I settled down comfortably on our green gov’t issued couch (which we actually like) with my feet up and my computer on my lap to do some work when I heard a loud mechanical noise. I looked out our second floor glass porch doors in front of me only to see a helmet clad man donning his electrical coveralls being lifted to eye level in a human bucket crane. For the next four hours the view outside our window changed from the new neighborhood windows and grills to thick, yellow-covered wires laced with other smaller black wires. There was no attempt to move them a few feet hire to avoid being in the view of our upstairs neighbors or us. No, in fact they droop eye-level as a reminder of how electricity is crudely brought home to invade our lovely living rooms and lives in a more vivid manner. Hilarious! Plus, we are the only ones who have this new viewing pleasure…there are no other bright yellow lines in our entire block!
This week was filled with a flurry of activity inside and out of our new apartment. What took the movers in Kentucky two full days with breaks to do, took our Japanese friends three hours. Yes, THREE hours and all of our belongings were brought in, unpacked and placed in the correct rooms, and the boxes and wrapping paper taken away. A tornado of activity! Then we worked non-stop to conceal all of the stuff in closets and under beds. Curtains and storage was bought to hide the random things we forgot we had or could do without. We have since found some interesting things about our new place that we missed while viewing it…like no outlets or cabinets in the master bath and that both our tubs have built in canals that allow the water from the shower to flow onto the bathroom floor, messy. So, no mats can be placed on the floors and the humidity takes a day to dry. No joke! Our towels stay wet for the whole day! =0) It’s a work in progress.
We have enjoyed walking along the seawall, getting coffee, and running with the sound of waves in our ears and taste of salt on our tongues. And if we ever get thirsty, there is one vending machine for every seven people here on Okinawa. Ubiquitous for sure!
Barrett has been driving to work in his new car and loving it. He got to jump out of a helicopter into water to learn how to survive in that kind of situation. We have had dinners with other Chaplains and met the only female chaplain that is an admiral as well. Barrett has also been busy getting his gear ready for leaving at the end of this week and I have had the pleasure of cooking dinner for the first time in months! It was actually quite enjoyable to eat in our new home!
Right now I am sitting in a food court on base watching the Steelers beat the Jets. My smile gets bigger with every sack and mishap the Jets get…yup, Im still spiteful and wearing as much Redsox gear as I can to sport a New England theme. We have no internet or TV so I continue to try and find random places to watch the games. I must say, I miss the joy of watching the game with friends and family, but knowing they are watching it as I do warms my heart.
Wrapping up…please pray for me as I seem to be getting hormone surges that lend me towards tiredness, nausea and depression. My view of life has been inhibited by these new thick yellow wires impeding my eyes. So during the time when Barrett and I should be making the most of the time we have together before he leaves, I just want to sleep and escape reality. Please continue to pray for Barrett as he prepares to leave and minister to these young marines in a new environment.
The Lord is our hope and our encouragement. He is the lifter of our heads. We deserve depression and death but because of what Jesus did on the cross we have life…eternal life because our sins have been forgiven. Oh blessed truth. Return thankful heart.