And I am not shopping. I have been excused. But I am looking forward to the 2014th celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Greatest Gift mankind ever received.

And some of you might say: “You are full of shit, Jack, I just lost my job!” and “Why does your God allow a Typhoon to devastate Mindanao?”  And frankly I do not have the answer for you. But I remember an incident when I was in Cebu, Philippines in 2006. The owner of the yard where I was hauled out for maintenance told me how he had lost his 10 year old grandson in a car accident. And he raised his finger and yelled “Fuck you God!”. I felt helpless. Then I asked him: “Did your daughter buy your grandson at a local store?” “Did you have to pay for the 10 years that you were a grandfather to him?” He raised his eye brows and I saw a change come over him.

And this year I am without an address to send me gifts but your love and friendship come to me without a street address. I have been overwhelmed with your encouragements and offers of/ and help after my November 16 shipwreck. I love you very much.

The below is my Christmas wish to you. I received this as a Christmas card from Leo Lewin an Argentinian customer and friend, in the eighties. Leo was a Jew and had managed to get out from a “Kindertransport”  into Switzerland out of occupied France during the 2nd WW. He knew the meaning of PEACE/Shalom You may have seen this before but it speaks such a crystal clear message that in order to promote a better world we need to start with our selves.

Si hay luz en el alma,

habrá belleza en persona.

Si hay belleza en persona,

habrá armonía en la casa.

Si hay armonía en la casa,

habrá orden en la nación.

Si hay orden en la nación,

habrá paz en el mundo

donde hay paz

hay Dios

Translation:

If there is light in the soul,

there will be beauty in the person.

If there is beauty in the person,

there will be harmony in the house.

If there is harmony in the house,

there will be order in the nation.

If there is order in the nation,

there will be peace in the world

where there is Peace

there is God

Merry Christmas

Gelukkig/Zalig Kerstfeest