1 CORINTHIANS 13 AT CHRISTMAS

The photos and the blog post are not connected. Explanation under photos.

This year, I decide I am not going to kill myself over Christmas. Initially, I had planned to return home and start doing all the Christmassy stuffs like getting the turkey ready, think of how to serve smoke salmon, what cakes to bake and which side of the family to go. You see, my apartment is way too small for any group of more than 10 persons. So, I usually go to either my eldest sister or eldest sister-in-law house for the Christmas meals. Since I am the only few Christians on both side of the families, it is a novelty for them to get a taste of my Western meals.

(I went to Langkawi with this entourage.)

But after too much sun, sea, booze, chocolates and walking, climbing and travelling, I got sick yesterday. Woke up with a bad cough, then fever and body aches. So, I take it as a sign to slow down and forget about the frills of Christmas.

(The person who has the most fun is this little boy.  He endeared himself to all his kor-kor’s friends and treat himself like one of them. )

And I got this timely reminder from my church bulletin.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.

But giving the gift of love will endure.

(The weather forecast predicted rain and cloudy days but all we get are hot, dry, windy days. Weather was perfect. Somehow, Langkawi seems cooler than Penang and is not so humid.)

I haven’t slept so well for a long time already. Last night, I think I hit the bed at 8 pm and sleep till this morning. I gulped down cough syrup and that cough syrup is damn potent. It not only knocks me out, my phlegm comes out like half boiled eggs. Only thing is the sputum is so thick, green and hard, it stuck to the sink and refuse to budge no matter how much water I pour in. In the end, I have to dislodge them with my fingers. Ewwwss………..

I was greeted by this orangey sunset over Penang. Photo taken from Penang Bridge in a moving car. When we see those orangey hues, it means Penang is getting some haze.

So, yay! I am not going to slave over the kitchen. I will just take the 1 CORINTHIANS 13 AT CHRISTMAS reminder and do absolutely nothing.