How Can It Get Any Better Than This?

 This morning, just before all the wonderful began, I stepped out onto the small porch of Suradet and Yupa's home, having finished my final notes for the Thanksgiving service that was to start in about 30 minutes or so.  As is common, an English worship CD was playing in the sanctuary, loud enough to be heard almost anywhere on the property.  And I recognized the song as Everything, by Lifehouse.

How can I stand here with You and not be moved by You?
Would You tell me, how could it be any better than this?

A wash of profound gratitude came over me, and I just stopped to soak in the unexpected moment of worship, looking out over all the buildings and lush green of Hot Springs.  All this place represents in terms of God's goodness and guidance and sovereignty and passion for those who have no voice.....  Yes, how could it get any better than this?

And that was BEFORE the service!

It was two and a half hours of abundance.  If a church service were a meal, this was a Thanksgiving feast, without question.  Prayer time, all out worship in our voices, special renditions on the flute by Esther's young students, a dance number by some of the girls, and special numbers by Miki and Two, and our visiting university students.  Esther spoke through our interpreter about the pressures of choosing a career path in music, and followed that with a stunning flute solo.  Sermon was about Luke 17:11-19 and the nine that didn't come back to say thank you.

We handed out banana muffins in lieu of pumpkin pie (no such thing in Thailand, and you learn to improvise rather broadly here ;).  Then we all headed downstairs for the baptism of five people who were ready to make public their commitment to faith in Jesus.

In an act of utter selflessness, Suradet, who had done ALL the shepherding and discipling of these candidates, offered me the honour of actually doing the baptisms.   To keep everyone in attendance (which doesn't happen, Suradet says, when we truck out to the water reserve) Suradet had purchased a small child's pool.  That's where the baptisms took place.  

The five newly baptized souls are Porn and Pook, two women from the church, and Kratae, Porn, and Da, three of our own girls. [Just because I'm sure you're wondering, Porn means 'blessing' in Thai :)]

So tell me, how does it get any better than this?

When you dedicate your life, your vocation, your energies and passions to something, and you get to see it actually happening; when you work hard, sometimes without encouragement, sometimes against criticism and personal attack; when you just lay it all down and leave it in the hands of a God you believe to be wise, and sovereign and good, just one day like this can be all you need to make you believe your life makes sense.

Today my life makes sense.

And it just doesn't get any better than that.