What Does CAT Do All Day?

CAT Magazine: A picture book of everyday life and activities during my time with Community Arts Tokyo so far (2012 - 2014). What does it look like to support church-planting through the arts in Japan? Here are a few snapshots!

As I raise support I've enjoyed showing this simple book of pictures (including faces of many people I love!) to old and new friends around the US. People keep suggesting I make a digital copy others can view and share, so I'm finally taking their advice and giving it a try. Click the link above and let me know what you think!

Fear and Faith (and also a wasp)

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzzzzzzzz. 

I get in the car, pull onto the highway, and glance back to see a big black wasp in the rear view mirror. After recovering from my mild heart attack I roll down the windows but mr. wasp is angrily stuck by the rear window. I’m currently going through a workbook on stress, so I take a deep breath and pray a prayer of praise that God controls all things, even insects, and sincerely pray that this particular insect pleeeeease not come up here and sting me. I inwardly congratulate myself for my excellent handling of this stressful circumstance. I no longer see a wasp in the rear-view mirror so I happily roll up the windows.

And 3. 2. 1. BZZZZ accompanies the speedily approaching image of an angry black wasp in the mirror, and my fingers slam down the buttons to roll down the windows, the light breeze whisking our little friend out the window (for real this time, I think). I nervously laugh at myself and begin to pray for the friend I’m driving to meet, but I keep hearing a phantom buzz from the wind, imagining creepy wasp legs when my hair tickles my neck, and I feel my stomach tighten.

This is not the first wasp I’ve seen today. Just hours before, I was eating lunch with family when we noticed a wasp in the room. I casually grabbed our plates of food out of the way as my Dad grabbed a spray can and fly-swatter, and we continued our conversation as he disposed of the intruder. I mentioned to him a second wasp was on the other side of the room, and he got rid of that one as well. My pulse didn't rise, my shoulders didn't tighten, I didn't think about them again.

The same circumstance: an encounter with a wasp. But a completely different stress level. When my Dad was in the room I was confident there was someone with me who had control of the situation, so I didn't worry at all about the pesky bug. In the car I was alone, trapped with this DEADLY FOE.

Interesting isn't it, how perspective changes a similar scenario? Small or large, health or finances, what other things stress us out? Perhaps, do we sometimes forget there is One who has complete control? And thank you, Jesus – our Heavenly Daddy is always in the room.