PRISCILLA CL RAJ
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It's Just Different.....

12/27/2015

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It has just been different...The past few years....Christmas just changed.
It didn't happen intentionally rather it happened with a growth of self through experience, travel, people, moments, and a beautiful relationship with up above bursting with joy. An awareness into a day that has nothing to do with the four letter word....."gift."

It was so exciting years going to my Grandma's house for Christmas and anxiously waiting til the morning to open up beautifully wrapped boxes. Wrapped in red, green, blue, and white with reindeers, Santa Claus, snowmen, snow flakes, red bows, and ribbon. The curiosity of what would be in that box-something of need or something of want.  As a child, who really wanted something of "want"-the toys, the dolls, the jewelry-it felt like Christmas receiving gifts. What would Christmas even be without gifts?

As you get older, the gifts still have a bold presence for Christmas. It's important to buy for children, but adults want that Ipad just as much as children. People are in stores fighting over sales on an Xbox rather than Christmas caroling or standing in church. The gift has dominated the meaning of Christmas and without a religious connection to Christmas-it probably will continue to dominate. It's become overwhelming to me as a religious person who identifies what she needs and what she wants very clearly.  This does not mean I don't engage in materialism, but as addressed in many of my blog posts- I know when to disconnect and connect with what I want.

What happened for me is that the needs dominated and opening up a gift became less important overtime because I knew that I don't need gifts.  Gifts come and go everyday. I see people in unfortunate situations who could use hundreds of gifts-gifts I can't provide them.  Many who are happy just the way they are, my Simply Happy people around the world who live with their basic needs and don't require gifts to make them happy. They may or may not be religious and many are in love with life without materialistic means.  

For me, these people are contagious to my spirit. They make me grow and learn about myself-connect me to God, and make me believe in true humanity. Many times traveling I have bought these important gifts for people and they WILL NOT ACCEPT MY GIFTS.  Their character and spirit is so beautiful that they can't accept gifts because they feel it's not right. It's not acceptable to accept something that is not theirs and it could be a toy or something they even need, food-they decline.  These people decline my gifts and it appears they are lacking so many. 

How can I accept gifts at Christmas with all that I have? Some people may think "Oh look at Priscilla holier than now." It's not stepping on a holy pedestal trying to present myself in a certain manner to others or even a decision. It's an internal feeling of discomfort and guilt. Opening up a gift is conforming to a societal norm that Christmas is about materialism and it's something I can't justify in my belief system.  

For instance, the previous year I bought my Mom an overload of gifts maybe 15 or so to give to her as much as I could. What I want to do and am quite short of providing.  It was the very least I felt I could do. Gifts aren't very important to her either, but watching her face light up makes me keep giving. To know that people feel happiness and contentment with that gift-it is worth "giving."

To be positive, people do give because that face of pure joy is priceless, especially when it's seen on a child, but if people did more giving and less receiving they may feel that same way, "Do I really need this watch when I have five?"
The beauty of gifts is definitely the giving. I remember last year I went above and beyond for ministry, baking, cards, parties, gifts, and felt so good with giving. It's quite a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment when you are able to give and make people feel good especially with a spiritual component attached.

This year was interesting opening the gifts as I literally looked miserable opening the few gifts I was given. I told my Mom that I wanted one thing to open on Christmas Day, but I kept delaying on opening it. It was a scarf and another gift was a blanket-things I need-not so bad. Still, there was a lack of motivation and meaning to even open the few gifts received. But watching her open my gifts made my face fill with such joy.  It was the joy I see with "giving" whether it's a gift, a smile, a high five, or help with homework-giving is worth it.... 

Unfortunately, Priscilla can't engage in the American version of Christmas much anymore. It's just not purposeful with her being that God created. Priscilla doesn't look forward to the decorated, pretty boxes. She thanks the Lord for her natural gifts with people and simply being alive among life's beauty and challenges.

This is not a post to make people feel bad rather it's a post to help people understand me a bit more and to influence people to think about the meaning of the word
gift. 
How does a gift make you feel?


How many of your gifts are meeting your needs vs. your wants? 
What purpose is the gift serving and is this something you are actively going to use?
Are you engaging in materialism and need a break?
Are you a giver?
Do you feel thankful, blessed?

Think a bit about the Simply Happy around the world and how they respond to gifts with the little they have. It's incredible to know that people are just thankful and blessed everyday with five percent of what we have......  PCR  



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Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016

12/27/2015

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"This year's call to mercy is not only a call for us to receive God's mercy in our lives. It is also a call for us to be merciful to those around us. What better way to begin this year of Mercy is there than our celebration of the Holy Family. It is often in our own family that we need to show mercy.

Perhaps it would be good to begin 2016 by reconciling with someone in your family who is distant. Maybe you are unable to see everyone who is estranged but New Year's Eve would be a good time to pray for those who have hurt you. Leave that pain behind so you can begin the New Year on the right foot. We are called to a year of mercy.
As Our father reminds us that we are to be forgiven in the same way that we forgive others.

       "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass  
                                        against us.  
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Your Christmas Spirit

12/27/2015

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It's an observation that people have different levels of spirit depending on the place they choose to be during the Christmas season. Some people make the most of Christmas everywhere they go and some crave their home environment to fulfill their Christmas spirit. It's the memories of home and the conditioning of the home environment overtime that leaves an individual to feel the spirit of Christmas. The special ornaments from childhood, Mom's home cooking, laughing with cousins over silly things, eating Grandma's famous Christmas cookies, receiving that yearly sweater in a new color. It makes it feel like Christmas and makes the spirit at home.
A person relies on that comfort of Christmas each year, but what happens when your spirit isn't at home and it wonders elsewhere.

Those who have lost family members, experience Christmas outside a materialistic mindset, feel disconnection in spirit, and crave something outside of what they know. Those who feel that religion takes priority over the gifts and finds peace with the tru meaning of Christmas. The spirit of Christmas can be connected with the beauty of ritual, sacrifice, and giving spirit. The Christmas religious meaning celebrated in different cultures is what truly can make a spirit come alive. It's what can make a person come alive, open up their eyes to his beauty, feel authentic generosity rather than forced by culture, and to come closer to Christ.

It's to highlight that the Christmas spirit can come alive outside of home and repetition. A person may not feel like American culture is the home of their Christmas spirit. It may feel like something is missing not being out in a world where Christmas feels so alive.  It does not discredit the beauty of religion anywhere, but it just acknowledges that a spirit can long for somewhere else. A spirit can feel empty without family and find their family in the world. Home can be where the spirit lies or perhaps one doesn't know how a spirit can flourish with a religious touch, new place, new people, and taking a risk to let the Lord in and learn cultures outside our own.

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Youtube Sensation- Work for It

12/15/2015

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Nowadays there are all kinds of definitions to the word "work" "fame," and "success.
Without spending years and years pursuing an education or mastering your gifts whether being a doctor, a teacher, restaurant owner, etc; one can build their internet success by superman/woman networking and making a brand for themselves through youtube.  
Youtube has become a platform to allow the talented, the awkward, the funny, the skilled, the singers, the actors, the dancers- to all have a space where they can share their ideas, opinions, intelligence, humor, religion, music and more with the world.
In other worlds, Youtube has changed the lives of many people for the better by serving as not only a networking platform, but a full-time career. 
Youtube has become an employer for those who make videos for a living and those, i.e. Jenna Marbles and Casey Neistat who make videos daily and get paid based off their views and success of their videos. While people can make the choice to continue their job and follow their educational track, others immerse themselves into the world of You tube

From someone who is entering the You tube world with her own channel, it now comes to my attention how much work it takes to start a channel. Many people think, "Oh what an easy life sitting back and making videos for a living." To be quite honest, I was one of those people with envy of these people traveling the world, kids playing xbox, karaoke videos, and getting paid. It didn't quite make sense to me until I realized that "Youtube makes You work for It." It's not about just making a video rather it's about what is behind the scenes of Making a video.

​There are about fifty different elements contributing to a successful video and it usually involves building subscribers, contributing to community and posting on channels, making videos appeal to audience consistently, and most importantly editing the video. Some may be more of an expert at editing, but most of the people I know have worked hard to learn how to properly do it and even when you learn to do it. It still takes a significant amount of time editing a 20 minute video. It's important to give props to those successful youtubers who have excellent videos because their editing is superb and keeps your attention. A ammateur video can be easily spotted and most likely is not leading to You Tube being your employer.  

Even to make a blog post, it takes time, but constantly keeping up with social networking, promoting, and building your network-takes a lot of work. Some great Youtube travelers mention that they work on their channel or blog everyday-all day and it's a "neverending process." While it seems hard to believe that this "Youtube"video making world can become a 9-5 job, I am writing to confirm that it definitely can be. It's an ongoing job that doesn't even end at 5pm! I give such credit to all the hardworking travelers who are doing a fantastic job with their creative videos, posts, and writing. I hope to be soon moving past the blog world and into the Youtube world. 


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    Author

    Priscilla CL Raj is a Therapist, Missionary, Writer, English Teacher. She is an enthusiast who is passionately purposeful in her life.

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