Currently I am sitting in our living/dining room on a green government loaner couch. Strangely enough, I started another post just like this 14 years ago in Okinawa! Times change, yet they stay the same. The dehumidifier and AC units are on full blast trying to overcome the blanketing heat that sweats off shower my when I open our front door. The same happened when I lived in Thailand, Okinawa, and Puerto Rico. It’s odd that this has been such a common experience in my adult life, yet I always forget about it when I’m in a land of four seasons. So, we set our thermostat on 21 degrees Celsius to overcome the 34 degrees outside. Oh yes, we are back to the metric system here where driving 60 km/hr will soon feel fast!
Things happened quickly this week. We got our apartment and loaner furniture on Monday, then our Express shipment on Tuesday. So, we unpacked brown boxes for hours with only one interruption to take Happy to the vet so he can be off quarantine (the metric system might have messed me up here as well as Waze gives directions in meters which is WAY longer than the expected feet when looking for an exit. I may have gotten off at wrong exits and made illegal U-turns in the land where rules are actually followed). After successfully getting Happy out of quarantine we headed back to unpack more boxes.
Food also had to be bought and stored in order to finally eat in rather than head out to another restaurant. We do love eating out but after three weeks of it every night my body craved a salad and less sodium laced morsels. Eggs are not refrigerated here and have a bold orange yoke and menus are planned at the store as I never know what will be not in stock. Cream, fruit, and butter were not available this week so I grabbed a couple salad kits and chicken for dinner. Shopping off base requires google translate or simply “I think this is what I want” for a poke and hope. I bought all the things to make a stir fry and then realized that I didn’t have any of my spices except salt and pepper. Rookie mistake. Again, some things change, others stay the same.
We bought our car this week too! Tamie drove us to his lot and showed us a 2012 white Nissan minivan. We sat in it for a minute, asked the price and bought it on the spot. This was the easiest car purchase ever! He did all the off base paperwork, cleaned it and dropped it off to us wishing us good luck! Since the steering wheel is on the left, wipers and turn signals are reversed. But the pedals are the same. I find myself using the wipers to signal a turn and grasping for the gear shaft on the right when it’s on the left. Following the car in front of us is also key when turning as left turns here are your right turns, we turn close. Making a wide left turn will put us into oncoming traffic. The minivan also has a TV on the dashboard. We can watch sumo wrestling while driving. I meannnn…we will get fined and put in prison for using our phone while driving, but watching TV? Totally Ok! The van also has no iPhone chargers/connectors, so we had to purchase an adapter that plugs into…wait for it…the cigarette lighter! Did you even know they made cars with those anymore? Some things change, others stay the same
We now live in a nine-story tower packed with families. I’ve never lived like this before! As we were bringing our things into our hall we met three other families. One bought us donuts for a welcoming present all the way from Costco in Fukuoka two hours away! We were floored! Many families meet at the playground at the bottom of our tower in the evening so the kids can play and adults can talk. One mom even made two pies and brought them down to share one night. They are all quick to tell us the best places to eat, visit, and shop as well as fun facts about the area. Community is a must when living overseas and these people have figured out how to build it quickly…food and fellowship! Sounds biblical, (and Baptist =0)) doesn’t it? Ha! Some things change, some stay the same.
This week has catapulted us almost to our new normal. Our furniture has still not landed in country so this green government couch will have to suffice. As we wait for our pizza to come to end this week with our traditional pizza and movie night, the twins just left to find friends to play while waiting and Annabelle is now walking her new friend home to find out where she lives for future fun. The Lord has truly been kind in answering so many prayers with “yes’s”. Many of you have prayed with us for on base housing, friends for all the kids, community for us, a car, and Happy. I was convicted when reading Philippians 4 this week:
“for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Phil 4: 11-13
I pray that my contentment will be in Christ who strengthens me, not in only and simply His “yes’s”. As some things change, He never will. He will always be the same: my rock, fortress, protector, Savior, provider, lifter of my head, comforter, and friend. The one who can sometimes take community and then give it back. Blessed be the name of the Lord who stays the same as other things change.
Reading your post seems to be your settling in well. You should check out happy bracelets you tap it with your phone and it gives you a bible verse each day.
OK!
I loved your update!!! Praising the Lord for his answered prayers to big and small things. Love you guys!
Love you too!