it's (almost) Christmas!

"This is my third Christmas time without being around my family." I shared this to a friend whom I go with to the service at Southeast Christian Church today. I was surprised that apparently this is his first Christmas time without his family. I can see tears dropping in his eyes a while after we sang "Silent Night" at the church. He's an international student too and he's been studying in US quite longer than I have but this year is the first time he couldn't go back home for Christmas. There's more to it, he won't go anywhere but to stay at the dorm because he has to participate in his church for Christmas day and also studying.
I sympathize to him. He's left with almost nobody and couldn't go anywhere but he seems to be very grateful, still. I still can picture myself vividly in 2005 when I just came here and had my first Christmas. I was so grateful that my friend, Pastor Yandi, from Philadelphia drove all the way to Lynchburg to pick me up to spend Christmas with his church and family. Earlier I thought I was gonna "die" (exaggerating mode). That time, I was somewhat grumbling... why Christmas time feels like this???? Hehe.. silly me. I should learn from this friend who anticipate Christmas with a different attitude although he might experience the same feeling.

Now, I'm grateful that tomorrow I will get a chance to meet my long-time no see friend from Bandung: Hery, who's now in Indianapolis. Then I'll also get a chance to visit my newly-graduated-doctor friend, Pink, at Morgantown, WV. There will be a lot of driving... of course, but it's not too bad. Lots of driving will be balanced with lots of "eating" .. I suppose (???)
I'll still have two Christmas services on Sunday (tomorrow morning and evening) to accompany before I can leave for my vacation. I'm now at home, by myself, did some cleaning work around the house, run errands, and reading a book. Yes, I know, I will miss my family, and in fact I had already. But this is the time where we actually learn to appreciate and cherish our moments with our family because the reality is, there will be a time when we could not be with them for Christmas. The message of Christmas is simple, it happened in a family and among friendships of people: the shepherds, and the wisemen. At some point, they too, can be called: a family. A family of believers, believers of the news. May the Christmas season this year strengthen our ties with our families and friends.


Merry Christmas everyone!