Christmas - Once a Year(?)

I have recently been listening to Christmas music. Okay, I've been listening to it for a couple months now, and as I have asked before, what is wrong with that? When I listen to the deep words of each and every song, it makes me wonder why it often seems like a crime to listen to Christmas music in June. As I was listening, a very special song came on that seems to speak my thoughts well right now. This is a song by Josh Wilson called "Once a Year". Here are the lyrics:
Christmas Eve
Mom and dad
Load the car
With grocery bags
They take the kids
And drive downtown
And spend the night
Passing food out

Once a year December's here and our hearts open up
Once a year we give with cheer to those who don't have enough
Wouldn't it be something if we all learned to love
Like it's Christmas more than once a year?

No one rings a bell
At the mall in June
But nobody said
We can't give then too
And when Autumn comes
With its changing leaves
Could we spend more time
With the least of these

Once a year December's here and our hearts open up
Once a year we give with cheer to those who don't have enough
Wouldn't it be something if we all learned to love
Like it's Christmas more than once a year?

Love is patient, love is kind

Love will always find the time

Love is now and love is here

Love is more than once a year

Once a year December's here and our hearts open up
Once a year we give with cheer to those who don't have enough
Wouldn't it be something if we all learned to love
Like it's Christmas, oh, more than once a year?
Once a Year- Josh Wilson (song)

These are some powerful words. Why is it so often only Christmas time when our hearts open up? I've heard people in real life and on movies constantly say that Christmas time is when the mean, grumpy people are finally nice. I'm not trying to imply that you, my dear friends, are acting selfish and rude all year until Christmas comes around. Please don't think that that is what my point of this post is. It's simply to bring attention to the fact that it is certainly okay to be in the "Christmas spirit" year-round, and it should be so. It shouldn't matter that I get excited when I think about the day of Jesus' birth when it's August. Maybe that's not always why I get excited about Christmas, but ultimately, I think that it is. That very special, cozy feeling doesn't come from material objects. It comes from spending time with the ones we love and remembering Who loved us first.
To be honest, whenever a Christmas song comes on (and no, I don't mean Jingle Bell Rock or Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer, sheesh!), I feel like bursting. My emotions build up, and I often sing along to the song, because it feels comforting and it helps me remember the meaning behind Christmas.  

Top picture: http://www.universetoday.com/22227/the-christmas-star-fact-or-fiction/

Let's Have a Party!- My Seventeenth Birthday

About five months ago (yes, I know this blog is quite late) I celebrated my seventeenth birthday with a delicious Indian dinner. Not only was the food incredible- the decor was incredible as well. Bright pink, orange, and yellow pieces of decor filled the back patio as we began to set up the tables. It was so beautiful, and just like what I had imagined when I first thought of the idea! This was not just an ordinarily themed party. I wanted a few pieces of the decor and the overall style of the party to remind me of India. And, it sure did! The bright colors and use of flowers on the tables brought back memories of the times that we celebrated birthdays during our trips to India. As you can imagine, I was very excited about the result of everything! We had the tables decorated with orange, pink, and yellow pieces of fabric, flowers, yellow birdcages, an Indian Barbie, and more! My mom also decorated some paper lanterns with beautiful ribbons and jewels, and created fantastic napkin bands using bright paper and a paper punch (the punch used to create the napkin bands resembled the border of saris). Here are some pictures of the decor!

For food, we had Pork Vindaloo, Chicken with Coconut Curry Sauce, Paneer Tikka-Masala, garlic and plain naan, two kinds of rice, and an Indian salad! I have to thank my mom for her incredible dedication in making this delicious dinner, and for her dedication in helping with all of the decor! I have to also thank my other family members who were willing to help with some of the food and the preparations for the party! I'm lucky to have a family that enjoys helping so much!

Of course, the food and decorations weren't the only things Indian style. To enhance the atmosphere even more, I turned on my favorite Indian CD, which played awesome music throughout our entire dinner. My mom and I also wore traditional Indian outfits as shown in the picture.

I even played Badminton in my sari!

For dessert, we ate a chocolate cake that I decorated with pink and orange fondant flowers, a fondant ribbon, silver dragees, and stitching on the side. We also enjoyed some delicious Indian candy-coated fennel seeds, sugars, and Jalebi (Indian fried dough).

Overall, I think that this birthday party is probably the best I have ever had! I thoroughly enjoyed the food, the decorations, the gifts, and most of all, the family time! I hope you enjoyed reading about my birthday, and seeing the pictures! (Most photos were taken by Yana Mironov-Helmes of Hint of October Films + Photography) 

Election 2012

I can hardly believe it. I didn't finish watching all that happened tonight… I watched a Christmas movie instead. I decided that it would be wiser for me to take my mind off of the politics and settle down for a nice quiet evening with my mom and a movie. But in the back of my mind, I was sure that God had it in His plan for Mitt Romney to win this election. I felt very peaceful about the whole situation as I heard the mumbling voices on the TV near my bedroom saying, “Yes, if Mitt Romney gets these specific votes, then he will surely win this.” Or sometimes they would say, “Oh, Obama is definitely leading on these votes. We may have yet another four years with our president.” No matter what those people on the TV said, I just had such a calm heart tonight. Though I may have come downstairs every once in a while to announce, “Hey! Romney’s winning right now,” I didn't feel very excited or nervous about the election. But now that I get onto Facebook, I see almost every single one of my friends posting about Obama’s winning. In the past I haven’t really cared about politics at all. I guess I was just ‘too young to worry’. These past several weeks have been different though. I found myself writing, talking, and even debating about politics. I couldn't believe that I was actually getting myself into a couple huge disagreements over who should win the election. I guess my mind is just at peace tonight even though I had those disagreements and debates. At least it was. Now, as I clicked through all of the status updates and comments, I actually felt quite overwhelmed. My head started to buzz, and my eyes started aching after looking at the brightly lit screen for so long. I sat in confusion as I read about Obama’s winning and all of the things which are now legalized. I experience much discomfort and sadness after each new status I read about how horrible the next four years will be. I scrolled through a few comments which talked about how we should get Obama impeached. I certainly ‘liked’ those comments! But that isn't really what matters… is it? I’m not sure if they have yet finalized that Obama has absolutely won this election, because I didn't watch the whole thing… but if he did… he did! We no longer have control over the situation! Those of us who were able to put in our votes and did what we saw was right. I sure would have voted for Romney if I was of age! I can’t fully understand the people who thought of voting for Obama even after these past four years. After what he has done to our debt, and practically everything else in his control, I don’t know how on earth people could still possibly vote for him. But obviously they did. All we can do now is rely on God for help. He still watches over us no matter what the outcome is. We have to trust that He knows what is best for us. If this was in His plan… then let His Will be done! He knows what is best for this country! Who knows, maybe the only pieces of good we will receive from this is learning from our mistakes. A lot of people may regret voting for Obama if he continues to treat this country like he did in the past. The only practical option we now have is to pray that God will bring peace to this country. And I hope that God will work in Obama to turn this country around! Let’s focus on God for now and put our anxiety about the election away. Either way, we still remain in God’s hands.     

A Christmas Thought

   Today I started thinking about Christmas. I turned on my Christmas music as loud as it could go, and started singing along, also as loud as I could. Now, I know Christmas is still quite far away, but I just couldn't help it! The smells of freshly cut Christmas trees and warm Christmas cookies coming out of the oven filled the air and my mind. It was all I could think about! I imagined myself curled up by the fireplace in my pajamas with a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other. I pictured the utter excitement of waking up early to the smell of delicious food which was being prepared on Christmas morning. The lyrics of "Drummer Boy" were running through my head over and over, and I couldn't seem to break out of this early Christmas thrill! My brother and I had been singing "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" at the top of our lungs while making our lunch- it really seemed like Christmas was just around the corner! I dressed myself in two thick, cozy sweaters and my favorite boots. I put on some of my Vanilla Bean Noel perfume as I walked out of my bathroom thinking, "Yes! Now it seriously smells like the season is upon us!"
   Then I started thinking about the people who would most likely be disgusted with me for getting into the season this early. But I didn't seem to care. What mattered was that I felt joyous and warm inside, and nothing could stop me from feeling this way now. There is always a certain warm feeling that I get around every Christmas time. (I just happened to get it really early this year!:) I couldn't help but keep a smile on my face all day as imagined all the events of the season. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is being with almost all of my relatives, and really taking time to just relax and visit. And mmmm, when I think about those little smokies we have every year with some cheese and crackers to dip in the leftover sauce, my stomach starts to growl! I look out the window and see the rooftops glowing with colored lights and covered in thick white blankets of snow. And then I remember the interesting inflatable snowmen and santas that many people very gracefully put in their yards. Which naturally caused me to reminisce about some of the years when we would take walks through many neighborhoods at night just to look at the beautiful Christmas lights. I was filled with excitement when I remembered what fun I had last year putting Christmas lights and other decor in my bedroom. I simply cannot wait to decorate and fill the entire house with the smells of the season. I now find myself singing "I'll be home for Christmas..." as I imagine many more of the beautiful scenes of Christmas.
   But then I also got to thinking... why do a lot of people have a problem with listening to Christmas music and getting into the season early? In my opinion, it should be celebrated all year, which is something that never happens. After Christmas ends each year, we pack up all of the lights and decor and get back into work. We don't really think about Christmas at all again for another 11 months! Why? Just think about it. The point of the season is not just to get a few weeks off of work and receive presents and be with relatives. The point is the Person who came at this time. Christmas is to celebrate His coming, so why shouldn't we celebrate it all year? Just think. If we didn't have a Christmas, we wouldn't have an Easter either, would we? It's because of Jesus that many of us celebrate during the season. We should celebrate His coming year-round! We often get easily caught up in the rush of the season with purchasing presents and buying Christmas trees and making a yummy dinner, and don't "have time" to really think about the true meaning of it all until it's time to read the Christmas story and sing songs. I say that it's about time to make time. We should all challenge ourselves this year to take some time here and there throughout the rush of the season to stop and remember what it's all about. The light of the world will be with us throughout the whole year! Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!  

A Look of Desperation

As I was walking along the streets of Portland today by Pioneer Square Mall, a young man wrapped in a thick Hawaiian print blanket and carrying a large backpack caught my eye. His face was filthy and his hair was scruffy, he looked as if he hadn't taken a shower in weeks. When we rushed by him to cross the street, he just said three words, “Excuse me, pardon...” He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as we blew by him. But he looked at me with such desperation and pain, that it made me look back and wonder. We always stereotype every man and woman who sits on the sides of the streets or walks around in parking lots searching for spare change. But do you ever stop and wonder what their real stories are? You see their unkempt appearance as they walk towards you with their cardboard sign and immediately try to dash out of sight. You may feel a bit guilty deep down, but generally you just don’t want to have anything to do with them. And it’s true that some of them may be dangerous people, but isn't that the case with all people, whether they are sitting on the sides of the streets or not? I had always wondered what they would be like if you asked them to share their stories with you. So my mom and I tried it. We made somewhat of a habit out of going and chatting with one of them each time we saw them. We heard many interesting stories, memorized their names, and can I say… we even made new friends! But we sort of lost that habit. When I looked into the eyes of the young man walking along the streets of Portland today, I was curious. There was something in his face and eyes that made him seem so desperate- not necessarily just for money, but for a friendship maybe? Or someone to tell his story to? Sure, you can say, “Well all of those people on the side of the street look like that. They probably practice their facial expressions in the mirror just to get that look,” but his face was so believable. I have a feeling that this man didn't just want some extra cash to put in his large backpack. Please pray for him, and everyone else. They truly are in need.   

Hope

Lately I have started to feel like there isn't possibly any hope for this world. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely believe that Jesus came to save and cleanse us, and one day He will return! But sometimes it just feels like we are so incredibly far in the wrong direction, and nothing can turn us around. Take one look at some of our country’s leaders, and you will understand exactly what I am saying. And it appears as if every time I turn around, I see people who just seem so messed up! Every time I turn around, I see a gay couple or some 8 year old little kids dating. Our minds are so twisted and stretched in different directions. When I hear the horrible stories about the people who totally approve abortions or gay marriages, it makes me want to puke! I simply can’t understand the workings of the minds of so many people. It makes me wish that I were braver, so I would be able to get up and take a great stand against these things. But I’m not the best at making big speeches or anything, so I know that I just have to help in “smaller ways”. We are really so far from the truth and right, and I just pray that God will work through us to change some of the dark points of this world.  

Expressive Pieces inside the Bedroom

Every one of us has some type of hobby that we enjoy doing in our spare time. Whether it be painting, baking, knitting, or anything really.. we all have those certain things that we like to do when there isn't anything else that needs to be done! My hobby is cleaning. Yes, you heard me correctly.. cleaning! Or more specifically, cleaning and rearranging my room. I usually clean and rearrange the furniture in my room at least once a week when I'm not too busy. Having a fresh, clean room gives me a sort of satisfaction. And if I wasn't able to do this cleaning and rearranging, I would probably go crazy! I am constantly moving my dressers back and forth from my closet to room, or taking my box spring out from under my mattress to give my bed a different height depending on where it is located. One time I had even put my desk in my closet, when I realized that I wasn't using it much in my room anyways. I am always dusting and vacuuming, and washing my rugs and blankets to give my room that fresh and clean feeling. Yes, you could say that I am rather obsessed with cleaning my room, but I guess I'm lucky to have this obsession. After all, this means that I will always have a clean room!

Another thing that I enjoy doing is creating pieces of seasonal art and decor for my room. In the late summer, I started painting all of the glass bottles that I found in the recycling bin, using different paint methods. I poured paint inside the bottles and allowed it to flow around, I poured paint down the sides of the bottles to give it an interesting effect, and I also stenciled on some of the bottles. These bottles weren't any specific season's colors, but just ones that matched my room well. But recently I started making fall decor, and used more of the glass bottles we had to create this really cool looking fall decoration. I used a hot glue gun to put swirls of glue on the bottles, then painted over the bottles. I like the style of it better than just painting the bottles, because the hot glue gives a nice design on the bottles without having the hassles of carefully hand-painting a specific design on the bottle. This is a method I just made up without research, and I am pretty happy with the outcome. Then, last night I decided to try out a method that I found online. I took even more glass bottles and put painters tape in a spiral on the bottles, and on some of the bottles I put rubber bands on the bottles in different arrangements. (I used both painters tape and rubber bands on some). Then I spray painted the bottles with different colors and let them dry. After I let them dry, I peeled off the tape and rubber bands to reveal specific spots on the bottles that didn't have any paint on them. I did like this method, but I do have to say that for the amount of spray paint that I inhaled and what a mess it was, it wasn't all together the coolest technique to use. So today I gathered up all of the bottles I have painted, (minus a few that turned out ugly) and put them on my window sill. They look really nice there, because you can see the sun shine through the glass in certain places.

 Other than those projects, I didn't really do much else for fall decor. I put a fall-colored checkered napkin on my little table and a swag of acorn style decor on my dressers, and pulled out my favorite fall candles.

I put my chair and small table by the window of bottles to make a cozy reading corner. And next to this I have a rug on the floor with a couple pillows to create another cozy little spot.

 My bed is now lowered to also make a more comfortable, snug effect. My desk is in another corner of the room, but isn't really important (well I guess it is, since it's what I'm using to type this up right now). So other than those few arrangements, there isn't really anything different about my room for fall! Of course, next week I will probably have it all changed around anyways for a different cozy fall arrangement.