Summer so far has been exciting for me! Ever since summer has started, I’ve been to at least to three graduations for seven graduates! They were all related to me as a sibling, niece, nephew or extended family ranging from preschool to high school graduates. This was the most I have ever attended in a year. It was very encouraging and rewarding to see so many people having accomplished so much.

Another exciting moment since summer was going out to Monterey beach and camping at Cherry Lake. Monterey beach was a day for the family where we went chaotic just trying to catch sand crabs unexpectedly. At first we found a couple of them as the waves came in and out. Then some of the boys went digging and found a whole bunch so we ended up trying to race each other to see who would get the most. The sand crabs looked a lot like crabs but walked like robots which I think it was creepy. As for Cherry Lake, it was a camping trip for the youth in our church. Camping for three days and two nights proved to some of us that we really cannot camp outdoors! Cherry Lake was located right outside from Yosemite National Park. The day time was up to 80 ºC and up where for the night it was down to 10ºC which some of us didn’t expect it to be that cold up there. Activities were planned for the youth and I can tell that they enjoyed it. As far as cooking goes, I grouped the youth into three teams which each team alternate cooking for the meals. One of the outrageous things we probably did was swinging off from a rope to the lake which everyone took turns jumping. The lake was very clean and you could see the transparent water brushing up the rocks. I tried jumping off the rope once and I didn’t bother to try anymore because the water went up my nose which I didn’t like it. Everyone else seems to enjoy. Some of us wore life jackets and swam out to the open area in the lake which I thought was fun but scary because there may be creepy things swimming beneath us. That’s just a thought though. It was a great time over there just relaxing and enjoying nature.

An additional moment so far this summer was my older sister’s wedding. The whole day was her wedding and I meant it, the entire whole day. Early in the morning from 4 to 5 am, the groom and men went out to slaughter two pigs where the bride and women stayed home to prepare the side dishes. Once the men arrived with the meat, the women cooked them and the food was prepared for the traditional wedding. The sponsors for each side of the family gave a speech for the groom and bride on what their roles are and so forth before everyone started eating around 1 pm. After everyone finished eating, the sponsors gave one last talk where they informed the guests and family of their marriage. Then as a respect, they all drink a couple of shots for the bride and groom. Then the bride goes off with groom and his family. Basically, this was the traditional wedding. Roughly at 5pm in the night, the American wedding was performed at my church which I participated as one of the bridesmaid. As I watched my sister and brother in law exchanged, he cried which I thought that was sweet because I didn’t think he would cry. Once that was done, we all set out to Sam Café and had a reception over there until 1 am. During this time, my sister and brother in law cut their three layer cake and danced. It was a fun night just spending time with my family and friends, the people that I loved.

My youth partner and I teamed up to teach about forgiveness today in Sunday school.  The book was Philemon, which is a letter written from Paul the apostle to Philemon about Onesimus (Philemon’s runaway slave). In the letter, Paul states that Onesimus was a sinner but he has repented and became a brother in Christ. He hopes that Philemon will welcome Onesimus back not as a slave but a brother where he will be able to assist Philemon in his work for God.

Before this letter, Onesimus ran away from Philemon stealing from Philemon. Onesimus was not heard from again however; he ended up in prison with Paul. Now at this time, Paul was in prison already from preaching the good news of Christ. Onesimus finally confided his faults and accepted Jesus into his heart. Then he was on his way back with Paul’s written letter to Philemon. Now in the letter Paul states that if Philemon considers Paul as a fellow Christian brother then, he should consider Onesimus one as well. Paul wrote for Philemon to forgive Onesimus of his wrongs and accept him once more again but with a bigger passion.

The book does not say what exactly happens afterwards but I imagined that though Philemon was a bit upset but later he was able to forgive Onesimus. If I was Onesimus, I would be afraid to even go back!

Now going back to the title of this blog, “Forgive is to Forget?” I do not think this statement is true because our mind cannot just forget an incident. It takes time and most of the time we will remember bits of such an incident. Though we may try, (I have!) it’s more difficult than we think. To forgive is not to forget! Even if we have forgiven, we won’t necessarily forget. We will remember a few things but carry on with our lives because we have forgiven them already. Though we remember bits, hopefully we won’t count them accountable since we have forgiven them already. I hope this helps with the questions of forgive and forget.

-Judy

IS SANTA REAL? (The Legend of Bishop Nicholas)

 ‘Lots of people think that St. Nicholas is just another name for Santa C’laus. After all. Santa is also called Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, and other names. Actually. Santa Claus is itself a mispronunciation of the Dutch SinterKlass which was their way of saving St. Nicholas.

But behind all these names is a boy who actually lived in what is now Western lurker and what was then Lycia in the Fourth Century. About seventeen hundred years ago. His name was Nicholas. There are many legends about this ho’ and the man he became, and behind those legends is the story of St. Nicholas. When Nicholas was a little boy, a plague struck Patara. The town where he lived and both his parents got sick and died. Nicholas went to live with his Uncle who was a monk in a monastery. His uncle taught him all about God and Jesus from the Bible. Nicholas wanted to become a monk when he grew up.

Now Nicholas had helped a lot of people and was ready to become a monk in the monastery. But then he had a strange dream. Not just once, several times and always the same. In his dream, Jesus gave him a book of Gospels covered with Jewels, and the robes of a priest. When Nicholas told his uncle of these dreams, his uncle told him that Jesus must want him to become a priest. Soon he did just that, and he was still a boy in his teens. As a priest, Nicholas was zealous to tell people about Jesus, and always looking for ways to help people in need or children in trouble. People talked about the kind boy priest!

Nicholas lived in a time when the Roman Emperor ruled with force much of the world. Nicholas went on a trip to see the Bible Lands. He sailed on a ship to Egypt, famous for its monumental temples, and the Library and Lighthouse at Alexandria. But Egypt was in ruins, and the Romans had persecuted and killed many people. Those who were left were hungry and poor. He traveled to Palestine, to see the places where Jesus had walked, but Jerusalem was also in ruins, the temple torn down and burned. This too had been done by the Romans. Nicholas visited with Christians and churches along the way, and encouraged them to help the poor and needy.

He was much older now, his beard white, his face wrinkled. His eyes sparkled when he talked about Jesus, and he always had something for the poor and needy. He loved children, and they loved him too. Though he still was secretive in helping people, people still knew of many kind acts and deeds. But Nicholas could be firm too, especially when false teachers would try to influence his churches.

Nicholas died on December 6th, 345 or 352 AD. Hundreds of churches have been named after him. This is the real SL Nicholas - an orphaned boy who became a priest and then a bishop. Who gave away all his wealth to the poor and especially to children in need. Who stood firm for his Lord Jesus in the midst of terrible persecution, and opposed false teachers as well.”

According to this short summarized article here, I still don’t think Santa is real is he? Where did the red suit come from? Or perhaps the reindeer and living in the north pole? How would history explain that?

Though as a child, I thought Santa was real. Later as I grew older, I understood that Santa really is my mom, dad, sisters, etc! Basically, Santa is someone who loves me and would get me gifts. St. Nick may be the one who started this but he’s long gone and does not exist anymore but his contributions. Still I don’t understand why some parents would lie to their children and tell them that Santa is real where he will get eat cookies and drink milk when he delivers presents.

What about you? What’s your intake on this issue?