Pictures are up!

I've got some more pictures up of some happenings of the past couple of months. There are pictures of church activities (EBC, apple picking, picnicing), a trip to an amusement park at the base of Mt. Fuji, some school festivals, and of a weekend trip to some historical places near here with my Japanese family.
As the Japanese say, "Enjoy!"

One of Those Days

I saw this picture and I couldn't help but think it epitomizes the kind of days that I have been having lately - I'm tired, worn out, and so cold a lot of the time that I seriously want to hug a heater.

But what's worse is that many people I know are really having bad times. One of my best friends has cancer in a pretty advanced stage and another one has been sick (almost more than a year) and has recently had some more pretty bad setbacks. Every week and sometimes day I hear of other people's struggles - many I know and some I don't.
I say all of this to beseech your prayers for them. I haven't gone into specifics, but I know that won't stop a lot of you for praying for them.
For those of you that I know that are suffering, know that recently, more than ever, I have been lifting you up to our Father in Heaven. Maybe I can't be with you physically right now, but I am certainly there in prayer. I love you and I hope to be by your sides physically again soon.
For now, I hope these jokes bring smiles to your faces. They did to mine.
You can't read this and stay in a bad mood!

1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On It.

2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way, Unique Up On It.

3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest?
They Take The Psycho Path.

4. How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil The Hell Out Of It.

5. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle On Their Hat.

6. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?
A Stick.

7. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese.

8. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.

9. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quatro Sinko.

10. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.

11. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same?
Somebody's Gonna Lose A Trailer.

12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.

13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.

14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup?
Anyone Can Roast Beef.

15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him.

16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers.

17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.

21. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver?
A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang!
A Bad Skydiver Goes Dang! Whack.

Now, admit it. At least one of these made you smile! And if they didn't, just picture me trying to walk in a straight line (or even trying to walk without falling).

CHRISTmas is in the air.....

I went to karaoke with some old Japanese and Indonesian friends and a new Malaysian and two new Bangladeshi friends. The three new friends haven't been in Japan for more than a few weeks, so they couldn't sing any Japanese songs, but they could sing some English songs (they speak great English, by the way). Guess what they sang.....Yup, Christmas songs! It was the one thing that all of us - Japanese, Malaysian, Bangladeshi, Indonesian, and American - could all sing together. How awesome is that!? It really got me happy because I was reminded that Christmas is near.
And that isn't the only place I am hearing Christmas songs in Japan. I listen to KLove via the internet every morning and night, and they have started playing Christmas music.
I love Christmas because people truly are different during this time of year - different for the better. People are nicer, more giving, more loving, more appreciative, and many more great things. I have no doubt that people are better because, whether they consciously realize it or not, Christ permeates this season. Man, I love Jesus. I love this season. I love Christmas. Oh yeah, did I say that I LOVE CHRIST!

P.S. Blakewell, you know what I'm talking about!!!!