"2011 sucks"

That is a quote from a friend of mine. This came when I called him with yet another prayer request. My notebook of requests has a longer list then usual. The particular request comes with a story.

My mother works at the same elementary school that my sister and I attended. One of the teachers there is a lovely lady, whose oldest daughter was a classmate of mine. They both came to the visitation when Dad passed. Dad had always kidded with everyone. This lady was a second grade teacher when I was a student there. Dad always told the kids that she was his second grade teacher too, even though she was younger than he was (kids aren't good at guessing ages, and always believed him). He even told my entire class that while accompanying me on a 2nd grade field trip.

Anyway, her husband Danny passed away suddenly from streptocaucal pneumonia, which is strep that turns to pneumonia (and no, I have no idea if that is spelled correctly). In a little country elementary school, she is the third lady to lose her husband since Christmas, all of whom I knew to one degree or another. One, named Ken (aka "Little Ope" to people who went to NHHS), died of cancer, Dad of heart, and Danny of strep. This was followed shortly by one of mom's best friends (who also works at this school) learning her mother had cirosis of the liver even though she has one drink of champagne at a New Years' party each year, and that's the only alchohol. Then the music teacher's mom died suddenly over the weekend. "What is going on here?" my mom asked in frustration.

Add into that my friend, that I was telling this to, whose car started having alternator problems, serpentine belt snapped, and started leaking coolant. His hours were cut back at work, his pregnant wife lost her job, and has been unable to find another. After all, no one is going to hire a very pregnant woman.

These may seem relatively small, but are fairly damaging to the people involved. Japan however, is large relative to... pretty much anything you want to compare it to.

Matthew 24:4-8
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
NIV

As Kyle Idleman pointed out, there is a funny thing about birth pains. As it gets closer to time, they get more frequent and more intense.

Jesus said no one knows the day and the hour when he would return, so don't even try to figure it out. But, we know that the time is getting closer, so be ready. Have you fully committed yourself to Jesus? Have you shared the gospel with those around you who haven't accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord? Who do you want with you in heaven? What have you done to get them there?

Japan

There are many things that I could and should write about. I should probably write an entry a week to catch up (man March is flying by). I'll start with the most urgent.

Friday I awoke to turn on the news, to watch about a 9.0 earthquake that struck Japan. This was the strongest to ever hit the nation made of smaller islands, and tied for the fourth strongest quake ever recorded. Let me give you some perspective on how strong this was.

1. Japan moved 8 feet, up to 13 feet on the island closest to the epicenter.
2. It was felt in China, and recorded affecting things as far as St. Louis, MO, USA.
3. It adjusted the axis of the earth a few feet, according to some experts.
4. It actually sped the rotation of the earth.
5. There have been hundreds of after shocks, with more than 100 registering as a 5.0 or stronger.

This quake also unleashed a 33 foot Tsunami, with tens of thousands dead as of today, with possible hundreds of thousands missing. Millions are homeless. What shelters there are stand well beyond capacity, with no food, water, electricity, clothes, or medicine available to survivors. The wave also struck California, wiping three onlookers out to sea. Two were recovered alive.

However, there is a measure of hope. Japan has less than 1% Christians. It is one of the hardest missions fields to reach. At this time, missionaries on the ground, as well as organizations like International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES) and World Vision and many more are stepping in, providing help to a proud, stubborn, traditional people who need help for the first time maybe ever in their culture.

Governments are only able to help so much, due to red tape, pride, and the general waste that accompanies anything the government sticks their hands in. The government is helping with the nuke reactors that were damaged and seem to be exploding one at a time, but these missions organizations are uniquely primed, uniquely trained, and uniquely skilled at assessing and delivering aide to those who need it most. All the governments in all the world cannot do as much as the Church of Jesus Christ. Besides, no government has the blessing of God as the church, and no government can have the lasting impact of everlasting life that comes only through Jesus Christ. So please, give to one of these organizations.