What Christmas means?

"A timeless truth which will remains in my heart regardless of where I am or what I do because His love remains the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever!"

Having Christmas at a different place doesn’t really make Christmas any different I supposed. That is if the meaning of Christmas has a special place in your heart. Sad to say, it didn’t snow since the 9th of December so I didn’t get to try out what it is like to have a white Christmas. I did go out for a walk in the afternoon to feel the winter breeze and the ambience of Christmas. The Christmas lightings at Shibuya, Daikyuyama and Shinjuku were pretty but it was still a little disappointing. To add to it, Christmas day isn’t a public holiday here in Japan.

I spent this Christmas Eve having dinner with my host family and close friend's family after which, we attended a church service. After all, Christmas is a time of sharing and most importantly, the day of remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ who being God was born in the form of the human being to be with us which explained why He is also called Emmanuel. This is so that many through Him can come to have a loving relationship with God. For it is through Christ that Many Are Saved which explains why it is known as Christ.M.A.S. For it is written:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The existence of Christ is not only written in the Living Word of God, the Bible. It is also recorded in the books of history. However, what draws me to Him is that Christ came down to die for us, sinners so that His blood can cleanse us from all our sins. Not because we deserve it but solely because of His unconditional love for us. To me, this is already beyond what I can image for the love shown is indeed the greatest love ever exhibited!

As a friend, this is my way of sharing my love with you and to give you my best wishes that you too may come to a loving relationship with God! May the peace of Christmas be with you next Christmas wherever you are and whatever you do. God bless!

P.S. The above is written on Christmas of 2002 when I was in Japan. Hope you had a Blessed Christmas!

The First Snow

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” Psalms 19:1-2

I couldn’t really remember what I was doing then but I knew I had a busy day. I was rushing from one place to another as I had two appointments side by side. It was good to be able to reach home before it started pouring. By the time I was home, all I wanted to do was to have a good hot shower as I could feel the fatigue after traveling out in the cold weather. I thought I will sleep earlier than usual but I didn’t as the weather forecast reported it will snow in the middle of the night. But the truth is the weather forecast reported the same yesterday and it didn’t. Once bitten twice shy? It didn’t work on me as I foolishly sat by the side of my bed reading at 1 plus in the middle of the night in the hope of catching the first glimpse of snow.

In the stillness of the night, out of a sudden, the mobile buzzed. It was my phone’s message tone. It was a message from my friend asking me a question, “Have you seen snow before?”. I rushed to the window and to my delight saw white little fakes flowing down from the darkness of the night. The first snow I got to see in life.

I can’t help but to open the window so as to get a better view of the snow from heaven. It was freezing cold indeed but I couldn’t care less anymore as it was snowing. A view or should I say an experience I have never ever had before as I grew up in Singapore. I stretched out my hand to reach for the white flakes that were falling slowly to the ground. Those that landed on my hand melted eventually but those that were left on the sleeve of my sweater took a while before it melted away. I reached for my camera to try to capture the scene but it was just too cold that the camera lens had frozen. So, all I can do was to give up and enjoy the beautiful sight of seeing the pure white snow flowing down in the midst of the darkness. There was just peace and serenity in the midst of it all.

I woke up to the morning light and the very first thing I did was to rush to the window to see if the snow had stopped. To my surprise, it had not but the scene before me was even much more graceful as the rooftop of the houses had been covered with layers of white snow. The snow continued to flow shiftily to the ground in the midst of the sunray. It was totally different from the night, as the day drew a picture of heavenly grace. Like angels with wing dancing in the midst of the clouds. At that instance, I cannot help but to stand in awe of the creation of God! It was then I realized, “How wonderful indeed it is to be alive!”.

It is not even the mid of December and it is known in Tokyo that it will only snow in January. It has really been years since it snowed in Tokyo in the month of December. However, miracles do happen. Even if it is a short while, a miracle is still a miracle to those who bear hopes and believe.

It snowed for a day in Tokyo, on the 9th of December in the year 2002. This is the day which I got to encounter my first snow.

Recap – The 1st of July

“Yesterday marks the end of half a year. Today marks the beginning to the end of the year. Is life all there is to what we see of it?”

Date: 1st July 2007, 12:22am

It is approximately 1 and a half hour when I started writing this journal in which the last day of half a year will pass. Like the saying goes - times really flies! Just another half a year more and we will bid this year goodbye and welcome another brand new year. Half a year consist of 184 days which is 4,416 hours which is 264,960 minutes which is also 15,987,600 seconds. That's a lot of seconds if you look at the figures but seconds are just like the air we breathe; the air which our hands are unable to grasp; the air that will just slip us by.

How will you like to live this 2nd half of the year then?

I have come to realise that through the past few years whatever I have achieved in life such as how I managed to move up with the ranks on the corporate ladder of my career or the few relationships I have been through or etc. I have never been able to solve the mystery of the heart. Thus, returning back to ground zero once again. To the origin and beginning in a search for what lies in life itself? Where will it lead to? What is the meaning to it? What is the purpose of it all?

After writing this, I might again bury myself in the midst of the busy and hectic schedule in this little city. However, I am sure this will come and hunt me again. For I have been running away from this for years only to find myself returning to pose the same questions over and over again. Perhaps I do know the answer but am just unwilling to conform to it. Human nature, we just want our ways, don't we?

Sometimes, we just have to get ourselves slap in the face in order to reckon the truth and answer which we have already know since a long time ago. We just choose to ignore or to find a thousand and one reasons there are to put away what we should do. Because we like to think we are wise enough to know what is right or good for us. Or maybe we are just pure wilful? Will I finally be able to put an end to the merry-go-rounds which I have been running about? I am not sure but I guess it is time. This time, hopefully I will submit my heart to put things right and will it in the direction it should go.

The Last Day of June... the Last Day to which Half a Year will be gone... How will you want to live the next half to the year? How will you want to live this life from this second on? For the minutes and seconds of the First Day of the second half of the year has started to tickle away...

Date: 1st July 2009, 10:10pm

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:13-14

I would love to continue on what exactly happened a year later but this entry will be far way too long. Thus, I should leave you with an ending question:

Have you ever felt the same way like what I have written 2 years ago?

(If yes, I will greatly encourage you to continue to my previous entry which is just below – “Life’s Answer” and please read on)