Christmas

Christmas usually passes in a flurry of activities but this year was even more different than any Christmas I have experienced so far.
David was still working on December 24th, which is our main holiday, and didn't come home till 10pm that evening. I had spent all of the 23rd shopping in the city and picking up my Parents-in-law with Elliot. We got back at 1 pm on the 24th. I think I have never felt so unprepared for Christmas. I didn't even decide what we were going to eat for our Christmas Dinner till the morning of the 25th and then it all took a lot longer to prepare then I had anticipated.
Plus, I was sick, we all were, and so everything was a lot more tiring and exhausting than usual.

Nevertheless, this Christmas was special in other ways.

I found it ironic to suddenly be bombarded with Christmas decorations, trees, Santa Clauses and music in all of the shopping malls in the city of our neighboring country where I went shopping. A Buddhist country with many devout Buddhist believers and a monarchy in which the King and Queen are regarded with the utmost respect, almost worshiped, it was weird to hear "Joy to the world" playing in the department store:
"Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her KING."

Then coming back home to another Buddhist country where people think that Christmas and New Year are synonyms and where they put up Christmas trees after Christmas. Sunday evening we were invited to some friends' house. They had invited all their Buddhist friends for a Christmas party and some local believers put on a nativity play. It was fun to see how people responded with laughter to the anguish that Mary and Joseph must have gone through when Mary was told that she would be with child and Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant. Maybe, because many could relate?

But what really touched me was seeing the believers doing a dance to "O come all ye faithful", to see them worshiping Jesus, the risen Christ, the King of Kings, Immanuel in difficult circumstances where their faith could really cost them their lives was amazing.

I hope and pray that many more will receive Christ as their King this coming year, here as well as next door!

On a lighter note, I've been amazed to realize how big my boys have become. Elliot is walking now, still a bit unstable but he's determined and gets back up on his feet whenever he falls over. And Dylan is a real boy now. Recently, I cut his toe nails and finger nails and was astounded at how big they have become...

This is the first year that Dylan consciously celebrated Christmas. He learned a few Christmas songs at school and loved receiving gifts. He wishes that would continue on so now he's looking forward to his birthday and more gifts. :)

So even though Christmas was hectic and exhausting and tiring, I'm thankful for the gift of Jesus and that we have reason to celebrate!