Wendy

One of the more delicious things we’ve done this year was go to Wendy’s.  That may not seem significant to you, but it is to me.  I hadn’t had a Wendy’s burger in at least a year, and I like Wendy’s.  Ironically, my vegetarian friend told me to check out Wendy’s.

Who knew that Wendy was Japanese?  And man, I thought the adult Wendy would be a little more chunky–you know, for a fast food chick?  She’s very sweet and especially friendly if you go back and buy a Frosty after you’re done with your meal.  Wendy will even pose for a photo with your kid in the line outside in 8º C  weather.  She’s awesome!

So is the Avocado Wasabi Burger.  Yum.

Life here in Japan seems to get more interesting by the day.  Mich tells me life is like Seinfeld.  We’ve got a Kramer, a George…  And new characters show up each day/episode.  I don’t know how we lived such a boring life in Hawaii without pulling our hair out.  Living in a luxurious, spacious place in Hawaii seemed like a dream for a time… but realized selfish dreams can quickly become complacency’s mundane curse on your life.  Seriously–we’ve been there.

I love this life. Painful as it is, it sure isn’t boring. And there’s lots of joy jumping around each step of the way.

Oh yeah, we have our share of problems, too.  I’ve been reminded lately of a few troublesome words:

I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields–and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. ~Mark 10:29…

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ~2 Tim 3:12

Do not be surprised, by brothers, if the world hates you.  ~1 John 3:13

I guess we’ve pretty much been promised it’ll be hard.  One of my faults has been to focus on how much the bad stuff sucks; the stuff in bold–and that it’s probably not going to stop sucking until we get to Heaven.  Yeah, maybe it’s true, but my attitude has also sucked.  A more thorough look at our lives would tell you we’re having a lot more joy now than we ever have had before.  Our lives are much more meaningful, and we’re able to touch other lives in meaningful ways; in ways we couldn’t have dreamed of had we not left home.  We’ve left home and family only to gain that much more… Our modest home is a home to many and our family has grown far beyond what thought it would be when we came here.  Hard, but a blessing.

The verses above still freak me out at times, I won’t lie.  It’s like Peter getting out of the boat and walking on water, then feeling the wind and realizing what he’s doing is insane–then starts to sink.  And he was the Rock (fitting that he sank like one, eh?).

All in all, the persecution is worth the joy.  Let the haters hate.  They’re the ones who are miserable.

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The lawsuit against us?  Lawsuit schmawsuit.  A minor annoyance these days.  What’s interesting is the fact that other family members are beginning to take interest lately–and we didn’t even tell them about it!  Loose lips… ain’t sinkin’ our ship.