Identifying with Aliens Today we talked about E.T. in class. I'm starting to realize how much I have in common with this extraterrestrial. The book says that "E.T. wants to go home. But his home is far, far away." I won't get into other stuff about saying goodbye forever and such (that will come later...), but I do understand what it's like to be the town "freak" that everyone wants to do "tests" on. At least mine don't involve straight jackets or other people requiring radiation suits to interact with me. But sometimes I feel like it. In three classes today I was called "wild" for telling them that I had broken my weekend 12:00 curfew and was grounded for it as a high schooler. Even the "bad" kids were shocked at my "reckless" behavior. The head teacher brought everything back into perspective, though, when he reminded them (in Japanese, of course), "Remember, she's an American. She's a foreigner. She's different. Always remember she's a foreigner. He seriously said the word "foreigner" like 5 times. Needless to say, I have gained a new understanding of certain scripture from living here: Ephesians 2:11-14, 19: Remember that...you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility...Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household. Very cool. Amen.