SIX MONTHS

We have been living back in Tokyo for exactly six months now.  God's gifts today: 

*Misaki and co. changed to their "winter" uniform today.  The summer uniform is cute, but this one is more dignified, or something.  

*I went to BSF for the second time. And first time to meet with my discussion group.  The format is not my favorite but the ladies seen lovely.  I feel conflicted over doing that or going to yoga with moms from Misaki's class that haven't met Jesus.  I'm getting to know myself better: I'll probably somehow try to do both.  I know, that'll mean I'm doing them both halfa$$ but I might be OK with that.  

*Sky after typhoon

*Flower

*Rainbow!!

*the fact that I'm posting this here.  I've wanted and even needed to spill out some words for these six months.  But I was paralyzed, telling myself I needed to start a new blog for a new season, etc.  Now I'm here admitting all that is too much for me.  My best course is to churn  and hash here in the space that's already mine.  Well, Google's.  I'm specifically inspired, pressured and compelled by this six month anniversary.....at least enough to write this post.....

New Stuff

We've been in Tokyo for almost exactly six months now.  

In some ways, we are settled, and things are just things, life is happening, I am trying to remember to thank God.  For all of it.  

But in other ways, and if only it weren't almost midnight. I would attempt to offer specific examples, daily things feel new.  Some thing every day takes me by surprise.  How blessed I am!  And I now ask The Lord again and not for the last time, may my ability to receive the unexpected as blessing and gift be deeper and wider.  

Ugh.  The deepening and widening is not totally pleasant, and I will here bless you by refraining from birth analogies.  

So.  I had a rocky day but I experienced the rough piece of knitting pictured here as joy.  

I didn't know this morning that my daughter needs to take a pack of origami to school tomorrow.  Or that we would go to the 100 yen store to buy it and find a big display of knitting accoutrements.  Or that said display would remind me of this post http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/09/when-your-life-feels-like-a-bit-of-a-puzzle/

And give me a strange must knit now feeling.  Strange because I hardly know how to do it.  

Great!  Because I hardly know how to do anything these days, as we try to carve a new life for ourselves out of Tokyo asphalt and rivers and trees. And, thank God, under all that He is steady and that part is old old older than these six months and those 11 years before that and my whole lifetime and yours.  

Come on, new stuff!  My hands, perhaps awkwardly tangled with knitting needles and yarn, are open to you.