Where are you Christmas?

Every year I try to make christmas be an amazing experience for my siblings, and try to keep them believing as long as possible. Every year I try to continue silly traditions and keep a perfect balance of santa's presents and Jesus' birth. Some of my family members enjoy doing exactly opposite of what I'd like to see happen, (I won't say who...;) and frustrates the heck out of me! Christmas is supposed to be really special, and it's hard, especially on a tropical island, to make it a separate sort of time. Something is different this year, and I can't decide what it is. Maybe its because Tikla isn't here? That could be part of it. Maybe I need to be more giving...:P Selflessness can work wonders on the rare occasions that I practice it. Let's let Christmas be one of those occasions.
Speaking of Christmas, my dad wrote an editorial for the newspaper and I thought I'd share it here:

A Season of Faithfulness

Surely, it is appropriate to wish faithfulness to spouse for all during this holiday season. I deeply respect the individual who, like my own father, proves loyal to his/her spouse to the end. I raise my hat to those who have committed related mistakes but have made things right and have permanently changed their ways, especially when genuine contrition accompanies the change. My father successfully taught me to worry more about what God thinks about my mistakes than what people might feel or say. Marriage is special not only because it is a covenant made with a person, but also because it is made before God. We promise that we will be true even when it gets bad. Barring obvious abuse, we vow to hang in there and help each other with problems. We know that it is not supposed to be easy and we keep our vows. “I fell out of love” is among the poorest excuses for breaking this covenant. Love should never be something that we hope will keep somehow happening to us; it is something that we need to keep doing. With this in mind, “I fell out of love” becomes an admission of guilt, not something that our partner is or isn't. I keep hearing stories of waste and heartbreak that occur because of the breaking of this covenant. If we don't believe wedlock involves a promise to God, then let's not mock and pretend it does at the time of marriage. My holiday wish to all is that we strengthen our commitment to the promises we make at marriage. If it means caring more about what God thinks of us, then let it be so. If it means simply being true to promises we make, then let that be the reason. However we do it, let's take control of our lives and make our short season on Earth a faithful one.

Dr. E. Roland Brown
Dandan, Saipan