Two celebrations in a day

Today is the 22nd March 2009 and Montrealers celebrate its 185th St. Patrick's day by holding a huge parade across the main street of the downtown, known as St. Catherine street. In this two hour-long parade the whole street was be covered in green: green clothing and apparel, face paint, green cars, people drinking green beer, etc. 

The parade itself showcased everything Irish in Montreal; Irish institutions and foundations, war veterans, Irish dances, Irish marching bands, Irish businesses, also there are many non-Irish businesses that used this marketing opportunity to create awareness about themselves to the people here.

It has been a great day of celebrating and the Montrealers celebrated all right!!! Plenty of alcohol and cigarette smoke covered the whole street, this is the first day that I actually miss Brisbane city so much-of how clean Brisbane's air really is :O) I thought if I had stayed in one spot long enough during the parade, I would have increased my chances of getting lung cancer by 100% (just joking)... I really do pity the small kiddies that were inhaling poisonous air while being held in the freezing cold -3C weather. Oh, suddenly the striking heat of Australian sun doesn't feel too bad at all...  

Well, for us three, this parade is the second celebration we had today. In the morning we attended church for the very first time in this trip. We are so blessed to have stumbled upon a really great multicultural church, one of the biggest english speaking church in Montreal. We managed to take a photo with the senior pastor and his wife (see below). Of course, this event celebrates the most important person in our lives, our Lord Jesus Christ. I was trying to hold back my tears today (I can totally sob away if I want to, and end up embarrassing Beng and Pei). The presence of God was so real in that place during praise and worship. Jesus you rock!!! Whether it be in Australia or Canada it's just the same thing (Isn't it amazing) We so serve the most awesome God ever!!!

Anyway, needless to say without much thought I could say after the celebration in church with all God's people, I came out filled with joy and felt so overwhelmingly loved by God... very very happy. After the other celebration, my throat hurt, eyes watery, face frozen and I felt quite annoyed because intoxicated people kept shouting around my ears and trying to get their way through pushing others around about them, including me.

Well at the end of the day, I can always have a reason to rejoice and be glad, because the next St. Patrick's celebration parade is not until next year (I don't mean it the way it sounded, I know it is unfair to compare the two, I did quite enjoy this one too) but i can always carry the loving presence of God even at my own home at any time, and I'll meet great Godly people and worship Him together again next week and every single week of the year (big sigh of relief).