Update

Just Another Day - Japan Disaster Relief from Shane Burgett on Vimeo.

Just wanted to share that video update from the team in Japan. See more at their vimeo page

More to come, but for now...my heart is full, my body is tired, and sleep beckons. Pray for Japan!

Random Reflection

Normal. Simple. Mundane. We (or at least I) tend to think of those words as negative. Boring. Pointless. But I've been thinking lately about the all-the-time, every-day things, the wonderful things that are (or should be) normal.

Simple reminders to take joy in the small things. Like realizing while practicing that I am childishly thrilled by the reflections in the piano. Or more importantly, the reflection of God in me. Praying without ceasing, having a posture of repentance, living in grace, walking with God. When lived out like they should be, all these wonderful things become...normal. So normal and everyday, and like a child, these "normal" things never stop thrilling us with joy. Isn't that beautiful?

...let your light shine. Not necessarily fireworks or laser light displays or blazing majesty. Just...shine.

Today in Tokyo

This week a short-term team of Christian musicians from Julliard are with my team in Tokyo. Below is an excerpt from their blog (Revive Our Hearts). I share this with you because it's awesome, it's the kind of conversation I could potentially have quite often, and because I would love to work with short-term teams like this one during my years in Tokyo.

"One uniquely encouraging conversation I had was with a flutist named Ayi. Through a translator Ayi wanted to know what I think about when I play. I told her that I always try to express as accurately as I can what I believe the composer tried to say through the music, but also that I play to glorify God who gave me the ability to play. She was amazed by the fact that all of us can play skillfully and passionately and yet we all believe that we received this power from God. She then wanted to know what role Christianity plays in my life. One thing led to another, and I was able to share with her the Gospel truth that in Christ God doesn’t look at us as servants, but as children. In most likelihood that was the first time that Ayi heard the Gospel."

Praise God for this team, their willingness to serve, and the gifts God has given them.
Join me in praying that God would bless them with health, personal growth in Him, and incredible opportunities to keep shining the light of His love and grace to those they meet.

Where in the World is Ellie?

I'm actually back in Danville! ...for now.

Tomorrow I leave for Living in Grace, a conference/discipleship training/retreat/thing for itinerant missionaries like myself. It has the potential to be an incredible time of growth, quiet time of rest with God, hopefully meeting some new friends...all kinds of good stuff. Plus it's not too far from Asheville, NC, (one of the best cities ever) so it has to be good, right?

For now...this was last week:
Those are a few pictures of my sister Denise and her girls, who I got to spend 9 days with on my way home...aren't they awesome? It was a really good week of playing with the girls, reading lots of books, (changing lots of diapers), late-night talks about life, and of course, making lots of cookies :)

Active Waiting

A friend of mine described waiting as active, and I feel that combination describes me quite well.

I am waiting. So incredibly ready to be in Japan. Every time I hear another story from Japan (no matter how amazing or heart-breaking), share my stories from Japan, or tell about my calling, my heart burns and leaps with desire. My spirit is all at once joyful, eager, and restless. It's a weird feeling, but a good one. And as the Spirit oozes a comforting chill of comfort, patience, and assurance, I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be now, and the burn is just a healthy assurance that soon, I will go. Trusting and submitting to the peace of God. I am waiting.

But thankfully, that trusting and peaceful waiting does not mean sitting around. It means praying without ceasing for Japan and for my support-raising journey, and it means acting. Telling everybody I can about Japan, and what God is doing there. It means swallowing the lump in my throat and asking others to give money so I can go. Emails, phone calls, big group talks, letters, meetings, one-on-one conversations. It means studying Japanese, and practicing music. And sometimes hardest of all, it means living where I am right now; actively loving who I am with right now; not getting so caught up in the tomorrow that I ignore today. I am active.

We must "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD" (Psalm 27:14) but also, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work" (1 Chronicles 28:20). It all seems like a weird paradox, but somehow...it works. When I actually do it, it works extremely well.

もういちど /mou ichido/ say what?!

Ok, so really もういちど means "one more time", or "pardon", but all of that to say, I am officially learning Japanese! That's right, all my undergrad classes are over, so starting yesterday I'm studying Japanese 1 hour a day, 6 days a week. We'll see how this goes... If nothing else, I can drive myself completely insane by watching videos like these:

That song is kinda catchy... ;)

Oh, and no, don't worry, I'm not really basing my study on painful youtube videos. I'm learning the real way: by watching lots of anime. (I'm kidding! I'm kidding!)

But seriously, learning Japanese is important to me, and I hear it's pretty tough, so all prayers for perseverance (and people to practice with over the coming months) would be much appreciated!

Where to begin? Let's hope.

So much has happened since I wrote my last post - a trip to Paris, earthquake/tsunami/nuclear craziness in Japan, trying to stay caught up on what is going on over there, trying to get into active support raising, trying to start getting specific plans for summer travels, and guess what? I have only 10 days of normal class days left before I graduate. I'm excited about graduating, excited about going to Japan, excited about how God is working in spite of and even through this catastrophe, and that I get to share with people here what He's doing there...but that's a whole lot happening at once, and it all involves a whole lot of bitter-sweet emotions.

Sometimes, it feels like it is just too much. So I'm going to put off telling you details about all the exciting things in that paragraph up there, and just say this:

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful"
(Hebrews 10:23)

I know He is faithful, but sometimes I just need to sit and remember it. Believe it. And hopefully (as the next verse says to), encourage you with it. And as we hold unswervingly to that hope, as sappy as it may sound, life is not too much. Through God's strength, one minute/task/relationship at a time...

And speaking of hope, did you know it is officially cherry blossom season in Japan? Here are two quotes (from BBC): "The cherry blossom symbolizes rebirth and renewal...As Japan works to rebuild and recover amid a continuing nuclear crisis, the blossoming cherry trees provide a glimmer of hope." Praise God for this beauty and comfort, and join me in praying for the even greater Hope to spread rapidly through the people of Japan during this season.