Keep Shining

The shoes of a mother

2010-05-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

While I really enjoy writing blogs, I also enjoy reading them. "Blog reading" has become a hobby.

It's so interesting to read another person's thoughts, another person's perspective on life. It's like taking a walk in someone else's shoes. And not only is that interesting, it's important. It makes you empathetic -- more understanding of another person's situation and feelings.

I've mentioned before that I really enjoy reading Lysa TerKeurst's blog of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her blog is great for my faith walk and does my soul good. I encourage you to check it out.

A few months ago, I read a post she wrote about motherhood, and the tendency for mothers to blame themselves for the wrong choices their kids make. To be honest, this is something I hadn't really thought about much before since I'm not a mom.

But as I scrolled through the 180 comments (!), I read as mothers poured out their hearts and their feelings of failure. Many of them were wondering where they went wrong with their children. My heart broke for them and went out to them.

I've heard before that being a mother is the toughest job in the world. And I believe it.

So I want to thank moms everywhere for the extremely difficult and demanding job they do every single minute of every single day.

And I want to thank my mom and grandma's for all that they've personally done for me, and all that they still do, even from across the miles.

I wish for you a special day, full of love and appreciation that you more than deserve! If you're a mother, I'm saying an extra special prayer for you today.

Happy Mother's Day!

Love, Dana

Keep on praying

2010-04-27T01:55:00.000-07:00

I've been reading Hinds' Feet on High Places, a story that's an allegory of the Christian walk.
(I highly recommend this book!)

The version of the book I have includes devotionals written by Darien Cooper. One of the devotionals has a prayer in it that really spoke to me, and I thought, "I should post it on my blog to share with others..."

O Lord Jesus, Lover of my soul, You and only You understand the inner craving of my being. Thank You for loving me, never leaving me, and caring about every detail of my life. Help me begin each day with a thankful spirit, until I can do so as a way of life. Let me never be found resisting what You are birthing or bringing forth in me. I love You and want to love You even more.

AMEN.

Daily bread

2010-04-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

My real dreams in life have nothing to do with eating white bread. :)

But they have everything to do with following Jesus, the bread of life.

"Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." -- John 6:35

I don't know exactly what is in store for my future. I don't know what tomorrow may bring. I don't know a lot of things.

But I do know that I can daily turn to Jesus during this journey of life, and he will satisfy.

And I also know what I want in life. I want to enjoy each day, live to the fullest, and be as Christ-like as possible.

I also want to travel the world and experience as much of God's creation as I possibly can. And while I'm enjoying different scenery, people and cultures, I want to soak it all in. I want to dance on beaches and stop to take pictures, pray, and watch & interact with life around me.

A couple of times I've been called a free spirit. Curious, I looked up what dictionary.com calls a "free spirit," and it says, "A person with a highly individual or unique attitude, lifestyle, or imagination; a non-conformist."

Hmm, I guess a nonconformist is what a Christian should be by not conforming to the world. To be honest, that's something I really struggle with. The thing is, I love the world and its people, and I want to explore it.

I pray daily that I can help shine light in the world with my attitude and lifestyle.

Clicking to make a difference

2010-03-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

Of course it's sad saying goodbye to my friends here since I'm not sure when I'll see them again.

But at the same time, I know that while they're closing one chapter of their lives, they're about to being a new chapter, so I'm happy for them. And I know that we can still keep in touch; it's not like they're dying.
(Even though we gave them funeral cards by mistake!)

My heart really goes out to people who are saying final goodbyes to friends or family.

I've written before that I think a lot about people who don't have their basic needs met -- especially children. I read a statistic that every year,
6.5 million children die from starvation.

Now that makes me sad.

But the good news is that I can help do something about it. And so can you. For free.

Below is a list of my favorite Web sites (in order), where all you have to do is click and sponsors will make donations. So. very. easy.

1. http://www.thehungersite.com -- I have it set up to send me daily e-mail reminders to click on the orange box in each category. The Hunger Store is fantastic because you make donations with your purchases. I've bought several things there that I've loved -- clothes, jewelry and gifts.

2. http://CauseClicks.org/-FreeFood.html -- This site is similar to the Hunger Site because you can click to benefit several different causes.

3. http://children.care2.com - Click the orange box to help children in need.

4. http://www.hungrychildren.com - Click the yellow box to help a hungry child.

Play a game to donate. With these sites, all you have to is play a game/take a quiz to make a donation. You're learning and helping at the same time. Everyone wins. :)

1. http://www.freerice.com -- This one is my favorite because you can choose what subject you want. I especially like the geography quiz.

2. http://www.freepoverty.com - This is a fun game of pinpointing places on a map.

3. http://www.charitii.com/index.php -- Play crossword puzzles for charity.

4. http://www.helpthirst.com - Memorize and recall the numbers to donate water.

5. http://www.worldhunger.org/contributefood.htm - Take a hunger quiz to donate to world hunger.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' -- Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Things to think about

2010-02-19T00:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished the book One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity by Christian author Debbie Macomber. (Thank you, Mom, for sending me good books written in English!)

It was inspirational & encouraging, and I read it with a pen in hand so I could underline statements that stood out to me and make notes in the margins.

Here are just a few thought-provoking sentences that I underlined and want to share:

There are more verses in the Bible that praise God than anything else.

I think that says a lot about how important it is to just simply praise God.

Praise too often refers to the product, while encouragement focuses on the act itself and the heart behind the action.

I've been thinking about this in the classrooms this week as I encourage students to keep studying English and not give up. I'd never really thought before about the differences between praising and encouraging.

The more we look to find ways to encourage others, the more we'll find ourselves being encouraged.

Good point. I think this is very true.

When tragedy hits, don't focus on the faces of pain and horror. Let your eyes follow those who are rescuing, feeding, healing, sweeping, comforting, and rebuilding.

I immediately thought of the earthquake in Haiti when I read this. The devastation there breaks my heart, and I really want to do something about it. I'd like to be one of the people there who is helping out. While I can't go to Haiti right now, I can look at the people who are there as role models.

Besides the author's points, the book is filled with quotes that got me thinking about generosity :

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

-- John Wooden

"A prerequisite to living abundantly is giving abundantly. These are two concepts that are woven together tightly. If you don't know how to give, you don't know how to live."

--Elizabeth Pearle Allen

"Money is to be used and not loved. You are to use money and you are to love people. If you get that reversed you are in trouble because if you start loving money, you will start using people to get more money."

-- Rick Warren

"You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time."

-- Pat Schroeder

As someone who's a doer, I especially like this quote.

I pray that my eyes would continually be opened to opportunities and ways to encourage, give, and help others.

The King's kids

2010-01-14T04:05:00.000-08:00

James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (NIV)

Even though I knew a little bit about Tree of Life Orphanage before I volunteered there, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Would I see some really difficult things? What would the kids be like?

Being at the orphanage was like being part of a really big family for a few days. A very loving family.

I didn't see this video about TOLO until just a few days ago. It's really neat for me to watch now because I personally know Roger and the kids. (There's also a brief shot of the library we reorganized about half-way through. Looks familiar!) I encourage you to watch this short video -- a message from Roger:

I like what he says about these children being the "King's kids," and treating them as such. And I really liked being there, seeing that love in person and being part of it.

What Roger and his wife are doing in Buri Ram is wonderful. Please join me in lifting up everyone at TOLO in prayer.

More than stuff

2009-12-16T00:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday.

I love the season leading up to it -- listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies, decorating, sending out cards and baking.

What I don't like is all the shopping and materialism that surrounds Christmas. (I'm referring to Christmas in America, not in Japan. In Japan, people don't give presents on Christmas; they just eat a Christmas cake with their family.)

I'm not saying that I'm against giving presents. What I'm saying is that it's important not to get caught up in a mindset of materialism. It's important to think of Christmas as a time to celebrate what's most important -- the birth of Jesus Christ.

A few days ago, I read the below paragraph on a Web site...

"There are a lot of things we get wrong about Christmas. For one, we give each other so much stuff. Whether it's out of obligation or just to truly show someone we care, we're still essentially material-rich people giving other material-rich people more... materials. The purpose of our holiday, though, is Christ. And Jesus made his purpose clear to us -- sacrifice. He died so that we could live. And we struggle to keep that the focus of Christmas while we're busy buying and unwrapping gifts."

The third sentence -- the one I bolded -- really stuck out to me. It made me think, "Yeah, that really is true." And it reminded me of a little video with a big (powerful!) message that I watched last year. I feel like it's definitely worth sharing...

Thinking about the truth in this message is what inspired me to start my water campaign. I've decided that this Christmas, instead of buying stuff, I'll give monetary gifts to people who could really use them.

I desire to love like Jesus -- who made the ultimate sacrifice -- even though every single day I fall waaaay short.

As always, I'm looking forward to celebrating Jesus' birthday this December 25th!

* * *

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

A gift that could save lives

2009-12-11T02:35:00.000-08:00

As Christmas approaches, I've been doing a lot of thinking about something that's probably been on your mind as well...

Gift giving.

I find that it's a lot of fun to give, and more importantly, it's something God calls us to do.

I've also been thinking and praying about something that's constantly on my mind and heart: people who don't have their basic needs met. One of the most basic needs of all is clean water. Yet more than a billion people in the world don't have it.

In order to do something about that terrible, sad fact, I've started a campaign called Jingle Wells. I've made it my goal to try to raise $500 between now and Christmas.

Please join me in making a difference and giving a gift that could literally save lives.

Click here to check out my campaign. Thanks!

"Give thanks, with a grateful heart..."

2009-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have so many things to be thankful for.

I have a wonderful family and fantastic friends. I have faith, hope and love. I have food, clothes and shelter. I have a good job that I enjoy. I have a full life, and I am very grateful for everything and everyone in it!

I woke up early on this chilly Thanksgiving morning, with some quiet time to spend thinking and praying about the people and things I appreciate. Of course I'm extremely thankful for the BIG things, and feel so blessed that my basic physical and emotional needs are met each day. But I've decided to make a list of some of the little things in life that I love. So I'm just going to sit and think and type things as they come to me...

I'm thankful for...

♥ warm oatmeal on a cold morning (It's breakfast time as I write this, so that's the first thing that popped into my mind)

♥ books that warm my heart

♥ my kerosene heater and warmth in general!

♥ laughter

♥ nonverbal communication that transcends language barriers

♥ the sun shining on my face

♥ the sound of the ocean

♥ spur of the moment things

♥ hand-written notes

♥ cute kids who make faces at me

♥ the smell of popcorn

♥ the smell of cookies or pies baking

♥ whipped cream straight out of a can, into my mouth

♥ fun stationery & stickers

♥ walks in the woods

♥ bug spray

♥ campfires

♥ good-smelling candles

♥ starry nights

♥ hanging out with people who make me laugh

♥ free food shared with friends

♥ hugs!

♥ dance parties!

♥ different kinds of music for different kinds of moods

♥ pictures that capture great memories

♥ my amazing childhood

♥ having an imagination

♥ creativity

♥ blowing bubbles

♥ made-up games

♥ board games and card games

♥ sidewalk chalk

♥ different colors of crayons, markers, ink pens & pencils

♥ erasers

♥ double-sided tape

♥ duct tape

♥ air freshener

♥ my de-tangle comb

♥ airplanes

♥ traveling in general :)

♥ trying new things

♥ eating new sweets

♥ ice cream toppings

♥ toothpaste

♥ Christmas decorations

♥ decorations of any kind, really

♥ Skype, and the conversations I have on it

♥ Facebook, and being in touch with people I haven't seen for a while

♥ my computer & having the internet

♥ my washing machine, even though it sometimes makes noises that frighten me

♥ the smell of my clothes when I take them out of the washing machine

♥ stain remover

♥ chlorine (love that smell!)

♥ swimming pools

♥ flip flops

♥ days in which I can spend a long time in my pajamas and slippers

♥ musical instruments

♥ concerts

♥ crunching leaves

♥ popping bubble wrap

♥ my alarm clock, even though I'm sometimes not grateful for it.

My alarm clock actually just went off, so I need to get up now and get ready for school...
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!

God wants me to shine.

2009-11-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 (NIV)

As I've mentioned before, I get a devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministries e-mailed to me each day. It's great because it helps keep me accountable to having a daily devotion time, and there are always words of wisdom for me to think about and apply to my life.

Anyway...a while back, there was a devotion written by a woman named Van Walton that struck me. She wrote, and I quote :)...
"Ever wonder what God's will is for your life? Simple … shine!"

And I immediately thought, "Hey, that's like the title of my blog, "Keep Shining!" And then I thought about something my good friend Sarah once told me, and how it relates perfectly to Van's take on God's will.

Two year ago, when I was making the big decision about whether or not I should move to Japan, I was also asking, "Is this God's will??" When I asked this question aloud to Sarah, she said that God makes it clear in the Bible what His will for our life is; we're supposed to live in a way that glorifies Him. Period. (Or in other words, His will is that we shine for Him.) As Sarah said, it doesn't matter if I'm in America, Japan, or wherever else, I can be fulfilling God's will by the way I live.

Interestingly enough, the author of the devotion was also making a decision about whether or not to move as she wrestled with God's will. She prayed about her decision to move, and this is what she said that God spoke to her...(which I think is just beautiful)...

"It really doesn't matter where you are. You are in Me and I am in you. Wherever you live, wherever you go, wherever you work, you will find people who need Me. Introduce them to your heavenly Father. Live a life that encourages others to seek Me. Love all people. Teach them how to live. Use your life, your actions, and My Word. This is what you can do whether you live here or there. Remember, wherever you go, I am with you. Wherever you go take Me with you and let your light shine."

Pause. Read that again. And let it really sink in. :)

Before I know it, my time in Japan will be over, and I'll be wondering what the next step for me is. (Actually, I'm already wondering what the next step is!) I'll be sure to keep the above words in mind as I pray about the future.

And now I'm going to reference the devotion for the last time and end with the same closing prayer...

"Dear Lord, Your Word clearly details Your plan for my life. Forgive me for wanting all the specific details before I step out to reflect Your glory. I want to spend my days shining as a light in the darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Joy that's unspeakable

2009-10-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

~Things I love that bring me joy for which I praise God for: ♥ heart-shaped leaves ♥ gorgeous blue skies ♥ puffy white clouds ♥ photography ♥ strolls in nature ♥ the crunch of leaves as I walk ♥ the lovely season of autumn ♥ ~

Something else that brings me joy is browsing the blogs of my brilliant phototographer friends. {Check out Amanda, Lauren or Wendy's sites to see some fantastic, creative work.} Feeling inspired by their blogs and the wonderful weather yesterday, I had my own fall photo shoot on the way back from Yamane Jr. High. I parked my car on the side of the road, and with camera in hand, I went for a stroll.

And now, without further adieu, here are the rest of the pictures I took from my refreshing little walk/quiet time in God's gorgeous creation...

Lying down in the leaves to capture these shots. :)

Beautiful sunny day with cotton ball clouds. :)

Back on the ground to capture close-ups of leaves {and berries}...

And then I found the most gorgeous, bright red heart leaf!

Oh, how I heart this season. ♥

Shadows of branches...

I just wanted to run like crazy through this...

So I did. :)

A lovely path to meander down.

Leaves on the side of a building near my apartment. Quite pretty.

I had so much fun yesterday being out in about in the beauty, snapping away, and I'm really happy with how these pictures turned out.

But I'm absolutely in awe of the Lord and His work. How Great is our God!

"Climb every mountain..."

2009-10-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
-- Isaiah 55:12

My big challenge of climbing Mt. Iwate--the tallest mountain in this area--is only five days away! Yipes.

I've been doing my best to exercise daily to prepare for what I know will be a rigorous climb. And on Saturday, I climbed Mt. Hakkoda (about three hours northwest of Kuji) with Liz, Jarlath, and folks from Kuji City Hall. It was a good workout and good prep for the BIG climb coming up so soon.

But more than that, it was a great chance to be out in nature, feeling so close to God.

The view from about half-way up.

Looking up...

...and looking down.

Woohoo! We reached the summit! (where it felt like winter.)

On the way back down, it definitely felt like autumn with all the beautiful leaves...

As always, the way down was more relaxing than the way up. I absolutely love fall scenery, and it was great to be out in fresh air.

It was also good to talk to Jarlath about faith on the way down the mountain, and my personal faith journey. I told him that I don't claim to know all the answers; there's so much I don't know and don't understand, but I accept that. I'm just trying to follow the teachings of Jesus, my Savior, as best as I can and shine light in this world.

I'm a work in progress. :)

A brand new day

2009-09-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
-- Psalm 97:1

It's not often that I'm up early enough to see the rising sun.

And it's a shame, really.

As I watched the sunrise over the ocean recently, two of my first thoughts were: #1 This is so beautiful and #2 Why haven't I come out to the coast and done this before?

Each day I talk to God throughout the day, but there's something special about sitting still early in the morning and having a quiet time -- something I need to make a habit. And there's something really special about watching the sunrise at the beach while talking to the Lord.

Besides thinking about the beauty of the moment, I couldn't help but think about the awesomeness of God the Creator. Lord, your work is gorgeous! Thank You so much.

I also prayed for the day to come, that I would make the most of it and do my best to be Christ-like. Please help me shine Your light today.

And because writing is kind of in my blood, I really enjoyed journaling my prayers/thoughts.

It was a wonderful way to begin the day, and I highly recommend having a quiet morning time -- whether you live near the ocean or not.

A time to think, pray, praise, write, and enjoy being with the Lord. :)

"Word of God speak..."

2009-08-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy the songs of the Beatles and the words on shirts in Japan, I seek wisdom and truth from the Bible.

I'm a follower of Jesus, and I take his words to heart. Here are some true words of wisdom from my Savior, that we can all use daily...

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40
"Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45
"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" Mark 8:34-37
"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10

Dear Lord, thank You so much for sending Jesus to this world to not only teach us how to live, but also to die so that we can live in heaven. Please help us keep his words in mind on a daily basis. Amen.

When at first you don't succeed...

2009-08-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
-- Thomas Edison

How extremely frustrating it must have been for Thomas Edison when time after time again he just could NOT make the lightbulb work! I can't even imagine.

But on the flip side, how THRILLED he must have been when he finally accomplished his goal! I'd be bouncing off the walls, I'm sure. :)

The sense of accomplishment is amazing -- especially if it's taken several tries/hard work to finally succeed.

It took me five times to finally pass the challenging driving test. (I don't even want to think about having to try 10,000 times like poor Mr. Edison!!) So when I finally did pass the test on Friday, it felt awesome, and I was pretty much bouncing-off-the-walls happy.

And now I'm so proud to present my Japan driver's license... :)

I was told not to show teeth, which believe me, was hard! If I had my way, I'd be shouting for joy in the picture. ;)

Sure, I would have been thrilled to pass the ridiculous test on the first time, but I think the sense of victory was sweeter because it wasn't easy.

I love Thomas Edison's perspective on failure/success, and I think it's absolutely amazing that he didn't give up! I want to have that same attitude.

I've decided to really challenge myself by climbing Mt. Iwate this fall. (As a reminder, that's the mountain I didn't climb last year with the other ALT's because I was convinced it would kill me!)

It's not going to be easy. I'm starting my training now by climbing stairs every day. Even the training--making myself exercise and climb steps--won't be easy, but I'm already determined to perservere.

This weekend, I got a glimpse of the challenge ahead when I was on top of a different mountain (which I rode up to, by the way). Mt. Iwate is the faint, but massive monster in the background of this picture...

Hello, Iwate-san. I'll be back to conquer you in October!! :)

When something DRIVES you crazy

2009-08-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to get a Japan driver's license, I took the driving skills test last Wednesday. I failed. Ok, no big deal. It was almost expected since most foreigners fail the ridiculously hard driving test at least once.

So I drove back to Morioka--a 2.5 hour drive one-way--again on Thursday to take the same test. And again I failed.
Well that's disappointing, but the third time's the charm, right? So I'll get it next time.

Feeling good about the test, I went back to try again on Friday. And for the third time in a row, I failed.
Major bummer.

I could go on complaining right now about how unfair and nit-picky the driving test is.

I could go into detail about the little things they said I did wrong, like how I need to brake two blocks ahead of a turn instead of one.

I could have let the outcome of the driving test bring me down--three days in a row.

But in the grand scheme of things, I know that it's really not a big deal.

I refuse to let this lower my self-esteem because I know that I can drive. So I choose to have a good attitude about this whole driving test ordeal. Is it frustrating? Oh yeah. But it's not the end of the world, and it doesn't do me any good to be negative about it. I'll go back to to Morioka on Wednesday for attempt number four with a positive outlook.

My friend Lysa from Proverbs 31 Ministries (ok, I actually don't know Lysa, but I read her blog faithfully and I feel like we'd be great friends in real life) wrote a devotional recently that I just have to quote right now because it's so relevent, and I can't say it any better...

I've started making the choice to say a simple statement that often diverts a bad attitude. And the statement is this, "If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, it's still a pretty good day."

Boy does this statement put things into perspective. I guess it's an everyday way to do a little heart check up. The Bible tells us that we should intentionally make our minds think of things that are good, true, excellent, and praiseworthy. The more I think about things like these, the more my perspective seems to stay in check.

In Colossians 3:15 we are instructed to, "Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts… and be thankful." Verse 16 goes on to say that we should also, "Let the word of God dwell in us richly…" Finally, verse 17 says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…" AMEN!

So the moral of my driving test story is this:

When things/driving tests don't go as I'd like them to, or when life is driving me crazy, I will do my best to focus on all the good, positive things in/happening in my life and be thankful. :)

Love like an ocean

2009-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
-- Jeremiah 29:11

Trust God.

I really believe that just about all of life's issues/worries/concerns/problems/
trials/whatever you want to call them, can be handled by obeying these two words. Trust. God.

It's easier said than done, that's for sure. But having faith is about trusting.

Because I know that God is in control, and He has plans for me--good plans, to give me hope and a future--I don't have to worry. Or at least, I shoudn't worry. "No worries." :)

There's something about being on the beach and looking at the ocean (as well as the mountains, in the case of Japan) that just soothes my soul.

I recently read in an e-mail forward that, "God's Love is like the ocean, you can see its beginning but not its end." I like that. God's love is so big, so unconditional, that it's unfathomable. God IS love.

When I'm on the beach--or just nature in general, really--I think about how awesome God the Creator is. And now, when I admire the ocean, I will think about God's love and how vast it is.

I took this picture of my friend Tao on the beach, and I feel like there's quite a spiritual element to it. I have no idea if he was thinking deep thoughts when I snapped this photo, but it appears that way.

Personally, I love to sit on the beach and just think. I also love to tilt my head toward the sun, close my eyes, and talk to God or praise Him....

Like this. :)

I can't help but praise the Lord for his wonderful and beautiful creation; for loving us more than we can even imagine, love like an ocean; for caring about the details of our lives; and for having a plan for each of us that we just need to trust and not worry about.

"I'd like to see the world for once all standing hand in hand..."

2009-07-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

*Illustration from the Internet

It's a beautiful thing when people of different nationalities come together.

I couldn't help but think about that at the Independence Day party, when I was celebrating with a diverse group -- including people of nations that were at one time enemies of the U.S.

Besides thinking about this, I've recently been singing on this theme of the world's people coming together.

Two weekends ago, I sang "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" at Mayla's sayonara concert. It's such a catchy, upbeat song. (I couldn't help but wiggle a little while singing!) But more than that, it has a message about wanting to see the world live in peace and harmony. I believe in that message. Click here to watch the performance.

(Afterward, you can watch a video called "Asita" if you'd like. That's a Japanese song I also sang at the concert, with a message about tomorrow being a brighter day.)

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, I've been listening to his songs and have sung them at karaoke a few times. As much as I like his hits "Thriller" and "Beat It," I really enjoy his songs "Heal the World" and "We are the World," which have inspiring messages about everyone making a difference. Here are the lyrics:

"Heal the World" Chorus:

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for you and for me.

"We are the World" Chorus:

We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we make a brighter day

Just you and me

These songs beg the question: What am I doing to make the world a better place?? It's a good question to stop and ask yourself.

I've recently been mildly obsessed with "Where is the Love" by the Black Eyed Peas. It's a song about not discriminating against people based on their race. Again, that's another message that I feel strongly about. It's really a great song with a powerful video. If you'd like to watch it, click here.

One of my very favorite things about living in Japan is being part of a diverse group of English teachers/speakers who get together--from different backgrounds and countries--and laugh together.

It's music to my ears. :)

Dedicated to Derek

2009-06-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

I have a brother who's in boot camp right now.

He writes letters to his girlfriend about what he does each day, and she posts them on a blog, which I read faithfully.

What Derek is going through sounds like torture to me.

He wakes up at the dawn of ridiculous. He gets punished for stupid things that he didn't do. He has to constantly push himself to his physical limits. He sweats all day long. He has very little contact with the outside world.

Meanwhile, I'm writing in my blog about eating cake and going to the beach with friends! The irony is not lost on me.

Derek in uniform before he left home.

I'm so proud of my (big) little brother.

He's involved in something extremely challenging, but rewarding, and he's handling it like such a trooper.

In his latest journal entry, he wrote about praying to God for strength. It seems to me like this experience is drawing him closer to God, which is awesome. His journals have a positive vibe to them, even though they are about the tough situation that he's facing daily.

To end his journal entries, Derek often requests prayers. I want to end this one the same way...

Please pray for my brother, that he would continue to have the stamina, determination and positive outlook to make it through.

And please join me in praying for all of the men and women in the armed forces--who are separated from family and friends, in conditions that are far from fun--that they would perservere as they serve. Praise the Lord for them!

Thank you.

Faith and fellowship in the Philippines

2009-05-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

So I guess I'm not done writing about the Philippines after all. :)

I'm certainly not done thinking about the great experience I had there! The memories I made on the Habitat trip will last my lifetime.

In addition to Filipino friends and fresh mangoes that I'm still missing, I also really miss my other team members and the wonderful fellowship that we had on the trip.

While I've become used to living in Japan--where the population is less than one percent Christian--it was so refreshing to spend time with a group of Christian ALTs in the Philippines, where about 80 percent of the population is Catholic.

It was nice to see a cross in several different places while in the Philippines, including on this hill which we passed on our route to and from the work site.

Our team was made up of ALTs from all over the world, but we all had living in Japan in common. I really enjoyed being part of such of a diverse group and making some very good friends...

With a combination of the background landscape, Kaspar (from Switzerland) and I wearing our "safari hats," and Abidemi being from Nigeria, we thought this picture makes it look like we're in Africa. :)

Eunice (from Canada) and I became good friends since we worked together each day, all day.

Laurel, the trip leader, (from New Zealand) and I at the farewell party.

The straw hat gal pals :) -- Claire from Chicago and Holly from Canada

Nate looking so handsome with his new haircut! :)

Even though we had so many different personalities on the trip, we all got along sooo well. As I've discovered before, group dynamics can make such a difference.

Most of us had a strong Christian faith in common with each other, and I really enjoy having prayer each morning as well as evening fellowship with the team. We talked about how we each could see God working during our week together in the Philippines. I'm so happy that I met these brothers and sister in Christ, and I pray that I get to meet up with them again at some point in the future!

What Jesus taught us

2009-05-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
-- Romans 12:18

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
-- John 13:34

AMEN. Enough said. :)

Philippines, here we come!

2009-04-29T23:49:00.000-07:00

After three months of looking forward to this trip, the time has come at last!

To say I'm excited feels like a bit of an understatement. :)

I'm going to help build a house for people who desperately need one.
I love to help make a difference.

I'll be working in a foreign country, with a change of scenery.
I love to explore new places.

Liz is the only other person I know on the trip, so we'll be making new friends.
I love to meet people.

Not only will we work with our new friends--fellow ALTs from all over Japan--we'll be having fellowship and devotions, too.
I love worshipping with a group of brothers and sisters in Christ.

We'll also do some sight-seeing and swimming.
I love warm/hot weather.

So yeah, there's a lot to look forward to!

There's also a lot to pray about, as our team prepares to travel and build. If you could be praying for us, I would really appreciate it.

Please pray for our safety as we travel from Japan to the Philippines and back, as well as our domestic travels. Please pray for the dynamics of our group -- that we will work well together and have a good time.
Please pray for our ministry, as we witness to people in Puerto Princesa (our build site) through our actions.
Please pray for our saftey as we build.
Please pray for the health of all team members.

Thank you so much for your support!

I promise to give a full report of my adventure -- which I consider a mission trip -- when I return, on May 11th.
Love, Dana

Time to focus on today

2009-04-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking about how I spend a lot of time thinking about time.

It's true.

My mind goes back in time and relives good memories from the past. Like picking daffodils in the yard. :) But at the same time, I'm also constantly thinking of the future. What will I be doing two years from now? Five years from now? Ten years from now?

Can anyone relate?

While it's good to do some planning ahead, I think it's even better to let God's plan -- which can be very different from our own plans anyway -- unfold naturally, so we don't get bogged thinking or worrying about the future. I don't want to be so focused on tomorrow and planning ahead, that I don't enjoy today.

As my Habitat trip to the Philippines gets closer (Just one week from this very minute I'll be starting the journey. Woo hoo!!) I find myself thinking, "I wish this next week would hurry up because I can't wait to go!"

I know I shouldn't be wishing away time, but it can be hard not to. I think it's pretty common to think things like, "I can't wait for..." or "I'll be so happy when...(this certain thing happens)..."

But I firmly believe that there is something to be happy about every single day. It's one of my main goals in life to choose to be happy every day while I look forward to the future.

As one of my favorite Christian writers, Joyce Meyer, wrote, "One of my greatest desires is to see people thoroughly enjoy the quality of life Jesus died to give us." Amen!

"He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today..."

2009-04-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

You know, the story of the Resurrection doesn't get old.

I was sitting in church reading my Bible, and I got excited all over again when I read about the angel in the tomb telling Mary that Jesus was unbelievably and amazingly NOT THERE!

That's my Jesus. He's awesome! Period.

We sang "The Old Rugged Cross" in Japanese, and the sermon was also in Japanese. Takenori told me that the pastor was talking about how Thomas doubted Jesus. According to Takenori, the pastor also said that many Japanese people know the true meaning of Christmas, but they don't know about Easter.

That's exactly what I've found, too. When I did an Easter lesson at one of the elementary schools last month, Easter was a new concept for them. I taught them about dying eggs, Easter baskets, egg hunts and all that fun stuff, but I also used it as an opportunity to talk about Jesus.

I can get away with that here because I'm educating them about my culture, which includes Christianity. At a public school in America, I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't fly if I started talking about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross when teaching about Easter. (Which is too bad since that's the whole point of Easter!)

Granted, when teaching students (or Japanese people in general) about Easter, I can't actually use the word "resurrection" since I have to simplify my language. The elementary teachers have very limited English, so I have to explain things in an extremely basic way so they can explain to the students in Japanese. It's a challenge.

But as best as I can, I've told people here about how, as a Christian, I believe that Jesus died so that you and me, and everyone who believes, can go to heaven. Hallelujah!

I hope that you had a blessed Easter thinking about this truth and continue to be uplifted by God's unconditional love for you.

Singing in the tough times, too

2009-04-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

Besides karaoke, another topic I haven't written a lot about is the downfall in the world economy.

I've had a few people from home ask me if I can feel the effects of the economic situation here in Japan. Honestly, the answer is no, not really. I personally don't know of anyone here who has been laid off recently. (Which of course doesn't mean it isn't happening.)

But I have been keeping up on the news and reading about all the layoffs in America. I know people from home who are unemployed and struggling to find a job. I've been praying over the situation, and I will continue to lift them up in prayer.

It's a sad reality that there are people all over the world right now struggling just to survive. Life is not always a happy-go-lucky musical. For so many people, it never is.

The good news is that there is hope. God cares about what you're going through -- whether it's losing your job, losing someone close to you, losing a relationship...losing faith.

There's a song by Mercy Me called "Keep Singing," that beautifully expresses the idea that even when times are tough, you have to hold on to faith. You have to keep singing. Here are the words...

Another rainy day
I can't recall having sunshine on my face
All I feel is pain

All I wanna do is walk out of this place
But when I am stuck and I can't move
When I don't know what I should do
When I wonder if I'll ever make it through

I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
You're the one that's keeping my heart beating

I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
That's the only way that I'll find healing

Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus sing over me
I gotta keep singing

Oh You're everything I need
And I gotta keep singing

Amen.

Nicaragua on my mind and in my heart

2009-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

To those of you reading this who are at the very beginning of spring break, Happy Spring Break! Woo hoo!

It seems that especially in college, spring break was considered a highlight of the year. :)

I know that I always really looked forward to spring break. Not just because it was a much-needed respite from school and work. And definitely not because I thought of it as a week to do nothing but party on a beach and get crazy drunk every night.

No no. Spring break was way better than that. It was a week to go somewhere to help and love on people (a.k.a. a mission trip).

This time last year and the year before, I was headed for Nicaragua with a church group. The first time, my good friend Jennifer was on the trip with me. And last year, my good friends Amanda and Lauren went to Nicaragua, too. It was so great to share those experiences with great friends.

So guess where I'm in the mood to go right now? Yep, the tropical land of delicious pineapple, palm trees and paz y amor (peace and love).

Unfortunately, Nicaragua is also a land of very poor people. Poor in the sense of wealth. But they are rich with love. That was my experience, anyway.

I have such fond memories of getting filthy dirty with happy, adorable children.

Amanda took this amazing photo; I love it!

I named this boy Mono (Monkey) because he liked to climb trees....and on to my shoulders. Hey, nice sunglasses (gaffas in Spanish, not graffites! haha) you have there, Mono. Hmm, they look familiar.

The kids loved us being there. When our bus left at the end of the day to go back home, they chased us for as long as they could. (This is another one of Amanda's fantastic pictures.) During the day,we had fun singing songs, playing games and making crafts together. And when we weren't doing that, they became our tour guides and hairdressers, adorning our hair with crowns of flowers.

Good times. Sigh.

One of my favorite aspects of being in Nicaragua was worshipping God with the local people. They're not afraid to belt out the Spanish praise songs while dancing with tambourines! And neither was I. :)

It's amazing to be praising God with your brothers and sisters of another race and culture. It's amazing to exchange smiles and hugs with them and learn from each other.

It's amazing to share God's love, no matter where you are. Period.

Embracing this season of singleness

2009-03-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have several friends my age who are engaged, and a few who are married.

I'm truly happy for them!! They've already found the person they want to share life with, and seem to be having a great time either making wedding plans or enjoying being a newlywed. That's wonderful! (At least, I hope so, for their sakes.)

But at the same time, I can't imagine being engaged, married or having children right now, as a 22-year-old. That's just not where I, personally, am at in life right now. Different strokes for different folks, right?

I'm very content to be single at this point in my life.

Some single folks seem to get a bit bitter about Valentine's Day, and I assume White Day as well since it's kind of V-Day Part 2. But not me. On the contrary, I embrace the concept of sharing your feelings--and chocolate!--with people you care about.

I don't harbor any jealousy at all toward my engaged or married friends, or even my friends who have boyfriends. I have many guyfriends who are fun to be around/talk with, and I enjoy having guys as friends.

Sure, I get crushes on guys sometimes. And sure, I want to fall in love, get married and raise children....eventually. I'm in no hurry though. In fact, I want to use the decade of my 20's to see the world and do my own thing. I'm not looking for a boyfriend or husband.

Besides, I truly believe that God has a plan for me. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

I believe that God will bring the right guy into my life at the right time. Therefore, I don't have to stress about it or wait around for "Mr. Right" to come along. Instead, I know that God has everything under control, and I just need to trust Him. In everything.

So I will not be stuffing my face with chocolate this White Day, mourning the fact that I don't have a boyfriend.

Well, the second part of that sentence is true, anyway. I'll probably--ok, definitely--be stuffing my face later! :)

It's really okay to fail sometimes

2009-03-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

As my dad says, "Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you."

In other words, you win some...

This is a cake I made for a party several weeks ago.

And you lose some...

I hope this second picture makes you smile. It makes me chuckle every time I look at it! This is the...err...cake that we attempted to make at Okawame Jr. High yesterday. As you can see, it got a bit overdone and a bit...mutilated. Apparently, it was not quite ready to be flipped out of the baking pan! Whoops. Found that out a little too late! (As a side note, it was completely baked, so we did do something right. Notice the toothpick that we used to make sure it was done in the middle, haha.)

There was a time--not all that long ago--when I probably would have cried at the sight of that disastrous wanna-be cake.

But we had a birthday to celebrate. (Junichi's -- my student who has a learning disability and therefore a private class with Ms. Takada and me.) Making Junichi feel special on his birthday was more of a priority than making a beautiful cake. So we laughed about the situation.

It was in college that I learned to not take myself so seriously. I had been an all "A" student in high school and worked extremely hard for those "A's," stressing myself out. But in college, there was no way that I was coming out of Calculus (first semester of my first year) with anything close to an A. I felt like it was a miracle that I got a B-! I tried hard, and that's what counts. I'm not an "A" student in every subject, and I'm okay with that.

I still tend to want everything to be perfect. Life doesn't work that way though. No one is perfect. Mistakes happen. Cell phones go through washing machines and cakes don't turn out as planned. I've learned that you just have to laugh at yourself and go on.

And also, make the best of the situation. Scrape off the burnt part of the cake, decorate it with tons of icing (which is the best part anyway!) and sprinkles, get out some pretty plates, slice up an apple just for fun, sing "Happy Birthday" real loud...

...and celebrate!! Good has been done here.

And you know what, that cake was delicious!

Treat the present like the gift that it is

2009-02-27T01:11:00.000-08:00

"Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow a mystery,
Today is a gift,
That's why it's called the present!"

--Anonymous

I like that quote a lot, especially the last two lines. It basically says, "seize the day." Each day truly is a gift, and the future has no guarantees.

I've just finished reading the book The Last Lecture. The author -- Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon -- wrote down words of wisdom that he wanted to share with others (especially his children.) He had cancer and was told he that had only a few months to live.

The book has me thinking: What would I do if I had only a few months to live? I have all these plans to go places and do and see things. But what if time was cut short?

Tomorrow is a mystery, so we have to appreciate and make the most of each day.

I'm also thinking about how every day, there are people who are actually told that their time is limited. Oh, how hard that news would be! Randy said in his book that the hardest part was knowing that his three young children would be left without a father. I'm thinking and praying for the people right now who are trying to deal with this kind of knowledge, as well as the families of people who have terminal illnesses.

Reading The Last Lecture, gave me a glimpse inside the mind of someone who knew he was dying. He was realistic about his situation, yet positive at the same time. I admire that. I also appreciate the advice he shared in the book -- life lessons that we all have probably heard before, but are definitely worth repeating...

Don't complain, just work harder -- "I've always believed that if you took one-tenth of the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out."

Show gratitude -- "Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other." I'd never really thought of it that way before.

Tell the truth -- "If I could give three words of advice, they would be "tell the truth." If I got three more words, I'd add "All the time." He also says later on, "Honesty is not only morally right, it's also efficient." I'd also never really considered the efficiency of being honest, but he makes a good point.

Never give up -- "Tenacity gets your over the brick walls of life."

Make a decision: Tigger or Eeyore -- "I don't know how not to have fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. Because there's no other way to play it."

Amen! I think there's something to smile and/or laugh about each day, and I also believe that attitude is a decision. I pray that I could have a Tigger personality (bouncy, bouncy!...) and continue to live life to the fullest even if I knew that my time in this world would be over so soon.

When "shuteye" won't come, close your eyes in prayer

2009-02-18T04:16:00.000-08:00

It's not out of the ordinary for me to wake up in the middle of the night because of a hungry tummy.

Tonight (err..morning) is one of those times.

It's 3:30 a.m., and I'm wide awake. I just had a granola bar and some peanut butter, so now that my tummy has been tamed, I feel like writing...

I learned a few days ago that the youth group my brother and sister are in recently did the 30-hour famine. According to the Web site (which I highly recommend checking out), the famine is an "international youth movement to fight hunger."

How it works is you ask people to sponsor you--raising money for World Vision--and then go 30 hours without eating a thing. It puts you in the perspective of the millions of people who go hungry every day.

I remember when I did it. During the experience, we went to a homeless shelter and served lunch. It was my job to dish out the apple crisp (one of my favorite foods, mind you) during (approximately) hour number 25 of not eating. That was some serious temptation staring me in the face! I was craving that apple crisp like you wouldn't believe. But I did not eat it.

Going that long without eating was so hard for me. I eat constantly. When I'm hungry--whether that be at 3 p.m., 3 a.m. or any time between--I can just go the kitchen or the store or the restaurant and get something to eat.

So many people in this world do not have that luxury.

I think about that a lot. A whole lot. While I don't have to lay awake hungry, there are people at this very moment who don't have any other option. That is so sad.

I want to do something about it. I appreciate the efforts of the 30-hour famine event. I definitely recommend participating because it will make you more aware of the suffering that people endure on a daily basis.

Not only that, but it makes you realize what a blessing it is that you have your own basic needs met.
I never want to take that for granted!

I heard somewhere that if you can't sleep, it's God's way of telling you to pray for someone.

So please join me right now in praying for the people around the world who will struggle with sleep tonight--and also struggle to function during the day--because of extreme hunger.

Lord, thank you for the luxury of eating when I want. Forgive me for eating too much, when there are people everywhere who consistently don't get enough to eat. I want to care for them as You do. Amen.

Let the Son shine through you

2009-02-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

As I drove along the ocean today on my way to school, I couldn't help but notice the brightness. The sun reflecting off the water had an almost blinding effect.

But it made me very happy.

I've always loved sunshine. Sunbathing on a warm day is a spiritual experience for me; I close my eyes, lay still, and it's as if God is smiling down on me from heaven. I listen to praise music, pray, and bask in the warmth of God's greatness and love. I feel so close to Him.

People often comment on the sunny outlook I have on life. Just a couple of days ago, Nakano-san from the office told me that he is jealous of me because I'm always smiling!

I usually respond to comments like this by saying, "I have a lot to smile about." Or sometimes I'll say, "I'm very blessed."

But what I usually don't tell people is that I pray for a positive disposition on a daily basis. I start my day with the prayer, "Lord, use me today. Help me shine Your light to the people around me."

It's not always easy. Of course I sometimes get upset, sad or stressed-out. We all do.

However, I do my best to find something positive in every situation. When I make mistakes, I learn from them, laugh at myself and move on.

There's a lot in this world to get depressed about. I lay awake at night sometimes thinking about how broken our world is--the injustice: racism, extreme poverty, abuse, genocide, other horrible things that occur every day--and it makes me so sad that I cry.

At the same time, there is so much to be happy about. I could make an extremely long list of simples pleasures in life that I absolutely love. At the top of the list are my relationships -- with God and with other people. I'm in my element around people I enjoy being with, and one of my favorite things to do is make new friends.

When deciding what to name this blog, I chose "Keep Shining" because of my desire to shine light into the world, any way I can, to people I interact with. The Newsboys' song, Shine, (also an inspiration to me) says it so well:

"Shine. Make 'em wonder what you've got. Make 'em wish that they were not on the outside looking bored. Shine. Let it shine before all men, let 'em see good works, and then, let 'em glorify the Lord."