Above is a picture of our daily Japanese stretching time. We listen to a song in Japanese that directs us how to stretch ( I do not understand most of the Japanese, but I follow Ai-Sensai who is stretching next to me on the right). This is one of the many cultural activities that we share. Stretching is important enough for every Japanese student to take a break from their very busy schedule and stretch each morning.
Much like our muscles needing to be pulled, sometimes in an uncomfortable way, I am realizing that our lives with Christ need to be stretched daily as well. The more we are stretched (especially when we think something is impossible) the more we are forced to depend on the wonderful grace of Christ Jesus, and not on our always tempting works of our own flesh.
One practical way that this happens is through Covenant Community School International. CCSI is a school that is constantly stretching. It has too, to survive as one of the few (possibly only) schools in the country to combine a Christian education with homeschooling, as well as an English section of the school and a Japanese section. There are many times where I do not know where the time, money, energy, people, wisdom, or help is going to come from, yet in my short 8 months here God has continually provided abundantly for this school. There are times when it is uncomfortable for the staff, students, and/or parents, and each time God provides answers and resources. Please pray for all of us, as this school is stretched and God continually provides. Pray for Robert Stewart, for wisdom, as he is the headmaster of the school. Please pray for Ai-san as she is not only teaching the Japanese children full-time, but also creating a Japanese-Christian elementary curriculum and helping with most of the many translating needs of a bilingual school. Please pray for the 21 students, that they would grow in their understanding of God’s grace and that they would share Christ’s love with many.
I (Eric) went to my first baseball game in Japan a few weeks ago with Dice and Isaac. I had a great cultural experience. Baseball fans here are very passionate and it’s great to watch! There is a section that the fans were on their feet and yelling each time their team hits! Each player has his own cheer, which the fans chant until the players at-bat is over.
Right before the middle of the 7th inning, I started to here squeaks all around me. I looked around and I saw everyone blowing up balloons (which we somehow missed). So I pulled out my camera for you to see what I saw.
Before researching baseball in Japan, I had no idea that there was anyone in the world that pitches underhand in men’s professional baseball, until I saw this guy.
It’s fun to be in a stadium, in any culture, when everyone is cheering together. I think it is a small glimpse of what heaven will someday be like. However, instead of a few thousand fans cheering for a baseball team, may it be millions of people worshipping our Lord God Almighty! On this note, please pray for many in Japan to worship ?? or “Kami Sama.”
I have had fun the last few days looking through old photos of Noa when she was Martha’s age. It’s funny, I feel like the photos of her look more like Martha than of Noa (as I know her now). Having a daughter a second time around is such fun. It’s nostalgic to dress Martha in the same things that Noa wore, and so sweet to remember that time in Noa’s life while enjoying this time in Martha’s. And I love it that they look so much alike. One day soon I will post “matching” photos of them and you can see if you can tell who is who… I don’t know if I could if I couldn’t see the context of the photo. For now, I here are two sweet ones of the girls with my mom. Most of the time, this is how she is with babies, just talking away and getting them to talk and smile right back. It’s precious to watch.
a year and a half ago:
a few days ago:
I absolutely love watching our girls interact. Although Noa has been very aware of and attentive to Martha since she was born, Martha seems to be more and more aware of and amused by Noa every day. She watches her while she moves around the room, smiles when her face comes into focus, and, in general, seems to like her big sister and take all her antics in stride. I wish there was a way to capture in photos the sweetness of their interaction. I can’t, but here are a few pictures that I took the other day while they “played”… such precious moments!
oh wow, these girls are growing up so fast and becoming more and more aware of each other every day. Noa continues to make my heart melt as she tries to see to the needs of her sister and just loves to love on her. Here she is helping Martha get ready to go and trying to pick up her seat.
“silly big sister…you can’t lift me yet!”
priceless smile
our little china doll. Thank you, Uncle Joel, for getting this for Noa in Hong Kong!
Can you tell these two are related? Happy Birthday to Uncle Seth and Uncle Jonathan today!!!
translation: “Pretty”
Last week Eric surprised me with a gift in celebration of 1000 days of being married and came home with this fun new jewelry. Noa just LOVED it all and couldn’t wait to put it on… she didn’t even want to get down from her seat, she was so excited. This girl just loves accessories! Almost every day she comes to me with a ribbon or scarf that she wants in her hair, or she asks for my necklace, rings, or earings (the ones in the photos are some clip-ons that I found for her to play with). Its so fun to watch her become such a girly girl, and its fun to be girly with her. Now, she points out my ponytail, or my wedding ring, or my painted toenails and says, “piddy, piddy”.
*I hope you’re ready, Aunt Mary Stuart, for a little niece who will definitely want lessons in jewelry making 
