It turned out to be a very nice day. You know it feels so good to have the prayers of others. I can physically feel when someone is praying for me. It feels very comforting and relaxing, like a spiritual xanax. I’m very fortunate that I have this blog, and Im very fortunate that others are motivated to pray for me through some of the information that I share on it. I think that is reaping and sowing coming back to me. I’ve made quite an effort to help people over the years and I think this is one way that it is coming back to me. So I want you readers to know two things. You are appreciated. Two, the prayers that you pray for me are going to come back to you eventually. I believe that karma is a biblical principal that works all the time in the form of reaping and sowing. Oh yeah, off-topic, but speaking of Karma, I was in the mall last week, eating next to a guy in a wheel-chair. I noticed the brand name on the wheel chair was…Karma. Can you believe a wheelchair company would actually name their wheelchairs Karma?
OK, back to today. Since church is on Fridays, I spent Christmas day in church. It seems like the perfect way for me to start out my day. Pat the basketball coach is alone too. I think it was really getting to him, this is the first Christmas away from his family in a long time. So after church we enjoyed a great Christmas dinner at Kenny Rogers Roasters. They just opened a new one, It’s a sit-down restaurant nearby my flat. I can’t believe they are still in business, but its actually pretty good food.
I came back home took a great Christmas day nap, then headed to theater to watch Sherlock Holmes. It is the last two days of Ashoora, which is called Muharram. They are national holidays so for Saturday and Sunday, all bars will be closed, which doesn’t affect me much. But there will also be no movies. I think they eliminate all entertainment options in order to show penance for killing the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson all those centuries ago. So I tried to get my movies in before the are closed. It’s a great great movie by the way. Im a big Guy Ritchie fan.
Afterwards I was off to my first party. It was a nice family type atmosphere in my new friend’s Ashish’s house. Ashish is an Indian that grew up in Bahrain. His family was there and it was a very warm and inviting atmosphere. Lots and lots of deserts, juices, and coffees. They made me feel like a celebrity. They were all Christians so we had a good time talking out our faith. I excused myself an hour into it and headed to dinner at Art’s place. Art is Mr. Brooklyn. You may remember me mentioning that he worked on Math Rock (Schoolhouse Rock) when he was in grad. School. I really like Art. He had about six people over, mostly Americans. It was a high-brow type of elegantly casual dinner party. Lots of very intriguing intellectual conversation. I enjoyed it very much. So I stayed about an hour, and headed to party #3. Party #3 was just winding down when I got there. It was a lot of people that went to my church. I did enjoy it. So I went from not planning to celebrate Christmas at all, to having I think 7 Christmas parties. I had a great time at each I don’t think I ever had more than 3 to go to at any one time in the past. Not only that, I had to turn down two parties, one last night and one today because I just didn’t have time. The Iraqi invited me out to a Christmas dinner with he and his friends. I told him I couldn’t because I was trying to navigate the three parties. He laughed and called me a lucky bastard. Well since I don’t believe in luck, I’ll have to be a blessed bastard…lol. It is just reconfirming to me that God indeed has his hand on my life. Here I was yesterday crying out to him and he answered in such a quick and powerful way. If God cares to answer even my smallest prayers, then logic tells you that the big prayers are going to be answered soon to. My faith is reinforced once again. Thank you for your prayers and Merry Christmas. Oh by the way…I think I had the best Christmas present I could have hoped for in that I was able to talk to all three of my kids. That was an incredible blessing.
Oh yeah, I posted this poem I adapted last Christmas, I thought I should post it again since I have so many new readers. I hope you enjoy.
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the villa
Not a creature was stirring except our butler Abdullah
The sandals were hung by the space heater with care
In hopes that Kareem Claus would soon be there
The children were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of Falafells danced in their heads
I in my thobe and Mamma in her abaya
Had just fallen asleep by the imaginary fire
When out in the yard there arose a clatter
I sprang from the bed to see if a Filipino was causing the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the mini blinds threw up the sash
I fell forward and chipped my tooth and the enamels
But then I saw a sleigh and 8 tiny camels
With a tiny little driver smelling so good and clean
I knew in a moment it must be St. Kareem
Now Ahmad, Now Hassan, Now Ibrahim, Now Amir,
On Jamal, On Khalil, On Omar, On Yassir
To the top of villa, to the top of restraining wall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all
And then in twinkiling I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each camel hoof
Down through the maid’s quarters Kareem Claus came with a bound
He must have been moving fast cause his feet didn’t hit the ground
He was dressed all in camel fur from his head to his foot
And his thobe wasn’t tarnished with ashes and soot
His eyes how they twinkled his dimples did glisten
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a persimmon
And the thickness under his nose with a big mustache
And beard of his chin was black like the ash
He had a thin face and no real belly
He must have taken a bath because he wasn’t so smelly
He was thin, and skinny a right jolly old muslim
I laughed when I saw him it wasn’t a whim
With a glare from his eye and a swivel of his head
Soon let me know that I hand nothing to dread
He spoke not a word but went straight to his work
And filled all the sandals then turned with a jerk
And laying a finger on the side of nose
And giving a nod and through the maid’s quarters he rose
He sauntered to his sleigh getting ready to split
And his camels got ready to fly after a good spit
I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight
Eid Mubarak, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Feliz Navidad to all and to all a good night….
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