YAGers celebrated Valentine together at the manse tonight. And when I say YAG, it means delicious food (ahem..), good friends, and a warm fellowship. I just felt so blessed!
Courtesy by Rance
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
60 Days in Japan - Day 23
YAGers celebrated Valentine together at the manse tonight. And when I say YAG, it means delicious food (ahem..), good friends, and a warm fellowship. I just felt so blessed!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
60 Days in Japan - Day 22
' "Why Not" Organic Farm '
Does it sound appealing to you? Well, for the stupid but nice people it does, and that would be the name of our future joint venture. Why "Why not?" ? Of course because everything is possible!
The initial talk about our potential business had been started today by desperate stupid girls while sipping our coffee at Starbucks. Well, in the future we would not need Starbucks anymore, because by then we would be sitting in our very own cafe (oh yeah, our business would comprise of all the derivative businesses making use of the products from our farm), enjoying coffee which are produced by our very own organic coffee plantation. This business will comply with fair trade principles, projected to be able to provide employment, and sought to contribute to global health through its social responsibility programs.
Great, isn't it? Oh yeah, that's our plan B. If things don't work. If our plan A fails us.
The plan left us feeling good. Yes, we are independent women, we know what we want and what to do! Oh yeah!
Does it sound appealing to you? Well, for the stupid but nice people it does, and that would be the name of our future joint venture. Why "Why not?" ? Of course because everything is possible!
The initial talk about our potential business had been started today by desperate stupid girls while sipping our coffee at Starbucks. Well, in the future we would not need Starbucks anymore, because by then we would be sitting in our very own cafe (oh yeah, our business would comprise of all the derivative businesses making use of the products from our farm), enjoying coffee which are produced by our very own organic coffee plantation. This business will comply with fair trade principles, projected to be able to provide employment, and sought to contribute to global health through its social responsibility programs.
Great, isn't it? Oh yeah, that's our plan B. If things don't work. If our plan A fails us.
The plan left us feeling good. Yes, we are independent women, we know what we want and what to do! Oh yeah!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
60 Days in Japan - Day 21
Whoaaa, can I stop the time? three weeks has passed by! :(
Anyhow, I really enjoyed today. I decided to stay for YAG bible study after the afternoon service. I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but today's bible study was about prayer! So again I was reminded about the power of prayer. The take home message is that prayer may not change our circumstances, but it will change us (the way we face our situation). I think I should have been more diligent in studying the bible with YAGers. I am so grateful that I have this group of people to grow in faith with.
After YAG bible study I went with Lalaina to Kaldi, my fave grocery store in Japan, nearby the church. Last week I tried their Belgian chocolate and decided that I should buy for myself this week (I don't expect anyone would give me chocolate so I better buy it for myself :D). Just in front of Kaldi there was this farmer market too, so I was having a fun time roaming around the stalls. I took some pictures, and bought some vegetables as well..
Anyhow, I really enjoyed today. I decided to stay for YAG bible study after the afternoon service. I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but today's bible study was about prayer! So again I was reminded about the power of prayer. The take home message is that prayer may not change our circumstances, but it will change us (the way we face our situation). I think I should have been more diligent in studying the bible with YAGers. I am so grateful that I have this group of people to grow in faith with.
After YAG bible study I went with Lalaina to Kaldi, my fave grocery store in Japan, nearby the church. Last week I tried their Belgian chocolate and decided that I should buy for myself this week (I don't expect anyone would give me chocolate so I better buy it for myself :D). Just in front of Kaldi there was this farmer market too, so I was having a fun time roaming around the stalls. I took some pictures, and bought some vegetables as well..
While on the train home, I realised that it was a really beautiful day. It was sunny and the sky was fast blue. I thought it would be nice to have a walk, so I got off at Daiba, and went to my fave place to read for some time and then took a walk home. Hmm, it was a nice day indeed!
60 Days in Japan - Day 20
My direct supervisor was away for a month in Sweden. He left just a week before I submitted my thesis. But today he return back to Tokyo, and tomorrow he wants to see my progress on the journal submission preparation. So yesterday I went to school and tried to work as much as I could. In the afternoon I had an angklung rehearsal with other Indonesian students for our next performance at Todai's graduation dinner. It's been sometime since the last time I played angklung and met other Indonesian friends, so I really enjoyed the rehearsal.
In the evening Bruno tried his new recipe, tofu burger, and invited the Tokodai gang to be his guinea pigs. As usual the invitation went to me as well hehehe. So I helped him with the cooking, and the burger turned out to be really good!
In the evening Bruno tried his new recipe, tofu burger, and invited the Tokodai gang to be his guinea pigs. As usual the invitation went to me as well hehehe. So I helped him with the cooking, and the burger turned out to be really good!
Tofu burger in the making (photo courtesy by Bruno)
Tofu burger ready for digestion, yummy!
Bruno also made some modification on my yogurt recipe. Usually I mixed plain yogurt with jam (my fave is blueberry) and fruits (usually orange). This time he mixed it with marmalade, mango pulp, and peach. Hmmm, I can even still remember how good it was!
Friday, February 10, 2012
60 Days in Japan - Day 19
This stupid person is anxious, worried, confused.. messed up!
I should warn you that my post this time would be a religious one. Please don't get offended by it if you don't share the same belief..
My life as a student would end up really soon, only in 5 weeks in fact, and so many uncertainties about the future started to turn me into a restless bird. It's been almost 2 weeks since all the questions first popping up and juggling in my head. So many "what-if"s and "how-about"s are floating and disturbing me.
I recalled around 4 years ago I experienced the same situation. Not knowing what to to, I consulted with so many people. I asked people whom I considered wise and who could potentially lead me to the right decision. But asking many people left me confused because people have their own ideas and suggestions. I needed to come to terms with my situation however and made decisions that even until now I am not sure whether they were correct or wrong. One thing I am quite sure about, God has been so faithful and kind to me. He's been providing my needs and giving me wonderful opportunities. Actually not only at that particular period of time, but all along the course of my life his loving kindness has sustained me.
Knowing that however, doesn't prevent me from being anxious. This morning I woke up feeling so alone. The fatalist in me started to take over and loaded myself with the helplessness and hopelessness. The night before I just had a chat with a friend, and he reminded me about the power of prayer. So recalling his suggestion, I prayed while sitting on the train to school, asking God for peace. Two days ago I found a sermon-note from 1 year ago when I attended a service at OMF, and I remembered keeping that note because it was a beautiful sermon about faith. So I also began to read that note again. I was reminded again that faith is believing in what God can do, not what I can do. It is about God at work and not our own effort.
Surprisingly on my last part of my trip this morning (Everyday I need to change the train-line up to 3 times, so what I mean here is my third line ;p), I met with a good friend who just returned back from China. She comes from UK, at the moment is a research student in Todai, and she believed that this is the place where God wants her to be for now. During her stay in China she was touched by what her friends are doing there and started to question what she has been doing in Tokyo. She told me that the past week has been tough for her, but she doesn't keep her struggle for herself and started to seek counsels and support. One of her aunts with whom she rarely talk to, contacted her just yesterday and telling her that she had the strong feeling to tell here that she should stay in Tokyo and finish her work here, and wait for God's next direction when she is done later. Amazingly, the time when here aunt emailed her was exactly at the same time when her two friends were praying for her!
Such a clear direction was what I am longing for. But again I was reminded that God has equipped me with everything I need to make a good judgement, and also community and people to whom I can seek counsel and support. At that point, I could feel that peace started to fill my heart again.
Well, time to trust God and his heart now :)
I should warn you that my post this time would be a religious one. Please don't get offended by it if you don't share the same belief..
My life as a student would end up really soon, only in 5 weeks in fact, and so many uncertainties about the future started to turn me into a restless bird. It's been almost 2 weeks since all the questions first popping up and juggling in my head. So many "what-if"s and "how-about"s are floating and disturbing me.
I recalled around 4 years ago I experienced the same situation. Not knowing what to to, I consulted with so many people. I asked people whom I considered wise and who could potentially lead me to the right decision. But asking many people left me confused because people have their own ideas and suggestions. I needed to come to terms with my situation however and made decisions that even until now I am not sure whether they were correct or wrong. One thing I am quite sure about, God has been so faithful and kind to me. He's been providing my needs and giving me wonderful opportunities. Actually not only at that particular period of time, but all along the course of my life his loving kindness has sustained me.
Knowing that however, doesn't prevent me from being anxious. This morning I woke up feeling so alone. The fatalist in me started to take over and loaded myself with the helplessness and hopelessness. The night before I just had a chat with a friend, and he reminded me about the power of prayer. So recalling his suggestion, I prayed while sitting on the train to school, asking God for peace. Two days ago I found a sermon-note from 1 year ago when I attended a service at OMF, and I remembered keeping that note because it was a beautiful sermon about faith. So I also began to read that note again. I was reminded again that faith is believing in what God can do, not what I can do. It is about God at work and not our own effort.
Surprisingly on my last part of my trip this morning (Everyday I need to change the train-line up to 3 times, so what I mean here is my third line ;p), I met with a good friend who just returned back from China. She comes from UK, at the moment is a research student in Todai, and she believed that this is the place where God wants her to be for now. During her stay in China she was touched by what her friends are doing there and started to question what she has been doing in Tokyo. She told me that the past week has been tough for her, but she doesn't keep her struggle for herself and started to seek counsels and support. One of her aunts with whom she rarely talk to, contacted her just yesterday and telling her that she had the strong feeling to tell here that she should stay in Tokyo and finish her work here, and wait for God's next direction when she is done later. Amazingly, the time when here aunt emailed her was exactly at the same time when her two friends were praying for her!
Such a clear direction was what I am longing for. But again I was reminded that God has equipped me with everything I need to make a good judgement, and also community and people to whom I can seek counsel and support. At that point, I could feel that peace started to fill my heart again.
Well, time to trust God and his heart now :)
Thursday, February 9, 2012
60 Days in Japan - Day 18
I and the stupid girls went to the same sushi-ya in Shibuy today :) I think I super love the sushi there!
60 Days in Japan - Day 17
Coming back to school and revising my thesis for journal submission.. Boring but necessary!
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