watching the stars/ my favourite things

it was August
years ago
that Nao Takashima
from Osaka
visited us

with her came origami animals
calligraphy
Japanese lessons
and cooking

she rode to the Willow
with Jedaiah by day
and by night
we lay on the fields
and watched  the Milky Way
and the dancing Northern Lights

She had never seen the stars
nor heard of the Northern Lights

twenty-eight years
and she didn't know their existence

she had never seen the dark

in Osaka night never comes to the night sky
in the brightness of the city
the stars lay hidden

but we found them that August
in a little village of no consequence

except for pornography scandals
and weed busts
we were unknown

it was there that Nao found in the night sky
the stars that had always lay hidden from her

it was there in that little town
that she found the Light that lighteneth all men
and she grew as a tender reed
and bruised so easily

She poured her heart out in service on the farm
and in our home she created word pictures
in her tongue
to bless

but she never understood about the Shepherd

Jesus as Lord and Saviour... yes
Master and Creator of the universe... yes
Almighty God...yes
Everlasting Father... yes

But Shepherd... no

I asked her if she might calligraphy in her tongue
"Jesus, the Good Shepherd lay down His Life for the sheep"

she was deeply hurt at my request and offended

she said it wasn't possible to put the Holy One in the dirt
amongst lowly animals

It took many hours to help her see
that Jesus IS the Good Shepherd
Who lay down His life for the sheep

That He chose to put aside His royalty
and His Heavenly Home

And that we are the sheep
the people of His pasture

That the Good Shepherd always comes to find
that which is lost

and brings it Home

Nao made our word picture
at last with a joyous heart
and with understanding

the day she left
I stood and waved
while our eyes met
and our hearts joined
like the Milky Way
stretched out across the sky

She has a brightness now that will never leave her
it is as the Northern Lights
dancing that night
in a town of
little consequence

Jesus
born in Bethlehem

and the star shone
over the stable where He lay
The King of kings
came down
to us

His brightness can be seen in the darkest hour

watching the stars
my favourite things