Off The Cuff

Did you know my childhood did not include a Santa Claus? Nope I did not know him until I probably was 11 years old and I only knew of him because he graced the Christmas cards that we were to exchange with our classmates. By the time I got to know the "existence" of the bearded one, I was too old to believe. After all, he was supposed to know where every child was at Christmas eve and drop off presents at their homes. So for the past 11 years, I did not get any presents and so I was never going to believe anyway. I didn't get presents for Christmas. None of my neighbors and playmates did either. All we got is new dress and shoes (hopefully) for church service.

I am trying to remember a memorable Christmas for me. I cannot. There didn't seem any one that tower above the rest.

First off my entire childhood was kind of weird. I think it is. We lived in one compound, our house was in the front. Behind ours is my oldest brother's house where he and his family lived. And bringing up the rear is brother #3's house where he and his family lived. So we were together all the time. My playmates were my nieces and nephews.

My father was ill when I was born. My mother said he was already ill when I was conceived, which accounted for my sickly childhood. He contracted tuberculosis in the army. He battled the disease for a long time until his death when I was 17 years old.

So my father's health was always in the back of my mother's mind. We never traveled, because he was not healthy enough to do that. He was homebound, not bed bound thank heavens. But he was always sick. Thankfully, none of us had contracted tuberculosis, considering it's a communicable disease.

Thus Christmas was a simple affair. I thought my mother's poor upbringing did not allow her to experience any kind of Christmas. To her the pinnacle of Christmas celebration is to have a potful of steamy hot nilagang baka (boiled beef soup), a leg of ham cooked in 7-up, and a queso de bola (gouda). Sometimes, just to make the celebration go overboard, a bowl of fruit salad is on the table. Other times, it's spaghetti.

All these food on the table gave everyone a big smile and made our hearts sing, not to mention or stomachs very happy.

And so there was nothing pretty special about our celebrations. We did not decorate our house except for a parol. We did not have a Christmas tree until the very last Christmas before I left for California. I don't know where we got it, but I decorated a table top green fake Christmas tree and wore that dreadful pink lace eyelet straight dress (that I thought then was sooo elegant) at church, that made me look 20 years older than I was. I really don't have fashion sense even then.

Now that we're all here in California, each decorate his/her house and we follow the American tradition. We gather at one sibling's house for Christmas lunch, which is in reality a whole day's affair. It's potluck so the host doesn't get that much burdened. This year it's my year to host. I have my menu all written down. The hubby had made minor adjustments, especially to the dishes he would create.

I know someday there's one Christmas that will stand out, but for now, I am really happy with the simple way we celebrate Christmas. Then and now, we always, always go to church on Christmas Eve before all the eating can commence.

Happy Christmas everybody!

WWJD

The deacon from church loaned us a book entitled FINDING FAITH IN MOVIES. I saw the book in the living room as I walked out of the door to go to work today. As a matter of fact I see it every single day, sometimes I don't notice it at all, but today it was very noticeable. FYI, we haven't read the book yet.

I think the reason why I noticed it today is two-fold: 1) it's holy week 2) the blind side.

The Blind Side, the Sandra Bullock movie that won her an Oscar's a few years ago, was on tv last Saturday. It's a heartwarming movie that teaches us what a Christian should be.

The scene where Sandra Bullock character decided to take Big Mike home never fails to hit me. Tears would just roll off my cheek unceremoniously each time. I realized on Saturday why that scene hit me hard.

It was a "test" that people find themselves face every single day. Should we solve this the Christian way or not. In that case Leigh Ann Tuohy (Sandra's character) chose to do the right thing, well the Christian thing.

Matthew 25:35-36

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

The scene highlights my weakness, my tendency to think negative, my inability to see Jesus in other human beings.

It was the Holidays, my husband remembers it to be Christmas last year. It may have been the 26th. It was raining hard and we were out and about driving from one store to another. On the way home at about 5 PM when it got dark so early we halted at a stop light under the freeway bridge on the way to the freeway ramp. There stood a single lady, clean and neat, holding a sign asking for help. She wasn't the typical bum you see on the side of the road asking for help, but she looked like she was down.

I was fumbling in my purse for loose change when the light turned green. There were cars behind us and so we drove off. The hubby took the next exit and we drove a few more blocks to find some food for the lady. One gas station has food and coffee and so we bought some and drove back to find her. Luckily she was still there, and we gave her the food and coffee. She thanked us profusely.

As we drove home my husband said, "What if that was Jesus and it was a test? He simply couldn't let his laziness and inconvenience to get in the way of doing the right thing. Unfortunately and shamefully, I must admit, I would have driven off and wouldn't look back despite the qualms I might have felt and would soon dissipate.

I know this isn't the typical post I do here. The movie just inspired me to look into my everyday life and reminded me to be a little kinder. We call can't adopt a black kid and help him become a pro football player, but we have a role to play in this world designed especially for us. We simply have to find it.