GOD'S "MORE RECENT"

When our family lived up in Fukushima and the children were little, Joyce's missionary work was in mainland Japan, so we asked if she'd spend the winter holidays with us. They crawled on her lap, sang with, and laughed hours playing with Aunty Joyce.

Several years later, the 2011 Earthquake hit Fukushima, and we moved to the prefecture several hours south of us, where Joyce lived. Our cousin in Okinawa sent help, not realizing 15 years later we'd be living 3 mins. away!

Joyce offered to come for Christmas this year (you read about our pizza)--understanding I could cancel out last minute if I didn't feel up to it, and then did the same for New Year's! Not pizza this time tho'. The Lord sent yummy food via Kazue--the same cousin who helped us in 2011, and it felt like a slight replay, since Joyce was living below us on first floor then too!

"Aunty Joyce and her card games" had become almost background to my children's Christmases, and I asked if she could bring some to play with my family. She did.

The Saito menfolk aren't that expressive, but I could see they were really glad. (Actually, I think they were slightly disappointed we couldn't do so at Christmas, only didn't say anything.)

After they were done with Phase 10 (How many of you have played it?), and I was feeling better, Joyce came where I'd been napping, and we talked.

Jr. Hi Kazue

I realized something I kinda wanted to post. When we find photos of our cousin Kazue who's in her 70's now--those from schooldays, we call them "old", but the ones she's pictured as an adult are the "more recent" pictures. Even if 20 yrs. old means over 50 years ago!

I thot for a little bit, then said, "GOD has been existing for eons. So the past 1000 years really is 'more recent', 'the last times' for Him, isn't it?"