Thursday, December 15, 2005 || Loving Christmas
- updated
OK, so i decided to post up the so-called article i wrote for J's so-called christmas edition newsletter... mostly just for future reference. JUST IN CASE MY FATHER DECIDES TO SUDDENLY REFORMAT MY COMPUTER WITHOUT TELLING ME BEFOREHAND, and causing me to lose all my files, like that memorable day six months ago when i came home to find my computer empty ........................................
oh, in advance, this post is a bit religious ....... whaddaya expect, it's a christmas newsletter. o.O
Loving Christmas
Christmas trees, joyous carols and red Santa hats all remind me of Christmas. When I was younger, more innocent and altogether more naive, I used to love Christmas. I'd eagerly anticipate the strike of the clock to hit midnight; when I'd scramble out of my bed to find a beautifully wrapped present under the Christmas tree from 'Santa Claus'. It never occurred to me that all the letters I wrote to 'Santa' were secretly read by my loving parents, who more than anything in the world, wanted me to live out a fairytale life.
But suddenly, time flew by, and I inevitably matured enough to find that Santa Claus was merely a fairytale, and that fairytales did not exist. Christmas suddenly became an opportunity for me to flash puppy-dog eyes at my parents to garner me the pleasures and presents that I wanted. Presents ... that was all it was about, isn't it, this whole 'Christmas' thing?
But there came a point of time in my life when I did not care about presents and songs anymore. Perhaps I was confused and depressed by all the changes that I had to go through in my puberty stages. Life seemed to have lost its color; carols were no longer pleasing. Suddenly, I even found that Christmas, my favorite season of the year, did not spurn delight and enthusiasm in me anymore. I no longer attended Caroling and no longer looked forward to the decorations and festivities.
In every fairytale, there must be a hero. And as much as it would please me to pronounce myself the heroine of my own story, it was actually my good friend Rachel who helped pull me out of the dark hole in which I buried myself. And, of course, all glory goes to the big guy up there, who definitely works in mysterious way.
'Eliza, you do know that christmas is around the corner, don't you?'
'It's just another festival. It's not a big deal.'
'But Christmas isn't just another festival. It's about love.'
It was then that it struck me - all the stories I heard in Sunday school were not only stories. The story of baby Jesus who was born in the manger, my favourite story when I was younger, was not a tale written merely to amuse the likes of me. My mind flashed back to all the wonderful Christmas moments of my life - the loving smiles from my parents, the Christmas carols that were sung in church, my friends and I happily opening the presents we bought for each other ... I realized that Christmas wasn't just about me.
It's about loving and appreciating the people in your life. It's the joy in giving to the less fortunate; learning that giving was much more meaningful than receiving. It's about celebrating Jesus's birthday in the best way possible - loving him and the people He placed in your life.
Pat Boone once said, 'The Christmas spirit, love, changes hearts and lives.' I believe that everything in life happens for a reason. If my best friend had not reached out a hand to my confused soul, I may still be wallowing in self-pity, still oblivious to the true meaning of life, still finding ways to trick my parents into buying expensive gifts for me. Christmas is celebrated for a reason, and it is not only about receiving expensive presents and exciting parties.
It is to celebrate love. Love between mankind, and love between mankind and God.
----------- finito -------------
actually, i don't really like it, since i wrote it in less than half and hour at five a.m in the morning ... i called J to ask him if i could write another one, but he said that he thought that this one was 'good', so i needn't do so. -.-
ahhhh well.
christine made me download sugababes's new video, push the button, cause she was outraged by how, erm, explicit, it was. i don't think highly of the song, but i found the video extemely kinky, the whole elevator thing .... ooooo.
....... now this is what i mean when i am not a suitable candidate to write christian articles. YOU HEAR THAT, J?!?
And oh, my keyboard is still out of order. but i discovered a really amazing program --- ON SCREEN KEYBOARDS!!111
updated
for those who hate me/love me/adore me/can't get enough of me click this. hilarity guaranteed. =p
