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LOOKING UP!
With Missionary Carol Hall, Nagoya Japan |
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The Old Japanese
Cherry Tree
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"Sakura” is how you say
“cherry” in Japan, and right now they are in full bloom everywhere! It is almost like a holiday. People take picnic lunches
under the trees. They consider it
Good luck to have cherry blossoms fall on their heads. Also, a lot of sake
parties are going on into the night…… There are even vendors
selling hot sweet potatoes and different Japanese snacks along the routes of
cherry blossoms. BUT….during the winter
months…we see many old, dark dark Brown cherry trees, all bent over and
twisted and looking dead …… Many
limbs broken off…….. You want to cut it down and put something fresh and NEW
there!!!
A morbid thought came to me
one day as I rode my bike along the river during winter & saw one
really old cherry tree all bent
up. I Suddenly I felt just like that
old tree. “ “I’m getting old…getting
wrinkled….getting Tired. I think I’m
not much use anymore. The youth are
so full of energy and new ideas and can work computers and all the new
gadgets. ….I’m out of date. HOW CAN
GOD USE ME NOW?? Well, life went on, then
APRIL CAME AROUND!!! Suddenly The old cherry trees began to
blossom. Where there were twisted,
black branches before, now there was a transformation into the most glorious
crown of lt. Pink blossoms!!!! People lined the road just to walk under
these old trees and admire and love them!!
They could barely see The old,
bent branches because of all the blossoms!
Also, the wind was blowing those
cherry blossoms onto everyone, and into other people’s yards and spreading
their beauty all around! The Lord spoke to my heart
and said “THIS tree is like you, My child…even though the world sees your
physical body as fading away, and the young may think of you as slow and even
unnecessary………But I, your Lord and Savior,
see you as that cherry tree, covered with blossoms.” “As you worship ME, you are covered with MY GLORY AND MY
ANOINTING and you are beautiful, and powerful in my anointing. I cover your life with MY BEAUTY
and the people will see only ME AND MY GLORY, and they will be blessed
and helped, as they are drawn to MY beauty in You.” “Life has broken some of your
limbs, and worn you down, but remember..my child. Your ROOTS are in ME. The deeper you are rooted in ME, the more
blossoms of glory will cover YOU. As
your flesh will fade, but MY beauty
becomes MORE, as you worship me in Spirit and Truth. So, I prayed and
rejoiced… “OH LORD, COVER ME WITH YOUR BLOSSOMS!
Let the WIND of your HOLY SPIRIT. Blow your glory all over the
earth! When people see me, may I
always be fully covered with your blossoms of glory.” I don’t know how old you are…but be
encouraged! Carol Hall, Nagoya Japan
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