Christmas - "Faith is all about finding something you wouldn't expect at all"

Christmas rocks, although people who stress out (like my mom and sister) really should just learn to lighten up. Overall though, it was a very nice Xmas. On the 24th I worked (again), and after 3 days of wrapping up baskets 9-5, and a friend's xmas party where I downed half a bottle of Absolut Blackcurrant and some Cointreau and Rum (don't ask, they DO mix).... I was tiiiiired. Though, a nice regular of ours tipped us 10$ at like 7:05 A.M. which meant McDonalds for EVERYONE! And our customers Xmas eve were soooo nice, it was a fun day. Then I came home, slept for a bit, and finally got all ready and went to Church with the family. Would've liked to go to St.John's the Evangelist downtown, but mass there was at 10 and that was way too late. So, we ended up going to Marion's Dad's church in Beaurepaire. Now, I knew that he was a fire and brimstone/ binary-style preacher, but WOW, on XMAS eve going on about how Jesus is NOT effeminate and he IS FEROCIOUS and how the peace we all think we've found is probably just a lie. Ugh. Though there was a LOT of singing, which made the night nice, and some really cute little kids. What hit me the most though was that on the back of the program there was this quote by, I forget who, but it was really Kierkegaardian and beautiful. It was somethign about how Christmas and faith itself is about discovering what you'd least expect in the most randomest of places. I.E. Saviour of humanity, incarnation of the deity IN A BARN. Really made me think and I enjoyed it. Plus it fit in with the whole Buddhist/Boddhisatva image I have of God. I mean after last Christmas when I was sooo upset about a bunch of things (mostly self-created), and was in Church thinking this is crap I don't believe in this, etc.... and my little cousin came up to me and gave me a huge hug and said "I love you" and I burst into tears... yeah, that kinda started the whole process. Anyways, suffice it to say, that I really do think that children can speak with the voices and truths of the other world without even realizing it. It's like in the same way that the Dalai Lama acts like a little child at times, or other incarnations of Buddhas/Boddhisatvas/etc... are just so playful and laughing and fun, it's that purity and innocence, yet not naively so, that is the true essence of all that exists. It's the sound that you hear when a kid laughs, or says something that UNIVERSALLY makes everyone say or think "aw" and puts that smile on people's faces. Kids are able to do that because, I think, they appeal to our instinctive notion of how the universe functions, on principles of Joy, happiness, delight and simplicity. Yes, cynicism comes back from time to time, but Cynicism isn't the absolute truth and I don't even know any cynic that would agree that they know the truth, they just abdicate themselves from it. Cynicism is a turtle shell where Idealism hides out of fear of being destroyed. Ah. That felt good. Anyways, to continue... Xmas eve Marion came over and we did our usual family xmas dealy with Choco fondue and Raclette and so on, quite nice actually. Yesterday morning was big family breakfast and presents. I must say I'm somewhat surprised, yet I guess pleasantly so. More on what I got in another post. Later on in the day went to Pat's, swapped gifts, then came home, had grandparents over for dinner (fondue = yum), then Marion invited me over for plum pudding and to redeem herself in Backgammon, which she finally did. I must run now, food and allegra call. Merry Tuesday everybody!