White ribbon design, red petals...Little Valentines!

 Time for another "Photo Story". Here's a short, 6-photo one:

1 Bright Hibiscus near bridge, 2 Sakura on shortcut path.

3 G-hopper - these won't interest June. 4 But Ma Web knows where to find

5 June's favorite flower, 6 The dainty SPIDER HIBISCUS!

💗HAPPY VALENTINES🙏

(I know it's been commercialized, but...

May God's richest blessings of love be with you today anyway!)

ROSES OUTSIDE THE HEDGE

Children, I've always loved. They see how pretty what you did is instead of noticing the slip you made while doing it (which is what adults do). Children love beautiful flowers; most adults would cut back growth to fit the hedge.

At the park, there were times I noticed unruly toddlers, but when I showed them a lonely turtle who surfaced in the pond or a baby grasshopper trying to balance on the head of a disintegrating cotton dandelion; they quieted down right away. Most youngsters were merely starved for attention. That's why it saddened me that today's society safety necessitates telling children not to talk to strangers, period. Little ones get wary of me if I as much as smile at them, and they turn and run to their guardians.

Kinya must've wondered why I excitedly took pictures of that bird in the creek. When COVID-19 first hit in 2020, schools were closed, and hundreds of children had hours of time on their hands. Parents were grateful when strangers at the park could point out birds for their children to sketch. I'd shown this waterfowl to a happy junior artist then. But when the pandemic got under control, conditions went back to NO TALKING TO STRANGERS. Sigh. No; I don't want COVID to get worse. But I do wish I could talk with the tykes at the park again.

I suppose we don't long for trials either, even when we thank God for some of the treasures we could've gleaned no other way.

APPETITE

Before the evening meal one day, I was commenting to Kinya how little I appetite I had recently. When I was younger, I probably ate twice as much...

Not this young. When I was little--you can see high chair age--my missionary parents taught me to eat with chopsticks and rice bowl, so I feel at home eating Japanese or western style meals. We need to be content with whatever state we find ourselves in.

But I'll probably eat lots for supper tonight, I said, since we took that walk, and my body's probably tired from the exertion it's not used to. On our walk, we'd walked by the vegetable stand where there's produce straight from the field, not necessarily the polished and pretty stuff sold in stores. I'd wondered if it would be torn down during construction, but it was still there--yes! Thank you, Lord.

I wondered if my recent lack of appetite was actually because of my not going out and getting exercise? A coot in the gully seemed to tell me I needed to pick up swimming, or pool walking, or SOME kind of exercise, honk honk! Gotcha. Sometimes we Christians have less appetite for the Word and more for sports, politics, or show biz because we don't exercise spiritually to want any.

That evening meal was eaten up, all right--completely! And it didn't seem a chore at all. Now wouldn't it be strange to hear a person talking about how it was his personal responsibility to eat his meal or moral duty to finish his food? It's a lot more natural to see a person grin real big and "chow down", happy he gets to gorge himself, right? That's the way a child of God should attack Christian service, yes?

STRENGTHENING IMPRESSIONS

"If I just stay home, I'll get weak;" I said to my husband; "I wanna go for a walk." With my present back condition, I knew I'd have to take it real easy...but I knew Kinya would slow down for me. 

Isn't it good to know the Lord "slows down for us", doesn't expect us to keep up with Him, but will "lead on softly...until the children are able to endure", like Jacob did for his own (Gen. 33:14)?

The little flowers on the wall at the beginning of our walk seemed to be whispering out those thoughts of encouragement to me too, that they didn't have a lot of strength as seeds but just bloomed anyway.

The last time I was out, I got the strong impression the dike meant that life was back to normal for the birds and fish. Today, Kinya saw the turtles were back. Turtles? In other parts of the world, it's still too cold to come out of hibernation! But here in Okinawa, even around that formidable-looking stone wall (for turtles who were gone during construction) it's already a balmy 20 degrees Celcius.

Maybe sometimes God has us hidden in obscurity for a season to prepare conditions of warm favor that to our human perception appear threatening, when He brings us out to them. Oh if we'd only trust Him in all His conditions!

Just before we turned to go home tho', we saw a great bird swoop...and could see something twitching in between its talons--it had CAUGHT A FISH! (The sheets of water dripping from the fish looks like a solid square!) Oh well. Time for us to go home and eat OUR meal. That's subject for another post.

P.S.:(We've seen that bird fly overhead many, many times before.)

A LITTLE SCROLL, A DIFFERENT STORY

Remember I mentioned how Aino gave me watersoluble pastels at last week's fellowship? Well, in an e-mail thanking her for coming, I decided to send her a picture, using those chalks, of that angel "clothed in clouds" of Rev. 10:1-2.

The angel, it mentioned, held a little scroll in its hand. Can you see it?

This one had a different story, I realize, than the online tale that came to me. It told of hapless orphans selling themselves, HOPING for a better situation. They'd fled cruel taskmasters until landing at a place of safety, finally finding a buyer who would respect, protect, and care for them. So they could now live happily ever after.

"We do not follow cunningly devised fables," (2 Pet. 1:16). The regenerate have been purchased too by an all-powerful, ever-loving Father Who gives us His Name; and we never have to run...ever.

AFTERWARDS

Altho' I was terribly happy with the birthday fellowship last week, I remember it being a little intimidating the next day when it was time to give Kinya a cake from me. After all, the ones he'd seen at the fellowship were made by professionals--this one was by me!

And this year, I'd hurt my back so had been unable to get out shopping to get the proper supplies. All I could do was whip together the butter and honey to make icing, mix in some instant cafe au lait powder for coloring-flavor-aroma, brush on the frosting atop the Danish Kinya brought home (for me!), and add a Birthday portrait sketched from a photo taken on a walk.

Not real pretty, but it'd do. Singing "Happy Birthday," I showed Keima then took the cake to Kinya. "It may not taste too good," I said, "but would he take a bite?" A bite? It made me happy to see half of it disappeared right away.

Mebbe we don't impress anyone else spiritually either but should just make ourselves available to our Heavenly Father. We'd probably be happy to see His response.

FOLLOW THE ANGEL INTO THE CLOUD

 "And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud;" (Rev. 10:1)

Yipes. Oh No. I'd seen the tail end of Rev. 9, about how men needed to repent of worship of gold and silver, so I was all set on drawing a pretty picture of contrasting Prov. 25:11 glistening gold apples in a background of silver. But the verse I'm actually on now, and what God seems to be talking to me about, is something in the next chapter.

I came out of a negative situation several years ago I saw as walking around in a dark cloud, not really knowing what I was doing, just putting up a mental-emotional guard and surviving moment by moment. What had looked like a menacing, nebulous mass couldn't possibly be where my Heavenly Father wanted me to go...could it?

"I'm sending along a mighty angel," the verse seemed to whisper; and farther on, it even mentioned the rainbow...letting me know the Jan. post had been seen too, of course. "FOLLOW ME."

Hm. What looks like a shiny road could be an angel of light I shouldn't follow; and what looks like a shadowy way could sometimes be the way of trust I should take instead? Oh Lord, help me to run from the voice of strangers but to heed Your every beckoning.

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!