How does any family spend Christmas together? Opening presents, reading Christmas story, playing games, big feast, etc. Many family traditions live on when spent with family always seem to make the best Christmas ever. Christmas on the race for sure I believe does make the best Christmas ever. Sharing traditions with your 5 new best friends, starting new traditions, and doing things we would not expect to happen.
Here is a normal Christmas in the Johnson household when I was a child. We try to keep it going. Go to the Christmas Eve. service then drive around town and look at Christmas lights. Either that night or at 4am we drive little over an hour to my grandparents house; most of the time it would be that night. My grandpa was a little boy when it came to Christmas. He would go around and wake everyone up at 4am cause he wanted to see what Santa brought him. After present opening its nap time till brunch. Its a large feast with ham, potatoes, yams, pie, lefsa, (I think you get the picture.) Tell stories and play games through out afternoon till white elephant time. We have dessert around dinner time and finish off with a Christmas movie. Such memories I hold dear. I believe this is how an American Christmas would look like.
So, how is Christmas overseas in Malaysia? Let me start off with the good old classic song the twelve.days of christmas re-wrote world race style. I believe this will help knowing what the race has given us thus far. Going to start the song at twelve to save time writing and not to bore anyone. Just imagine you went through most of it now.
On the twelfth day of Christmas the world race gave to me, twelve Thai pants,
eleven long bus rides
ten bucket showers,
nine tarantulas eaten,
eight leeches leeching,
seven doctor visits,
six itchy bites,
five pounds gained,
four exploding rears,
three stolen iPhone’s,
two squatty potties,
and a chance to expand the Kingdom.
This Christmas is by far the best cause we did things that brought the true meaning and joy. A couple days before Christmas we went to a children’s hospital and Santa (Trent my teammate) gave presents and a Christmas card to the children. It was the expression on the parents face that told the story. Their face was full of such shock and joy at the same time. It seemed to say that someone seems to care to bring my sick child something and in return give me a gift of love. Its almost as they have never felt it before. Malaysia is a closed country to the gospel and the Lord opened doors for us to for caroling and share the story of Christmas and pray a blessing over the houses. The power of the Lord was at work as I felt his presence in each house we went to. God told me that this is part of what this season is about, I have more for you that will blow you away cause I am at work. Isaiah chapter 43 verses 18 & 19 says “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
This was just the start of something new that I have stepped into. Christmas Eve. night we opened our gift from our secret Santa. Lets be honest I have never been excited to receive chocolate as a gift. We went and got hot coco from a local place and sang him we wish you a merry Christmas, followed by playing a game and watching its a wonderful life. Christmas morning started off with worship and a word from the Lord from Erika about how he longs for us, such a sweet reminder as it ties in with the story of Christmas. PT finished it off with invited the Spirit to come and have us worship in our own way. We went over to his house for Christmas lunch. Being with my new family for the year was such a blessing and wonderful. Before we left his house is when the Lord gave us an opportunity to pray over someone who approached PT. This man recovered from a stroke and it left his upper right side paralyzed and could speak extremely poor. He had a difficult time understanding him. We laid hands on him and prayed that healing would come to him. THE LORD STARTED TO HEAL HIM!!! He could move his arm and could speak much clearer! What a gift to receive from the Lord on Christmas! After the Lord started a healing process they gave him food. I’m looking forward to hear how the Lord will do in him.
Talk about a Christmas to remember and having it go down in the history books. History is being made here! Every step we take, every prayer that we pray, history is in the making. How will you make history and do something new this Christmas season? The Lord is doing a new thing, all we have to do is step into it. That is what I did this Christmas, will you join me?
I have enjoyed the Spirit come more and more alive in me, especially this Christmas. Right now I am in danger of being sent home because of a lack of funds. I pray and hope that my blogs have encouraged and blessed you over the past few months of what the Lord is doing. It has been great seeing the new thing has been doing. Are you willing to not only make this Christmas season more memorable for me by helping me stay on th race and step into the new thin the Lord is doing? I won’t be able to keep doing this without your partnership. May the word of Christ continue to dwell within you.
