Learning to Love the "Leper"!

     Yesterday there was a wedding at my church (sorry, no pictures, I was behind the harp, not the camera).  Like at most weddings, the pastor read 1 Corinthians 13, more commonly known as the love chapter.  It was so refreshing to hear it again especially since I have been thinking a lot about what is true Christian love recently.  Not too long ago I watched the film Molokai: The Story of Father Damien.  The story recounts the true story of a Catholic priest who, in the mid-1800s was sent to a leper colony on a remote island in Hawaii.  He was instructed to neither touch, nor eat with, nor come in-contact with the lepers.  However, he soon realized that if he was truly going to minister to the people to whom he had been called, he could not follow such cold-hearted practices.  For sixteen years, he ministered to the unloved and unlovely.  He fed them, dressed their wounds, educated them, built them shelters, stood up for their rights, hugged them, buried them, and loved them, only to contract their disease and ultimately die.  He was willing to self-sacrificially give up his own life and desires (he was not allowed to return to the mainland) to minister to the lost and needy.
 
     I literally wept as I watched the film.  Oh, how Father Damien could show such Christ-like love to the people whom he had been called!  His willingness to give up the familiar, the comfortable, and the easy just so that he could love and minister to the lost really convicted me.  So, often I find myself getting caught up in my own stresses of life and forgetting why I'm here.  I put my needs and desires before others.  I often seek the fun and easy versus the important and challenging.  I want to talk, instead of listen.  Play instead of pray.  Hide behind a mask of disinterest, instead of care.  I make excuses -- like my lack of language skills -- instead of acting on what I know is right.  Oh, how I want to be a genuine friend.  A caring teacher.  A kind co-worker.  But most importantly, a Christ-like servant.  Even though I am a broken vessel in so many ways, I know that God can use me in in my weaknesses.  As John said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30)  May I be able to state with Paul,

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 8:9-10)

     Will you pray for me?  Will you pray that I can effectively minister in this dark, Godless country?  I come directly in contact with over 1500 people a week.  It is soooo tiring at times.  My body, mind, and soul can become overwhelmed, but in my brokenness, I want Christ to shine through me.  I want to be genuine.  I want to love "leper" just as Christ first loved me.
 

I'm famous...or something like that!

Way back in the late spring, when my hair was still long and it was still cold enough to wear pants, several PTA members showed up unannounced at one of my elementary schools.  (Or maybe it was announced, just not announced to me ;-)   They snapped pictures of my morning classes and interviewed me in the afternoon.  I didn't think anything about it until about a month ago Sarah told me that her school had received a brochure from my school and an entire page was dedicated to me.  I finally was able to track down the article, and sure enough, I made "headline" news in the school paper.

However, making the school newspaper wasn't my only recent fame.  This summer, Sarah and I team-taught a special adult class and NHK, Japan's public TV station showed up.  Supposedly we were on the news at least twice.  It could have been more though, because occasionally people still stop us in the street saying they saw us on TV!

He's Finally Here

Pictures as promised...

It's amazing how much Owen (named after my amazing grandfather) looks like his older sisters!

My Newest Fear

Hint 1: It's long and thin

Hint 2: It moves in unpredictable ways

Hint 3: It's scary

Did you guess a snake??  If so, guess again!!

 Yesterday at one of my elementary schools, I realized that I'm really afraid of.....

...jump ropes!

From a distance the seem innocent enough, but up close, when they are twirling over my head, I panic!   If I can hold the rope myself and predict its every turn, they are not too bad, but when two students are turning the rope and I have to clear the barely visible moving hurdle, I freeze.  My elementary school kids couldn't believe it.  No matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't make myself join in their race to enter the swirling rope of madness and jump.  In their usual positive and encouraging manner, my kids started to cheer me on. 『頑張れエミリー、頑張れ』　("You can do it, Emily!")  Soon, I found myself on the playground surrounded by an entire posse of students chanting my name.  I couldn't let my fears overcome me now!!!  I asked the students to spin the rope really slow.  They complied at first.  I jumped...    

 

They went faster.  I jumped again.  Then went faster....  I bent my knees.  My toes pushed off the ground.  Up.  Up.  Up, I went.  I was flying for a split second.  But something wasn't quite right....I was so scared....

...I jumped right out of my shoes!

Tokyo Disney Sea

Way back at the beginning of the school year, I was excited to find out that a new, young female English teacher was coming to my Junior high school.  Because we don't have much time to talk together during the week, we decided that it would be fun to plan a weekend trip together.  Our destination?  Tokyo Disney Sea!

Because its quite far away, we decided to go the afternoon before and spend the evening exploring Asakusa -- an area in Tokyo known for its huge lantern and temple.  My first visit to Asakusa was over twelve years ago, but Ayako never had never been there so she asked if it would be okay to visit it again.

Huge Lantern

Shopping stalls on the way to the temple

the pagoda at the temple

That evening, we decided to splurge and take a rickshaw ride through the town...  

Going down the busy street

Tokyo Sky Tree -- the new landmark of Tokyo!

 The next morning, we rolled out of bed attempting to make it Disney Sea before the park opened at 8. 

A blurry Cinderella's Castle from the monorail window

While we were successful in our mission, we soon found that we weren't the only ones.  It seemed as if half of Japan decided to come to the park, too!!  I was amazed that there were at least twenty-minute-long lines just to buy popcorn while some of the rides had an over three-hour wait!

Having grown up only 5 minutes away from Disney, it has always been a big part of my life.  So, I have always been curious to discover new aspects of the "Walt Disney Magic." Tokyo Disney Sea is a Disney park like no other in the world -- hence the reason I wanted to visit it.  It is right on the edge of the ocean, so water (in theme and transportation) is an integral aspect of the park.    

Each area has a specific theme, for example the Mermaid Lagoon was designed after "The Little Mermaid."  Sending you into an "underwater" oasis filled with Jumping Jellyfish that you could ride.

The atmosphere of Disney Sea was also different than any of the other parks I have enjoyed.  In Japan, the people really enjoy fully immersing themselves in all things Disney.  So almost everyone was wearing as many Disney accessories as possible (but on a side note, it was almost impossible to find a Disney T-shirt)

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, we decided to buy Disney hats too!

Itty-Bitty Donald Duck!

 Another important aspect of the park are the teddy bears Duffy and Shellie Mae.  The story goes that Minnie Mouse made Mickey Mouse a teddy bear before he left on a long voyage so that he wouldn't be lonely.  These bears have now become so popular that people (even grown men) will bring them and carry them around the park before purchasing clothes and other accessories.  It was unbelievable how many bears we saw!!

Guests and their bears (needless to say, we didn't find it necessary to buy and drag around bears ourselves)

Enjoying sea-salt ice cream

 

One of my favorite photo spots (I took way too many photos of this mountain!!)

I love our expressions in this picture of us on the Indian Jones ride. ( Click it for a bigger version!)  After being blinded by strobe lights, neither of us was expecting the big drop!

The night show -- Mickey is being stalked by LED brooms

An incredible engineering feat

"Venice" at night

It's Officially Fall!

Why?  Because, today, I made my yearly autumn pilgrimage to the friendly neighborhood Lost and Found.  Yes, I once again left something on the bus!!!  So, Happy Fall, dear friends!!  However, let me give you a word of advice during your "fall" celebrations.  Please watch your step,  or you might just go tumbling down.  "Fall colors" take on a whole new meaning when you land on your face at the bottom of an entire flight of stairs -- not that I have done that recently too ;-)

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Pink Gerbera Daisies -- check!

Crazy Hats -- check!!

Crazy Face --  check!!

Her first instrument ever!!

27 Candles!

My favorite shot of the night!

One is the loneliest number....

Thank goodness for "trick" candles!

One is the "loneliest" number...

....but thankfully that doesn't happen here in Japan! I have been so blessed by my friendship with Sarah these past few years.  She has been an incredible friend and sister-in-Christ!  I am so thankful that God brought her into my life.  Happy 27th Birthday Sarah!!!   May this year be wonderful and full of amazing blessings (and no more fires ;-)