“Honey, We’re Home!”
I sit here adjusting to a new time zone thinking about some of the differences between America and Japan that I noticed upon return to the States. We made it back safely yesterday afternoon and slept well last night. It shouldn’t be long till we’re up and kicking around like normal. One of the first differences I noticed between the two countries was when we were in the Dallas airport waiting for our flight to Baltimore. One of the airline employees was propped up by her elbows on her desk sipping a drink. Normally I wouldn’t think much of it. Having just returned from Japan however, it caught me off guard. When we were at the airport in Japan, the employees stood up straight and scurried around like ants in an ant colony. If they weren’t smiling, they were busily running around getting things done. It didn’t seem like they’d be propping their elbows up anytime soon….
Another difference I noticed was the bathrooms. In Japan, the bathrooms are sort of like a closet – no space between the door and the wall for the hinge, just completely closed up. Not so here! When I used the bathroom in Dallas, I was shocked. “They can see in!” I thought. Yep, they sure could. Ah well, I guess it’s easier to tell if the bathroom is occupied or not. 
It was nice to be in a place where I understand all of the signs and messages on the intercom. Although it made me realize that I can’t go saying whatever I want to Colby taking for granted that the people around me won’t understand….hehehe, almost learned that one the hard way
On a more serious note, the Lord gave us a good trip home. None of our luggage was lost or stolen and Colby and I are doing well. We would appreciate your prayers as we and our sending church dialogue about possibilities about our future in ministry.