11:30 am on Saturday March 27, 2010
I am sitting in a Starbucks in Tokyo, Japan with a grande hot cocoa, my journal, and Tyla’s pen. I dropped off my backpack and suitcase at the Asakusa Central Hotel, where I’ll be staying until Wednesday, but I can’t check in until 3:00 this afternoon. I am freezing cold and very tired, so I don’t even mind that I just paid over $5 for cocoa. I have spent all morning shuffling around subways and train stations and watching coworkers head on their ways to their new homes. I am “homeless” right now but I have peace in my heart and God on my side. All will surely be well.
I don’t understand why I’m SO cold. This city cannot be much colder than Utah, but the air is humid and it seems to penetrate every layer of skin and bone on my body. I feel very blessed to have found a Starbucks right across the street from my hotel though. Plus, Tauna used to work at Starbucks. I think I will smile every time I see one of these coffee shops for the rest of my life as they remind me of that vivacious and wonderful girl. Also, Tauna’s boyfriend is from Jamaica and she said that he always sings “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley to her...Tyla and I probably played that song a dozen times this week at the hotel and last night before I received my blessing I bought it off iTunes and played it over and over to comfort me that “every little thing is gonna be all right.” Bob Marley just played over the sound system here in Starbucks...This life is full of small and precious miracles.
I have truly experienced every single emotion possible in the past week and I even reached a point of fear and anxiety and culture shock that I seriously considered packing my bags to come home. What’s interesting is that this whole week I’ve had a plan...I’ve “known” where I was going and when and what would be happening to me. Now, I have no idea how things are going to come together and although I’ve been told I will be teaching in a city called Sendai, I know nothing about it, I don’t have an apartment set up, and I don’t have any details about what is going to happen or when. Still, this is the most peaceful I have felt since I made the decision to leave America.
I am sitting in a Starbucks in Tokyo, Japan with a grande hot cocoa, my journal, and Tyla’s pen. I dropped off my backpack and suitcase at the Asakusa Central Hotel, where I’ll be staying until Wednesday, but I can’t check in until 3:00 this afternoon. I am freezing cold and very tired, so I don’t even mind that I just paid over $5 for cocoa. I have spent all morning shuffling around subways and train stations and watching coworkers head on their ways to their new homes. I am “homeless” right now but I have peace in my heart and God on my side. All will surely be well.
I don’t understand why I’m SO cold. This city cannot be much colder than Utah, but the air is humid and it seems to penetrate every layer of skin and bone on my body. I feel very blessed to have found a Starbucks right across the street from my hotel though. Plus, Tauna used to work at Starbucks. I think I will smile every time I see one of these coffee shops for the rest of my life as they remind me of that vivacious and wonderful girl. Also, Tauna’s boyfriend is from Jamaica and she said that he always sings “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley to her...Tyla and I probably played that song a dozen times this week at the hotel and last night before I received my blessing I bought it off iTunes and played it over and over to comfort me that “every little thing is gonna be all right.” Bob Marley just played over the sound system here in Starbucks...This life is full of small and precious miracles.
I have truly experienced every single emotion possible in the past week and I even reached a point of fear and anxiety and culture shock that I seriously considered packing my bags to come home. What’s interesting is that this whole week I’ve had a plan...I’ve “known” where I was going and when and what would be happening to me. Now, I have no idea how things are going to come together and although I’ve been told I will be teaching in a city called Sendai, I know nothing about it, I don’t have an apartment set up, and I don’t have any details about what is going to happen or when. Still, this is the most peaceful I have felt since I made the decision to leave America.
The bottom line is that the restored gospel is true and that God loves me regardless of where I am in the world...with this knowledge I really have nothing to fear. I really started getting scared when I realized how much control I DON'T have over anything around me and how much I am going to have to rely on everyone else...especially my sweet and loving Heavenly Father...it's a good thing He's there for me, huh? At first I was frustrated and fearful to have my “plans” fall apart (Oh, Kari of little faith) but I am already realizing that this life isn’t going by my plan anyway—and thank goodness for that. I am very lucky that the one writing the plan for my life is the one that has seen the end of the story. I don’t know what’s going to happen or why, but I know that I don’t need to know those things as long as I trust in and follow the one that DOES know.
Although I have much to learn and much more room to grow, I do know this: I am in the Lord’s hands and geography has nothing to do with it. I am a child of God and He loves me no matter where. I have no reason to feel anything but love and gratitude in my heart and I know that the details will work themselves out. I feel the love of my friends and family from back home and even though I know there will be countless long days and hard, lonely nights ahead, I am going to try really hard to remember that I am never actually alone.
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