Feliz Natal and Merry Christmas

João, Mia and I, on this Christmas morning, wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas celebration. As you can see, Mia’s favorite place to sleep is under the tree. I hate to take it down, as she will really miss it. She had a fun time jumping in and out of wrapping paper and boxes last night, so who says cats don’t enjoy celebrations?

João and I had a nice and quiet and enjoyable Christmas eve together. I had brought back presents from my family in the US, so we had fun opening them. We also had presents from friends, church members and the girls. It was an abundance! My husband suffered immensely, but he drug himself out to the shopping center yesterday (all by himself!)

and found a present for me. It was a surprise and I loved it. I guess you can’t miss with jewelry, right? I am holding it in the photo. It is a 18k tulip on a gold chain. I just loved it. I must say I was very happy!

For João (and me too!), the big gift was a sound system. I pooled together money from my family for him and for me and bought a CD/MP3 player. Oh so modern, you can even plug in any USB device to play music. I miss the good old days of just plugging in and turning on anything electronic, and we spent a long time getting it all configured. But we had fun the rest of the evening playing the radio, CDs and even hooking up the MP3 player. Hope the neighbours didn’t mind as we tested out the volume!

In a short while we will be going out to Christmas lunch as a member’s house and are looking forward to that.

Although we emphasize the food and presents, I know you know that is not the most important thing to us! We love Christmas because it means that Easter is coming. If Jesus had not come, then there would be no redemption story. I share one of my favorite Christmas verse:

Have the same attitude among yourselves that was also in Christ Jesus: In God's own form existed he, And shared with God equality, Deemed nothing needed grasping. Instead, poured out in emptiness, A servant's form did he possess, A mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be, And lived in all humility, Death on a cross obeying. – Philippians 2:5-8

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008