Holidays Out

Christmas has been a tempest! I have finally gotten a break for a few days. . . but why is it that as soon as you give yourself that break from going non-stop, your body decides that it is the perfect time to get sick? Yep, I’m coming down with a cold.

I can’t complain, though. The holidays have been wonderful. I kind of laid out my plans for them in an earlier blog, and things went according to schedule. I got to spend Christmas with family and New Year’s with friends. It was so wonderful to see people that I have missed more than I realize. . .

Some memories from Christmas 2005:

1. Going to see Narnia. The first time I went, before school ended, felt like the start of the Christmas season. Plus, it was followed by several rounds of Mafia, which is always fun. Last night I went with my sister and it felt like the end of the Christmas season. Full circle and all that. The movie wasn’t perfect, but it was great to see that magical kingdom come to life.

2. My sister and I took our little brothers out for a fun afternoon on the 24th – but the bowling alley closed just before we got there! Thankfully someone (I won’t say who, but her name rhymes with foreign) had the *brill* idea of going to McDonald’s Playplace (they were called Playlands in my day, but times have changed). The Playplace has multiple levels; it’s basically a castle. No one was in there but the four of us and trust me, it was just as much fun for me and Krissy as it was for the boys. Then we had a “battle fight” with dollar store swords.

3. My cousin Erik taught me how to play “Smoke on the Water” on the guitar. It actually made me want to learn to play, even though I vowed never to play an instrument again after Grade 8 flute.

4. Boxing Day shopping at the Rideau Centre with my cousin Samantha. For some reason I decided to buy a hideous vest (ohay, not as bad as those ones) from Smart Set, which I realized after looked more like something from Northern Reflections. Fortunately they let me return it to the Peterborough location for a full refund.

5. Visits from out-of-town friends. I am one of these, I suppose. But it was especially nice to see people from far off lands, like Kevin from AB and Shadia from NC. Also, out-of-towners = good food. Heather brought me lavender honey from France (okay, she didn’t go there, but she is an out-of-towner now), I got to try Korean food for the first time at Shadia’s house and some really good Chinese tea at the Pedosiuks. I was counting, and I think I spent some time with about 60 or 70 people over the holidays! How lucky am I?

6. On New Year’s Eve, a friend and I picked up a hitchhiker – sometimes you just gotta live on the edge. Afterwards I realized that he may have been one of the people who ran from the huge party two doors down from my house. The houses on my street are not very big, but it sounds like they managed to fit about 200 people in one before the police came.

7. New Year’s Day service at Calvary. The message was that “God always has a plan”. This is so simple and so true. I want to remember it every day for the rest of 2006. The sermon was preached from the book of Jeremiah, which I am reading right now:

Verse of the day:

Does a maiden forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number. (Jer. 2:32).

A reminder that every day the first and last thing I should remember should be the Lord, much more important that jewelry, make-up, perfume, or what clothes I wear. After all:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. (1 Pet. 3:3-4)

Most of us never miss our morning routine, whether just a shower and change of clothes or elaborate self-styling. But how much more important is it to have our spirits in check every day? Otherwise rebellion or irritability can easily set in. Another one of those things that is easy to understand but hard to live.

On another note, I will probably be at Redeemer overnight Friday, because I have to pick up my loan documents. . . if anyone is free to hang out.
Oh, and finally, congratulations to Meghan Maher and Charlie Elgersma who got engaged over Christmas! (Doesn’t THAT sound like it belongs in Time Out?)