The clan held a year end party in the new year, this is my second time to attend it and I think it is the 3rd or 4th time it was done, it was rushed decision actually. It was just decided on Christmas day and a family meeting was made in the 27th to finalize it, after the practiced of the wedding entourage for my aunt’s golden wedding celebration.

The year end program didn’t start early because there was  a New Year’s service at church which I have attended, but even if the service was finished the program didn’t start right away since most of the members of the clans are not around yet, they are still taking their time off at their homes.

[Photo courtesy of readersfusion.com]

As expected, the program started late and it was not properly prepared. The kids have an intermission number, literally they were just asked to dance by following what’s on the screen and the adults were requested to have one as well, an aunt and two cousins did it to everyone’s laughter, afterwards there was nothing else to do so games followed, I hosted three games after an older cousin hosted one, I have to encourage them big time to participate, then exchange gifts and then dinner follows.

Everyone was almost finished eating when 12 o’clock strikes, my young cousins had fun playing with fire crackers, sky rockets and fireworks, then someone in the village had a firework display to everyone’s excitement. Then everyone started to go home when one o’clock in the morning came, there are few who are left who sing videoke and karaoke.  My sister, few of my cousins and I were left, my sister and I cannot sleep yet because our sound system were outside, they were the one used for the clan’s year end party.

It was almost four o’clock in the morning when I finally able to sleep, and after 2 hours and half, I am already awake to start my first day of 2019.

Went to church on New Years eve and then went home and sleep, we have no preparation for the New Year. My sister wake me up when 12 o’clock strikes in the clock so I could see few fireworks in the sky, there’s not much then it is drizzling. The night is very silent, my father fired eight pieces of “kwitis” then when they’re all fired up, I went down and sleep again.

It’s New Year and most people sleep late but the church service started very early because it is first Sunday of the month. Pastor opened his preaching for the day by asking if we are pessimist or optimist.  Looking back, I am always an optimistic person, I always look at the bright side and I always find good reason in every situation, like why a flight has been cancelled or delayed, that life is more important than money and so on… then my light dies… I became pessimistic and expect worst in every thing, I became hopeless…

Anyway, the scriptural scripture this Sunday is from Ephesians 5: 15-17. Pastor reminded everyone to watch our step because sometimes we are guilty of living too fast, to redeem our time and make most of every opportunity and do God’s will.

Pastor E shared a lot of inspiring verses from the bible after the preaching proper like Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1 KJV),  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) and other verses that were strong enough to pacify a hopeless and weary heart.

Since I went to church early without eating anything I decided to have a sip of coffee, ate bread  and peanut butter after church and while I am eating an aunt called and invited us to their house to eat, was told that some of our relatives were there eating.  I am already full but we don’t want to disappoint our aunt so my sister and I went to their home which is now owned by her son. Well, they have plenty of preparation for the new year,  there was a lot of food to eat.