Grow up, will you?

I am now 25 years old.  Time to be more mature.  Time to move up the level of independence.  That is easy to write, but when confronted with the stresses of daily life, I do not always want to be mature.  It is easier and more natural to be immature.  It comes naturally to complain and whine without constraint.  It takes work to be mature and bite back the whining and complaining.  It is hot and muggy, and I do not feel like making my bed or cleaning my room.  I do not want to be responsible.

What is the essence of this thinking?  I am really saying, “God, I do not want to honor you today by taking up my cross.”   I am saying, “I want to be lazy.  I prefer sin.  It is easier.”  When I write it out like this is does not look so appealing.  I am ashamed at such thinking.  What if Jesus had chosen the immature, easy path?  What if Jesus had chosen laziness and selfishness? 

It is time for this 25 year old to face up to his position in the Kingdom and take up that cross and move ahead in joy.  It is time to be independent and useful.  It is time to bring honor to God wholeheartedly.  So, please excuse me.  I have to go make my bed.

Even a Cup of Water…

Yes, it has been over a year since the triple disaster laid hold of Northern Japan.  Some people minimally affected have resumed normal life activities, seemingly untouched.  Others have moved to totally new areas and started afresh, hoping to blot out a bad memory.  Still others are seeking to find their way to healing and wholeness by remaining and rebuilding a close proximity of their former life.  All too many are bewildered, unsure, depressed and without an anchor or a hope.  Many feel forgotten and alone.  It is not time to forget!  It is time to remember, to pray, to help. 

In mid May a seven member team from Hawaii came to assist the Keisen Church effort of help in Yamamoto Cho, Miyagi, Japan.  They came to assist in healing hearts by listening, and helping, and working in the name of Jesus.  This team was headed by our family friend Dr. George Rhoades.  My dad, mom and I also joined the team making us a work force of nine and a half.  I was the half.  Up until now I have been a prayer warrior for teams, but this time I went.  I thought maybe I would just be praying on the scene, rather than from afar, and I did that the whole time.  But then, I found I could help other ways, too.  One day we went to temporary housing compounds.  We met people who had lost everything.  The team taught them some Gospel Hula and how to make a simple lei.  Most valuable of all, they listened.  They laughed and cried, and cared for them.  I participated as best I could.  Afterward we shared our feelings and thoughts on the day.  I was filled with joy to see the team and Volunteer Center leaders reaching out with the love of Jesus.  The days were packed with activities.  Our bodies were weary, but each day God supplied strength in accordance to our need.  One day we went to help strawberry farmers reclaim their work. As I watched the tedious, backbreaking work of cleaning starter plant trays, I realized I could do this, too, so I did.  It was not fun work.  It was hard. It was a bit boring.  It seemed endless, but we all did this work for God and His glory.  The farmers told us without volunteer help they could not hope to plant berries.  Without their berries, they had no income, so no future.  We came along side them and were planting seeds for eternity, but they do not know that, yet.  That long week was an exhauting week.  It was an exciting, fun, glorious week.  It was our divine appointment, and we kept it.  We all came back knowing not only is God at work in Yamamoto Cho, He is at work in each of our hearts as well.

Independence

Independence!  What a concept.  It is sought after by so many.  It is illusive and nonexistent for so many.  As I have watched young people grow up and attain that adult independence, I often envy them.  I want that independence, I think.  With independence comes responsibility.  I have soon learned that if I achieve independence in an area, I become responsible for that area in my life. Independence comes hard for some of us.  Learning the skills that give me independence in daily life takes plain, old, hard work.  If I do not value independence I will not put in the time and effort to learn that skill.  Independence will slip through my fingers like water.  This is part of taking up my cross daily and following Jesus.  A cross is heavy and not fun. The result of daily taking it up is, however, rewarding.  There are some areas of independence which become boring or too hard, but applying myself to the task brings rewards, too.  One day Mom decided I could learn to dry dishes.  It was fun at first, but then I thought washing would be more fun.  Then I learned independence is not really about fun, but about taking responsibility and being faithful to that responsibility.  It is about growing up into the person God intended me to be.  It is a long process.  It is about being faithful, little step by little step.  It is becoming credible and maintaining that credibility.  I also found out I cannot become independent on my own. Without God’s power I cannot do it.  Without a loving mentor, it is beyond my grasp.  So relying on God’s strength and my mentor’s instruction, I move toward independence.

 

自由！なんて素敵な発想なんてしょう。多くの人に求められているものです。でも、それを手に入れられない人はたくさんいます。若者が育ち大人の自由を手に入れているのを見ると羨ましくなります。自分はその自由が欲しいんだと思います。でも、自由と共に責任もあります。人生のある部分で自由を得るとその部分の責任も持たなければいけません。自由はとても難しいものですね。日常生活において私に自由を与えるものはすべて地道な作業が必要です。その自由が大事だと思わなければそれを得る努力もしません。私の自由はすべてなくなります。自分の十字架を負ってイエス様について行くのと同じです。十字架は重くてなにも楽しくありません。でも、毎日背負うことによって素晴しい結果が得られます。自由の中でもつまらないことや難しいことがあります。でも、それをしっかりやることで報酬を得ます。ある日、母に洗った茶碗を拭きなさいと言われました。最初は楽しかったけれど、洗う方が楽しそうに見えました。そこで学びました、自由は楽しいことではなく責任をもってしっかり最後まで成し遂げること。神様が創造した人になるためです。とても時間がかかります。でも、少しずつ前に進みます。信頼をたもつことです。もう一つ分かったことがあります。それは、一人で自由にはなれません。神様の力なしでは何もできません。神様の力に頼り、神様の指導に従いながら自由に向かっていきます。