一个小孩，摇摇晃晃

感谢神，今天我和朋友一起吃了一顿很滋味的午饭，有很好的交流，又和康叔到街市买了一些腊味，认识了一些新朋友（其中一个应该在日后的研究中会有更多的交流吧），后来还和一众社工一起去看了《没有回忆的街道》社会剧场。除此之外，还收到了好几封很有意思的信件。这一些都是神给我的一些鼓励和安慰。

跟上帝得关系有点像情人。每一天都必须有一剂从祂而来的兴奋剂，要是感受不到上帝的那份贴心，就觉得很不自在，很难受。感谢神，祂总不叫我的日子太难捱。

很高兴今天能和这个朋友很悠闲地吃了个午饭。我们在偶然下的一个情况里认识，对我来说就像在寒夜里喝了一碗热粥。可能就是那种感觉，于是很自然地聊起来，很自然地把一些很个人的事，平时不会特别去谈的事，一件一件地聊起来。可能不是同一个单位，也没有特别的因素要叫我有所顾忌，所以就变得很自由地相处、没有压力。虽然我平时也喜欢说话，而且也喜欢自我解剖，但是怎说呢？ -----

好像一个小孩，摇摇晃晃地坐在舟中，有时候紧紧闭着眼睛，有时候兴奋地指着水里游到舟边的鱼儿比手划脚，有时候静静地卧在舟板上看着在天上飘浮的白云，然后幻想，然后微笑。

能够这样轻松地谈Heart4Japan，谈圣经，谈末世，谈想法，不是作答也不是为了教导，这种心情对我来说是少有的。所以，我想上帝真的很爱我。在冷天里给了我一丝的温暖，让我可以藉着这样的分享和分析里好好地思考，嘴嚼着上帝放在我面前的盘菜，细细地品尝里面的味道。这些都是平时一个人静下来才办得到的事，却在今天的午饭里有得着。所以，今天我特别感受到上帝的爱和恩典，而且还是很个人的。

于是特别在还记得的时候记下来，这样的心情 -- 一个小孩，摇摇晃晃 --

感谢神，阿门。

Jeremiah 3:25

There is different message for different time.

In Genesis 18:22-33, Abraham tried to convince God not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if as many as ten righteous people could be found.

In Jeremiah 5:1, God offers to forgive Jerusalem if a single honest person can be found.

While I am reading Jeremiah 3:25, I thought I saw Japan.

"Return, faithless people; I will cure you of your backsliding."

"Yes, we will come to you, 

for you are the LORD our God.

Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; 

surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Japan.

From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our fathers' labor --

their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters.

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us.

We have sinned against the LORD our God,

both we and our fathers; 

from our youth till this day

we have not obeyed the LORD our God."

"If you will return, O Japan, return to me,"            declares the LORD.

"If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray,

and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear,

'As surely as the LORD lives,'

then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory."

Jeremiah 3:22-4:2

みんな、頑張ろ！

Christianity in Japan

It's a pain in my heart before I can start writing again after reading these books. 

Perhaps there were a lot of truth in there which we as missionaries and evangelists had failed to see, and we are repeating the same cycle again because of our ignorance. 

Or perhaps it's reminding us about how the history was, and we really need ask God why, and pray that He will pour His Spirit on us, so that we can pray and act according to His will!

I encourage you to find these books, and read it, and learn, and pray, and share with us! 

Peace be with you, Amen.

tithing

About tithing, very true! I experienced the same as the couple said. 

And giving out more than 10%, I believe it's the practice of most of the readers here.

As of reverse tithing of 90%, hmm... I never done that....... but then it came to a part of my life, that I felt giving my off-work time, and weekends to Him and the work of Heart4Japan was not enough. I needed to give it more, perhaps all of my time, all that I have.

Guess perhaps that's tithing.

Mushi 無視

In the observation of Hattori Yuichi 服部雄一, some clients reported emotional abuse by their parents, particularly shunning or ignoring the child, which is called "mushi" 無視　in Japan. 

He further described the case of "mushi無視" probably being a mother refused to talk to a child from a few hours to several days or weeks. The mother will not tells the child the reason for her behavior and never responds if the child asks for an explanation. And this emotion neglect had left pain and wounds in these children, thus perhaps as the trauma experience hidden within a hikikomori patient. 

Yuichi defines Hikikomori as a disease, a post-trauma event.

Well, the findings does not support if a Hikikomori is a post-trauma event at all, but the association of "mushi無視" with "emotional trauma" experience.

"mushi無視" is definitely not a pleasant experience. I'm not sure if it only happens in Japan, but I guess Asian females share this commonality in "purposely neglecting one's request in silence".  Perhaps you can tell me more!

Re: Yuichi Hattori. Social Withdrawal in Japanese Youth: A Case Study of Thirty-Five Hikikomori Clients. 2005 Haworth Press.