joy

"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired." Proverbs 17:22

"In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33

cast your care

"Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you." 1 Peter 5:7

dinner

We've been having a lot of people over lately, often to say goodbye. It's awesome to be able to have people in our little apartment and eat together and just enjoy them! Natsuko and Chihiro are Christian women who went on homestay in my hometown when they were in high school! Keiko and Minori are our neighbors here in Mitaka!

Another recent blessing has been seeing my beautiful little sorority sister in Tokyo! Christina and Gen came on a summer mission trip last year and are visiting at the same time as this year's mission team.

The last picture is my favoite place in Japan. I just like it.

really great!

Last badminton practice with Nao and Keiko and their circle, last dance practice with Yukina and Mika and their circle, last day at Toyo University with some hilarious girls, last time at Yumi's beautiful home for an amazing BBQ!

festivities

As in the fall, Tokyo University students presented an amazing school festival today! They're still really smart...they had churros again too. It was also unbelievably fun to watch my friend Kohjiro juggle/dance in a panda bear suit!

My teammates also blessed me more than I could have hoped this week! They were great to be with as usual, AND, Shyla made me this beautiful box to store all of my recipes in and Kermit bought me a Bible in Spanish!!! Both of these gifts were surprises for no particular occassion, I might add!

tokyo tower

While my life has been phenomenally blessed lately, I just want to vent really quickly. I have trash problems. I was really lazy and in denial that the canned tomatoes that I opened a while ago to make enchiladas needed to be thrown away. This would be simple to fix in some regions of the world, but not so easy in Japan. Now that I've cleared out the tomato remnants and mold that were growing in our refrigerator, I have to wait approximately one and a half weeks for the every-other-friday when we can dispose of our cans and glass products. I think my roommate hates me (I'm sorry Shyla!)

I really love living in Tokyo though. We had a great concert a couple weeks ago at a little club in Chofu. I think it was my last one, and I loved it and we ended on "Jesus Paid it All" which is my second favorite. We also sang my favorite, which I fondly call "Blind Man."

Tonight I went to Tokyo Tower with three amazingly cool girls from Sophia University! I love hanging out with them so much and we went to a great Italian restaurant where I got cheese pizza. The view of the city was also beautifully impressive!

Lately, I have also been blessed in many ways such as visiting a monkey park, going on the best rollar coaster in the world, having amazing quality time with all of my co-workers, seeing a friend from high school and her mom in Tokyo, dancing in Shyla's classes, and having the fine privilege of seeing two girls accept Jesus into their hearts!

blessings

Yesterday I went to Odawara, Nao's hometown, and had the best possible day I could imagine.