made.good.again

Truth teaches me that Santa Claus (a.k.a St Nicholas of Myra - a 4th Century bishop known for his generosity with gifts to the needy and widows in his time - St Nicholas —> Santa Nikolas —> Sinta Klaas —> Santa Claus!) has nothing to do with the "true" meaning of Christmas. In fact, a "distraction" from what Christmas is all about - the birth of Jesus, God’s gift to us.

BUT…

Compassion shows me that Santa Claus / Father Christmas is more relevant than we realize. He represents the outcry of a generation of children who lack a father figure - a generation who is living through marriages that end up broken half the time, living through relationships of an abusive nature… A longing for a father who is happy (ho ho ho), who generously provides, who loves to give good gifts, who is CONSISTENT - at least he’s there every year, as promised!

Little does the world realize that this longing can be fulfilled every single day of the year, whether we are naughty or nice. We don’t even have to make a wishlist, He knows before we ask. This is our Father in Heaven, who loves to give good gifts to His children, who shows and guides us in the journey of life, who loves us just the way we are but loves us too much to let us stay the same, who speaks to us gently, slow to anger and not bad-tempered, who listens to our cries in the night and comforts us, who keeps our deepest darkest secrets… a best friend.

***

Letter from a cleverkid:

Dear Santa,

What I want for Christmas this year aren’t gifts or toys. I want YOU - because I figured that if I have you, I can have anything I want anytime of the year.

Signed,
cleverkid.

***

Seek the Giver not the gift.

My "HO" peng you sent me… (it’s funnier than my jokes i promise):

http://www.syfc.org.sg/christmas05/hokkien.htm

*Honk! Beep! Honk honk honk!!* Inching along in the traffic…

Non-indicating vehicles. Indicator equals threat ("ohh noo.. someone wants to cut into my lane, I better speed up…")

No dangling handbags, beware snatch thieves…

"Pennnyyyyy ahhh.. WAKE UP ALREADY LOH!! So late liao… faster fetch mummy to the hairdresser’s, got no parking…"

"Pennnyyyy ahhh.. where are you? So late already better come back loh.. Nowadays a lot of kidnappers ahhh…"

"Wahh.. big girl already loh.. dr penny ah.. next time aunty see you for free ah.."

"Ehh city got everything ah? Like that city no what?"
"Ermm.. city no-haliza…"

Assam laksa. Assam fish. Nasi lemak kampung. Indian mee goreng. Chilli crab. Pork noodles (chu yok mee). Prawn noodles. Roast duck. Genkisushi softshellcrab roll. Hokkien mee. Bak kut teh…

No housework for a month =p

Uninterrupted time reading non-textbooks.

Divide all prices by three.

Little cousins, nephews, nieces toddling around the house and running away from the stranger whom they see once a year =(

Secretly proud parents who keep boasting about their daughter-turned-doctor behind my back.

Friends - after all these years of changes, differing seasons of lives, yet faithful, fun…

It all comes in a package. I’ve had to learn to love my country, am ashamed to say. God taught me; He loves the M’sian folks even more - more and more people are realizing that =)