Julian, Our Dear, Come Back With Us Please
By Dr. Tony T. LeiHow beautiful is this Christmas! Sunshine is always with us here in Las Vegas. The weather is also mild. "It's better than Houston," said Mike, our young son flying back home for the festival from his office in Texas. John, our old son, Hung-yin, our sister were also here from their offices in San Francisco for Christimas. Julian, our dear, we have a reunion party again this evening. Be with us please. Like every and many times of our reunion dinners, your nature and appearance have brought a lot of joyful and spiritual atmosphere. You could not imagine how thoughtful that I have arranged the best Chinese Restaurant Downtown, Gee Joon Chinese Restaurant, as our Christmas dinner party this year. We shall have a center seat for you. Your lovely and capable wife is going to be treated by Judy and me with the best quality of food and kindness in this festival dinner.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) This is a prophesy given to Isaiah, a Jewish prophet who began his ministry in 740 B.C., more than seven hundered years before the birth of Christ. The prophet Isaiah also fortold the virgin birth. "There the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."Isaiah 7:14. The name Immanuel means "God is with us". Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Jewish prophets fortold. As we celebrate Christmas, it is good to remember the reason for this Holiday.
Christmas is a time of celebration and generosity. The angels appearing to the shephards in Bethelem on the night of Christ's birth sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." This is a time of love, giving, and reconciliation. It's a wonderful time to restore relationships with a family member, a past friend, or a coworker. It is a time to give to those who are needy and spread the good cheers to everyone you see. It is also a time to grow closer to the Creator as we reflect on his goodness.
The magic of Christmas is most vividly seen in giving to children. They all know about Santa Claus and the gifts he brings. It is the spirit of "Santa Claus" that is important to them. It is the hope of receiving something you had wished for. Receiving gifts is a way to experience love and joy. It is a time for children to experience the love of their parents, uncles, aunties, grandparents, friends, and God. In a commercialized Christmas world, it is good to step back and remember that the purpose of giving and receiving is not to satisfy our desires for good things or to fulfill our obligations but to show our love towards one another. As we pay our special tribute to Julian this Christmas season, we reflect on the gift of life that God has given us and the chances each day to use it for good and to remember the good times. Our Christmas wish is for all to have a warm and joyful celebration. We hope the God of Heaven will look upon all of us with His favor and blessings. May your Christmas always be special.
On behalf of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI), Judy and I excitingly enjoyed and heartfeltly thanked Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Benton, President of Pepperdine University, for the creative Christmas card sent by them. WBTI's website is now available to the public at http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti. Readers can read articles of WBTI and find other links to education, seniors, arts, culture, and other resources. We welcome everyone to visit our website. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!