There was a Christmas Cantata and exchange gift party last night at church, the cantata started early and wasn’t able to watch it from the start since we went to town to buy some stuff. It wasn’t that exciting anyway since it was just the same as last year, the young people sung the same song. The exchange gift party was done after the raffle draw where I bought few tickets and didn’t win even a minor prize.  I received colorful food container from the exchange gift party, it turns out my cousin’s wife picked my name during the raffle of names for exchange gift party.

Today is Sunday and it is Christmas day, most of the people in church were wearing red and the kids are feeling festive. Pastor E’s topic for today is part of the series of “Experience the Miracle of Christmas” which is The Miracle of the Method – from the scriptural verse of Romans 11:33.

Pastor E talks about how God’s method transcend us, His greatness beyond measure and beyond human understanding. He added that God’s method include each one of us, He uses ordinary people to accomplish extra-ordinary things and God’s method sanctify us, God is at work in our lives in ways that we do not and cannot fully comprehend.

After the church service, Pastor E told everyone not to leave since there will be a gifts to be given. The kids were given bag of goodies that consists wafers, biscuits and chocolates. When all of the kids got theirs, Pastor E called the young people to get their goodies I immediately run upfront while calling the attention of my younger cousin who is set to marry in a few days, she was in hesitation maybe because we are too old for the bag of goodies but with an older cousin pushing her upfront she followed me. When I returned, my cousin told me that some people voice out if I am  still a young people because as what they knew I am not anymore and I am already married, so I replied while laughing that the bags of goodies are for my younger sister who’s a member of the young people, she went home ahead because she needs to reheat something.

We prepared a little food to eat on Christmas day so some of of our relatives went to our home after the church service, they didn’t stay longer but I have enjoyed their company that I wasn’t able to feel Christmas blue making this Christmas a bit better than last year, especially with my little cousins visiting.

Well, since my personal photos were stolen from my dead travel blog and posted to other people’s website I started to blur photos with people in them for privacy reason.

Christmas is the season of giving and the season of peace, last night the church held a Christmas Cantata participated by the kids and young people members. They’ve sang a handful of songs, and the adult female church members also shared their talent through singing after the cantata was fellowship and games but since it is getting late the kids are already exhausted so they only lasts after two games, there’s also group games for the adult and then raffle draws. I have bought 4 tickets for the raffle draw, a classmate and friend told me who’s one of the facilitator of the event told me to buy more tickets which replied I am only poor being and I can’t afford to buy lots of tickets, it was unlike her she can afford it, she is the kids Santa Claus this Christmas because she handed a handful of gifts and toys among the kids to share her blessings after the cantata.

And when the fellowship ended, exchanged gift takes place it started from kids to youth and to adults. I have joined adult exchange gift since I can’t be considered as young people anymore. I have been wondering who got my name but it turns out it was my older cousin L, she have told me it took her long time to decide what things she should wrap since it seems I have complete stuff at home, well she ended up wrapping a food container and after the exchange gift is snack time, every zone members contributed for it.

The theme this Christmas is “There’s a miracle in Christmas” and what I need is truly a miracle. The Christmas celebration in the church last year wasn’t like this, they’ve only held singing competition and exchange gifts after the service. Although last year, I didn’t attend the service I have went inside the church for a few minutes, well it wasn’t really inside because I didn’t go far from the church door like I was ready to run any minute when caught loitering around, actually I felt so embarrassed during those time since I have never went inside the church since I came home.

Anyway, I have noticed inside the church that everyone is wearing bright colors clothes in red, green, yellow and blue, it  seems it was only me wearing a black clothes huh? 🙁

Christmas parties, reunions and family gatherings are everywhere this holiday season, today my mother and younger sister went to town to attend Christmas party of the Avon beauty center they are affiliated with. They initially invited me to go with them since it was also the first time they will attend a Christmas party hosted by this beauty center but I declined the invitation and stayed home alone. I prefer being alone than with the crowd I have never met, when they left I started cleaning around and took care of our pets, our dog needs special attention because she won’t eat without being spoon feed, so I have to powdered the dog food so she could chew it.

When my mother and sister went home early afternoon, they brought a piece of fried chicken, a small cup of dessert, and a few pieces of lumpia roll for me which I ate pair with the cold rice, they didn’t eat it so they could bring them home. They were also given small gifts as token for attending the Christmas party, my mother informed me that maybe when I went with them I will win a major prize since the number that should be mine won a microwave oven but I explained to her that even though I have attended the said event I could not win since the microwave oven isn’t for me, it was destined for someone else, I have never been lucky in life draws so I doubt I’ll win it.