Today, I took a chance and went to a Japanese hair salon for a trim. I have a very bad track record with hair cuts. I never ask for anything complicated... but for some reason stylists tend to butcher my hair. I did find one woman here in Misawa who gave me good hair cuts, but she left during the voluntary evacuation and never came back. So I've been putting off a hair cut as long as I could. But having a long, heavy mane of hair just wasn't working in this 93* heat with no A/C. It was time for a trim.
There is a salon off base called Hair Prism that some people in the squadron go to. (Claire went there while she was here too.) I had no idea what to expect, but called them up and made an appointment. I brought a picture with me to help demonstrate what I wanted, incase they didn't speak much English. But there was no need. The stylists spoke very good english. They were professional, worked quickly and quietly, and did a GREAT job for a more than reasonable. The experience was fantastic. I was so relaxed and walked away more than satisfied.
My favorite part about getting my hair cut was how very Japanese the whole experience was. They were so polite and accommodating. They had a special place to store my personal effects while they were working. They made sure that every part of me was covered before shampooing my hair so my clothes wouldn't get wet. They even lay a washcloth over my eyes so they wouldn't splash anything in my eyes. The woman who did my hair, Risa-san, made sure the cut was exactly even and precise and perfectly styled. It was great! Plus, because it was a Japanese store - no tip!
If any of my readers live here in Japan, I highly recommend you check it out. I'm not sure how they do on color... They may use different chemicals here in Japan. But for a simple cut it's worth it!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Daniel and the Lion's Den
Recap from last week: The Babylonian Empire conquered Judah and started deporting Jews to Babylon. Daniel and his friends were among the bright young Jews King Nebuchadnezzar brought to live in his palace. They were pampered and educated in the Babylonian ways, then given leadership positions in their government in hopes that they would influence their people to submit to Babylonian rule. They were very tempted to compromise on what they knew was right and conform to this new world’s way of living, but Daniel and his friends stayed faithful to God and what they knew was right.
Daniel actually served three different kings. First Nebuchadnezzar, then his successor King Belshazzar. After that the Persian empire came in and conquered the Babylonians, and Daniel served their ruler Darius.
There are some incredible stories in the first half of the book of Daniel - I highly recommend you read them this week. But we’re going to focus on Daniel’s most famous triumph in the Lion’s Den, which takes place near the end of his life when he was serving Darius.
If you read Daniel 6:1-9 you see that the king’s advisors were jealous of Daniel because he was so successful and had put in control of the entire kingdom. They wanted to get rid of him but could find no fault because he was so faithful. However, they knew his first allegiance was to God and that he would only break the law of the land if it interfered with God’s law. (Remember what happened when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were commanded to bow to the image? They refused.) So they tricked Darius into issuing a decree that, once put into law, could not be revoked, even by the king himself. The decree said that if anyone worshipped a man or god other than the king for 30 days they would be thrown into the lion’s den.
Someone who didn’t know anything about Daniel might be surprised that he went home after hearing the edict, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and continued openly praying three times a day as was his custom. But we know that Daniel has consistently put God first in his life. He has strong integrity - a strong moral center, and the way he acts, especially in regard to his faith, is always consistent. Daniel is obedient in every circumstance and crisis. His obedience is an expression of God’s lordship in His life. God was always number one in his life and he made that clear by his actions. That is what we strive for in our relationship with God - to have good integrity and always be consistent in our commitment and obedience to the Lord. As we discussed last week, doing what God asks us to is the greatest way we can show Him that we truly love Him.
The king was distressed when he realized he had been tricked and must throw his faithful servant to the lions. But he trusted that the God Daniel served would save him. Sure enough, and angel was sent to shut the mouths of the lions so he was not harmed.
His faith got him into trouble, but then it saved him in the end. Daniel was spared because he was innocent before both God and man. The fact is that our life will be difficult if we’re genuinely trying to follow in Christ’s footsteps. People won’t understand and will try to tear us down in any way they can. But God promises that if we’re faithful, He will be with us and bring us through the trial for His Glory. That’s exactly what happened here. Not only was Daniel miraculously saved from the mouths of the lions, but a pagan King witnessed the power of the One true God and praised Him before the entire kingdom!
Key Verse: “Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.” ~ 1 Peter 2:12
I think the story of Daniel really speaks to people because we can relate to the challenges he faced. Regardless of how sheltered our upbringing is or how often we go to church, there comes a time when we will be thrust out into an unbelieving world. You’ll be faced with many difficult choices. Will you obey God regardless of the consequences, or will you become part of the surrounding culture?
I like what Douglas Connelly wrote in his Bible Study guide on Daniel: “Daniel was a man who rose to a position of great influence and prestige in the world system, but who never compromised essential Biblical principles. He shows us how to live a life of integrity in the crush of a secular world. Anyone who has been tempted to give in to the world’s pressures can learn a lot from him.”
Discussion Questions to Ponder:
Do you understand what we mean by integrity?
Dictionary definition: Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.
When we talk about someone having integrity, it means that they are both morally upright, and honest. They always act the same, no matter what happens or who they are with, because they have nothing to hide. In Daniel’s case, he always put God first and honored His commands, no matter the consequences.
Have you ever acted differently depending on who you’re around, or known someone who does? What do you think about those types of people? Why is it important to have integrity?
We saw in this story that Daniel did the right thing and honored God in a tough situation. But that’s when he was 80 years old and had walked with God for a very long time. Let’s take a look at what happened when he was tested as a teenager.
Quickly read through Daniel 1:3-15.
What was Daniel being asked to do this time that was contrary to God’s law?
Eating food that was forbidden to the Jews and defiling his body.
How did he handle this initial test?
(Note the fact that he not only stuck to his guns and did the right thing, but that he was respectful in his refusal. He didn’t yell and make a scene, calling the Babylonians heathens for the things they eat. He simply asked to be able to honor his God and prove with his actions why this was the best thing for him. God is love and cares about all people, and we need to represent Him well, even when sticking up for ourselves.)
Compare Daniel’s actions in this chapter to what happened with the lion’s den. What do you think it took for Daniel to live such a consistent life of obedience to God for more than 70 years in the corrupt society of Babylon?
What are some of the ways you’ve been tempted to compromise and conform to the ways of the world? What are the consequences of giving in to this pressure?
If you were being watched as Daniel was, what changes (if any) would you want to make in your present lifestyle?
How has Daniel encouraged you to be a more Christlike example to those around you?
What can you learn from Daniel’s experience that will help you trust God even in the face of the threat of punishment for your obedience to God?
PRAY: Ask God to show you areas where your personal integrity needs to be strengthened. Encourage them to follow up with an obedient response this week.
Daniel actually served three different kings. First Nebuchadnezzar, then his successor King Belshazzar. After that the Persian empire came in and conquered the Babylonians, and Daniel served their ruler Darius.
There are some incredible stories in the first half of the book of Daniel - I highly recommend you read them this week. But we’re going to focus on Daniel’s most famous triumph in the Lion’s Den, which takes place near the end of his life when he was serving Darius.
If you read Daniel 6:1-9 you see that the king’s advisors were jealous of Daniel because he was so successful and had put in control of the entire kingdom. They wanted to get rid of him but could find no fault because he was so faithful. However, they knew his first allegiance was to God and that he would only break the law of the land if it interfered with God’s law. (Remember what happened when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were commanded to bow to the image? They refused.) So they tricked Darius into issuing a decree that, once put into law, could not be revoked, even by the king himself. The decree said that if anyone worshipped a man or god other than the king for 30 days they would be thrown into the lion’s den.
Someone who didn’t know anything about Daniel might be surprised that he went home after hearing the edict, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and continued openly praying three times a day as was his custom. But we know that Daniel has consistently put God first in his life. He has strong integrity - a strong moral center, and the way he acts, especially in regard to his faith, is always consistent. Daniel is obedient in every circumstance and crisis. His obedience is an expression of God’s lordship in His life. God was always number one in his life and he made that clear by his actions. That is what we strive for in our relationship with God - to have good integrity and always be consistent in our commitment and obedience to the Lord. As we discussed last week, doing what God asks us to is the greatest way we can show Him that we truly love Him.
The king was distressed when he realized he had been tricked and must throw his faithful servant to the lions. But he trusted that the God Daniel served would save him. Sure enough, and angel was sent to shut the mouths of the lions so he was not harmed.
His faith got him into trouble, but then it saved him in the end. Daniel was spared because he was innocent before both God and man. The fact is that our life will be difficult if we’re genuinely trying to follow in Christ’s footsteps. People won’t understand and will try to tear us down in any way they can. But God promises that if we’re faithful, He will be with us and bring us through the trial for His Glory. That’s exactly what happened here. Not only was Daniel miraculously saved from the mouths of the lions, but a pagan King witnessed the power of the One true God and praised Him before the entire kingdom!
Key Verse: “Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.” ~ 1 Peter 2:12
I think the story of Daniel really speaks to people because we can relate to the challenges he faced. Regardless of how sheltered our upbringing is or how often we go to church, there comes a time when we will be thrust out into an unbelieving world. You’ll be faced with many difficult choices. Will you obey God regardless of the consequences, or will you become part of the surrounding culture?
I like what Douglas Connelly wrote in his Bible Study guide on Daniel: “Daniel was a man who rose to a position of great influence and prestige in the world system, but who never compromised essential Biblical principles. He shows us how to live a life of integrity in the crush of a secular world. Anyone who has been tempted to give in to the world’s pressures can learn a lot from him.”
Discussion Questions to Ponder:
Do you understand what we mean by integrity?
Dictionary definition: Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.
When we talk about someone having integrity, it means that they are both morally upright, and honest. They always act the same, no matter what happens or who they are with, because they have nothing to hide. In Daniel’s case, he always put God first and honored His commands, no matter the consequences.
Have you ever acted differently depending on who you’re around, or known someone who does? What do you think about those types of people? Why is it important to have integrity?
We saw in this story that Daniel did the right thing and honored God in a tough situation. But that’s when he was 80 years old and had walked with God for a very long time. Let’s take a look at what happened when he was tested as a teenager.
Quickly read through Daniel 1:3-15.
What was Daniel being asked to do this time that was contrary to God’s law?
Eating food that was forbidden to the Jews and defiling his body.
How did he handle this initial test?
(Note the fact that he not only stuck to his guns and did the right thing, but that he was respectful in his refusal. He didn’t yell and make a scene, calling the Babylonians heathens for the things they eat. He simply asked to be able to honor his God and prove with his actions why this was the best thing for him. God is love and cares about all people, and we need to represent Him well, even when sticking up for ourselves.)
Compare Daniel’s actions in this chapter to what happened with the lion’s den. What do you think it took for Daniel to live such a consistent life of obedience to God for more than 70 years in the corrupt society of Babylon?
What are some of the ways you’ve been tempted to compromise and conform to the ways of the world? What are the consequences of giving in to this pressure?
If you were being watched as Daniel was, what changes (if any) would you want to make in your present lifestyle?
How has Daniel encouraged you to be a more Christlike example to those around you?
What can you learn from Daniel’s experience that will help you trust God even in the face of the threat of punishment for your obedience to God?
PRAY: Ask God to show you areas where your personal integrity needs to be strengthened. Encourage them to follow up with an obedient response this week.
Of Herbs and Pie...
I think I've mentioned before that I'm learning a lot more about cooking while here in Misawa, and that my palate is changing as I'm growing in my knowledge of food. Recently, I've made a few culinary strides. First - I've learned the joys of cooking with fresh herbs vs. dried ones. A friend of mine had several basil seedlings she needed to get rid of and so I took one. It only took one slice into those green leaves and one sniff of that fresh herbal aroma to spoil me for dried herbs forever.Unfortunately, I kill plants, and my seedling didn't last very long. I'm confident it wasn't my fault though, since I actually wanted this plant to live. I watered it and gave it plenty sunshine. Some sort of pest just ate all the leaves before I got to. =^( But now, I think it's worth investing in the bunches of fresh herbs from the commissary. Maybe next year I can try my hand at growing an herb garden...
Also, I recently rose to the challenge of making homemade pie dough for the first time. I found some beautiful fresh peaches at a local market and was perusing recipes online when I stumbled across a Martha Stewart recipe for peach-filled hand pies. I'm not going to lie - pie crust is difficult to make. The key to perfect pastry dough is keeping the butter really cold. I didn't think about that before attempting this recipe during the hottest weekend of the summer in Misawa, with no A/C and high humidity. My kitchen was a hot, sticky mess by the time I was done. But the pies were delicious. I'm not sure it's worth making homemade dough when you can buy it pre-made in the freezer section. But I may need to do it again at least once for my pie-loving hubby when he gets home in September.If you'd like to try this hand-pie recipe, the link is below:
Around the World Party
Recently, our squadron had a big Around the World Party. Since we have so many families living in the same small subdivision here on the north side of base, we figured it would work well for a progressive dinner party. Six families decided to host for an hour - providing appetizers, drinks, music and games that went along with their country of choice. Everyone else put on international-themed costumes and just enjoyed eating, playing and catching up with friends. We were also given passports that had to be stamped at each house. The passports also came with some silly rules for this event. The only one people really stuck to was making sure we thanked the host before leaving each house. =^)
James and I, of course, represented New Zealand on our journey. We put on the shirts we bought while down there, some jandals (the Kiwi word for flip-flops), James painted the logo for their rugby team on my face, and he even spiked his hair into a very New Zealand faux-hawk. (Not that he needs a reason to spike his hair up. Most people didn't think a thing about this part of his costume.)
Stop #1 was FRANCE! The hosts wore berets and their best Parisian attire. French music, low-lighting, mini Eiffel Tower figurines and photos from France scattered throughout the house really set the mood. The spread included mini onion quiches, a plate of fruit and fromage, truffles, and lots of French wine.
From there, we walked across the street to GREECE. It was hilarious because they had a big foreclosure sign on the front door. The hosts were in togas and totally put everyone to shame with their gorgeous, outdoor pavilion packed with fabulous Grecian food.
Stop #3 was ARGENTINA! The house was decked out in blue and white streamers and posters from Argentina. I helped the host, Kristin Masopust, make a bunch of beef empenadas the day before. She also set out some dulce de leche sandwich cookies, fruit, crackers, and matte (a special type of tea that is very popular down there.) They also set out a bunch of roses incase anyone felt like a tango. Apparently one of the world's best soccer players is from Argentina and has a big mustache so they hosts also had fake mustaches on all night. Hilarious.
On to ITALY! My friend Lisa set out a beautiful spread of bruschetta, italian meat balls, and homemade italian ices in assorted flavors. I donated the hydrangea blossoms from the bushes in my back yard. =^)
Country #5 was CANADA! I wasn't sure what they would have to offer in the way of food, but it was all actually REALLY good. Lots of things involving bacon, gamey meats and cheese. We started out the hour long Canada-fest by singing 'O Canada!' at the top of our lungs. This lead into a big play list put together of well known Canadian artists, and had some rowdy games going on in the backyard.
The final stop was MEXICO! Most of us were totally stuffed by that time, but still managed to down some chips and salsa while holding a wild dance party. Fun night!
There were some truly great costumes that night. Below are a couple of my favorites. The Kenkels dressed up as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach from the Super Mario Bros. video game. (Very Italian, I know. ;^) Then Hunter and Brenda Powell represented Japan as a sumo wrestler and a geisha. Hilarious!
Stop #1 was FRANCE! The hosts wore berets and their best Parisian attire. French music, low-lighting, mini Eiffel Tower figurines and photos from France scattered throughout the house really set the mood. The spread included mini onion quiches, a plate of fruit and fromage, truffles, and lots of French wine.
From there, we walked across the street to GREECE. It was hilarious because they had a big foreclosure sign on the front door. The hosts were in togas and totally put everyone to shame with their gorgeous, outdoor pavilion packed with fabulous Grecian food.
Stop #3 was ARGENTINA! The house was decked out in blue and white streamers and posters from Argentina. I helped the host, Kristin Masopust, make a bunch of beef empenadas the day before. She also set out some dulce de leche sandwich cookies, fruit, crackers, and matte (a special type of tea that is very popular down there.) They also set out a bunch of roses incase anyone felt like a tango. Apparently one of the world's best soccer players is from Argentina and has a big mustache so they hosts also had fake mustaches on all night. Hilarious.
On to ITALY! My friend Lisa set out a beautiful spread of bruschetta, italian meat balls, and homemade italian ices in assorted flavors. I donated the hydrangea blossoms from the bushes in my back yard. =^)
Before things got TOO out of hand, we made sure
to get a couple of group photos. =^)
Country #5 was CANADA! I wasn't sure what they would have to offer in the way of food, but it was all actually REALLY good. Lots of things involving bacon, gamey meats and cheese. We started out the hour long Canada-fest by singing 'O Canada!' at the top of our lungs. This lead into a big play list put together of well known Canadian artists, and had some rowdy games going on in the backyard.
The final stop was MEXICO! Most of us were totally stuffed by that time, but still managed to down some chips and salsa while holding a wild dance party. Fun night!
There were some truly great costumes that night. Below are a couple of my favorites. The Kenkels dressed up as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach from the Super Mario Bros. video game. (Very Italian, I know. ;^) Then Hunter and Brenda Powell represented Japan as a sumo wrestler and a geisha. Hilarious!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Pray for Japan!
While we were in Miyako, the other leaders were invited to a prayer meeting at a local Japanese church. They presented us with a list of specific prayer requests. I wanted to pass them on and request that you all join me in praying for the salvation of this nation!
- Pray for the blessing of God upon this land, for God's glory to be revealed and for the revival of this land as the country is trying to recover from the damage of the tsunami.
- Pray for God's blessing upon the church and that the church members will be called to serve Him.
- Pray for the good health of the people affected by the tsunami and their lives in temporary housing, especially as the weather is getting hotter.
- Pray that those traumatized by the tsunami will be healed by God and find hope and faith in God.
- Pray for the salvation of people who were affected by the tsunami living in many different places, that the Holy Spirit will touch their lives for Christ through our different activities.
- Pray for those school children in Miyako, Tsugaruishi and Taro will be comforted and overcome the trauma, for their good health, and for them to put their faith in Christ.
- Pray for the different staff who are working for OMF, 3.11 Church Network, and different teams to be in good health and spirits as they are serving people and God.
- Pray that different teams will continue to come to Miyako and Iwate Prefecture to work.
- Pray that God will meet all the needs of the people here who lost everything including their loved ones.
Thank you!
Miyako Mission Trip pt. 2
While we were in Miyako, we visited three different elementary schools. Each school requested something specific from us in terms of a gift or program. But we did many of the same things at each school. We played card and board games with them. We donated a lot of sports equipment to each school and played football, soccer and frisbee with the kids. We also gave each child an American snack of Pringles potato chips and a juice box. Finally, the children who participated in vacation Bible school at the chapel the week before we left decorated hacky sacks for the children in Miyako. So we handed a few of those out to each student with a hand written note from a child their age offering encouragement and best wishes. What a special gift!
The special thing the first school requested was water guns and water balloons. We were a little surprised by that, but indulged them with dozens of small squirt guns and bags of balloons. The kids had so much fun squirting not only each other, but our students. I also think our students enjoyed having an excuse to throw buckets of water at the leaders. By the end of the day we were all soaked to the bone and freezing. But it was fun and definitely worth it!
Below are some pictures of us handing out the hacky sacks. Those children were so excited to receive a gift from American kids their age. =^)
The second day we spent a lot more time at our assigned school. The girls spent the morning inside with the children, doing arts and crafts projects and doing some face painting while they boys set up a BBQ outside. We only had a couple of days to prepare an "American program" for children who don't speak English. Since we didn't have time to learn much of the language, we opted for something simple and interactive that we could leave behind. We also thought long and hard about how we could tie this in to God. I think we succeeded pretty well. =^)
We wanted to leave this school with something to remember us by,that also helped us communicate the gospel message. So we helped them finger paint a mural of a Japanese maple tree, inspired by Jeremiah 17:7-8:
"Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
Whose confidence is in Him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
That sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when the heat comes;
Its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
And it never fails to bear fruit."
We had our translator read the meaning of the scripture to them after we finished. I pray they understood the message.
More arts and crafts projects. We glued hearts to paper plates
to make flowers, and glued fruit loops and cotton balls
to construction paper to make rainbows. Both symbols of
promise, peace and new growth. =^)
Before lunch, my fellow leader Erika (who is an excellent artist) pulled out some face painting supplies. At first, the kids were to scared to try. But finally one of the older students stepped forward and volunteered to be her guinea pig. After they saw the big bat drawn on his face they got very excited and couldn't wait for their turn! So cute!
By this time, the food was ready. So we cleared away the art supplies and brought out the food. In addition to hotdogs and hamburgers, we gave each child some Pringles and a juice box. For a special treat, we bought some melons and cut them up for the kids. Melons are extremely expensive off base (sometimes reaching the equivalent of $20 for a small one!!)
Before we ate, the Japanese children tried singing the ABC's for us. They did pretty well until they hit QRST. Then they just kind of trailed off... So our students got inspired and sang the ABCs back to them. After that we had our translator read the lyrics for Jesus Loves Me. We sang it to them once with accompanying sign language, and then invited them to join us in doing the motions. After that I prayed for the meal, and our translator repeated each line after me. Their teachers were very receptive and told the children that God is good, and that is why we were there doing good things for them. So they should thank God. During the prayer I thanked God for allowing us to be there to serve these children. The teacher made a point of coming over and telling me that she was very surprised and moved that we would thank God for a chance to serve them. It was pretty clear that God was working in that place and we are SOO thankful!
After lunch, we headed outside for a couple more hours of fun in the sun. We had one big circle of students tossing frisbees back and forth. It was really cute because the girls started trying to share the frisbees and toss them together since there were not enough for each person. (SO Japanese.) The older Japanese kids joined many of our students in a rowdy game of soccer as well. I am so excited that I captured the picture below of one of our boys giving them a high five. Our mission was to share God's love with them, and often we had to do that without words. But I think the message got through just fine. =^)
When the day was over, neither group of students wanted to part ways. The Japanese kids insisted that we all sign the sports equipment we were leaving behind so they could remember us. Many of them signed their names on US as well. One boy had writing all up and down his arms because everyone wanted to sign their names on him. Then we took a big group picture and said our final farewells.
In Japanese culture, gift-giving is a big deal. Whenever you give someone something, you always expect something in return. They were overwhelmed with the gifts we gave them, and the fact that we wanted nothing in return. (We are building bridges for the gospel here! Difficult to understand the free gift of salvation if there is no such thing as a free gift!) But they DID want to show their appreciation, so they gave us this cute poster of origami characters they had made, as well as a beautiful Japanese poem expressing their gratitude. The poem says:"Our tears are like an ocean,
Like the tsunami that came to Akamai (their village).
You came here to encourage us and
We will never forget."
In addition to playing with young kids, we also did a lot of work for our hosts from OMF International and the 3.11 church network. Right around the time we arrived, they were preparing to move to a new temporary location. So we moved several hundred pounds of boxes of supplies down four flights of stairs, packed them into a rented truck and our vans and transport them to the new location. They were very appreciative of our help.
After that we headed to the third school. We only had a couple of hours here, but still enjoyed playing with these sweet children. We did some more arts and craft projects, painted many more faces, played some card games, and shared another American snack. We sang Jesus Loves Me again. Then we presented them with a lot of sports equipment before heading home.
This was a deeply impacting trip for everyone involved and we cannot wait to go back!
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