I got the 'usual' dose of goodies on my bday - lots of prayers and good wishes, fave chocs/cake from faithful staff, yum cha with one of my supportive prayer pardners and 2 rounds of makan-ing. The family went out in search of crabs since it had been a looong time since we had seafood...would ya believe it, 1st restaurant said no stock until 9.30 pm - hrrrmph, 5 hungry stomachs already growling at 7.30 pm, how to wait! So we headed off to another one, only to be caught in a Wesak procession cum pasar malam jam, thus had to abort plan B and detour to the 3rd seafood place...it was packed to the brim, still we managed to secure a table... but by the time the captain came around 1/2 hour later to take orders, guess what? Yep, no more crabs, no more prawns even! So much for seafood.... but I got 2nd chance when my India missions 'kaki' decided to get together for dinner and laufs...this time, it was seafood all the way in Klang, and yes, i finally sunk my teeth into crabs, tho it wasn't up to expectations - something about not right 'moon' time to catch meat-crabs! But what mattered was really the company, not the food anyway...
I am of coz very grateful to be alive to be showered with so much love from so many different souls. Most of all every time a bday rolls around, I am reminded what I was, and what I am now. And that's what finally gave me the answer to what I really want for my 52nd birthday. In part also, this desire was prompted by what had happened at my cell gathering 2 nites before. A visiting Pastor happened to drop by; tho the group was small since it was a long weekend and most of the cell members were not around. So we got the blessing of having Pastor pray specifically for each of us. No one knew what what was on my heart; certainly not this Pastor who only occasionally visits as part of his 'duties' to minister to the 'sheep'. I was the last he prayed over, and what he had to say brought tears to my eyes, becoz he told me God has heard my intercession and travailing in prayer for someone, He has seen all my tears and He will answer. How could Pastor have known the heavy burdens I have been carrying in my heart these days of late? He couldn't have obviously, and no human could have told him, so it must have been God passing onto him what I so needed to hear - certainty that my prayers are indeed heard and do indeed matter to my God, even if no one else knows and despite the fact that what I am praying for in this season of my life seems pretty impossible. But there it was, a divine confirmation that His hand has moved in response to my heart's cries. And that was sufficient encouragement for me to be bold in making somewhat a unusual bday wish upon my kids.
As I gathered them together the other night to announce it, my no. 2 was pretty astute and caught on even before I opened my mouth, she protested that my wish must be something that can be bought with money. But I simply shut her up that since there were no conditions specified to my asking, I could wish whatever I wanted. And so I told them my wish was simply to pray over them, asking and trusting that God will grant whatever I wished upon them. I also told them what had happened at my cell and that by the simple act of declaring out loud my prayers for them, I was just hanging onto God's promise already given that He will make them all come true. This day I want to record them down, so that when they do come to pass, I - and my kids - will look back and remember how faithful and mighty is my God, that He grants my birthday wishes for:
My no.1 princess - that out of confession of her own mouth, as she is open to seeking God, she will find Him, that indeed she will meet Jesus in a personal encounter and she will never ever doubt Him again, that she may come to know, understand, love and serve the God who loves her first.
My no. 2 princess - that she may be grounded in the steadfastness of Jesus Christ and the love of God, that her eyes would turn from the world to focus on the cross of Calvary, that in as much as God has given her the spirit of self-control, she will remember to execute all her responsibilities, big and small, faithfully and well.
My one and only son - that he will grow up a man after God's own heart, like King David, with a passion that runs after God, that his spirit may be pure and holy, that his mind may be filled with all things good, true, noble, excellent and praiseworthy.
Surely there are no other better wishes that I can wish for on my bday. And I don't need to blow out any candles for them. I know I have them granted because God already said it. Should I not live till another bday to see them come true, I still know they will come true anyway, because....yes, He said it. That's good enuf for me.
p/s. Just to satisfy the kids anyway, I did finally ask for something their money could buy - lipstick!
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