I can't thank the Lord enough for bringing my niece and family to spend Christmas with us this year. Surprise it was, when my niece sent me an e-mail two weeks before Christmas to tell that her family decided to visit California during Christmas time. It was like my wish coming true for this Christmas, and I wasted no time planning for their visit from that moment onwards. With four grown up children aged 26, 23, 17 and 15, it was a stretch to accomodate them in our two bedroom apartment. But when heart and will joined in alliance, overcrowding never seemed like a barrier.
Thankfully I'm blessed to have a sister in Christ like Trish living in my apartment complex. She and her husband were leaving to visit their parents on Christmas morning and her apartment, just opposite to ours would be empty except for their dear cat for at least a week. Normally I'm a person shy to ask favor from others even if it's very urgent. I don't know what pushed me to ask, but I did ask Trish if we could use her apartment when my nieces family come over.
Kind and generous as she is, she was too willing to not only allow my guests to sleep at her place, but also to shower, rest and for them to feel free to use it as their own place. She put fresh towels to use, provided her pull-out bed and blown-up mattress for them to sleep with the comfort of her soft and cosy fleece blankets and so forth. She also allowed me to store my 15lbs fresh turkey in her fridge until need to be roasted. Her oven, cutlery and dishes, she lovingly offered us to use. Yes, she was the good neighbor Christ would have been proud of, and it was His mercy that enabled us to have this Christmas a memorable one for me and my family.
My niece's family arrived on Christmas eve after we returned from our candle light service. That evening they had attended the candle light service at Saddleback church where pastor Rich Warren is the senior pastor. Oh, how joyous it was to hug and welcome them when they all arrived around 9pm. at our door. I had made saffron rice, lamb curry, eggplant chutney, devilled shrimp and tomatoe salad in yogurt for Christmas eve supper and they all loved it, including the children who don't normally like rice and curry.
Because my niece requested no Christmas gifts given or exchanged to her family, I was compelled to honor her request. So, my own family exchanged gifts on the 23rd evening instead of the usual 25th morning. For Christmas, I planned to roast the turkey, but I had no idea how it would turn out in the end. Only once I had roasted a turkey before and that was at least five years back. Since our family is not much for turkey, I usually roast a chicken and cook lamb curry for Christmas meal. So, on Christmas morning as I thanked the Lord for Christmas, I also asked Him to help me with my turkey roasting too.
Yes, it sounds silly, but if a child needs help, won't she go to the father for help? That's what I did. If you have a close relationship with your Father, He wouldn't mind the request is small or big, sound silly or serious. That's what the blessing of having an intimate relationship with the Lord. We can go to Him at anytime for anything, especially when you find yourself helpless.
On Christmas evening, when the roasted turkey came out of the oven, it looked shiny golden brown like the one exibited in Martha Stewart's cookbook. The turkey looked so beautiful in Trish's large green leaf like porcelein plate that my nephew couldn't help but take a couple of photos of it from different angles.
Marinated in freshly ground ginger, garlic, bayleaf and other herbs for six hours, the meat was tender, juicy and tasted sooo good. Everyone complimented me for roasting such a tasty turkey, but inwardly I was thanking the Lord for answering my prayers. Isn't it amazing that the King of kings has the love ,time and patience to attend to a simple request like mine. . In fact, when I told my daughters that I truly sought God's help for roasting the turkey, my oldest said, " Mom, you don't pray about roasting a turkey." Well, I did pray and He did answer as I requested, and that's all I can say.
We didn't exchange gifts with my niece's family at Christmas, because that's the way my niece wanted it to be. But we exchanged love, laughter and stories till late into Christmas night. True, Christmas need not be about gifts. It need to be about Christ (the greatest gift of all) family and friends. It's about love, joy and peace. It's about giving and not getting. Because I had the blessing of enjoying all of that, I value this Christmas 2010 a memorable and precious one to cherish.
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