I feel a slight breeze.  It tickles my senses.  The smells in the wind, the dancing of the trees, the tastes of change.  Will this breeze bring a light winter snow or a great and terrible blizzard?  Both are exciting and enjoyable.  One on a whim; the other with preparation.  Sometimes we feel the breeze but in fear of what it brings we ignore it hoping for the best.  Other times we feel the breeze and we flirt with it forgetting what great things it holds.  And still other times we feel it, know it, and prepare accordingly.  In the times that we fear it, it will either pass over us and we lose the chance to enjoy is beautiful presence or it will overtake us leaving destruction.  In the times that we flirt with it, it will either appear to flirt back with dancing snowflakes and we become more foolish thinking we are it's master only at a late time to show its might, how dare we take it for so small a force.  But in the times that we feel it and know it, we prepare accordingly - ready to play with it in its happy mood or ready to let it roar and show it's awesome strength.

 

 

This week in MinnaMana we covered the story of Cain and Abel.  During my Friday Primary class, I had asked why God was pleased with Abel's lamb sacrifice and not with Cain's sacrifice of vegetables.  Ruka, one of my more "active" kids, stated most seriously "oniku daisuki dakara" ("because God loves meat").  Well, not quite what I was looking for : )

If you've ever ridden the railways in Japan you can imagine travelling in Namba with 17 other people during rush hour.  If you've never ridden the railways in Japan it is something like emptying 10 cans of sardines then stuffing all the sardines back into one can.  This concept wouldn't be so horrible if the doors automatically popped back open when something blocked them, say a person for example.  'Tis the fate of me - last night I was graciously informed (via the subway) that only train doors pop back open not subway doors - they just crush whatever is blocking their way.  no worries though, all my limbs are still intact : )