The Family Weekend
Tuesday, 01/16/2006, Day six:
Went to Pigeon Forge this weekend with my dad's entire family. It was pretty good. I did break - fast, but I still didn't completely pig out like I could have.
However, that little reprieve from the fruits and veggies has made starting back today that much more difficult.
My house is a disaster because I stopped my FLYlady routine for a couple days, claiming "I'm on vacation." (If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to www.flylady.net.)
But today is a new day, and I will start the process again. "Progress not Perfection."
A few interesting things happened this weekend. For those of you who don't know, my dad and step-mom (P) are not following the Lord. My dad was a youth minister many MANY years ago, and finally decided that he has no interest in the church or in the things of God. He left my mom for P and completely fell away from the Lord.
He went through a phase where (he told me) he wasn't sure if he even believed in God.
Then about 4 years ago, on Thanksgiving Day, he began to say the T-Day blessing (which is said every year, despite his beliefs, for my grandmother's sake) and he burst into tears.
That was the beginning of what has been a very slow process of coming "towards" the Lord.
He and P have found that they LOVE watching Joel Osteen on TV because he's not so "religious" in his preaching. "It's practical stuff," my dad says.
Now he says the blessing at their house, even when Grandmother isn't there.
One important thing to note: Several years ago, I was asking the Lord, "How does somebody who has experienced Your presence and Your love, just decide to up and walk away from all of it? How could dad have made that decision, if he knew your love the way I do?"
And God's response: "He doesn't know my love."
So, as the Lord has shown me, I'm not sure dad ever really had a "relationship" with the Lord. I'm sure he was saved, and I'm sure he was good at following the rules. But my dad is not a person to follow rules for the sake of following rules. He wants to know why. And if there is no why, then there is no reason to follow the rule.
That is why, I believe, he finally turned away from Chrisianity. It became too much about the rules, and not enough about the relationship.
So... all that to say...
Dad was saying his standard "blessing" before our evening meal this weekend...
"Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly humble and thankful..."
When he added...
"And bless us this weekend, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen."
Everybody kind of chuckled at the new ending to his memorized prayer. And he said, "I do still have some religion in me, whether or not you all believe it."
So that night, I was praying for my dad (something, I'm ashamed to say, I haven't done in quite a while), when the Lord told me:
"I am wooing him to me."
And so, perhaps for the first time, dad is beginning to experience God's love first-hand. I don't know how long it has been going on (though I assume since sometime before that Thanksgiving four years ago). And I'm not sure how long it will take, but I know that his heart is softening.
Another thing that happened...
P (my stepmom) came in when Nelle and I were discussing our fast. P asked questions about it and seemed interested in what we were doing. She also asked me questions the next day while we were on our way to the outlets too.
Also, on the first night we were there, she came out on the deck and sat in the rocking chair next to me. The Lord said to me, "Tell her about the house."
I thought, "Lord, she is going to think I am crazy."
"I want you to tell her about the house."
So I told her.
She didn't respond too much except to tell me about how she and dad might be selling their lakehouse soon and getting a lot of money for it. I guess she thinks it's the same thing.
I can tell she is asking questions, which is better than not asking them, I suppose. I am just praying that the Lord will give me the write answers.
...
"A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11.
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So that's it for right now. AB, when and where is the retreat? I REALLY want to come. Who all is going to be there? Mrs.DD? Ms.S? C? Other *chicks? I will do my best to get off work, but since I just took two days off, it might be difficult. Get me the info, and I will do my best. Thanks!