Baptism

This morning, I went to Tokyo Union Church (TUC) for worship. The sermon was about about Moses being called to lead God's people out of Egypt.  Moses was an ordinary man with no super wonderful resume that would make anyone believe he was an extraordinary leader, yet God chose him to lead his people.  Pastor Chris also talked about how Jesus told his disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Jesus.  He said we may not have the super wonderful resume to be Jesus' disciples, but God still uses us.   

Entrance to Tokyo Union Church

I did not know it when I went to TUC, but they had four baptisms this morning, three adults and a baby.  It has been a long time since I attended a baptism and this is the first here in Japan.  It was a touching part of the service, because each of those adults who were baptized shared their testimony of how they came to that place where they accepted Jesus as their Saviour.  I am amazed at how in each of the stories these people shared, God used regular people to share the Good News with them, through actions and words. 

Baptismal font

Table with the water for the font, towels and candles for those who were baptized, and oil for the anointing.

Sometimes I can become overwhelmed at the tasks God has called me to do.  During our divisional devotions this past week, a thought occurred to me that, with the number of staff in that room, the number of people who pray for them specifically, as well as the number of people who pray for CAJ, is such a large number, and at that moment I realized that so many prayers are raised on our behalf.  I am blessed to be a part of CAJ at this time in its 65 year history.  I truly pray that I may be a person who shares the light of Christ.  

Last days in Canada

Within 24 hours I will be on a plane heading back to Narita, in Japan.  It will have been almost 7 weeks that I was in North America.  These 7 weeks were busy with a lot fun things packed into these weeks.  I was able to visit a large number of family and friends all across the North American continent.  I have been blessed. 
So, on my last week here, I spent one day at Point Roberts.  Point Roberts is actually at the end of a peninsula that is US land, but you can only go there through Canada, unless you go by boat.  It's not very large, but has some nice beach front property and some public beaches.  Joyce and I were able to spend the day visiting a couple of the parks in Point Roberts.  First stop was Monument Park, which is right along the Canada/USA border.  You can literally cross back and forth, although they do have cameras watching and you'll probably get picked up pretty quick if you cross. 

A little history.

Here's the actual monument with its location.

Full picture of the monument.

The park area.

There is a path that heads down to the beach.  That house on the right is in Canada.

There are a couple of switchbacks on the way down.

The beach!  Notice, it is a rocky beach.

Next stop was Lighthouse Marine Park.

Mountains in the distance is Vancouver Island.

Looking out into Georgia Strait

The next day, I went with another friend, Yolanda, to White Rock. White Rock is actually on the other side of the bay of where Point Roberts is, but it is on the Canadian side.  They have a pier that goes out into the bay.  Many people walk that pier and at the end some of the younger folk jump into the water from the pier.  Others try to catch crab.  There are some great restaurants there.  I enjoy eating at Charley Don't Surf.  They have good fish and chips! 

White Rock Pier

Sun is starting to set...

 Friday evening I went to a BC Lions vs. Hamilton Tiger Cats Canadian Football game!  It's been a very long time since I've been to BC Place.  It was pretty cool! They have a retractable roof now! 

BC won the game!

Saturday, I went with my brother and two if his grandchildren to the Abbotsford International Airshow.  It has also been quite a few years since I have been to the airshow in Abbotsford.  It has changed a lot, but it was fun to go.  I did find that many of the jets were no longer there.  Much of the program were the smaller war planes or aerobatic type planes.  The pictures do not do justice to the planes, but it was fun none-the-less.

Abbotsford Inernational Airport.

Can you see the smoke? This was a glider.

There it goes! CF 18 Hornet

 Canadian Snowbirds!

Gotta love those Snowbirds!

Sunday, I was privileged to be able to share about the ministry at Christian Academy in Japan at Gateway CRC.  I am blessed to have so many supporters!
Thank you to all the people who let me stay at their house, took me out for a meal, fed me a meal at their house, took me out for coffee, came with me to do fun things, but also thank you to those of you who prayed for safe travels and for the ministry at CAJ. 
Now on to the next school year! 

A British Columbia Langelaar Historical Tour

This is the part of my parent's British Columbia history.  
So since I went from place to place where my parents lived when they immigrated to Alberta, I thought I'd take some time this afternoon to tour from one house to another that my parents lived in while living here in Abbotsford, British Columbia.  It was an interesting time driving around, thinking of various events that happened.  The first house was on Bell Road.  It was a small farm and dad milked cows, not very many.  The house looks like it was renovated and the property doesn't quite look the same from years ago.  This was my first house.  

After a year or so, we moved to the 100 acre James Farm on Townshipline Road.  I have many good memories here.  I spent much of my time with the animals we had on this farm.  When we moved there, dad and mom first rented the farm and eventually ended up purchasing it.  The farm has been changed, with additional buildings, a new house built and our farm house no longer exists.

The red roofed barn looks like the original barn where we milked the cows.  It is not a dairy farm anymore.  Our house would have been further back towards those trees in the back.

This is the long driveway with poplars lining the road.  When we didn't have the big "Maple Leaf Farms Inc." sign.

This was "up the hill" where we cleared a lot of land there.  Sometimes I would go "up the hill" and spend the whole day there playing around and discovering all sorts of things. 

This was the land by Townshipline Road.  It wasn't nearly as manicured when we lived on the farm.

Mr. Baker is visible from Townshipline Road, entrance to the driveway. 

In August 1972, dad had sold the farm and we moved to an acreage on Gladwin Road.  At that point dad worked on a pig far and later worked at selling dairy farm supplies.  He also raised some heifers to sell.  It looks totally different now.  The acreage was bought and subdivided into smaller lots and houses built on these lots. 

The yard is not the same at all. 

This is a house where our garden and lawn used to be between our house and our neighbor's house.

Picture of the back of the house.  This area where I was standing used to be field when we lived here. 

 After living in the Gladwin Road house, my parents moved to Rainbow Ave.  I was in college by this time, so I wasn't there when mom and dad made the move.  I went to Dordt one semester in either my 2nd or 3rd year and when I came back, mom and dad had moved to this house. 

We didn't have the red door, that happened after we moved out.

Mom and dad came to a point where they were unable to manage the yard work and decided that they wanted to move to an apartment.  It had two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The place was called Mayfair Place.

They lived on the third floor, top floor.

Lots of balcony space.

This apartment was the last place mom and dad lived before they died.  I still remember one picture of mom and dad standing on this balcony waving as I left.  They both lived a full life with many good places.  God was central to their lives.  Certainly their life was not always easy, but I know they both looked forward to their heavenly home. 
This summer has been enjoyable being able to retrace the places where dad and mom lived when they moved to Canada.  It is interesting to "walk" in their steps as they moved from place to place.  God was faithful and walked with them every step of their way. 

Sunday laziness and Monday hiking

I arrived in Langley, British Columbia late Saturday evening.  It was warm here with nice, sunny weather the next couple of days.  Sunday I was able to see some nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces and well my brother and sister-in-law.  There was a lot of sitting around on Sunday, at least for the adults, well except for some of the parents of the young'uns.

Lots of pool fun!

Sitting and chatting

Monday was a day of exercise.  In the late morning, Anne and I went to Derby Reach Regional Park to walk the Houston Trail not far from their house.  It's a 3.3 km walk with some beautiful views, mostly shade. 

See my reflection in the sign?

It was wooded the whole 3.3 km.

Looking up through the trees.

Marshy deadwood area.

 In the evening I met up with Cindy in Abbotsford.  We went out to White Spot and afterwards we decided to walk around Mill Lake which is another 2.3 km walk.  It was a beautiful evening.  We completed the loop and sat down at a bench to chat for a while. 

Facing west.

Another beautiful sunset by Mill Lake.

Who knows what Tuesday and the rest of the week brings?  I know there are some plans set and I am looking forward to visiting and doing some sightseeing.  This is a very beautiful part of the world.  I love the mountains and am in awe every time they come to view.  The weather has been nice and sunny as well, making things look very beautiful. 
Thank you for following this blog.  I hope you are enjoying my summer adventures, even though I'm not in Japan.

Maryland and beyond!

I have been blessed with very good travels this summer.  I have been able to cross North America and visit with many friends.  Here is a little hodge podge of some of what I was doing.  I am very grateful to the Bratt's for letting me stay at their place.  The second week I was in Maryland, they went on vacation and I took care of Smoky and Tigger.  Smoky was a little more, ok, a lot more, camera shy, and Tigger wasn't, so here are two pictures of Tigger.

Let me introduce you to Tigger.

She became quite comfortable with me. 

I drove on the beltway a couple of times.  It wasn't long and I felt quite comfortable driving. 

I know, what am I doing taking a picture and driving on the beltway at the same time!  See how comfortable I got driving.  :) 

I even managed to get to the driving range and do a 1/2 bucket of golf balls with Jean VanDyke. 

Check out the form!

On August 2nd I flew from Baltimore to Vancouver, BC. 

Waiting for my plane in Baltimore.

Taking off from Atlanta

Storm cloud

Flight data as we were ascending

Some pretty views.

Saw a Five Guys as soon as I came off the plane in Atlanta.  Of course I had to have a burger.  :)

The sunset in Portland, Oregon. (Taken through the glass)

I am on the last stint for my summer travels.  I'm grateful for the many prayers raise for safe travels and am grateful that God has blessed me with many opportunities to visit with good people to visit.