Well, it's Christmastime

The Survey:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Well, my dad and I have a tradition of drinking egg nog together during the Christmas season... especially cuz it's usually not that cold outside. But I do really like the Cocoa Trio from Seattle's Best.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Depends on how much time Santa spent tucking in his/her kids. One Christmas Santa just stuffed all our presents in a big plastic tote and only let us pull one out at a time... then another Christmas Santa was a sneak and had the kids wrap their own presents... And 2 years ago Santa forgot to buy wrapping paper or Christmas bags so he put them all in HAPPY BIRTHDAY bags.

3. Colored light on house/tree or white? Colored lights on the tree. White lights outside.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, we never have.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The tradition has always been the day after Thanksgiving, but here lately since I am not home much, it's whenever my dad has free time.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? I adore salmon spread on ritz crackers and my grandma's amazing biscuits.

7 . Favorite holiday memory as a child? getting to take care of the tree when we used to have a live one, i was always the only would that could keep it alive from thankgsgiving to new years.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? when i was 4 and my brother ran into my pre-school and yelled that santa wasn't real

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? our family tradition is to celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve... so we open all gifts.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? a hodge podge of multiple things.

11. Snow. Love it or dread it? i love snow, it's the only plausible reason for the bitter cold.

12. Can you ice skate? why yes i can, but i haven't in forever.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? probably my cellphone service. but i really just love the traditions more than that.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? family time and traditions.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? i love my mom's white/cherry nougat thing. i also love my grandmother's pistachio pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? i love all the traditions! but i think the most special one is that Christmas eve we spend with extended family and then go home and do presents and then on Christmas day we just eat a lot of snacks and play board games and watch movies.

17. What tops your Christmas tree? when i was a kid, it was the coolest star in the whole world and i loved it. but then my brother stepped on it and broke it. so now i think it's some kind of angel someone gave us.

18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving? i lovvvve giving, but i like recieving too.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? i love ones in a different language like a welsh lullaby oorr noel noeleta... !

20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck? they are okay. i prefer the flavored ones

21. What do you want for Christmas? i would really love this piece of artwork by my favorite artist, the word on the street, and some other random stuff. but i'd really just like to be home.

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? it's a Christmas/thanksgiving party. it is always the saturday after thanksgiving and we put up my friend aprel's tree and then decorate it. she cooks really well. and its amazing.

23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear PJ’s? at the extended family we dress, at home we do pjs

24. Do you own a Santa hat? no

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? Family, always family! i love Christmas more than thanksgiving because i get to spend time with my cousin and the food is better, haha.

daylight

So a good friend of mine recently needed help with a broadcasting project. He was going to take the song "daylight" by brave saint saturn and voice over parts of it with clips of people talking about the prodigal son. I'd never heard this song before, and it has now become my favorite song.
At 4:15 I'm going to record my portion of the story. I chose to reflect on the fact that the younger son was eating pig slop (very similar to the crap of the world) and realizes that he is no longer worthy to be his father's son. I feel that this portion pertains a lot to me and my walk with Christ, because I often eat pig slop, in fact I bathe in it. I have never noticed the portion of the verse where it says that "no one gave him anything." This is truly the story of my life, because though I am constantly in the filth, I still feel that I have nothing.
I have always had difficulty as a self-mutilator to find worth in Christ. I have always felt unworthy to go to Christ and be loved by Him.
but while he was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him... for this son of mine was dead and now he is alive again.
I have always felt that being depressed is slightly like being dead, because you are so dead to the world. And only in the Father's arms can you find life again...


"Daylight" by Brave Saint Saturn
Did you hear the news today
I'm not coming home,
No
And i wished it all away
I felt so alone
And the darkness crept it's way
Like stars we know will die too soon
There is never any sunrise here in the shadows of eclipsing moons
Crawling on a tightrope
The bravest thing I have is hope

Daylight, save me
Daylight, save me
Tonight, tonight

Halogen, the lights will flicker
Incandescent burning lies
And the silence stands for nothing
Desperate I search the skies aching for a spark
Trembling in pitchest dark

Mission Control: U.S.S. Gloria, this is mission control, do you copy?
We have lost contact with the U.S.S. Gloria

U.S.S. Gloria: Mission Control, this is the U.S.S. Gloria, do you read me?
Mayday, we have lost primary guidance functions

News Reporter: The crew is now out of radio contact.
Presently there is no way for us to know whether they
Are alive or dead.
Our hopes and prayers go out with you all.

Mission Control: U.S.S. Gloria, this is mission control, do you copy?

U.S.S. Gloria: Houston this is the U.S.S. Gloria.
Good to hear your voice
We are coming out of the eclipse now.
I see the sunlight. It's beautiful
The sunlight is beautiful.

Jesus Christ, Light of the World
You never did forget me
And when I bled in darkness, You held me
Still held me
When desperate nights I cursed You
You loved me, still loved me
Jesus Christ, You dry the tears
You break my heart of stone
Your words are life
Cut marrow through
The darkness, to the bone
A heart of flesh You gave me
Only You can save me

Savior
Daylight
I am coming home