Through the New Testament in the 40 Days of Lent

Leta asked me today "... is there some secret as to how to find the daily whatever they are called . . . you know, 28 minute sections?"

Possibly the Audio Scriptures on MP3 disc is broken down into sections... but my secret is a timer. I set the count-down timer on my phone for 28 minutes and when it rings I go to the end of the chapter.

Yesterday I listened to Matthew 1 -6. My plan is to listen to Matthew, Hebrews, James; Mark, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude; Luke, Acts, the Pauline Epistles; John, 1,2 and 3 John, Revelations.

Happy ending

"After awhile these hot-water bottles are as useful as a half-inch candle on an iceberg."

- Ruth Dix, missionary

China, January 23, 1951

Intrepid

When I read Ruth Dix's words last night I thought of this photo my husband took at the end of January. Its not really been a very cold year - in fact its been downright mild here in Aomori. But our cat clearly feels that we don't keep the house warm enough to suit her! She did actually get down (quickly!) shortly after this photo was taken.

I'm reading Ronald Clements' book "Point me to the Skies" - a book I wish I could share with all my friends who wonder where God is when it hurts. 1951 was a difficult year in China and Ruth Dix was leaving under duress when she spoke those words. But life went on... and there was a happy ending.

Resolution for Lent

This year I've decided to listen through the New Testament (in Japanese) during the 40 days of Lent.

A few weeks ago when I was looking for a downloadable Chinese New Testament I happened onto http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com and discovered their "You've Got the Time" 40 day program for listening through the New Testament.

So here I am today. Starting...

The measure of a man

"You can tell the measure of a man by how much it takes to discourage him."

I looked this up so that I could credit the author, but a number of people seem to have said this in a lot of different ways.

I was thinking about it today. Why do people give up so easily on things they should stick to like glue... and then, conversely, refuse to give up on ideas that are obviously - to every one looking on - not worth it. Sometime even positively wrong.

O, for discernment!

Who builds the church?

A few weeks ago my husband's cousin wrote:

In the context of your quote, I thought you might also enjoy a simpler but profound quotation from a 40-year veteran of the work... :

"Jesus did not say, 'Build my church';
He said, 'You will be my witnesses;
I will build my church.'"

The more excellent way...

What is church really about?

I wish I had faith to remove mountains...

...but there's something more important that we all need more.

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Breaking the rule

I never watch tv. When my husband and I married - for philosophical and educational reasons - we chose not to have a tv. This is a topic on which I could write at length. But not today.

It's the university spring vacation and, frustrated with my lack of progress in Chinese, I actually fell prey to that old saw about tv improving language. Furthermore, I've actually broken my own rule and have been watching Chinese tv dramas online.

Its funny, one of the reasons I don't watch tv is because I don't believe the media encourages independent thought. But somehow my thoughts will always run their own course! The drama I've been watching the last few days ( 刁蛮公主 / Diao Man Gong Zhu ) is comedy full of kung fu and political intrigue. But its also about power vs justice and fearlessness... and its making me think of things far away from Chinese courts.

Power in the church... that's a funny thing to think about here in my little corner of Japan. But I've been thinking about it for several weeks now... at the same time as I've been listening to (the OM short list) Romans 12, Galations 5, Ephesians 5, Philippians 2, 4, Colossians 3, Hebrews 12, 2 Timothy 2 and trying to memorize 1 Corinthians 13 in four languages. Its an instructive exercise. And believe me, I'm thinking hard.

クッキー作り (Making cookies!)

Daughter # 1 has been sending photographic records of her daughter's development again... this time making cookies.

楽しいね!

Typical kid!

I'll be surprised if this one doesn't get caught with her hand in the cookie jar more than once!

Personally, I think making cookies is therapeutic for mother and child. (I once had a recipe for "Agression Cookies" to make with your child after a crisis.) But it might be wiser to give them to some lonely friend or neighbor than to put them in the cookie jar.

夜更かし

ダディと一緒に食事です

Late night dinner with Daddy... Baba approves!

I've learned to value schedules and rhythms and order in life. But flexibility is also important. Some things are just too important to lose by rigidly keeping to the schedule and "Daddy time" is one of those things. (This one's Daddy is a policeman with a schedule as crazy as any Doctor's!)

Wishing for snow...

Erin LOVES her newly aquired sled. Sadly, there's no snow to take it out on...

Of course, that didn't stop little Munchkin from climbing on and requesting a ride with tears and loud supplication. (Message from Daughter # 1 in Sapporo... and now Daughter # 3 is wondering out loud what will happen to the Sapporo Snow Festival this year.)

Over and over....

It's still test season at the University... and I'm still thinking about life's "tests".

Last Friday the young man who sits in front of me asked for help with his English homework and confessed it was his second time taking the course. A goodly portion of my Chinese class last semester repeated the course this semester. (Even though I, with my huge Kanji handicap, passed! Sometimes its a matter of plain hard work.) A young lady near and dear to me is taking the same computer course for the third time!

I don't think any of them chose to repeat but the curriculum requires it.

When we fail a lesson, God does let us go sometimes. But perhaps some lessons are just too important ... it finally occurred to me a few years ago that if I found myself in the same hard circumstances over and over, I might want to ask myself what the lesson was and apply myself to learning it. If its part of God's core curriculum for me, I might just find myself taking the same test - ready or not - year after year!

Winter walk... Mt. Iwaki from the rice fields

Unlike us, God has all the time in the world... when we're feeling recalcitrant it behooves us to remember he can outwait us every time.