New Skills

Busy day! 


0630 and I'm trying to move....to a new dvd..."African Beat, Latin Heat" - means Anglo Klutz....wasn't pretty but I felt the BURN. LOL Not sure this is a successful new skill. 


0800 breakfast with some of the sweetest, most gracious women at Misawa - chaplain's spouses. 


1100 (Yes, I did go from one to the other) PWOC lunch at Vikings. I so enjoy these casual chances to visit with ladies I don't see enough of. 


1245 found me at Stacy's learning a new trick. Stacy promised to help me learn how to turn sea glass into jewelery.  My fingertips feel like they did years ago when I had to do 4 a day sugar testings. LOL That silver wire can be lethal....but it was great fun. I'm not a pro by any stretch of the imagination, but I learned the basics.....and had a great time visiting too. It's always more fun to learn new skills in the company of friends....which is one reason I LOVE Misawa MOPS and Misawa PWOC. 

We finished all these.

I made some with "cheap" colored wire and leather bands....Arielle nabbed this one. (This was really practice before I used the REAL silver wire.)

Stacey took the red piece of sea glass that I found the day Michael returned home and made it up for me....she said I shouldn't have to worry about getting it "right" - it should be a gift. She gifted me. I'm thrilled. Most of the charms will go on the silver chains I bought. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Cape Oma/Shipwreck Beach

We ventured forth today for our final RECON ADVENTURE. Tomorrow, it's back to real life. LOL  We realized today how blessed we are that our wing chaplain HONORED Michael's time off. We've NEVER stayed in town, cleared the calendar and actually been able to enjoy time together. This is the first time in 15 years of military ministry that Michael has not been called in to the office, if we are in town. What a gift the past 13 days were. 


Today we headed for the Northernmost tip of Honshu. We made it....it was blustery but fun! 

As we drew near Cape Oma we saw many older ladies out harvesting sea weed....didn't get a photo of the drying racks. 

Oma Lighthouse

Us - at the northern tip....

After the group photos I walked down as near as I could get to the water....and told the kids *I* had actually been the MOST NORTHERN....

My pronouncement led to mayhem....

We found a communal kitchen and enjoyed our picnic lunch.  Then we headed down 279 - a route we'd not taken before. Gorgeous......and led us right to Shipwreck Beach. Michael and the boys went to look for floats. I kept the girls company in the van. It started to rain - and got dark....and they didn't return.....

THE ADVENTURE for the girls was that 6 police cars and 4 fire trucks showed up. They surrounded me...lights shining in the van....one policeman asked me "Do you speak Japanese" and I replied English. I have no CLUE what was up. They'd leave and come back....they shone their lights on the beach where the guys were.....I've not a clue. FINALLY the guys showed up......

and had found TWO floats....(Yay Jared and Nolan)....this brings our total finds to 3....funny that we've found only big ones, one green, two blue...  We'll find smaller ones yet. Our float hunters....

This was the first time in 25 years of ministry that we've "cleared the calendar" of even the "essentials" when we were in town. It was blessed. Wonderful.....we'll have to remember this plan...and honestly....nothing was all that essential near as I can tell. LOL  I was glad to honor Mike's request. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fall Festival

Last night the chapel hosted our Fall Festival.  Plans had to be adjusted as the weather didn't cooperate - but it was wonderful having it all inside. I loved the way various members of the various services pulled together to make this work. Youth, with Japanese friends made sure there were signs and directions in Japanese as well as English. Hospitality House made sure there were bags with Japanese NT and Comics...and an English Comic too.  Myriads of volunteers showed up to set up, run booths, bake cookies, make meals....and it was all free.....amazing.  

The base allows all the Japanese kids to come on base on Halloween so it is a great time for us to get the Good News out to the Japanese community.  I'm proud to be part of this chapel activity. Mary and team - you did us all proud. 

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

Living all of life before the face of God...

Intimacy on the Run

The greatest command is to love God wholeheartedly. Intimacy with God is my life’s priority, before serving His bride.  The Gospels inform us the second commandment  is “like the first,” – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  This is where acts of service, leadership and volunteering in PWOCI enter into my relationship with Christ. Service and love of others flow from intimacy with Christ. This command is important, it is “like the first,” but it is clearly SECOND. 

It is vital that I keep first things first. I am not primarily “Asia Region’s President.” I am foremost  a lover of God.  The “secret place,” the “garden tryst,” the “tent of meeting,” must be central in my life. I cannot create intimacy on the run. Yes, I can worship while I drive or workout at the gym…but if the totality of my intimacy with God is “on the run,” intimacy will wither. My relationship with Jesus will lack depth.

I once found myself in a season where I consistently treated my garden tryst with Jesus as a visit to the gas station. I filled up when the gauge was on empty. Not because I loved being at the gas station, but so I could get to what I really loved – the adventure of a road trip. I found myself, coming to Him in prayer and worship, to be filled up so I could pursue my first love, the adventure of serving the bride.

Jesus asks, “Am I your first love or is ministry your first love?”

“Am I your lover or your ministry partner?”

“Forgive me. You are the lover of my soul. You are my heart. Forgive me for the times when I try to exist with intimacy on the run. May I always love You more than Your precious bride.”

I am changed. I set the table with the bread and wine of His presence; I slow down, pull away and make a conscious choice to commune with Him. I settle in for private worship, study and simple silence in His presence… Intimacy is love enjoyed….to BE with Jesus, hear His heart and long for Him. The response of the heart of God is lavishly explosive when I set my heart to love Him above all else.

He invites us to a place of intimacy in the midst of our serving. Will you join Him? My prayer is that each of us pursues HIM above all else. He calls us first and foremost to love Him. 

*First shared at pwoc.org on Asia Region's page. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Modesty Towels?

Has anyone been to this onsen? I have questions:

Yae-Kokonoe-No-Yu: Exquisite outdoor hot baths that overlook a tiered waterfall in a mountain setting. A little out of the way, but well worth the drive. Separate bathing side for women although they can also use the men's side, if desired. Those who do wear modesty towels. It's fun to sit in the pools as snow falls from above. Directions: 36 Yakeyama, Towadoko-machi City, Aomori Prefecture. Located 25 miles southwest of Misawa near the scenic Oirase Gorge. Part of the Komaki Hotel chain. Admission: 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for elementary school students and 100 yen for preschool children. Must bring towel. Hours: 10 a.m.-9:00 p.m. daily (must enter before 8:30 p.m.). 0176-74-1141.

Questions raised by this blurb:

• Is it worth the drive? 
• Anyone want to try it? 
• What is a MODESTY TOWEL?
• Would it really be modest enough to wear in the men's onsen? 
• Are the men wearing modesty towels or are they au natural? 
• Wondering if I could get my men folk to do a family onsen with towels. ::snort::  
• Why would I WANT to sit in the men's onsen? 

If you're clueless about onsens, read this - or go to the top left of this blog, type "onsen" in the search engine and hit the magnifying glass to see any other entry that talks about onsens. LOL  Simply put - onsens are the "starting point of pleasure". LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Of Prince and Princesses

We had planned to go to the annual Rokkosho Salmon Festival today. 

I got up early and headed to the gym. I followed it with a trip to my Hirohata Onsen (my new favorite).  I was back home toned, cleansed and rested in time for us to round up kids and head out by 9:30 a.m. 


Unfortunately, our princess woke up sick. Yeah - I know what you are thinking but ALL are daughters are princesses - and they will tell you I'm the queen. ::snort::  Anyway, Michael decided it would be better to go ahead and have all of us stay home today. I had offered to stay with Stacia alone. We cleaned, we organized, we played games....I made a "kitchen sink soup"....turned out to be WONDERFUL, with lots of leftovers for lunches this week. We love soup weather. 


We've been talking about what to do with Prince Charming as the insect supply around here is dwindling. The kids did their research. We took him down to a local pond and released him......he quickly went about hunting. LOL

I'll miss the little guy's company. I MUST talk to someone while I cook...and Prince Charming was a great partner in the kitchen. ::snort:: It was also  entertaining to catch flies and feed them to him rather than splat them on the walls. Ewwww....Just Sayin.

Michael and Jared put this shelf together for the laundry room. It's GREAT....the grain buckets are on the bottom (3 of them anyway) and I had somewhere to put the Vitacost order. LOL

Mike's been busy putting shelves in our closet....just a wonderfully, boring, typical family day.....a joy to live.


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Early a.m. start as I talked through my workshop for the upcoming PWOCI Conference....mainly I keep having such a good time with Jesus in prep that I'm not making the forward momentum progress I want to see. Honestly, it's all VERY good and I'm content.  I  then sent out a bunch of Asia Region related emails and one or two related to International.....THEN.....we packed a picnic and headed to....Towada Horse Park. 


The Red Cone at the top left is the top of the roller slide, the yellow winding through the trees is part of the slide.....

We  were given great directions for a short cut that makes this about 35 min drive from our home....it was a gorgeous fall day and we had the park nearly to ourselves. We enjoyed sharing this treasure with Michael. 

Yes, I enjoyed this too. 

Mike and I walked in parts of the park I'd not explored.

 The kids played at the park down below. 

We watched for pictures in the clouds - haven't done that for years. 

We went in search of a geocache at Swan Park....had to leave when they wanted to lock the tower...so we'll look again later.....

I am  loving this STAYcation.....we've tried this before and it's never worked well.....but we've found the secret this time. Michael asked us to clear our calendars...and we did...of everything....usually we keep the essentials in the schedule. LOL  This has been heavenly. . . according to Mike and I. LOL 

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...