2014 October Travel in Japan I

It has been little over 2 weeks after coming back from Japan.  From the experience of the last trip to Japan, before she fell asleep Hiroko tried to tell herself to look around the bedroom that this is Chicago.  Still Hiroko dreamed that she missed the Shinkansen, almost missed the airplane because she had over slept, and trying to meet the people she supposed to meet, Hiroko cried out to know where she is, etc.  Waking up with these dreams made Hiroko very confused and depressed.  Last time Hiroko dreamed these dreams for over 4 weeks almost every night, but this time about 10 days only.  Do you think it worked to tell herself that here is Chicago before she sleeps?

This time Hiroko would like to write about God’s blessings, His miracles, the answering to the prayer during this trip to Japan.  It can be said coincidences but Hiroko looked them as the works of God.  Friends were praying for Hiroko during her trip to Japan and asked about the typhoons in Japan.  Usually typhoon comes to Japan in September but this year it came twice beginning of October.  Lisa wanted to see the relatives of Dan-san, so Hiroko made a plan to move from Yamagata to Hiroshima on October 5, Sunday.  On the day Typhoon would be coming said by weather report, but they safely arrived in Hiroshima around 3 pm, October 5.  Hiroko will write about how wonderful and good time in Hiroshima in the “Japan Trip Diary” soon with lots of photos.  By the way the typhoon came near Tokyo area on October 6, Monday.  Many Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima were cancelled.  Thinking about this typhoon would come on October 5; it was a big problem for them.  Hiroko had to give Thanks to the Lord.

The next typhoon should come on the day Hiroko/Dan-sanwhould move to Sapporo from Obihiro for catching the airplane to Osaka.  Hiroko’s friend from Osaka called and asked to pray for turning the typhoon from Obihiro to thePacific Ocean.  It came true that the Typhoon turned from Obihiro to the Pacific Ocean.  Dan-san/Hiroko had safely arrived to Osaka and had a wonderful time with Osaka Kumiko-san.  Hiroko wanted to call these are the Miracles by the Lord. 

Prayer for Hiroko’s brother/sisters and all her relatives to become believer of Jesus Christ.  Hiroko’s brother, Yoshiteru attended the church for the first time.  Hiroko’s friend, Kyo-chan visited to Yamagata to see Yoshiteru and Hiroko, and said she would take Yoshiteru to the church.  She waited patiently, wise like snake, and gente like dove for Yoshiteru to do his things before the church, and finally she brought Yoshiteru to the church.  Hiroko couldn’t do that.  When Hiroko gave thanks to Kyo-chan, she said it wasn’t to her, but God did at His time.  Give thanks to the Lord God for this great work and praise to Him.

Addition to this, Hiroko’s sister-in-law said she rather be with Jesus.  She attended Christian school from grammar school to high school and had been attending Christian church for 17 years, so it seems Jesus is much closer to her.  However, she married Yoshiteru, whose family was Buddhist believer, and as Japanese customs, she faithfully followed the belief of Yoshiteru’s family religion.  Her heart is very pure and seeking for something.  Kyo-chan and Hiroko wish for her to find that truth, and pray for her to attend the church continuously.

Another miracle story is Hiroko’s cousin’s son, a Dentist family.  Hiroko has always been concerned for their big problem with their college age sons, and prayed to Jesus for caring for them.  The Dentist family welcomed Dan-san/Hiroko to reserve the most beautiful Hot Spring hotel at Jozankei.  There were many changing color leaves sightseeing people in the Hotel, because the hotel is famous to see the scenery.  It was beautiful view from Hot Spring.  Hiroko will share those photos later.  The friend, Jenny who was attending Devon Church in Chicago is living in this area, so Dan-san and Hiroko decided to attend Jenny’s church.  We had a wonderful worship service at Jenny’s church.  At the evening the Dentist family came to pick Dan-san/Hiroko to have the dinner.  Hiroko asked Dentist’s wife to invite Jenny to dinner together, and it was wonderful dinner.  Jenny is not too sociable and chattering person, but something happened to her and boys, they were talking like hundred years acquaintance.  Dentist and his wife were very happy to see their boys were talking with someone they just met, and the wife asked Jenny to be friend and come to visit the boys, and someday she would visit to her church.  Isn’t it a miracle?  It is His time.  His time is beautiful.

At Osaka, this lady Osaka Kumiko-san who used to attend Devon Church said after she came back to Osaka she tried to attend church, but she has not been attending the church.  However, she found the church she would like to attend week before, but the church belongs to Seventh Day Adventist, so she was wondering this church is not cult.  Hiroko answered that this church believes the most important saving knowledge which are Jesus is God and at the same time He is a human as having human body, died on the cross for people’s sin to express His love, 3 days later resurrected, ascended, and will be coming back again someday, and also saving from sin is not work but the grace of the Lord God  The church preached in English, so she wanted to attend the English section.  It is good.

Another one happened at the night before Dan-san and Hiroko were leaving for Chicago.  Everyone had already slept, Hiroko enjoyed drinking with nephew, and then, surely the nephew asked Hiroko how I became a Christian.  First, Hiroko didn’t understand his question, so asked him making sure his question.  While Hiroko was asking him, Hiroko talked to the Lord, too.  Then, Hiroko told him that since 5 years old, Hiroko was anxious to know where human being goes after death, because Hiroko experienced the death of Hiroko’s favorite Grand-ma at 5 years old.  Everyone around her was crying and saying she went to somewhere over the different world.  Hiroko wanted to know so much where Grand-ma went.  Hiroko found the answer in the resurrected Jesus Christ.  That’s the way Hiroko became the believer of Jesus Christ.

Hiroko had the Worship Service at the church Kyo-chan attends.  The church was fascinatingly burning in Christ with many Korean believers.  Dan-san and Hiroko could also attend the “Iwa, Tomo-no-Kai” which originally came from Aoyama Gakuin Christianity Department to listen to the speaker.  They, especially Hiroko returned to school age, and rekindled her heart.  Give thanks to the Lord for His wonderful work, and give praise to the name of Jesus to hear the Christian populations in Japan were up to 3 percent from 2 percent.  Continuously pray for Japan to become the wonderful country.

6-10 - Dan-san’s Garden has been Filled, Christian Thoughts

Arboretum-san sent Hiroko various vegetable plants, so Hiroko was very happy to plant them.  It was raining so hard the night before, that it was very good day to put all those vegetable plants in the ground. 

This year, Hiroko didn’t make the porch garden.

Empty Porch Garden - 2 pots on the porch, Dan-san has been trying to raise big Japanese tomatoes using the seeds.

Taking the photos of the porch, the cute baby boy next door was smiling at Hiroko.   Hiroko couldn’t to pass this cute face.  Isn’t he sosooooooooooooo cute?

Ohya-san’s (Land Lady) porch garden - Her son told her not to raise any vegetable plants on the ground anymore, because she can’t take care of them by herself.  Her Grand-son bought her tomato plants in the special box for the porch, so she has been raising several plants on her porch.

This is whole back yard.  The building you see here is a three cars garage.  The east (left) side and the west side of the garden were filled with vegetable plants by Dan-san and Hiroko. 

The next three plants came from Arboretum-san

Nira ( leek)                               

Tomato (this belongs to Dan-san), and Shishi-to (Japanese pepper)

Akai Shiso (red perilla)

Midori Shiso (green perilla) - Only one Midori Shiso came out from the ground.  Where are all those midori shiso that were grown last year?  Hiroko needs the midori shiso!!

Green onion

These plants mentioned above are under the Hiroko’s care.

Dan-san takes care of all these plants mentioned below.

One jalapeño pepper and two sweet pepper plants on the east side garden

This is west side garden

Dan-san is watering the plants.

Red big tomato

Dan-san has been trying to raise the cherry tomato from seeds brought from Japan.

Cucumber – so many Japanese cucumbers came out from the seeds.

Three buds of green beans – this was also raised from seeds.

Hiroko can’t wait for the harvest day of all those vegetables.  Chicago is still cold, around 55 at night and 65 during the day time.  The Lake Michigan’s water temperature is only 56 degree, so it is cooler near the lake.  Hopefully the weather will be getting warmer for the sake of these vegetable plants.

Hiroko loves foods, so she has been thinking about what kind of food will be served at the banquet party in the heaven.   It should be lots of delicious and rare food.  She can’t wait for the day to have the party in heaven.

Hiroko has always remembered that the word said by many people about the Heaven..

He might have some thoughts in his mind the morning.  Seeing Hiroko, he said, “I want to go to heaven.  Hiroko, you are surely going to the Heaven, because you are very good person.  But me?!  I don’t know.”  It was so sudden, that Hiroko couldn’t say anything, but going to the heaven is not about being a good person.  In the word of God, the Bible, a person who goes to the heaven  is not about if a person is good or not, but whether if the person believes Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior or not.  Believing Jesus as the Lord Savior, the Lord God leads the person to Heaven.  ^“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

Eating the lunch with this lady around the Easter, she said, “All my friends are in the hell, so I don’t mind to go to hell.”  Hiroko remembers the famous Japanese authors who said that.  Do they really think they don’t mind to go to the hell?  Hiroko grew up with these words from her mother.  If you tell a lie, Hiroko’s mother said to Hiroko, “the Judge of Hell (Enma-sama) will pull your tongue out.”  If you steal, then, “The Judge of Hell will chase you to the mountain of needles.”  If you say ill things to others, rumors, fighting, not listening or respecting the elders, acting bad, then, “The Judge of Hell will put you in the boiling oil pan.”  Hiroko thought in her young age, how she could get to the heaven/gokuraku, instead of hell.  Even now, Hiroko can’t live without sins, but thanks for the grace of God, Jesus as the Lord God and Savior.  Hell is a scarily and lonesome place where is no love.  “¹⁰And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  Revelation 20:10 

2014 Easter, Journal, Christian Thoughts

This was fourth year of Easter celebration dinner at the home of Lisa/Dave.  

Appetizer Table - lots cheese, dips, crackers, vegetables, sausages, meat balls 

Drinks’ counter: various kinds of wines from Lisa and beer and water with ice provided by Elsa.

One of the Dining Tables

Hiroko is surprised to these tablecloths.  Who made these?  Mom, you did.  WOW!  It is beautiful.  Ha,ha,ha,ha!

At the front of the pretty tulips, little cute chicks were in the dish.  It was made with egg shell by Dave’s niece who is 10 years old.  It was very cute chicks and clever idea.

Lady and Man of the house

Dave has always been a good chef, and Lisa stayed by his side to prepare right dishes for the foods and clean the things chef need.

Here is the people

Leo and Mikio

Dave’s mother and grand-daughter - this girl made the egg shell chicks

It was little bit cool and lots of sunshine.  Who was bathing sunshine?  Richard’s tenant and Dave’s brother

Dave’s father - his salad and green bean with bacon are very tasty

Dave’s brother and his wife  Where is their dog?  They are really fun to talk.

Today’s main dish - Steak and spaghetti, and chef 

Time to eat!

Dan-san, as usual gave the grace for the foods.

Give praise and thank to the Lord God for His Love and Grace, Jesus showed on the cross.

Thanks for the family and friends, and good health for everyone.

There were usual foods, so Hiroko didn’t take photo.  However, she missed some foods.  What was it?? 

Salad by Dave’s father, …  Hey!   Holly, Dave’s sister-in-law’s broccoli rice, and green beans with bacon.

Time to clean-up by Holy and Elsa

What are they doing?  Weren’t they take responsibility to clean the dishes?

Well, now they’re agreed something and started to clean the dishes.

Dessert Time 

This was the dessert made by Richard’s tenant

Easter cake by Dave’s brother

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Another Easter Luncheon

On the Easter Day, April 20, Sunday, was held annual luncheon after the Easter Worship Service

This is Devon Church Sanctuary, Dan-san and Hiroko has attended for 30 years.

At Easter Service, puppet shows were played.  The puppet show stage was put on the left side of the pulpit.  The cover of the alter was white, which is the Easter color, and the Easter emblems on the white cloth.

The screen is hung on the left side of the alter.  On the screen can you see the word “Risen”?  The whole sentence is that “Jesus has Risen” was on the screen.  Jesus rose on the Easter Day.  The most important subject of Christianity is that Jesus’ death on the cross, and Jesus’ resurrection after three days. 

Children’s luncheon room in the church basement - Children loved all the decorations, and took them home.

Luncheon room - Before the Worship Service they were enjoying a cup of coffee

This is the center piece of the table. 

As usual, Hiroko forgot to take the photos.  There were lots of food with many different kinds of ethnic foods and all were very tasty.  Hiroko made ham for Church Luncheon and also for Lisa/Dave’s.

14 04-13 Visiting to Celebrate Easter; Christian Thoughts

It is Palm Sunday, one week before Easter.  Why is it called Palm Sunday?  Please read the article below.

Church visitation group had a wonderful time to celebrate Easter at Covenant Nursing Home.

After lunch, the members of the group was practicing with Leo, Hiroko’s best friend’s husband.  He is very good guitar player.

Here is the meeting room at the nursing home.

There weren't many residents attending, yet, because the church group had arrived a little bit early.  The church visitation group started to visit this nursing home since last Christmas, and we usually visit them around 2:30.

Leo was adjusting his guitar.  Others were waiting and talking.

The residents started coming one by one.  There was not so many residents at this time. 

Here started singing.

The numbers of the Church group seemed more than the residents.  It was happy to see the residents enjoying singing Easter Hymns and old songs.  13 songs were sung.  Leo sung some old song by himself.  Thanks to Leo.

It was time to finish and to go home.

After the singing the Nursing home provided us coffee, tea, water, and cookies.  The Pastor of the Nursing Home said thanks to us for visiting them.  We gave thanks to them for inviting us and their concern to quench our thirst.

Palm Sunday:

Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem.  This happened over 2,000 years ago.  Jesus borrowed a donkey that had never been ridden before, and He slowly made His way into the city of Jerusalem.  As Jesus rode along, the people cheered for Him.  They loved Him because of all the miracles they had seen Him perform.  They thought Jesus was riding into the city to become a king.  They were hoping He would be the king who would bring peace and power to the entire Jewish nation.  The people pulled down branches from the palm trees along the road, and spread them in front of Jesus to honor Him.  They waved palm branches too and they shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  They even took off their coasts, and laid them on the road as Jesus traveled.

If all the people wanted to make Jesus king, why was He crucified a few days later?

Jesus knew that His Kingdom was not going to be like an earthly kingdom, but some of the people don’t know that.  Jesus knew that He was going to die to save them from their sins.  God used the celebration of all the people to demonstrate that Jesus really was the Son of God.  Even though the cross where Jesus died seemed very bad, it really is good news today because we all can live together forever just because Jesus died and took the punishment for our sins.