I love my dad...

You know, we've been so blessed by the 'Father heart of God' message by James Jordan that we heard at the Vine recently and I keep thinking of my Dad and I really want to honour him.

I've always loved my father (red shirt) and have been grateful for him, but I am realizing more and more what a real blessing from God he is to me.

I think the two most important things a father can do right, to bring up a daughter well (that my dad really excelled in) is.

1) love and encourage her (and exaggerate every now and then about how wonderful she is :) ).
2) love and encourage her mother.

It just puts a girl in the right place somehow and makes everything as it should be in her world as she grows up. My dad's encouragement to me has been what has kept me standing so many times when the lies of the world have come against me, and by complimenting and appreciating my mom, it made me feel secure, and it gave her the encouragement she needed to love and support us kids even when times were tough.

I remember when I was 8/9 when my dad helped me ride my first bike, how he'd tell me I was probably the best rider in the whole world :) - I think even then, I knew he was exaggerating but I knew he was proud of me. I remember the long walks we used to take after dinner and the stories he'd tell me. I remember how he was always so convinced that I was smarter than I thought. I remember when I first came to HK, and was so alone and missing all my family and friends, how he'd write these long letters often with words so big and flowery that I needed a dictionary near me to understand them : ) hehe! I remember how both my parents went without so much themselves all their lives so that my brother and I could have the best they could afford- it cost them, but they did it so lovingly and willingly that as kids we were not even aware that they were doing this. As teenagers growing up however, both my brother and I couldn't but be sensitive and learn from them a kind of love that is very special. I thank God for them from the bottom of my heart.

God, as His word says, made us for relationship and we get into the right realtionship with Him quicker sometimes I believe, when we have examples in this life that come close to what He is to us. His role as our father and as our husband are crucial for us to understand, in order to live the blessed and victorious life we are called to live in Him. It's not a surprise at all to me that these two are the very relationships that have come under so much attack in this world, and this has distorted tremendously our view of our Father God and our groom Jesus Christ. Today the happy, loving, united family is becoming a rare experience. Fathers are hardly around for their children and expectation rather than encouragement is used to get children to grow up and perform well in the world. Husbands and wives are seperating and divorcing one another like never before. The true family life, where love goes beyond surface level, where it is sacrificial in nature, where it is encouraging, refreshing and uplifting is rather rare today and it is because Satan has come hard against all those who are in these roles of relationship. He has done so I believe for one purpose, to seperate us and warp our idea of Father God and our groom Jesus. I really think it's time to take back ground that was stolen.

I bless my dad and all dads in Jesus name. I bless Ed my husband and all husbands in Jesus name. May they have God's choicest blessings showered upon them. May He be close to them, may they be protected from all weapons formed against them. May burdens and bondages they carry be broken and may they be set free to love and be loved, to cherish and be cherished, to treasure and be treasured by their families.
I love you Dad and I love you Ed. I am really grateful for the both of you. : )