Cooling Down

Because of the reactor melt downs, there is a great lack of energy in Japan. The government has called us to cut down on electricity, especially air conditioners. So we decided to cool down at our 'private' water fall last Saturday.

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I will not lack a thing... He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul..."

Don't be misled by the apparent image of tranquility.

One key to understanding Japan is what is called "tatemae" and "honne." "Tatemae" means the outward image and "honne" is the reality.

Immediately after the ３・１１calamity, pictures of the victims lining up to receive food pictured Japan as being very orderly. Yes, there was that element. But what wasn't presented was that many times they were given numbered tickets to line up with. If they weren't given tickets there would be confusion.

In other words, everything is not OK in Japan. There is great need here. In the government there is great confusion. As Americans are sinners, Japanese are sinners. The Japanese need Christ as much as Americans do. Don't be misled by the apparent image of tranquility.

Please read "The toxic truth about Japan's 'harmony' after the tsunami | Mail Online." I hope it will motivate you to continue to pray for Japan- for many volunteers to serve the victims and for the Japanese as a whole to come to Christ.

Pict: Victims in Ishinomki lining up. Afterwards, they received a hot meal from us.

Leoma World

June 19th, after our worship. we went to the amusement part, Leoma World, for a few hours. We were given free tickets. While the children ran around together, Naho and I enjoyed one ride (above) together and then just talked. According to Naho, the lighting was much less than normal. With the nuclear reactors down, everyone is cutting down on the use of electricity.

Late have I loved you...

Late have I loved you,

O beauty so ancient and so new,

Late have I loved you.

For behold you were within me, and I outside,

and I sought you outside and in my ugliness fell

upon those lovely things that you have made.

You were with me and I was not with you.

I was kept from you by those things,

yet had they not been in you,

they would not have been at all.

You called and cried to me and broke upon my deafness;

and you sent forth your light and shone upon me,

and chased away my blindness;

You breathed fragrance upon me,

and I drew in my breath and do not pant for you;

I tasted you and I now hunger and thirst for you;

you touched me, and I have burned for your peace.

St. Augustine

Naho's Birthday

June 19th was Naho's birthday. I made an American style Banana Split for Naho and then kids. This was a first for the kids.

The joyful effects of the gospel...

“The joyful effects of the gospel in our own lives must give us an enormous energy for witness. How can we keep quiet about such a great wonder? If that energy is not there, we must repent and seek God until it flows.” Tim Keller

Local leaders are beginning to tire out...

Pastor Takeshi Koiwai of Azumino Family Chapel went to serve the victims of the earthquake, tsunami and radiation up in northeastern Japan. Laborers are needed! Here is what Jon Junker, my brother, wrote.

"Pastor Koiwai just returned from taking a small team to help with relief efforts in Iwate prefecture. We are partnering with local churches and individuals especially in areas that seem to be overlooked. The opportunities are there, but the manpower is lacking and the local leaders are beginning to tire out. We need to have wisdom in knowing how to help."

The 77 year old Emperor Akihito of Japan and his wife have gone up to the devastated area, I believe, 7 times. A month after the earthquake, a friend of ours, Mrs. Mori (pict), in her seventies, went up to serve on the team I served with in the city of Ishinomaki.

Not only are the leaders tiring, it is at this time the victims are in need of greater psychological and spiritual support. What can you do? What will the Junkers do?

Don't go it alone. Contact: CrashJapan, Food for the Hungry

I think that's what grace is all about

"Listen, I'm a Christian and I'm not perfect. I screw up every day, but I think that's what grace is all about." Tim Tebow, Christianity Today, Tim Tebow on Faith, Fame and Football

The Sugaharas

June 13th, after we had some of Naho's delicious pizza,....

we enjoyed Takase Hot Spring.

Pastor Sugahara is the pastor of Kokubunji Church where we serve once a month.

Infinitely glorious in itself

“They whose affection to God is founded first on his profitableness to them, their affection begins at the wrong end: they regard God only for the utmost limit of the stream of divine good, where it touches them, and reaches their interest… But… in a gracious gratitude, men are affected with the attribute of God’s goodness and free grace, not only as they are concerned in it, or as it affects their interest, but as… infinitely glorious in itself.” Jonathan Edwards

The Sabbath was made for man...

“There is ample evidence that our relationship to work is out of whack. Let me argue on behalf of an institution that has kept workaholism in reasonable check for thousands of years. Most people mistakenly believe that all you have to do to stop working is not work. The inventors of the Sabbath understood that it was a much more complicated undertaking. You cannot downshift casually and easily. This is why Puritan and Jewish Sabbaths were so exactingly intentional. The rules did not exist to torture the faithful. Interrupting the ceaseless round of striving requires a surprisingly strenuous act of will, one that has to be bolstered by habit as well as by social sanction.” J. Shulevitz

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Jesus Christ, Mark 2:27

Pict: Shane. Last Saturday, we went to the beach and relaxed.

The gospel...

“The gospel does not become public truth for a society by being propagated as a theory or as a worldview and certainly not as a religion. It can become public truth only insofar as it is embodied in a society (the church) which is both ‘abiding in’ Christ and engaged in the life of the world.” Lesslie Newbigin, Biography

To the beach...

June 4th, our family enjoyed our 'private' beach. After we ate some rice balls Naho made and cleaned up the beach, the kids went for a swim.

Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,

And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness only light,

And where there's sadness ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved, as to love, with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

In giving of ourselves that we receive,

And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Enjoy excellent movie on the life of St. Francis: Brother Son, Sister Moon. Comments by Christianity Today. Amazon.

Forgiven！

“Let’s be more amazed that we are forgiven than that we are right. And in that way, let’s shape our relationships by the gospel.” Tim Keller