Christmas Eve

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town, Christmas carols were playing, but no one knew what they meant.

Today Kevin, Grace and I went out to allow the "women folk" to prepare for our Christmas Eve meal with friends of the kids. We went to a beautiful park close to their house. Grace was given her choice of 5 rides in the kiddie park. She chose wisely. One of the rides played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire" then switched to "Away in a Manger." AMAZING! Her favorite "ride" was the bungee/trampoline jump. She was placed into a harness attached to bungee cords. The cords were attached to poles that extended out at an angle from the trampoline. She could jump and go very high. I've watched adults do the adult version of the "ride" in malls in USAmerica, and they can really bounce high. Truthfully, I didn't think Grace would enjoy this ride. WRONG! She loved it. Normally the ride lasts 3 minutes, but because the park wasn't very busy and because she was so cute and performing so well and attracting a crowd, she was allowed to go until she was tired--22 minutes worth. She had a ball. Chinese women would hand their cameras to friends, run up to the trampoline to have their pictures taken with this little white girl who was bouncing sky high. (Chinese women are fascinated by white children and continually want to have their pictures taken with her. Go figure.)

We went to McDonald's (pronounced My Dung Low with the Low pronounced like "wow" but with the "l" instead) for lunch. They followed the Chinese tradition of setting up a Christmas tree, but to call it a Christmas tree is to stretch the point. I'm thinking all of China has seen the cartoon "Charlie Browns' Christmas Tree" and have come to believe that's the norm. Almost all Christmas trees here are pathetic. The "trees" are tiny and the few ornaments look like they were thrown on by drunken monkeys. But, hey, give them credit--they're accommodating to a holiday they don't understand.

Here's the sad part of this blog. The music at Mickie Dees was pure Christmas carols. I was taken back as I heard--in English while eating a McDonald's #2 (hamburger with a special spicy sauce and cucumbers, fries and a Coke Zero) these lyrics: "...O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord." Some Chinese, recognizing our very Western faces, would make it a point to wish us "Merry Christmas." They have no clue as to the true meaning of Christmas. Oh that the day comes when they DO understand what Christmas is all about.

Here's my concern for USAmerica--that we NOT lose the true meaning of Christmas. We're never more than one generation away from losing the message of Christmas. We cannot allow the secular traditions of Christmas to overcome the true Christmas.

We've heard rumors of there being snow in the mid-west back home--even heard Dallas might actually have a white Christmas. Here in our China town the temperature has risen to spring-like conditions. I went out in my Texas Tech wind suit and broke a sweat before reaching the 50 foot mark. Off came the jacket but out continued the sweet. They're telling us it will be in the upper 70's tomorrow. We definitely will NOT have a white Christmas tomorrow UNLESS the pollen from the trees in bloom blows in.

Oh, I blew past the McDonald's hamburger earlier. I got to tell you, it was very good. In fact, much better than the quarter pounders I usually order at our USAmerica McDonald's. Go figure--a burger with a sauce the color of French salad dressing but with a kick, accompanied by cucumbers--tasting great? Who would have guessed? But who am I kidding--I have limited credibility when it comes to food--I even eat grasshoppers.

Merry Christmas blog dwellers.