Holiday Cheer, The Reason For The Season

Subject: Holiday Cheer, The Reason For The Season

What's on my mind

Let's not forget the reason for the season and the One that gives our spirit the true, real, deep, long lasting holiday cheer, even after this other month of December passes by.

Like many adults, chances are I'll be, if I let my guard down, caught up with the so called "holiday rush". Rush for what?

For starters, Christmas gift shopping - I've decided, for our household anyway, we would give presents only to the children, nephews, nieces. Have we started? Not yet. I thought that we'd budget $10 - $15 per child, setting that "child" age limit to 16 years old. Maybe gift certificates will be the way to go.

Spending

Finances usually get tested around this time of the year. Buyer, or should I say, spender beware. Are you going to be putting many of your purchases on credit, plastic, line of credit, etc.? Beware.

Parties, Get together

This Friday Tita Nil and I will be attending their department's Christmas Party (Cardiology Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital). It will be at the Altitude 737, atop the Place Ville Marie.

Early Saturday, 7:30AM, I've got a Tennis match, mix doubles. This will be interesting as I haven't played tennis for a couple of months, at least. I am rehearsing, practicing my moves, in my mind. I keep reminding myself, this is not a pro level match, most people participating are weekend warriors, probably in the same boat as I am, with very little practice. I have been riding my bike mostly during the summer and have not been inside the tennis club for awhile, I wonder how it looks like now :) I better look for my tennis bag, and hopefully my tennis racquets are inside, yeah racquets, plural, just in case I break a string.

Breaking a string

Allow me to get side track, or really, back track. This past Sunday I was designated, assigned to lead the Praise & Worship segment of our Sunday Worship (Mass) Service. Pastor Bill will be preaching and Pastor Dave's away, scheduled to preach at the Cobourg Alliance Church, where he will become the Senior Pastor beginning of January 2005. Search for a new Senior Pastor Story will be covered sometime- should I remember :)

Included in this Sunday's program is a segment to remember our departed sister Tammy Shaikh who passed away one year ago now. With the publicity surrounding her death in the hands of her estranged husband Tommy and the recent sentencing of Tommy, some of the media will be covering the Sunday service. Indeed the media came with their reporters and cameramen.

I thought it would be wise to bring a back up guitar, just in case I broke a string. It happened before during a heavily attended service, thank God we had a another guitarist on hand. So I was able to play my heart out, strumming hard on those strings without fear of breaking any and being left empty handed, without an instrument afterwards. Oh yeah, I remember once that I continued to play with a string broken :)

Back to tennis- breaking a string

When you least expect to break one, that's when it happens. Even if you have to bring a crappy tennis racquet as a back up, bring it anyway. Better to be able to continue to play than forfeit the game and walk away scratching your head.

Back to looking ahead this week - get together - rush

So Friday night, dinner at that fine place atop the Place Ville Marie followed by an early Saturday tennis game.

This early Saturday tennis match will be followed by at least two other matches after lunch. I really look forward to this tennis invitational, more fun and catching up with one anothers happenings than a competitive game, but at the same time I am not sure if I will have the strength to attend the Dessert Night hosted by Pastor Dave and family at their home. I'll remember to bring a couple of bottles of Gatorade; it should help me from cramping, and also I should bring some rubbing ointment for those soon to be aching muscles :)

Sunday morning service, have not heard yet from Pastor Bill, I believe he is putting together the songs, arrangements for this Sunday service. Right after service, 1:00PM, we have a Farewell and Appreciation Lunch in honor of Pastor Dave and Family at the Pavillon Wong Restaurant.

Business

Sure do hope that business will continue to flow our way this month of December. Bills and taxes to pay, gifts to buy, and let's not forget to give a small portion back to Him who provides all our needs faithfully.