thanksgiving monday

im a very happy (tho very tired, muted) girl for 2 reasons which ive got to share & give thanks.

happy sunny sunday

firstly, the dreadful event that ive been working towards for wks is FINALLY OVER! as some of you wld know, ive been stressed to zits for this esp in the last 2 wks. thankful for everything – the weather (that it held out), the great great band (thanks SO much, Brandon – the music was awesome), the crowd (they actually came!) & for everything that went according to plan. thanks for praying guys & for your msgs :) so sweet you are.

now just looking forward to a day off tom – ive got it all planned already hee.

daddy

second thanksgiving is much more significant. daddy came with me to ARPC yesterday & i was very glad he did. even tho my dad goes to church (the other one that i grew up in) almost regularly, i often worry about his spiritual wellbeing and at points even wonder/fear that he may not understand the gospel, believe it & consequently, isn’t saved. this fear grips, hits me in waves ever since i was in JC, i think… and at times can be really heartbreaking. anyhow ive been raving now & then about ARPC to daddy & we’ve been saying that he should come check it out. by some spontaneous chain of events, the chance came & he joined me for the first time yesterday.

so we were sitting at service & amazingly, the songs weren't the unfamiliar ARPC types (which ive personally grown to love lar) but old faves that my dad could relate & sing to (comeon, how OFTEN do we sing from the rising of the sun with actions noless or I stand in awe at ARPC?) – yippees! what's more it was baptism & confirmation wk (which I had no idea beforehand) so daddy got to witness all the definitive stuff abt baptism, covenant, salvation, etc, witness Pastor Chris’ prayers for the people being baptised which personally, i felt were very moving & inspiring.

what's even more amazing was the aptness of the message preached (wicked vs righteous – which side do you belong?) & that my dad actually paid attention the whole time. when Chris started to preach, i was worriedly praying that daddy would be open & stay focused through the whole message (he doesn't usu have long concentration span, at least not through most sermons). so it was a real joy & encouragement to hear him laughing at Chris' jokes & nodding some, right through to the end. God actually made him pay attention & agree – how cool is that?

next step - hook him up with golden group. heh, okay half joking. maybe coming regularly wld already be good.

God also rebuked me in my heart for not being faithful in praying for daddy, for harbouring feel-like-giving-up thoughts. He reminded me i shd persevere in faithful prayer for him for the rest of his life, even when it seems futile. so that's what i want to try & do.

i thank God for His timing, His mysterious ways. ways that are so far above ours & beyond our imagination… most of all, for His lovingkindness to me & my dad in preserving us thus far. as the sermon taught, we really need to remember the past in order to press on in the present.

keep me Lord, remembering Your goodness all the days of my life.