Fleeting February

Naturally, the theme for our February prayer time was Hope. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:18) But the anchor sometimes slips when life is so very disappointing for some. When the relationship just isn’t working; when the kids are in a hard, rebellious phase for a mom who is very much alone. When the diagnosis isn’t good. So we read together, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5) And the reply is – hang on, I’ve heard of this Holy Spirit idea, can you explain that again? Well, let’s start a few steps back.

Monster masks!

Just after the New Year, February marks a month of fresh hope for many, and the official beginning of spring (although no one seems to have notified the temperature controls that winter is over). Early in the month, the festival of setsubun or bean throwing, is a very elaborate event at our preschool. The festival involves chasing bad luck and demons out of your home, and inviting in good luck. Kids make monster masks for months in advance, and then throw beans at a representative cardboard monster (not at each other) to wish for good luck.

As a side note: we know that there is a wide spectrum of cultural adaptation and assimilation for Christians; we chose to allow our kids to participate in the bean throwing game as a cultural practice (which is really all it is for most people), and to talk at length at home about the difference between wishful luck and a relationship with Providence himself.

English class for preschool friends!

That night, our bedtime story was punctuated by a repeated shouting next door. Our neighbor, who lost her 12 year old grand son to brain cancer in August, and had a scare with breast cancer herself in the fall, sobbed out each of her windows, demons out, good luck in! It was moving, stirring and heart wrenchingly sad. Knowing what her year has been like, the emotion in her voice hit hard.

Secretly, I think we sometimes wish God was like a vending machine, spitting out our lucky wishes and retreating into passivity. Hope is so very different from luck or wishing, although it feels the same sometimes. And that Holy Spirit is a force to be reckoned with – not particularly tame, but deeply good.

Although this may feel heavy, our days are so incredibly good. Please join us in thanks for a healthy family, warm house, happy kids, joyful marriage and fulfilling work. We do not take any of this lightly, especially given the many situations surrounding us.