3.27.07 - little crazy

i dunno if it's because of my hectic schedule or what, but with my stress level slowly building up, i felt the need to do something a little spontaneous and crazy. last week, as we were praying for the youth group going down to osaka, i felt a strong tug on my heart to go and suppport them. because of my busy schedule, i wasn't initially planning on going with them, but a break in my schedule left my sunday open. so i hopped on the bullet train and went down for the day.

i got there a little early, so i first went and visited osaka joh (osaka castle). it had been raining all night, but luckily by the time i arrived, it had stopped. i snapped off a bunch of pictures, then made my way over to new hope osaka to suprise the blaze team. they did a great job with worship, hip-hop dance, and body worship. it's awesome to see god working through them, and i know they were a huge encouragement to the church. i felt like a proud parent watching their kids perform. it was a blessing to be a part of it, and i was encouraged and refreshed by being able to go. a big "ookini" to the new hope osaka family for all the hospitality!

i think with all the busy-ness and scheduling, i miss being spontaneous. when i first got here, i didn't really have plans on my weekends, so i was able to go out and do whatever. the more plugged-in and familiar i got, the more i found myself having a full schedule. i miss going to new places and trying new things. i'll have to make more of an effort to not fill my schedule as much as i have been lately. but then again, is it considered being spontaneous if you plan on being spontaneous?

let the adventures continue . . . have a great week everyone!

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run to you
plus one

sometimes
when the world gets so cold
and my heart
is fifteen below
and i feel
like i'm so far from home
i run to you

when life
doesn't go like i plan
so confused
and i don't understand
it's hard
'cause it's out of my hands
and this is what i do
when i got nothing left to give

i run to you
when i can't find my way
and i get lost in you
when i don't have the faith
when i don't know what to do
i feel i can't make it through
i run to you

so it goes
every life has some rain
everyone's gotta deal with the pain
but I know
how to make it ok
i tell you what i do
when my back's up to the wall
you know

you are my light
you're my everything
in a place of chaos you're the
one thing that brings me peace
i'll give my heart, i'll give my all
when i'm beat down
you're always standing tall

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talk to me |

3.22.07 - you have no idea

this past week, garett had 2 friends from home visiting him. so tues night, i joined them for dinner. the food of choice . . . the infamous kobe beef! we met up in shibuya and headed over to kobe steak azuma. we got the dinner course which was made up of appetizers, salad, 2 seafood dishes, the main event (both sirloin and tenderloin cuts of kobe steak), garlic rice, miso soup, and dessert. oh my goodness . . . if you've never had kobe steak, you have no idea how freaking good it is! also 2 woots for the scallops in creamy sea urchin & truffle sauce. it was quite expensive, but oh boy, it was uuuuumai!!! cho yabakatta!

anyways, that wasn't the only highlight of my past week and a half. i was in penang, malaysia again on a business trip. everything went smoothly, so i was able to enjoy my time there. it's a beautiful island, and i really enjoy going there. i got back to tokyo on sat morning, and my day was filled with stuff. i had worship practice for sunday, followed by xtreme young adult fellowship. it was good to see everyone, and get back into the swing of things. but, it was a long day, and boy was i exhausted!

sunday was new hope tokyo's 7th anniversary! i helped lead worship and sang "for the sake of the call". after failing miserably to sing it during saturday's practice, i felt horrible. like i was wasting everyone's time. i just couldn't get the timing down, and the more i tried, the more my nerves got the best of me. everyone was really encouraging, but it just seemed to add to the pressure of it all. i ended up practicing till late and practically collapsing into a slumber for the night. after a good night's rest, i felt a little better, but was still feeling an uneasy-ness. i grabbed my things and headed down to church. i was encouraged by a few verses yukka had sent me, so when i got to church i decided to do a little more reading. god took me to this verse:

praise be to the god and father of our lord jesus christ! in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by god's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. these have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when jesus christ is revealed. though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

~ 1 peter 1:3-9

it hit me. i practiced a few more times, making sure i did all i could to prepare. i had realized three things. 1) god doesn't do everything for us. he gives us the tools and the ability to do things. it's still our responsibility to use those gifts to their potential. which means being good stewards of them. 2) no matter the circumstance, we should be reflecting a spirit of joy from knowing that we have been saved and renewed. 3) it's a lot easier for me to figure out timing/rhythm whilst playing the guitar. ahhhh . . . after piecing those things together, i was able to fully enjoy the celebration. new hope tokyo, 7 shu nen omedetto!

it's been an amazing week, and it keeps getting better! please keep the new hope teens ministry in your prayers, as they will be traveling and serving at new hope osaka this weekend. much love!

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3.12.07 - blaze on

after quite a hectic and tiring week, i got a chance to rest on saturday. slept in, relaxed at the park, did a little shopping, and met up with garett and hiroko for dinner. it was nice to have an off day to chill and roam around. made some new friends at some of my favorite shoe spots, and was able to just enjoy the nice weather. even saw a few sakura trees starting to bloom.

sunday, lead worship with the blaze teen's band. it's kinda weird how things work out. we practiced all week, and just when i though we had done everything we could to prepare, i break a string during the first song! at first it threw me off a little bit, but i couldn't help but laugh it off. it's just one of those things that happens, and i was reminded that the important thing is to not let it deter my focus from worship.

after service, we had a fundraising bake-sale for the blaze ministry. the teen's are going to be going on a weekend missions trip down to osaka 3.23-3.26. thank you to everyone who helped out and contributed. please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for their trip.

so i'll be in malaysia the rest of this week on a business trip. i'll be back early sat morning, just in time to prepare for next week's celebration of new hope tokyo's 7th anniversary. i'll be on a crazy schedule this week, so i'd really appreciate your prayers as well. blessings!

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marvelous light
charlie hall

i once was fatherless,
a stranger with no hope;
your kindness wakened me,
awakened me, from my sleep

your love it beckons deeply,
a call to come and die.
by grace now i will come
and take this life, take your life.

sin has lost it's power,
death has lost it's sting.
from the grave you've risen
victoriously!

into marvelous light i'm running,
out of darkness, out of shame.
by the cross you are the truth,
you are the life, you are the way

my dead heart now is beating,
my deepest stains now clean.
your breath fills up my lungs.
now i'm free. now i'm free!

lift my hands and spin around,
see the light that i have found.
oh the marvelous light
marvelous light

lift my hands and spin
see the light within...

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talk to me |

3.06.07 - lots of catching up to do

getting back into the swing of things in tokyo. like i said earlier, i really do feel like i'm in my element here. it's probably because i've made such an effort to make this my home. i'm at a certain level of comfort, where things aren't completely natural to me, but i feel like i'm doing the things that i'm meant to be doing. it's hard to put into words, but i'm comfortable doing things that aren't comfortable for me. the lyrics from the grits' song come to mind . . . "my life be like ooh aah". meaning, to many people, my life might seem crazy, but to me it makes sense and it feels right. i'm positive i wouldn't be able to do the things i'm doing if it wasn't what god wants for me.

this past weekend, it was nice to be able to be a part of familiar again. don't get me wrong, nothing can replace hanging out with the homies back in california, but this is what's familiar to me now. this is my life. had frontline practice sat morning/afternoon. i love the frontlines members. i feel a distinct connection with the brothers/sisters that i lead worship with. there's a sense of community, and i really enjoy spending time with them.

sat night, garett, yukka, hiroko, hiroko's friend grace, and i met up in shibuya for dinner. we went to one of garett's favorite restaurants. they specialized in fresh tofu and japanese tofu cuisine. it was excellent! after 2-3 weeks of non-stop consumption of heavy foods (ie. beef, beef, beef), it was nice trying out a variety of lighter (ie. not beef) dishes. it hit the spot . . . good stuff!

sunday, if felt good to be back at church and leading worship. being with ohana at newhope brings comfort. since i was gone for 3 weeks, i had a bunch of catching up to do. a couple of major things happened, and so it was exciting to hear about all the things god has been doing. so omedeto to negi-chan & oka-chan (engagement), akky & mao (new friendship), ryota (test), nyika (college), toshi & mai (baptism). woot!

anyways, have a great week everyone! here's something for you old school cartoon fans. no real reason, just cause i'm in the mood . . . link

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shine (excerpt)
matt redman

we will shine like stars in the universe,
holding out Your truth in the darkest place.
we´ll be living for your glory,
jesus we´ll be living for your glory.
we will burn so bright with your praise o god,
and declare your light to this broken world.
we´ll be living for your glory,
jesus we´ll be living for your glory.

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