IT IS DONE

I didn't expect I would cry. I didn't expect the bride would cry. But there we were, mother and daughter no.2, crying. Not excessive, but the tears were slipping quietly down. 

The signing ceremony was simple straight-forward and short. It was held in the church sanctuary with just immediate family of both parties. How small the world is; the groom's mom and I were called to the Bar on the same day many years ago. And now we were meeting again, this time as in-laws. I sat opposite the groom's father as we witnessed his son and my daughter sign on the dotted line. No one bothered to read the standard print on the pages. We just checked our names and ICs. The bride and groom put rings on each other's fingers and  that was it - marriage registered in the eyes of God and man.  Everything had gone so well. There was no lack...all was provided - the premises, the Pastor, even down to the professional photographer who happened to be a relative. So 3/3/23 would forever be filed into our memories  as a very good day, culminating in a sit-down dinner at night in a Chinese restaurant. 

About a week earlier, the groom's family had brought over a whole roasted pig and 2 gift-baskets in a simplified "Guo Dai Lai," the traditional Chinese betrothal ceremony. Being the "white banana" Chinese that I am, I had absolutely no idea what it was all about when my daughter first told me they would be coming over to the house. I was just to prepare lunch with certain dishes. Google and my eldest sister gave me further info and advice what to take and what to give back as the obligatory "wui lai" (return gift).

But it was Holy Spirit who gave me inspiration on what extra items to pack, even leading me to the right shop which had (almost) everything I was looking for. The shop owner was so nice; explaining to me the different types of honey, olive oil and dates imported from Yemen, his native country. All I had to add to those were  grapes and milk, arrange everything in a nice basket, dress it up with some pretty ribbons, and viola. Being Christian, the in-laws immediately caught the symbolic meaning  - the biblical promises of abundance, fertility,  sweetness and longevity. The mom even jokingly asked, what about figs? That was the 1 item I couldn't find. 

I have never seen a whole roasted pig chopped up before. Now I know why it had to be done by an expert. The man had come early but refused to step into my house; he said he had to wait for the groom's family...another of those Chinese rituals. As it turned out, they also thought he would just drop by, cut up the pig and go off. But no, he waited for them to arrive...outside in his car. Chopping up a whole pig was certainly not an easy task. It took him close to an hour, and obviously he knew what he was doing. He came equipped with lots of plastic plates and even a portable stand-fan for himself. Now I know why it had to be done outside on my porch. There was oil spewing forth with each swing of his very sharp chopper-knife, and he was sweating by the time he finished the job. 

A week later, as I look at the bridal couple, I am shedding happy tears. For me, it is done, finally. Years of praying specifically for this middle child I call "sweet-heart" because she's close to my heart, and everybody always says she's very sweet. It seems just like yesterday when she left for America and stayed for some 6 months . And now she's married. I am looking forward to the big "do" of exchange of vows, tea ceremony and the grand dinner scheduled for year-end. I don't know about her, but I am sure I will cry again as I walk her up the aisle then. 

But it's tears of joy, that spring out of a grateful heart for a God who hears the prayers of His people. I like to think He hears especially a widow's prayers for  her fatherless children, since  widows are recognized as a distinct group deserving utmost compassion in the Bible. Indeed He is ever my faithful God and good Father.  Now as 1 get promoted to MIL (mother-in-law) and the wedded couple enter  into their  new position and identity as  husband and wife, I can only say Thank You Lord, for bringing it to pass. And I know, with this 1 daughter, a chain reaction has started .....So shall it be done for my other 2 remaining children, in the fullness of His perfectly good time and ways. 

 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6