Here’s my contribution to Marg’s and Kailana’s Christmas Advent Tour – my most memorable and meaningful Christmas, devoted to bringing the simple truth of Christmas – love – to the neighbourhood.

One of the first things I did after getting baptized mid this year was to join the church choir.  Besides reading, and blogging, singing is my other love. I’m no stranger to choir singing … in fact have done this in my school days and nursing days. Imagine my excitement when I found out that the music ministry is putting up a Christmas Musical – The Christmas Shoes – as a celebratory and evangelical outreach to the community.

This dramatic musical is inspired by the no. 1 Hit Single of the same name from contemporary Christian group NewSong, whose songwriter Eddie Carswell was in turn inspired by a its story which was circulating in the Internet in 1999. NewSong’s “The Christmas Shoes” reigned as the no. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart in a record-setting three weeks of its hitting the airwaves in 2000.

This touching story of a little boy and his quest to find the perfect pair of shoes for his dying mother to wear to heaven at Christmas is adapted for theatrical production by Donna VanLiere, who was commissioned by St. Martin’s Press to write a novel based on the song. The book sold out two weeks before Christmas when it was released in October 2001 with a 300,000 first printing, and eight additional prints.

The 50-minute musical production takes the audience through the lives of two families. The well-off Laytons seem to have it all, but Robert is so obsessed with his work he neglects his family so much so his marriage is on the brink of breaking up. The humble Andrews may not have all the things that wealth could buy but they’re close-knit and happy except that the mother, Maggie is terminally ill and may not survive Christmas. A chance meeting between Robert and Nathan at the mall changes Robert’s perspective and makes him realize that the greatest gift he has is family and their love. For our church production, we adapted some of the scripts to give it local context.

Friday the 22d rolled round sooner than I could blink my eyes. I was prepared for the partying, the frantic passing and exchanging of presents, even the last-minute meetings and picking of brains at the office before I sweep out of their lives. Hey, I even created a special little adieu for those I cherish dearly (names have been erased or shortened to protect the privacy of those mentioned, nicks are used in the passage below for the same purpose).

What I wasn’t prepared for was the touching send-off from my colleagues and friends at work. A bunch of them got together to make me a video that had some of them singing and monkeying around (I had a good laugh at that), even as I was trying to hold back the tears that were stealing out of my eyes. Gem and Newman lost sleep editing the video, and G said something that really moved me. I also appreciate Trace’s heartfelt wishes. Now these are some colleagues I’d love to work with again. They’ve no hidden agenda, no interest in political or mind games. All they want is to get an honest day’s work done.

The rest of the comms team worked on the other half of my send-off present. A scrapbook of memories and last words from all those I worked closely with. These ladies are another few I would jump to work with. They’re absolute professionals. Despite differences in opinions, they’ll put aside everything to support each other. Here’s one of the entries:

Just wanted to wish everyone in Blogland

“Happy Christmas” as they say it in Harry Potter world,

and have a wonderful, wonderful 2007!

The performance at church tonight went well. The actors remembered their lines beautifully.  The choir gave their all and we had great fund even as we sang our hearts out. Be back with the details for Marg’s Christmas Advent Calendar on the 28th.

Right now, I just need to crash. Night, all! 

To D-day of course, the day of freedom, my last day at work is T-2. Just two more days and I’ll be off to full dress rehearsals for the Christmas Musical which I’ve volunteered to blog about as part of Marg’s and Kailana’s Christmas 2006 Advent Calendar.

We’ve just had our first rehearsal with the actors lat Saturday and things are looking good. This is my first time singing with a choir in a musical so naturally I’m excited.

I’ve also been busy shopping for gifts for my mates at work, so haven’t been able to sit down much to blog, much less speak about the musical but, scout’s honour, I promise to do so soon.

Meanwhile, between staying up until 1am to finish wrapping up those pressies, I’ve been brewing some ideas for the farewell note. It’ll definitely have to be designed as an emailer, hopefully this will be a pleasant surprise for my friends.

Catch y’all later! Am off to cobble together some ideas for the parting speech … eh, note.

December’s TBR challenge requires participants to read a book published prior to 2006.  I had originally planned to read either Mary Stewart’s Madam, Will You Talk? or Mary Higgins Clark’s Moonlight Becomes You, but then a friend at work passed me Nick Hornby’s How to be Good, and I enjoyed it so much I decided to post a review of it for this month’s challenge.

Title: How to Be Good

Author: Nick Hornby

Year published: 2001

Why did you get this book?
A couple of friends at work and I got together to form a book club of sorts, and one of them passed me this book. I lent her Austen’s Emma.

Do you like the cover?
It was unconventional and intriguing. Other than that, I was more interested in the synopsis on the back cover.

Yep, I know it isn’t Wednesday, but these blog designs caught my eye.

Longbourn Loungers

They’ve been around for a while and I’ve visited this Pride & Prejudice fanfiction site occasionally. I just would like to highlight that this site has various Austen and P&P related discussions going on so you’re in need of an Austen fix, join the Longbourn Loungers for tea.

Oh, and did I mention that there are links to the Pride fanlist and Austen Impressions, where you can get your fix of other Austen works. 

 
Sanctuary’s Finest

This is one of rare group reader blogs that I visit. Izzy, Dylan, Holly, Jazz, Grace and Daphne pen their individual blogs but come together here to share their honest thoughts about books, and they sometimes have different members reading and reviewing the same books. Sometimes with slightly contrasting views so it makes the review balanced. Ooh, and I like the Quote of the Week.

If you like their 60s pin-up doll banner, do check out the blogs of Jazz, Grace (the Shoe-aholic) and Daphne.