Aaaaand, August

She's three!

“Our limits teach us the fear of the Lord.” (Wilkin, None Like Him, 25) And what are parenting, teaching, engaging with humanity if not constant reminders of our limits? This season we feel the constant presence of our limitations: the edge of patience, the end of energy, the volatility of nature, and the even more terrifying volatility of powerful leaders, and - let’s be honest - the inability to actually control or shape much of anything. 

Amid the fragility, my mind turns to the wonderful midwives in my life, one of whom has just written a book. She gently moves those who seek to follow Jesus from center stage to come alongside God, as a midwife comes alongside a delivery. “So what if we . . . stopped asking the question, ‘How can we put on a special event to draw people into relationship . . . as an expression of the goodness of God?’ and instead ask, ‘What is God doing in the world to connect people, meet needs and express goodness, and how can we join in?’” (Frost, Rice To Alter Your World, 112). Step out of the spotlight we like to shine on ourselves, observe, hold space for the goodness already thriving around us, then ask how we can get involved. 

Watermelon with friends

While many of our daily routines took a break during August, God’s rhythms, of course, continued. Last week, I followed my kids to the park around the corner, where I banished them after the rolling ball of fists and tears rounded the kitchen floor one too many times. After a long, hot day, I was counting the minutes until Ryan came home, and wasn’t in the mood for conversation. But - of course - a woman I recognized was there, playing with her two year old. So I felt obliged to sit for a moment, to be polite. And of course, she happens to be due with her second child in December, and happens to be going to the same midwife who delivered our girls. And of course, lives across the street from a local church. And did we have any connection to that church? No? But did we have connections to another church? Because she has been thinking, maybe it would be good if she learned how to pray. All my limits, teaching me the fear of the Lord. 

CAJ resumed classes last week, with a former teacher stepping into the HS principal role, plus a new annual theme. Each year the community selects a theme to focus classes, school life and school ministry. This year, a theme Ryan suggested was selected: reaching up, reaching out. With both hands raised to God, its hard to reach out to neighbors, but with both hands out, we quickly reach our limits. Please join us in praying for the CAJ community this year: keep one hand focused up toward God and one hand reaching out to our neighbors, our colleagues, our students, our world. 

Fireworks at our neighbor's picnic!

And, an update on our pregnancy! We feel your daily prayers and support as many of you join us in counting the days. There was a long season in which we never thought this little one would make it this far. We’ve safely reached 35 weeks, which means that the baby can likely be born at a local hospital instead of the larger hospital an hour away - especially helpful because Japanese hospitals require a 5 - 10 day stay after delivery. I’ve been allowed more mobility, which is a huge relief to all of us, although the doctors are still cautious and I don’t have a lot of reserves after more than six months of restricted activity and rest. Many unknowns remain in the upcoming weeks as we navigate our first hospital birth in Japan (the other three were born with local midwives), plus the busy schedules of the three different schools we’re part of (CAJ, Japanese elementary school and Japanese pre-school). 

July news

Dear community, 

Like many of you, July begins a change of pace for us. By the end of July, Japanese school kids begin their dearly anticipated summer holidays, rainy season ends and the hot, muggy, busy summer begins. For families, this change means an intensification of family time, in all its glorious chaos. The local rivers are full of soggy kids, the banks quilted with picnic spreads, and every air conditioned space is filled with damp grateful customers, waving pocket fans. Those who have the space and time escape the city, and any program that can takes a break. This summer, we join the ranks of those who cannot leave, waiting for our baby in close proximity to the hospital and doctors. 

Last week I sat in the park next to our house with a dear friend. We watched our collective five kids race around and hose each other off in the water fountain. Like us, they're here for the summer. She anticipating her third baby five weeks before our fourth. We talked about those dear to us, and realized what summer means for those new to faith, for those for whom the church, the bible study, the gathering is their only place of grace. It is hard to sustain hope, energy, faith in the long hot vacation time. I'm reminded of a comment from a recent read: "God is always present, even in his silence." (Scorsese in Fujimura, 164, Silence and Beauty). 

- Community update Please pray for our community and for Japan during this summer change of pace. There are many opportunities for families to reconnect, but also many difficult times that come from the reconnection or lack of connection. 

- Baby update We're so grateful for continued good reports from the doctors. I've been given permission to move around the house more, and do some more regular daily life. I'm so grateful for the simple enjoyment of sitting in the park to watch my kids play or taking a short walk after six months of less movement. We're particularly mindful of the vast community that facilitated the healing rest that lead us to this point. In the remaining ten weeks, we still have many unknowns (the local hospital can take us if the baby comes within four weeks of the due date, but before that, we would be at the larger government hospital an hour away; the hematoma may re-emerge, leading to growth restriction or early delivery; there may be complications during delivery as a lingering effect of the hematoma). My parents were able to organize their busy lives in the states to facilitate a long visit here, and are proving invaluable in our daily lives (currently feeding ducks at the river while I compose this). 

Quick trip to the fifth station of Mt. Fuji

- Looking ahead We know the days will go so quickly and Ryan starts back to work in mid August. Kids are back at school from September and many programs resume full schedules. We're so grateful for the community we have around us and eagerly look forward to resuming those commitments after the summer holiday.