Today would be one of those unforgettable lessons the Lord taught me. For I was expecting my girl to perform solo in a masterclass.
There was really an annoying event leading to today, that the confirmation email stated a different date than the performance date. And there is no contact number / email to clarify. When I left a note on the website, no reply came to me. So we decided to go there yesterday anyway, and there was nobody in the place. The security person that said wanted to open the door for us didn’t even turn up. Thank God for someone who came and entered, so we could follow (bad security of the building). So we went home tired & disappointed. We cheered ourselves by saying that probably it’s good idea to check the place before the big day.
Today we all were prepared and expecting a good performance and lesson. I dropped my family at the train station, and from there they had to take 1 hour journey by train, and changed to another tram before reaching the location. They arrived 15 minutes before the event and they’re told that someone made a mistake, and the event was meant for university student, so she could not perform.
I received similar message on my email, 15 minutes before the start of the program (after two weeks of no communication). Someone apologized that the slot was fully booked, and therefore my girl could not participate, though she’s allowed to watch. And hoping that she gained experience watching the play of other students.
Hello!! I exploded in anger. What kind of rubbish and unethical treatment. I made known my unhappiness in the reply email.
Then the Lord taught me this lesson. That it’s only by His grace and through prayers all things be possible. There is nothing I could add that would bring my daughter closer to her goal. Who am I to think that I can do something? I could not. I was wrong.
I could be angry, post in social media, or write in the news, make a scene, etc. But will it really my effort that guarantee spot for my girl to perform? They could keep silent and still my daughter was denied the opportunity to perform.
Instead, I acknowledged my helplessness. And I prayed if God willing, my daughter might have a chance to perform (someone got sick and cancelled last minute, the teacher got bored with some the performer and asked my girl to play in replacement, the teacher noticed and gave her a chance), whatever the reasons, God could make it happened.
Finally after an hour, my wife texted me. They somehow asked to go to another room. And there she could perform in front of another teacher.
If I could not do the simplest thing, who am I to think I could do something? I could not. Only God can. So if there’s any important lesson I learnt today in parenting and loving our children, it is by prayers & on our knees. There’s nothing we can do on our own strength. Solely by God’s grace. It’s true for our salvation, and true for everything else too.
Praise be to God.