Dear Jesus,

It's Christmas! How fast time flies.

Okay, I'll confess.
I'm so guilty for not writing to you all this while, and I'm sorry.

Yes, today was hectic, but I promised myself that I would not miss writing at least a birthday card to you today.
So, here it goes:

✓✓✓•••~~~~~~•••✓✓✓

To Jesus, my love,

I don't have words to thank you enough for humbling yourself and coming down to this wretched world to save us.

I don't have words to praise you enough for coming just as it was prophesied in scripture.

I don't have anything in my hands to give you, no gold, myrhh or frankincense to offer as the Magi did.

But I do have one thing:
My heart.

Let it be an acceptable birthday gift from me to you today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Yours eternally,
Radiance.

✓✓✓•••~~~~~~•••✓✓✓

I hope you like it. I'm not so much of a poet. Ha ha!

Today was so Ah-May-Zin!!!
It was my best Christmas celebration ever. I'm going to tell it all here. But before that, let me make a list of all the things that had happened during the time I hadn't been writing to you.

•Luke actually brought his whole family back to church. They came on a Wednesday Bible Study.

•The Christmas decorations that Mrs Clara and Elizabeth (my coworkers) did at Sarafoods was lit. It was simple, yet attractive. I learnt a bit from watching them, and applied it in my own room with the help of Kathy and Hirena.

•Mrs Carey is already better. I went last week Friday from Sarafoods to visit her. We had tea and cake. I totally enjoyed the cool evening breeze on her pouch.

•College resumes early next year. I've been shopping both for College stuff and Christmas.

•Trisha and Mrs Hewett have been regular attenders of our church's foundation Bible class. Once they are done with the basics of the Christian faith, they will be baptized in water.

I think that's about it.

Right from last night, I had already prepared myself for a busy day.
All through Christmas Eve, we concluded the last bits of the decorations, present wrapping, and pre-cooking preparations.

Early in the morning, around 6:00am, we all left for church.
My dad believes that it would be worthless and rather unfair to celebrate Christmas without acknowledging and worshipping the one who is the reason for the season.

I quite agree with him. Many people don't know what Christmas is really about. They just think it's an avenue for Santa Claus to come and magically make all their wishes come true. They think that it's the time to eat cake and rice and chicken.

For me, from this time forth, Christmas has gotten a new essence. Christmas has become all about you, Christ my Lord.

The Christmas service was awesome. The choir, clad in a beautiful red-and-white-themed uniform topped with different grades of Christmas caps, sang several Christmas carols harmoniously. The one I loved the most was:

Oh Holy Night,
The stars are brightly shinning,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world,
In sin and error pinning,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope,
The weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious dawn
Fall...
On your knees...
Oh hear...
The angels' voices...
Oh night...
Divine...
Oh night...
When Christ was born...
Oh night...
Divine...
Oh night...
Oh night divine.

I also enjoyed the drama presentation that the kids put up. It was hilarious when Cat, being the cast representing Virgin Mary, pretended to be in labour.  That girl has absolutely no idea how it's been actually done.

We went back home. And the thing is that, we got quite a large influx of visitors at our home.

I was helping Mom to chop the veggies she would put into the fried rice when the doorbell chimed.

"I'll get it," I said as I passed the chopping knife to Hirena.

On my way to the door, I dusted my hands on my apron, removed it and tossed it on a chair.

"Merry Chris—" I was saying, as I pulled the door's handle. The words got stuck in my mouth as I lifted up my face and saw you know who.

Gosh! Why does a human being have to look so handsome?
His eyes sparkled as he smiled down at me. He wore brown sweaters on khaki jeans. In his hands was a decorated basket. That was when I noticed the red gloves he wore that matched a red scarf that embraced his neck. The perfect Harmattan Christa's outfit.

"Merry Christmas, Radiance." The way he said it made my tummy to become jellified.

"Hello, John!" I said with an unnecessary enthusiasm. Like I hadn't seen him for over a year, whereas we had worked together at Sarafoods three days ago.

"Ehmmm... My mom said I should give you this." He stretched the basket to me.

I chuckled. "And what do you think you're doing? You're not planning to just dump this on me and leave before greeting my parents, are you?" I said with a sly grin, my arm leaning on the top of the door.

"Uh! I– I–" He looked so cute stuttering like he did.

I laughed and opened the door wide.
"Come on in."

John went ahead and greeted my dad who was busy talking to some people that had come from our church.

John came to the kitchen and greeted Mom and Aunt June. Hirena, all jumpy and sanguiny, gave him a high-five. I think the Christmas spirit was still in her blood.
I wish I could be that natural and fun-to-be-with.

Sigh! Most times I become tongue-tied and awkward when I'm with him. Well, I think working at Sarafoods has helped to reduce the awkwardness.

John gave Mom the gift. It was Christmas cookies that Mommy Sarah had made.

"This is so sweet of your mother. Thank you so much. Tell her we'll come visiting soon. As you can see right now, the house's full," Mom said with a apologetic look.

"There's no problem ma. I'll let her know."

"Here, take this." Mom handed him a pack of drinks. "Please help us manage this little gift."

"You really don't have to ma."

"I insist."

"Thank you so much ma. May God bless you. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you too."

"I'll be on my way now."

"No problem. Radiance, see him off."

I whirled, like a spinning top, to face my mom. I gave her the look that said, "What?"

"He can't carry that pack alone."

I was still looking at my mom, with wide eyes, trying to pass silent messages of protest to her.
She didn't even do as if she had seen me. She just moved closer to me, and shoved one of the cookies into my mouth.

I moaned as I took a first bite. It tasted so delicious, of creamy milk, honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
My God! It was so divine, delicious, scrumptious, finger-licking good, to die for, exquisite, mouth watering...

PS: Just in case you begin to think I've become a literary guru, I have to tell you that I paused writing and checked an online thesaurus for all the culinary vocabs to describe a super-delicious food.

I could eat that kind of cookie all my life and never want any other snack.

My resolve was broken.
"Hmmm... This is so sweet. Keep more for me; I'm saying this because of Hirena. I'll come back soon."

I faced John and still munching the cookies  said, "Let's go."

We walked out and I began to wish I also wore my sweater. I rubbed my hands together and blew my warm air into it.

"Uhm... Your Powerbike... You didn't bring it?"
I sounded so dumb. Of course he didn't bring his bike. Immediately I said that, I face-palmed mentally. I expected him to say something around the lines of "Yeah, duh!"
Instead, he laughed. It was nice to see him laughing. It made me smile.

"I just wanted to walk on Christmas day."

"Well, you came a long way."

He glanced at me and then stopped.

"What?" I asked.

He tentatively stretched out his hand to my face.

I felt frozen. Like how Anna felt when Elsa struck her with her freezing powers.

His hand brushed my face, just beside my mouth. It felt like I was really struck with lightning. Every single nerve in my body came alive.

"There was a crumb there."

"Dang my love for your mom's Christmas cookies," I wanted to say.

But as the good girl I am, I said, "Uhmmm... Thanks."

Awkward silence.

We started walking again. John started humming the tune of Jingle bells.

I joined in. Soon, we were belting Christmas notes on the top of our lungs like little kids.
We broke it with laughter when I made a mistake in the lyrics.
I guess I was still thinking about how much better it would have been to ride the Powerbike on Christmas day.
My own one-horse open sleigh became a two-wheeler Powerbike.

We walked for a long time, but to me it felt like no time, even though we didn't speak much. It was comfortable, just walking. And as much as I'd have loved to be on the Powerbike, I really enjoyed walking with John.

We got to the front of their house.

"Uhm. I guess this is where I have to say goodbye," I said. I turned and began to leave.
How rude of me. I accused this same guy of wanting to flee greeting my parents and I was about to commit that very same crime.

"Wait," he said. "I want to show you something."
He dropped the pack of drinks on the stair that led up their front door, and pulled my hand to their backyard.

There was Josephine's grave. It was decorated with little Christmas lights, fresh flowers and small Christmas bells all around it's edges. I would have gushed on it if it wasn't a sacred place for John.

John squatted before it.
"I've known this season as a season of rebirth. I have found healing. Now I can come visit my sister's grave without guilt because I have found peace with God." He raised his head to look at me. "I thank God that I met you."

"Thanks be to God. Jesus makes all things well. I believe he planned our meeting."

John nodded and then he looked back at Josephine's "It's too bad we'll be leaving for separate colleges by next year." He sounded a bit sad.

I gulped. I still hadn't told him. I felt in my spirit that it was high time I let him know.

I squatted quietly before him and began to stroke a petal of a Jasmine flower that was in a bouquet on the grave.
"Uhm... John. I don't think I've told you, but McChyenne College was my first choice and I have been granted a scholarship."

He turned to me and gave a surprised look. Then, his face broke into a grin.

"Wow!" he said. Then I thought I heard him mutter, "You were right, Abba."

I asked for his permission to pray and we did.
After that, I entered into their house, said hello to everyone and half-ran, half-trotted back home.

The house was bubbling when I got back. Kathy, Pris and their families came as well as other people.
There was laughter and Christmas movies and surplus food and drinks.

I was happy to enjoy this Christmas with you, my family and my friends.

**********
It wasn't easy writing about Christmas in a not so Christmas season.😪 I had to look at some Christmas pictures I took with my family and plugged in my earphones to some Christmas songs😇🌝.
But, I hope you got the feel. My best part was the birthday card Radiance gave Jesus. 🥰🤩

God bless you for reading this.
Next chapter coming up soon.❤️

Love you all. 💖