Lovin Japan ~ Earthquakes

2510 since 3-11-2011.... I debated about posting this item on "the list"....given what we've experienced here it doesn't seem right to say we "love" earthquakes....but earthquakes - frequent; big and small - have been a part of our time in Japan...and some of us will miss them....and so today...on this day after some were kept awake with three earthquakes in the early a.m. .....

I'll post this...we will miss the sense of awe, wonder, and zest that rattlers bring our way.....and the email alerts telling us where the rattler was centered and how big it was...6.1 last night. 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

We are Thankful....

that Stacia is feeling better....she was happy and sassy when we got home from PCOC. It was also nice to have a bit more quiet than is the norm the last two days...just keepin it real!

Stacia sleeps on a futon 

I was thankful to get a workout in before PCOC today - and about 1/4 of the way into the morning I realized I probably didn't need a workout today - my PCOC sweeties will take care of that for me on Tuesdays.

 Wow...God is blessing us with lots of new children. Nolan and I  are thankful for a full room of preschool children...and a fun day with no escapees. Nineteen in the big fellowship hall is much more enjoyable than 19 in a classroom. LOL

I am thankful for lunch with Nolan at Cheese Roll - just the two of us. He was gracious to eat all the chicken from my yakisoba for me.  We made a flying run through the commissary and headed home.

We were thankful the weather was great today. We opted for an outing to the "Statue of Liberty Park." Trees have tiny buds....I am DETERMINED to drop all we are doing when Cherry Blossoms bloom this year...and yes, I'm praying we DON'T get a thunder storm the night they bloom this year.

Um - this is an unusual sight

Stacia and Zander were thrilled to have all the walking paths to themselves. We also walked into the residential area behind the park. 

Zander wasn't quite as thrilled with the roller slide. 

Yes, a Kindle and a good series were the right birthday choices. 

We are thankful for spring days in Misawa...and for lovely encounters out and about in Japan.

We have begun working through the parables of Jesus in Family Circle now that Lent is over. I am thankful to FINALLY have children all the right ages to sit still and fully participate in family devotions. It took decades...it's a nice place to be. ::wink::

Michael seems to be coming down with Stacia's bug...prayer appreciated.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Roasted Asparagus Salad w/ Chickpeas and Potatoes (Vegan)

This Susan's recipe from Fat Free vegan. Check out her site if you are looking for vegan fare - or just some yummy, healthy side dishes to go along with your meat. 

Observant readers will note there are no chickpeas in this photo. I've been trying a variety of roasted chickpeas and was OUT...I used cashews and it was a hit. 

Ingredients: 

2 medium gold or red potatoes, about 10 oz

1 C cooked Chickpeas

1 bunch asparagus (stateside bunch - about 12 oz), trim and slice into 1 in pieces

1 small onion, cut into thin wedges

2-3 cloves of garlic - unpeeled (I used much more)

1/2 C fat-free balsamic vinaigrette, such as Susan's Balsamic-Raisin Dressing 

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

*spice up with herbs, red pepper flakes, olives

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425*.

Cook potatoes until tender but still firm - any way you choose. Allow to cool slightly and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place in serving bowl along with the chickpeas. 

While taters cook, spread the asparagus on a baking sheet and sprinkle the onion over it. In a corner of the sheet, place the unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast until asparagus is tender yet still crisp, about 15 minutes, stirring once after 7 minutes. Remove from oven. 

Set the garlic aside to cool and put the asparagus into the bowl with the potatoes. 

Peel the garlic, mash it and stir in the salad dressing. 

Pour the dressing over the asparagus mixture. Stir gently to combine. 

Season with herbs, salt and pepper. 

Notes: Makes two large one pot meal servings; or four side servings. 

Nutritional Info based on two servings: per 1/2 recipe: 303 cal, 21 cal from fat, 2.6 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 10.7g fiber, 14.5g protein. 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A Song, A Prayer, A Vision

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, 

Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;

Thou my best thought by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. 

Be though my wisdom and thou my true word,

I ever with me, and thou with me Lord; 

Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son; 

Thou in my dwelling, and I with thee one. 

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight; 

Be thou my whole armor, be thou my true might; 

Be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower;

O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power. 

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:

Thou mine inheritance now and always; 

Thou and thou only the first in my heart;

High King of Heaven my treasure thou art. 

High King of Heaven, my victory won

May I reach heaven, heaven's sun

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all. 

Translated by Eleanor Hull 1912; other versions are around

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

My Sugary Idol

Sin is ugly and hopeless and for that reason I desperately need the crucifixion and the resurrection. I nailed him on the cross.  I don't want to admit it. I don't want my sin to nail him there. But I did. 

This was brought home to me Friday. I was frustrated. I knew I shouldn't speak...and that was right. I knew I should come home and hit my knees. Deep down I knew God would show me MY sin and I wanted to revel in HIS sin...just a bit longer. On GOOD FRIDAY no less. 

wader via photopin cc

 I knew I shouldn't buy the bag of Poppycock...but I chose to run to the bag of sugary goodness rather than the God of the universe. I deliberately went back to the aisle where it sits - AFTER having resisted through the whole shopping trip. I selected the biggest bag, paid for it, and ripped it open as soon as I shut the car door (and the kids were thrilled I bought it - they didn't know). I did. I chose not to deal with my angry feelings, my sin; I chose to run from the Holy Spirit into the arms of food.

 I suppose in the scheme of things this doesn't seem like much to most who will read this. But God has told me to follow him to freedom from food addiction, from out of control binges....and I CHOSE to run to a mini-binge instead of the arms of Jesus. Because in the history of binges this is small...but in the motivation of my heart this is big. 

Saturday morning I came into His loving presence. I thanked Him for an amazing night of table fellowship with friends. It was an absolutely fantastic night of friendship and plant based food.  I thanked Him for the price He paid on the cross for my freedom...I opened the Word and began to race through the day's reading...so I could turn to the epistle where  I planned to feast....

"Don't go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you. They are totally useless." I Samuel 12:21

I remembered...what for others is an occasional "treat" is a stronghold, an idol, a place of false worship in my life. I simply cannot start down the road; at this point in my healing I cannot handle mini-splurges.  Out of control binges, food, has never helped or rescued me. They are totally useless. Jesus said to follow HIM to Freedom.  He clearly showed me Saturday morning  this is not time for me to enjoy these treats.

And we talked, my patient sweetie and I. I misunderstood his motives. My judging and subsequent idol worship was far uglier than his supposed fault.  Sin is that way. I confessed to him, as I need accountability. I'm done hiding ugly actions - because satan uses what I hide to bind me...browbeat me.

I'm broken.

I have hope only because HE was also broken - for my sin.

In tears, I rejoice. I thank Him. Once again, I truly repent.

I will continue to tear down the altar of this idol one choice at a time.

I will someday walk in total freedom - He has promised freedom as I follow...I should have listened Friday afternoon as I entered the commissary. I didn't.

Yes, I truly believe an idol is anything which I esteem higher than God, which I crave more than God, which I run to in place of God - and Poppycock is not always an idol...but on this day it certainly was. 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovin Japan ~ Greetings and Service

I will miss the friendly, energetic calls of, "Irasshaimase!" as we pass stores and vendors. "Come! Come!"

I'll also miss doing a search for Shimoda Mall and pulling up photos I took three years earlier as I did with these. ::snort::

Look what else I found. I miss this little 4 year old...who is now a mature almost 8 year old and is quick to tell all she's a "Little bit American, but mostly Japanese."

Customer service in Japan  is unparalleled. Truly. In the airports, the train stations, the malls, the streets....people (clerks as well as the typical person) take pleasure in helping you.

I leave you with this view from a train station....note how friendly the attendant acts.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

When One Thinks of Easter....

...one doesn't naturally think of Vomit. But as my young friend, Amanda, reminds me, a mom of nine should know well, "Vomit knows no season."

Easter always requires a well-timed plan in our family. We agreed to let the children stay home from the sunrise service this year. Michael and I decided to take one car to base and save a bit of gas - besides we like to visit on the drive. He helped the PMOC with the Easter Breakfast. I enjoyed the sunrise service.

The plan was for me to then zip home, pack salads for Michael and I, get chicken and rice in the crock pot so there would be a hot meal waiting when we got home this evening for the kids. I would then head to base with all the kids for the 11:00 service. We would arrive at 10:30 as Nolan and Arielle were in a human video and needed to be early.  After service, a quick stop at the commissary for "lunchables" - a rare treat they requested - and we'd all head to Shipwreck beach for the afternoon. You may remember Zander and I missed the trip a couple of weeks ago as he was ill. This was to be our make up trip.

All was working like clockwork. I had the salads and snacks packed. I had dinner in the crock pot and was doing the last of clean up.

Stacia came down and said, "My tummy feels really funny."

Now, Stacia is "very aware" of all manner of aches, pains and bodily functions. I have learned not to get excited when she tells me her toe hurts, her elbow hurts, her throat hurts, her tummy feels funny.

She came back a few seconds later and informed me "stuff" kept coming into her throat and  she had to swallow really hard to get it back down. UGH.

I settled her with a bowl, some water and crackers. Zander stayed with her while I took Arielle and Nolan to the chapel.  I came home and kept watch for an hour, then  headed back to base (for the third time in one morning) to pick up Michael and the Kids. Remember, to save gas we'd only taken one car in at 05:30. ::snort::  I timed it to get a produce run in before I picked up the family.  They dropped me off at home and headed for Shipwreck.

While I encouraged Stacia  she and I would wear our new dresses NEXT week...and held the bowl for her....the others had adventures of their own.

Ah, the humanity of it all...ah, the irony....little white trucks often make their way into Michael's sermon illustrations. TODAY - they were rescued by a  Japanese angel with a rope in his little while truck. ::snort::

We don't often show the trash on the beaches - because we choose to remember them in a prettier light...but we are leaving soon and we do want to document life as it is....here you go....and sometimes there are wonderful glass floats to be found in the midst of the trash. That'll preach!

This is the cliff - actually the road bed is above....very cool.  Today the kids had a fun competing to see who could get the most arrows the closest to center on the target they found.

 Today's winner is Arielle. 

Poor Stacia. She doesn't even want to cuddle or talk. She wants to sleep. She's been sick at least six times today.  It wasn't the day we planned, but for all but our little Resurrection (Anastacia) Joy, it was a good day.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...