Advent is Here!

The Advent is here already! It has been a mild winter and it makes feeling more earlier to have the Season. Also, sadly, our advent cactus, two of them, did not even bloom this year. I told my mother in law to not to put those pots under direct sunshine. However, she did. Both of them do not have even one single flower bud.
It is my second year to have the Advent in Northern Virginia. I know a little bit more what to expect to be in this busy season of the year and what and how to plan in my work. Our church has focused on this Advent with a sermon series of "What do you really want for Christmas". I know what I want for this Christmas. How about you? I want Peace in Christ in my family. Don't imagine that we don't have any peace in our home. :) We do. However, some members of my family seem still having been struggling to find the peace in Christ. I also want the peace. I have a number of times of experience that peace in midst of difficult times and middle of  no where. Have you? The peace can't be described but it is like a gentle wind  with warm and softed voice that no one can give in this earth. The peace sets me free from all my worries, struggles, and even iniquities.It never overpowered us. It is just so gentle. Also, it guides me to where my heart to be looking; only to Jesus. I believe that the Peace has been on earth in Christ since the beginning. However, we are not in Christ all the time to let the peace be found.

I pray that we all get to be still and open our hearts to recognize what really matters in this Advent and let the Peace cover us completely. So we can proclaim truly "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace to men!"

The Table of Thanksgiving

I am not an american yet. I have a greencard but need to wait 3 more years to apply to be a citizen. I did not grow up in here so, I do not know details about the history of America. However, I know well enough how people from Europe came to America, and a tradition of the Thanksgiving. I watched one of Charlie Brown cartoons about Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving at one of my girls school when I was volunteering. It gave me many thoughts on the pilgrims, the thanksgiving and the faith and prayers toward this blessed land. After watching the movie, I decided to bake a turkey as my first time in my life at our home for this year thanksgiving to share details of the thoughts with my children who are americans. I think that I have a responsibility to teach them a true meaning on thanksgiving that has been mis-understood in many ways in this world now. Seeing devastated situations when the pilgrims arrived in the State with a long terrible journey on the sea made me think deeper about status of their hearts on the first thanksgiving with only a few survivals in this strange land with the strangers. I could imagine what the table would look like and how their faces shine near the table. I don't think that they had all those fancy stencils, dishes, or even napkins with turkey pictures in them. Their table must have been very simple, but full of gratitudes, faith, hope, and even brokeness from their loss of friends and families throught the journey. There must have been laughters, but also tears near the tables. It must have been not only a celebration but also healing time to them.

I pray that people who sit on the table of thanksgiving this year have the moments of celebration and healing time among each gatherings as a true fellowship, and remember the true meaning of the first thanksgiving is not about materials but unseen spiritual things.