The First Cherry Blossoms

My blog is called Challah and Cherry Blossoms.  I`ve posted a lot of challah but not too many cherry blossoms.  And now the time for cherry blossoms is come-ing!  As your Challah and Cherry Blossoms correspondent, I must say this is a very exciting time.

This week a friend invited me to see the earliest blossoming cherry blossoms in Kyushu, the south island of Japan where we live.  Of course I said yes!  Thank you T-san and K-san!!  The skies were cloudy, but it didn`t matter.  We had a beautiful day.  The pink blossoms cheered up the whole landscape and brought new life to everything.  The funny thing is the place where we ended up to see the cherry blossoms was in a parking lot.  An ordinary parking lot becomes extraordinary when lit up by the pink `sakura` blossoms!





Cherry blossoms are like a resurrection, a bringing new life to what was once dead.  After the burst of pink they soon bring forth green leaves and the season of spring.  People flock to see them, and even as we left the parking lot, there were many people with cameras who came for the same reason we  did, to see the cherry blossoms.  We left as people came.  Everyone was taking pictures of the cherry blossoms.

There is still a month before the rest of the cherry blossoms here and in all Japan officially open.  Its a little hard to explain, but this viewing today was like a sneak preview, in the still cold days of February, a reminder of the new life that comes after the sap begins to flow (remember Tu B`Shevat, the New Year for trees. That day a few weeks ago commemorates when the sap begins to flow after the months of winter in the trees.)

At the end of our adventure, she took us to see her new granddaughter.  How precious is new life!
And what a special reminder that we too can be born again!!

Blessings and blossoms!!
Shayndel

 A prayer of thanks for today, Dear Father thank you for this day that You have made.  How glad we are for every moment in it,  we rejoice in your Creation.  Thank you for friends who are so kind and invited me today on the day outing.  We know it is You who provides everything in our lives, and that You bring us together with people for your purposes. Thank you for the beautiful canopy of pink that makes everything new and reminds us of the power of the Resurrection of Yeshua.  
The color pink is like a burst of your Love painted in the landscape, announcing a new season and showing the miracle and wonder of how what was once dead comes to life as You direct all of Creation.  Please reveal more about Yourself to us in this season as we eagerly anticipate the cherry blossoms opening throughout Japan.  May the Messiah`s return come soon and may we prepare for His coming by becoming new in You and seeking your Kingdom and the heavenly on earth.  I pray blessings for the one who is reading this.  That she will be renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit and that she will come to know Yeshua as her Saviour.  And to the reader here now who has already received Salvation in Yeshua, may she be constantly renewed by your Great Love and Shalom, and be restored in health and strength and new passion and creativity.  May all we do bring Glory to You.   Hashem Yeshua.  Amen!

 Yeshua said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life!"

---John 11:25