When I saw you earlier this year, you asked me what God has been teaching me. I thought about it for a minute or two and then replied that God has been teaching me to pursue my passions and dreams. And you thought that was so strange because you saw me as someone that was already doing that. But in fact, my time in Japan has been a sort of transition. One of the reasons I came here was because I had no idea what direction my life was headed. Kind of a weird way to sort out such a complex problem. You would think that there would be easier ways. I love life in Japan but there are a few things that need to be stopped almost immediately. For one thing, life is too easy here. Almost everything is mapped out and already figured out for me. In fact I could get by just fine if I didn't know a lick of Japanese. I need something more and I need to be challenged. Second, I'm not pursuing my current passions which lately have been music and surfing (aside from my relationship with God). Sure I love to travel and have been doing a heck of a lot of that this year, but I've been doing enough of that. In the words of Andrew Myers, it's time to pursue something real for a change instead if wandering aimlessly like a nomad.

Deciding to read Walk On, the spiritual journey of U2, by Steve Stockman, has been on the best things that has happened to me. This is what I got out of it:

Jesus told a parable about a master who gave his servants money and went off to another country (Matt 25:14-30). On his return he asked the servants what they had done with the money. Some had put it to work to make more money, but one servant simply gave it back to the master saying that he simply kept it safe. The master was angry with that servant. The lesson from the parable is that when you are given a gift, you have to use it. You have to deal with the responsibility and dilemmas of it. You cannot run from it. You cannot hide your light under some bushel of safety and hope that it just goes away. You've got to face the consequences of who you are and what your vocation is.
-Steve Stockman (Walk On, the Spiritual Journey of U2, 29-30)

The only limitations are the limits of our imagination. Dream up the kind of wolrd you want to live in. Dream out loud at high volume. That's what we do for a living.

All I have is a red guitar, three chords, and the truth.
-Bono

Ever since I got here (actually for a long time I should say), there has been something burning deep down inside the core of my body, wanting to break free. That very something is my passion for music, for song writing, and for pursuing a career in that. Sounds a bit crazy to most folk, and it even sounded crazy to me for all these years that I tried to ignore it. I guess I was never sure of myself until I came to Japan. Never have I ever been so sure. This is no pipe dream, but this is something real that I can picture in my mind. I'd rather be a struggling musician any day, than a struggling office worker trying to find a place in Corporate America or Japan. It replays constantly kind of like Andy Dufranse in The Shawshank Redemption, where he dreams of going to Zihuatanejo. I guess the only difference now after being in Japan, is I actually believe it wholeheartedly. Now I realize that I can no longer run or hide from what I was made to do and I need to face the consequences of who I am.

Never before have I felt so much clarity from God. It's kind of strange , but exciting at the same time. So for a while I've decided to pursue a career in music and writing songs. In fact, I've decided to at least committing two years. That's the only way I'll ever know. I don't want to be 80 years old sitting on a rocking chair on my porch and wondering what would have happened if...

I've received so much inspiration this year from people like you and Andrew, from Jack Johnson, U2, Ben Harper, Dashboard, http://www.themoonshineconspiracy.com, Blue Crush, Bali, and from God. The moonshine conspiracy was started by a bunch of kids that wanted to film, write, and record music. They're only agenda is to stay true to themselves while making enough money to hop on the next plane for the next project. They released Jack Johnson's two surf videos, Thicker than Water and September Sessions. I think it's so cool that they weren't afraid to pursue their passions and it has paid off for them. It would be pretty sweet so start a production company that used the arts to glorify God. How fun would it be to travel the world and create works of art with a deep significance? Have you heard Ben Harper's song, Picture of Jesus? It is so amazing. I know you would love it. It's off of his album Diamonds on the Inside released in 2003. I'm so ready and so fired up to take this thing on. Who knows where it will take me? All I know is that I have to go and do it despite all the challenges I will face. I know it will be hard, but it will also be a fulfilling and rewarding journey. And most importantly, I'm ready and willing, confident, excited, and highly stoked beyond belief. A lot of people may not believe me, but I believe in myself and most importantly I know that God believes in me.

4/16/04

We just stood there in the middle of nowhere, overwhelmed by everything. It was so quiet and so peaceful. There wasn�ft a single sound minus the snow falling on our heads. Time seemed to stand still. I was so captivated that my mind was clear of any thoughts whatsoever. I felt so alive after being able to soar and fly...

It hit me from nowhere. I never saw it coming. The cold wind against my face felt good, especially against the adrenaline pumping through my veins. After taking a gondola and three lifts to the top, I looked up at the peak that would inevitably change my life.

We decided to join the exodus of people and ascend to the very top. It was steep. In fact, it was so steep that you could feel the sweat running down your body after each step. I kept thinking to myself that there must be something very good up there for all these people to be doing so much work.

As we approached the peak, it was difficult to find a balance between being too hot and being too cold. We were soaked to the bone in sweat, but the second that we took off our jackets the cold wind would rush against our wet shirts sending chills down our spine. Getting to the top was more than worth it. The landscape was unforgettable. The amazing view of the town below and of the massive snow covered mountain staring directly at us pierced me deep down inside. Try to imagine two giant, magnificent snow covered mountains standing next to each other, trying to compete with each other. We were at the very top of one of them, with the other one so close that we felt that we could almost reach for it. It looked like Mt. Fuji, trying to tease us from halfway across the country. Nature has a way of making you stand still in awe. I was awestruck by what my eyes were seeing.

Finally, we dropped in to probably some of the best terrain the world has to offer. I�fve boarded the Swiss Alps after getting tons of fresh snow, and this place definitely competes. It was a steep face, but that didn�ft really faze us because the snow was so deep, so fresh, and so soft. And there was plenty of it to go around. To add to the excitement, the snow was relentless and refused to stop pouring down on us. There were always fresh tracks. Patrick described it by saying, �hI can�ft believe it�fs not butter.�h The snow was so deep that it would constantly hit your head and dump inside your jacket after completing each turn. It hit me from nowhere. I never saw it coming. The cold snow against my face felt good, especially against the adrenaline pumping through my veins. The initial shock of the snow was cold but it definitely felt good. After leaving fresh tracks we headed for the trees. We cut through them and ended up charging through a snow filled ravine. It was just the two of us and all the snow anyone could ever ask for. It felt like the world was going on with it�fs business without us because we were in the middle of nowhere having the time of our lives. Finally, we pulled out onto a cat track and took off our boards.

We just stood there in the middle of nowhere, overwhelmed by everything. It was so quiet and so peaceful. There wasn�ft a single sound minus the snow falling on our heads. Time seemed to stand still. I was so captivated that my mind was clear of any thoughts whatsoever. I felt so alive after being able to soar and fly. We felt freedom reigning down on us. We hiked out and snowboarded to the bottom, which was about 6 km from the very top.

The snow was so good that we could never get enough of it. The first day Patrick and I boarded for 11 hours straight without even breaking for lunch. It dumped that night which made the night session priceless. It truly felt like we were flying. And we definitely were in a way with unlimited, untracked, fresh powder. We were so hungry for deep, untracked powder that we rode an unmarked area laced with warning signs that read, �gmost people that were found in this area were found dead.�h We rode that section four times in a row and it was well worth it every time. We didn�ft find any dead bodies nor did we find a single track except for the ones that we left behind each time. I struggle for adjectives to describe the feeling I felt. It was unreal and surreal. It was unlike any other great feeling that I had experienced before. We rode each day until our bodies failed us. Then we feasted like kings and queens on real burgers and king crab. It was grand.

If you are a skier, snowboarder, or nature enthusiast and happen to come to Japan, you have to visit Hokkaido. It would be a sin not to. For me, Hokkaido has been one of the greatest things Japan has to offer.

4/15/04

Reef Encounters

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts to us in our pain; it is his magaphone to rouse a deaf world.
-CS Lewis

Someone must have been looking over me today. I had a not so friendly encounter with the rocky reef surfing Oura today. We were surfing the sketchy right that breaks really close to a wall of rocks and a pretty shallow reef. Basically, if you don't get off of the wave in time, you'll probably end up being sandwiched between a heavy wave and some rocks. I was lucky to walk away with only three dings on my board and all of my limbs intact. My left foot practically got shredded and there's a tiny pinhole wound on my shin that won't stop bleeding. If it hadn't of been for Patrick's wetsuit, I would have lost a lot more skin. It was pretty scary. There were a couple of moments where I thought I was finished. Praise God for saving my life once again. Today was great training for what we will face in Bali. I was literally caught between a rock and a hard place. What goes through one's mind when such trouble hits? I think my mind went blank, almost to a sense of panic. I was defeated and felt alone. I felt lost again. I was grateful for being able to scramble to safety with my board that I thought for sure was yesterday's news. So my surprise, she walked away looking much better than I did. I was grateful to my fellow Japanese surfers who graciously came down to help me. I was so happy and relieved to see Patrick when I came back to the car because I realized that everything would be okay and that I would have my revenge on the reef in Bali. I will be victorious. I was definitely in shock because I felt no physical pain until much later. Talk about shock...I had no idea what was to become of me. I lost all control and was at the mercy of the ocean. I pretty much got manhandled like a Catholic school girl at a Slayer concert. The emotional hurt was tremendous. But even still I'm grateful for the experience because it will only make me stronger in body, mind, spirit, and of course in the water. It is learning experiences like this one that help shape us into better people. Moral of the story: don't drop in late on a close out wave in shallow waters. You may not be as lucky as I was.

2/20/04

I'm just beginning to realize that one of the main reasons I came to Japan was because I had no idea what direction my life was heading. Now that I have a better idea, it's time to move on from this place. Most people don't know where there life is heading. The important thing is to keep moving forward. Eventually, with a little hope and a dream to push you along, you'll end up somewhere.

2/17/04

Jesus told a parable about a master who gave his servants money and went off to another country (Matt 25:14-30). On his return he asked the servants what they had done with the money. Some had put it to work to make more money, but one servant simply gave it back to the master saying that he simply kept it safe. The master was angry with that servant. The lesson from the parable is that when you are given a gift, you have to use it. You have to deal with the responsibility and dilemmas of it. You cannot run from it. You cannot hide your light under some bushel of safety and hope that it just goes away. You've got to face the consequences of who you are and what your vocation is.
-Steve Stockman (Walk On, the Spiritual Journey of U2, 29-30)

Just as God is an artist, so am I. I was created to create, to invent, to discover, and to dream. I have been given a creative heart. In all honesty I think that we have all been given one. Some choose to use it, while others choose not to. I've decided to use mine to the best of my ability and to pursue my music with a full fledged effort. It's been inside of me for a long time, even more so in Japan, screaming at me to do something about it. Musically, I really don't have that much to offer compared to most musicians. But what I lack musically I make up for in my passion, zeal, fervor, ideology, and song writing ability. Truly, God has given me a gift and honestly I can't run from it any longer. There's a reason that God gives us dreams and passions. It's now or never.

The only limitations are the limits of our imagination. Dream up the kind of wolrd you want to live in. Dream out loud at high volume. That's what we do for a living.
-Bono

All I have is a red guitar, three chords, and the truth.
-Bono

2/10/04

I remember standing outside laughing all my worries behind. I took a deep sigh and I started to believe...

12/16/03

Good for Smurfs

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
-Harold Whitman

I feel the sand beneath my toes and I feel the wind blow across my back. The sun is falling over the mountains leaving a canopy of fire in the sky. The colors of the cloud-filled sky touch me on the inside giving me an indescribable feeling. I am haunted by the beauty emitted by the mountain silhouettes against the painted sky. I am humbled by the vast sea, knowing that she could take me away in an instant, without any sort of remorse or guilt. I paddle out into the fearless ocean, knowing that my friends are right beside me looking out for me as I am looking out for them. I am sure that we will remember this moment and continue to laugh at ourselves for driving so far for such small waves. In the words of my good Aussie friend, the waves are usually "good for Smurfs." Despite the lack of surf, I am content here, on the other side of the world, where the mountains meet the coast. I realize the importance of pursuing my passions, exploring without hesitation, and expanding my horizons. I feel so alive, so free, and so blessed to be here. And that is something that not even the worst waves can take away from me.

My friends and I have relived this scene time and time again during my stay here in Japan thus far. I do have to say that we have managed to surf some incredible waves, thanks to a friendly typhoon or two. However, most of the time, we commute over an hour in search of the perfect wave, with our search usually ending in defeat. I guess that doesn't matter since we have Mos Burger and chicken nanban, which usually eases the pain just fine. What matters most is that we go out knowing nothing, not knowing what lies ahead of us. All we know is that we are a group of surfers that love the ocean and we know that we have to find it, somehow. We take our chances, knowing fully well in the back of our minds, that the possibility of defeat is just around the corner. We don't look back in regret. I guess I've just gotten tired of living in the fear of failure. Even if we don't come across any decent waves, the drive along the Nichinan coast with the sun descending behind the mountains makes it pretty darn worthwhile. Isn't that how life is a lot of the times? Don't we go out searching for something and end up finding something else? We want great waves, but instead God paints us an incredible sunset that pierces us deep down inside to the point where we will never forget it. I can't think of very many places in the world where you get the best of both worlds right in front of you: the mountains against the coast. For me, Japan has been about taking chances, being committed to growth, and taking advantage of every opportunity, both big and small. Keep your eyes peeled and expand your horizons, because you just may never know what may be coming your way.

9/16/03

I recently bought a Honda Civic and took her and some buddies on a 676.7 km road trip to the enchanting city of Nagasaki this past weekend. It was quite an amazing adventure to say the least, especially since the drive up and down the coast and through the mountains was not bad at all.

I�fm sure that you are well aware of the fact that Nagasaki was hit by the atomic bomb, Fat Man, on August 9, 1945 at 11:02 am and was forever changed. I had the opportunity to visit ground zero, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, and the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic bomb Victims. I realize that many of you may never have the opportunity to visit Nagasaki and see the things that I have seen, and so I would like to share some things with you. Here are the statistics that can be found in the Peace Memorial Park in Nagasaki:

Dead: 73,884
Injured: 74,909
Sufferers: 120,820
Houses burned down: 11,574
Houses half-ruined: 5,509
Houses partly damaged: 50,000

Let me begin with a simple story. Upon arriving in Nagasaki, we got lost trying to drive around such a big city looking for our hotel. We asked several people if they knew where our hotel was and then a nice couple looked at our map, hopped in their car (which they had just parked), made some calls on their cell phone, and had us follow them to our hotel. We said thank you and never saw them again. I have learned that this type of kindness is pretty prevalent here: going out of the way for you and not expecting anything in return.

I learned a great deal this weekend about our world�fs history and was definitely astounded by the devastation caused by the atomic bomb. I was sobered by the gut-wrenching images that I saw. I was amazed to see such a thriving city despite being virtually knocked off the face of the earth 58 years ago. But more importantly I have been inspired to be more selfless and respectful towards others. This world needs more people that will go out of their way for the sake of others. I learned this weekend that a little goes a long way.

Aside from being on the road, I found an amazing church here run by a missionary family from NY. I definitely look forward to working with them and I praise God for being so faithful and for blessing me with such an amazing opportunity for ministry on the other side of the world. I have also been invited to lead worship at a retreat up in Kobe City, near Osaka. On a much lighter note, I�fve managed to dodge the jellyfish and to catch some head-high surf last week after work. Feel free to call my cell phone at 90 5949 6212.

I hope you are well and are taking advantage of having the world at your fingertips. Remember that all things are possible.

Kiotsukette (take care),
Reuben <><

7/31/03

Dear Friends,

My adventure in Japan is well on its way and has proved to be quite exciting. I have been soaking in life to say the least and I absolutely love it here. I feel truly blessed and honored to have this opportunity to be working with the Board of Education here in Miyazaki. I'm near the ocean and the weather here is comparable to Hawaii. I have been here less than a week but have learned so much already. I have been able to meet with people from various countries and from all walks of life. Last night I was talking to my South African friend about his first hand account of Apartheid.

One thing that I have noticed on a continual basis is that the Japanese people are extremely nice and will go out of their way for you. I am learning minute by minute what true respect really is. Let me give some examples. First off, JAS airlines went out of their way to provide my guitar with a seat on the flight from Tokyo to Miyakonojo. They even moved me to the front of the plane to accomodate me better. That type of customer service is unheard of. Everyone at the airport is kind and courteous just like at LAX (yah right). Next, the board of education purchased me a TV, a washer, a vacuum, a refrigerator, a microwave, an air conditioning unit, a bed, and a goose down comforter. I've been begging my mom for a goose down comforter for years and I finally get one free of charge in Japan. Unbelievable. My co-workers even made my bed for me as if I couldn't do it myself. Then they went and bought toilet paper for me upon realizing that I didn't have any. My apartment is incredible and my rent is extremely cheap. Boy, do I love that comforter.

I am realizing that it is possible to communicate despite any sort of language barrier. My Japanese is practically non-existent yet I am forced to communicate with others that only speak Japanese on a daily basis. I already had to give a couple of welcome speeches to my office in Japanese. It was absolutely crazy in every sense of the word. I plan to be fluent in Japanese by next summer. Just imagine how many awkward moments I've had.

This job is valuable to me because I know that I will learn a tremendous amount. The world is literally at our fingertips. This whole week we traveled around, stayed in nice hotels, ate some incredible food, and met with some high people. At times it feels like I'm an ambassador on a paid vacation. This hardly seems like a job to me. I even got to hit up the Tokyo nightlife with Ashley Foster, pura rubia y alta. Soon I will be sending some pictures of my adventures so stay tuned. And by the way, I'll still be playing guitar and surfing the pacific just as I always have been (in case you were wondering). It's no mystery why God has sent me here. Thanks for your patience to those who made it to the end. Let me know if you want off this email list, and I wish you the best and Godspeed. I would love to hear from you and I encourage all of you to pursue your dreams.

Love,
Reuben <><