i promise

My first impressions of Takenaka-san was an intimidating one.  We were warned not to step out of line with her.  She is a very wealthy, influential lady and she will be very straight forward with you if you did something you are not supposed to do.

I also heard impressive things about her.  Gabe said that everyday she did something that had to do with the gospel.  Everyday was spent doing kingdom work.  I wanted to get to know this lady.

When we got to Izumisano Bible Church for Joy Joy 5 days, Shelley had a bag full of gifts for Shelley, Sarah, and me and cards for the guys.  I got a small handmade bag with a package of Japanese crackers inside.  Shelley told me they were from Takenaka-san.  I only got a glimpse of her that day because she was busy talking to Gabe (from whose head she had knocked off a baseball cap saying “You do not wear hats in Japanese homes!” several years ago… scare…) then she disappeared into the kitchen.

The next time I saw her she watched me teaching kids English.  I’ll be honest… I tried extra hard to look good in front of her.  =D  I never got to really sit and talk to her that whole week.  She was always in the kitchen and I would be working with the kids, but everyday she would give a trinket to the girls and a card for the guys.

The last evening they threw a dinner for our team.  Everybody was assigned tables so that the team would all be separated.  Takenaka-san sat next to me!  I told her
“I heard a lot of things about you from Gabe.”

a look of apprehension, “What did he say?”
“I heard good things and funny things.”
she just smiled
“and a little bit scary things…”
looks at me reproachfully

a little later…

“Gabe told me…”
again look of apprehension and a bit of reproach
“that you spend every day with something that has to do with the gospel.”

“Yes.  Everyday you have to work for God’s kingdom.  If you don’t do His work, that’s when you feel down.  I lost my husband several years ago, and from that time I said that my life was going to be lived doing my Master’s work.  You have to speak the gospel,  to Christians, to non-Christians… I call my grandchildren ever week and tell them about the gospel.  One time my granddaughter called me and asked me, ‘おばあちゃんには何が一番だいせつ(Grandma, what’s the most important thing for you?’ and I said, ‘もちろん神様ですね. (God, of course)’ and she says,”やっぱりそうだっと思た (that’s what I thought you would say)’ if she knows what I’m going to say, she shouldn’t ask me!”
The Lord also gave me the privilege to be the chancellor of the English class at Hamadera Bible Church, and I get to share the gospel with the students there twice a week.  I help out at the neighborhood orphanage two days, and the nursing home two day.”

(don’t have too many pictures of her because she was always in the kitchen)

All this was said very matter-of-fact.  There was no boasting or laying out of her accolades, but simply explaining how she got in touch with unbelievers to share the gospel with.

Later I was telling her about how unfaithful I am,  how I get really excited about these projects and about coming to these mission trips, but walking faithfully before God everyday is something I lack.  She told me that the most important thing is meditating on God’s word everyday.  If we don’t meditate on God’s word, we won’t grow as Christians and we won’t walk faithfully.  Then she reached out her pinky finger to me and said, “やくそくして(promise). That you’ll read and meditate on the word everyday.” So I promised.

Times in the word before Japan and even after Japan has been paltry at best… I had been wrestling with, “why is fellowship with God so dry these days?” I realized it all traced back to a lack of meditation on the Word.  Having studied the word is not enough.  Studying a lot of it for a short period of time and leaving it alone for a while doesn’t cut it.  Everyday needs to be spent in meditation before the Lord.  Everyday, I need to renew my mind in it.

Walking faithfully and in service to God has been challenging since I got back.  I knew I would have to adjust to not having a schedule set for me, and I am still struggling with it… I have not kept the promise, but the Lord is gracious to turn my heart to Him.
Please pray for me, that I would be faithful in reading and meditating on the word, and that I would be mindful about how to make the gospel a part of every day.
Please pray for Takenaka-san, that her work for God’s kingdom would continue to bear much fruit.