Cold Weather Returns to Nagano City

Looking at the window of Starbucks this week. You can see the snow covered street and snow falling.

It has snowed for the past seven days here.  But the snow has been light most days, so we haven’t had a lot of accumulation.  The temperatures have been in the 20′s F. most of the time.  The forecast for the week ahead calls for more snow and cold weather.  I wanted to get back to walking 10,000 steps a day, so I made an effort to get started back this week.  I made it for the past 5 days.  Today is especially cold, so I think I’ll rest from my walking today.

At Kid's Club yesterday. The kids are rolling out the dough to make sugar cookies.

This week was fairly quiet for me.  I got together for coffee with Saiki and Koji this week, and had a good visit with them.

Liz makes a special treat for each grade she teaches once a year.  This past week she made chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies for her second grade junior high school students.  She made eight dozen of each one which is amazing using the little convection oven that we have here.  It is about the size of a microwave oven.

Liz and Keiko at Kid's Club telling a Bible story.

She also made sugar cookie dough to take to the Kid’s Club on Saturday for them to make cookies.

Friday night we had four friends over to play games.  Liz had some cookies left over from school and she made some guacamole dip.  We played nertz and had a good time.  We also watched a Nooma video titled Rain and discussed it some.  I really had a good time visiting with everyone.

Yuki, Makiko, Chikage, Eugene, and Liz about to start another hand of nertz.

I’m now about halfway through the Joe Gibbs’ book, and I’m really enjoying it.  Here is a quote from his book that I liked, “I continue to enjoy the happiness, significance, and purpose that the Bible promises to those who trust in Jesus.”  I have found this to be true in my life.  And here is another one I liked, “The biggest difference between Jesus Christ and the ethical and moral teachers who have been revered by man is that the teachers tried to make bad people good, but Jesus came to make dead people live.”

Chikage, Makiko, Yuki, Eugene, me, and Liz on game night

 I also got another book to read this week titled The Chrysanthemum and the Sword by Ruth Benedict.  It is about patterns of Japanese Culture.  My Japanese teacher, Mrs. Kobayashi, loaned it to me, and I’m looking forward to reading it after I finish Joe Gibbs’ book.  I finished reading John and Romans this past week and started reading Acts and 1 Corinthians along with continuing to read in Exodus and Psalms.  I did well on my kanji test last week and I’m studying ten new kanji for this week.  Well that’s all I know for now from here in Nagano.

A Warmer Week in Nagano

Back to my Japanese studies at Mister Donut's

We’ve had a warmer week here in Nagano City.  It has snowed four days of the past week, but the temperatures have been above freezing most of the time, so we didn’t have any accumulation downtown.  Once you get out of downtown though, there is snow on the ground.  Today is probably going to be our last warmer day for the next week as colder weather with more snow is forecast.  I took my first kanji test of 2012 last week.  I did well, and now have 10 new kanji to study for my test this week.

Book, cards, pictures, and Kindle reader for my birthday.

This week I got two packages in the mail for my birthday, one from my parents and one from my daughters.  My parents sent me Joe Gibbs’ book titled Game Plan for Life.  I’ve started reading it and think it will be a good book.  My daughters sent me a Kindle reader with a nice cover.  They also sent some pictures.  I’m having fun figuring out how to use the Kindle and I’ve already downloaded some free books.  I found the version of the Bible that I’ve been using for my morning reading and downloaded it for free.  I used it today and really enjoyed it.  I got to Skype with my parents in Louisiana, Sara and Bill in India, and Shelly and Garrett in Seattle on my birthday.

Me and Shinichi meeting this week for coffee.

This past week, I was able to get together for coffee with Koji and Saiki one morning.  Also, I had coffee with Shinichi one afternoon.  We had planned to study Jesus’ parable of The Barren Fig Tree, but just visited instead and will study that one another day.  I also went to the Denny’s men’s breakfast on Tuesday.  This was our first one of the new year and it was encouraging hearing from everyone about what Jesus is doing in their lives.

Io and Liz in front of the snow in Iiyama, the piles are high in places

Friday evening we went with Io to meet Bob at Iiyama for dinner.  We had a good time with them.  The last time we went to Iiyama it was snowing hard and Io did a great job of driving us there.  It didn’t snow this time, but there was a lot of snow piled up next to the road.  I took a picture of Io and Liz with the snow piled in front of the Gusto restaurant where we were about to eat.

Liz sharing her testimony with Jon translating at Seisen College

Wednesday afternoon we were invited to speak at Seisen College about why we came to Japan.  We had six ladies show up and it was an enjoyable time.  My friend Jon, who teaches at the college, translated for us.  I talked about how Jesus had led us to Japan and Liz shared her testimony of how Jesus changed her life.  One of the students there, Miyabi, also shared her testimony.  It was encouraging listening to her.

This past week I finished reading Genesis and now have started in Exodus.  I’m also still reading Psalm, John, and Romans.  I finished the book The Intelligent Investor this past week.  It was very good and hopefully I’ll be a more intelligent investor.

Me, Mana, Aya, Miyabi, Hiromi, Liz and Yoko (Sari had left) at Seisen.

Liz and I were talking this past week about maturity in following Jesus.  We have a tendency to think that because we have been a follower of Jesus for a long time, or have special training that we are mature.  But really maturity is not based on what you know or for how long you have followed Jesus.  Maturity is based on whether you obey what you do know.  Jesus wants us to obey Him.  Training and time are great things to have on your side and can help you mature, but don’t confuse it with maturity.  Even two of the great followers of Jesus, Peter and John, were called uneducated and untrained men by the learned leaders, but they had been with Jesus and obeyed Him.  Remember that your life matters, and Jesus loves you passionately.  Well, that’s about it from here in Nagano on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Back to Japanese Studies and a Trip to Karuizawa!

Liz and I at Denny's having breakfast and getting back to our Japanese studies.

It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve posted, but after the last one I spent several days inside trying to shake off my head cold.  I’m feeling much better now and I’m out in public again.  We have been having cold weather and snow here in Nagano City, although it doesn’t seem to be as much snow as last year so far.  We started back with our Japanese lessons this week, so I’ll take my first kanji test of the new year next week.

Laminated kanji posters on the wall of our bath.

I got an unusual birthday gift from my wife this year, kanji posters.  She found the first through sixth grade kanji on posters at our bookstore.  She had the posters laminated and put them up on the wall of our bath. The walls of our bath are magnetic, so we are now surrounded by kanji.

Liz at Karuizawa train station. You can see the ski slopes in the background. The retreat center we stayed at was about 10 minutes from here.

We were invited to a three-day training in Karuizawa this past week.  The training was on helping us learn to make disciples who follow Jesus, and to be an effective witness for Jesus.  Jesus gave us clear commands to do these.  The training was really good and I appreciate being able to participant.  We met people who had travelled there from Brazil, Peru, Taiwan, South Korea, and the US.  We met old friends and made new friends while we were there.

During the past couple of weeks, I’ve been able to meet up with Koji and Saiki for coffee.  I’ve also been able to sit down with Shinichi and go through one of Jesus’ parables called “The Rich Fool” which is found in the book of Luke.  Our friend, Eugene, came over one evening to share about his vacation to Taiwan.  He had a very encouraging trip, meeting up with friends, and sharing about Jesus with people there.

During the training time, we had many opportunities to break into small groups and discuss what we were learning.

Liz started back teaching this week, so our routine is getting a little back to normal.  But with all the wedding plans and talks, it won’t be a normal routine for a while now.

I started a new book that was given to me by Sara and Bill at Christmas titled The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.  It’s a huge book at almost 600 pages, but I’m looking forward to reading it.  Hopefully it will help me become an intelligent investor.  I’m still reading in Genesis, Psalms, John, and Romans.

With my friend, Gary, who invited us to the training in Karuizawa.

This afternoon an acquaintance I’ve made here in town dropped in.  We got into a discussion of the church and following Jesus.  We talked about how the church is the people who follow Jesus and how it can get confused with a building that those people meet in.  He said that he could now understand this for the first time.  We then had an encouraging talk about Jesus.  Today it was snowing with the sun shining.  This seems a bit unusual to me, but we have seen it happen a few days this winter.  Well that’s all for now from here in Nagano on a cold winter day.

Sara and Bill are Engaged!!

Bill and Sara at the proposal site in Shinjuku National Gardens, Tokyo. They are standing on a little bridge and Bill had hidden the ring close by.

Happy New Years from Nagano!  The BIG news here is that our daughter, Sara, is engaged.  Sara and Bill flew to Tokyo on the Thursday before Christmas and he proposed to her on Friday at Shinjuku National Gardens.  Let me back up a few days.  The Monday before they arrived, Bill skyped with us and told us about the plans after their arrival.  We were excited to be a part of it.  Bill had planned a scavenger hunt for Sara on Friday that would end up in the Shinjuku National Gardens.

Shelly and Garrett in Harajuku, Takeshita Street the day after arriving in Tokyo.

Our daughter, Shelly, and her boyfriend, Garrett, were also a part of the scavenger hunt.  Shelly and Garrett arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday night and we went over the plans with them.  On Friday morning, Sara didn’t suspect anything and was planning on just sightseeing in Tokyo with the family.  But that morning, Shelly got her started on the scavenger hunt around 10 AM.  There were 7 destinations in the scavenger hunt starting at the hotel and ending at the gardens.  Shelly, Garrett, Liz and I were at different locations around Shinjuku during the day to deliver gifts, notes, and instructions to Sara.  I joined Sara for hot chocolate and donuts at Krispy Kreme and then later at the entrance to the gardens.

Engagement Dinner at Outback Steakhouse, Shibuya. Bill has been up two nights at this point, but is still hanging in there.

At a little before 3 PM, I met Sara at the garden’s entrance and gave her the last map.  Then she was off to meet Bill at the last location.  I slipped around behind Sara and was able to take some pictures and video of the proposal from a hidden location.  We all met up back at the entrance of the gardens and Liz joined us to go take a few more pictures at the proposal site.  Bill had stayed up two nights getting the gift bags ready and notes written for Sara.  He was definitely running on adrenaline at this point, but it was a very special proposal that she will never forget.  We went to Shibuya station afterwards and met Shelly and Garrett for an engagement dinner at Outback Steakhouse before catching a late bullet train back to Nagano that evening.  I really appreciate Bill letting us be a part of it, it was all very special.  Our Christmas time with Sara, Bill, Shelly and Garrett was wonderful and I’ll tell you a bit more about it later in this post.

Me and Liz with her first graders passing out cards Liz wrote to each student along with a gift.

The week before they arrived, Liz had a very busy week of activities.  She baked cakes and cookies for her classes at school and for Young Life.  She helped put on a Christmas play of Jesus’ birth for her first grade class.  I got to go watch the first graders in the play and help her pass out Christmas treats.  She was also able to show a video about the story of Jesus’ birth to her 360 students.

Liz speaking about Jesus at Kid's Club with Keiko translating

She also told the Christmas story at Kid’s Club with Keiko translating for her.  She told them about the prophecies that foretold of Jesus’ birth and life hundreds of years before it occurred.  Liz also gave a talk at Young Life challenging the people there to draw close to Jesus during the new year and to share the love of Jesus with others around them.

Garrett and Shelly, celebrating Garrett's birthday at El Torito's

During this week, I came down with a head cold that I still have.  I think this is the first one I’ve had here in Japan.  I have caught colds during the past two years, but I got both of them during trips to China.  Even though I had to take it a little easier than normal, I had a great time with everyone here.  By taking NyQuil and Tylenol, I was able to keep going.  I’m feeling better now with just a little congestion and cough.

Now back to the girls’ visit.  Shelly and Garrett arrived the Wednesday before Christmas and Thursday was Garrett’s birthday.  We took him out to eat at our favorite Mexican food restaurant in Tokyo, El Torito’s.  Liz had gotten a little Happy Birthday candle for his flan.  Later in the week, Liz also made a cherry pie for Garrett for his birthday.  It was only Liz’s second time to make a cherry pie and it was very delicious.

Sara, Bill, Garrett, Shelly, and Eugene playing Settlers of Catan on Christmas Day

On Christmas eve back in Nagano, we attended a candle light service at Nagano Gospel Church and were able to visit with many friends there.  We spent Christmas at home eating, doing a puzzle, and playing games.  Our friend, Eugene, joined us in the afternoon and played games with us.  Liz had also found a gym nearby that they could all go to work out in and they went several times during the week.  The first four days they were in Nagano it snowed.

Singing a song with Liz's first graders

On Monday they went to Liz’s school to meet her first graders.  They introduced themselves, sang songs with them, and played with them in the gym.  I stayed in and rested while they were there.  After they returned, we all went to a rotating sushi restaurant that is about a 20 minute walk from our apartment.  Garrett and Bill tried some new food there and we had a good time.  Later we played Settlers of Catan and finished the puzzle.  It was a 1,000 piece Disney puzzle that was fun to do.  Concerning Settlers of Catan, we played it off and on all week, but one of the girls always won.  Next time we’re all together, we’ll have to figure a way for one of the guys to win.

Shinichi, Bill, Sara, Garrett, Shelly, Liz and me at Nozawa Onsen ski slopes. It's a beautiful place.

On Tuesday, we got up early and took the train to Nozawa Onsen to go skiing.  Shinichi joined us for the skiing.  Bill, Shelly, Garrett, and Shinichi went skiing while Liz, Sara and I hung out in coffee shops watching the skiers and snow fall.  It is a really beautiful and picturesque place to go.  Sara was able to get a lot of wedding planning done during the day.  We spent the entire day there and got back home around 10 PM that evening.  Bill, Shelly and Garrett said it was a wonderful place to ski.  It snowed hard the entire day at Nozawa Onsen.

Bill and Sara at Nozawa Onsen.

Wednesday we joined Io for a late lunch and then all went to see a movie, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.  I enjoyed the move.

Thursday Bill, Sara, Shelly, and Garrett went to Tokyo for the day.  Sara took Bill around Shinjuku to some of the places on the scavenger hunt.  Shelly and Garrett went to Ueno, Asakusa and Ginza.  Shelly and Garrett came back to Nagano for dinner because they had found a place that serves raw horse meat.  Eugene joined us at the restaurant and then came back to play Settlers with us.  They liked the raw horse.

Garrett and Shelly at Nozawa Onsen and their snow boards.

Friday we listened to the Baylor-UW football game at the Alamo Bowl.  It was an exciting game.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard of more big plays in one game.  Garrett is a UW student, so it was a little rough for him with all the Baylor fans around, but UW played a good game.  Later Keiko and her Mom, Tomiko, joined everyone at a ramen shop for dinner.  They came over to visit after dinner.  Then we played one last game of Settlers with Sara winning before bed.  Saturday morning they left on a mid-morning train to Tokyo and then on to the airport and are all back home now.  It was really a wonderful Christmas with all of them.

Bill and Sara

Liz and I are getting back to a more normal routine now.  I finished reading Mark, and started back my yearly Bible reading program for the new year reading in Genesis, Psalms, John, and Romans.  I’m going to mix up my New Testament reading program some this year.  I’m also still reading The War of the Lamb.  Shinichi and I were visiting last week on the late train back from Nozawa Onsen about how Jesus calls us to fish, follow, and obey.  Also about how Jesus is working in people’s lives around us even when we don’t see if sometimes.  Jesus wants us to be available to join in His work in people’s lives around us.  I’m going to try to join in with Jesus this new year and I hope that you do to.  It will lead us on the greatest adventure of our lives.  Well, that’s all I know for now from here on a snowy afternoon in Nagano.

My Daughters are Coming!

My beautiful daughters during their visit with us at Thanksgiving 2010

Next week my daughters will be flying into Tokyo with their boyfriends to be with us for Christmas.  We are very excited about seeing them all soon.

This past week I finished my health class.  We retook our strengths test to see if there was any improvement from last June.  I had improved in all areas except for sit-ups. I don’t guess walking more helps with sit-ups.  I enjoyed the class and I think I’ll keep wearing the pedometer to help me keep up with my walking.  I was able to walk 10,000 steps 6 out of 7 days this week.

While I was out walking this week, a farmer I stopped to talk to gave me a Chinese cabbage that he had raised.

The weather turned colder yesterday and the forecast is for snow tonight and a chance of snow for the next 6 days.

I’ve been trying to write a post each week, but I haven’t been consistent on the day of the week I write on, so for those who would like to just know when I’ve written a new post, I put the way to subscribe to my blog on the right panel of this web page.  Just put in your email and you will know when I’ve written a new post.

Nagano Gospel Workshop Choir

Last weekend we went to hear the Nagano Gospel Workshop Choir sing at Nagano Gospel Church.  We knew several of the choir members and really enjoyed listening to the songs.  Most of them were sung in English.  The choir did a great job.

Liz had a Christmas party at the Nagano Peer Support Center where she teaches at a couple of times a month.  She made an Italian Cream Cake for her students and then they had a white elephant gift exchange.

Liz at the Christmas party for the Peer Support Center

I got together for coffee with Koji and his son, Sho, this week.  I also got together with Shinichi this week.  He was asking me about one of the book quotes I had written on this blog a few weeks ago and wanted to know the difference between authoritative and authoritarian.  We had a good discussion about that and how that relates to following Jesus.

I got together with the men at Denny’s this week.  One of the guys has been able to start a friendship with a man he recently met.  He told us about how his view of Jesus working in people’s lives around him has changed and how he now expects to find people who are being drawn to the love of Jesus.  It was very encouraging listening to him.

Me and Shinichi with Santa

I finished reading Donald Miller’s book, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, How I learned to live a better story”.  That book was great!  I really enjoyed reading it and heartily recommend it to you.  I’ll leave it at that and hope that we all can learn to live a better story.  I finished reading Matthew and am now reading in Mark.  I also started another book, The War of the Lamb” by John Howard Yoder.  This is a bit of a scholarly read and sometimes I get bogged down in that kind of book, but I’m going to keep pressing through it because it presents a topic that I really want to get a better handle on.  I’m taking a break now from my Japanese lessons and will start back in January.  It is cold today, but the sun has come out and you can see the snow on the mountains out our window.  It is really a beautiful sight.  Well, that’s about all I know for now from here in Nagano.

Our first snow in downtown Nagano City

With the engineering students in one of the classes I spoke at this week.

Today we had our first snow downtown.  It was a light snow off and on all day with none of it accumulating on the ground.  It is still too warm for snow to accumulate here, but some the lows for the coming week are forecast to be in the 20′s.  The past two days I’ve spoken in classes at the engineering university here in town.  I’m including a of picture in this post from one of the classes.  I enjoy getting to speak to college students.

Entrance to Nagano Train Station with the Holiday lights on

I’ve walked my 10,000 steps each day this past week.  I’ll be attending my last health class next week and retake the strengths test that I took last June.  Hopefully I’ve improved some.  The holiday lights have been turned on at the train station and I’ve included a picture of them.

English Club members enjoying Liz's German Chocolate Cake

Liz made a German chocolate cake for her English club members at her school.  They had never had it before and seemed to really enjoy it.  She will be making a couple more of them for her high school classes.  I got together with Saiki, Koji, and their son, Sho, for coffee this week and had a good time visiting with them.

I finished reading Mealtime Habits of the Messiah this past week.  The 40 different encounters with Jesus stories were thought-provoking.  I enjoyed reading the book.  I then picked up another book to read I had brought back with me this summer titled The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller.  It is an easy read and I finished it this week.  It talks about Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, or as he describes it, the Two Prodigal Sons.  I thought the book was outstanding and plan to reread it after Liz finishes reading it.  I would highly recommend it.  I’ve now started reading a book by Donald Miller titled A Million Miles In A Thousand Years.  I’m just getting started, but I already think it is going to be a very good read.  I’m also still reading in Matthew.

Liz wearing one of her Christmas sweaters. You can see our little Christmas tree behind her.

Liz has been putting out Christmas decorations around our apartment.  We even have a little (very little) Christmas tree.  The other day I heard a man say, “There is nothing you could ever do that could make Jesus stop loving you or to cause Him to love you any less”.  I hope you are comforted to know that Jesus loves you.  His love changes you life.  Well that’s about all I know for now from here in Nagano City on a cold December evening.

Double Thanksgiving in Japan!

Thanksgiving in Tokyo at the Fujino's. Liz is in the foreground, and Gary and Lynn Fujino are in the left hand side background.

We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving twice this past week!  We had planned to spend Thanksgiving Day in Tokyo and were invited to have Thanksgiving at Gary and Lynn Fujino’s home.  It was a potluck with plenty of good food.  We were able to meet many new people while we were there and had some very good visits.  Liz and I had taken an early train to Tokyo and spent much of the day shopping and looking around.  Tokyo is a fascinating city.  We mostly walked around Shinjuku and Shibuya station areas.

Liz, Marika, and Keiko

Earlier in the week, Liz got together with Keiko and Marika to visit over lunch and afterwards they went to a coffee shop for dessert.  This is the same coffee shop that Liz and I sang our one and only duet together.

Becky, Liz, and Miriam with the two big turkeys

Last Saturday, we were invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Benedicts in Nojiri.  This is the fourth Thanksgiving that we have spent with them.  Liz made two pumpkin pies, mashed potatoes, and corn bread for the dinner.  Becky had cooked two large turkeys and the turkey was delicious.  It was a really wonderful meal and a good time of fellowship together.  Our friend Eugene was able to join us for the meal.  Jon and his father-in-law, Clarence, have lived in Japan for so long and I really enjoy visiting with them about Japan.

Masao Saimon and Jon in Karuizawa. Our meeting was in the building behind them that has been built into the mountainside.

I walked my 10,000 steps 6 out of the last 7 days.  The day we were in Tokyo I walked over 15,000 steps.  I missed making the 10,000 steps on Monday because I took a road trip with Jon Benedict to Karuizawa.  We were driven there by Mr. Kobayashi and joined Masao-san and 11 others for a luncheon and discussion.  Mr. Kobayashi is a new follower of Jesus and wanted to get some followers together for a discussion on how to follow Jesus.  I really enjoyed the discussion time and was very encouraged listening to everyone’s input.

At the Benedict's home getting ready for dessert. We had several to choose from.

The weather is fairly cool here these days and looks to be cooler this coming week.  I’m still reading in the Gospels and the book, Mealtime Habits of the Messiah; I’m on encounter 36 now.  When we were at the Fujino’s home last week in Tokyo, Gary gave me some books.  Gary is such an encouraging person to be around.  I read one of the books titled, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan by Keith Webb, this week.  This book had some good insight about the history of Japan over the past few hundred years and how that relates to today.

Jon, me, Eugene, Clarence, and the back of Stephen's head

I’ve also started another one he gave me titled, Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders.  I liked this passage from the preface:  ”True spiritual leadership is authoritative, but not authoritarian.  Authoritative because it commands the sanction of Scripture and secures the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, but not authoritarian in the sense of exercising an undue influence on the decisions and life-style of other believers.  The leader must be careful not to usurp the responsibilities that are rightly theirs, to be exercised under the lordship of Christ (Jesus).”  I think it will be a good book.  Also while shopping in Tokyo, I looked at the price of meats they had in the stores.  The top price for beef I saw was $185 per pound, and there was an imported 8½ pound smoked ham from Italy that you could buy for $542.  I’ve been getting ready for my kanji test tomorrow.  That’s about all I know for now from here in Nagano.

Picking Apples in Nagano

Picking Fuji Apples

I went on my first apple picking trip this past week.  It was a cold rainy day, but I really enjoyed it.  We went with Saiki, Koji, and their son, Sho to an apple orchard near Matsumoto, about an hour and a half south of Nagano City.  Before picking apples, we went out to eat at a soba and ramen shop in Matsumoto that was delicious.  We picked all the apples on two trees and it was amazing how many apples we had.  They were Fuji apples and very sweet with a center core they described as honey.  They are really delicious apples.

Liz picking apples in the rain, with Sho and Saiki in the background.

I only walked 10,000 steps 5 days this past week.  I didn’t have time to walk that much on the apple picking day and another day I felt a little bad, so I didn’t make it then either.  We’ve had cool and rainy weather here this past week and I wore my long johns for the first time yesterday.

At a coffee shop with Stephen and Matthew

We got together with Io and Bob for a meal this week and had a good time visiting with them.  I also got together with a couple of men, Stephen and Matthew, at a coffee shop to encourage each other in following Jesus.  We had our Denny’s men’s group breakfast at Denny’s also this week.  It was encouraging and I really appreciate being able to get together with these men.  We talked about being a witness for Jesus in all areas of our lives.

The snow is starting to build up some on the mountain tops now.  There’s a chance of snow in the evenings a couple of days this next week.  But, it is still too warm for any snow to stay on the ground.  Today is the Labor Thanksgiving Day holiday in Japan and tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the US.  We are going to Tokyo tomorrow for Thanksgiving Day.  Well that’s it for this week from Nagano.

Snow back in the Mountains to Stay

You can see the snow on the mountain tops in the background. I took this from our living room window.

It has turned colder here and snow has reappeared in the mountains that you can see from our window.  I think it will be here to stay now through the winter.  We’ve also had a couple of days of rain.  I walked my 10,000 steps a day this past week and even walked 14,500 steps Tuesday in Tokyo.  I went to Tokyo to attend a meeting led by my friend Gary concerning the Japanese diaspora.  It was really interesting and I appreciate all the research that he is doing and sharing with us.

Gary sharing his research with us in Tokyo.

Since I was going to Tokyo, I decided to head in early to eat some Mexican food and visit a new bookstore that I had heard about.  I went to the Mucho Modern Mexican restaurant for lunch and had some delicious chicken fajitas.  I also visited a bookstore near Tokyo station named Yaesu Book Center that has a nice English section.  I always see books I want to read, but I didn’t buy any since I still have some left to read from my buying spree last summer in the states.

Russian Orthodox Church near Ochanomizu station

The meeting was held near Ochanomizu station, so I walked from Tokyo station instead of taking the train to see some of the city, it’s about a 45 minute walk.  It was a beautiful day and I walked past an old Russian Orthodox Church as you get near to Ochanomizu station.  It was founded by St. Nicholas and built in the 1890′s.  I enjoy walking around Tokyo.  It is a huge city and has a lot of interesting places.

Liz and Keiko in our kitchen preparing King Ranch Chicken and chocolate cake for Young Life.

Last weekend, Liz and Keiko cooked King Ranch Chicken at our apartment for Young Life.  They also made some chocolate cake for dessert.  It was all delicious.

I finished reading Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi this past week.  That’s the Old Testament for this year.  I’m going to read in the Gospels for the rest of the year.  I just took my kanji test this afternoon missing one question.  I enjoy learning new kanji each week.  I should be getting near the halfway mark.

Liz's team lost the game at Young Life and had their faces painted.

This past week, I heard a Japanese lady talk about trying to get her family to come to church and learn about Jesus, but none of them ever go.  Then about two years ago, she realized that it really should be the other way around.  That reminded me of one of the experiences with Jesus I read about in the book “Mealtime Habits of the Messiah” that I’m reading now.  He wrote “They (Pharisees) understood Jesus’ reply to them about the physician being around those who are ill.  But they would have wanted to see him preaching to “sinners” as a superior rather than drinking with them as if a partner in crime.”  Jesus goes out to meet with people where they’re at, and He does it through us today.  Well that’s all for this week from here in Nagano City on a cool Thursday evening.

Ripe Fig and Yellow Trees

The ripe fig on our patio fig tree

It has turned cooler this week and rained three days.  I got my coat out and started wearing it over my sweater and next week it is supposed to get colder, so I might get the long johns out then.  I walked my 10,000 steps a day this past week.  I’ve had a hard time writing my post this week, but I’m determined to finish this morning.  Friday morning is normally my writing day, only it is usually letters instead of posting to my blog.  I try to write my parents and daughters each week.  I’ll head out to a coffee shop to do that a little later than normal this morning.  Maybe it’s the change in weather, I don’t know.  It is cold and raining here this morning.  The picture is of my one ripe fig on my little fig tree on our patio.  It is the first one that the tree has produced and I imagine that it has to do a lot with Keiko’s Mother keeping it during the summer.  She has a good way with plants.  I’m not sure if the second fig will ripen before it gets too cold.

Shinobu teaching the kids about Jesus. Keiko is sitting with the kids.

Last weekend Liz helped host the Kid’s Club and the picture shows Shinobu telling a story about Jesus to the kids.  You can see Keiko sitting with some of the kids in the photo.  They made little miniature pumpkin pies.  Keiko’s Mom, Tomiko, had made all the pie filling beforehand.  Liz brought two home for me and they were delicious.

Autumn colors on the trees here in Nagano City

On my walks this week, I’ve noticed several trees turning a beautiful yellow and I’ve included a picture of one of them here.  For some reason the trees don’t seem as colorful as last year.  It may be because it has stayed warmer longer into the fall this year than last year.

Friday morning is also when I get out my new kanji study cards for next week’s test.  I usually have 15 or 16 new ones.  Yesterday I only missed one on my kanji test, but I had been assigned a dialogue to read through and answer questions about.  Because of some of the grammar I got mixed up about, I didn’t get the proper understanding of the dialogue.  But Mrs. Kobayashi, my Japanese teacher, soon got me straightened out and I was able to read and understand the dialogue.  I have two more to do for next week.

My regular Japanese study place, Mister Donuts. The staff is very friendly and they give free coffee refills, a good combo.

Last Tuesday I went to the Denny’s men’s breakfast and had an encouraging time.  One of the men, Shin, is giving a talk about forgiveness and we got to talking about that.  I think forgiveness may start with really understanding how much Jesus loves us.  I think Jesus would say to us, “There’s nothing you could ever do to make me love you less.”  He knows the worst we have ever done and he still forgives us and doesn’t love us any less.  From this amazing love, we can then forgive others and ourselves.  The love and forgiveness we give those around us reveals how we love Jesus.  Forgiveness can be difficult, but if we keep our focus on Jesus, he makes it possible to forgive others.

Keiko, Saori, and Liz waiting on the AAA guy to come unlock the car. Keiko locked her keys in by mistake. This is from 2 weeks ago.

I’m still reading Mealtime Habits of the Messiah.  The book is separated into 40 different encounters with Jesus.  In each story the author asks probing questions that get you to thinking about Jesus’ message.  I’ve been reading one a day and have enjoyed it.

I finished reading Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk this week, and I’ll start reading Zephaniah next.  Well that’s all from here in Nagano on a cold, rainy November morning.