Thanksgiving 2011

Hello Baby,

Wondering what you are doing now. Singing a song, dancing around, watching over us? Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

Everyone is growing up well, not because life is easy or grand.
In fact, in a lot of ways, life has been hard, painful.

But not everyday is like that. Jesus rules over all of our days.
The sun still shines.

There was a great cause for prayer recently. You may have heard prayers coming in your direction, toward Jesus. I wonder sometimes if you hear them.

I hope you do.

You would hear your son still lamenting about his Mom. Still pained.
And growing up.
I'm sure that you are proud.
God has His mighty hand on Dev, allright.

I'm thankful for that. Very.

At 56, I am still growing and learning.
Mom said that after 57 years of marriage that her and Dad are still growing.
There Is hope for me.

BSF is great. Acts this year. It's like I'm reading it for the first time!
So Alive!

Jackie and I are close, learning and growing.
I know that you are happy and at peace.
That makes me both sad and happy at the same time.
but you understand. Always have. Always will.
That's what makes you, you.

Bye for now,

Jono

Four Years Plus

Dear Gail,

4 years have gone by now...That's a long time!!! I have realized lately that God gave you back to Devon and I by bringing us up here to Half Moon Bay. We had wonderful years together. Amazing!!!! We enjoyed life together up here for 9 years. Devon told me earlier this year that he could not have had more time with you than he did!!! What kid can say that??

I'm glad that we kept our life simple and pretty uncluttered. Although I am still full of clutter, our focus was not. I'm glad for that.

I know that you are watching down from heaven and enjoying being with Jesus, Grandpa, Uncle Paul Kumagai, Aunty Tye and all your other friends. I know that life is good for you there....You're still getting mad at Grandpa for trying to cheat at scrabble.

Devon is working his butt off. He took it upon himself to type up his new availability for his Manager and he was rewarded with 30 hours plus instead of 20. He is dependable. He is. I'm sure that you're very proud.

I've been learning just to keep trusting no matter what. God is shaping my character. Sometimes it seems so brutal, but as I learned in Isaiah this past summer, God is Sovereign!

This past year I was at Tioga Lake with the guys as usual and I could not sleep as I was among a host of zombie snorers including myself. Anyways I was up at 3:00. I thought just three more hours til fishing....What I am I going to do for the next three? I thought that I would pray for awhile, so I walked outside the tent and stood for about an hour next to the picnic table looking up at the sky and praying. I was a pretty night with the sky full of patchy clouds. For some reason, I stared at one small spot of blackness amongst the clouds, like for a long time, and there appeared a star!!!

I immediately turned around to see if there were any other stars peeking through the dark spots between the clouds, and....there weren't. What I saw was your face that that star looking down at me. It blew me away.

It was like you were saying that even though I can't see you, your love is always there. This pointed me to Jesus, very much the same way. That light that pierces the darkness.

I relayed this story to grandma and she says that when she is washing dishes, and she looks out into the stars from her kitchen window, she sees you in the stars.

Devon is going down on July 13-20 to visit family. Aunty Joy is taking the cousins to Knotts. It should be fun.

Westminister Cemetary finally did you right with the marker. It was nice to visit with Dad and Grandma on 6/6/11. I hope that you liked the flowers....

Love,

jono