You can't pick your family, but He can change 'em.

I have more to say about changing, but first I have more to say about my Dad.

He showed up to church on Sunday wearing jeans. Yes. I know. We have had numerous heated debates about how much God doesn't care about the denim vs. dress pants issue (my argument). And every time, it ends with him throwing up his hands, and saying that he just won't do it. He won't. He can't. He'd rather not go to church at all, than go wearing jeans. I have found this mind-boggling, and illogical, and annoying, and a good indication that he's either not reading, or selectively reading, his bible. As though I can talk about that... Nevertheless, I showed up at his hotel on Sunday morning to find him in jeans, and a black pullover. When I commented, he just smiled and said "When in Rome..." Whatever.

I had briefed him, as I briefed my friend two weeks ago, about the eccentricities of the worship. But he seemed fine. He sang along with the "hymns." He prayed. He appeared to be engaged during the sermon. Thankfully, he didn't acknowledge or later comment on the fact that one of those praise cards was obviously mine, and so I obviously accepted Christ last week. I don't know how to have that conversation yet. I don't have the courage to be that open with people with whom I'm close. And how in the world did that happen, anyway? Hundreds of cards. God has a sense of humor.

Anyway. He raved the entire way back from church about the greatness of Lindell's preaching. Actually, he raved all afternoon. Before he left, he insisted on dumping the sermons I have on my iTunes onto his iPod so he could listen to them on his drive home. Then he called me on his drive to St. Louis to ask me if I could send him a copy of Sunday morning's sermon on disc. I just got an email from him a few minutes ago telling me he'd been looking around JRA's website, and asking if I could get a paper transcript of the sermon (what the what?!?). He listened to the 10.14 sermon, and now wants to "listen to it sitting down" so he can write down the scriptural references, and explore them in his bible.

He actually took some of the print materials (the volunteer card, praise report, etc.) with him to show to his pastor. He kept bringing up how amazing it was that there were so many young people there. He said he could completely see why I go there. He just emailed me again to tell me that he's "not nagging," ("consider it loving encouragement") but he's been looking at the website, and thinks I should play my flute on the worship team.

He's in love. I think I should warn his wife.

What is going on with my parents? Last week, my Mom called me, and told me that she's sad for this friend of hers because the friend hadn't accepted Christ, and "you have to accept Christ to go to Heaven". Also, she's totally stoked about her church's womens' conference this weekend. She and my stepdad are coming to JRA on Thanksgiving weekend, and now she wants to bring my grandparents, too.

Um, ring ring, hellllooo? What is going on with my gene-sakes? These people go heathen throughout the entirety of my childhood (when, trust me, a little Christ would have gone a long way), and all of a sudden, I have a Christian family?

As my mother says whenever I start in with my political beliefs, Lord help us all.