23 April 2017
Dear Phyllis,
For
me, I have found the road to heaven anything but straight. I don't have
fingers and toes enough to count the number of times I thought I knew
the will of God for my future only to hit another major bend in the
road. My path has had so many turns at times I think I am going in
circles. At first it was the military. I loved the Air Force and had
every intention of making a life career out of it. That only lasted five
years. Then it was Karuizawa. (With a one parenthetical year with Mino
Mission in Yokkaichi). From 1962 to 1980 Karuizawa was my home. I have
never been in a town that I loved more. And my 13 years with the
language school were some of the happiest of my life. Then 1980 was the
worst year of my life. Every possible disaster imaginable fell upon me.
The most of the students and our friends turned against us, I was
dismissed from being the director of the school, we lost our home that
was the closest object to my heart, and went back to America for a one
year furlough; only to run into a buzz saw that made every catastrophic
thing that happened in Japan seem like it was only the practice. After
an unimaginable disastrous one year in the states we went back to Japan
for a third term.
A
year later we found ourselves moving to Ikoma to join Japan Mission. Oh
me, that was good. Ikoma was so good it almost replaced Karuizawa as
first place in my heart. The Lord gave us the Joy Corral that was the
best house I ever lived in. I thought I had finally found a place to set
my roots. Then in 1989 Chernobyl struck with Rosemary's giving her
heart and body to another man. I desperately begged God for family
salvation and in 1990 went to Link Care in Fresno, California to save
the marriage; only to discover that was the worst place I had ever been.
I said nothing could be worse than 1980, but 1990 went substantially
beyond what I thought bad could possibly happen. Up to that point I had
lost all my earthly possessions a couple of times but in 1990 I lost my
family - and for the next four years was homeless.
But
in 1995 I went to Saitama to join New Life league. Oh me, that was
good. For the first time in five years I had my own room and a stable
life. NLL was an outstanding organization, and I considered it a real
privilege to be a part of that family. It was in 1998 that the Lord laid
heavily on my heart the burden to go to SEA to work supplying Bibles to
the underground church in communist countries. The Lord had given me
many outstanding privileges up to now but I consider this as the
pinnacle of my life. For five years I shuttled back and forth from Japan
to Chiang Mai carrying Bibles into the varies countries surrounding
Thailand. And in 2003, when I was terminated at NLL, I returned to
Chiang Mai where I have lived in one house for the past 14 years. Six
years ago the Lord unexpectedly gave me a new wife which has radically
changed the color of life for me. I have left out so many other major
events that has happened in the past 60 years that it almost makes my
path this far look like a straight road.
One
of the strangest things that has happened was a year ago when for two
months I was virtually an invalid. To this day I have no idea what
happened. All I know is that I was completely out of gas. My distance of
travel was restricted to about 50 feet. I couldn't walk further than
from my bedroom to the bathroom and back. I couldn't walk up stairs
without resting in a chair at the landing for five minutes. I tried a
couple of times to tough it out and go up without the rest, only to find
myself writhing in bed in severe pain from hyper-exhaustion. I spent 20
hours a day in bed and the other four sitting in my chase lounge chair
on my balcony. Sanha took me to two hospitals and all the tests showed I
was the healthiest man in town. But my total incapacitation was real.
It was not imagination that at one point I couldn't hold a coffee cup in
one hand. But at that time I felt the Lord's promise to me was, “He
healeth all thy diseases...thy youth is renewed like the eagle” (Ps.
103:3-5).
Praise
God, Jesus has done this. Today I have as much energy as I have had at
any time in my life. Three yeas ago I gave up my shop and every tool I
owned. He has given me back my shop and I feel 20 years younger. I feel
like a 40 year old man again. (I know 20 from 81 isn't 40 but when I was
61 I said I was 40). Friday was the first time in three years that I
put in a full day of working in my shop nine hours and it was so
wonderful I had forgotten how good it felt. This is the 5th
time the Lord has given me back a shop and this one is the best yet. My
tools are an utter delight. Life is almost at an all time high. Pammy
has developed into a very helpful wife. This is the first time I have
had a wife who honestly loves me.
Another
major blessing is Jesus has given me a wonderful harp. I have played
the auto harp for 50 years. My old one just wore out. A year or two ago I
asked Jesus to give me a new harp. When I was in the states last year
my niece and her husband bought me the finest auto harp I have ever had.
After I stuck my hand in a table saw 16 years ago, my left hand got
abbreviated to three usable fingers. I have found that is no problem and
can play the harp better now than at any point before. After playing
for 50 years my skill level is at a new high. The tunes pour out
beautifully without thinking. David only had ten strings but I have 35
to praise the Lord.
The
reason I write all of this today is because last week was one of the
most joyful, satisfying, weeks I have had in many years. After
walking so many sandy, stony, miles where it seemed all was lost, to
come to such a point of contentment is surprising. I feel like a little
boy sitting under a Christmas tree surrounded by a mountain of packages
and new toys. I don't know which toy I enjoy the most. The main point
isn't the toys, but the heart of our loving Father who has given them.
Which do we love the most, the toys or the Giver? Toys change but our
Father never changes. My road to heaven has had so many curves I can't
record them all, but Jesus has proven Himself utterly faithful; and in
very reality He has made ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD
(Rom. 8:28). How many miles are still in front of me is a wide open
guess. Praise God it isn't far from here, but walking with Jesus is
wonderful. It is a curvy road but I highly recommend it to anyone.
bill
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