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Life’s surprises

I have been blessed and surprised many times over the years during my work assignments in Asia Pacific. It was a Sunday morning and with no Church to attend in English at Shiogama, Japan, I walked to the coastal beach Sunday market. There was a Japanese fresh oyster stall. The beautiful salty whiff from the freshly shucked oysters which were placed over a low charcoal barbecue table top drew my attention. I could not resist the oysters going at that time,three oysters for one thousand yen. I felt blessed and though I could only purchase 3 oysters after each round of the market rule, I made 10 rounds and slurped 30 oysters, lovely taste of the salty sea that morning. When you enjoy oysters you wake up, your senses become sharper – touch and smell and sight as well as taste. The oysters’ sensual pleasures go beyond the taste..There are the soft purple, green and pink watercolors of the shell; the need to read its geometry in order to open it easily. And once open, there is the absolute contrast of the oyster and the shell. Such softness within such hardness. It reminds me of the soft touch of the Lord during hard times in my life.

The last time I heard that beautiful Shiogama people suffered heavy losses during the great Japanese tsunami (tidal wave) in 2011.

The next time you are blessed by God’s surprise in your life, remember this verse

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who hopes in him.