the woman, crushed the head of the serpent; if we look to Him in faith, altho’ it looks like the narrow way is the way of suffering, we too can find deliverance. 

And, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Devotional COUNTERFEITS （I'm not trying to be John Bunyan; I really dreamed this!）

 But they were going after the wrong things.

One night, for some reason, I dreamed I was a teenage-boy...who would sneak out of his bedroom window at night and spend several hours with shady characters downtown, then climb back into the room so that the next morning, my parents found me in bed and never caught on to what I was doing.

In my dream, I was at my window about to make another trip to the city when I heard some whispering in the backyard. From what I could gather, my father had stored some boxes there labeled "light bulbs", "lampshades", or "extension cords", but they really contained classified armament. These men had taken these crates to the van on the curb and replaced them with identical cartons of light bulbs, shades, cords...then hired amateur thugs to steal them!

The next morning, my father hired a detective to hunt down the burglars who had left incriminating evidence all over the place. With these clues in hand, they set off to find the thieves and stolen goods. I heard my father muttering, "If only I can get them back...my problems will be solved." But they wouldn't, I knew. They were counterfeits to begin with; new problems would commence when they were found. I woke up then.

"Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labors for that which satisfieth not?" (Isa.55:2)

Devotional EXPIRATION DATE

This morning, I got up at 5:45. I wanted to hurry and eat my salad purchased at the convenience store yesterday afternoon – it had an expiration time of 8 a.m., Feb. 6, so to be safe, I wanted it eaten by 6. (They eat salad for breakfast in Japan.) Altho’ it had been put in the refrigerator as soon as I got home from the store yesterday, who knows how many hours had passed between the time the vegetables were cut, packed, and combined with the shredded chicken distributed to the store, set out on the stand, etc…

Who knows how much earthly time passes between the formation of…hm; I began thinking of what goes into Divine preparation of one human soul, and it doesn’t even start with his birth. It doesn’t start with his formation inside his mother’s womb. It doesn’t even start with his parents’ getting together. It doesn’t begin with influences like personalities influencing their being able to meet and marry, nor with factors like economics and politics affecting whether their families will even live within close proximity of each other. The God of the Ages navigates forces in history like the movement of people and formation of continents and languages, according to the beginning of Genesis. And if you want to see things logically, it is the same God that actually created the universe and all things called “life”. So…the “expiration date,” when creatures will be hearing “time up” and know they have to be shuffled off to eternal torment or everlasting bliss—that may come within the next 90 years or so, “but who knows how many ‘hours’—eons--have passed before that creature ever appeared on the shelf of life?”

Most people have no idea God has put that much time and thought in preparing for them.

We need to prepare to meet Him—before our time expires.

Devotional TROUBLED TEENS, WASTED OPPORTUNITIES

Recently, I viewed several programs where unruly teenagers are encouraged by others who had grown up in much less privileged situations—some had endured poverty or constant physical threat, with no family-home-security. These youths go back to their former chaotic lives and belligerent no-care attitudes determined not to let go of the opportunities handed them.

  Thousands would give their right arm to own Bibles. What am I doing with mine? How many would die to live in a house with cement walls, carpeting, running water (hot showers?!) electricity, refrigeration, cooking flame, air conditioning and heating, a lock and doorbell. Am I grateful—really? What am I doing to share it? (Okay; it’s rented; not really “mine” so there are limitations. Lame excuse.) Do I have any idea what can be done on a laptop? What percentage of it am I doing with it? How many would cry to have siblings, spouses, children who knew the Lord? Who said they had to be perfect—indeed, even God declares they will not be this side of glorification—but what am I doing with them? “And June, some people do not have the brains, body parts, senses, that you possess;” I seemed to hear. “What are you doing with those opportunities?”

  Oh God—stop! No more!

  Just one more, June. After the churches in Okinawa, your parents were led to Inter-City, a fellowship who would not throw away missionaries on the field even if they had questionable stands but lovingly waited to talk with them on furlo. During college, God showed you Mt. Calvary, a small (then) Bible-loving assembly. Back to Japan, you were involved with the vibrant young people at Megumi, those mature strong warriors at Koriyama, then the zealous witnesses at Bethel. Now the earnest cornucopia of MCC is what your Father is handing you.

  These opportunities June, your Father has painstakingly chosen for you. I hope you realize that you are loved and worth it. Those teens often couldn’t hold back tears of blessed resolve either. June, are you going to just criticize those who are rebellious and you think you are better than, or are you going to be grateful for what you have been given and make the most of them in living for Me?

  I found I couldn’t speak a word—but I knew God knew what my answer was.