...Leaning on the Everlasting Arms...♪

"It's been so long," I found myself thinking, bounding to the front door when my sister came. Wait. She was here for Christmas 2024, and I was in her Stateside apartment later that year too, so it hasn't been that long. Why did it feel like it's been forever?

This time, when my sister Janice came, it was with her daughter Kimi and son-in-law Ellis. Janice's friend was to come over with her larger car to pick them up (and their luggage) at the airport. After worship service Sunday, they came to the house to say hello to Kinya and Keima.

Kimi and Keima have met before. I have an enlarged, framed photo of my 2 kids and Janice's 5 kids when they met the summer of 2006 here in Okinawa. Altho' my children couldn't speak English, and their American cousins spoke no Japanese, the 7 kids somehow really hit it off and became fast friends.

Kimi and Keima were only 10 years old then. It's been 20 years since... I thot it would be another 20 years before I'd be needing a push cart for the elderly. But after my fall last year causing my knee injury, then hurting my back last month, Kinya purchased one of these for me, and I found myself elated.

I suppose some people don't want to "lean on" anything, want to show they're strong enough to stand on their own. I'm very happy to admit I do not have the strength I need and then to rely on the support of that which is FOREVER FAITHFUL AND STRONG!

(About the way God has already begun "filling in" our calendar: It seems Joyce was needed at a believer's funeral; Janice has been spending time running around with her daughter and son-in-law; and I will be spending time with my husband!)