Christmas!

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! I've been busy playing and relaxing with family, so I thought I'd share a few pictures from the past few weeks of celebration with the whole Honea clan (parents, 8 siblings (well, 3 are siblings-in-law), and 3 nieces!)


Within 3 weeks we have the big celebration (Christmas), New Years of course, and also an anniversary and 5 birthdays...it's pretty much a constant party :)

Which means, of course, lots of baking and eating!

My youngest niece loved the piano (as do her 3 year old sisters, who now won't play until I put music on the stand- very amusing). But for a 1 year old playing piano, much like eating food, is apparently most enjoyable as a full body experience. (And all this time I've only been using my fingers!)

I also enjoyed lots of time with my "family" at 1st Pres, Danville. I had the privilege of leading music one Sunday (along with bells and vocal choirs!), and accompanied the family/kids Christmas Eve service (on piano and clarinet). I'm praising God for all of this sweet time with my big and "small" family, and His gift of music that we can share together. Merry Christmas!

Light!

When I spent 2 weeks in Japan (summer of 2010), one of the churches we got to spend some time with gave us cards with different verses on them, and I happened to get this one:
It's Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world..." (All I can actually read is the first word, "anata"=you. I can sound out the rest but had no clue what it meant. Thank you kanji numbers chart for helping me figure out the reference!)

My name, "Eleanor", comes from the Greek, meaning "shining light" (Fellow dorks, think Elanor, Samwise Gamgee's daughter, named after the sun-star flower of the elves)

I've heard other Christians in Japan use the phrase, "Shining the light of the Risen Son in the Land of the Rising Sun"- cool, huh?

Especially around Christmas, I can't help but think of Light. The lights on the porch, on houses; candles in windows, and around the Advent wreath. Because the whole point of Christmas is "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned...for unto us a child is born"~Isaiah 9. And Is. 49, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob... I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Phew! Super thankful for that one!)

Light.

The first thing God created. God is our light. His Word is a light to our path. In His light, we see light. We walk in the light as He is in the light. We are the light of the world.

So much good stuff in the concept and reality of "light". I'm going to stop trying to articulate, and simply...bask.

Oops... (and giving thanks!)

I must be the worst blogger ever. I kept waiting to have pictures before posting another blog, but have I taken any pictures in the past month? Nope. Fail. I love people, and I love reading and seeing how they're doing. For example,

- my friends Roger and Abi, who are already in Japan and just posted an awesome video about the role music is playing in the relief effort in Japan (a ministry I'm super excited about!) here.

- my sister who recently started a blog faithfully posts pictures and updates of the adventures of my adorable nieces (If any home-school/un-schoolers are interested, check it out!)

- my friends Trey and Kiki, a fabulous couple who just got to Thailand: yay! (pictures from their first Thanksgiving there)

But do I remember to take pictures? Nope. Oops.

But I do have a (belated) list, in honor of Thanksgiving, of a few things I am thankful for. Like...
...hot tea on cold mornings, the sound of rain and sleet pattering on windows, family and friends from VA to MS and all over the globe who shine God's light and love in a way that is absolutely contagious, getting to share with others about God's work in Japan, dark chocolate, gaudy Christmas decorations, worshiping God through His incredible bit of creation called "music", encouragement from new friends who lift me up in prayer, "coffee" dates with old friends I haven't seen in months, the beautiful wedding of my best friend to an absolutely great guy...
Give thanks to the Lord, for He. is. good.

Boundaries

"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know

What I was walling in or walling out
...Good fences make good neighbours."
~from Frost's "Mending Wall"

I'm pretty sure that poem is actually talking about the ridiculousness of doing things for tradition's sake (like mending fences every spring when both neighbors are only growing trees- not keeping cows or something in danger of escaping). Ooh, and I discovered this fun Japanese-style art: (This blog has bunches of this "etegami" artwork- cool stuff!)

So yes, some boundaries are pointless, but I'm quite sure good boundaries do indeed make good neighbors. In fact I've been reading a book on just that (be proud, MTW! I'm finally reading it), Boundaries(when to say yes/no, and how that affects ourselves and everyone else around us). Even if you don't (or don't think) you have any problems here, I'd recommend it. So far it's a good (and Biblical) read.

In other news: by next week I should know for sure when I will get to complete my training (depending on financial support as well as other factors out of my control). Please pray especially this week for continued trust, guidance, and peace. Thanks!

November News...lots to pray for and lots to do!

Newsletter, November 2011

Santy Claus?

Believe it or not, this past week I met Santa. Well, I only briefly met Santa, but I had a lovely conversation with Mrs. Claus. Even as a kid I was never much into "Santa", but this sweet retired couple are just precious. While the original Saint Nicholas gave gifts anonymously through the cover of dark, this couple gives "secretly" through the guise of Santa Claus: distributing gifts including hugs, Bibles, crosses, a CD of Mrs. Claus playing piano, teddy-bears for kids with injuries/special needs ("you're the little bear, and God is the big bear, always with you")... however they can, they do little things wherever they are to share the love, but especially hospital/hospice visits. Anyway, Mrs. Claus was a pianist and elementary music teacher, so she was thrilled and felt a special connection: God speaking through us to bless others through music. So if you're in the area, keep an eye out for the Clauses this year! They've got some pretty great stories.And while their specific ministry is not one I can ever imagine myself doing...it's always fun to get to know some new people, and be reminded to never become too busy, distracted, or "just-not-in-the-mood" to reach out and love whoever happens to be around me today.

Anybody want to come visit? :)

I just heard about this the other day, and will definitely let you know when the official application website is announced. That's right, in an effort to boost tourism Japan is giving away 10,000 free round-trip plane tickets to Japan! Pretty awesome, right? So you should all come visit me. You know you want to ;) You could watch a sumo match, climb Mt.Fuji, take a peaceful stroll through some gorgeous gardens...I believe the only catch is they're specifically looking for people who will spread the word about how awesome Japan is: influential bloggers and such. But if you're interested it's definitely worth a shot, so I'll keep you posted whenever the application is released.

















The next big step for me to get to Japan is to complete my training (an excellent month of classroom and first-hand learning about crossing cultures), and the deadline to register is just 3 weeks and 3 days away! We're supposed to have 50% of monthly support pledged before registering, and I'm currently at 28%. Please pray with me this week for God to supply in His perfect way and time, and to guide my mind as I plan, my mouth as I speak, and my hands as I work during this coming week of support-raising. Thank you!