I'm having flashbacks to 2006 when my little lemon went caput on 465 just as I was leaving the airport, heading back to IWU after Easter break. That was a warmup for this, apparently. Haha. My car's dying, my roommates are moving, and we don't know exactly what to do about the thing. So prayers for direction, for my poor car's healing, for people, for money, for anything towards my car are a HUGE encouragement and support at the moment.
Some quick updates on life here in Japan:
I went to my first onsen on Tuesday--the Miyazawako Onsen. Wikipedia has a nice summary if you'd like to learn more about them. Public bathhouses. Relaxation. In the mountains. I felt like I was at the cabin again, which brought joy to my heart, of course. Anne Marie and I went Tuesday and it was a wonderful experience, so counter-American cultural and unlike anything I've been to before. It was a spa, vamped up. Beautiful.
Friendships are continuing to grow in each class and in church. Quickly, my weekly schedules are becoming filled with activities and lunch dates and shopping trips with these ladies. Conversation is coming more easily and they are more than eager to help me with my Japanese (which is also improving quite a bit!) and get so excited when I use any Japanese words. I can certainly see the Lord moving because I know I am doing nothing different/special/etc.
This, too, was exciting: This week during our chapel times in class we discussed the story of Zaccheus. Even though the little tune pops into my head from time to time, it's not often that I think about that story. But this week, we talked about the tax collector for the last few minutes of class. The ten verses came alive for me and I feel like I've learned something as well about the awesome love of Jesus. That Zaccheus, a liar and a thief, disliked by all, was welcomed into the family of God. That Jesus stopped, knowing the man was in the tree, looked up, and said "Zaccheus, I'm coming to your house for dinner--I don't care that you're one of the dirtiest, most distrusted men in town." That's so exciting to me! How publicly and decidedly and blatantly the Lord shows that he loves everybody. And I got to share that excitement with the classes. And I think a few of them caught the excitement because in every class, people asked questions when I was finished. "So Jesus was a kind person?" "Did everyone know who Jesus was?" Questions about Jesus. And you know, more than likely, this little story didn't make them want to love Jesus, too. But it got them asking questions. They were asking questions!
It's huge.
Just a quick update, but I wanted to let you know a bit of what's going on. This will be another busy week, including tomorrow night's dinner with the Saginuma class, a trip to the flea market in Shinjuku with Seul Kee on Saturday, all day at Hi-BA camp with Anne Marie on Monday and then classes will consume Tuesday and Wednesday, as always. Not to mention having to work with my wonderful support system at home to figure out what to do with my little lemon.
Thank you all :)
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