Its the most wonderful time of the year...

Minus crowded malls full of men and women with very scary glints in their eyes as they scramble to finish last minute shopping.
Minus insane traffic mostly comprised of idiots who drive as if they've never seen snow before.
Minus 35 below degree weather that makes me think its impossible for there to be any place in the world right now that you can actually go outside without a snow suit on and not have all your extremities immediately fall off.

As hardened and bitter as I sound I really do sincerely love Christmas. Not the materialistic side of it (cuz thats lame) but I love chillin (literally) with my family and friends, singing Christmas carols with worship leaders who hate them (haha love you Darren), eating (way too much) Christmas food/cookies, talking a walk outside when its snowing and quiet and feeling the magic and going to bed seeing the apcalyptically-red looking sky (from lights reflecting off the snow) and knowing that God is watching over all of us.

I finished my Christmas shopping today (finally *slumps with relief) and also did some shopping for Costa Rica clothing (light, not warmth inducing, not fancy) that I can do labour and get dirty in. And drank two $4 coffees which is really weird for me cuz I don't drink coffee normally lol. But it was fun, I'm actually getting REALLY excited for Costa Rica. I've been waiting for so long (nearly 2 years) for it to happen and now it really is coming together!
I'm so excited to build a community centre (though I don't imagine any of the men/teenage boys are actually going to let me do anything labour intensive lol) and doing children's ministry and really showing people the love of Christ. This is going to a be paradigm/life changing experience :) I'm pleased.

We're going to do a drama like this in Costa Rica.
I usually play the main girl and let me tell you, most people cry when they see it. I'm not even kidding, I don't cry easily so i don't, but a lot of people do because the emotion is so raw. I am so thrilled to see what God is going to do on this trip.

Pray for me and the team and the people we're going to help!!!

Merry Christmas!
Zhen