Batten Down The Hatches...

...We're in for a storm!

A typhoon is currently working it's way toward South Korea! We will get some sort of excitement as it passes by, but we are unsure of how drastic. I LOVE storms! I love losing power too! It makes me feel so "old-fashioned" because we can't flush toilets or use the lights! Anyway, I trust the Lord to protect us and even if we are not protected, I trust Him!

Most people, I will cautiously assume, do not relate to me in feelings about storms. When it comes down to it... I've really never been in a truly destructive storm (excepting the Ice Storm of 2008 in MA, that was destructive, but in a "gentle" manner), but if I was, I think I would be somewhat frightened.

Though I have never been through a hurricane or tornado (or other fierce whether phenomenon) that threaten the security of my environment, I have been through fierce storms of the soul. Now, I must say, that the "storms" of my life may look like just a little black rain cloud to most, but they are, nevertheless, great challenges to me! God has been teaching me, through His Word, the Bible, how to "batten down the hatches" spiritually during spiritual typhoons.

Here are some parallels, with Scripture, of physical and spiritual storms:

1. Everyone knows, that it is wise to gather emergency supplies in case of a storm. Since we never know exactly when the storm will hit, it is eminent that we be always ready with our flashlights, candles, matches, water, blankets, shovel (if you live where it snows!), and trail mix or granola bars!
Don't wait till the storm hits to be ready spiritually! Seek the Lord now! Before it is too late. Before your life is over, because no one knows how long they have left to live.
Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2. When the storm is going to be too much to whether at home, escape to the nearest storm shelter! God provides an escape when the storms beat too harshly on my heart and I think I can't take anymore! I have a promise from Him that He will not give me more than I can handle and that He will be my shelter! My life verse speaks to this and another in Psalms:
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Psalm 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

3. After the storm, we must clean up the debris and destruction that is left. This can be a painful experience as one gathers broken and tattered bits of the life they once knew and attempt to put them back together and clear away the rubble, in preparation to rebuild. Even so, the Lord cleans us up and washes us clean and forgives our sins to give us a fresh start. But this is often a painful purging, but once it is done, we come forth as refined gold if we allow Him to work in us! 
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


So, how are you doing today? Is there a storm a' brewin' in your life, or are you in the midst of a typhoon? What will you do now? Will you reject the help and comfort and security the Lord wants to give you and is able to give, or will you submit yourself to Him, confess your sin, and run to Him, The Strong Tower?

My Favorite Day of the Week...

....is Sunday!

Saturday is my blogging day, but yesterday, the juices just weren't flowing! But today, I made a little video blog about our Sundays! I love Sundays! I love them because I get to interact with the Japanese people who come to the services, and fellowship with other Christians, and play hymns, and learn about how to become more like Christ and less like... me! :) If you don't understand what I mean by becoming less like me, let me explain. The Bible teaches that each person that is born into the world is naturally sinful. If you don't believe that, just think about little children. You don't have to teach them to lie, or be disobedient, or selfish... it's just natural! That is because every person lives in what God calls, "the flesh." God knows we are naturally sinful, in stark contrast to Himself, completely perfect. Since He is perfect, He cannot be in fellowship with sin, it is just against His Nature. This is why every person is not "automatically" on their way to heaven when they die, because God, who lives in heaven, cannot just allow us sinful beings to enter His glorious Kingdom.

This would be a devastating realization for the entire human race if this was where the story ended, but it isn't! God, who is eternally merciful and good, made a way, for every single person to be able to enter heaven when they die. Just as Adam and Eve were naked, exposed, and in need of a covering after they disobeyed God and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so, we are exposed to God in our sinful "natural" state. And just as God shed the blood of an animal to provide a covering (clothes) for them, God allowed the blood of His only, dear Son, Jesus Christ, to be spilled to provide a perfect covering for MY sins, and yours, and the sins of the entire human race!

This is not a threat or an accusation against you, it's just simple facts. Think about it for a minute, ask yourself if you have ever lied? If the answer is yes, than you must admit that you are a lier. Furthermore, ask yourself if you have ever stolen? Even if it wasn't a car, perhaps it was still something small, videos or music off the internet, that is still stealing! So then, you are also a thief! What about lust? The Bible says that even if you just look on a women with lust in your heart, it is like you have committed adultery! So then, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer! Phew! Those are some hefty charges if you were sitting in a court of law these days! But you know what... I've got great news for you! Someone has already offered to pay your time in court! All you have to do is accept His offer! You have already realized you are guilty, you recognize you need help, and you can be forgiven and freed from that guilt if you will just accept the free gift being offered to you! Jesus Christ died in YOUR place! In MINE! I should have been the one on the cross that day long ago on Golgatha! It was MY debt that HE paid! The thorns should have been pressed into MY head, and I should have been beaten and abused! The nails should have pierced MY hands and feet, and MY blood should have gushed out! 

But...

He loved me so much, that He gave HIS LIFE for mine...

He gave His life for YOU

Christ was truly perfect and righteous, and therefore, HE was the one that had to die so that I could live, live in heaven, because, I simply believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and I was saved! Now, when God looks down from heaven, He doesn't see little ole' Jordan, He sees Christ's righteousness, because I accepted the covering that Jesus so freely offered!

So....

What are you waiting for? What is holding you back from giving your life to Christ, when He gave HIS life for you?

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Romans 6:23

School Days!

Agape International School

Dust off the old uniform, it's time to get back to school!

Though I don't think their uniforms were actually dusty after the 6 week summer break (yes, that's right, much shorten than the 3 month summer American kids are used to!), but they had to be ready come Monday morning on August 27th! The kids had a great first week of school and are quickly back into the swing of things! They do ACE, which is a program I had never heard of before now, but it works well for them because all the students are at very different levels. Every two weeks or so, the kids complete a pace, which is a workbook for each subject. Structure and self-responsibility are two main themes I am noticing with the ACE system. When a student has a question or needs to correct their homework, they put a pink or blue clip on top of their desk and wait (work on something else) until a teacher gives them permission to score, or helps with their question. I was amazed at how well the students knew the rules and how they all just jumped into what they were supposed to do!

All the students at Agape, somewhat bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on their first day back to school!

Studying Proverbs in chapel

Hard at work! Noah is just sitting up for some fresh air, but he is working hard too!

My little nook! I love it!

Day to Day

At school, I keep quite busy! Here is a list of the things I do while at school:

-Play piano for chapel
-Help monitor the students
-Read
-Record Hymns
-Work on my Social Justices online CollegePlus! course
-Help with Wednesday Adult English Class
-Have English conversation time with Natsuki
-Visit with the 7 amazing Agape students!
-Eat my yummy obento (lunch) that Mrs. Winters prepared!
-Plan and prepare for Musical Fridays*
-Think and pray about what ministries I will be involved in or start when I get home
-Memorize Scripture
-Take walks or bike rides
-Skype my mom outside on my iPod, and make Mr. Wyatt think I am talking to a wall!
-Smile and laugh

*Musical Fridays are my name for the music classes I will be teaching for the next 4 Fridays! The classes will be a combination of studying what the Bible teaches about music, music history, musical elements and appreciation, and singing practice. This Friday will be our first class! I have from 9:00-11:45 to cram all these amazing topics in, so I'm trying to be picky and choose only the most pertinent and useful information for the students and their situation. I'll let you know how the classes go!

Last But Not Least...

Alyssa Winters!

Alyssa Winters is the youngest child of the Winters family! She is 5 years old and loves to do many things! She loves to sing, help with chores, have her nails painted, play at the park, play with her friends, eat peanut butter, and play dollies. 

Alyssa loves to have her picture taken and see the picture, even if I take a picture of something we both are looking at! Alyssa and I have many fun times together! Once in a while, I get to put her to bed and we read a book, sing a song, giggle, and pray before she goes to sleep! 

Just last week, Alyssa started wearing glasses! One of her eyes is "stronger" than the other, so they are trying to even them out, I think. We have all been getting used to her in glasses! I think they fit her personality well! I just hope they stay on while she be-bops around!

I had a little "interview" with Alyssa, and I tried to write exactly what she said, so you could catch her "essence!"

Very Candid Questions: (What she said, is what I typed!)

(Translations and explanations in parenthesis!)

Jordan: Where do you go to school?
At Youchien. (Kindergarten)
I'm learning how to draw stuff at Youchien. We can play outside and color. We have lots of fun.

Jordan: What other things do you do?
Play outside, and ride on the bus, that's how I get at Youchien.

Jordan: Anything else?
I like to play tetsu bo. (A bar kids do flips over).

Jordan: Do you usually bring a lunch to school?
Yes, like obento. (Packed lunch)

Jordan: What do you usually have at lunch at Youchien?
I have onigiris a lot of times. One time I picked flowers and bring it home.

What is onigiri?
It's rice and you make it into a triangle. Sometimes I have furikake in it and sometimes I have plain rice.
(Furikake comes in little packets, and it is seasoning that you mix into your rice. There are many different flavors. Alyssa's favorite flavor is "chicken" which is actually salmon)

Oto-chan is my friend, and Maina-chan is kind of a friend, but sometimes she doesn't want to play with me and she's a little bit, like, mad. Sometimes Oto-chan wants to play with me, but a lot of times she doesn't because she has a lot of friends, like 6 friends or 7 friends, or 10.
My other friend is Uutsuke, he is 5. One time we played at our pool here. We have a blow up pool.

Jordan: What is your favorite food?
Beans, and chicken nuggets! (When she says beans, she means beans that her mom cooks, they are kind of like snap beans, but a little different. She just eats the beans out of the skin.)

Jordan: What do you say when you answer the phone?

Moshi moshi! (This is how you answer the phone in Japanese. I'm not exactly sure how it translates! Just today, Alyssa and I were playing. I was the Doctor and she was the patient, and I called her on my "hand" and she answered, "Moshi moshi." Her mom was laughing and said she knew she would do that! It is very interesting to see that, though Alyssa belongs to an "American" family, she was born and raised in Japan, and therefore, is more familiar with the culture.)

Jordan: Where do you keep your shoes?
In the genkan. (The genkan is the place just inside the front door. This is where all the shoes are kept. To many Japanese it is still considered "outside" so it is common for someone to just walk in and holler into your house.)

Let's go play, that's all I need to say.
A-L-Y-S-S-A, I have lots of fun with my sister!
Good Bye! Sayounara!

Alyssa, displaying a yummy snack nuts and little dried fish! 

Wearing our Ukatas, ready for Natsu-Matsuri! (Summer Festival!)
Alyssa taught me how to do a festival dance, and we did it at her Youchien festival and our town festival!

Here is a video of Alyssa singing a kids church song! Some of the words are not quite the same as what is written in the book, but, it's still amazing how much Alyssa knows! She sings often, and picks up songs very quickly! She is also learning piano from me, and is doing wonderfully! She practices her frog hops, finding all the keys, Chairs, and Katydid! I forgot to mention, that Alyssa is teaching me "Jap-nese" (that's how she says it!). We practice reading Japanese on some flash cards she has and play games in Japanese! She knows so much of the language, and it is so amazing to watch her play and converse easily with her Japanese friends! She is learns most of her Japanese at Youchien. Well, here is the video!