The Real Meaning of Christmas

Pause

This is the place where I want to get - this Christmas...small steps are being made towards it but I do love giving gifts to people (both purchased and made) - it brings me great joy.
So I will make the change gradually - hopefully in Christmases to come, more water will be given literally and figuratively. The purpose of the church I attend (and the Church as a whole) is to take water to our world. In this advent season, I hope to find the opportunities to be a water-carrier to those in need.
I am done my Christmas "shopping" although there are a couple of makesies still to complete and gifts to donate to but I look forward to enjoying the next 3 weeks in anticipation of celebrating Jesus' birth. May the advent season be one of wonder, joy and peace to you.
For more info on the video, check out www.adventconspiracy.org.

This reminds me of my family

This is an addendum to my first blog post today. The Bateman/Light cousins know what this is all about...there have been 1 or 2 (or more) dance parties to Boney M at past Christmas get-togethers. All she is missing is a comb for a microphone.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Judging from the weather today, no one would believe that tomorrow is December. It was about 7 degrees Celsius today and absolutely beautiful. So it is hard to start thinking about Christmas and the season of advent. But this weekend, I solved this conundrum. Here are five easy steps to get into the Christmas spirit:

1) Pull out Christmas decorations and deck the halls.


2) Listen to the Boney M Christmas album


3) Buy festive food. I bought mini mandarins. Aren't they adorable?


4) Invite people to a Christmas party. My 4th annual Christmas brunch is taking place in just 2 weeks.

(prep from last year's brunch)

5) Start thinking about gifts - this brings me great joy! I am making, buying or donating to charity for my Christmas presents this year. For the buying, I chose on-line purchases, of course - there is nothing like the crowds in the mall to make your Christmas spirit disappear. As for making gifts, my loved ones - you are in for a treat!! And most importantly, charity - my donations this year will be going to ChristmasFuture again.


By the way, as a reminder to my beloved relatives in the 'Bridge. I will be joining y'all for the Christmas festivities. Love you & can't wait for it.

Overheard conversations

I sometimes play a game when I am out at a coffee shop or restaurant. I call it "the first date" game. I watch couples and try to determine where they are in their relationship. The really fun ones to watch are the two people on a first date. I then determine from their body language whether or not there will be a second date. Earlier this week, I watched this guy and girl having coffee at one of my favorite coffee haunts - Kaffa and Salsa House. It was an obvious first date. The conversation seemed fairly fluid but not entirely comfortable. I think the girl liked him but perhaps going on dates is new for her. Her crossed arms on the table send one message but she is leaning forward. The guy was a bit nervous and talked quite a bit. His body sent mixed signals - sitting back in his chair but open. This is hard to decide. I think they were of the christian faith purely based on their clothes and body language (and choice of beverage). They were definitely talking about first date topics - travel, work, family. I think there will be a 2nd date. I don't know if playing this game is actually an act of judging. I just like creating stories about people. Here is my take on that girl - she is single because she has been committed to her studies and career. She looks about early 30's. He has recently decided that he needs to settle down in life and find a nice girl. They met on-line. She seems nice but not a lot of chemistry. I really shouldn't play this game because I am a disaster when it comes to dating. But it is fun to imagine other people's stories. Who knows if there will be date number 2...only the stars will know.

Eavesdropping is considered a rude habit however when one is journalling in a coffee shop, conversations are bound to be heard...here is another I heard at the same coffee shop.

This conversation was between a new mom and a mom-to-be (first time). They talked about cloth diapers and diaper rashes for 45 minutes. Is this interesting to mom's? The idea of ever participating in such a lengthy conversation about the color of a baby's bottom makes my ovaries shrivel. Seriously ladies, there is more to life than shit on diapers. .. there is wipes, change tables, pablum, toilet training, oh, the topics are really limitless. The mom-to-be looks like she may want to re-think her decision because she just realized what her conversations will be like for the next few years. Too late, lady! Maybe the idea of these conversations excite some women...each to their own.

fragments of my life

Again, my blog will be a mixed update of sorts as this past week was a pretty great one in the grand scheme of my life. Here are some highlights:


1) Girls weekend in Canmore - Punam, Lynn, Claire & I did what women do best - drank wine and over-analyzed our lives. It was wonderful. If you are ever in Canmore, I recommend the condo complex we stayed at - Canmore Crossing.


2) There is a new president-elect in the USA. This makes me smile! I still get goose-bumps when I think about it. If you have not read the book "The Audacity of Hope", read it and you will understand my goose-bumps.

3) I am enjoying a 4-day weekend - enough said.


4) Caught up with old friends: Sarah, my best friend from high school; Jo-Anna, a kindred who lives on the other side of the world; Alicia, my girl...I was her youth leader but she teaches me so much.


5) Went orienteering with my work team and was partnered with the person I encountered challenges working with in the past. However, we rocked as a team and came first in the orienteering course. We also understand each other a lot more - good conversations while completing the tasks.


6) Attended a Lucinda Williams concert last night with my brother - loved it! I need to purchase her new album. It is a wee bit softer than her past albums...apparently, she has found true love.



7) I live in a country where I have the freedom to say what I want, believe what I want, vote for whomever I choose. Thank you to those men & women who sacrificed so I can experience freedom.

Yes, they did

Tonight, I and a few poli-geeks crashed the Democrats Abroad party and celebrate a history-making moment. With a beer in hand and CNN on the TV, we watched until there was no doubt that Barack Obama would be the next president. I had a strange desire to cry with joy and laugh the audacity of it all at the same moment. It feels like the whole world's trajectory has been shifted. Hope for change - that is the core of human existence.
The other inspiration of the day was the huge voter turnout. Americans used their voice and power to be heard...if only all democratic countries (hello Canada!) would understand that each vote matters.