Wednesday, November 5, 2008Â Â 11:19 PM

Hi everybody, Yanyu from EastA here! haha. At first was thinking through what to share, since today is my mum's birthday, I thought of sharing how God blessed me in the area of family and answered my prayers...

Just to give a brief background for those who don't know, my family consist of my parents, my 2 elder brothers (which are 8 and 10 yrs older than me), and ME! Over the years, my siblings and I don't really ask much about each other's life due to our busy schedule and partly age gap. Not only that, I seldom stay at home so don't really spend alot of time with my parents. Therefore, our relationships are very strained and distant as we meet up to have dinner together only once a year.

I remembered this year CNY dinner was a pathetic one, the whole atmosphere was like 5 acquaintance sitting together eating rather than family dinner, with my 2nd brother talking on the phone throughout. Here and there my eldest brother and I will initiate a few conversation but it just feel kinda awkward. Then during my birthday, 1 of my prayer request is for God to do something in the family and change the whole atmosphere, afterwhich, i really see a difference in it.

Everyone started to take more initiative and avail ourselves to spend time together. It was really a breakthrough because this year was the very first year that we celebrated everyone's birthday and the special occassions like mother's day etc, on top of that, we had a few family dinner just to meet up and spend time together. Even the atmosphere is different, hearts are more open, not that tense anymore as we will joke around. Last time it feels like we're obligated to eat together because of the traditions, but now I can see that everyone really enjoy it.

My attitude towards my family took a turn as well, I will try my best to spend more time with my parents weekly like going home earlier blah blah, alot of small things which I shan't elaborate. Also, I began to show appreciation towards them through words or blessing them with food they like to eat. Haha. And I think the way I communicate with my mum now is like a friend sometimes, joke with each other and suan my dad together etc.

I really thank God for these good works that He had done gradually, although there are still things that really need to be improved, I really want to trust God even more for what is to come. I want to claim that verse in Joshua 24:15, "...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Keep us in prayer,
Yanyu (: