Son #3, who inherited the task from Tony years ago said, “I can’t do it alone.” Not without Manang Vi, whom we asked to rest due to unexplained ailments (she loathed seeing a doctor) before Christmas 2016. We ordered one from somewhere and tried to enjoy it as much as we relished our turkeys all the years before that.
It was not the same.
One year later, just before Christmas 2017, we lost Manang Vi forever. I guess, along with her passing, we passed up the tradition of having turkey on our own dinner table, ever. Son #3 suggested we have the bird in a hotel nearby.
And so we did.
Came 2018, and son #3 (the turkey point-person) had this brilliant Christmas gift idea for Tony, me, and son #1. “I’ll treat you to a staycation in the same hotel that serves turkey for dinner.”
And so he did.
By 8:00 PM, the rich buffet for the first batch of diners ended. We took the elevator to Tony’s and my room, exchanged gifts for about 10 minutes, some photo ops (through my prodding).
In the silence, I took the chance to meditate on God’s Word, c/o JC’s Christmas gift—and thank Him for JR’s staycation treat, for giving Tony respite from what has been ailing him the past months, and for the gift of family, friends, and life itself.
The Message 100, page 1383, reads:
The story of Jesus doesn’t begin with Jesus. God had been at work for a long time. Salvation, which is the main business of Jesus, is an old business. Jesus is the coming together in final form of themes and energies and movements that had been set in motion before the foundation of the World. (Eugene H. Peterson)
John 1:1-5 . . .
"The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
"Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out."
And all thoughts about turkeys and such came to pass.
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