Random Photos....

This is "kind of" Kyoto... meaning, random pictures of ME and my friends with pictures of Kyoto in the background. ha ha!! I'll try to find some better scenic shots later.

This is Kie and I at the famous Golden Temple. The whole thing is "wrapped" in little golden leaves. It's beautiful...

This is my "Wow, I can't believe it's all wrapped in little tiny sheets of gold paper" shot!

This was my favorite place, the bamboo forest. Here Jerry points to the beautiful green canopy.

Mikkun and I stop for a picture by the river...

this sign says something about watching out for wild monkeys... but that's all i got for you.... ha ha

I adore Megumi... she makes me laugh, this is us, recreating my favorite picture.

and yes, I drove! I got pretty tired on the way home so Mary, being the best friend anyone could ever ask for knew that I needed to sing along to some of our favorite Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, Lifehouse, etc. songs so that I could stay awake. She knows me so well.

I'll add more later but it's almost 2am and I'M BUSHED!! (ha ha!)

p.s. this mesage was brought to you by MY NEW COMPUTER!!! (pictures to follow someday) THANKS AGAIN!!!! Praise the Lord!

Beauty

Unveil me,
I'm there.
See me,
don't just find me useful.
It's not about my color,
it's not about my shape,
it's about my purpose.
I reflect.

you've tried to move me,
to hide me,
to make me something I can't be.

I was once young,
I was once unashamed,
I was once glorious.
Now you pass me,
drive by me,
fly through the thought of me on your way
to becoming something you weren't meant to be
either.

dead in our transgressions

But I bekon and call,
I invite.
Seek me,
unveil me,
share with me adventures,
I am more than what you see.

What do I say to you?
In the morning,
when you wake from slumber?
In the afternoon,
in a child's laugh?
In the Colorado mountains,
the blue sea,
the horse that runs free,
the rainbow that shimmers solidly.

I am a woman
I was made for beauty,
and I am not, *sigh*, talking about moisturizer creams
and leg lifts,
skinny this and lose that.
PLEASE!

I am beauty.
I was created to reflect
the beauty in God...
I am His rainbow,
His sunshine,
His child's laughter,
His morning sunrise.

Before I ate the apple I was
unashamed
but we walked with you...
and now, I catch a glimpse
of the depth of what that apple held.
I was convinced you were holding out on me,
convinced I knew better.

Oh, forgive me
for I didn't know, didn't realize
how deep the sorrow would run.
How vast the separation would look to me.
Now I long to walk with You,
to talk to You,
to be with You...

Thank You for not forgetting
for sending
for reaching,
bridging,
uniting,
connecting...

Too much of me has been lost,
we've forgotten,
forgotten Your heart,
Your dreams.
Forgive us.

Show me,
what it looks like
to walk with You as before,
to share the

"radiance hidden in my heart that the world desperatly needs"

inspired by Eldredge's "Captivating"

seriously this book speaks so much to my

heart about God and my relationship

to Him as a woman.

Thanks Leah

Love letters written between my Grandpa and Grandma Schupbach during WW2.
Thanks Leah. This is an amazing gift. I can't believe you did this. Thank you so much.

Kampai (Cheers!)

Happy Anniversary....
to me!
Six months ago I landed in Japan, felt like a "sore thumb" (little did I know), was picked up by TJ, Tomo, and Megu (who've all three become great friends) and wondered what life would look like for me.
Six months ago...
it feels like just a couple days ago.
I'm feeling kind of pensive tonight so to save you all from my dramatic writings, I'll just photo journal the last six months.
Happy Anniversary!
My lonely room(pre Holly, pre Mary, pre Roods) in December (brr...it was cold).
Christmas Eve dinner at Hondasan's house.
Holly's birthday ~ Give it up for January!Feburary had me carving down some sweet slopes with Meguchan.Our BEST club BBQ was the first part of APRIL.The end of April, Mikkun took Masashi, Megu, and I to Japan's #1 date spot~ YOKOHAMA! ha ha

We said goodbye to Eddie in MAY.And Christy and I went to visit Natsumi at her part-time job~ a sweet shop~ in JUNE!

Crazy business, this thing we call time.

Devotions Daily

Every day we have opportunities~
choices
decisions!
We can declare victory in the Lord
or give in to the feeling that we are nothing
not worth anything,
never going to make a difference.
Every day we can join the fight
or sit on the side,

pretending...

wondering,

wishing

that we could make a difference.

But I am only one person

one voice

I make mistakes

and I stumble so

SO

often!

What kind of victory can I have?

The daily kind

the kind where I beat the odds

get behind the wheel

and prove everyone

wrong.

The kind

where I decide

God is worth it.

Worth leaving the sidelines

to pick up my Word,

my sword

and declare victory in my own life,

in my own heart.

Today is YOUR day Lord.

Today I won't let my lazy butt

my excuses,

my past

my present

or my future

step in the way.

I want to see victory

today

because you are worth it.

They packed their bags and their coffins, knowing that the only time they would return to their homes was in them. And as they sailed away, their loved ones were shouting at them from the shore. And they called back, "May the Lamb receive the price of His suffering."

On my mind....

I have a billion things on my mind right now... some random, some serious. I will try my best to capture this moment.

Listening:
Cademon's Call "Share the Well"
Chewing:
Wrigley's Orbit Spearmint Flavored
Featured Friend:
I talked to my freshman roommate, Emily. That's her. She's a teacher in Wisconsin. We met in 2001 and were instantly bonded over rude things our other roommate said about us. We moved out and toasted her good riddance. No joke. It was mostly my idea because I was the more immature of the two of us! We celebrated the first snow fall like good Wisconsin girls should do. Looking back to college, there is much I would do differently~ one of them being I would ask Em to put up with me a second year and live with her another year. She's spectacular. Anyone who has met Emily has had their lives made brighter with such beauty. She laughs at me (and yes, I said at and not with) , jokes with me, burns me the best cds, and put up with my randomness. Emily can tell you a million stories about me~ that's why its taken me this long to blog about her~ she holds the key to MANY secrets. ha ha! One of my favorite random stories with Emily is when I decided to go on a ALL fruits and vegetable diet but Emily was ordering chinese food~ so I ordered egg rolls and split them open, eating the insides out. See how crazy I am and great she is? ha ha
Just Married:
Matt and Rebekah~ wow! I can't believe it.
Ben and Michelle!!
New Discovery:
I have decided that I am frustrating. Seriously! I hope you all didn't just say, "You JUST realized that." But bare with me~ I've realized that I give up on things too easily. I begin a project and never finish it. It's actually really sad. I have this really great Father's Day gift that lays unfinished in my room. (sorry Pops! Maybe I can finish it and give it to you in September!)
Sooo... because I have of this new and disgusting discovery I've decided to change. And as badly as I don't want to tell you this because I will be embarassed if I don't finish~ I want to tell you. I'm training to run a marathon. I'm not actually going to run it. But my friend Kelli is running a marathon in October (as is my Aunt Beth) and so I have decided to train with Kelli. I really want to stick this out and just literally BEAT MY BODY! Hence the reason I've decided to make 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 my running verse. (props to Rachie and Holly! Buffet, anyone?)

My goals:

Keep to my running schedule

Finish Dad's gift *sorry that's a suprise*

Finish Lenora's gift *yup, this one too*

Daily look at my Japanese lessons!

First run:
Went really well. I ran thirty minutes and was not tired but didn't want to push it~ seeing as how it has been two years since the last time I was a committed runner.
My feelings:
Have been hurt recently by a couple of people but I've decided to take their comments as constructive criticism. One of the girls said I was "pretty stict with my life" and was not "flexible enough to survive here in Japan". That pretty much broke my heart but I've decided that it was said with love because she wants me to survive here and not to tire out. I am pretty much tight on people. I have huge expectations of them and myself. Am I living under the law? I surely hope not. Am I leaving room for the Spirit to move and work in my life? Or do I have everything precisely laid out? I want to be laidback and confidiant in the Lord. I do not think that is me, not yet but I am praying for a heart at ease.
Excited about:
I'm learning to drive. We need another driver. I cannot wait. I love to drive and I have missed it terribly.
Ohhh, that hurt:
learned today that you shouldn't do a salt scrub right after you shave your legs. That was a good yet, painful lesson.
Arrival:
My friend Matt will be in Japan the end of June, my computer will be here the end of June and the 20th of June the CA team arrives. Yee-haw!
And the last thought bouncing around my head:
Lord, I am so blessed. Thank you for my fun life. Thank you for friends, family, life and love.

I'm off to go read some of the Bible.

Rainy Season

Welcome to the first day of rainy season, my friends. The season where every day it will rain like you've never seen it before...

What's going to get me through this rainy time?

Here are a few of the funny/interesting things I've discovered lately that will keep my rainy days SUNSHINY! (if laughing were a hobby, it would be mine)

Without further ado:

Portrait of My Sunshine

1. the fact that my adorable niece is adorable

2. the fact that she is appropriately dressed in the Cubs gear

3. the fact that Jordan is growing out his hair and wears it in a pony... that is tettering on the "gross" part of my rainy season but I think you are funny, Jordan so I'll let it pass. (loved your email to Jonah.... or did I, that is the question?!)

4. Good music (just received another cd from Asachan) and the thought of my Pops playing somewhere.

5. My rockin' journal I share with Kelli Burrier~ we write and journal and then trade this beast back and forth. It's my turn and I am so excited to write in it.

6. The yummy food and good friendships. Could Kie be any cuter?

7. My English kids, and "stolen" games of Duck, Duck, Goose! They love this game although I don't think two of them understand it. They may be too little because when they "goose" each other they just end up chasing the wrong one. It's adorable.

8. My little boy who can't quite get the whole "chasing the person you tag" part of this game... instead of him BEING chased after he "gooses" someone~ he always ends up chasing them.

9. t-shirts that are hilarious...

10. babies who sit on "hello kitty" blankets. I was so happy Lenora was using my gift to her. :)

There are plenty of things to bring sunshine into my life...but I just wanted to share a few. Hope you can enjoy them yourself!

Running the race...

*Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly...* (1 Cor. 9:24-26)

*Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep* Romans 12:15

*And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need... praising God and having favor with all the people. And the LORD added to their number day by day those who were being saved.* (Acts 2:44-45,47)
(notice the red-rimmed eyes! :) This was minutes after I woke up both my roommates!)
We may never understand why we are the best of friends on the opposite ends of the globe. Our friendship does not make "sense" in the eyes of the world~ we don't have sleepovers every Friday, you're married, I'm single, we have never lived in the same town, in fact I have no friend like you... in you God has given me a sister, a confidant, and a treasure. You didn't just provide~ you showed me that God is still working, still wanting me to be a part of what HE IS DOING. Sometimes I wondered if I was here by mistake... He is worthy! You have spoken His message... Praise Him!

I am honored to run (both literally though apart and figuratively) this race with you. I am honored that God would give me you and Marcus. That just when my body is tired and I long for the finish line that is not in sight, I look over and there you two are. Both of you, running with me and encouraging me. Oh, man! I just thought of when Marcus practically carried my tired body up Mt. Albert and I started crying again. (ok, I gotta go to bed! hee hee hee)

But it's true... and even now Marcus's words encouraged me, "What are we living for? I do not have a thing in this world. What is the worst that can happen! We have less and God is glorified!"

May it be!

Cupping my chin,
turning my face,
toward Him again,
He says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." (Hbs. 13:5)

for what it's worth...

thank you

my "eye" key

Okay, l know l promlsed a long blog about my life but my "eye" key is not worklng so to save us all from readlng lower case "L's" through thls whole thlng and savlng me from copying and pasting "eye's" (lke the last two) let's just save ourselves the extra work of readlng and writlng and l will just post plctures. l am ln the process of buying a computer so soon you shall have a fabulous new blog entry on my thlnklng here in Japan. Let's just say that l've had some pretty sweet tlme ln the Word. (thanks KB for lnsplrlng me wlth our journal).
Now that you are all laughlng at me lower case L's... let's get on w/ the show. :) ha ha!

The clty l live ln. Crazy! lf you've ever been to Clear Lake/Reeve (blink and you'll miss it) you can lmagine the crazy fun l've had living here. (the other day: Mary and l made the traln by runnlng to lt and as we snuck through the closlng doors we high-fived cause we are startlng to feel a little more confident making our way through the world's 2nd largest clty.)

The two guys on our Arlzona team; Mike and Ryan. l can't help but crack up every tlme l see thls picture. No, they are not brothers....

Our team in downtown Shlnjuku.... Jo, Christy, Mike, Ryan, and Mark. The team from CA is joining us June 20th. Woo! Woo!

Convinced we are twlns, Megu and l pose for a picture. Oh, wait l mean we naturally took thls plcture. Ha Ha!

Hey, ln other news.... looks like l may be drlvlng for sure. One of our guys is going to be gone over our Kyoto trlp and we need another drlver.... "um, yes please!" Let you know when tralnlng beglns for that... hee hee hee! Oh, yeah and l'll be sure to take plctures!

one minute

I only have but a minute but... I wanted to tell you.
SIJ is going to be amazing this year.
I just chilled with about 20-25 students from around the US with a heart for Japan... some know why they are here, others don't have a clue but we just had a two day conference that basically rocked my face off.
What a refreshing burst of air... just like a glass of water tossed in your face would wake you, I feel like I've been awoken.
It's so hard to explain. And I will try but it is 1AM and I need to get to bed. Sorry!
You guys! I can't wait to share with you from my friend Mark's talk. I feel like HE gave the best talk I have ever heard him give (or maybe it was just perfectly in tune with my heart) and he's my boss. So I hear him talk plenty. :) But man, what a great few days of laughter, love, worship, and remembering why I am here and the promises I believe God is giving.
Cool stuff.
Now, off to bed. Talk to you soon.
P.S. Welcome Christy, Ryan, and Mike~ we're SOOO excited you are here.