my utmost for his highest

well, was doing this reading project and a short survey on the japanese's festivals and their famed "gift-giving" customs... the japanese nation as a whole LOVE to give gifts! well, i mean the spirit of giving is really one good attribute... i mean, to give is more blessed than to receive right? amen!!!

nowadays, it has turned into kinda umm... a "mentally-taxing" custom lah... i mean, they have the usual, 2times a year gift giving seasons lah, the year end "oseibo" and early july "ochuugen"... and the japs too have something like our chinese "angpau"... they call it the "otoshi dama"... on top of that, whenever you visit someone else's house ke, or maybe when you had just came back from a holiday, you're EXPECTED to buy gifts for your colleagues, your employer, neighbours, friends, not forgetting family members... we call it souvenirs, right? but it's kind of mandatory for then to give, rather than giving out of their heart, as a token of appreciation...

christmas is just around the corner... well, christmas for japanese is just another occasion where the young couples go on dates, have a nice christmas cake at home to celebrate, youths dressed in costumes of santa, santarinas and elves, and raindeers too... i mean they never knew the real true meaning of christmas!! remember that song, "christmas, isn't christmas, till it happens in your heart..."

well, if i remember correctly, the christian's population in japan is not even 1percent of the nations population! buddhsim, shintoism... well, they have so many gods even they themselves are confused... their birth ritual is done according to shintoism and their funeral, buddhism... they are confused and these lost souls needto hear bout jesus... although our church gives out tracts in downtown sakae area, it is kinda hard to reach out to them because of the language barrier...

well, missions... hmm... missions doesnt have to be those BIG overseas missions, or those going into the hinterlands of a place which its name you cant even pronounce... missions doesnt have to be somewhere out there, far far away land... missions can start within my own circle of influence... be it 2 or 3... friends, classmates... at home, in the dormitory, at school... i'm writing this to remind myself that i dont just happen to "land" in japan by mistake... sometimes i do feel inferior compared to friends who are just so passionate, and always "on the go" for jesus at all times... felt like i'm 2nd class, this "good for nothing" child of god, like i dont deserve to be one eh... heh, but am reminded of this "not by works lest anyone can boast"... well, if i wanna do it, it'll be out of love and a grateful spirit... that i wanna serve him, in whatever ways... be it toilet washing, cleaning, dish washing etc...

my utmost for his highest... i pray!