Friday, December 16, 2011
December 2011
Happy December to all!
It feels like it has been a busy and fast fall. I can't believe it is already the middle of December!
I am now at 33 weeks with baby Noguchi. I think he is around 4 pounds or so by now. I enjoy feeling him moving around inside of me and constantly amazed at God's amazing design of the human body! It is hard to believe there is a sweet little life being formed and knitted together by God, right inside of me!! I am not even doing anything! (but living!) God is so awesome!
We are excited for our son's arrival but I don't think the reality that we are going to be parents has fully sunk in. It is hard to imagine until it happens I guess! But I am thankful for God's Word and that He promises to help us even in raising a child.
In the last couple of months we have enjoyed entertaining friends from church in our home. Also have been busy with the normal English class schedule, and Keisuke at work. We are enjoying his two mondays off every month. Sometimes we have gone on a little day trip drive to places close to Sapporo, or just gone shopping together, or just enjoyed having the extra time at home.
Our music group is going well. I am taking a break starting last week from our regular music team until after the baby is born. It gets a little hard to sing with a growing baby pushing up against my rib cage. Last week was our turn to perform for the Gospel service. We had several mistakes and happenings (such as misplaced capo, guitar string breaking, dropping a drumstick, etc...) but even in all that many people said that the message of the songs was very clear, and they were encouraged to want to praise God since we kept singing and smiling even with all the mistakes. That was very encouraging to us as from a human perspective we had failed, but God used our mistakes and still glorified His name! Thank you, Lord!! It is definitely a humbling experience to be used by the Lord in situations like these.
On December 1st we had an English Time outreach. We had 6 visitors (with 3 being brand new). We talked about Christmas, and why we celebrate it. What does the birth of Jesus have to do with each one of us? Why do people celebrate the birth of Jesus all around the world? It was a good chance to talk about Jesus coming so that He could die in our place on the cross, and save us from our sins and the eternal judgement that we each face because of our sins. Jesus was born to die in our place, and then raise again, and giving us the one and only way to salvation!! Jesus knew He would die, and He knew what a humble start (born in a manger in a stable!) He the Creator of the world, would have, yet He still came to save us! No wonder Christmas is celebrated all over the world! If only everyone would realize this and receive Jesus as their own Savior!!! That is my prayer every day!
This Christmas one the 24th and 25th we will have 3 concerts at church. I am on the special concert team for this. (this is will be last time to sing with a team until after baby is born) We have been practicing for several weeks now, so just praying for God to be glorified and that many people would come to the concerts and hear the Gospel. And not only hear it, but believe and be saved! Also praying for Keisuke's Dad to come. Please be praying for these things!! Our church has been so blessed! Every week we have the Gospel service (soon it will be for the past 5 years!!) and every single week since we started (except 2 times!) We have had a visitor or non Christian come to our service. That means 100's of people have heard the Gospel, but unfortunately very few of these have made a decision to believe in Jesus Christ. Please pray for the people of Sapporo! That they would open their hearts to Jesus, and that we would faithfully and boldly share the Gospel with these people.
Well, only 6 1/2 more weeks or so to go until baby Noguchi comes. So we are trying to get all the items needed gathered. We are so thankful for the generosity of so many people in offering to do a baby shower (through Skype!! Imagine that!) from Indiana, and also our brothers and sisters in Christ here at the church who so generously have loaned us some items and are all offering to help with meals (including Keisuke's sweet mom who is already planning on helping as much as she can when she is already so busy) once baby is born.
Here is Japan, after a baby is born, most women go and stay with their mother for a month or so. They don't go out anywhere, and basically just recover and get used to taking care of a baby while their mother helps them with all the cooking etc... Well, I am planning to stay here (as there is not really a good place for a baby to stay at Keisuke's parents house) and we are far away from my side of the family. Times like these make me think of my sweet mother and wonder what she did with all of us kids (especially us twins!) when we were born. I so wish she could be here to meet our little baby, but am so thankful that she is with Christ, in Heaven, and I pray that someday they will get to meet!
I am also thankful for Keisuke's mom and her sweet caring for me, and also the ladies in my prayer group are planning on working with mom to provide meals for us for after the baby is born. We are so thankful for the body of Christ, the Church!
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. May it be a special time reflecting on why Christ was born, and also a special time to celebrate with the many loved ones that God has blessed each and every one of us with.
Much love to all!
It feels like it has been a busy and fast fall. I can't believe it is already the middle of December!
I am now at 33 weeks with baby Noguchi. I think he is around 4 pounds or so by now. I enjoy feeling him moving around inside of me and constantly amazed at God's amazing design of the human body! It is hard to believe there is a sweet little life being formed and knitted together by God, right inside of me!! I am not even doing anything! (but living!) God is so awesome!
We are excited for our son's arrival but I don't think the reality that we are going to be parents has fully sunk in. It is hard to imagine until it happens I guess! But I am thankful for God's Word and that He promises to help us even in raising a child.
In the last couple of months we have enjoyed entertaining friends from church in our home. Also have been busy with the normal English class schedule, and Keisuke at work. We are enjoying his two mondays off every month. Sometimes we have gone on a little day trip drive to places close to Sapporo, or just gone shopping together, or just enjoyed having the extra time at home.
Our music group is going well. I am taking a break starting last week from our regular music team until after the baby is born. It gets a little hard to sing with a growing baby pushing up against my rib cage. Last week was our turn to perform for the Gospel service. We had several mistakes and happenings (such as misplaced capo, guitar string breaking, dropping a drumstick, etc...) but even in all that many people said that the message of the songs was very clear, and they were encouraged to want to praise God since we kept singing and smiling even with all the mistakes. That was very encouraging to us as from a human perspective we had failed, but God used our mistakes and still glorified His name! Thank you, Lord!! It is definitely a humbling experience to be used by the Lord in situations like these.
On December 1st we had an English Time outreach. We had 6 visitors (with 3 being brand new). We talked about Christmas, and why we celebrate it. What does the birth of Jesus have to do with each one of us? Why do people celebrate the birth of Jesus all around the world? It was a good chance to talk about Jesus coming so that He could die in our place on the cross, and save us from our sins and the eternal judgement that we each face because of our sins. Jesus was born to die in our place, and then raise again, and giving us the one and only way to salvation!! Jesus knew He would die, and He knew what a humble start (born in a manger in a stable!) He the Creator of the world, would have, yet He still came to save us! No wonder Christmas is celebrated all over the world! If only everyone would realize this and receive Jesus as their own Savior!!! That is my prayer every day!
This Christmas one the 24th and 25th we will have 3 concerts at church. I am on the special concert team for this. (this is will be last time to sing with a team until after baby is born) We have been practicing for several weeks now, so just praying for God to be glorified and that many people would come to the concerts and hear the Gospel. And not only hear it, but believe and be saved! Also praying for Keisuke's Dad to come. Please be praying for these things!! Our church has been so blessed! Every week we have the Gospel service (soon it will be for the past 5 years!!) and every single week since we started (except 2 times!) We have had a visitor or non Christian come to our service. That means 100's of people have heard the Gospel, but unfortunately very few of these have made a decision to believe in Jesus Christ. Please pray for the people of Sapporo! That they would open their hearts to Jesus, and that we would faithfully and boldly share the Gospel with these people.
Well, only 6 1/2 more weeks or so to go until baby Noguchi comes. So we are trying to get all the items needed gathered. We are so thankful for the generosity of so many people in offering to do a baby shower (through Skype!! Imagine that!) from Indiana, and also our brothers and sisters in Christ here at the church who so generously have loaned us some items and are all offering to help with meals (including Keisuke's sweet mom who is already planning on helping as much as she can when she is already so busy) once baby is born.
Here is Japan, after a baby is born, most women go and stay with their mother for a month or so. They don't go out anywhere, and basically just recover and get used to taking care of a baby while their mother helps them with all the cooking etc... Well, I am planning to stay here (as there is not really a good place for a baby to stay at Keisuke's parents house) and we are far away from my side of the family. Times like these make me think of my sweet mother and wonder what she did with all of us kids (especially us twins!) when we were born. I so wish she could be here to meet our little baby, but am so thankful that she is with Christ, in Heaven, and I pray that someday they will get to meet!
I am also thankful for Keisuke's mom and her sweet caring for me, and also the ladies in my prayer group are planning on working with mom to provide meals for us for after the baby is born. We are so thankful for the body of Christ, the Church!
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. May it be a special time reflecting on why Christ was born, and also a special time to celebrate with the many loved ones that God has blessed each and every one of us with.
Much love to all!
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