Engagements All Around!

Engagement stories are important. Girls compare stories over tea years after the event actually took place. Well, I have a pretty good story to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…ok, I know you probably won’t enjoy it as much as I did…but hopefully you can enjoy it all the same!

On the Saturday before Andrew was set to deploy, he called around 9:00am and grunted that he would arrive at my house around 11:00 so we could begin an "action adventure." When I got into the car he handed me an envelope with a #1 on it. I opened it and read,

“Oh! Oh! I’m hungry! Let’s get something to eat! We’ll need to drive a car to save our poor feet! What could be a place to solve this problem in our head? How about a factory that makes delicious white flat bread?”

Well, the Tortilla Factory was my guess. This restaurant is the Japanese version of Chipotle and is quite tasty. I was right and we got to enjoy yummy Japanese-style-Mexican burritos. After lunch I got envelope #2, which said,

“Do you feel satisfied? I do, almost without a doubt. But I feel that something’s missing, something that we’re without. What will solve this problem that is decidedly crummy? How about a party that offers something cool, tasty, and yummy?”

Partyland Yogurt was the first thing I thought of. It is a build your own frozen yogurt cup joint and is quite yummy. We enjoyed some tasty yogurt in a cup. After yogurt I was handed envelope #3:

“Ah! Delicious yogurt! There’s nothing like it in the world! Especially when there’s two wonderful flavors in a swirl! Where shall be our next stop? What location shall we grace? shouldn’t we drive to your favorite rocky-sandy-type place?"

I confess I struggled with this clue. We often go sit on the beach, but I wasn’t sure which beach was the special beach. After some additional clues I knew it was Toguchi Beach. This beach is known for its huge rocks making arches above private beaches. When we got there, much of the beach was fenced off. I guess the Japanese government decided to resurface the paths around
the beach on this particular Saturday. It didn’t deter Andrew any and he hopped over the fence. Me, being a complete rule-keeper, just about had a fit. He insisted I come with him. So, we snuck around the cement trucks and the heavy equipment and Japanese construction workers. I was trying not to make eye contact. We got to our favorite place under an arch of rocks and gazed at the ocean for a minute before he handed me envelope #4:

“You picked the right spot! One out of many! It’s frugal! We did not spend a penny! Only one more stop after this one whoopee! But wait! Turn around Quickly!....because there’s a Man on one knee!!!”

I turned around and there he was on one knee telling me sweet things and asking me to join him on life’s journey. Then it was silent…oh yeah, a question usually needs an answer. Of course I said YES! The last location for our special day was to the jewelry store where we had picked out a wedding set awhile back. We spent the next hour sipping tea and making a large purchase! What a very special day. I look forward to our future together and I know that life with the two of us and the Lord, will be full of wild adventure!

Thanksgiving Psalm by Ark, Lew, and Drouillard

Hey, guess what everyone...the nomadic duos are still alive...we just haven't felt inspired to post lately. During this Thanksgiving break, we decided to carry on the tradition that we started last year and write our annual Thanksgiving Psalm. Read, enjoy and give thanks to God with us!

From dawn to the glow of the setting sun
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
His love is with us wherever we run
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
For lovingkindness that will always find us
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
For all good gifts, including grace that sets us free
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
For plans for the future that prosper and don't harm
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
For being undeserving yet still receiving
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
When I was hostile toward Him, He gave up His life for me
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
That He has power to heal, authority to destroy nations
and the grace to forgive
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He reassures our hearts when our hearts condemn us
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He is our strength and our fortress, giving strength for the battle
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
Eternal life is knowing Him
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
Nothing impossible with Him
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He is the light to our feet, guiding us until the end
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He is our life-giving vine
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He calls us His friends
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He is the redeemer of all that He has created
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He offers forgiveness even in the cycle of sin
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He is the relentless pursuer
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He works all for good, despite our confusion
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
He speaks in the quietness of our hearts
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King

New Beginnings!

So, it is that time again! The time when summer vacation and the joys of visiting family and friends and sleeping in until 9:00 are officially over and the school year has begun. Lew and I returned from our trip to America a week ago Friday. A full week of orientation and meetings meetings meetings followed. I must admit that I really struggled with the idea of school beginning. Thoughts of my inadequacies and anxieties over last year and it's difficult moments have assailed me the last few days. I remember back to the first day of school last year and how it was the WORST first day I've ever had. Honestly, I really didn't want to relive any of it. Last night my fears and frustrations and anxieties came to a horrible climax threatening to crush me. I know that sounds dramatic, but really! I'm not an emotional person on a normal basis, but I couldn't seem to make sense of the churning emotions I experienced. This morning I woke up and went on a long prayer walk striving to relax and give my emotions, anxieties, and expectations to the Lord. By the time I got home I was feeling much more at peace. I love how the Word is alive and active and how God uses it in the midst of storms. Today He gave me John 1:16 which says, "And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." What a promise for the first day of school. He has given me not only grace in salvation, but then provides abundant grace upon grace for every moment! Today I was able to experience His grace upon grace for the first day of school. Everything went smoothly. Rules and procedures were learned. My 12 students listened and obeyed. As the clock reached 3:00 one student even said, "Is it time to go home?" When I replied with a yes, he blessed me beyond words by saying, "Oh man! Already?" I assured him he would be coming back tomorrow and he breathed a sigh of relief. Tonight as I watched the sun set on yet another first day of school I can't help but thank God for the grace upon grace He gave today and anticipate the grace that He will supply tomorrow...and the next day...and the next!

Blessings

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps blessings stem from holidays. Perhaps from hard labor. Perhaps from someone else. But, why is it that God often chooses to bless us for no other reason than for the sake of blessing us? Lew and I experienced these blessings this last week and of course that led to some interesting conversations about God and His blessings.

Since school is out and we had a week before we head back to the classroom for summer school, we decided to take a vacation. In my mind the idea of a vacation included a lot of rest. The last few weeks have been busy with school ending and endless projects and I wanted some time to be 'disconnected' from the world. To rest, to think, to pray, to read...you get the picture. So, we decided to take three days and head to Kumejima, an island about 4 hours away by boat. Now, if you remember from our roadtripping days, I (Ark), am a planner. We had that trip nicely outlined and the budget set weeks before we left. This trip we decided to 'wing it' and see what happened. There is only one ferry to the island per day, so I had visions of sleeping on the beach because a hotel wouldn't accept 'walk ins'. It would definitely be a true adventure. The ferry ride, though slightly wet, was relaxing and Lew and I got some good rest during the trip. Once we stepped off the boat, we looked at each other with that, "Hmmm, now what" look. I guess the first thing would be finding transportation. In our limited Japanese and the rental car man's limited English, we were able to rent a small car for our days on the island...and it was much cheaper than we expected.

Blessings One: "Mushi"...our trusty rental car that ran well and had good AC. I see this as God's blessing on us because of the price as well as the availability!

Well, the next place to go was to look for a hotel or hostel or bed & breakfast or some place to sleep for 2 nights. We had written some hotel information down before leaving Okinawa, and forgotten it on the kitchen table. Oh well. We started driving in a "random" direction and "happened" upon the Cypress Hotel and Resort. When we saw the view from the parking lot and the word 'resort' in the name, we both thought it would be way past our missionary budget. But to both of our amazement, it wasn't.

Blessing Two: We paid for a hotel room with amazing beachfront views, full amenities, and breakfast included for nearly nothing at all. I was reminded that there is no 'random' or 'happening' when we seek to follow the Lord. He loves to direct and leads us to the BEST!

So...we had a car and a place to sleep and it was only 2pm. We decided to begin our 'Sabbath' by taking a 4 hour nap. When we awoke, the next step was to hop in Mushi and explore Kumejima a bit. We visited castles, big rocks, coastlines, and watched the sunset over the ocean.

Blessing Three: God loves to bless me with beautiful pictures in nature. The sunset and the moon rising at the same time were definitely displays of His beauty!

As we were searching our map for a place to eat dinner, the Arizona Cafe caught both of our attention. How in the world could there really be an Arizona Cafe on a remote island in the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan? After some driving and amazing map skills (no thanks to Ark), we arrived. It wasn't the typical cafe you would expect in Arizona. But just being there was fun.

Blessing Four: God knew that two Arizona girls would get really excited over eating at the Arizona Cafe on Kumejima. Did He bring the Arizona Cafe to Kumejima simply for us? Who am I to say no? He is just that good.

After dinner, sleep was calling my name again.

Blessing Five: God gave me a total of 14 hours of sleep in the first 24 on the island. Sweet rest for my weary body!

Monday included a very strange and not so tasty Japanese breakfast, a drive around the island stopping at the prettiest locations, including waterfalls, rocks, cliffs, and beaches.

Blessing Six: God created waterfalls specifically for me. Whenever you see one, you can thank me for sharing the blessing that God gave. Seeing a waterfall on Kumejima was not expected. It was just like God saying, "I know you like this and I give good gifts, so here you go." Thank you, Lord for the blessing of a waterfall.

Of course, the day couldn't be complete with a nap and some downtime. More resting and reading and rejuvenating was in store for the afternoon. Our final morning on the island included a slightly tastier-and-not-so-strange breakfast, sitting by the pool, and then finishing our time on the beach. The ferry ride home was spent thinking...how often does one just take the time to think and 'be' and rest and enjoy God's presence?

Blessing Seven: Coming home completely rejuvenated and rested from the end of school.

I'm sure there were more blessings that I have failed to share here. It seemed as though the entired weekend was filled with one blessing after another. My prayer now is that I would see the blessings God gives on a daily basis so I can give thanks. How many blessings does He give that we aren't even aware of? Or pay attention to? Or acknowledge as a blessing? May the Father of good gifts open my eyes to see and rejoice in them all!

Great Are You, Lord!

Today marked the very last elementary event to be planned and orchestrated during the 2010-2011 school year at OCSI. If you couldn't tell by the books and costumes, today was Character Parade. Students in lower-elementary dressed up like their favorite book character and we paraded around campus waving and looking cute. I have to say this last event of the school year was a bit bittersweet. How can it be possible that in only 2.5 weeks the students will be packing up their desks and heading out for their summer adventures? Wasn't it just yesterday I stepped off that airplane and into this whole new experience? Wasn't the first day of school just a few weeks ago? It is not so. With that realization, I also realize that an update is long overdue. Here are a few recent highlights:

- Another student in my class accepted Christ a few weeks ago. He came in from Japanese class and proudly announced that he had become a Christian. Already I can see the Holy Spirit at work within his heart. Oh, praise the Lord!

- I will be honest...every classroom has one. There is always one student that just pushes the teacher's buttons. My little 'button pusher' is undergoing a 'heart makeover'! She told me that she prayed everyday this week that the Holy Spirit would help her to behave in class. Oh the faith of a child! Perhaps we have taught each other important lessons this school year. I have taught her the Bible and what it means to have faith in Christ, and she has taught me the refining power of Christ.

- I am finally officially learning Japanese! God opened a door and a small class of about 7 of us have the best teacher on the island. I'm finding that I understand a whole lot more than I thought I would and have had some conversations with the locals around me. That is definitely a reason to praise!

- I see God opening doors to build relationships with more Japanese. A few weeks ago, I was blessed to spend a Saturday with one of my students and her mom and sister. They practiced their English on me and I practiced my Japanese on them. It was a very special time of fellowship! Pray that this dear family would see the truth of Christ! They have recently started coming to church and I can see their hearts softening.

- I'm seeing God answer prayer in so many new ways. God even cares about the 'silly' things. May I never be a person who does not have, because I don't ask!

So what is coming up? I will start my summer months teaching summer school here at OCSI and finish the summer months visiting family and friends in the states. I hope to visit with many of you, Readers! As I sit here and ponder the last year, all I can say is...

Psalm 18:1

I love you, O LORD, my strength!

Psalm 77:11-13

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?

Psalm 86:9All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.

Psalm 103:1-5

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 106:1-2

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?

Psalm 113:2-3

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!

Spring Break: Welcome!

Because it has been 75 degrees and sunny here for the past week, this break that we have from school almost feels more like summer break than spring break. Regardless, I am very happy to be on break after several hectic weeks of testing, working at a fund-raising bazaar, finishing up third quarter, helping to coach track, grading research papers, and many other school related activities. I am looking forward to a time of refocusing and recharging to prepare for the last quarter of the year. Yes, we only have one quarter (7.5 weeks) left to this school year...hard to believe.

Since it's been two months since I've written anything on here, I'll just share a few highlights:

We had the opportunity to go out in a boat for a day to some of the islands about 20 miles from here. We enjoyed a beautiful, albeit cold, snorkeling experience. Then, we floated a grill to one of the islands and grilled some burgers on the beach. Then, after doing a little deserted island exploring and seeing wild goats, we headed back home to our own island. What a privilege to get to explore deserted islands on the weekends.

One student that I would like to ask prayer for is an Indian student that is in my 8th grade English class. I tutor him on Thursdays after school, and last week, he and I talked for an hour and a half about questions that he has about God and the Bible and how we can know whether or not it's all true. He is seeking for answers and asking good questions, and God has already begun to reveal Himself to this young man. I just pray that God will convict his heart. It's so hard for some of these students to take that step of faith because it means rejecting the religion of their parents for what they see as a religion that is "foreign." Thanks for praying.

Another highlight continues to be the Capoeira class that we are taking. It has been fun to get to know some people outside of school while learning roundhouse kicks and how to properly do cartwheels and handstands. Although we're getting better, I wouldn't say we are very good yet, but I like the workout that it is and the laughter it provides as we try to learn new moves.

Some of you are probably wondering if we have been affected at all by the earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit northern Japan a month ago. Okinawa is about a thousand miles south of where the earthquake hit, so we did not have any effects from that or from the tsunami, for which we thank God. Please continue to pray for the country of Japan though that God will bless the long rebuilding process ahead and that this will be a turning point for the gospel in this dark country.

O LORD, How Many Are Your Works

Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering Yourself with light as with a cloak, stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; He makes the winds His messengers, flaming fire His ministers.



He established the earth upon its foundations, so that it will not totter forever and ever. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters were standing above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled, at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away. The mountains rose; the valleys sank down to the place which You established for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass over, so that they will not return to cover the earth.



He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they lift up their voices among the branches. He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.



He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man, so that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine which makes man's heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food which sustains man's heart. The trees of the LORD drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted, where the birds build their nests, and the stork, whose home is the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim. He made the moon for the seasons; the sun knows the place of its setting. You appoint darkness and it becomes night, in which all the beasts of the forest prowl about.
The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God. When the sun rises they withdraw and lie down in their dens. Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.



O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great. There the ships move along, and Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it. They all wait for You to give them their food in due season. You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good. You hide Your face, they are dismayed; You take away their spirit, they expire and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the ground.



Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; let the LORD be glad in His works; He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the LORD. Let sinners be consumed from the earth and let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!