Congratulations, Dad!!!

www.joshfranklin.com

My Dad is retiring this week!  Last year, Brian's Dad retired with an amazing surprise from Brian and his brother... since we just returned from the states and don't have extra thousands of dollars sitting around, we couldn't quite work out the same thing right now.  But I didn't want to let the special event go by without saying a huge CONGRATULATIONS  to my wonderful father. :)

If you haven't had the privilege of meeting my Dad, then you're missing out.  :)  He's a quiet but very friendly and fun guy to be around.  As a father, he's very patient and understanding (which if you know me, my Mom, or my sister, you know that's very important).   

Before I was in school, my Dad owned a home-building business... I knew him as the guy who could build or fix anything... he still can. :)  But his business went bankrupt and he was without work for a couple years.  I was young, so I don't remember much about that time, but I know now it wasn't very easy for my parents.  However I remember very well how much I prayed that my Dad would get a job.  My parents taught me the power of prayer at a very young age, and I vividly remember the day they told me God answered our prayers and my Dad found a job.  It was about 26 years ago, and the same job God provided is the one he's retiring from now.

A few months ago when we were in the states, my Dad and I were talking about this.  One thing I love about my Dad is throughout my life, he consistently stops and remembers how God has guided, provided for, and blessed our family.  He tells us the stories so we won't forget.  During his time of unemployment he had a job interview with another company that looked very promising.  They were about to hire him but didn't at the last minute.  While that was incredibly difficult at the time, my Dad loves to talk about how different and better things have been because of the job he did get.  It's a great example of how we can't see the big picture, but God knows and provided for our family in amazing ways. 

My parents were both biology majors in college, and for most of his career my Dad has worked for the San Antonio Water System.  I've never known what to say when people ask me about his job. :)  I know he helped me with a pretty cool middle school science fair project about water conservation, and I know he does stuff with water.... obviously, the science gene was not passed down to me. ;)  I never heard a ton of details about his job (or maybe I just wasn't listening), but I remember very well the stories of people my Dad worked with.  He's had incredible friends over the years, and he's been an incredible friend to countless people.  If I listen long enough, stories come out about co-workers coming to his office, asking for advice, grieving together, laughing together, and just sharing life.  My Dad is not a very outgoing person, but I don't know if we'll ever know how many people he has shown the love of Christ to, simply by listening and sharing life together.  He's an amazing example to me, and I know he will be dearly missed.

My Dad has been an example to me in so many ways... my parents have now been married for 43 years, and they have taught us so much about commitment, trusting God together, and laughing together... a lot. :)  My Dad taught me to seek God's plans and guidance for my life, showing me that His plans for me are so much better than my own... and he has continued to support us unconditionally even when God led us halfway across the world for the last ten years.  I grew up just a mile away from my grandparents, and I know my Dad never dreamed his own grandchildren would live so far away.  But he continues to pray for us, encourage us, and travel to wherever we are. :)

There's so much more I could say about how great my Dad is, but I'm wandering away from the topic at hand, and I think I've cried enough for one blog post. ;)  Dad, I hope you know how proud we are and how excited we are for you to enjoy a slower pace of life for a while... until the next time we visit, of course.  Love you so much, and congratulations!!!

www.joshfranklin.com

Life on an island...

 A couple of years ago my parents bought me a kindle... I never thought I would want an e-reader... I'm a huge fan and advocate of holding a book in your hands, but our life overseas and lack of opportunity to buy books in English changed my mind.  One thing I love about my kindle is that I get daily emails from Amazon about books that are on sale... now, this could be quite dangerous for our budget, but my lack of time to read helps me keep my purchases in check.  I like seeing the daily deals because it exposes me to genres I normally wouldn't look at when I go in a bookstore.  I'm currently reading Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by Lawrence Durrell.

It piqued my interest because it was written by a man who decided to live on the island of Cyprus.  While I don't know much about Cyprus or the historical events I'm learning about as I read, I have lived on islands for the last 10 years, so I bought it on sale and started reading it this last week.  I'm a few chapters in and so far it's just a memoir of his arrival, making friends, and the process of purchasing a home, but a few sentences he shared about island life so resonated with me that I can't stop thinking about them... and now I'm sharing them with you. :)  Durrell states,

"Life in an island, however rich, is circumscribed, and one does well to portion out one's   experiences, for sooner or later one arrives at a point where all is known and staled by repetition.  Taken leisurely, with all one's time at one's disposal Cyprus could, I calculate, afford one a minimum of two years reckoned in terms of novelty; hoarded as I intended to hoard it, it might last anything up to a decade.  That is why I wished to experience it through its people rather than its landscape, to enjoy the sensation of sharing a common life with the humble villagers of the place; and later to expand my field of investigation to its history - the lamp which illumines national character - in order to offer my live subjects a frame against which to set themselves."

I've gone through many phases and seasons as we've lived on different islands this last decade.  Guam was quite small, and it was sometimes a relief to leave the island and see the bigger world.  Manila is on the island of Luzon, and in a city of 15 million people, it was sometimes hard to remember we were on an island... so going to the beach was a wonderful getaway from city life.  Okinawa is a large island (to us), filled with many cultural activities, endless sightseeing, and numerous beaches and cafes to explore.  Our life as missionaries has been quite transitory, and the future is frequently unknown.  So when we don't have a plan of how long we will be in a place, or when you know it won't be forever, it's easy to get a little anxious about 'seeing everything'.... as much as schedules and budgets allow. :)

I know that we're unbelievably blessed to live in the part of the world we do and to travel to the many places we have.  But as I look back at the last 10 years, the amazing things we've seen are nowhere near the top of the list of God's blessings... it's the people and relationships that have enriched and transformed our lives.  It's the friends spread out around the world that my heart aches for.  No matter where you live or what you're doing, it's easy for life to become normal and seem mundane.  When that happens, I either get jealous of others who seem to always be having fun or create lists of all the fun things and activities we need to do wherever we currently are.  Of course it's not bad to explore and have adventures, but that can't be everything.  God has so much to teach us through the people he brings into our lives... that is where we experience his love... not in making sure we finally see the great Okinawa tug-of-war. 

I must admit, I do sometimes miss the peace of Chuuk islands....

or the amazing coffee at my favorite cafe
in Baguio...
















and thoughts of 'home' can make me quite nostalgic.
But it's the people that fill these memories that make life exciting and hopeful about a new day with new experiences and relationships.  God is always working with me about seeing what he sees TODAY... listening, obeying, and joining in what he has for me just today. 

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Psalm 118:24

Birthday Blessings

The day before my birthday last week, I was reading my devotional book, Jesus Calling, and the author was talking about giving thanks.  She said, "See how many times you can thank Me [Jesus] daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings."  This was on my mind and God overwhelmed me with many things to be thankful for over the next few days. 

The story of my birthday cake actually started right when we got back from the states.  Last year I started eating a gluten-free diet, which isn't that different from the normal things our family eats, but it can be difficult sometimes... especially when you can't read any food labels. ;)  So it was nice to be in the states with other gluten-free friends and enjoy some treats I normally wouldn't have.  I remember even lamenting to Brian on the plane ride home that it would be years before I could eat gluten-free bread or cakes again, since we haven't figured out where to get those ingredients in Japan.  When we got home, I was wandering around the house, trying to remember where everything goes, and I opened the pantry and immediately started crying... it was filled with gluten-free baking goods! Our short-term volunteer missionaries who filled in for us while we were gone also eat gluten-free... our church blessed them with pantry items when they arrived, but they received more than they could use while they were here.  So they left the rest for me, and it was such a blessing.  The boys and I made a cake together that the whole family could enjoy! 

We are always blessed by churches in the states that support us with prayers, cards, emails, etc.  This last year a lady from a church in Indiana has made our family smile SO many times... she sends us hand-written cards, puts things like stickers and balloons in cards for the boys (and they go crazy over it!), and her church sends care packages with our most favorite things. :)  Brian got to meet her when he was speaking, and it was such a blessing.  I received a birthday card from her the same day I read this devotion - such a reminder of God's love and presence in our lives!

The actual day was filled with many blessings from Brian and the boys.  They each made lists of "I love you because...' and 'Thank you for...' and gave them to me throughout the day (Brian even had them on cute scrapbook paper - very amazing!). 

Brian took the afternoon off work so we could all spend time together... we went to a coffee shop, took funny pictures in a photo booth at the mall, ate at our favorite restaurant, and enjoyed a walk on the seawall.  I'm SO thankful for my guys and the many little things they do to show their love every day. :)

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  Psalm 100:4

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18

We're home!!!

Yay!  We're back home in Okinawa. :)  People keep asking me how our 3 month home assignment was, and it's hard to come up with an answer.  It was great to be with family and friends, great to make new friends, fun to travel and speak at different churches, and fun to visit places in the states we had never been to before.  But it was also tiring to travel so much, stressful living out of a suitcase and staying with other people for so long, and wearisome trying to keep the boys entertained and happy as we lived without a routine and were constantly dealing with new situations (people, places, food, etc.).  So, as I've started answering, "It was really good, but it's also really good to be home." :)

Now we're trying to remember our routine and pick up where we left off, but a lot can happen in 3 months.  God stretched and challenged us while we were gone, so we return slightly changed, refreshed, and ready to see what He has for us next.  Families in our congregation moved away while we were gone, so it's a slightly different church we're coming back to.  But it's exciting to see how God stretched and challenged our church family while we were gone; new people have/are taking leadership positions and we're thrilled at the possibilities and opportunities God has for them while they're here.  This last week we've been reminded how rusty our Japanese language skills became when we didn't use it for three months, so we're praying for motivation to make regular study a habit again.  And we really want/need to get better at regular communication about what God is doing in Japan with our friends around the world.  We were reminded so many times of the need to share not only the good things that happen, but our struggles in life, also; we have so many friends, supporters, and prayer partners that are a huge part of our life here, and we need to do a better job of keeping you a part!

So please pray for us as we transition back and start life again with bigger boys, more developed goals, and a constant desire to be changed and used by God as He shows our friends and neighbors in Japan how much He loves them!

New adventures...

We're only a couple hours away from leaving Okinawa for 3 months in the states.  We'll be speaking in churches about what God is doing in Japan and how others can be a part.  And, thankfully, we'll get to see a lot of family and friends along the way. :)  However, it will be quite different to be away from home for 3 months... we will greatly miss our friends, church, schools, sushi, ramen, taco rice, onigiri, parks, beaches, and the list goes on.  But we're looking forward to time with family, LOTS of mexican food, Texas bluebonnets, Mom's cooking, road trips, catching up with old friends, and much more.

Please pray for our church and our volunteer missionaries serving at Keystone while we are gone, Don and Aileen Baker.  The Baker's are an amazing couple who love and serve Jesus in everything they do, and we are honored and privileged to have them in Okinawa the next 3 months. 

Please pray for us while we are away from home and traveling... pray for much needed rest and family time and God's guidance as we share and reflect on how he is working in Okinawa and our obedience to go where He calls.  And of course, think of us in the next 24 hours as we cross the ocean with a 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old... that's always an adventure. ;)






You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 
Isaiah 26:3

Japan District Assembly

 Last weekend we flew to Osaka for the Japan District Assembly.  This is a time where the pastors and some church members from all the Nazarene churches in Japan come together for worship and meetings.  It's always great to see old friends, make new friends, and practice our Japanese listening and speaking skills. :)

These pictures give a few highlights of the weekend...

 Brian was spontaneously asked to join a group of pastors singing a special song at the seminary graduation service... his Japanese reading skills were put to the test. ;)

 

 A lot of families brought their kids this time, so we had fun getting to know them and playing together... they took this picture after we had to leave on Sunday, but I'm so glad someone took this pic so you can see our new friends. :)

Noah and Justin did a fabulous job of quietly playing and coloring during the meetings and services... they normally sat at the back with me but would occasionally wander over and sit by Brian for a few minutes. :)

A definite highlight for all of us was spending time with our new regional director, Mark Louw, and his wife, Linda, and daughter, Alex.   Alex and the boys immediately bonded and had TONS of fun getting to know each other over the weekend.  It was hard to say goodbye, but we're so thankful God sent them to serve on the Asia-Pacific region!

 

 Please continue to pray for our churches in Japan.  Less than 1% of the Japanese population are Christians, but we know God is bigger than any statistic and desperately wants the Japanese to know of his love and grace.  Pray for our pastors  you see in these pictures as they work every day to reach Japanese for Christ. 

Another way to keep in touch...

Well, if you follow this blog with any regularity, you know that we're not always the best at updating... we have great intentions, but sometimes months go by with no new news from woolerywanderings.  So, while we will still be posting stories and pics on this blog, we also decided to start a facebook page specifically for news and updates about our family as missionaries.  This will be a place where we will share prayer requests, big and little things God is doing, stories about missions, etc. in a brief and more timely fashion.  So if you enjoy keeping in touch through facebook, go to our new page, select 'like', and join our conversation about Woolery daily life in Okinawa. :)

Home Assignment Update

I can't believe our home assignment is only a month away!  We've known it was coming for the last 3 years, but it always seemed so far off in the future.  We're looking forward to catching up with family and friends and sharing what God is doing in Okinawa.  As always, we won't be able to see everyone we would like, but here is a list of where we'll be speaking... please come join us if you're in the area!

April 3 - leave Okinawa for Texas (Julie's parents)
April 6 - 14: Northern California District Tour - Brian only
April 19 - 26: East Ohio District Tour - family
April 28: Northwest Indiana District Assembly - Kokomo, IN - Brian only
May 5: OKC 1st Church of the Nazarene - OKC, OK - family
May 8: Euless Church of the Nazarene - Euless, TX - family
May 18-19: Killeen 1st Church of the Nazarene - Killeen, TX - Brian only
May 26: New Braunfels Church of the Nazarene - New Braunfels, TX - family
May 30: Southwest Native American District Assembly - Brian only
June 2: Houston 1st Church of the Nazarene - Houston, TX - Brian only
June 4 - leave Texas for Florida (Brian's parents)
June 16: Southwest Indiana District - Brian only
June 17 - 22: Nazarene General Assembly - Indianapolis, IN - Brian and Julie
June 29 - back to Texas
July 2 - back to Okinawa

Playroom renovation!!!

Yes, we've been renovating!  The former owner of our house added on an extra room that he used for storage.  Since we're already blessed with many rooms and large closets, we didn't need to use it for storage.  So we decided to turn it into a playroom.  As usual, our initial simple idea turned into something more involved... but we are happy to say it is finished!  Here are some before and after pictures of our new playroom. :)

This is what the extra room looked like when the former owner was still living here... lots of good storage space. :)

When we moved in, it had a concrete floor and walls with insulation and framing.  A friend from church helped Brian install dry wall.  Then Brian textured, painted, installed trim and carpet... he's becoming quite the handyman!  It was definitely an interesting process because diy projects like this are not very common in Japan... but at least Brian got lots of Japanese conversation practice in his many hours at the hardware store this last month. Sadly, we don't have any pictures of Brian's many hours of working, but we did get one of Justin helping me repaint some bookshelves.

 

So... here is the finished playroom!!!  

 

We repainted a few bookshelves to use for game storage and art supplies.  And the boys are thrilled with their new tool bench area.

This is my favorite part - the reading corner. :)  The boys will still keep most of their books in their room, but we wanted to have space for reading in the playroom also... when Justin first saw this he said, "It's like a library!"

 

Recently we found some vintage school desks that we repainted for the boys to have their own art and possibly future homework space.

 

And they're very excited to continue to add pictures and artwork to our wall of frames. :)

Of course things will continue to be added to the walls and space, but I wanted to get some pictures in a rare clean moment.   The boys are so excited to have a new play space... so who wants to come over and play? :)

A new year...

Well, this is a little late, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  The past month has been filled with special Christmas activities, continued unpacking, and renovation of the boys' new playroom (pics coming soon!).  I always love to think about the past year as we start a new year, and honestly, this past year has been very difficult for us.  We experienced deep heartache with the loss of friends and different crises in our church and school community.  Sometimes when you've experienced great loss or dealt with traumatic situations, it's easy to only dwell on the heartache.  But throughout Scripture, we see the phrase "Remember"  so many times... Remember who God is, Remember what the Lord has done.... and as I remember our amazing God, I am in awe of what He has done in our lives this last year.  We have seen him work so many miracles in difficult situations, in people's lives, in financial decisions, and in the midst of loss, He continues to provide peace and healing.  He has brought our family closer to each other and we have grown in new ways in our relationship with Him.  This next year will bring more changes and new adventures for us, but as we remember who God is and what He has done, we can't wait to see what this new year brings. :)

So, we started our new year with a wonderful family day in Nago, the northern part of Okinawa.  Justin got to do bingata painting with me for the first time, and he loved it.  While we were working on our bingata, Brian and Noah took a drive and saw some of the first sakura (cherry blossoms) starting to bloom.

Then we had Okinawa soba for lunch... well, the boys chose rice and tofu. :)  We spent the afternoon playing at a park and taking a short hike... we were blessed with such a beautiful day!

 

 And we ended the day looking at Christmas lights in a shopping area near our house.  Please continue to pray for our family and God's work in Japan this year... we are excited to see many family and friends on our home assignment in a few months!  So happy new year, and let us know how we can pray for you as we remember our Lord in 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Happy Thanksgiving! We're still surrounded by unpacked boxes and numerous projects to do in our new house, but it was nice to take a break this week and enjoy some together time as a family.  I wanted to make the "Thanksgiving Tree" an annual tradition, but it didn't quite happen this year.  So we decorated for Christmas on Thanksgiving Day and made these 'thankful turkeys' the day after Thanksgiving...maybe we'll get things in the right order next year. ;)

 They boys had a great time coloring their turkeys and telling me what they wanted to thank God for today.  We're so thankful for our friends and family all around the world and the incredible ways God has carried us, guided us, and completely amazed us this last year.  Happy Thanksgiving!