Thus Comes The Dawn...

So, now dawns a new day, a new month, a new year....a new begining.
2005 was such a full year.

School took up most of the time, but it was maked by the blessing of having a beautiful foster daughter for a season, then came our new son (who we will officially adopt on Thursday), the job search, the new job offer and my dad's death.
What does 2006 have in store for us? We are excited to see it.
We will be looking to buy a new home in the new city where we are moving to for the new job.
New, new, new, new

"Behold the old has past the new has come."

Let me back up and make another comment regarding my dad.
First let me say, that I loved my father. Loved him very, very much. But....and it's a big but...
For the majority of his time here on earth, he was not a nice man. He was violent and abusive in every aspect of the term, but he was my father and there were many things I have learned from him both following his example and learning from his err.

Many people had been praying for him. Many people had shared the plan of salvation with him, which he time and again rejected. His eternity was something I had always held my concern.

I was in a conference with the hospice nurse, while my dad was still in the hospital and my mother and brother were at my dad's bedside. During a rare moment of lucid thought, he turned to my mother and said, "I miss your parents. I really loved them"
My mother said, "Well, there's a way you can see them, you know."
My dad said, "Really? That'd really be great."
She then laid out the plan of forgiveness, redemption and salvation for him. Which he thought sounded. "..like a great idea."

Now, I don't believe in coincidence. I believe in God's perfect timing. I believe in God's open doors and His desire that all men are saved. II Peter 3:9 "...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." I believe that God's saving grace was manifest that day and that my dad was forever in His great grip.

My dad continued to live for a few more days. I got the call while I was finalizing things for my new job in Tulsa. That was the 28th.

On the 30th. After a couple of days of work I sat down at my desk and went through the pages of the day by day calander my sister gave me for Christmas last year. I had been a bit distracted and hadn't really looked at it for a few days, so it was nice to review some bits of scripture.

The verse for the 28th, again, the day my dad died was Luke 2:29-31 :"Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, According to thy word, in peace;For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;"

Again, I don't believe in coincidence. All things have a purpose. I thank God, that my dad finally fell into his purpose. I believe God used the converation regarding my mother's parents to usher him into the kingdom of God. I also am firmly convinced that my grandparents met him as he entered the presence of the most Holy.