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Part of my job as a missionary is to give chapel
speeches at school. Currently there are 4 missionaries at Luther so
we all take turns going. Below are my speeches. I choose the
bible passage that is read before the speech. The speeches are
translated into Japanese and the translator and I take turns reading.
That is the reason for the spaces. Plans for the
Future - September '07 |
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Plans for the Future - September 2007 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11 When I was a little girl people used to wonder what the year 2020 would be like. Would there be cars flying in the sky instead of driving on the ground? Would there be moving sidewalks to take people every where they want to go? Would we be able to make perfect copies of humans? Would there be people living on the moon? Some of these ideas are a little “out there” however, some of them are more real than we think they are, and some of them are already happening. As a little girl, I used to think that the future was such a scary idea and sometimes it still is. Sometimes people try to delay the future or pretend that it is not coming…but the future is inevitable. It will happen whether we want it to or not. For some of us, the future is much closer than we may want it to be. Some of you will be graduating in 6 months and taking the next step in your life. Many of you may not know what that next step is. That next step may seem scary. In many ways, you and I are more similar than you think. Like you, I am thinking of my future, because, like you, I will be leaving in 6 months. However, unlike you, I will not just be leaving Luther, I will be leaving Japan. With the future quickly coming, I have many of the same questions and doubts, worries and fears as you do. It’s hard to be happy when you are constantly thinking, “is this the last time that I will do this?” And it’s stressful to constantly think about, where you will live and what you will do… I thought that if I told you all that I am going back to America in April, it would make everything seem so much more real, and time would fly by even faster than it already is. And if I didn’t tell you, I could pretend that it wasn’t happening and I could keep things just the way they are now. But someone helped me to think differently. Thinking of leaving Luther makes me sad, and now it is more of a reality, but the future will come, and it will be good too; different, but good. What IS important is NOT to dwell on the sadness, but to make the best of what we have time we have left together, here in this wonderful place. It’s important that we live each day to the fullest and not take advantage of the little things, because you never know, it may be the last. I urge you to cherish every moment, and don’t worry about the future just yet. If you are constantly living in the future now, then you will loose the present, you will loose the chance at making many memories. So, make memories while you have the chance. Spend time with the people that are important to you. And in the year 2020, we can look back on the good ole days at Luther High School and smile. God has many good things in store for us. He has a plan for our lives. Matthew Chapter 6 verse 34 says, “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”
Being a Missionary - July 2007 This speech was given to the Seniors at their Religious Retreat When I first came to Japan, people always asked me why I came here, and I didn’t have a real answer. Here it is, four years later, and I still don’t have an answer. I know it’s silly, but I just don’t! You often hear in chapel about God calling you or leading you to do something. That is probably how I ended up here at Luther. God picked up the phone and called me to go to Japan!! Although, many of you probably think that I chose to come Luther, I didn’t. Five months before I graduated from college, my campus Chaplin and I were talking, when she told me that I should go to Japan after graduation. “Why?” I asked her and she told me that over the past few years, she had heard me speak so fondly of my times in Japan as a high school student. She also knew that I had studied a lot about Japan with my business major. I didn’t even realize that I talked about it that much, but her words made sense to me, so I asked the next obvious question… “How?” It was then that she told me about the J3 Program with the American and Japanese Evangelical Lutheran Church. Ok…I’ll admit, she caught my interest – I wanted to know more about it. So she said that it’s a 2 year commitment and that I would be teaching English to students. Two years – not a big deal to me but immediately I said, “Oh, I’m not a teacher.” She told me that I should look into the program because there is more to do than just teaching. So that night, I wrote a letter to the American Church telling them that I was very interested in applying for the J3 program because I had been to Japan before and I loved it. I asked them for more information concerning the J3 program. And lucky me – I found out that they were looking to fill the position of NOT a teacher, but a youth director and a college bible program director. However, in the response that I got back, the man told me that I shouldn’t apply to go to Japan because I had been there before. I should “broaden my horizons” and look into going somewhere else in the world. I was very discouraged, but I thought about it for a while and decided to apply anyway. Just days before graduation I received a call from the American Lutheran church asking me to come to Chicago for an interview, so I caught a plane the day after the ceremony. I was so nervous. There were 3 people interviewing me at the same time and they were so intimidating. They were asking me difficult questions that I didn’t know how to answer because they still hadn’t told me which of the 2 jobs I was interviewing for. So finally I answered the next question with, “Well my answer depends on the job.” And the most intimidating person in the room said to me, “Teaching English – OF Course!!” And I thought I was going to have a heart attack at that very moment. Are you kidding – I’m not a teacher – I can’t teach – I have no experience… and sure enough the next question that they asked was, “Are you ESL Certified?” and I had to answer honestly, so I told them, “No.” Then they asked me if I had any teaching experience, and I said “No”. Then when my answer to the third question in a row was about to be no, I stopped to think. I remembered the words of a person that spoke at my college graduation just the day before, she said – and I will never forget- “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” So, instead of answering the third question with just NO, I said to them, “No, but God doesn’t choose people who are qualified for the job, He chooses a person, and then gives them the qualifications that are necessary for that job. I may not have the experience that is necessary, but I am a friendly and outgoing person who wants this job. I have the motivation and determination to accomplish anything that is put in front of me. I have a love for Japan that will not easily go away, and I am ready and willing to do what is necessary for this job.” – WAIT! Did I just say I wanted to become a teacher!?!?! I think that maybe God was putting words into my mouth. I left that interview thinking it was the worst interview of my life, but here I am today. Yes, I am a teacher. And even though I was not prepared to teach, I learned how. I may make mistakes, but each mistake is a learning experience. I am a teacher, but more than that I am a missionary. What is a missionary? The definition of a missionary is one who does mission. But what is mission? I ask that every day! The Oxford Dictionary says that mission is an important official job that a person or group of people is given to do, especially when they are sent to another country. What did God bring me here to Japan to do? What is my job as a missionary? I don’t feel like I am doing anything special. I am just being me. I came to Japan ready and willing to “teach” and “serve” but I think that I have been taught, served and given to 100 times more than I can possibly return. We are all like snowflakes, each one completely different and unique. Each person has their own individual talents and gifts that they bring to a situation. There are four missionaries at our high school and three at our college. There are also three J3 missionaries at our sister school, Kyu-Gaku and not one of us is the same – nor will we ever be the same. Different people, different personalities – different purposes, but we are all here to serve God. I think our mission in life is to be who we are to the best of our ability. You can do anything that you want to – don’t let your fears get in the way of your calling. In Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 4, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Isn’t it amazing that God knows each and every one of us and has a purpose for all of us, and, not only that, but He knew that purpose even before we were born? He has chosen us by name and has called us to mission. If we could all have the same zeal as Isaiah did in chapter 6 verse 8, and respond with “Here I am Lord, Send me!” So, God called me to Japan and I’m still not sure why. But I do know that if, during my time here, I was able to help someone accomplish their goals, lend a helping hand, or be there to comfort someone’s worries then I have done everything that I can do. I hope that I have learned as much as I have taught by being myself in every way that I can, and that I have fulfilled God’s mission in bringing me to Japan. In the spring I will return to America. I know that God is not finished with me. My mission will continue. I have a duty to teach people in America what my experiences here in Japan have taught me. I know this will not be an easy task, but I know that God will give me the words when the time comes. It is a challenge that I am ready to take!
Hiding in the Dark - June 2007 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. - John 3:20 Many of you know that my father is in the US Navy and that I have moved many times, in fact, I have had 24 different addresses. And I went to 12 different schools. One of my schools was heated by a huge coal-burning furnace. The entrance to the furnace room was down a dark, narrow stairway under the stage in the auditorium. One day when I got to school, I noticed the principal and several teachers standing near the top of those stairs. All of the students realized something serious had happened. We stood around our lockers trying to figure out what was going on. Soon after the bell rang for first period class, the principal called an assembly of the whole student body. He announced that the janitor had fortunately discovered a fire in a trashcan at the bottom of the stairs. After looking through the papers and other trash, the janitor had found the remains of a cigarette. Since neither the janitor, the principal nor any of the rest of the staff had been on the stairs that morning, he pointed out that a student must have thrown the cigarette away to keep from getting in trouble. Then, he warned everyone of the terrible danger we had all been exposed to and demanded that no one ever smoke in the building again. This incident shows us how evil hates the light. Whoever had been smoking on the stairs leading to the basement felt the need to hide. An adult would have simply gone outside to his car or walked around the block while smoking. Only a student would feel the need to hide in the darkness. He hid because he didn't want his "bad deed" to be exposed. Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve? Nothing has changed since they committed the very first sin thousands of years ago. As soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they hid. Of course, we look at their action and think, "How stupid can you get? Surely they knew God would find them!" But, don't we do the exact same thing? Instead of owning up to our sin and disobedience we try to hide it by making excuses or blaming others. Of course, our attempts at hiding our sins are about as effective as Adam and Eve's. God sees right through us. He calls us out into the open and insists that we expose ourselves to his holy light. Then, he does the very same thing he did for Adam and Eve. He forgives us and hides our sin. God hid Adam and Eve's nakedness by killing some animals and clothing them in their skins. He hides our sin behind the blood of His Son Jesus who died so we could be forgiven.
I Can Do it Myself - April 2007
29b
“So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards
Jesus. 30But when he looked around at the high waves, he was
terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. When I was a little girl, my favorite thing to say was, “I can do it myself”. I would not accept help from anyone. Even if it took a long time for me to do something, I would not let anyone help me. I was a very independent child. And I am sure that this drove my mother crazy! When it was taking me a long time to tie my shoes, my mom would try to help me, and I would say to her, “I CAN DO IT MY SELF.” When I would try to get things that were too far away, or too high, she would try and help me, but sure enough I would say to her, “I CAN DO IT MY SELF.” Eventually, my mom would start to tell me, “I know you can do it, but let me help you.” I also wanted to do everything that my friends were doing, especially the boys. I would not let anyone tell me that I couldn’t do it. To me, that was a challenge. If someone said to me, “you can’t carry that, you’re a girl,” I would surely prove them wrong. One day – I decided that I could climb the huge maple tree in my front yard higher that the boys could. Then one of the boys said to me, “I bet you can’t climb to the top”. I probably laughed at him. What was he thinking…of course I could!! So of course I had to prove him wrong, and even though the branches were getting smaller, and farther apart, and even though the wind was starting to blow, I kept going all the way to the top. I couldn’t let him know that I was getting scared! I finally got to the point where I couldn’t go any farther and everyone cheered, I looked down and realized how high I was and I got more scared. I couldn’t get down. It’s one thing to be able to pull your self higher while you can actually see where you are going, but it is completely different when the branches are so far apart that you can’t reach them – nor can you clearly see where they are. As the top of the tree was blowing in the wind – I realized that I couldn’t do this by myself and I had to ask for help. So my brother went to get my dad, and he climbed up to the top, and helped to guide my foot to the next branch, and so on, until I got to a point where I didn’t need help anymore. When I got to safe ground, I felt embarrassed that my dad had to come and help me, but that didn’t matter to my friends, they still thought that I was cool for climbing to the top of the gigantic tree! Upon coming to Japan, I often feel like a child again, helpless, and dependant on others. Many times I do not understand something and I need to ask someone to translate it for me. Or, I need to go somewhere, but I can’t read the map, and I need to ask the little lady walking down the street. Or I am waiting at the bus stop and I don’t know what bus to get on because I can’t read the Kanji. There are so many times on a daily basis that I need to ask someone to help me. At some point in my life I grew out of being the little girl who could do everything by herself and needed no one’s help, and grew into the girl who knows her limits and is not afraid to ask for help. It’s important to know when to challenge your-self and when to ask for help.
Let us pray:
Monsters Under the Bed - February 2007 22One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. 24The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” Luke 8:22-25 10So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 40:10 When you were a child what were you afraid of? Maybe some of you were afraid of clowns, or that your parents were going to leave you somewhere. Maybe you were afraid of the dark or that your green peppers were going to come alive and eat you. When I was little, my brother and I slept in our own separate rooms in our own beds. Often, children in America don’t sleep with their parents unless they have a very bad dream and even then, most parents take their teary-eyed children back to their own beds. As a child, on dark and storm nights as lightning bolted across the sky and thunder shook the window panes, I thought I would see shadows on the floor coming from under my bed. I wasn’t afraid of storms, in fact, I loved them. I did however think that I had monsters under my bed. When it was time to turn out the lights, I would run and dive into my bed and hide under my covers. I didn’t want the monster that I thought lived under my bed try to reach out and grab my ankles and pull me under the bed, where I would be lost in monster land forever. The faster I could get into bed and under the covers the safer I would be! Like many other children in America, I really thought there was a monster under my bed. Some children think that there is a monster in their closet, but in any case parents comfort their children with assuring words such as, “There are no such things as monsters. You don’t need to be afraid.” As we grow older the things that we are afraid of begin to change. Our monsters no longer live under our bed. Instead they come in the form uncertainty, like when someone close to us gets sick, and we have to wait for medical test results, or in the form of loneliness. Some monsters come in the form of money or maybe even death. Now, somehow our childhood monsters seem so menial. In any case – no matter how big or small our monsters seem to be, God is always there to strengthen us, help us, and to keep us safe. I have to admit that I’ve never come into contact with the creepy monster that lived under my bed as a child. Nor do my problems get so out of control that I can’t handle them. God knows my limits just as he knows each of your limits as well. There is nothing to fear with God in your life. So, go ahead and look under your bed; look all your troubles in their eyes and do not fear them. God will take all your monsters away. We can live fearlessly because we live with Christ.
Gifts From the Heart - December 2006
1After
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Harod, Magi
from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one
who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have
come to worship him.” Have you ever heard of the story of the Little Drummer Boy? It’s a popular cartoon that families all over America watch on TV every Christmas. Originally it was a song that was written back in 1958. The song was so popular that it was made into the clay-animation cartoon. Not only is the song one of my favorites, but I also watch the cartoon with my family every year! You all know the story of the birth of Jesus, right? Mary was pregnant and needed a place to have her baby; however they couldn’t find a place anywhere so Jesus was born in a stable. While in the stable, Baby Jesus had many visitors that followed a star to visit him from places that were far away. Three of the visitors were wise kings that brought Jesus precious-expensive gifts. There was also a poor little shepherd boy who came to visit the baby. He wanted to give Jesus wonderful gifts but he had no money to buy anything special. He did, however, have a drum that he was very good at playing. That drum was the only thing that he owned. He loved it. He took it every where he went. He played it while he was in the fields. He became good at playing it and the animals enjoyed listening to it. Suddenly, the little shepherd boy knew what he wanted to give the baby Jesus. He began to play his drums very softly so as not to frighten the baby. He soon recognized that his gift was worth as much as the expensive gifts, if not more! How many of you actually have a lot of money to give such precious gifts like gold, incense and myrrh? I definitely don’t. And the little drummer boy didn’t either. But he gave Jesus something more special and more precious than the gifts that the 3 kings gave. He gave his love. He poured his heart into the music that he played, that was better than all the expensive gifts. Sometimes the best gifts aren’t bought with money, they are given with love. They are acts of kindness. Often in America, young people will go to sing Christmas carols to old people who live in a special home. They could buy and send them many nice gifts, but nothing means more to those old people that the gift of love…just coming to spend time with them, to sing to them, to talk to them… those are gifts that cannot be bought with money and they are often the most special gifts of all. It’s not the size or the cost of a gift that is important, but the meaning behind it. It’s the thought that that counts. What kind of gifts will you give this Christmas and New Years? Give from your heart, not from your wallet!
Being a Good Sempai - October 2006 ８And now dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ９Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4:8-9 Do you realize that someone is always looking up to you – always watching you and always learning from you? That’s a scary thought! What if you make a mistake? When I was younger my parents always told me that my little brother looks up to me. He learns from me, both the good things and the bad things. They would tell me that I needed to be a good role model for him, to set a good example for him. Being the oldest child was sometimes difficult because my brother was always watching me. When he would get into trouble, he would say that he saw me do it first. And again, my parents would tell me that my brother watches me; that I have to be a good role model for him because he admires me. On the flip side, we are always watching other people and learning from them. It’s part of the learning process. It’s human nature. Have you ever heard someone say “monkey see, monkey do?” This was especially true for me when I came to Japan. I was very observant of what the people around me were doing because I had no clue what to do! I would watch them very carefully so I would know what to do, and how to behave in certain places or situations. Where do I get on and off the train? Should I sit…stand? What clothes should I wear? When do I bow? How low do I bow? What do I do with my chopsticks when I’m not eating? Can I wear my shoes inside? What do I do in an onsen? Can I put all my trash in one bag outside on the same day? For someone who has just come to Japan for the first time or to any new environment for the first time, the list of questions just goes on and on. However, if we ask all these of the questions that we have, we might seem stupid or ignorant. So instead we watch and learn. Unfortunately there is a problem with this process. Sometimes we learn things the wrong way. “Monkey see, monkey do” Right? …Wrong! In Japan there is a strong sense of Sempai and Kohai. These roles seem to be very important to Japanese society. It is said that the kohai is expected to listen to, respect, look up to and learn from the sempai. But what happens when the sempai doesn't possess these important qualities. Recently I’ve observed that in some cases the kohai, especially the junior high students, should be the sempai to the high school students. They actually tuck in their shirts and wear their skirts at the right length. They clean well. They have good greetings, and they show respect to their teachers. When in the gym and told to stand because their bikes don’t have stickers, or because they don’t have their neckties on, they actually stand, even though they know they might be in trouble. But through this “monkey see monkey do” process of learning they sometimes see their sempai with bad habits, and they learn from them. They pick-up those bad habits, and in return teach them to the new students. But why do we do what everyone else is doing – even though we know it’s wrong? When I would get into trouble for doing something stupid, my mom would say to me, “why did you do that…” and I would say, “Because everyone else was doing it.” Then my mother would say to me, “If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you jump too?” meaning that you are your own person and you have your own mind, you can think for your-self and that it’s up to you to decide if you want to be like everyone else and do the things that will get you into trouble. We have the right to choose right from wrong. So the next time everyone is shaving their eyebrows, or wearing a lot of make-up, or the next time some people are being rude and talking during a chapel message, remember that you don’t have to be like them. Don’t fall into the wrong mold. Be the one who sets the good example for others to follow. Remember that there are people who are watching the way you live and are learning from your actions. Be a good role model – a good sempai.
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - Mathew 17: 20 Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many people call you and it's not about who you've dated, are dating, or haven't dated at all. It isn't about who you've kissed, what sport you play, or which girl or guy likes you. It's not about your shoes or your hair or the color of your skin or where you live or go to school. In fact, it's not about grades, money, clothes, or colleges that accept you. Life isn't about if you have lots of friends, or if you are alone, and it's not about how accepted or unaccepted you are. Life just isn't about that. But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about how you feel about yourself. It's about trust, happiness, and compassion. It's about sticking up for your friends and replacing inner hate with love. Life is about avoiding jealousy, overcoming ignorance, and building confidence. It's about what you say and what you mean. It's about seeing people for who they are and not what they have. Most of all, it's about choosing to use your life to touch someone else's in a way that could never have been achieved otherwise. These choices are what life's about. Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. There's really no time to be afraid. Try something you've never tried before. Enter a marathon. Go skydiving. Go to Koushien. Stick up for the kid who is being bullied. You can do anything you put your mind to. You just
have to have faith in yourself…and… You will never know what you are capable of unless
you try.
1Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3But when she could not hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. – Exodus 2:1-3Do you know what this Sunday is? Sure – it’s May 14th. But do you know what’s so special about that day?It’s Mother’s Day; a day to remember your mother and all the things that she has done for you. I bet you don’t even realize that when you came into the world, your mother held you in her arms and you thanked her by screaming like a banshee. When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you. You thanked her by crying all night long. When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk. You thanked her by running away when she called. When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love. You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor. When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons. You thanked her by coloring the dining room table. When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays. You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud. When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school. You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!" When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball. You thanked her by throwing it through the next-door-neighbor's window. When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream. You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap. When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons. You thanked her by never even bothering to practice. When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day, from soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another. You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back. The list goes on. We don’t even realize how much our mothers do for us on a daily basis. They care for us so much. A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else. Have you learned about Moses? He is one of the great leaders in the Old Testament. His mother was an amazing woman. At the time of Moses’ birth all the baby boys were being killed. Moses’ mother put him in a basket and floated him down the Nile River so that he wouldn’t be killed. A mother will do anything for her children. Sunday is Mother’s Day, but everyday can be Mother’s Day. Don’t forget to say thank you to your mother, or grandmother, or whoever takes care of you. There's no substitute for her. You will never have another mother. Cherish every single moment you have with her. Though at times she may not be the best of friends, may not agree with your thoughts, she is still your mother!!! She will be there for you...to listen to your troubles, your bragging, your frustrations, etc. Don’t take for granted the things closest to you heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat.” – Matthew 15:2 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” – Isaiah 43:19a What is tradition and what does it mean to you? The dictionary defines tradition as “a belief, custom or way of doing something that has existed for a long time among a particular group of people.” There are many kinds of traditions ranging from religious to cultural. The British are said to love tradition and that you should want to do tings in the way that they have always been done. Since I have come to Japan I have noticed how the society here places a high value on traditions. What are some of your traditions? A few come to my mind…Don’t you go to shrines on New Years Day? This is an old tradition but why do you do this? This year I have been taking Ikebana classes and I have learned that this is a very traditional form of art. The teacher told me that I have become a Japanese woman. She told me that I am more Japanese than some of the youth in today’s society because I am keeping the old Japanese traditions alive. Japan is a very old country with old traditions to be kept. I can’t say the same about America. It’s a relatively new your young country. If America is like a teenager, than Japan is like a grandparent. Also, America’s heritage comes from all over the world, so our traditions represent various cultures. My family has traditions that we have inherited from my mom and others from my dad. However, as time has gone on and my family has grown older, we have developed our own – new traditions. I think that keeping old traditions alive is very important but as traditions are dynamic they shouldn’t lie stagnant. If they lie stagnant they are soon forgotten and their meaning will be lost forever. You all have heard of the story of the song Silent Night. The church had been very calm and quiet before, very traditional, but a change was made when the organ broke. This change was scary at first but the guitar added more life to the old traditional style of worship, thus rejuvenating it. Change is scary at first but sometimes necessary and doesn’t necessarily mean that the old traditions should be pushed aside. I think that both can coincide together pleasing the older generations as well as the younger generation. In a society that ahs been around for a long time, I challenge you to think about your traditions, and why you actually do them. Are you just going through the motions because someone had done it before you? Or do they have meaning to you? A tradition is nothing without meaning.
“No matter
what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who
belong to Christ Jesus.” Turkey and gravy, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green been casserole, corn, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cherry pie… Family, Football, the Thanksgiving Day Parade… Love, laughter and thanks… Theses are a few of the things that come to my mind when I think of Thanksgiving in America. Today, America is celebrating Thanksgiving. It is always on the last Thursday of November and students always get Thanksgiving Day, and the day after, off from school. It’s hard to describe a typical Thanksgiving Day since each family has their own traditions. So I’ll tell you about how my family celebrates the holiday. My father would wake up around 5:00 in the morning and stuff the turkey with stuffing and then put it in the oven to cook slowly all day. My brother and I would wake up to the smell of turkey and together we would watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade while my mom would start to make snacks. In America, Thanksgiving is a holiday where families gather together to give thanks and celebrate all the joys and blessings in their lives. Family and relationships are very important, but because my dad is in the Navy we never lived close enough to spend the holiday with family. My family has created our own tradition. Our house was always full of family – but it was a different kind of family – the military family. My Dad would invite people over who could not go home for the holiday. When I was in college, I would bring my roommates home with me. People would arrive around 1 in the afternoon, and we would watch the football game and snack while dinner was cooking. After the first game Dad would cut the turkey, and my brother and I would set the table. At this point, family traditions vary. My family would sit down and each person had to share what they were thankful for. Thanksgiving is a great holiday! It’s not just about the food – it’s about spending time with the people you care about. It about focusing our minds on our blessings rather than on our problems. It makes our hearts glad for what we have been given, and it takes our minds off the burdens we all have. Thanksgiving recognizes the giver as well as the gift. It keeps it on the positive side. This year I am thankful for the wonderful people in my life, the people who have become my family here in Japan. I am thankful for my co-workers and for my students. I’m thankful for their joy and laughter, and for their enthusiasm to practice English with me. I am especially thankful that God sent me to Luther and that this is not my last year here! Today, I challenge you to set aside a few minutes to sit alone and think of the many things for which you are thankful - then this great holiday will have true meaning. Let's not forget to give thanks this Thanksgiving to the one that made it all possible, our heavenly Father.
Meaningless!! - September 2005 2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 Have you ever wondered why you are doing something? Have you ever thought that something you are doing seems meaningless or pointless? I thought that almost everyday while I lived in Tokyo. I was there for 6 months and I think they were the worst 6 months in my life. Before I came to Japan, I lived with my parents. I had many friends, and I had a job. I had just graduated from college and I had my whole life ahead of me. Everyday while I lived in Tokyo, I asked myself, “Why am I here?” I lived by myself, I couldn’t speak Japanese, and I had no friends. I was alone and lonely with no purpose. People told me that for 6 months, my purpose was to study Japanese. But, my Japanese classes didn’t start until 1:00 in the afternoon and they were finished by 4:00. Those 3 hours were the only 3 hours that I spent with English speaking people and we were studying Japanese the whole time. But was that it? Was that all I was here for? I felt like I was missing something, that I should be doing more. Sometimes after class we would get together and go out for dinner, but at the end of the day, I still went home by myself. I was still alone with nothing to do. I was miserable. I had so much time to question why I was here in Japan; too much time to question the decision that I made. I thought that I came here to teach English. I thought that I came here to meet new people. But all I did was wander around aimlessly in a HUGE city alone. Why did I come here? But God had something in mind for me. He didn’t think that my time in Tokyo was meaningless. I was there to prepare for bigger things. I needed that time to adjust to Japan’s culture, and to learn the language. Even though it was a difficult time, I learned a lot about myself and about Japan. Sometimes God puts struggles in our life for a reason, and mine prepared me to come to Kumamoto and Luther Gakuin. The bible tells us that we must persevere through the tough times, though the struggles in order to win the race or to receive the good things that He has for us. Even the little things are not meaningless – it’s all for a purpose. |
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Breaking Bread - March 2005
4Jesus
answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God.’” America is a big country and my family is spread all over it. But whenever we are able to get together, my grandmother always makes a huge dinner. While she is cooking we all gather in the kitchen and talk. We share stories about our everyday lives, both past and present. We laugh, and enjoy each others company. My Grandma is a great cook. She always makes a lot of good food. It is always something different, but the one thing that is always on our table is warm fresh baked bread. Breaking bread with Jesus means that we come and partake of who He is, enjoy His company, and be nurtured by His presence. It means intimacy and communion. It means fellowship and the sharing of our hearts with His. Jesus never intended for us to break bread with Him occasionally, but on a daily basis. He is the daily bread our souls hunger for; He is the bread by which our spirits grow; He is the bread that makes our hearts thrive; He is the bread that brings us nourishment and sustains us through every step of our journey. I imagine that eating a meal with Jesus would be much like dinner with my family. He would break bread with me, share with me, laugh with me, and teach me. I would learn from his teachings. After dinner, I would be full – and satisfied, but ready for more the next day. The book of Exodus 25:30 reminds us of the importance of the bread of the Lord’s presence, it says ,“On this table put the bread that shows you are in My presence. It must always be there in front of Me.” In this passage I think that God is reminding us that He will never invite us to an empty table. He invites you today to come and dine with Him and to partake of His life. Come taste and see that the Lord is good! There is nothing more satisfying than partaking of the “bread of life” who is our Lord.
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The Best Present - January 2005
4But
God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5that
even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he
raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you
have been saved!) 6For he raised us from the dead along with
Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms – all because we
are one with Christ Jesus. 7And so God can always point to us
as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us,
as shown in all he has done for us through Jesus.8God
saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take
credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a
reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in
Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us so long
ago. What is the best present that you have ever received? Is it jewelry, a ticket to a baseball game or a teddy bear? One of the best presents that I have ever received was a Christmas present from my parents. My parents bought me a plane ticket to go spend the holidays with my grandparents. Some of you may say that this is not a very special gift. But to me it was. When I was eight years old, my family lived in Hawaii and my parents didn’t have a lot of money. As a child, I was so excited. I got to fly to Illinois all by my self. I got to spend time with my grandparents, all by my self. We strung popcorn, and went snowmobiling. We built snowmen and when we were cold we sat by the fire and drank hot chocolate. It was the best Christmas ever! Now as I am older, I wonder why my mom didn’t go to visit her parents. I knew that she missed them very much. We lived on an island far way from our family and friends. Even at eight years old, I could tell that she was sad and lonely. But she loved me so much that she made a sacrifice for me so that I could be happy, just like God sacrificed his only son so that we could be saved. I didn’t earn the gift that my parents gave me. They gave it to me out of love, just like we didn’t earn the gift that God has give us. Salvation is a free gift given to everyone, because God loves us all. God loves us so much that he gave us the best present ever – eternal life. We don’t even have to do anything for it. The gift I received from my parents is only second best to this wonderful present God has given to us. That is really cool. We get this great gift and we don’t even have to ask for it! But you do have to believe. All God asks is for us to believe and if you do, you will receive all the great gifts that he has in store for us. |
