Life Update: Reflecting on the Past Few Months and What's Ahead

Since my last post in October. A lot has happened. Here is a quick update.

October

• Went to Tokyo to coach my cross country team in the final Tournament

• Ran a Half Marathon on Iheya Island (had to take a ferry)

• Cousin Ryan and Cari came to visit

• Got to go to the Matsuri

• Took some Pumpkin Pictures with Avery

November

• Avery's 1st Birthday

• Photoshoot with Jona and Melisa Flores

• Thanksgiving with our Apartment Family

• Took Some Box Pictures with Avery

December

• Helped OCSI's Christmas Concert (Always a blast)

• Christmas Service at Keystone

• Went Camping at Kouri Island with Friends

• Ran the Naha Marathon

January

• New Years day hike with friends

• Got to try out the schools new playground

• Cleaned out my office (built a new desk)

• Got a new running watch to help me with my runs!

• Celebrate Brittany's 31st Bday in style (Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors) Ice Cream Cake

• Got to see the beautiful Cosmo Flowers

February

• Got to see the Sakura at Zakimi

• 1st Photoshoot with the Sakura

• Went and played Ice Hockey for the first time with Andrew and Paul

• Looking forward to seeing the Chunichi Dragons Play Baseball on the 22nd.

• Failed my Motorcycle Test (Ugh) (that's ok) (no rush)

Here are some pictures from each update.

API XC Tournament Run

Iheya Half Marathon

Moonlight Half Marathon

View from the Top of the hill at Iheya Island

Cousin Ryan and Cari came to Visit us

Walking to the Matsuri

Matsuri

Pumpkin Pictures with Avery

She looks like she likes it but she was crying a lot during this photoshoot.

Photoshoot with Jona and Melisa Flores

XMAS Service at Keystone Church (Brian Woolery)

New Years Hike

Cleaned my office and built a desk (new setup for my office)

New Watch (really helps me keep track of my pace and mileage)

Cosmo Flowers

Sakura Flowers

Ice Hockey with my friends

They convinced me to play. I looked like Bambi out there.

Practicing on a motorcycle to get my motorcycle license.

Practicing on a friends motorcycle. Hoping to ride this bike one day around Okinawa with my father in law. If not this bike another bike.

Chunichi Dragons Professional Japanese Baseball team has Spring Training in our home town of Yomitan. Looking to catch a game on the 22nd.

Well that was a quick recap with photos of what has been going on at the Mahaffie household.

Here's what's to come.

Sports

Girls Soccer

• Brittany will be coaching girls soccer this year. she has about 13 girls coming out. Better than last year where they weren't able to get a team.

• She really wanted to coach this year because she wanted the girls at OCSI to have a team again.

Track and Field

• I will be coaching track and field this year. I've coached cross country over the years but haven't never coached track. It's similar but with it's differences of course. I'm excited to see what I can learn and how to improve.

• We have friends that will help baby sit Avery while we are coaching at the same time. What a blessed community.

We are excited to see how God will use us in coaching.

Photography

• As you know I love photography and doing photoshoots for people.

• I took a Strobe/Flash Course with a professional photographer on island.

• Looking forward to taking more pictures for people in this new year.

• I bought a new camera a6700 with the latest and greatest technology.

• My desire is to use my camera to help others in our community.

• I've started filming with our schools wood shop teacher to create instructional videos for the students to be able to learn more. It has helped me learn a lot.

• There is a teacher at the school who has some strobe lights that he said I could practice on later.

• I would love to see about selling some prints of my pictures.

• My photography is donation based. If you would like a print or a photoshoot please shoot me message.

https://tommymichael.photography/

Mother in Law

My Mother in Law is coming to town tonight. I am picking her up from the airport. She is coming to visit us. Mainly to visit her grandchild of course. :) I'm excited for her to be around and to see her in person. We see a lot of our family in video chats every week but face to face is much different.

Church News

• Our church purchased the abandoned building next door. Our childrens ministry is booming and the church had been praying for more space and the Lord was able to give us the building next door.

• It's going to require a lot of work but we are excited to see how the Lord is able to make room for all of the new children.

• There are 4 new babies that were born in Dec and Jan at our church.

  
  

  Sermon 2/16/2025 Calvary Chapel Ginowan

• 1 Philippians 27- 30 Life Worthy of the Gospel

Whatever happens conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Stand Firm in the one spirit, striving together as one for the Faith of the Gospel.

Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

It has been granted to you on behalf of christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.

Pastor Tom Spoke about how Jesus Christ needs to be in the center of our home. And the best way that he can be there is through daily devotion time with Jesus.

I desire to commit myself more daily to Jesus through the reading of his word.

I'm excited to see how God will work in Brittany and I's life this year as we coach, and continue His mission for our lives here in Okinawa teaching at OCSI and serving the community around us.

Please pray for us as we daily devote our lives more and more to teaching students about Jesus through the way we live our lives and the words we say.

Thank you for reading our update. I hope to keep you more informed on a weekly basis. (that is my goal).