38

Yesterday was a fun birthday. Paul and Alison had a little informal shindig at their place, along with Dave and Torey, as well as Dave's sister Allison and her boyfriend Dax. We had some pizza, drank plenty of Oberon, ate some chocolate mint explosion cookies and had a great time playing with the Wi Nintendo system.

I had to interrupt the festivities to play an easy gig, then headed over to Dave and Torey's for a game of Quiddler and sharing a couple of bottles of wine. All told a great birthday, and I'm very grateful for having such great friends!

Here's an interesting story about answered prayer that happened on my birthday. Saturday night I was doing a bit of reading, and read from a letter C. S. Lewis wrote to Sheldon Van Auken on the heels of the latter's conversion. Lewis wrote to Van Auken saying, "My prayers are answered...Blessings on you and a hundred thousand welcomes."

As I read that passage, I thought to myself how I long to be able to say that some day to Meg: "My prayers are answered! Blessings on you and a hundred thousand welcomes!" I have prayed fervently for Meg's salvation, and have learned to offer up my loneliness on behalf of that, and I thank God for the opportunity to do so. But I long with all my heart to be able to say those same words of Lewis, and to say them soon. I have no contact with her, and so I know nothing of her. All I have is the faith and belief that my prayers must in some ways be profitable. We see so little though, and as the words of Paul that Sherry C. has on her blog say, "for now we see as through a glass, dimly." Saturday I found myself with a renewed longing that the day when I can say those words to Meg may come, and come quickly, and in that heightened yearning, I fervently prayed to God, asking for some small sign of encouragement that my prayers were being used by Him.

At my birthday shindig on Sunday, both Ren and Eden created some cards for me that are some of the most precious gifts I've received on any birthday, and I do not say that lightly. Alison had a Gwen Frostic note with a cardinal on it which she gave to Eden to draw a picture on for me. When she was done, Alison saw that there were two people, and she asked Eden who they were. Eden replied by saying, "It's Mr. Dan and a girl."

Alison then asked Eden what she wanted to write in the card for me.

Without missing a beat, Eden said, "Miracles and dreams come true."

If there is anything I've become convinced of in the past year, it is the fact that there are no coincidences. I have come to believe that God is active even in the smallest details of our lives. There was a time in my life when I believed that people who tried to find God's fingerprint in the most seemingly mundane events of life were pathetically superstitious and a little off their rockers. But now I think otherwise. I didn't share this with Alison, but it's a bit mind boggling that the card was a Gwen Frostic card. If God knows the number of the hairs on our heads, certainly He knows why a certain card was chosen. Gwen Frostic is not without meaning in my relationship with Meg. In light of my belief in a God who is very directly involved in our lives, even in things that seem mundane, the Gwen Frostic card, coupled with the picture of a girl with me, and Eden's unprompted declaration that "miracles and dreams come true," tells me that Alison's daughter sent a message of encouragement to me, straight from the mouth of God, in direct answer to my prayer the night before. I believe that my prayers for Meg's salvation will be answered, and that's exciting to me!

Separate from Eden, Ren also drew a picture for me for my birthday. There were two people on her card as well. Torey asked Ren who they were.

Ren said, "Mr. Dan and his wife."

I'll take that one to the bank. I'll take both of them to the bank! I believe that Meg will become a believer (hmm...I'm filled with a rush of excitement at the thought, more than I've felt before--at this moment, it feels to me as an epiphany, that it's a foregone conclusion--I believe that the Hound of Heaven must be doggedly pursuing her, in love...and may it be so!) The other card, from Ren is an encouragement in another way. I'd like to think and hope that in my 38th year, perhaps this will be the year where I find my wife. If that's the case, it will be with a great sense of honor that I will introduce her to sweet little Ren.

Scott, it would appear that the water's just fine.