Shining Moments in March

God Sees Us All The Time ( March 26, 2015)

Invited a dear Japanese friend tonight for dinner of lumpia and pancit sotanghon ( her request , she loves lumpia very much smile emoticon )... She'll soon move to another city in Japan, where she hardly knows anyone. Huge concern and top on her prayer list is her transition. Over dinner, we talked about our personal struggles and anxieties. 
Before we said our goodbyes, we shared prayer concerns, then she said, "I'll be all right, Meriam. Our God sees us all the time and watches over us. Even if I live in a cave, He still can see me. Also, I see how our God has been with you here in Japan. This is not your home country, yet He has sustained you. How much more for me. So I know God will be with me, too."
I wanted to dance when I heard her say that. In 1994, my first year in Japan, I used to tell her that God is with me all the time, so I will be okay here. She was not a Christian then. She attended one of our evening classes for working ladies. Several years later she committed her life to Christ. She goes to another church now and we seldom see each other.
I'm praising our Lord now for what He's done in her life and I'm telling Him, "oh how far she's come!"

Light-Bulb Moments (March 25, 2015) 

Last meeting for the HS Wed 7pm class today. In the middle of our schoolyear-end activity, suddenly one of the boys asked me, "Teacher, what is Easter?" So I wanted to tell the class about the usual Easter tradition ( dyed eggs, egg hunting, Easter bunny, etc) but then in a split-second realized this could be a great opportunity to talk about our Lord's Resurrection. Thankful that the class chaplain came early today, so I wrapped up the activity so Iguchi-san would have a lot of time to include it in their Bible time today.
Have you ever seen the face of a person who is so engrossed and amazed? You know, when he has that so-called "light bulb moment"? Well, I saw not just one of those expressions today , but FIVE!!! (There are 5 high school students in this class) It's like the room suddenly became so bright and warm with lots of those "light bulbs" flashing tonight. smile emoticon