Hello and welcome to the December blog! The weather stays up there among our main concerns. The rain continues to fall in large quantities, the earth absorbs the water after a longer and longer period of time and everything that grows out of the earth is blooming gloriously. Mosquitoes are back in greater numbers than ever; thank God that the risk of malaria is now non-existent. The wind has also been blowing strongly from a low pressure weather system that has sat on top of us for what seems like forever. The sea has been heavy with white capped waves and surging tides. Bathway, our local beach, has been so rough we have not been able to swim there for most of the month. The spray on the rocky beaches between Marli and St. George's on the west coast of the Island has been spectacular. Anyway, the battle between the sea and the volcanic rock of the Island will continue for eons yet! Earthquakes, of a minor nature, are taking place on the Islands around us. Our Disaster Preparedness people have warmed us that a 'quake will hit the Island. They want us to remember as a cardinal rule when it happens and you are inside go under the strongest table you can find and stay there until things are quiet again. If, on the other hand, you are outside, stay outside in the middle of the clearest space you can find for the same length of time. We will not forget! What could we point to as the greatest obstacle or discomfort that all the past wet weather has presented us with? Our choice would be the road system. It has always been hazardous; we were well warned about it before we arrived. Now it is much worse as large pot holes and sundry things such as road surface upheavals are much too common. When I look at the tyres we bought for the car at the start of the year we are beginning to wonder if they will last through 2011. They were good for 50,000 kilometres the manufacturers claim. We have driven 20,000. We will see!
The Christmas/New Year's holiday season has come and gone. It was time to spend a while looking into the eyes of those around us, particularly the eyes of the children. One of the boys had four gifts to open, another a little more, another a little less. The sheer unadulterated happiness of having an unexpected present all to yourself, wrapped in fancy paper and string was cause for wonder. It could take a long, long time to unwrap it. You might even carry it off into a quiet place, stare at it and poke it with a finger now and again. If it was indeed real the eyes lifted the face beamed and much laughter accompanied the unwrapping when it finally occurred. The children around us, I'm happy to say, are normal in that they might snatch the gift for fear it disappear or clutch it gently to their chest. Our youth received clothing. Our adults? Mostly happiness from their children. The eyes, as a poet indicated, reflect the condition of the soul. If your child had a gift that was not appealing to them and you saw another child holding one that they would most definitely like, what would you do? The presents were given to Belair P.C. from gifts received at the Kirk in St. George's from their Christmas Gift Giving Service. Sometimes a simple thank you is not enough. How best to say thanks and to whom?
Our Christmas Pageant was a smash hit; worth every minute of the time that was spent in rehearsal. The Christmas Day Service was particularly well attended. I preached at Samaritan P.C. during their "Old Year's Night" Service. Thankfully not a single bagpipe disturbed the tropical night. For the first time since our arrival two years ago we went to bed after midnight! Wow!
On the 10th of December the principal of MacDonald retired. A fitting farewell was given during a special School Assembly. Mr. Alexander had spent twenty-three years as principal of the College. Most of his memories he admitted were good but "tough" ones in the constant struggle for MacDonald to get its share of resources; the struggle for him being shown in the resources given to schools in St. George's but not those in "the country" particularly St. Patrick's Parish. So there may have been a little bitterness in his heart but overall he was very proud of what MacDonald had achieved over the years he spent here. And rightly so! We know there will be an Acting Principal until a new Principal is hired. The times ahead are bound to be interesting. My North American "stuff" craves the discipline of planning and fore thought!
And so as 2011 rapidly approaches with its own set of issues, rewards and moments to remember we both would wish you a healthy, prosperous and distinctive year of our Lord 2011. Will we be able to follow where God leads? Will we ever make snow angels in the Christmas snow again? Christmas and the season around us call's us all home. Not home in the sense of some street address but home to whom you really are. Christmas can ask us what happened to us, but Christmas also offers an answer. Please remember whatever happened in your life, whatever you've become, whatever your motive for being is; there is a God so madly in love with you that he could not tolerate the distance between him and you but came and dwelt among us, took on our human condition and not only taught us how to live by being compassionate, forgiving and self-sacrificing but showed us the way.
Be as human as you can be. God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, answers life's many questions. God's answers to us are what Christmas is all about.
Glory to God in the highest. And on earth? Peace to those on whom his favour rests. And that's us.
