Island View

This week, our family finally had an opportunity to get out of our new city, and YES, we really do live on an island. We can actually be at the ocean in about one hour's drive time (on a weekday).

We wound our way up a mountain to a small "touristy" old town, and then wound our way back down the mountain to the oceanside.

The water was cold (in December) and the wind was brisk, but it was an incredible site to behold.

We saw lots of folks out on the rocks fishing, and we even stuck our feet in for a few minutes and gathered a few sea shells.
On top of the mountain, we of course, found several "famous" temples. I recently read a statement that I feel most adequately describes the people in our new city: "The folks here stop for a coffee at a well known chain, then go home to drink tea. They go to a cultural museum, then go to a temple to worship, then head home to surf the internet." Such a land of contrasts between the old and the new.

I've been doing alot of studying about the meanings of the various temple decorations. These three "gods" represent the three main wishes of all of the people here: prosperity, posterity, and longevity.

The phoenix encourages the "good times to continue to roll" and only appears in times of prosperity and peace in this country's history.

The dragon symbolizes goodness, strength, fertility, wisdom, and change.
It appears on temple pillars to drive off negative forces. Its presence is also supposed to protect the temple from the fire god (since most temples are made of wood).A pair of lions is often placed on guard at the entrance to a temple to scare off evil beings.
Puppet shows are often held in front of temples to explain the various stories behind the various gods. They are also sold for children to take home and use in playacting.
As we walked the crowded winding streets of the old town, we were reminded that our purpose in living here is to become fishers of men.
It is our desire that He be known as the only true God of this island and the world. May you join us in this task. "Follow Him, and He will make you fishers of men" wherever you are.