In which we spent Christmas Day hopping around government offices updating our cards. But it was a happy hopping since the reason for the update was the beautiful gift that we were blessed with this Christmas/year. Thankful.
One big thing I was taught of this Christmas. To slow down. To not rush. To focus only on the essential. Thank you Po for chastening me.
The email for choir singers came 3rd week of September; calling singers who can devote their Sunday lunches for practice in preparation for the Nine Lessons and Carols – the ecumenical service in which nine lessons/readings from the Bible are read interspersed with Carol singing. For The Sacred Heart Cathedral and Christ Church, this tradition has gone on for fifty years.
When I read the email, there was only one thing my heart and head said – join! Some logical part of me reminded me how busy we are this last quarter of the year because of the moving. And joining the practice meant less time yet again for bonding with Yui and Hubs since I already have my Nihongo class very Saturday morning. But Hubs was supportive and told me to follow my heart. And so join I did.
It was worth it. The practices in itself were a joy for me. With every song, with every high note it’s like I’m lifting my voice to God, singing his praise for the wonderful blessings He gave us. With every pianissimo, it’s like I’m whispering to Him what was in my heart.
This evening, as we sing the last note for every song, as we looked at Fr. Andrew (our choir director this evening) closing his hand so the choir would end the note, a smile plays at the corner of my mouth, a praise springs forth from my heart with the words “thank you Lord for making us sing that song beautifully”. I didn’t have any solo parts but I can truly say that I felt so fulfilled singing my soprano parts and even more so when people told me after the service that the sopranos sounded really good.
As I was singing, I was also thanking God of how supportive Hubs has been for me on this. He was really very tired from all the packing, but he took care of Yui and ran around with her at the park outside the church when yui already got bored sitting on the pew. I know God was also moving Hubs because as I was urging him that we leave already (after some snacks and chat with the choir and congregation), he told me that we should pray our thanksgiving right there on the church pew.
We actually missed a Christmas party with friends this evening. The party would have been fun! But I know we were where we should be.
As we walked home, we passed by the illuminated America Yama Park and Motomachi. A beautiful sight to cap a beautiful night.
The whole park, illumined. Sugoi. Took 500,000 lights. Sugoi.
Where there’s queso de bola, hamon and/or lechon among other handa for Philippine Christmas, there’s fried chicken and Christmas cake for us in Japan.
So cute isn’t it? Santa is edible by the way. 🙂
Baby is eyeing the cake, looking as if she wants a piece for herself.
A Merry Christmas to one and all from our little reindeer who’s having her tummy time in this photo.
Moirraine is getting social by the day. She already looks at people when they look at her, rather than sleeping like she used to. But it’s still a very rare chance for her to smile at people other than at me, her dad and her aunt who lives with us.
The first time she did smile at a “stranger” was with Maj, her Ninang. But it took two meetings before Moirraine smiled at Maj. Albeit when she did smile, she made me so happy with her milestone my smile was ear to ear myself.
But earlier today, Moirraine’s second smile at a “stranger” was to somebody whom she only got to see closely that very first time: her great-grandmother. What a joy it was.
Precious moment indeed. Merry Christmas everyone! 🙂
I’ve read that it takes 30 days of continuously doing something for it to become a habit. And thanks to Jerico’s post-a-day-counting-blessings-idea, I think I have sort of made blogging daily a habit, even during very busy days (although really there’s the mobile blogging that really made things easier. Otherwise, it would have been really tough). To those who have had read my posts, a lot of my count-thy-blessings posts have a lot to do with my husband. But really, who can blame me? 🙂
This evening though, I couldn’t help but cry from happiness and thankfulness, and at an auditorium at that. We attended the yearly mixed Japanese/English (with Spanish and Korean and Filipino languages for the prayers of the faithful) mass held at the auditorium of a Japanese Catholic school in Yamate. Come Communion, those who weren’t baptized yet were of course not allowed to receive the Holy Communion. They are however encouraged to queue and bow their heads to accept the blessings from the priest. Atsushi queued after me. But I wasn’t at all prepared as to the emotions that washed over me when I saw him solemnly bow his head as the priest put his hand over Atsushi’s head and prayed for him. Even now, I feel emotional. Thankful that I married a man who was not only admirable for a lot of reasons, some of which were mentioned from previous blogs. Thankful because he also respects my faith and my religion. His arms around me as we sang the last few carols before the mass ended, it was to my memory one of the happiest Christmas I’ve ever had. This ain’t technically our first christmas together but as husband and wife after the Church wedding and in our new home at that, it was our first. And I must say, it was a great one.
I was craving for hot chocolate but most of the coffee shops we passed by after church were already closed. And then we passed by Union. Bought champagne and some cheese and nuts/seeds to go with it instead. This then composed our Noche Buena. Funny because it wasn’t until today when the need has arisen that we remembered the purchase we made from Celetná Crystal in Prague back in September – delicate lavender champagne flutes.
Earlier, before going to mass, we passed by a show entitled “The Holy Gospel Night Show”. This made me smile. Because it’s another proof that Christmas in Japan is not just about commerce.
Having had started the night with good music, it’s just fitting I think to cap the night with good music as well. Atsushi’s Christmas cover of Kagemaru. 🙂
A Happy Christmas. 🙂