Additions to the Apartment

April 18th, almost exactly one year after I arrived to Japan, Amy and I welcomed a new roommate to our apartment. Debbie, also a Jman, has been an awesome addition. The Lord brought her in His perfect timing and the three of us were able to bond quickly - within the first couple days of her arrival. Praise God for finally bringing her here 6 years after she originally intended to come.


Another unexpected addition to our apartment came a couple of weeks after Debbie's arrival. A Japanese friend of ours e-mailed one night telling us of a stray kitten he had found on the streets of Yokohama and asking if we were interested. The next day we asked our business manager for permission to adopt the baby cat (praise God all three of us like cats!) and to my surprise he said yes. The very next day we had our own little kitten. He can be quite sweet at times but a little terror at other times. Unfortunately, biting and scratching are two of his favorite things to do. It took us a while to pick a name for him, but we somehow decided on Oh So Cute Baby Cat or Oso for short. Here are a few pictures of our Oh So Cute Baby Cat.

Okinawa

Praise God for a much needed vacation! At the beginning of this month Josh, Amy and I took a 5 day trip to one of Japan's southern islands Okinawa. God's glory was evident to me throughout the trip like never before on any other vacation I've taken. All His creation from the heights to the depths praised Him. Here's 5 minutes worth of trying to capture the beauty we beheld along with a few group pictures and such.

Sakura

Sakura season is a much anticipated time of year in Japan. Some time between mid-March and early April the cherry blossom trees begin to bloom. Every year there's much discussion about when exactly the sakura will be in full bloom based on weather reports and records from previous years. And there's good reason for all this speculation since the beloved cherry blossoms are very short-lived; full bloom is usually reached within approximately one week after the opening of the first blossoms, and just one week later the blooming peak is over and the blossoms will have already started falling to the ground. These breathtaking blossoms in their unique varieties, like all of God's creation, boast His glory and majesty.

The season of cherry blossoms calls families and friends to nearby parks for "hanami" which is the viewing of cherry blossoms. A variety of groups gather together to enjoy the sakura through picnics, frisbee, badminton, and other activities. Unbeknown to many of the Japanese, the One who created them is the same as the One who created the sakura they so love to behold and admire, and indirectly, their praises of these beautiful blossoms are praise to the God who made them, the one true God.