A party? Or a testimony?

We are officially parents of a one-year-old. If you’d told me this time last year that this would happen, I’m not sure I would have believed you. Well, intellectually, sure — I’d have known you were right. But would I have believed you? No way. But nonetheless, a whole year has come and gone right before our very eyes, and we had the big one-year-old party to prove it. Many of you witnessed this event, so you know I’m not making it up. (For anyone who needs further proof, click here.) Our daughter indeed turned ONE.

Huh.

Well the party was great. Kaeta had lots of fun. I don’t think she knew why all her friends and family suddenly descended on our household, but she didn’t seem to analyze it too much. She just enjoyed toddling in the park, stuffing her face with cake, and playing with her friends. It was unbelievably fun.

And as for me? Well I had fun, too, of course. Like I said, it was a great party. But to me it was so much more. It was a testimony to God’s goodness summed up in three words: it didn’t rain. A week before the party, Mark Murray and Jim Spencer both agreed on a 30% chance of isolated showers on Sunday (i.e., party day). As a meteorologist, I’ll tell you that is what’s known as a “CYA forecast” (that’s the technical term). As Sunday got closer, however, the chance of rain got higher and higher, until all the weather forecasters in the country finally settled on 80% chance of widespread, all day long rain on Sunday. The technical term for that forecast is, “we won’t say it’s 100% chance of rain, but if you’ve got outdoor plans you’re pretty much screwed.”

All week long we prayed fervently. For those of you who’ve seen our house, you know how easy it would be to comfortably fit 50 people inside. Not very. The park across the street was plan A. So we prayed — as I said — fervently. And it didn’t rain.

We drove to church that morning in the rain. For the rest of the day the dark clouds hung overhead, threatening to let loose. I didn’t look at the radar once all day, knowing that it would only stress me out. Several of our guests coming from different directions all over town said that they drove through downpours on the way to the party. Later that night I saw on the radar that it was raining pretty much across the ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS. But you know what? In Pflugerville? Between the hours of 3 and 6 pm? IT DIDN’T RAIN.

I am simply amazed at the lengths that God goes to to bless us sometimes. Often times He blesses us in ways that are different than we’d hoped. Sometimes He blesses us by NOT giving us what we ask for. We give thanks in those times, too. We praise Him because He is God. And He is sovereign. Already He has fulfilled our biggest need — while we were His enemies, no less — and THAT is all that really matters.

But then sometimes? Sometimes He is glad to give us exactly what we ask for, and so much more. Though He does like to watch some of us squirm as we watch the weather forecast sometimes.

IT.
DIDN’T.
RAIN.

Oh, and here are the pictures from Kaeta’s birthday.

P.S. – Click here or on the Photos link above for new photo albums from August, September, and October, too!