Hidden Myths and Unknown Expectations

Until I reached this age in my life I never realized the hidden myths and unknown expectations that were buried beneath my conscious level of thinking. I guess growing up in America when I did caused this “myth” to be implanted in my subconscious. The Myth was “when your children turn 18 or 21 (or complete school) the parent is free of responsibility.” I don’t know where I got that. I guess I heard over and over that when you finish high school or college you are old enough to be on your own and you should get a job and support yourself financially. I imagined that the mother and father were then free to concentrate on their latter years with utter disregard for their progeny who were now successfully weaned and independent. If you still think my “myth” is true, wait a few years.

Only very recently have I realized I had an expectation that had never surfaced. I really felt, or anticipated, that at this point in my life (age 57 and married for 36 years) I would be financially secure and set for my senior years. At an even deeper level I think I felt that I would also be independent in that I no longer had to trust God for my “daily bread.” “Give us our daily bread,” was for young people just starting out—not for educated people with good jobs and successful careers. That sounds terrible when you write it down. Theologically I would have agreed you will always have to acknowledge God in all things and not lean on your own understanding and prowess. But that wasn’t the reality at the core of my subconscious.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The Greek word for truth, alethia, can be translated, “that which is real.” Only when we see what is truly real can we be set free. More than at any time in my life I have to pray and exercise faith when I pray “give us this day our daily bread.” I, my wife, and our family are more dependent on the goodness of God now than at any point in our lives. With my mind I know this is a good place to be but my will and emotions still get really shaky some days! All too often I feel like the man with the demon possessed mute son when Jesus told him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

I do believe and have enough experience to back up my belief. So, I shouldn't need to ask God to "help my unbelief" so often--but I do! I also need to ask the Holy Spirit to search me and reveal any more "hidden myths" and "unknown expectations."

Cars & Kiwis: Victory in the End

The afternoon of the big earthquake in Shizuoka Sarah and Ako were on their way to Children's Hospital to visit one of our babies there when a van ran coming out of a side street ran the stop sign and plowed into their car. I rushed to the scene and took Sarah to the emergency room. She had been knocked out for a few seconds and does not remember what happened. She was fine and still is. However, our car was severely damaged.

After weeks almost 2 months of hassling our 2 insurance companies have still not reached a settlement. We are hoping they will pay 80% of the repair cost. Without our go-ahead to repair the old car, it got repaired. Without knowing this, we signed all the papers with our old friend to purchase a very nice 8 year old Nissan Station wagon. So, we have bills now on two cars. If the insurance company pays the 80% we still need about $6,500 to pay off all the cars. [We've been trying to sell our repaired car but so far NO one is interested.] BUT, based on years of trusting the Lord in many unexpected situations we have learned to expect this to be a blessing (in the end) and not a disaster. Like Joseph told his brothers in Egypt, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result..." (Gen.50:20)

When we first moved into our church’s present location we had a kiwi orchard behind the church. One day the owner complained that some of the church boys had "destroyed his crop" and demanded that we "buy his entire harvest of kiwis." This was totally absurd but he insisted. We learned that some of the boys had shot holes in the leaves of 1 tree with rubber bands. The farmer pitched such a fit that we purchased his entire harvest just to keep up good relationships in the neighborhood (this is the Japanese way--or maybe the Asian way--whoever screams the loudest, the longest, gets his way).

One of our members who grew up in the neighborhood told his father what happened. His father remarked, "I'm not surprised. His father was a crook before him."

However, since we serve a Great God who causes all things to work together for our good we actually came out ahead on the kiwi debacle. We sold enough of the kiwis to recoup all our money and still gave away many baskets to anyone who had helped us or the church, not to mention eating kiwis at church every Sunday for weeks. They were some of the best kiwis I have ever eaten. Actually, in the end we made a profit!

I am expecting the same with this car deal. God is good and has always been faithful. Thank you for participating in His workings.

Psalms 112:7-8 says, "He [the righteous man] will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. ⁸ His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."