Christopher's Blog

Christmas time is here. I am so excited that we are going to spend the holidays with my family. I am flying down to Portland, Oregon tomorrow. Terri Lynn is in a wedding in Ontario and will meet up with us in a week. I havn't spent Christmas with my family since 2003.

We hope you have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Here are the pictures of the outdoor nativity at our chapel that I said I'd post. It took the public works department over a week to build it. It's quite impressive I think.

I just wanted to post a couple pictures of the indoor nativity at our chapel on base. I really like what Monsignor Walsh did with it this year. There is also a really elaborate outdoor one that I'll get a picture of and post soon.

Other than that, I had a great Christmas. We got some AWESOME gifts and had a good time opening them.

Merry Christmas!

This evening Terri Lynn baked some delicious ginger bread cookies that we decorated. I felt like a kid again putting the frosting and candy decorations on the cookies. Maybe next time we'll go all out and make houses.

Merry Christmas!!! Happy birthday Jesus!!!
I know it's not technically His birthday but it is the day we celebrate His birthday. Christmas is such an awesome time. I can't believe it is Christmas day. Christmas is not the same here in Japan as it is in the States. Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas. Not even the Japan Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists take Christmas day off. There are very few lights and decorations for Christmas. But most different of all, my family is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Please don't get me wrong because I am not bitter or depressed about it but Christmas is much different without family to spend it with.

My plans today are to run and clean. Not a bad day if you ask me. It would have been much better if the chaplain didn't say, "DO NOT SPEND CHRISTMAS ALONE!!!," ten times over in his sermon yesterday. I really don't think it is a big deal at all to spend Christmas alone. I think that spending Christmas alone is much better then working for 14 hours on Christmas Eve. I'm actually looking forward to my time to go running, organize things and spend some time reading and talking with God. Plus I have a lot to look forward to because Terri Lynn is flying in tomorrow and we are having Christmas on the 27th because I have a day off. I couldn't ask for much more than that for Christmas. If I get to talk to my parents on Skype then I will have all the things on my Christmas wish list except the website development training, new Ferrari and house in Hawaii.

I just want everyone to know that even though I am not with my family and Japan doesn’t celebrate Christmas that I still love the Christmas season and remembering the birth of Jesus. One good thing about working at the chapel on Christmas Eve is singing all those wonderful Christmas carols over and over again.