A new kind of festive season

Christmas was very different for me this year. I knew that it was going to be and I was unsure what to expect. I didn’t know if there would be church or if they would be what I call traditional Christmas. I didn’t know who I would have lunch with and I thought that I would really really miss my family.

However, God has blessed me with an amazing new family at Bingham and I was invited to three different places on Christmas Eve and three places for Christmas Day. I celebrated in a different way with different people and I learnt new traditions.

I also had a different kind of New Year. I was India with most of my family for my cousins wedding. And we had a bonfire and a lovely time. The time zone was different and the people were different but the celebration was the same.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Although my mode of celebrating Christmas and New Year was different; the meaning was the same. We still celebrated Emmanuel, Christ with us. We still celebrated a New Year; a fresh start; new opportunities. We are blessed that we can know that no matter what changes in life one thing stays the same – God is still God: yesterday, today and forever HE is the same.

As we go into this year and things might have changed – new places to live, new jobs, new family members, new challenges. There is one thing that is the same – He is God and He is sovereign and He is trustworthy.

Happy 2019!!!

Celebrations

This week has been a week of celebrations. All around Addis the old activists flags can be seen. This is basically the Ethiopian flag colours: green, yellow and red, without the emblem in the middle. They have been put out as the activists that were imprisoned in 1996 have been released by the new Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed. When Ahmed came into power in April, he called out to the activists to return and work together. They are all starting to return to Ethiopia and the flags are waving high in celebration of this. The ironic thing is that it is actually illegal to have a flag without the emblem on it!!

This week we are also celebrating new years! Tuesday is new years day. Doro wot is made on special occasions and this counts as one. Doro wot is like a chicken curry that will be eaten with injera. People all over are buying their chickens in preparation for this – not the frozen kind! I have been invited to an Ethiopians house for a new experience. It will be the first time I celebrate new years in September but not the first time I will be welcoming 2011!

Bex celebrated her 30th on Friday. She had a pub quiz party on Saturday. I was a little upset as I knew my whole family was there but she was given some money for her visit Ethiopia fund!

In life we have a lot to celebrate. Many things we take for granted are worth celebrating. That we are healthy, that we have homes to live in, that we have food to eat and that we have people that love us.

As Christians we have even more to celebrate. The fact that Christ came to earth and lived a sinless life to die on the cross for us. The fact that we can now enter into a relationship with Him, the fact his grace is enough and His mercies are new every morning. Sadly most of us only remember this at Christmas and Easter or once a month on communion Sunday. Take a moment now and celebrate all that Christ has done for you!