The 1st week back was horrid. It was sticky, hot, my ear wouldn't unplug, I was depressed, I missed Di & Germany, I hated being in Japan again, etc.
I called home, called Robin, went to "Twins" and "Burbs" with Mike (and Murasaki), went to Daniel & Shiela's for dinner one night and a movie another, called Kimberly, Elaine, etc.
My ear wouldn't unplug, and prayer didn't seem to be helping. I took my medicine, and asked Kimberly & Elaine to pray for my ear, and kept praying.
For my depression I read "10 Steps to Victory Over Depression" and am now reading "Your Spiritual and Emotional Power". I think God didn't cure me right away so that I would seek out these books and depend on prayer more.
It's now September 25th, and it's still not 100% better, but it's improved considerably since my return.
Last week's major events were Tuesday nights class in Mizoguchi (same as always). I taught at a kindergarten Wednesday morning with Yukari N. It went well. I was upset the day before, when I found out that not only would I have 47 kids to teach, but also their 47 mothers...joy. I prayed, and it went very well. We had a box lunch in the teachers lounge, then left. Yukari came over for awhile.
Drawings and paper flowers from the kindergartners
Wednesday night I taught my Friday night class, so that I could go to the singles retreat over the weekend. It went pretty well.
Thursday I went to school to grade E. Drama projects...which mostly weren't complete, and ungradable. I also transplanted some plant starts, typed an application for the U. of I., and puttered around the office for awhile.
Friday Mike and I went to Sannomiya, shopping. We met Kimberly, Mitsuko, and Masami at 12:30, and went to Fog City Diner on Port Island for lunch. It's a new American owned diner. I had a $14.00 hamburger, 2 dollar cake, and $7.00 bread...expensive, but very good. For dessert we had brownies with ice cream & chocolate sauce. Yum!
After lunch we shopped a little more, then Mike left and I shopped alone for awhile.
At 5:00 I went to Rokko to wait for people to arrive at 6:00 to load & go to Ayabei for the singles retreat. Shuhei was there, so we had a chance to talk until everyone else arrived.
At 6:00 everyone showed up, and we were off to the retreat. The music people all rode together so we could plan the musical part of the weekend (which wasn't much, as time got short & music kept getting cut).
The retreat was very emotional, and made us all realize how much we needed to grow. The theme was listening and mass crying was a frequent event.
Charles & Mary spoke Friday night, Bill B. & I did a skit on the Lord's Prayer. It was fun. Junko and Kishimoto-san did it in Japanese afterwards. They did really well!
Saturday we went to Amanohashidate on the Sea of Japan for a day of fun & sun. It rained part of the time, though. We discussed the direction the singles fellowship would take.
Becky
Yoshiko B.
Mitsuko, Becky, and Glen
me, Cleta, and Keiko
Saturday eve. Cleta J. gave a fabulous testimony that made us all think, and a few people break down.
After that people prayed, talked, etc. Elaine prayed for me to be more committed to Christ. The rest is up to me.
I feel that my life isn't really going the way God wants it to, yet I'm scared to give myself to Him because of my materialistic ways. So, that's a prayer item, huh?! It was a first step, anyway.
Sunday we had church, then ate, cleaned up, and left. When we got back to Rokko Kimberly & I went to Mikage, dropped off our stuff, and went to Sannomiya.
After looking at 6 movie theaters we decided to see "Beaches" (Japanese title "Forever Friends"). It was wonderful, but so depressing.
We went back to her place and talked until 12:30, then went to sleep.
Today we got up late, had french toast, then I left to come home, and have since dropped off film, picked up dry cleaning, cleaned etc.
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