It was a beautiful Easter day here in Japan. Nick's deployed again, so a couple other spouses went to church with me on Good Sunday. Yamato Calvary, the Japanese church that's just down the street from our house, is where Nick and I have been attending for a while now. The service is in Japanese, but there is an English translation that we can listen to via headphones.
They sang "Hareruya", which I can only think was meant to be "Hallelujah"??!
Well, Hallelujah indeed. It couldn't have been a more gorgeous Easter Sunday. The Sakura (cherry blossoms) have finally bloomed and all of Japan was outside and celebrating the sunshine and blossoms.
(My friend Claire and I took Beretta on a walk in the park by both of our houses after brunch on Easter... We joined the hundreds of Japanese in "hanami" = flower viewing - the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers.)
(There was newly planted tulips along side the sakura trees...a little bit of America mixed in with Japan....because to me, tulips are the Easter flower! We got to see the best of both!!!)
The Easter message was from Ephesians..."Giving thanks always for everything" (Ephesians 5:20)
This Easter I have much to be thankful for. Though Nick is deployed, we are both overjoyed to be pregnant with our first child. He was able to go with me to our first ultra-sound just before he left. Seeing our baby for the first time and hearing the heartbeat was truly one of the greatest joys I've ever experienced.
"Rejoice always! Give thanks in everything for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Happy Easter! "Hareruya"
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