賛美は大切！

近頃は、「Worship Matters」（訳：賛美（ワーシップ）は大切なんだ）という本を読んでいます。もちろん、併読派の私なので、一冊一冊はスローペースですが。

最近は、賛美チームに入ったりすることはあまりないのですが、そのおかげで自分なかでも賛美のあり方について見つめ直す機会が与えられているように感じます。

やっと半分ほど読むことができたのですが、この本の一つの特徴は、「福音を通して賛美を見る」というところにあると思います。
とにかく、どの章を開いても、この本には聖書箇所が登場します。そして、それがどのように賛美につながるかを説明してくれています。

そして、このことを通して教えられたことの一つは、
「まずは、賛美リードの前に、自分自身が真の賛美者でなくてはいけない」
ということです。

リードをする人が、リードするものの本質を捉えていなければ、誰がついていくことができるでしょう。誰もついていけないことは明確なんだけれども、これは賛美リードにも言えるのかなと最近は考えてます。
もちろん、完全な理解（ギリシャ語では「オイダ」というと、今日学んだのだが）は人にはできないけれど、より良い理解を得ることはできると思う。

そして、聖書は、賛美はキリストが私のためになさったことに対する応答だと説明している。
詩篇の中で、繰り返し、

「主に感謝せよ。

　主はまことにいつくしみ深い。

　主の恵みはとこしえまで。」

と歌われています。主が良い方で、いつくしみ深く、恵みがとこしえまであるから、主に感謝せよと詩篇の著者は言っているんですね。

これは、福音のメッセージにインパクトを受けるほど、賛美が出てくるということにつながると思います。

ホントに、これを読み進めていると、自分がまだまだだと気付かされて、とても良い学びができています。

今回は、ここでとどめておきますが、もっとシェアしたいことがあるので、また続きを書きたいと思います。

読める、読みたい、チャレンジしたいという方は是非とも読んでみてください。本当に、いい本です！！

ではでは。

Rest in Him and His creation

“Lord, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are 

restless till they rest in Thee.” - St. Augustine

Since I started working at new place and new job, my life has been very very busy.

I usually work until night time and it gets hard to get up and go to work next morning sometimes.

Please, don't mistake it.

I love my job and co-workers. I think I'm given a lot of responsibility as a new employee and I enjoy the challenges I have.

But, at the same time, I become physically tired....

I know people who work more than I do and don't seem to be tired yet more energetic than I am.
So I cannot complain it and I am not doing it here.

But the situation like that helped me to see more of God.

I looked up in the sky one day, and was so amazed at the beauty of it.
I felt that I re-discovered my rest in God's beautiful creation.

here are few pictures of what I saw :)

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:

You are clothed with honor and majesty,

Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,

Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,

Who makes the clouds His chariot,

Who walks on the wings of the wind, 

Who makes His angels spirits,
His ministers a flame of fire.

how my life has been like.....

Long long time has passed since my last blog update!!!

Well, life has been so crazy.

1. Ministry Opportunities.

At the end of May, really really ( I know I say this normally but with emphasis this time!!) good friend of mine Tim who is church-planter in Nago City asked me to fill his place while he is filling Pastor Rick's place at CCOkinawa.

I really don't know how he came to have this idea to me which was very odd, yet I accepted the offer with gladness. It was so nice to see how the body is being gathered and made. I shared from the passage of "Prodigal son". I was nervous until I got up to the pulpit. God just took it over and I just talked what was on mu notes and also the Spirit laid on my heart.

Recently we started Youth Worship Meeting based on the desire both Kevin, Youth Pastor and I had to raise and equip this young talented kids with biblical principle of worship. We have only met twice so far, but it has been so great. Kids there, loves worshipping and praising Jesus and wants to know about what and how it is to lead worship.

Honestly, some of them are much better musician than I am (If I were). But I believed God wanted to share the experience I had in and through different worship team and seasons. I decided to share from the book called "Worship Matters" by Bob Kauflin, from which I'd love to share what I have been learning with you. 

We are going to learn both principles of the biblical worship and practicals. I am so stoked to see what God will do through this group!!!

2. 10 Year Anniversary of Calvary Chapel Okinawa

I cannot believe how fast the time had gone this ten years!!

I started going CCOkinawa in 2002 with family and this year, 2012 marks its Ten Year anniversary.

Pastors from this island and the states came to bless this special time of celebrating what God has done in the through this body of Christ in Okinawa.

So blessed to be backa and part of the ministry here. 

More and more God's greatness I shall see!!

3. New Job!!

On July 2nd, the new job was (finally) assigned to me. 

I am now at salse department which I'd describe more like "operation section".

My main job is make statistics on our salse results and report to the related department and the government offices.

I'd never thought I'll be dealing a thing like this that has a lot to do with mathematics. Well, all I face now is numbers!!

But I know God has special reason in placing me here and this new challenge will help me grow.

I am blessed with kind and nice co-workers and "senpai".

Very exciting time!!

4. Short trip to Tokyo.

I was able to go Aki and Logan's wedding.

It was made really in last minute. But it worked out all well. 

The wedding was so beautiful, I was so blessed be part of their special day!!

sorry I had to put this up for Michael.

and I was able to see my friends from LaHabra in Tokyo!!

this is very SHORT highlight of my recent life. 

I'll try to blog more often..

oh and keep myself updated too, Friends out there!!! haha