New Year Sunrise, Yaizu, Japan 2009

This year I'm visiting Tokyo for the New Year, but last year we were at home and had a very special experience that you can read about by following this link to my Picasa photo albums.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bruce.japan/NewYearSunrise2009#

Wishing You a Happy New Year's Day of Understanding, Hope and Faith

Looking back with understanding, forward with faith, and around with love

Continue reading this post...

New Year Reflection

Besides waiting 'till midnight to grab someone to kiss, or wondering what 'Ole Ang Syne' means, here's something that can add meaning to our New Year commemoration. I found a good short article on the “Activated' site that suggests that you personally, or with your family or friends, take some time to reflect on the past year and to look ahead to the new. A bit of an expansion on the idea of New Year's resolutions-- presented in a clear, 'how-to-do-it' way:

New Year Reflection-- A spiritual exercise

I already shared a bit about my own family's yearly candlelight ceremony last year. This little tradition has become an important part of my life. Making it 'official' makes it a bit more sure that I'll take the time to fulfil my well-meaning desire to get some perspective on where my life has gone and is going.

I hope you have a great start on a wonderful -- Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Thank you-- each one who has had a part in contributing to the wonderful year we've just had. Family and friends--we are glad to have shared another year with you-- even if we're far apart, our hearts and prayers never are.

Each New Year is a tender thing, let's handle it with care.

Greet the year with praise and sing; commit our all in prayer.

Carefully seek His very best, put all our armor on.

Be prepared for every test, by seeking Him each dawn.

Set the pattern, get it right; it’s His plan to free us.

We’ll end the year with armor bright, by yielding self to Jesus.

(c) tipserve.com 1994

Hope and Prayer for New Year 2008

New Year Candlelight Ceremony (part 3 of 3)

It's difficult to write about my hopes for the New Year. The past is, well, past-- known. However the future is unknown-- even fearsome...

“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'”

--Minnie Louise Harkins 1875-1957

Why fear then?-- Perhaps I fear failure-- Failure to reach my goals or change as I would like-- failing myself, or others... which leads to what is, perhaps my greatest hope-- for faith and strength to trust along my path...

"So if by some still small voice, He calls me to paths I do not know,
I'll answer with my hand in His, 'I'll go where You want me to go!'" -- unknown

And my prayer?-- For faithfulness-- especially as I learn to depend more on prayer-- and simplicity and a yielded heart--leaving success or failure up to the Lord-- that I might hear...

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
--Matthew 25:21

And the year ahead?

I want to continue writing-- for this blog and for a second that I feel will develop out of the basic classes that I teach on the Bible. I also want to continue to add to my posted photos and to graduate from my cellphone camera to a 'real' camera.

A big desire is for our long-delayed family reunions-- for Sharon's five daughters-- who haven't been all together since they were wee little ones—and, if possible, for my scattered tribe of children and grandchildren-- and other family members, most of whom I haven't seen for eight or more years.

Finally, I'm hoping for major progress in studying Japanese and for all our work here in Japan.

Lord, Give us a good year, whatever comes-- lived to the fullest for You. Guide us and give us strength to help others find the freedom and joy that we have through knowing You. In Jesus' name, amen.

And thank you for your help-- and especially your faithful love and prayers!

Have a wonderful New Year!

Here's an interesting article called-- Climbing the New Year-- by Curtis Peter Van Gorder

New Year's Eve 2007 Thanksgiving

Photo: Aiko lights her New Year Candle (Fukuoka, Japan 2004)

(New Year Candlelight Ceremony- part 2 of 3)

Before the New Year, here's a recounting of what I'm thankful to have done or learned in the year since arriving in the beautiful mountainous central prefecture of Nagano. The links are to posts from the past eight months.

Communicating with you...

Over the years I published at least a hundred newsletters about my adventures and ministries-- in Mexico, five years in India, and then the U.S. where, eleven years ago, I started emailing newsletters, as we headed first to China, and then Japan.

With my ever expanding band of children and grandchildren and friends now on five continents -- all with varying degrees and angles of interest-- I've found it difficult to say all I wanted to some, without boring the rest.

Blogging has helped. I can now post whatever happens, interests me or I care to share for the interest or benefit of friends or family-- and they can view or read what interests them. Now I spend less time agonizing over what to leave out-- leaving more time to—communicate!

And I've really enjoyed the increased personal e-mails, photos, calls and web-cam meetings we've had this year- quality person to person communication-- Thanks for calling and writing!

...and Fun with Friends

This year, usually with Andrew-- and often his friend Leina, who is also ten years-old-- I've found time to enjoy mountain-climbing, hiking, bike rides in the countryside, my first trip to Tokyo, and taking many photos. And, since we missed our (sniff) Fukuoka friends from the southern island of Kyushu-- Andrew and I hitchhiked to visit them in August.

Simplifying...

I've made progress this year in learning to focus on priorities – meaning not just being lead by what I find in front of my nose each morning-- like this quotation that I adapted and adopted for myself:

'Get up each morning and set your heart-- not on what you have to accomplish in your own energies-- but set your heart on eternity, and nothing else will matter-- and nothing will be able to defeat you.'

...and Prayer

When I think of all I want to do myself and see done for others-- and remember to measure the task and my own strength against the power of heaven-- then I think of prayer.

I've found a new, distinct focus for prayer in my life. Rather than an 'add-on' to my others activities, it's becoming a major part of my life in its own right-- and the more I pray, the more I want to pray.

And there is so my to pray for-- from my newest grandchildren-- Izumi in Hungary and Kevin in California-- to the 'gettin' grow'd up' ones in Texas and Zambia. For my mom and dad, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews-- and you!

It's no wonder grandparents are often known for their prayers-- they finally realize the limits of their human resources and begin to lean on the divine.