Currently Reading Five Quarters of the Orange By Joanne Harris see related

   I have been reading everyone's blogging about Christmas and find it so funny because Christmas in Botswana is so different than in the States.  Here it is about finishing school and going home to be with family.  I have hear NO Christmas music except what I play for myself.  Of course, I love Christmas music so I usually play it all year long.  I haven't put my tree up yet because we have been too busy but hopefully I will do it before Christmas or maybe I won't -- I haven't really decided. 

It is so hot here that it is hard to think about Christmas and snow.  My air conditioner went out Saturday night in the middle of the night.  With 110 degree days and 85 degree nights, it is a little hard to sleep.  I have fruit bats that nest under the wing of my house by my bedroom window.  If I sleep with the windows open, I HAVE to sleep under the mosquito net to keep from being dive bombed by bats.  My cats usually catch them for a snack after about an hour but it can be distracting when you are trying to sleep. 

For me Christmas is a blessed time.  My life verse is found in Joshua 1:8 -- do not let this Book of the Law (the word) depart from your mouth -- but mediate on it day and night.  During Christmas I always remember the verse from John 1:1-2, 14 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.  HE was with God in the beginning...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the father and is full of grace.  I always like to start my teachings with "In the beginning, God had a great plan..."  His plan included me and I will literally be eternally grateful.  For me, Christmas is a reminder of that plan and I have peace.   

Currently Reading My Utmost for His Highest: Traditional Updated Edition (My Utmost for His Highest) By Oswald Chambers see related

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone and Christmas is on its way.  Some of us took the day off to prepare for a wonderful meal together.  But some of us had to work -- me being one of them.  As a District (the Northwest District of Botswana) we are in the midst of planning our HIV/AIDS Day on December 1 and December 8.  We are also organizaing a non-governmental (NGO) coalition.  I am on the planning and steering committe of both of these.  We had meetings all day. 

I committed to cooking my famous sweet potato souffle (really it is my sister in law Gayle's recipe but has become a tradition in my offshoot of the family), cornbread dressing, a turkey, a seven layer salad and giblet gravy.  Since I would not be home until 4 before dinner at 6, I decided to ask my house cleaner to help me cook. 

She is from Zimbabwe and only cooks traditional African dishes.  I left lots of specific instructions but they didn't help a lot for someone who had never cooked American food.  We had quite an experience -- the main one being my oven wouldn't work.  Then I sent her with the turkey -- in its roasting bag -- to a neighbor house to cook.  She and the house cleaner there decided to take the turkey out of the "plastic" bag before cooking.  Needless to say, when I went to get it 2 hours later, having cooked without the bag in a 200 degree oven, it was not done. 

Oh well -- I am daily learning to let things go.  It took a little bit on this.  This turkey cost $23 USD which is a lot for me.  Anyway, God is good.  We had 4 other turkeys and there was certainly plenty of food for everyone.  We had a great evening -- talking, playing games, eating and eating some more.  I did  miss my children but know that they are developing their own traditions that I will participate in when I make my way back to live in America again. 

On Sunday, November 19, I had the priviledge of sharing a short teaching with the Singles of All Nations Village Church.  I think God always blesses me more with my teachings than those I teach.  Below is the emphasis of the study which was from Matthew 5:3-10 -- the Beatitudes.  Beatitude is defined as "a state of utmost bliss."  I was teaching on the foundation of true happiness.  I believe these are the keys to true happiness:   

     Living a life of humility that results in demonstrations of God’s power in your life;

     Operating with an ongoing sense of mourning because of sin which will give you both emotional and spiritual purpose;

     Choosing acts of meekness rather than aggression which will cancel out anger and result in peace;

     Having a deep hunger for God, his Word, his Ways and his people which will bring fulfillment and prosperity;

     Acting mercifully will result in mercy being shown to you in return;

     Living and acting with a purity of heart will result in the demonstration of God’s wisdom in you, your life and your decisions;

     Choosing to be a peachmaker will set you into membership in a supernatural family;

     Persevering in persecution for good brings you greatness in heaven and an eternal future.