A few years ago Candi and I had a non-Christmas Christmas… I had preached on Christmas morning at First Baptist then immediately following we traveled 9 hr. in the car to Hendersonville. Our Christmas dinner was an Arby 's roast beef sandwich because they were the only ones open.

Well, from Nanjing ~ we feel about the same as we did then.

Christmas Eve ~ started a little ruff. Abby was very withdrawn from morning up until 2 PM. She would go from a smile to tears in a second. (Bless her little heart --- only God knows what is going on in her mind.) As for Mom & Dad…we were about the same!! We both felt very tired ~ and a little ill at heart. Finally some time after noon we had another moment in the Word and prayer and God gave us a recharge.

Note: If anyone asks if you want to go site seeing on Christmas Eve always…I mean always say, NO THANK YOU! For us, that evening the families boarded the bus to go to the gate of the city and a temple. Granted it is not everyday you get the chance to see some 600 year old gate, but when you have a 4 year old child who is upset because her entire world is upside down plus tired, hungry, & cold…SKIP THE GATE!

So, once we were at the gate the tears began to flow. We boarded the bus to attempt to calm her down. We then leave from the gate towards the temple, but first we make a pit stop to see a jade store - which no one buys, but we got to hear some Chinglish that sounds exactly like the guy on the movie "Father of the Bride" I think his name was Franze. Ha ha

Ok - once we reach the stop for the temple - Abby is cranked up… we have got to get back to the hotel. Brother Kevin had a card with the address of hotel so Larry, our guide, stops a taxi and we zoom off into the sunset leaving the rest of the group behind…as we passed by them I motioned to them "Pray!"

So there we were - Chris, Candi, and Abby at the mercy of a taxi cab driver in Nanjing. No Problem…no problem…after zipping through lanes and swerving back and forth to avoid hitting bicyclists and buses we made it to the hotel. As soon as Abby stepped out of the cab the tears stopped.

Ok, this girl knows how to play us! But on Christmas Eve, without any lunch and tired and it is 6 PM we could care less. Ha ha ha

Candi and Abby go up to the room and I go the front desk and order a pizza. About an hour later I return down to pick it up and there in the lobby is none other than the one, the only, Jackie Chan Santa Clause surrounded by a couple hundred screaming children. WOW!

After our meal…Candi attempts to put Abby to bed, and I lay down on the other bed not intending to sleep because I was wanting to talk to Emily via web cam ~ but I was out like a light not to move again until my Asian wake up time 3-4 AM.

When Candi woke up on Christmas morning she told me that she could not believe I slept through all the noise…Abby crying out!!!


Christmas Day - Began 76.3% better than the day before. Abby was full of smiles and a playful spirit and Candi and I both felt some better although it was so very rough being away from Emily!

I had brought Candi's stocking and put in it a pair of fuzzy socks Emily bought for her. I also put some of the things we brought for Abby…coloring book & stickers.

After a joyful and filling breakfast we returned to the room and talked with Emily for a little while…thank you Lord.

At 10:30 AM I met the other dads to pick up our laundry. It was all there! Termite's son, Treagan, was wearing a pair of shorts because he gave all his clothes to be cleaned to his dad two days prior….we all thought that we were going to the laundry mat…no, not in China. So, all Treagan had to wear was a pair of shorts and one shirt.

While standing on the corner in front of "Lucky Lucy Laundry"(all rights reserved on phrase and can not be used without permission) , one old man walked by and reached down and slapped Treagan right on the leg! It was so funny. In fact by the time we all got our clothes he had got a total of three slaps by passer-bys.

Ok back at hotel - eat lunch then...
Note #2: When someone asks if you want to go site seeing on Christmas Day always…I mean always say, NO THANK YOU! Larry, said we would go to the Nanjing museum, located adjacent to the hotel. No problem…if we get ready to go just walk down the sidewalk and bam you are back at hotel.

We get on board the bus and drive to another place first. It is a park that has the tomb of the Ming Dynasty. We all get off the bus and start walking. Little Abby - who shuffles when she walks needs some help. I carry her first but then she wants Mommy to carry her. Once Mommy has her she does not want to return to daddy. For 2 miles of walking!

We make it almost to the tomb. Abby is crying, cold, and tired -- ready for nap, and here we are trying to see some sealed tomb that still contains the remains of some old…anyway. We turn back leaving the group for the bus. And get this - we walk back the same way we came through a maze of paths with several crossroads, each bringing us to debate on which way?!/?

We finally make it back…I told Candi that every good dad always knows how to leave a trail and follow one:). But the thing was as we arrived back the entire group was already there. How you might ask? Well it seems that as we walked all over this 600 year old park we were just steps away from the tomb to begin with!!! How funny.

Once we made it back to the hotel we were again exhausted, Candi's arms looked like Popeye the sailor man after carrying Abby for 30 miles or so it seemed. I ordered us - yep - Pizza for our Christmas dinner.

We then were able to talk to Emily as we were about to go to bed here in Nanjing…Emily was telling us all she got for Christmas. I had to get up - because of tears.

Merry Christmas - it was. That night as I saw Emily talking about her gifts with excitement and us although exhausted had with us a little girl, our girl, I was reminded of what God spoke to my heart about earlier that day around 2 PM…we may not be able to touch this city for Christ, but we can touch one. That is Christmas!

Thank you Lord for coming that we might have life!

Merry Christmas all!