Stopping by woods on a snowy evening

I have seen lovely things and lovely places, but I have never been so moved by raw natural beauty as I have these past two or three days in Sapporo.

For the first time in my life I actually wanted to weep at the sight of snow on trees from a frosty bus window.

I felt tears welling up as I watched the trees glide by, snow whirling like white rose petals, everything coated with a brilliant, deep, whitest-of-all-whites. The stark contrast of light and dark was almost more beautiful than I could bear.

The mountains, hushed and powdered in layers of white... the brooding grey sky stretching from horizon to horizon, snow falling like a veil over the whitening ground... trees dressed in veils like lace, pines and tamarasks frosted like Christmas cookies... the gentle silence that descends on the fields and roadsides like angels...

Winter in northern Japan.

Snow falling giddily, dizzily, joyfully in a blur of happy flakes, light as goose down.

I would be a snowflake if I could.

The tears surprised me. I have no explanation, except the overpowering thought that kept pushing its way into my mind: It's not fair that I should get to experience this beauty without the rest of the world!

God, why are you so good to me? I am more blessed than I can sing or write or shout. To think that I, the chief of sinners, should find myself by a silent mountainside with snow lacing the tree branches like satin wedding ribbons, confetti falling in a exuberant parade around my face.

I remember the words of a missionary to India years ago: "What an amazing Christ! He never seeks for our approval, just the faith to know that He is at work... To put one's life into His hands is not to be led astray."

Praise God--what an amazing Christ! I see this clearly: "O Lord God Almighty, blessed is the man who puts his trust in you!" (Psalm 84:12).

Tonight Heidi and walked downtown with snow pouring around us, flakes on our noses and eyelashes dappling our hair like blossoms, our cheeks pink and lungs full of cold, invigorating air. The trees along the main street were hung with garlands of white lights, shining ivory against their delicate stripes of snow. The city streets were silver and gold.

Sapporo's White Illumination displays glimmered in the thick falling snow: a bright white Christmas tree, giant lilys-of-the-valley drooping pale blooms, colored flowers.

And here am I, with Heidi as my roommate and my eternity in heaven, an unworthy and yet dearly-loved tool in the hand of God, privileged to know His only Son and chosen to reach the precious Japanese people.

All of this plus the glory of a snowfall in northern Japan.

No wonder the tears well up in my eyes.

Oh, God, may I never doubt again. For blessed, BLESSED is the man who puts his trust in you!