And, May!

There is something so demandingly daily about May: each and every thing, person, task must be carried, cared for, fed, checked off, dispatched. For the graduates at CAJ, it’s a long haul toward June. When I taught English 12, we inevitably hit T.S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men” in early May, which seemed fitting; school years - like the world - often end “not with a bang but a whimper.” Japanese school is only one month into the new year, but that too hits a slick patch as the novelty wears off and the daily sets in. 

We all (secretly) like to think we’re one of the central characters, or at least a memorable side kick, in the world’s main story. Teaching, parenting, adulting, reminds you: even if you get all your lines right, all your assignments graded, all your laundry hung, you are a stage hand, crowd member #34,567, possibly just there to be killed off early as part of a big chase scene. A little blur at the edge. 

Jesus loved the crowds, though. Had compassion on them. Even when they drove him to seek solitude over sleep. He fed each and every person, with left overs for tomorrow's lunch. The throng made up of treasured individuals. In a month where both of us find ourselves awake at night, tracking the endless stream of details, errands, assignments, students, conversations, we take great comfort in a God of detail who daily bears our burdens. 

Picnic lunch!

I’ve referenced this passage from G.K. Chesterton before, but here it is at length: “[Children] always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

Exciting news! We’ve booked tickets for a quick trip to the states! We will visit our home church, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian on Sunday, July 8. For local folks, we would so love to see any of you who are in the area! Please email us if you want to meet up! 

Sports day at #2 Elementary School

Alive in April

This month let's reach in close for one event: communion at our church. Communion is a strange and messy part of Christianity. Friends new to Christianity find the blood and guts talk a little strange; our kids find it gruesomely fascinating. We’ve participated in communion practices all around the world: where taking the elements is itself a declaration of trust and faith; where it was the only meal a child experienced that day; where the table welcome (warning?) was so specific and strict that we didn’t feel holy enough to join in; where we were family gathered around a table at the resurrection. Once, a visiting middle schooler friend got bored during the service, tied his shoelace ends around his wrists, didn’t expect the cue to stand up for communion, and ended up shouting and leaping around, which of course tightened the shoelaces around his wrists all the more. Worship, right? I grew up in a more conservative context than our current one, where the bread and juice (never wine) were passed around to the seated congregation, so no one clearly saw who did and didn’t participate. Although we all ate and drank together, it was a very personal, individual experience. 

Seven months!

Ryan's notes

At our current church, which is non-denominational and the members range from a wide variety of countries, we all stream forward in big lines, and receive elements from servers who stand around the front stage. The kids from the nursery re-join the service to participate with their families, usually just at the quietest moment, inviting the sort of chaos that little kids bring when sprinting proudly to their families with flapping paper crafts and crayon drawings. It’s messy and lively, with the lines of those returning to their seats bunching up with those still going forward and people smiling and making way for each other. Being at the end of the service, our kids have usually spread out among friends and aunts and uncles. The baby with one doting auntie-type, the girls scribbling in the notebook of another, and the boy under the seats with legos. We all wander forward together. While at first I rankled at the public nature of the practice - it’s obvious who goes forward and who doesn’t, although no one is counting - I now love the messiness of this living organism. It’s the body at work. 

There are many ways to practice and remember that Jesus died so that we can live, just as there are many delightful families all over the world. The lively mess of communion reminds me that we’re a family. We’re together because God put us together, not because we got to choose each other. And the body is very much alive. 

Preschool entrance ceremony (Ryan's not really that tall..)

As you think of us this month, please join us in praying for our church, as we are in a transitional time, searching for a pastor and re-visioning our identity. It’s a large and well established church by Japanese standards, and we attempt to engage cross-cultural, non-denominational worship in all it’s grit and beauty. 

Bonus: Guest post from Ryan!

To see this article in its original context click here!

Made it through March!

One of the primary roles of a parent, teacher, or adult leader seems often to be reminding. Don’t forget . . . be sure to . . . did you remember . . . ? Nagging aside, this is also God’s role, and the role of God’s people. This Easter season, we look back with gratitude and look forward with great hope. Looking at the past steadies us as we realize that nearly every major organization in our life is in transition. 

- We remember that one year ago this season, we told our three older kids about their new baby brother, who, in utero, reached the size of their easter eggs. And we told them that, because of various complications, he might not make it to birth. Now, we celebrate this new little life, with all his added charm and challenge. 

- We celebrate resurrection, but we're still on this side of the fall. As we anticipated Easter, we learned of the sudden death of one of my uncles, a sweet and wise man, deeply connected to his community as a teacher and pastor. Please join us in celebrating his first Easter face to face with Jesus, and grieving our first Easter without him. 

- We remember gratefully the years CAJ students have been able to travel to Thailand to connect with local schools. My first year to chaperon this trip was in 2006, Ryan’s first year was in 2009. The Thai girl we have had the privilege of supporting through her years of school is now in university nursing school! We’re so grateful for CAJ’s years of connection to this little city in Chiang Rai. 

- We look back gratefully on our years at our church, Kurume Bible Fellowship. This is a transitional season for our church. We pray for a renewed sense of vision and purpose for our community as we search for a new pastor. Despite the inevitable mess of transition, we hosted more than 90 neighborhood kids yesterday at an Easter outreach event! 

- We look back on so many years of connection to CAJ; my grandfather was part of the original founding team, and my aunt was a member of the first graduating class. A year ago, I was asked to join the school’s Board of Councilors, taking on yet another point of connection to this school. We look forward to a new season at this school, and anticipate new ways to deepen connections to our local town, our city and this country. 

- We also look back gratefully at our years at our local Japanese schools. A few weeks ago, the school year wrapped up for the two bigger kids, and next week the new year begins, with V entering preschool! She is by far the most excited about the prospect of starting school. This school too is in a time of extreme transition; please join us in praying for the many new teachers. 

Lots of transitions, and we know God isn't surprised by any of them. Through every change, he remains faithful. 

Fairly February

In which we throw beans to scare away the monsters and attempt Lent with the three year old. 

A year ago, I wrote about how our bedtime story reading was interrupted by the chilling wail of our neighbor, screaming “out, out, out” at each of her windows. The start of February is a “good luck” festival here. The mantra is “monsters out, luck in!” For most families, it means kids make cute monster masks out of paper maché and grocery stores carry special deals on dried soy beans (which are thrown to appease and scare off the monsters, and left overs are snacked on). Every store runs a popular “everyone wears monster underwear” song on repeat for a few weeks. This year, our son in first grade brought home some notes from a class discussion in which students discussed how to get rid of the “monsters” of forgetting their homework and sleeping in and telling lies. A more useful and creative application of the mantra than I had seen before. Certainly, there is a social morality to Japanese culture.  

And isn’t it timely to contrast this “good luck” festival, when the following week, Valentines and the start of Lent fall on just the same day. This year, we’re attempting a lent remembrance with our kids. Advent has become a regular part of the kids lives, and certainly Easter has gotten mention, but its tricky to talk about abstaining with a three year old: “You mean I don’t get to watch TV because of Jesus?” and the like. Lent has been tricky for us in recent years; as many parents of young kids might relate to, my husband says that this phase of life is perpetual lent - constant giving up of time-wasters, excess and indulgence for the sake of the small kids who want to be read to. 

This year, we focused this season around prayer, giving and stopping. Each week we plan something or someone specific to pray for, something to give and something to stop. A week seems to be a reasonable time frame for the littles to keep track of, and the variety has helped offset the “Jesus doesn’t like screens” narrative. Unlike other seasons of the Christian calendar, this season gets absolutely no press in Japan, other than the occasional easter bunny themed chocolate box. Even our church, which is struggling to regain footing after our pastor suddenly quit, has made no mention of the season. The fact that it’s just something we’re doing with our little family reminds me of how isolated we are in some ways, despite the fantastic and diverse community we have surrounding us. 

My primary prayer for this month is for wisdom, as parents and as a friend. Specifically for our baby: we’ve met with so many doctors and we have some possible treatment paths laid out for him, but the next few months will be a time of intense decision making, about a lot of things that will shape the boy’s future and his body. Please pray for wisdom for us as we parent this little one.

Likewise, wisdom for our church. As I mentioned, we lost our pastor, who abruptly decided to leave the position about six months ago, after only one year. We feel the lack of a pastoral figure in our lives acutely, although the church’s leadership team is working valiantly to keep moving forward with a clarified vision. Please pray for wisdom for our leadership team, and for us as worshippers and members. 

I have also been asked to sit on the board of CAJ as an alumni representative. Please pray for wisdom as I step into this new position at CAJ. 

In less than two weeks, Ryan will travel to Thailand with the senior class at CAJ. Thanks to the extreme generosity of a relative, I will have a helper staying with us in Ryan's absence, which I am very grateful for. Please pray for traveling mercies for them, as well as a blessed and meaningful experience. Once again, students are partnering with a local Thai school to rebuild buildings, play with Elementary students, and learn more about serving in a cross cultural context. 

General January

New Years meal with neighborhood friends

Does the holiday season seem like a distant blur to you? To be honest, it was a fantastic holiday for us. We invested in our kids, our little family, and in experiences. And we rested. Thanks to the incredible generosity of family, we went to a beautiful place by the ocean and were able to gift each kid with an outing: big rambling parks, ferris wheel, and an aquarium. Slowing down, revisiting the closest relationships, and resetting priorities for the new year are the best gifts we could dream up.

This month marks a full circle – one year ago next week, we first thought we were losing this little boy who is now drooling up at the fan, laying on my lap as I write. And we continued to live the question – will he make it to today? How about tomorrow? Now he’s laughing and kicking, wrestling with his favorite pacifier. We’re grateful to so many of you who walked through those days with us.

Now we look ahead. I’ve asked for prayer many times for choosing which of the many opportunities to commit to and which to let go. It’s a daily balance, isn’t it? Several things had to go on hold during this year, especially things that were primarily hosted or facilitated by me. We’ve re-started two of the groups, one meets in our house and another in a friends house.

Recent student shop project

For one group, the focus is praying for our kids; we’re considering introducing a book reading and parenting conversation in addition to the prayer time. This group began long before I became a mom, but I’m currently heading it up. I’m so thankful for the group of praying women who gather; we need each other, and we’re grateful to grow together in this season. Please pray for this group! Being moms of young kids, it is hard to find a time when everyone is healthy and able to attend! We meet again next Monday.

For another group, the focus is playing in English. We also chat, and create a safe, welcoming space for moms and kids; most of these families have been meeting for nearly five years. Please pray for these women and their kids as they visit each week.

This is Spiritual Life Emphasis week at CAJ. Please pray for the couple who is speaking, and for students and staff as they listen and engage. This week is also the start of the second semester for CAJ; it’s a full spring ahead with a full set of classes, trips and the core of the senior’s projects. Like the US, Tokyo has also had a particularly bad flu season. We’re so thankful to be healthy, but two classes have shut down at our Japanese preschool and one class at our Japanese elementary school, in addition to many kids and teachers sick at CAJ.

This week marks the 70^th anniversary of my family’s presence in Japan. My grandparents and aunt arrived by cargo ship just after World War II, and some members of my family have been here ever since. It’s humbling and challenging to be part of such a legacy!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!
Love, Ryan, Nelle Caitlin, Ezra, Luna, Vera, Jude