I almost forgot to do this. This week…

1. I had a busy Sunday of ministry in Digby and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. It was a good time of re-connecting and team building.

2. I spent a couple of days in Halifax visiting some of my favorite people. Really fun and refreshing.

3. I had a really productive day yesterday, catching up on office work and errands, both ministry-related and personal.

4. I’ve been working on setting up my new art computer (a Mac mini with a Wacom Cintiq tablet monitor, to be used for primarily for creative work) and cleaning up my MacBook (the laptop I’ll continue to use for general everyday computing). This has involved installing and uninstalling, uploading and downloading, and lots of waiting for the machines to do their thing.

5. Today I spent some time drawing and coloring on the new art Mac, trying to get used to working digitally. I think when I’ve gotten past the initial learning curve, it will make for a cleaner art style and a faster work flow. And working faster is a good thing, as I plan on this being part of my ministry, not just a hobby anymore.

And that’s a wrap for this week. Looking forward to the next couple of crazy weeks…

I don’t have very much to talk about this week. Over 3 weeks ago, I caught a cold. Last week I thought I was getting over it, but it seemed to start making a comeback by the weekend. So I went to the doctor, and it turns out I have a sinus infection. So this week I’ve been trying to take it easy, and haven’t been very productive.

I’m scheduled to go to Nova Scotia again this weekend to visit two churches. Just like the previous time, the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating. Right now I’m in wait-and-see mode, wondering if I’ll even be able to make the trip. It’s only four hours if I go by boat, but the boat’s not running today. If it’s running tomorrow, great. If not, it’s about an 8-hour drive, and we may still be in the middle of a blizzard. I’d hate to have to reschedule at this point, but…

I’m at Starbucks right now, where I just ran into an old friend. One thing I’m enjoying about being back in Canada is randomly running into old friends and acquaintances whenever I’m out in public. My hometown is just small enough that it happens pretty much every time I’m out. In Japan I live in a city of over 2 million people, on top of the fact that I’ve lived there a relatively short time, so it happens far less frequently. It’s an interesting contrast. I miss the big city, but there are definitely some things I like about smaller cities too.

This week I feel like I’ve finally gotten back into some semblance of a routine after some time on the road. In particular I’ve studied Japanese more the past few days than I have in a couple of months. I’ve also been exchanging emails with some Japanese friends, which has been good practice, and much more effective than just sitting and trying to memorize stuff. It’s been good.

Speaking of Japanese friends, one of my closest friends from the Nagoya church is planning to come visit me for a week or so in March. This news pretty much made my week. I’m looking forward to showing him around and seeing Canada through Japanese eyes. Should be a blast.

This past Sunday I visited Crosspoint Wesleyan here in Fredericton, and this coming Sunday I’ll be at another local church, Corbette Avenue Wesleyan. It’s nice to have my Sundays booked but not be on the road for a couple of weeks.

You know what’s funny? After starting this blog post talking about running into old friends, I just ran into another, before I could even finish writing.

That’s a wrap for this week.

This week…

1. I spoke at two churches on Sunday in Shelburn and Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia. It was a good day.

2. On Monday I drove from Clark’s Harbour to Halifax, where I visited some friends for the afternoon and evening.

3. Tuesday, I drove the rest of the way home, which took a bit longer than expected because I took a wrong turn in Halifax.

4. The rest of the week has been spent catching up on emails, mailing newsletters, trying to get over a cold, and trying to get back into studying Japanese more regularly again.

5. I’ve also been working on some comics plotting, specifically for the future of Doodze.

And that’s pretty much it. Thankful to have the long drives behind me for a couple of weeks, and that for the next little while I’ll be on the road a bit less. I’m speaking here in Fredericton the next couple of Sundays, and only traveling on weekends for the next couple of months.

And that’s a wrap for this week.

Last week’s re-cap was written on a boat somewhere in the Bay of Fundy during a storm. Obviously I arrived safely in Nova Scotia, but it was a rough ride. So rough, in fact, that they couldn’t dock securely enough to let the vehicles drive off, and we had to wait close to four hours before we could get off. So a 3-hour ferry ride took about 8 hours. Not pleasant, but I made it.

It’s been a good week of home ministries. The weekend through Tuesday was busy, but the week itself has been low-key as I wait for my last two church visits tomorrow. By the time this trip is over, I will have connected with six supporting churches in total — that’s six churches in nine days. I also got to introduce myself at a pastor’s breakfast meeting, which in a way means I’ve connected with even more churches, and may mean more open doors in the near future too.

So it’s been a safe and productive trip thus far. I’ve been well taken care of by my hosts, and I’ve enjoyed getting to catch up with some old friends as well. The only downside has been catching a cold, and even that hasn’t gotten too bad yet. So I’m thankful.

And that’s a wrap for this week.

I’m writing today from a boat somewhere in the Bay of Funday between Saint John, New Brunswick and Digby, Nova Scotia. I’ll be in Nova Scotia for a little more than a week, visiting several churches and re-connecting with supporters and friends. It’s going to be busy, especially the next three days, but I’m hoping for a productive and fruitful trip.

So this week I’ve spent a lot of time getting ready. Since it’s my first big road trip this year, that meant some extra preparations, from presentation to PowerPoint to printed materials. Not to mention figuring getting directions and other logistical stuff.

Last night I got to visit with some friends along the way, which was really nice. The guy I stayed with — a guy I went to college with — is a fellow missionary, although with another organization and working in another part of the world. Since we’ve both hopped around the world a few times since college, we haven’t crossed paths very much, but we have kept in touch, and it was nice to re-connect in person for the first time a couple of years.

There will no doubt be many of those kind of meetings over the next few months as I travel around. This is one of the nice things about being back in Canada.

One of the not-so-nice things, sometimes, is the weather. It’s a stormy weekend, I’m on a boat, we’re behind schedule, and it hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride…

And that’s a wrap.

This past week, this term’s “finals” began: Final meeting with the pastor who has been my internship mentor. Final young adults prayer meeting. Final Japanese class (not including this Tuesday’s test). And today was my final ministry event, the bi-lingual Christmas party I hosted as an outreach at my church.

The coming week has more finals on tap: Final Wednesday night prayer meeting, final Japanese test, final chance to hang out with former classmates and church friends, and final worship service in Nagoya.

Final… for now, anyway.

I’d appreciate your prayers during this time of transition. I’ve come to feel very much at home here. I’ve gotten used to the Japanese language and to life in Japan. I’ve come to love this city and these people. And, although I’m looking forward to re-connecting with friends, family and supporters back in North America, it’s not easy to say goodbye. Or even “see you later”, since I’m not sure how much later later will be. And living in the West again will be an adjustment. Please pray that I adjust well.

And that’s a wrap for this week.

… But then again, to my mind, Sunday feels like the end of the week anyway. Anyway, here’s some highlights and stuff from the past week:

1. We had both a wedding and a funeral at our church.

2. I spent some extra time studying, in an attempt to get caught up.

3. I started the process of packing up my room. My book shelves look sad when they’re so empty…

4. I helped decorate the church for Christmas yesterday.

5. I taught my second-to-last English class this afternoon at church.

This week looks to be very busy. I’ve got 2 more Japanese classes, a Christmas event next Sunday to prepare for, as well as continuing to pack my room up and prepare for home ministries. Of course there are lots of people to try to connect with this week and next before leaving. Prayers during this transition time are much appreciated.

Here’s a run-down of some highlights from the past week-ish…

1. Last Sunday I played guitar on the worship team, did a couple of solos and gave a short testimony in Japanese, all in the AM service here in Nagoya. Also had a good meeting to talk about the upcoming Christmas event I’m organizing. Then there was a young adult thing in the evening, where there was a lot of good food, as usual.

2. Monday I went to Tokyo and back for a meeting with representatives of our 3-way missions partnership in Japan.

3. I’ve been meeting once a week with a couple of guys from the church to work on their English. It’s pretty informal, but we usually do a short Bible study in English and then just practice speaking. This week’s “lesson” somehow ended up consisting mostly of watching Godzilla on DVD. I did get them to interpret it for me. I’m not sure it helped their English much but it was rather entertaining anyway.

4. Much of the rest of the week was spent in Japanese studies, as well as preparations for the Christmas event and for home ministries. I may have said this last week, but it’s getting pretty hard to keep up with my studies these days, what with all the extra stuff on my plate. This week I’m going to try to focus more on my studies and less on the other stuff, if possible.

5. The weekend was busy because of a wedding at our church. I helped out with some preparations yesterday, and the wedding itself was this afternoon. It was a great celebration, and a good time of coming together as a community. I’ve enjoyed spending a lot of extra time with my church Family lately, which with only 3 weeks left is something I don’t want to take for granted.

And that’s a wrap. I predict an early bedtime after such a full and fun but tiring day.

This week…

1. On Sunday I preached at the Gifu Immanuel Church. I’ve been there a few times and this was my last Sunday with them before returning to Canada. So we had lunch together, and I received some farewell gifts and many kind words.

2. Returning to Nagoya, we had band practice for this coming Sunday’s worship time, and I got to enjoy spending time with my home church friends.

3. I had a pretty productive week, catching up on some of my missions internship work, home ministry prep, and preliminary plans for the Christmas event I’m hosting in early December.

4. I met up for dinner the other night with a bunch of other ex-pat Christians. It was fun and refreshing, and the food was good too. (Can you say “Old Spaghetti Factory”?)

5. I met with my pastor today to talk about my future in Japan. I’m super thankful he has a good sense of humor, and is so patient with my very limited Japanese. Many things were discussed, and I’m looking forward to working together in the years to come, as God allows.

6. I’ve been enjoying my new Japanese class, too, though with all the other stuff on my plate, it’s hard to keep up, even though the class is only part-time.

This coming week, Sunday will be super busy with ministry, and then I’m off to Tokyo on Monday for an important meeting with the Immanuel Wesleyan Federation (our 3-way church/missions partnership in Japan). Then it’ll be back to Nagoya for the “normal” (whatever that means) study and ministry related stuff.

Also: I’m scheduled to return to Canada one month from tomorrow! Crazy.

Prayers are much appreciated during this busy season of ministry and transition.

And that’s a wrap for this week.

This week…

1. I preached and did some music in Hikone on Sunday. See prayer letter (posted a couple days ago) for more on that.

2. I volunteered at the Watoto concerts here in Nagoya. Great day.

3. I started preparing for home ministries, beginning to contact churches to book speaking dates.

4. I studied — of course.

5. Had a good chat last night with my friend who shares the same vision for ministry through manga.

6. Enjoyed spending some time with Japanese friends from my church. In fact, after getting back from Hikone it was nice to sit down with the few who were still here and just relax and chat. It’s good to have that “coming home” feeling here. Earlier today we had a good prayer meeting with the young adults, too. I love these people.

7. I also sent out a prayer letter, and posted it and a bunch of pics to the blog (again, see the previous couple of posts for that). So I guess there’s not too much else to say…

Tomorrow (Sunday morning) I’m preaching and doing some music in Gifu. Prayers would be appreciated!

And that’s a wrap.

It’s been a while, but maybe I should bring back the weekly re-cap… What do you think? Here we go… Some of the week’s happenings and thoughts, along with some things to come:

1. I got a new water heater today. Apparently my old one was death waiting to happen. My new water heater is much nicer. It’s shiny, it has more buttons… and it talks to me. Funny thing is, I’ve been in Japan long enough that that doesn’t really seem that odd to me.

2. Had a good time at the Toyota Church this past Sunday. Gave a testimony in Japanese, sang a couple of song, had a meal together with some Q & A, and as usual was treated with great Japanese hospitality.

3. Tomorrow I’m taking off to Hikone with a couple of friends. Our former assistant pastor — Hirase — is now pastoring there, and I’m scheduled to be the guest speaker / music guy on Sunday. Two friends from the Nagoya Church are coming with me, just for tomorrow, to join me in a visit with Hirase. Should be a good time.

4. Over at Doodze.com, my webcomic site, the final page of the first chapter of Doodze has been posted, along with a rather long and rambling reflection on the process of creating the comic thus far. If you’re a creative type, you might want to read that blog post. If not, it would still be cool if you read the comic. It’s less rambling.

Speaking being less rambling, I’m going to end this post now. That’s a wrap.

I’m going away on Sunday and Monday, to Hamamatsu. Hopefully I’ll have some fun stories or pictures or something to share. In the meantime, here’s a video:

Ice Sculpting Contest in Nagoya, Japan. Specifically at Oasis 21. I came upon it after leaving Starbucks and shot some video on my cell phone. Probably the video quality doesn’t do it justice, but it was pretty impressive in person.

Thanks to those who commented on the previous post. Feel free to add your two cents if you haven’t already, and maybe I’ll come back to it with a follow-up sometime. For the record, I’m not worried about my future or anything; just curious to see how things will all pan out for us all, economically, and what that means for people like me.

I have been feeling a bit de-motivated, tired and distracted the past couple of days, though. I think I just need to re-adjust to school again and get back into a groove. Sometimes vacations don’t seem worth it. Anyway, prayers are appreciated; it’s going to be a busy next couple of weeks.

See you next week. That’s a wrap for now.

It’s Saturday evening at about 6:35 PM. I haven’t left my apartment all day. And it’s been great. I did some much-needed house-cleaning, some reading, watched some Lost, and generally just relaxed. I may do some drawing tonight, too. A good day of rest.

It’s much easier to relax now than it was about a week ago. This week was the last of the semester, so I’ve been pre-occupied with trying survive the big final exam. Took the exam Thursday. Found out yesterday that I — and everyone else — passed. Thanks, everyone who’s been praying for me!

So now I’ve got two weeks without any classes. This time I’m staying in Nagoya and getting some work done, as well as studying so I’ll be prepared for the next level when it starts after the break. I’m planning a long weekend trip to Osaka for the first weekend in October, but other than that, this is not vacation time, just a really nice change of pace and a chance to catch my breath a little.

October’s just around the corner. I think it’ll be a busy month. Not only do I start J-2 in Japanese school, but I’ve got a preaching opportunity in Gifu and a ministry trip to Hamamatsu (I think that’s the name) with a bunch of people from my church.

Should be fun times. Thanks for sharing the journey with me here on the blog.