July starts with a star-wishing festival, which is also the birthday of my neighbor's grandson who died of brain cancer two years ago. The country as a whole makes wishes for the future, and looks forward to good to come. Please pray for lasting and true hope for these dear people.
While the kids just started their summer, Ryan is closing in on the end, with a couple more weeks to go. So glad we got to see so many of you, even if only for a quick hug. I think my mother counted 31 additional guests on our first day on Lookout Mountain through the always-open door (no really, there isn't a key for that door).
The kids and I spent a few days catching up with Lookout Mountain friends and cousins, and I got the opportunity to give a greeting and thank you in person to our home sending church community, as well as the wonderful prayer group on Monday morning. Truly, you are our lifeline, and our cloud of witnesses.
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On to Knoxville for a cousin's wedding with so many beloveds. This is holy ground, and our little taste of heaven, right there on that green hotel carpeting. We gathered our people to pray for our littlest, and introduce him to his crazy, wonderful family. We're not a perfect group, and we've all had our tears and challenges, but we love each other fiercely, and that's a mercy and a wonder.
Back to Tokyo for the last three days of Japanese school, turning in homework from our trip and collecting our summer homework pile. Math, Japanese writing, pictures, tending tomato and green pepper plants.
Now, the kids and I head out of Tokyo, which is experiencing a record heat wave, with many deaths and hospitalizations, and we will spend a few weeks near Sendai, where Ryan and I got married. Ryan will continue his studies this summer, and hopefully join us for a weekend or two.
We are so grateful for your prayers. We truly could not be here without you. Thank you, thank you.
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