Christmas Dinner

Lily, Jasmine and me having xmas dinner

in Lily's apartment with our adopted daughter

in Lily's house...me and my hubby

Christmas dinner at Martin's house

Yesterday, we spent the evening with the Martin family. Lily's husband prepared an American Christmas dinner with ham, breast turkey, stuffing, some roll bread etc. As usual, the kulit Jasmine is there. She always wanted to get people's attention. Lily gave us some Christmas presents. Thanks a lot Lily and family. We also gave them some. As Jasmine was opening her gift, she expected to have some toys. Since I knew that she already have a mountain of toys, I gave her a pair of clothes. Being not contented with her gift, she also opened the gifts of Lily and James.

That was a very nice evening having dinner with them. As usual, I am not in diet, so I ate a lot. Until later, I felt bad again because I had a migraine attack. Instead of staying there longer, me and my husband decided to go home earlier.

Special thanks to the Martin family for the very nice evening we spent with you. Thank you too for being a friend.

Christmas in the Dust

I had no Christmas spirit
when I breathed a weary sigh,
And looked across the table
where the bills were piled too high.

The laundry wasn't finished
and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point,
the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes
till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery
and grabbed a wooden stool.

The burdens that I carried
were about all that I could take,
And so I flipped the TV on
to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene
in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind,
just clouds of swirling dust.

And where the reindeer should have stood
before a laden sleigh,
Eight Hummers ran a column
right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank,
not one was past his teens.
Their eyes were hard as polished flint,
their faces drawn and lean.

They walked the street in armor
with their rifles shouldered tight,
Their dearest wish for Christmas,
just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered,
hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams
of going home again.

There wasn't much at all
to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey,
just a pack of MREs.

They didn't have a garland
or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament
they lacked a Christmas Tree.

They didn't have a present
even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see
were labeled "ammunition."

I felt a little tug
and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared,
and why it was I cried.

I swept him up into my arms
and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead
as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong my little son,
for safe we sleep tonight,
Our heroes stand on foreign land
to give us all the right,

To worry on the things in life
that mean nothing at all,
Instead of wondering if we
will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do
and said it's always right,
to thank the ones who help us
and perhaps that we should write.

And so we pushed aside the bills
and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home,
and this is what we wrote:

God Bless You all and keep you safe,
and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so,
and that you're not alone.

The gift you give you share with all,
a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty
and that we can't repay.



~Author Unknown~
adapted from: Mountain wings
God Bless our Troops!!

PERFECT LOVE

I just read this song from a friend...and she asked for a title in it...so I suggested the title

"Perfect Love"

I'm held by your love
Upheld by your strength
On your shoulder your bore me
By your faith I stand.

Cherished by you Oh Lord
Treasured in your side
So close to your heart
Affirmed in your hand.

So awesome is your love
So mighty is your hand
On eagle's wings you carry me
Your grace shall be my strength.

So perfect is your love
You sacrifice your Son
Amazing love reached out to me
With joy to you I come.

Not by my wisdom
Not by my strength
Gently you guide me
Lead me by hand.

Total surrender
Jesus I am yours
Now and Forever
In Christ I now stand.

adapted from: aileen

Making Christ Real..

The era in which we live out our Christian faith is the era of God present with his people, present in human form, human acts, human abilities. The Incarnation, once begun, has never ceased, and never will. God's choice to take on human nature, human flesh and blood and mind and feeling is as real and immediate now as it was in Bethlehem. The humanity Christ claims today is ours. The flesh and blood, the hearts and minds he claims as his are our own.

So in a very real sense God's people must not only celebrate the Incarnation, God's people must be the Incarnation. We must, each of us, be Christ incarnate, Christ in the flesh, for every other human being. Those whom we will meet today, tomorrow, at home, at work, on the street, depend on us to make Christ real, to give Christ human form and human life.

*And the Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us.....John 1:14

Christmas in Germany

White Christmas in Germany

It is really very different celebrating Christmas here in Germany compared to Philippines. But wherever we are, the spirit of Christmas must always be there. It should not only having gifts and other material things but most of all the celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.

Today, me and my husband visited his twin sister in the hospital. It is very sad to know that she celebrated Christmas in the hospital. But my husband's twin sister was very happy to see us there. We just hope and pray that everything will be well again soon with her.

Along the road, I took some photos which are very nice. I am not really a professional photographer but I love taking pictures. Whatever my camera catches, that's it. I am just happy doing it. A simple happiness that can't be bought with money.

I am sharing then the photos I had captured today, the white Christmas in Germany. Wish you have fun. Happy holidays!!!!


p.s. sorry wrong cam date again!!!

Contemplation-A Basic Human Right

...to guide our feet into the path of peace. Luke 1:79

Humanity received a mission other than doing, producing and accumulating goods, information and power. Humanity has received the mission of being more intimate with the One who is being itself, to the point of union.

We work in order to rest. Our labor make no sense if they are not energized and motivated by the ultimate goal of our Christian life, which is to rest in God, to repose peacefully in God, to be one with God.

Respect for Sabbath is a commandment. We discover in fulfilling our Sabbath duties to rest our identity as children of God. The least known and most important human right is the right to contemplation. But contemplation is never easy as it looks. It is the fruit and sign of a personality in harmony with itself and with God.

By dint of looking for peace many have lost it! Their hearts of flesh have become hearts of stone. Peace of heart is the desire of all but the experience of a few.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

A MERRY AND BLESSED
CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL
ESPECIALLY TO MY FAMILY,
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS!!!
WISHING YOU TOO A WONDERFUL,
PEACEFUL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
GOD BLESS US ALL!!!