Follow Up

Friday night, daughter and I had a teleconference with her mother. Her mother had decided that the environment here is just plain toxic on her daughter.  I agree.  But is this the result of something God has wrought?  What are the odds that a house full of "Christians" are going to turn on someone in unison and completely ignore what is happening under this roof? It makes no sense, unless the entire point of this situation is to isolate her and make her COMPLETELY dependent upon me.  But, back to the conversation.

Prior to this telecon, daughter shared with me that her mother wanted her out.  It saddened me so much to hear this, but I could understand the reasoning and why a mother would want that.  I would not want my daughter to be continually blown off, lonely and hurting - no matter how greatly she has been helped.  And I told daughter I would not come between her and her mother.  I was really hurting/angry at how evil was winning this round.  But, she slipped her hand in mine and said she was going nowhere.....  She was going to choose to stay and I understood her expression of love, as well as, the reality of the identity we have forged.

Oh, the telecon?  Yeah, once I told the both of them that the pastor and his wife were throwing their support behind what God is doing - everything became a mute point.  Yeah, maybe I am the only one whom can identify with daughter under this roof, but that is one more than is outside the front door.....

Sunday the sermon was very interesting.  It was obvious that part of the sermon had been modified by Friday's discussion with the pastor.

I am sure he had already picked the topic, I know the outlines are printed on Tuesday, for folding on Wednesday and Thursday, for handing out with the bulletins on Sunday morning.  And yet.....

He spoke on John 12, Miriam has cracked open a jar of Nard and is giving Jesus a pre-death anointing.  She alone knew what was coming, she alone understood - the apostles were in her face over her wastage of something so valuable.  Jesus told them to shut up.  The entire sermon revolved around the scent of Nard, each section building on the previous - and then he got to the part where the apostles were told to shut up.

Think about this.  You are in an auditorium with 500 of the closest strangers in town.  The pastor is walking the stage, each time he comes to the concept of the broken jar - he is standing directly in front of daughter and looking at her.  Each time he reaches the point of Jesus commanding the critics to shut up - he is standing in front of her.  Each time he is making the point about the risk Miriam took by what she did - her act of pouring herself into Jesus - he is standing in front of daughter again.

Yeah, you think my daughter caught the point?  Kris was tasked by God to pour himself into this young woman, to bring her out of bondage.  God broke my being to set her free, to cover her with the scent of His blessing.  I am still amazed.  I wish all of my internet readers could see the changes I see - and rejoice with me!

Do you think anyone else in the audience caught what the pastor was saying?  Probably not.  I am going to go get a copy of that sermon and give it to Gaelic Girl.  I doubt she will listen to it, but if she does, I think she will get the point as well.  It would be better on video to really drive home the point though.  And somehow I still need to figure out how to tell her that the pastor does not agree with her nor does his wife.  Oh yeah, that ought to bring the ginger back to life.....

Yes, from a human aspect what God is doing is an incredibly dangerous act for the both of us, but He seems to know what He is doing and I see the changes and the answered prayers.  We share concerns and our wonderment, she can not see what others see, she can not weigh the change which has taken place and understand that she is  now a new creation.  The whisperer is always there in the background, reminding her, tempting her, trying to rebuild the walls she set aside to become my daughter, trying to kill love, trying to steal the victory.  But, she is smart enough to let me know and pray with me concerning these matters.  I am impressed.

As the pastor ended his sermon, he challenged the audience to be at risk for another, to pour themselves into that person - for the glory of God.  And he was back looking at daughter, I could see the joy in his eyes and in his smile.  He knows something special does not "just" happen, God has a design on her and I think he is about as excited as I am.