As the Norwegian Soccer Team makes its way to the World Cup finals I sort of snicker at the leftist hatred of people who trace their ancestry to northern Europe, AND who are primarily Christians in name, at least.

Several hundred years ago the Protestant Reformation swept northern Europe. Scandinavians jumped on board pretty soon after it began, relatively. Although today Atheism and Agnosticism have largely overwhelmed any Christian influence in Scandinavian countries, there is still a mark that was made. Christmas is celebrated, Easter is celebrated, and people still sing in the churches.

Of course the people that leftists hate the most are people like me: Evangelicals, who happen to look Norwegian. Maybe they used a racist term, but it boils down to that.

How do we respond, as the most hated Humans?

LOVE.

Love your enemies. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them.

More people added to my “snatch list!”

Jesus is certainly coming soon. I saw a short interview with “Grok” about the end times, and It even believes (or whatever) that we are in the very end of the end of days.

Darkness hates the light, and the light is the Truth. Make no apology for spreading light and truth, and accept the consequences as they manifest.

And, yes, as a child of Norwegian immigrants, I’m cheering for Norway in the world cup!

Yay!!

Many people ask me for updates on my mom’s health situation. In a nutshell we see decline daily, but she is still with us, still fairly lucid, and in pretty good spirits.

We are trying to keep her discomfort at a minimum.

All of her grandchildren and all of her great-grandchildren have visited and been able to say “good-bye.”

There will continue to be “in and out” visits, as time permits, but busy summer schedules play a role in all of our lives.

We seek comfort from the Father in heaven, and He has been our Rock, our Harbor in a storm.

I really appreciate the effort that has been made by so many, many, to come and see her. Also, the food gifts and care have been so good! Thanks to all who helped us!

We understand that this phase is a waiting game, patience required, and trust in God’s timing.

My human nature easily gets in the way in crisis, or grief, pain, waiting. It is a constant battle for me to “rest” in God’s perfect will.

In the meantime I keep super busy wrapping up loose ends, touching on projects meant to be completed this summer. I doubt anything major will be accomplished, but at least I am trying.

Getting a Corgi is on hold. Other plans are on hold.

And that’s okay.

A new pup could certainly be a comforting activity for me this fall.

The weather at Corgi Hollows continues to be amazing. We have just the right amounts of rain and sun, heat and cool. Summer 2026 goes down in the books as nearly perfect.

Will update again soon.

MARANATHA!

Post Script: Thanks to the wonderful person who put the “Days of Praise” under the door! I get about 30 of them each publication. I order bulk to give out, myself! They are SO, SO good, a devotional FAR superior to “Daily Bread,” which has become pablum, scripturally and spiritually. Pablum is great for babies. “Days of Praise” is so thought provoking and meaty. I am comforted reading it every day. My mom has been so blessed by the daily devotional reading, as well.

For my readers, I may have an extra copy for you, or order directly from the Institute in Creation Research (Dr. Henry Morris) in Texas. Highly recommend!!

I told you about barley tea, which we could get at any vending machine in Japan. It is a restorative drink, like American Gatorade, yet completely natural.

I have been brewing it here at home this past week.

I am so indescribably weary.

My mom’s heart rate is above 100/minute. This cannot last. Cancer has permeated her liver, her colon, her blood is infected with germs.

But it is a time of waiting, and I am worn out from the past week.

With each trial and sadness my endurance seems to ebb. I am happy to spend the nights with my mom, and someone must, but it seems the days are hard to get through for me without a nap!

I drink a lot of barley tea.

Cheri came home from Alaska. I am glad she did. When Ed got leukemia, she was only 11, and we were home-schooling. My mom picked up the slack while Ed and I were at the hospital. Therefore, Cheri has a very special bond with her grandma.

With weariness comes a compromised immune system.

I am drinking barley tea—-along with taking copious amounts of vitamin C and other supplements.

Still, I have felt a bit stuffed up.

Grief and sorrow will do that to you: tear down your immunities and let the foreign visitors in unchecked.

Family arrives today. My brother and my sister-in-law have been amazing, swooping in from New York, picking up the duties valiantly.

My mom has enjoyed the brief visits from many wonderful friends. She certainly had an impact on many people.

I am supposed to attend a wedding today, but I really cannot muster the energy or courage to be a part of a celebration. Frankly, I would probably be bad luck (if I believed in luck!)

I am grateful for the many, many years I have had my mom: 63 ! I am grateful for all she meant to me and to many, many others. I am praying for a swift passing, pain free.

The next time I see her she will be 30 something, and gorgeous. Heaven does that to people.

Come, Lord Jesus!

MARANATHA!

Last night we came to a point of change.

Some of you know my mom fell in May. She had a traumatic brain injury.

She was not well this past week, and ended up in the hospital last evening.

She has stage four metastatic cancer.

We are looking at a very short time for her on this earth, in this body.

Of course she is looking forward to seeing Jesus, her loved ones, and the glorious home that awaits us.

Getting through a death by cancer has its issues, so I ask you to pray for nausea and pain control.

Grief is present, like a shadow.

My family is coming together, blessedly, to help and support. Our churches are praying. Our friends are present.

Precious in God’s sight is the death of his loved ones.

I ask you to pray that her departure is swift and painless, but God’s will be done. He numbers our days.

You are blessings to me.

MARANATHA!

Although the weather has been nearly perfect: cool, mostly sunny, good rain, everything is green! —- life has been a bit of up and down.

Cancer has occupied my thoughts.

Caring for an elder has occupied my time.

Changes are constantly happening.

Since I am a pessimist extraordinaire I tend to expect the worst. Expecting the worst sometimes results in pleasant outcomes.

I am always mentally prepared to function in the worst case scenario.

Life is a continuous cortisol high. Anxiety is my companion.

But I know God has His plans; His timing, His goals, His outcomes, and this is reassuring.

Do not be anxious! How hard it is to follow this command. I must repent daily for getting anxious.

I know deep in my heart that God is totally in control. My sin nature just gets the best of me too often.

It is the end of June, the year is halfway gone. Is it a new beginning again?

My 2026 words were Truth, Discipline, and Kindness. It is time to refocus on these and steer my path along these ways.

I decided to go back to work at the hotel, but I am not abandoning my mentor program. That is just starting.

I am keeping my eye on the lookout for a new Corgi.

If you have any leads, let me know! Corgi Hollows sort of needs a Corgi, right?

Thanks for praying, for all my needs. God answers prayer.

If you were tired of the past six or so posts about our travels there’s relief: I am back to the business of Corgi Hollows.

Yesterday I filmed an introductory video for our mentoring program.

I am so excited about this prospect!

With the other women involved there is a treasure-trove of information about education and spiritual training for your children and grandchildren. We can all be called “experts,” whether through education or experience. We need to fulfill our own calling as older women who seek to help the next generation of moms raising their offspring.

I am in the process of applying for a business license. We will virtually be a non-profit, but we will act like a business. It’s less complicated. Believe me. I studied public admin, non-profit emphasis.

We want to make this simple.

One step at a time.

This weekend was super quiet. I am on call for my mom, who is running on minimal energy this summer. She was at the doctor twice last week, and got good reports, but there is clearly still an issue with her health.

She is a nonagenarian. This can be normal and expected. Still, it unnerves those of us who interact with her daily. Prayers appreciated, always, for caring wisely and rightly for our elders!

I needed a super quiet weekend, as it has been a time of intensity. I get a bit lonesome without Cheri here, but I realize I need the space. I need the quiet.

I need the reckoning with my own soul.

So I feasted my eyes on the green fields and sunlit leaves of the oaks surrounding the house. Such beauty comes only in June, only here in this lush land.

Birds are trilling.

The pets are company. They make me smile. Alex (Ed’s resident cat) is showing signs of real dependence on me, and when called, he comes, yowling, down the driveway or up from the back of the house.

He is doing his part with hunting the vermin that make their way into the house each fall. Good boy!

Life is quite “normal” for now.

The world may be going to hell in a hand basket, but my eyes are on Jesus, my comfort, my strength, my provider, my everything. He is a good, good God.

MARANATHA!

After the spectacular wedding, Ed, Cheri, and I embarked on the second week of our trip. We were winging it!

We checked out of our Kyoto hotel and walked to the Kyoto Station. We stashed our heavy luggage in lockers there, pretty reasonably.

We headed for a temple we had visited before, on our last trip to Japan. We took the subway, and at the station (Higashiyama) we ate curry before heading to a garden we had missed on our last trip. It was quite lovely.

We made our way back toward the Kyoto Station, shopped a bit, then picked up our luggage. Cheri went on her own to purchase an antique kimono.

It was a bit more difficult to get to the Airport Limo Bus than we had anticipated, especially with “tons” of luggage, but we eventually navigated our way through the massive station, finding elevators and passages.

Because of our luggage we chose to ride the bus to Osaka, KIX airport. Then we took a taxi for a couple of miles to our next hotel in Izumisano.

We had no plans for the next 7 days, but we felt we should stay in Japan instead of jetting to other countries.

The first day we walked around Izumisano, got oriented, and visited an old house that was over 200 years old. It was a little museum of household items of the past, linked to soy sauce production. We enjoyed talking with the curator, an elderly man who clearly loved his work.

We chose to visit Osaka Castle on Thursday. This was the day we climbed 30 flights of stairs between subways and battlements, hills with stairs and the castle itself. No kidding. Ed’s watch recorded it.

I was amazed at the history. I have little knowledge of Asian history, but I’m learning. The summer battle of Osaka, 1615, was a terrible event.

War is awful.

The climb to the top of the castle was worth it. Quite the view! I am not a fan of heights, but I just make myself do things I am fearful of.

On this note, I am somewhat claustrophobic, and our hotel made me feel this somewhat. Things are so compact in Japan! Our window looked out on another building literally a couple of feet away. It was frosted, so you could not see out unless you opened it, and it only opened up about five inches. We were on the fourth floor, and the room was pretty closed in. It was clean and well appointed, I cannot complain. I’m just used to open spaces.

I gained weight with my surgery recovery (little activity for four months) and I will say that being overweight in Japan is not easy.

On Friday we went back to Kyoto for the day. We walked the Philosopher’s Walk, saw the Silver Pavilion and its garden, had coffee at a little shop on the canal, visited Nanzenjin temple again, briefly, and had lunch at restaurant we liked on our first visit to Kyoto in 2023.

I like revisiting places. It makes me feel familiar and homey.

We took two different train companies to Kyoto, there and back, so we saw different sights both ways. Riding the trains was always interesting for me. I preferred the “local” trains, although much slower, one can see so much more, plus get oriented.

Saturday Ed and Cherie hiked up a mountain near Izumisano. There was a restaurant at the top of the mountain. They sent me photos and texts throughout the day, so I wasn’t worried about them.

That was a day when an American boy was lost in the mountains around Kyoto. We didn’t know about it until later, but we certainly shared the timing. Ed and Cherie stayed on the path, but there was some confusion at one point on their hike. Google Maps had something off. Ed took pictures and sent the correction in. That is his way.

Sunday we took the train to church. The Bible Church, which has a pastor who is friends with one of our friends at Grace Community Fellowship (they both went to the Master’s Seminary in California together), was very welcoming! We loved singing the hymns we know. I hummed along. The sermon was interpreted by an American man who has lived and settled there for 25 years.

After church we ate a type of vegetable pancake, which is very Japanese, at a little place not far from the Izumisano train station. We got sorbet, then went to the beach. Ed swam in the ocean. Osaka Bay. Cheri and I enjoyed the sun on the sand. It was a delightful day.

On the next day we went downtown Osaka to shop at a famous shopping street. It is very, very long, covered like an arcade, and there are hundreds of shops lining the sides. There is a fair-like atmosphere, and we walked the entire thing, twice, back and forth. I am glad we saw this, as it gave us a feel for local life and shopping.

Tuesday, the full day in Japan, we took the train to Wakayama and visited the castle there. There were few tourists, as this is south of Izumisano, away from Kyoto, and it was raining.

The humidity in that region of Japan, in June, is something to remark on! I felt we were in a sauna! I’m sure my skin and my body were benefited from the climate! We were constantly drenched in moisture. Air-conditioned trains are so nice!

I highly recommend visiting the castles of Japan. It is just interesting to see items from the shogun era, imagine the life of such lords, and see the sights of these historical times. Wakayama had some great armor on display. The views were absolutely stunning.

The typhoon began its appearance as we visited the castle there.

Wednesday morning we took the train to the KIX airport, just a couple of stops from Izumisano, where our hotel was right by the station. Despite much luggage we were able to maneuver everything to the correct check-in facility with Korean Air.

After a brief lay-over in Seoul, Korea, (briefer than anticipated due to a delayed flight —the typhoon changed our plans somewhat!) we got on our 12 hour flight for Minneapolis.

And so was our trip to Japan.

Hope you enjoyed the report!

I wonder if I will ever return to Japan. I loved it, but there are so many places in the world to see.

Ed says his next trip to Japan will involve more hikes. He and Cheri really enjoyed their hike up the mountain.

I loved everything. God is SO GOOD!

It’s fun for me to remember the days in Japan, and for anyone who is interested I’m happy to share our experiences. Armchair travelling is a thing, and I gladly read reports from other travelers.

We arrived in Kyoto in heavy rain on a Thursday evening. It was dark. We were tired from our journey: Minnapolis to Toronto, Toronto to Narita, Narita to Osaka Itami, and the airport bus to Kyoto. We taxied to our hotel, the Hauza.

Next morning we had planned nothing, as we were tired, but there is a temple very close to the hotel that we decided to visit, Goeidomon. It is a Buddhist temple with five temples within the complex, plus a garden approximately a block away. This is a huge structure, wooden, very impressive and prominently situated.

On our last trip to Kyoto in 2023 we noticed this and wondered about it, but did not have the time to visit it.

The corresponding garden is very beautiful and attracted many water birds.

After we walked all around the garden we visited a ramen shop very close to our hotel. Delicious.

Later we took the subway to the Inari Shrine. This is quite famous, as it has over 10,000 orange torii gates making a path up a mountain. Full of tourists, this is one of the most popular sights in Kyoto.

We walked back from the shrine, about 2 miles, to our hotel. My hip was beginning to show signs of pain.

That was Friday. On Saturday we had planned to take the Shinkansen to Tokyo. I had wanted to meet up with an acquaintance, Rocky, at an art school where he was teaching a class. My hip was hurting enough to quash the plans for the trip. This was my biggest regret from our trip.

Instead, Saturday, we took the subway to the bamboo forest in northwestern Kyoto, visited a temple and garden near there, Tenriu-ji. This temple had been featured in a movie and it was SO busy. The garden here was also stunning. Many blooming bushes and trees.

Sunday: Wedding Festivies Commence! Before brunch we visited Nijo Castle, the home of a shogun. Amazing architecture, walls, moats, and gardens! We fed the fish in the moat.

We walked to the hotel where the restaurant was where we had reservations for brunch with the bride and groom. It was just the five of us, and we had such a lovely reunion!

From there we walked to a theater, and watched a non-verbal performance called GEAR. I can’t quickly summarize this, but I highly recommend attending a show if you are in Kyoto! Well done and actually exhilarating! The wedding guests were treated to this event by the wedding family.

After a light reception at the theater, Ed, Cheri and I made our way back to our hotel. We needed to prepare for the wedding on Monday morning! Clothes needed checking and rest was important!

Monday dawned bright and cheery, we dressed and took the subway to the Osaka City Museum where the wedding was to be held.

Much joy, happy tears, and fun, as we all gathered, literally guests from all over the world! The bride and groom are an international Chinese couple! The wedding was conducted in English 🙂

A buffet reception followed the ceremony at a restaurant across from the museum. Again, delicious! We enjoyed lounging on the deck which overlooked another garden.

Home to our hotel to change for the evening dinner party!

Our bride is in the entertainment industry in Hong Kong, and we were treated to several amazing performances during the multi-course meal! Much laughter and applause, amazing foods, some I tried for the first time ever.

We were exhausted when we left the party, but it was simply amazing, and we loved every minute! What a joy and a privilege to have been able to attend and witness this special ceremony! I loved meeting the bride and her family. I loved seeing our “son” and his mom from China!

Really, we will never forget this. The memories are vivid in our minds.

That was the first part of our trip…

Since we had a wedding, we brought large suitcases with attire needed for several events. Checking bags is an immediate expense.

HOWEVER, we saved $$$ on everything else.

Because the tourist travel time was in full swing we paid about $1,500 extra for our flights to Japan this time. Our 2023 November trip was a bargain ($1,000 rt/per person).

Hotel: in Kyoto: $90/ night for three people, in Osaka: $40/ night for 3 people.

Food: We chose to eat a restaurant meal once a day, usually Udon, Ramen, or Rice Bowl. Convenience store food filled us up otherwise.

Teas: Vending machines supplied us with black, green, and (my favorite) barley tea. Also, iced coffee was readily available.

Bread stores were everywhere. Street food was tasty and cheap. Ice cream treats were also available in vending machines in every train station.

Water was also readily available. We drank from the tap in our hotel, but it did taste a bit chlorine.

My personal favorites:

Onegari (spelling?) This is a hand held rice triangle filled with a bit of something, (salmon, tuna, egg, pickled plum) and wrapped in seaweed (nori). So satisfying! Tasty! Cheap. I make these at home now.

Barley Tea: I guess this is really Korean, but it was available everywhere. The perfect drink to re-hydrate. It just felt good to drink it, especially after walking 30 flights of stairs to the top of Osaka Castle! Cheri looked up how to make it and it doesn’t seem too hard. I intend to brew this at home this year.

Strawberry Cake: The cakes in Japan are simply luscious. Light, lightly sweetened, creamy, fruity. Pretty. Cake shops are around, so when you see a shop, get cake.

Bento: We only bought this once, at the Kyoto Station. It was satisfying, too. Nice little variety in a compact package.

Ramen: multiple ramen shops in every city. I usually went with the “basic” order, but I liked the vegetable ramen I got in Izumisano. I ordered fried chicken on the side for protein and that was SO HOT! You will burn your tongue if you aren’t careful.

Omurice: Didn’t order this this time, but it is also very satisfying. A rice omelette. I need to learn how to make this.

Okonomiyaki: vegetable pancakes, served on a hot grill at the table. Very good!

Dumplings: readily available many places, served with a sauce. Also satisfying.

Sandwiches: Got these conveniently at several places, (7/11) and they are so pretty and look like layered cake. The tomato was delicious.

None of these things were expensive. We were able to eat extremely reasonably, and healthfully.

The weather in Osake/Kyoto was HOT and HUMID! I would try to bring a bottle of water with me everywhere. I felt like I was in a Sauna perpetually. I know it can snow in this area, but the temperatures were quite warm at this time of year. We were grateful for temps in the 70’s and 80’s, but the humidity was incredible.

The climate is tropical, with palm trees and azaleas, lantana, roses (!) and many evergreens and deciduous trees. The Bay of Osaka, an ocean port, is protected, but influences the weather. Lots of rain. Everyone always had an umbrella. We got soaked.

We hung out soaked clothes in an open closet, or the shower room, with ventilation to dry them out. We did laundry at a coin laundry, very convenient, and used the gas dryers there to help get our things wearable more quickly.

If you aren’t used to Japanese bathrooms it may take a Google Translate application on your phone to be able to understand all the buttons. Keeping your body clean is on a whole different level for Japanese.

I never did use an Onsen, a communal bath. I never felt comfortable for that. Our own hotel room had lovely facilities for bathing. This must be mentioned, as it is part of the cultural experience.

Trains: Don’t be offended if people move away from you. Trains are sometimes so incredibly crowded! You hang from an overhead ring, swaying with the movement, trying to not touch anyone around you. ALWAYS wear proper deodorant. ALWAYS shower carefully. We foreigners smell different.

Eating garlic is a Japanese thing, BUT remember that it has extreme odor. Scents are both overwhelming and offensive at times. We cannot help how we naturally smell, but I always tried to go light on garlic and wear light perfume.

Snacks; You are not supposed to eat much in public, but be sure to not walk around while eating, at least. Sitting down is also frowned upon. I was always happy for a large boulder at a temple site, or an obvious bench, to rest on. When in doubt, follow the crowd, preferably someone Asian. Restaurants are everywhere, no tipping necessary, and you may stay comfortably.

In Kyoto, at a Ramen place, we went in after a group of American students and left before them. The place was tiny, so it lost revenue as the students took up space during a busy lunch hour. This was sort of embarrassing. Eat and leave during the lunch hour. Apparently the nightlife in Japan is where you socialize, not lunch. We aren’t big on nightlife, but we could hear it from our hotel room in Izumisano. It didn’t keep us from going to sleep, but it was ongoing, every night. Many places to eat close during the afternoon, but those that were open were often less busy then. We liked going to eat at those times.

Trial and Error shaped some of our comings and goings during our travels, but we never had a moment of despair. God always took care of us! Travel can be stressful as you navigate unknown places. We used Google Maps constantly. When they did not reflect the actual experience Ed made sure to take a photo and send it in to Google. Why not be helpful?

Walking everywhere, to the stations, to the subways, at the attractions, was a huge part of our trip. We took a taxi once, the airport limousine (a bus) twice. Taxis are expensive, but if you are coming to a city late (after a flight) and you have not been to your hotel yet, it is a great way to eliminate stress. When we used the taxi it was the first night, after flights from Minneapolis to Toronto, Narita Airport, then Osaka (not KIX), and the Airport bus to Kyoto. The taxi drove us just a mile or so, but with all of our luggage and pouring rain, it was a real help. The driver took us straight to the hotel. From then on we were able to travel more reasonably. Weary minds and bodies appreciated the extra help.

Perhaps in the next post I’ll write about the sites we visited and things we learned. I’m downloading my brain here!

I fell asleep at around 8 pm last night, woke around 10 pm, up until 4:30 am, slept until 9:00 am—up again, and functioned somewhat to vacuum and clean a bit.

Jet Lag.

It is “Let Down” time. Emotions are more raw, weariness sets in, introverts and self-analyzers remember ALL THE MISTAKES EVER MADE….

Laugh, here, please. I can honestly say that things like glances and expressions can factor into the psyche of someone who is over sensitive, like I am.

I need to self-talk my way off the edge.

Things that we remember may have zero impact on others. This is a Truth.

If a negative impact truly happened, and there is repercussion, we absolutely need to clear that up.

I value honesty.

Travel in another culture is fraught with dangers for the free-spirited Americans. As someone who has been in many different countries, and cultures, I can attest to some pretty painful experiences. I have made multiple mistakes, and I am still here…

But I am teachable.

This trip to Japan I quietly noticed several things. Impressions.

Almost everyone Japanese was wearing white, cream, black, tan, or gray. Exclude the kimonos. They are colorful. Most riding the trains were neutrally clothed.

Lots of lace, lots of sheer fabric. Young women. Covered, but revealing.

Very comfortable foot gear, thick soles, cushioning.

Dyed hair seems to be not as prevalent as it was two years ago. Or perhaps it is still more popular in Tokyo.

Periodically we saw cosplayers. Wow. They know how to put an outfit together! Generally they were friendlier to us, as well, a smile in return.

I am someone who smiles a lot. The only Japanese older women who smiled back at me were at church. That bunch was super sweet and welcoming.

We attended Bible Church in Osaka on May 31. It was only a few train stations north from our hotel, and we found it without any problem. The sermon was interpreted for us in English. It was lovely singing familiar hymns, hearing them in Japanese! Precious fellowship.

Christianity is a stark minority in Japan, unlike in Korea, or even China. The culture is so tight that it is truly challenging to introduce the message of salvation by grace alone.

The Jesuits tried to convert the country, a few centuries ago, but their message was not one of grace. Still, perhaps, their efforts widened the door for spiritual change.

I am the one extremely wary of the Illuminati, so I completely expect ulterior motives!

The True Church, a Bible believing body, is growing in parts of Japan. Less than one percent of the population is “Christian,” but that is still over 1,000,000 people.

Their light is significant!

Walking through Buddhist and Shinto temples and gardens can be peaceful, but I felt the dark spiritual oppression. I am a spiritual person. Monks on the streets had the most woebegone expressions. I do not understand those religions enough to say that those demeanors are part of the “faith.” Perhaps they are trying to repulse proselytization.

I am interested in people. The gardens and the structures are impressive and beautiful. I loved walking the meandering paths and over stone slab bridges. I always thrilled at seeing the herons and cranes, the large (huge!) koi in the ponds and moats.

But people are most interesting to me, and that is why I PRAY for them. I pray for the country of Japan.

So much of what they do as a culture is “right!”

Order, cleanliness, peaceful quiet, good food, unseen crime—I felt very safe there. We can analyze why Japan is such a pleasurable vacation spot. I am sure these things mentioned are all important reasons.

But there is more. Spiritual oppression is also noticeable.

These are my personal impressions, but I think others have noticed the same things.

Now, we went to Japan to attend a wedding. Our groom and bride are a very international Chinese couple, so the wedding experience was off-the-charts spectacular, and really not Japanese in the least. I will save that report for another post.

But the contrast is real.

“Japanese polite” is very comfortable, but one always wonders what is hidden.

Kyoto was filled with tourists from all over the world. There were fewer Americans than French, German, and other European visitors. My impression was that there were more non-Japanese in Kyoto than Japanese!

At least the streets and gardens, sights were that way. It is deservedly a prime tourist destination! I met a couple of women, one German, the other American, but living in Germany, and they had been touring for two weeks in Japan, but were about to spend a week in Kyoto alone.

Understandable.

I highly recommend a trip to Kyoto!

I do not expect to return to Japan. Travelling is in my budget, and takes priority over other things in my life (judge me how you will!) I want to see China before the Rapture, and, of course, a brief visit to Hawaii to check off my United States list of all 50 states visited.

If the Lord tarries I’d like to go to Puerto Rico, too.

Several people have recommended Bali as a destination for me.

Where I go I want to be light. I want to make connections. I want to spread the Gospel of peace!

Being an American in Japan was not conducive to much light spreading. I’ve tried to give my reasons. Still, there were moments of hope and joy, and many, many evidences of God’s presence.

I can only hope that this light of Christ was felt and seen.

Keep praying for your “Snatch List.”

Jesus is coming soon to get us.

MARANATHA!