TAKING TIME SURPRISING HIS CREATURES

It's not that I wanted to play UNO so much, but that I wanted to play with the cards the Kinas brought! Tomorrow (Feb 2; this is being written Feb 1) is Kinya's actual birthday, but Aino and Masahiro work so decided to come celebrate today by playing games. They brought their miniature cards with them. Sure, my sister has a myriad of games to choose from--but we can play them anytime. But these? We could play with them only tonight.

Only room for one candle, she said, not 68. I didn't know what she was talking about. For the "birthday cake", Joyce didn't get a regular large-sized one, but twelve yummy blocks of pastry, some chocolate, some fruity, one with a Birthday decoration on which she stuck a candle.

It was lit, and we sang "Happy Birthday" to Kinya.

I forgot to mention: Aino is one of my artist buddies. She has commented she wants to help me get my hands on art supplies, and tonight, she pulled me aside and asked if I could use water soluble pastels!

I'd seriously considered cancelling tonight's activity, and God simply surprised me in these ways. 

Why would Almighty God bother to spend time doing that for His creatures? Most of us have gotten so used to e-mail, we will not spend time writing letters anymore.

UP (raise in bed) AND DOWN (with dosage)

The past few days, Kinya raised me up in bed; I tried but couldn't do it myself. For a while after he set me upright, I could feel my lower back throbbing. Because I already take daily medication for epilepsy and thyroid plus the doctor had prescribed antibiotics to combat the high fever I had last week I REALLY did not want to take any more medicine unnecessarily.

Unnecessarily. But my back made my whole system feel like it was drowning...I'd heard of junkies, former patients who had their lives turned upside down by getting addicted to "harmless" painkillers; surely, that wasn't going to happen to me too! Yet I found myself alarmed at needing an IBUPROFEN MASK for the relentless throbbing 3 mornings in a row...

But this morning, after praying and trying again I got up by myself. It took quite a bit of time, but I did it! And the lower back pressure, while still present, was less than before: I'd be OK with 2 Ibuprofen caplets today! Maybe I wouldn't be an addict, after all. Whew; thank You, Father. You may laugh, but I was really worried.

The painting? A reminder that like the firefly, a mere beetle in the daylight who glows in the night, we sometimes find God's richest treasures in nights of pain.

WE WON'T BE WALKING IN THE PARK ANYMORE

My memory work is around Rev. 9:17, "And I saw horses in the vision, and them that sat on them"

This is going to be one of those crazy posts in which I ramble and don't know where I'm going. 

Recently, I've thought often of Joni Eareckson Tada. She used to say when she entered her phase of battling chronic pain, she realized her previous decades of wheelchair quadriplegia were a walk in the park in comparison.

I know my recent back pain sometimes gets maddening and makes last year's fall and injuries, seem like park strolls too. But I was thinking, when I dream, I don't have any back or knee problems at all. I wonder...does Joni see herself in her dreams playing field hockey, swimming, riding horseback, like she did at 17?

She often wakes in the middle of the night tho', and has had to resort to reciting truth until help comes to turn her. My wee morning coughing spells, on the other hand, can be quickly quieted with lozenges kept nearby. And I can reach above my head with my arm even if I move the wrong way pain shoots up my spine.

But One Day, Joni and I won't have to worry about any of that.

SHORT WALK GLEANINGS

I'm NOT saying fever or back problems are things to laugh at. They're not. All I know is we have a God Who is MUCH BIGGER than all we can't see past, yes?

Like all that construction work being done on the river. I remembered how, when the Kiddy Park in Iwatsuki was renovated or the ponds were cleaned, they had an alarming negative effect on the wildlife. I was saddened to think I'd see it again here in Okinawa. The Dike was completed now, and along it...swam the coots, just like before; they hadn't gone anywhere! (Can you see the egret?)

Come to think of it, during construction, the waterfowl could often be seen atop construction equipment, resting or fishing in the river. They'd never been chased away or been made to feel unwelcome then, so this new strange human rock slab must not be harmful, they must've surmised, and simply added it to their daily background.

It wasn't just the Coots and Egrets around the dike.

I hurriedly snapped a picture of the Red-legged Sandpiper who came to introduce himself. I got excited when I saw him starting to play with a Cormorant on the river, snagged the shot.

I really wasn't feeling well so wasn't supposed to stay out, but we were seeing all this in our short walk home!

"I got him, I got him?" but what Kinya saw was a tangle of construction rope hiding the tail end of a bird kicking off the surface of the water to go home. He laughed at me. Time we went home too.

So I ruefully submit this photo of a "four-legged wooden bird", where we crossed the street when the light turned.

LAUGHING'S GOOD MEDICINE, THEY SAY

I didn't think it could get much worse.

My low-grade fever had been teasing me for the past month. It finally came down and seemed to settle down; Joyce drove me to the optician's to pick up my newly-made glasses (remember I'd lost my nose guard on the bifocals in my fall last year?).

But the fever came back. It didn't stop at "low grade" this time but went to 38.3 Celcius. I needed to go to the doctor's office Fri. to pick up my monthly epilepsy medication; my temp was manageable in two days, so Joyce drove us there on the way to a piano lesson she was scheduled to teach.

After getting my medicines and the doctor's prescribed antibiotics, etc, Kinya and I took an easy walk home. Perhaps things are mostly ice and snow in the rest of the world, but it's still colorful here. You can see that by the calliandra and hibiscus blooms. If I'd been feeling chipper, I may've stayed around to photograph much, much more.

I didn't know I'd get home that weekend and manage to do something bad to my back so have a hard time getting out of bed. If I'd known this would happen, I don't know I would've so happily gotten antibiotics which are famous for causing loose stools and necessitating a rush to the bathroom. The doctor said FINISH THOSE ANTIBIOTICS NO MATTER WHAT. I've got one more dose left.

I had a friend once who told me not to take myself too seriously. I think the past few months has been a Tragic Comedy. If I don't laugh at some of these situations, I think I'd cry and give up.

I had several things I wanted to post...

Which should I post first?

I'll go with this one. It came at the tail end of a dream, right in one of those half-wakefulness-half-sleep states; so much of it is truth. Some students had asked me to lead in prayer at an activity, resulting in the following:

LORD God of MOSES - not of the Moses that parted the Red Sea or brought water out of the rock or caused the sun to stand still, but the one who killed the Egyptian slavemaster then ran away to Midian and was fugitive for 40 years. You were HIS GOD even then and showed Yourself to him in ways he needed afterwards when he led the people in the great Exodus. Oh God, when we in our fear and timidity RUN from our responsibilities, ever be tender and faithful to us; show Yourself strong and loving to us that we could not but stick fast to serving YOU as a result!

LORD God of DAVID - not of the one who slew the giant or the king who ruled faithfully for 40 years, but the one who decided to take it easy on a day the kings went out to battle, and he found himself committing a horrible crime, another more heinous one to cover it up. It was the king who began to get proud and wanted to see how populace his kingdom was, the way some ministers might check how many number their congregation/ministries. But when confronted with these incidents, David repented, and he was called a man after God's own heart. Lord, let us see You do not desire perfectly upright walks of us but walks constantly willing to admit and repent; and then we too will be able to say as David did, who followed God's heart, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever!

LORD God of ELIJAH - not of the prophet who called down fire from heaven, but the one to whom God asked, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" Even strong men used greatly of God get tired, oh God. Let us realize You love and use us as we are anyway. And when we stop serving you or need questions answered, you are never displeased with us, will stop and make sure nothing we have attempted is wasted. Lord, let us not seek for the apparent, attractive, and strong; but know You are a gentle Father Who can still be trusted today to work through a still, small voice. Yes, You are the God before Whom Elijah stood, and You are the God before Whom We stand today.

RAINBOW HUMIDIFIER

Okinawa is called the Hawaii of Japan and is relatively warm all year round--I remember the day there were overcoat rental shops. But it gets cold enough to heat the homes, and because of the resulting dry air, I find I need a humidifier in the winter, and asked Kinya to pick up an inexpensive one for me this year.

Within an hour of my mentioning I needed one, Kinya came home after choosing and buying a raydrop humidifier! It turns all colors of the rainbow. May I use some of these colors in relating today's post, again, some thoughts from my journal, continued memory work bits and pieces in Revelation?

The locust that came out of the smoke in Revelation 9:4 were commanded not to "hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree". God's love of foliage may or may not be the reason behind this instruction, but it is clear God's judgment is not unleashing of blind rage but is a very controlled thing. There really is "silent wisdom in all He does", even if it looks like He's just venting His fury.

Very controlled, fully thought out, and things man would easily overlook, but God would carefully choose and "prepare". . .my mind's eye flew to the yellow greens-yellows-oranges of worm (Jonah 4:7), gourd (Jonah 4:6), and fish (Jonah 1:17). Man thinks venemous vipers, lush Hanging Gardens, and elusive Loch Ness Monsters merit attention, but God knows how to make simple stuff hit way harder (makes people want to repent or commit suicide!), make a bigger difference.

Getting back to Revelations 9:4. Those who "had the seal of God in their foreheads" were not to be hurt, the locusts were commanded. Hm; history is a repeat, isn't it, of man's responses to God. Hyssop leaves were used to dab lamb's red blood onto doorframes and form seals to guard the life of the firstborn. Children of God claim the atonement of the Lamb's blood for their souls' eternal seal of protection. We are Sealed by God's personal presence forever--most people have no idea what unspeakable treasure we own in that kind of promise. One Day we will know...ALL will know!

Perhaps those rental overcoats were just temporary. But the permanent covering the Lamb died to give us is ours to keep--no one can take it away from us. Actually, He becomes our overcoat, and the Father sees us accepted in Him--Hallelujah.

"LIMITLESS" RESOLUTION

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit." (Rev.9:1)

Ooh; this year's memory work is starting out with a verse telling about a fall?! And the "best" part is that to him was given a key...the key to the bottomless pit!

What will I seek THIS YEAR as the apex of my attainments, my absolute "Best"? Will God look at it and shake His head, saying, "You want to attain it sweetie, but that's only Passage to Quicksand (Key to Bottomless Pit)."

• Some people think getting a key to a brand new super expensive car is a dream, not realizing that it will lead to needing to purchase premium fuel, keeping up insurance, putting on burglar alarms, not knowing any more if friends are real...or if they're just interested in a luxury motor vehicle.
• Others think a large ministry would be desirable, not realizing this may mean needing to mediate an increasing number of disputes between members; having less time to spend with family, hobbies, even rest; due to demands of constant pressure, exposing the soul to the danger of artificiality.

We must not say "I WILL" rise to where God does not put us. We may find ourselves too, falling, instead of staying in our place. Even Satan was once the highest archangel of Heaven, Lucifer, until he said in his heart: "THIS YEAR, I WILL GO UP HIGHER!"

God made him the Prince of this world (John 12:31), shutting him off to something "limitless": the bottomless pit. He was to look up at his Maker from there.

Thoughts are still incomplete, but...

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?"

LITTLE DRUMMER MANNEQUIN

"Pa-ra-pa-pum-pum" some of you may remember "The Little Drummer Boy". This winter, I was feeling a little like I wouldn't be giving anybody any presents, not able to get out...my health has been so precarious, sometimes I wondered if I wasn't more like a wooden doll in a box at home, not a human being who could think about shopping for gifts for others. But my sister Joyce saw even one day my fever seemed to be cooperating and said she'd take me to the optician to fit me with glasses with both noseguards!

I prayed real hard that God would lead me to the right gifts in a short time because I knew I wouldn't be able to spend the normal time doing Christmas shopping. Within an hour, He planted the ideas in my mind of what presents to get and pulled me to the exact stores where they were then added details like inexpensive items to make the gifts more Christmasy as well as gift bags. I hadn't prayed for those things; they were God's Holiday bonuses.

When I saw Joyce struggling about purchasing a kitchen container, I decided that would be my gift; and since I knew she'd been wanting a good pillow for a while, and the Saito menfolk love ordering online, I had them choose a good one for Joyce. It wouldn't be here by Christmas, so I had a sheet with photograph and description in a gift bag from them to Joyce for her to open on Christmas.

Remember the post: "Revelation: Until He Makes it All Better" (Dec.16,'25)? My friend Aino had been told at that visit I was looking for a small stand for my notebook-sized pictures.  Every time I went to the 100 yen shop, I looked, but what they used to carry before had been discontinued. But after hearing my description, it seems Aino scoured the island and found a few stands similar to what I used before. She handed what she found to Joyce at church, and Joyce brought them home to me. I used one to set a "B5" picture of a wooden mannequin beating on the lid of a condiment jar. (I used the doll to practice drawing poses.) A computer microphone nearby is seen informing him that is NOT a bongo drum!

So my "Little Drummer Boy" story is not of a shepherd boy with a toy drum beating out a tune for Baby Jesus. It's of a shepherd missionary and sheep of the flock looking out for another sheep who was feeling like a mannequin in a box, bringing her a bit of Heaven's Joy.

Pa-ra-pa-pum-pum...

Sorry this got a little late!

PIZZA FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR

Pizza for Christmas? Well...it's not really a sin, is it?

That's what we decided to do this year. For health reasons, I've had to stay indoors most of the time the past few months, and Joyce offered to come over instead of our family having to go out anywhere. And my son, who likes pizza but despises vegetables or having his picture taken, was so into getting his serving of pizza that Kinya managed to get him in the picture frame...see?

Joyce added Karaage (Japanese fried chicken bits) & breaded cheese sticks (sides from the pizza establishment), as well as beverages, and church folk sent pie and banana cake. She'd sent up pet bottles of beverages earlier, and Keima had been bought some of his favorite potato chips to go along with his pizza. So we were all set.

We thanked the Lord for giving us what He'd given us--and I was praying silently especially the ability to even get together, because I know I myself was really afraid last week when I got feverish about how I would be feeling on Christmas day, if I would be up to any family feasting festivity. But see the calendar? On the 25th, God made sure I was able to fully enjoy this Special Day of remembering the way He bent down to make a way of reconciliation for man.

After eating--we thought there would be pizza leftover for Joyce to take downstairs, but Keima finished it all--we read a few verses of scripture and thought about how God does that for us, often making even what we think as our lowliness to be the very things through which He makes His glory known. Joyce's original idea was for us to read through the Japanese translation of You Are Special, but I wanted to stick to the birth of Jesus, so we decided to re-read the familiar Lk. 2:7-12:

It was, after all, the "lowly shepherds" that would've been the quickest to pick up how God sent His Son to be the Spotless Sacrifice Lamb for the sins of the world.  Bethlehem's Shepherds were the ones who checked male newborn lambs, and as sign of approval for sacrifice offerings, wrapped them in SWADDLING CLOTHS to prevent possible bruises/scratches before sacrifice, then carefully laid them in a MANGER! (That's why the angel said these two factors were signs to the shepherds: they knew what they meant!) Human infant care was very different; but this was standard treatment of the unblemished Lamb.

Is it any wonder the shepherds knew where to go--to the place where newborn of sheep were set aside for sacrifice. As Bethlehem is prophesied in Mic.5:2; they were familiar with the prophesies of Mic.4:8 concerning Migdal Eder (Tower of the Flock), just north of it. Many of the lambs born there were taken to Jerusalem. The angel's pronouncement had told them one of the manger occupants, tho' wrapped in swaddling cloths, would be the long-awaited One Who would bring peace to men on earth.

The shepherds got it. And they went; saw the Christchild; and probably told everyone they met on the street about what they'd seen. But the people just looked back at them and shook their heads, like they were "forgivable" since most shepherds were "uneducated, poor folk" anyway. And most of the time, we do not hear about how the shepherds found a Special, Spotless Sacrificial Lamb in swaddling cloths lying in a manger.

The only part we hear is the story about a baby in swaddling cloths lying in a manger in a stable. It sounds the same, it really does.

MABUNE NO NAKANI

"Away In a Manger" was written in English, but I found out this year that "Mabune no Nakani" (In a Manger) was written originally in Japanese. When the congregation sang it, the pastor wrote it out in Romaji (Romanized reading of Japanese) so English-readers could sing along too. Isn't it awesome the God of all creation bent down to redeem humanity...of any tongue or tribe?

And any type of musical instrument too. For Sunday morning's special music, the youngest handbell player missed her cue for when she was to come in. But no problem; the choir just kept playing on Joyce's direction, and she came in the next time around. 

The sacrifice of praise Sunday was offered by guitar, ukulele, and handbells as well as singing. But as can be seen by the photograph, all is possible because we are meeting at the foot of the cross (you can barely see the symbol of one there). The Japanese writing on the plaque is the verse: "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Jesus--the One Who became the Son of man for us that He might be the Door for us to Eternal Life...yes, that little baby in the manger at the beginning of the post! (For those of you who have been following since my last blog, that picture was done last year for a friend who asked for a simple drawing of "baby in manger" for children at an orphanage.)

Even as an Infinite God filled a wooden cradle with Love 2000 years ago, may He peer down into your life and fill your heart with Love today. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

SEEING CLEARLY

A masterpiece's value is in the central picture, not in its surrounding edges; who sees a wonderful painting and discusses just the background?

For the LAMB Who is in the midst of the throne" (Rev. 7:17) Most people see only the horrific judgments framing Revelations, but reviewing the book, I heard Rev. 7:17 described as "seeing the rest of the book clearly with your glasses on".  

Joyce and I went to an optician yesterday, and I got fitted for a new pair of glasses. The very first thing I noticed was that I could see clearest the very center. Since it's a gradual bifocal, it was made to be able to see up close then gradually change to a lens enabling seeing distances. I couldn't have  judged the worth of the lens by how things looked around the edge alone.

(Yes, there is a small shop nearby where I got a pair of reading glasses for doing deskwork, but I need this new pair for sighting birds at distances and seeing carp and turtles in the creek. Otherwise, the only way I can do that is by using the glasses with the missing nose guard!)

DELIVERED

"I just got a call from Yoshitaka Ishikawa, and he's bringing over Shikwasa from his yard for us," my sister e-mailed me from downstairs.

DELIVERED VITAMINS - He brought over a bagful of the luscious Okinawa lime, packed full of vitamin C. I decided to add its juices to my mug of Hibiscus tea and found the pairing perfect! I've had plain Shikwasa drink and Hibiscus-Shikwasa tea since, squeezing over two dozen little limes!

God had them sent a few days ago, while I was strong enough to putter around the kitchen to drink the nutrition I needed, knowing this morning I'd find myself downed with low-grade fever.

DELIVERED SAFETY -

A little over two months ago, that Shikwasa, you may remember, was in a plastic bottle, had come out of a vending machine; God used it when I needed to hold down swelling.

Oh...another "delivered":

DELIVERED SOULS - I forgot to mention: the man in the white slacks next to my Mom in the photo representing the church believers in the photo posted on Dec. 12 is the father of the person who brought me the Shikwasas in this post! Yoshitaka was a little boy then. He came to Sunday School, Camps, Teen Picnics, got saved and became one of my Sunday School teachers, went on evangelistic teams, to Bible School, has pastored for several decades now.

Yes, that's Yoshitaka today, and yes, those drinks in front of Joyce and me include the drink Shikwasa. It's the one smack dab in the center, with the green label.

SAFE THUNDER

I know I just posted about my memory work in Revelation, but I couldn't refrain...

"and there were voices, and thunderclaps, and lightnings, and an earthquake." 

What could those voices be saying before all those scary things mentioned in Rev.8:5?

Well, I imagined angels couldn't refrain--rather like me, at the beginning of this post--from slipping in the words: "Children of God, LOOK! Your Loving Heavenly FATHER has been watching all the evil you have had to endure! He saw what was being done to His truth, to His world, and He is putting an end to it!"

I can imagine one angel's voice assuring His own; another voice declaring an Omnipotent Sovereign's Perfect Justice; still another commanding all nature to yield to its Creator; finally, a joyful voice ringing out a call to see what God does...

Actually all that is extra, I realized. JUST ONE WHISPER from GOD of: "HOW DARE YOU!" would be enough to make anything get out of the way.

When I was a little girl, I remember learning the lyrics to the hymn: "How Great Thou Art". The teacher reminded us, whenever we're in a thunderstorm and "hear the rolling thunder", to think of our powerful Heavenly Father.

Some people don't want to see God's all-powerful side; they prefer a God Who is soft, always accepting, forgiving. Maybe it's been songleaders like this, but I've always felt safe with a FATHER-GOD whose voice is like thunder (but makes Himself slave to lambs like me), Who one day no one will dare stop when He make all things right.

REVELATION: UNTIL HE MAKES IT ALL BETTER

"Hold on a minute!" I shouted to my friend Aino as she was about to leave; "is it OK to have Kinya take a pic of us before you go?" I ran back into the bedroom to get my camera and set the flash, handing it to my husband, rushing to the front door where my friend was. "Kinya, would you get pics of us, but first check the flash..."

OOPS! And here we are again, ready this time!

Think I should've just posted the first photo? No; I should've just kept taking it until I was satisfied, right?

That's something I remember Itsuko Shimabukuro, one of the ladies in our church mentioned, as having been taught as the way to read the Word. Sometimes, we can read scripture and have no idea what it's saying. Tell God you can't understand and go back and read it again, asking the Holy Spirit for help, she was told. Sometimes it's just picking up something you missed the first time so you can "see the light." But if even reading it twice doesn't help, pray you still don't get it, and read it again, repeating the same thing expectantly until God shows you. "He will, and then it will be so clear and you will see it has been sitting there all along;" she'd said. That sounded like she'd experienced it, so I decided to do it too.

One of the things Aino and I talked about was recent readings in Revelation. Yeah, I know. It's a rather scary and difficult book, so we'd pretty much avoided looking at it. But it's like Itsuko said in the above paragraph. In a perusal reading, Revelation may look that way. But I've found God can speak through it until it feels like Psalms sometimes! May I share an excerpt from my journal again?

"having a golden censer; . . . that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar " (Rev. 8:3)

As I mentioned to my friend the other day, God uses gold to show incorruptible, permanent substance; He was saying: YOUR prayers are HEARD and ARE IMPORTANT, haven't been shelved to be forgotten. The petitions are significant, and believe Me, I will do something about them.

I'm leaving my journal and getting back to my blog post again. I'm thinking before, the book of Revelation seemed to be a textbook of Bible prophecy of end times with date lines and symbolism and complicated things to learn and memorize. . . I thought it was a book for smart people who studied the Bible. But this time going through the book, I'm not studying it. (After all, I'm not going to be quizzed, graded for my acquisition of knowledge of its content, am I?) This time around, I've decided to try to listen to the Father as He leans over His Creation and says, "Just Wait a little longer, until I make it all better."

P.S: (I found a little bonus from my Heavenly Daddy. I feel he understood from eternity past how many humans wouldn't be able to wait for Revelation 21:4 to read, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes", so He put it in chapter 7:17 "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." We have a tender God Who longs for us to keep hoping!)

THE SPIDER...IS IN KINGS' PALACES (Prov. 30:28)

This is an excerpt from this morning's journal ... 

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple." (Ps. 27:4)

I remembered those early mornings in Iwatsuki I went down to the church building. I picked up the key when nobody was there, let myself in, and walked around the sanctuary. Time stopped as I prayed and sang out loud knowing NO ONE would hear me. And I sat sideways on any chair along the wall, putting my feet up on the chairs, reading my Bible and writing my journal.

I saw that tiny jumping spider at that time, God telling me about how Jesus came into the world to lovingly die for and save His lost creation--would I do that for a condemned bunch of spiders who, if I sent my child to rescue, in their form, KILLED him? I knew I'd just crush them. But when I shared this with a friend, she said it was a little different because they had the imprint of God on their souls to begin with; they weren't just spiders. (?) I must confess I don't understand the heart of God, but my human heart would find that insufficient to merit mercy for what they had done to my son! Anyway...

Returning to "those mornings in the church chapel"...isn't that what God wants His child to do every morning with Him? To close the door of her room and heart to the world, to have exclusive "Father-and-me" time? To shut the eye and with the heart, lean back against the wall and lift up feet on chairs in an empty, quiet room and pray and sing?

The Psalmist said, "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice." (Ps. 55:17)

Let's make no mistake about it. When someone does this 3 times a day, it is NOT that PERSON we should focus on as being "anointed" in any special way.

He is only one of the little spiders who has realized there is a GOD Who for some reason loves him and has chosen to be merciful to him--just a spider!