Tuesday, December 26, 2006
A merry Christmas 
My family doesn't celebrate Christmas.
We used to put up trees when we were younger, but then we got lazy to set it up and after we moved a couple of years ago, I guess the tree didn't make it to the new place.
Last year, I had just quit my job and gone on a Chiangmai mission trip and was immediately thrusted into a month-long preparation for Christmas, being involved in dance, drama, service, meetings and parties... it was a hectic season and I declared myself the busiest unemployed person around.
However, Christmas was going to be a quiet affair this year.
The only event I attended was Ahred's family dinner, and I cannot think of a more meaningful way to spend my time.
It was my first time meeting everyone, but they were Teochew too and incredibly easy to get along with.
His grandmother was a gem. She shared testimony after testimony of God's goodness in her life in Mandarin and urged me to read my Bible and pray more to draw near to God. This was a deeply devout woman who grew up a Buddhist and decided to put her faith in Christ after her children started believing in Him and has never looked back since.
"There's nothing worth loving but our God. Look at the news today- sister fighting sister, children fighting parents, neighbour fighting neighbour, friends fighting friends. What is there to love in this world but our God?"
It was like an instant ray of light she shone on my situation. I had suddenly become consumed with something that obviously had no happy ending and it was then I realized that this should have no significance or bearing on my life, because God had much bigger plans for my life.
I want to start the new year right with God.
And I am glad that He sent Ahred's grandmother to speak the truth in love to me.
We had a home-cooked feast, shared life stories, sang Christmas carols, played games and exchanged gifts.
I hadn't expect it, but Ahred had bought me a book even after we decided on no presents for this year and his parents got me a gorgeous bottle of perfume.
Poor Ahred was feeling very weak from a bout of diarrhoea, but his parents actually drove me all the way from their home in Pasir Ris to where I lived in the west. It was drizzling and past midnight, and we had a nice chat the whole journey in the car.
Thank you Ahred, for a very merry Christmas. :)
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