Blooming Sakura

Plum Blossoms

It’s been a long winter…our coldest in 28 years. But, it’s finally warming up. The plum blossoms opened a month later than usual. The cherry blossoms greeted us well after Spring Break, but their timing was perfect–full bloom on Easter Sunday!

Sakura-Cherry Blossoms

Sometimes life is like that. God’s timing isn’t always what I expect or would choose, but God’s will is always rest-worthy. In recent weeks I sensed God was preparing me for something. I wasn’t sure what it was. I suspected it would be something I wouldn’t like, though part of His plan for my greater good. If you’ve followed my blog you may know that God has been reminding me to embrace the unexpected and take the long view. My unexpected happening happened.

My brother and his wife have made the decision to relocate to the US after serving with us as TEAM missionaries here in Japan for 25 years. We will miss them! Jeannie has been a friend for 38 years and we’ve worked together for 20. I have gotten used to having my brother nearby for support and fellowship.

I’m really sorry to see them leave Japan, but I choose to believe the sakura will still bloom at just the right time. This will work out for good for them and all of us here in Japan missing them because we’re resting in Jesus.

The day before Easter I took a walk to run some errands and saw the usual…the altars, shrines, and temples everywhere. I startled with pleasure when I saw this tree decorated with Easter eggs. My first thought was that a missionary must live there so I checked the name plate at their entrance. The name was Japanese. Could it be that a Christian lives there? Very few people know anything about Easter. Many holidays-Valentines Day, Halloween, and Christmas–have been introduced into mainstream Japanese society, but not Easter. I was thrilled with this Easter egg tree–a symbol of new life amidst the darkness. The next day we had an inspiring day celebrating Christ’s resurrection with brothers and sisters from many countries. And the sakura bloomed.

Our daughter was laid off from a job she loves. It’s tough, but I hear they have sakura in Seattle too. I wonder what God has for her.

Russ and I enjoyed a sakura-framed therapy walk on Tuesday. We stopped long enough for him to rest and to ask a stranger to snap a picture of us.