Yet it's tough. I meet new people often and they ask what I do here in Japan. I say I'm a missionary - or I work with a Christian church, and then they ask what I do. I tell them I care for my two-year-old son, and they wait awkwardly for me to tell them more. On some days I go to the park with Sam, and there are 100 kids swarming the place. And 30 moms. And me. Awkward.
I'm left with an existential (okay, maybe not quite - let's try identity) crisis. Meg and I are in Japan to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To do that we need to learn Japanese. That means, for now, that Meg studies full time while I care for Sam and study part time. In my head, I know this. In my heart, it's a struggle. I keep trying to remind myself that God is not merely wanting to work through me, but in me. In fact, he probably has a lot more to do in me than he ever needs to do through me. And a two-year-old is an incredible tool in the hands of God for shaping his parents.
So tomorrow, I will probably spend most of my day washing dishes, doing laundry, and playing with my son. As I play, I will try to learn patience, humility, and grace. And a few kanji.