ベサニー・キリスト教会

Paul at his friend's coffeehouse on the 9th of July.after getting out of the hospital

On the 23rd of June I was suddenly hospitalized.Both of my kidneys were infected and my bladder was also not working right. On the 26th I had simple surgery to run tubes from both of my kidneys to my bladder and also a tube from my bladder outside. The surgery was successful and I began to get better right away. However, I soon ran unto another problem-I had an alergic reaction to some of my medicine it took some time to take care of this.

By God's grace this problem also cleared up and on the 4th of July I was given a clear bill of health-however it was suggested I stay the weekend at the hospital and check out on Monday the 6th-which I did.

I am now home trying to get used to non-hospital life again. I am very very weak but have a good appetite and so hopefully I will be able to gain back some of the weight I lost.

I want to thank all of you who have prayed for me and have come to visit me. I was extra glad that Lydia came to see me before flying to America and that Mr. Mido brought his guitar and sang some original songs for me. Also, Pastor and Mrs. Konishi made quite a long trip to see me-thanks. And of course my wife, Reiko, was a wonderful support and helper to me in the hospital.

Please continue to pray for me as I battle my sickness and serve the Lord here. Daily, God gives me the strength for that day and I am so thankful for that.

Paul

English service at the Bethany Christ Church

On Sunday the 19th of July from 4:00pm, we will be hosting our English service. It is an informal get together, praising and worshipping the Lord with our brothers, sisters, and friends. The service is conducted in English, with Japanese interpretation, so anyone can enjoy. Please come and join us. We also enjoy chatting over coffee and cookies after the service. See you there!

ベサニーキリスト教会　英語集会
7月19日（日）の午後4時から英語集会を行います。兄弟・姉妹・友達と共に、リラックスした雰囲気で賛美と礼拝をおこないます。集会は英語で行いますが、もちろん日本語の通訳も付きますので、どなたが参加して頂いても大丈夫。
是非ご参加ください。集会後のコーヒータイムでおしゃべりするのも楽しみの一つです。お待ちしています。

Mark Sayer has written a very interesting and easy to read book about what he calls Hyperreality. Hyperreality is the view or reality or worldview that is presented to us through all of our modern communication tools-our PCs, the internet, our cell phones, ads, and the media in general. His view is that this is a distorted view of reality-that it makes us want to become people we cannot be and own things we really cannot ever buy. It promises to make us more beautiful than we ever can be and otherwise gives us many false hopes.

Some of his chapter titles are: The Whole of Life as Shopping: Hyperconsumerism, Hyperconsumerism as Religion, and Good-bye to the Plastic Jesus of Hyperreality.

He has divided the whole book into three sections-Hyperreality, Reality, and God's Reality. Mark is very different from Francis Schaeffer but I believe he is tryting to do in 2009 what Schaeffer was trying to do in the 60s and 70s-to wake Christians up and to get Christians to understand the kind of culture they were living in and the kind of culture that their children were growing up in.

This is a book that I highly recommend.

Paul

The Mt. Makio Visitor Center

Ever since my stay in the hospital I have been very very weak. I have been able to handle some local shopping but doing any kind of hiking or climbing so far has been out of the question. However, I can't keep the mountains out of my system.

The other day I decided to visit Mt. Makio-not to climb but to at least breathe some of the mountain air and talk to some of my friends there. Reiko and I drove to Mt. Makio around noon and headed for the Makio San Kanko Center for a bowl of udon. (Japanese noodles) The owners were worried about me and glad to see me again. In Osaka that day it was really really hot but in the little shop there a couple of fans were all that were needed to keep everyone nice and cool-it was good to be back in the mountains again!

Reiko and I were enjoying our udon when the owner's wife brought us a couple of onigiri (rice balls) and this really completed the meal. Even though I could not climb the mountain or do any rock climbing I was able to relax and at least enjoy the mountain atmosphere.

I am praying for the day when my strength returns and I can tackle the mountain again. At the same time I am thankful that even in my weak state I can still visit the mountains and have an enjoyable time there.

Paul

The view from Starbucks-notice the red and white pattern on the lacquer stall.

People often worry that Japan is becoming too western and that all of the traditional Japanese culture will be lost in time. I myself have been noticing the opposite. It seems that no matter how western Japan gets, wherever you go, there is always something very Japanese and very traditional in sight.

This was brought home to me this morning as I sat in Starbucks. From my seat I could see the French supermarket clearly. Coffee from America and vegetables from France-how much more western can you get?

However, when I first sat down that was not what I saw-I seemed to be surrounded by a mountain of traditional Japanese lacquer ware. A lacquer ware seller has set up his stall next to Starbucks and the seat that I chose happened to be right next to his stall. I moved to the next seat where I could see, not only the lacquer ware stall but also the rest of Starbucks and the French super market.

I was especially interested in the red and white cloth that covered the bottom part of the stall-this is as traditional as you can get-it is a Japanese pattern that stall owners use all over Japan. Needless to say I have never seen it in Minnesota or other parts of Asia.

My experience this morning was typical I think. No matter where you and no matter how western things may look at first, look a little bit closer and you will for sure see some traditional Japanese items or patters or whatever.

So, for myself I am not worrying that Japan is becoming too western-I just don't think it will happen. Enjoy Japan.

Paul