Continue to give thanks...

We have received yet another pleasant surprise from God...hmmm...is this the right way to put it? Weak as I am that I always have to remind myself to focus on doing my best instead of pausing to doubt, the Heavenly Father continues to show me how graceful and loving He is -- beyond my faith and belief...

I witness His faithfulness to my mustard-seed-sized obedience and faith again tonight...I can find no more words to praise Your holy name, Father... You have answered my prayers in Your way, in Your time indeed.

When we decided that we want to be married to each other, many things weighed on my mind. Money for the wedding and setting up our family, whether or not to bring together families and relatives estranged due to years of accumulated family quarrels; even fights. Then God's words got us reflecting and thinking over the sermon preached by one of the pastors in Andrew's church -- it was about judgement and forgiveness. What has happened in each of our lives have definitely become history in real time; but most of the time we continue to bind ourselves to old hatreds...like the picture I have seen on a tarot card -- holding onto three swords in one's heart.

I thanked God for emptying the weight in my heart, replacing with His wisdom, and prayed in my mind that He would also show the good sides of those he held bad childhood memories of, to Andrew. When I opened my eyes after the prayer and turned to look at him, he was in tears. He told me he wanted to meet the uncle he had hated most, for dinner. We did, some weeks later and had a very heartwarming dinner with his uncle and family.

Nearing our wedding, we see the rest of the family we hardly met over the years and were surprised and warmed by their heartwarming, sincere well-wishes. We did witness the good side that we did not see of them before; not the cold, distant faces we hardly exchanged words with, or faces one cannot guess but gets spring on the next minute.

Through all these gifts of enlightenment, we've also learnt the real meaning of an old Chinese saying, 'One's words, should be feared' 人言可畏. Most of the hatred in the family were caused by one thing or another that someone said. An innocent action from one person, can be blanketed and shadowed to become full of motives! Sends the chills off my spine as I am reminded again to be extra vigilant with every word that comes out of my mouth...never know how it can affect another, and another and another...without the slightest intention. There's no such thing as 'it's just harmless gossip' or 'no hard feelings, I'm just ventilating'.

Thank You, for the 'bonuses' You reward us with for simply enjoying living the lives you have given us.