Merry Christmas

Originally I have reserved the Christmas Eve for inviting mom and dad to the evangelical meeting but eventually was left spending the night alone. No need to rush home, I slowly strolled down to the Star Ferry from the office. There were so many people shopping, taking photos of the Christmas decorations and enjoying the atmosphere.

They looked very happy, but what is making them happy is the highly commercialized Christmas and has nothing doing with the true meaning of Christmas -- celebration of the birth of our Savior and that people can be reconciled with God.

On the ferry, I asked God, "I can't take mom & dad to the evangelical meeting. What I can do to make this a meaningful Christmas?"

At night, I received her call. God has answered me.

May Your blessing be with her, replace her sorrow & grief with Your joy & peace, heal her broken heart and set her free.

威嚴

昨天偶遇C&C,一起去韓燒午膳.

還沒坐下,已經看到鄰桌正在大聲叫嚷的小男孩是去年P2SS的學生(不過不是我的小班).
因為想不起他的名字,沒有馬上叫他,只坐在他身旁(他和我都坐在路邊位,桌子間只有不到兩呎之隔)看看他會不會留意到我.

當他轉眼看我(大概是感受到我的熱情視線),我就使出招牌笑容和擺手"hello~~"了一聲,然後小男孩帶點驚訝地小聲地回了一聲"Miu Miu老師".他的爸媽不認識我,所以看到自己的孩子突然和陌生人打招呼顯得有點錯愕,我也急忙向他們自我介紹一番.

之後整頓飯小男孩都沒有再大聲叫嚷.

嘻嘻嘻...原來主日學老師還是有一丁點威嚴喔...! ^^

Retreat

Work in the past few months has been demanding and draining. This retreat day was a get-away that I have long been looking forward to.

I love the state of mind when I feel a profound calmness emptying all the entangling thoughts and emotions from my mind. This is the moment when I'm more ready to listen to the small voice and refocus on God. But it often takes hours or even days to let my heart settle down. So I really appreciated this retreat -- with a short and easy hike, which I love, followed with a delicious healthy meal, that helped me to relax and be prepared for the personal quiet time, meditation, and praise & worship time following.

During the hike, God has inspired me that evangelical work is like planting. Some earth takes less work to cultivate but some takes ages. And some seeds take longer to start geminate and grow. But no matter how hard we work, it is God who give life to the plant. We cannot make a seed to geminate, we can only do what is suitable as much as we can.

God has been speaking to me on 2 issues recently and reminded me again during the retreat. One is the problem of my pride, and the second that I must learn to face and accept the true self. It was, probably, the first time that I admit explicitely that there are people I don't like. But this is important and can be done in a healthy way -- by presenting the issue in front of God and let God help me through. Well, I don't think the hurts will disappear all in a sudden, but I will be able to handle the relationship in a healthier way.

Thanks to F for taking time preparing and leading this retreat, and thanks to my b&s who are loving and caring and have made this retreat a warm and comforting fellowship time.

鷹

鷹在空中展翅翱翔的姿態真的很美...雙翼不用擺動,只靠控制尾巴和翼的角度就可以順著氣流一直飛,時而高盤時而低旋,瀟灑溜麗.

一直很想用相機拍下這些美麗的畫面,只是每當牠們發現遠處有一龐然巨物(=手拿相機的我)飛撲出露台時,牠們就會飛遠不再靠近.

昨晚夢見自己又在露台看鷹.大概是日有所思吧.

誰知道今天真的又看到牠們... :)

生日禮物

昨天爸爸生日,本想買一件fleece外套給爸爸,這構想結果給媽媽打沉了.

以往送東西給爸爸,爸爸都會說我浪費錢.雖然知道爸爸不缺甚麼,卻總想藉著禮物表達一點心意.不過買禮物能買中爸爸心頭好的次數確實又...

結果今年決定寫一張生日卡,送上最棒的禮物 -- 一張福音單張和自己的一點心聲.

其實每次祝賀爸爸(不論是新年,壽辰或其他慶節)最想說的是"祝爸爸早日信主!",卻就是沒勇氣說出來,只在心裡暗暗地祝福爸爸.

爸爸的一生中經歷許多風浪,近年又被癌魔及連番手術折磨.對這樣一個人生已走了大半的人,祝福的話有時候可能只會令人更加唏噓.而只有福音,才能夠將人生的真正意義顯示出來,並藉著與造物主和好而看到永不動搖的盼望和平安.

卡寫好,不敢當面給爸爸,趁爸爸昨晚在沙發打瞌睡的時候放在爸爸的床頭.今天早上趁爸爸還沒起床,躡手躡腳地偷看了一下爸爸的床頭,喜見卡片的信封已經打開了..!

救恩是何等的美好...!這救恩讓人在絕望處看到曙光,在無力時得著安慰盼望和平安.

祝爸爸早日得救!

造就人的說話

不一定容易入耳.因為這些話往往篤正要害.
有一些話,不好說,不敢說,不知怎麼開口,卻是一些可以幫助對方成長的提醒.
為了對方的好,總希望有一天可以說出來.

如果能有技巧地進入話題,自然地帶出問題,那麼被提醒的一方也會叫容易接受.
這除了愛心亦需要智慧和耐性.

在學這功課的過程中,希望身邊的人不會太過被折磨吧.

a wonderous call

Yesterday I suddenly missed JS very much and sent her an email. She replied quickly and suggested to call me instead of emailing me. Last night was actually the best timing for us to catch up with each other over a, probably very, long call as mom & dad were not home.

It was long -- almost 3 hours! I can't recall any longer call than this one in my life. I'm not the kind of person who like talking on the phone. But talking with friends like JS is different. We don't need time to warm-up and can go straight into deep sharings. We can discuss and share our weaknesses, failure and needs without any hesitation because we know the person one's talking to will and is ready to accept what one is. When we share our joys and God's amazing work in our lives, we give thanks for each other delightfully and praise God for His wisdom and grace in each other's life. This trust is built up through the years we lived together and the way we witnessed each other's growth in Christ. More importantly, because we share the same life and goal in Christ.

After we have talked for about 2 hours, JS told me that in the past few days, she was thinking in her pursue of holiness, who she can find support and encouragement from. I was one of those popped up in her mind. But she was a bit hesitated as we're so far apart and we share so little in common after I returned to HK. Then came my email, then her call, and then the conversation both of us found a blessing from God.

Who can make all these work together so amazingly except our Heavenly Father? :)

小迷羊

奧運其中一個大收穫就是有機會帶小迷羊回教會.記憶中信主多年,以往帶領信主的都會去其他教會,還是頭一趟每週陪人返崇拜.過程中有許多領受,而且看到天父為了一隻迷羊的回轉而做的許多.

天父真的很很疼愛小迷羊.老覺得P2SS被逼放假就是天父為了要我陪小迷羊去教會.(這可犧牲了許多小朋友聽我講故事的福分呢~~.)和小迷羊第一次返崇拜就是P2SS放假的第一個主日.然後這段日子可是我返北宣多年來最密集聽蕭牧師講道的日子(上星期還有Dr.溫).也許小迷羊不會意會到,就像父母為兒女所付出的一切,孩子永遠只看到當中的鳳毛麟角.然而旁人卻會驚嘆天父為他所作的.

去了幾次崇拜後有機會了解一下小迷羊的信仰情況,心裡會焦急希望小迷羊可以早日歸主.就在這時在"屬"週會裡天父藉著重溫自己歸主的過程而讓自己對"信主是神的工作"有了更深刻的體會,也就學習放手讓天父工作,自己就以禱告守望,也求天父給智慧,好讓我可以與祂同工.

完滿結束

參與京奧義工時為了能夠參與而慶幸,從未為了想得到任何回報或獎賞,因為"能夠參與"已經是最大的榮幸.結果在過程中得到了難能可貴的友誼和經歷,突破自己的滿足感,觀眾和各方對義工們的稱讚和對奧運的一份尊敬尊重.還帶了一隻迷羊回教會...!

噢...還有一大堆紀念品... :)

星期一去EqCo拿BOCOG證書前,在電郵也知道會得到一枚紀念金章,而在敏敏的FB也已經知道金章長甚麼樣;但拿到時真有點驚喜--金章上的圖案一面是跨越障礙物造型的馬匹,另一面是香港區旗上的紫荊花,被鑲放在一座水晶座裡,漂亮奪目.這金章乃限量生產5000枚的京奧紀念金章,雖說不是為了這些而參與義工,因服務得到嘉許而獲贈這樣貴重的紀念品感覺可真有點像運動員拿到獎牌一樣.好開心啊~ ^^

情繫奧運

昨天在網上新聞讀到金融海嘯和經濟衰退漸漸地在英國醞釀出一股後悔當初申辦奧運的氣氛.而有幸可以在北京奧運中有所參與的我,到今天在文化中心外看到奧運五環時心中仍然有一份感動.

過去十幾年的迅速發展讓中國政府可以不惜工本大興土木建設奧運所需的一切硬件,而整體社會能以在過去幾個好年頭慢慢build up起來的無比熱情和興奮迎接北京奧運,締造了"京奧夢幻世界".其實經濟下滑情況早在2007年已經浮現,但各國人民仍然在享受經濟蓬勃發展的餘韻,北京奧運的成功確實有"天時"的配合.雖然過去失落了舉辦2000年奧運的機會,卻可能是塞翁失馬.

英國還有3年多的時間繼續籌備倫敦奧運.即使不是自己家的事也會因為奧運的高尚意義而從心底裡希望倫敦奧運成功舉辦.到時候經濟能恢復多少實在難說,但就算人民的熱情不足以締造另一個夢幻奧運,也希望奧運能夠為倫敦沖喜一番.

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英出現後悔申辦奧運氣氛
2008年12月3日 (三)

隨著全球金融危機蔓延和英國經濟步入衰退，英國出現了後悔當初申辦奧運的氣氛。

上個月，英國主要媒體的專欄作者撰文指，既然北京奧運設施那麼完備，那就接著辦下一屆吧！無獨有偶，英國負責奧運事務的國務大臣喬韋爾也被抓個正著，她在休閒業的一個聚會上說：「如果當初知道現在要發生經濟危機，英國政府還會申辦奧運嗎？肯定不會。」

而今英國媒體又挖出2002年一份官方報告大做文章，稱早在倫敦申辦奧運前，經濟學家和政府官員就已預見，倫敦舉辦奧運會僅僅會成為一場舉國歡慶的大型派對，振奮民心，卻不會給國民經濟或體育發展帶來持久效益。

周二披露的這份厚達250頁的具有戰略意義的文件題為「奧運計劃」，由時任首相貝理雅麾下的戰略小組和英國文化、新聞和體育部委託專家調研而成，完成後於2002年12月交給貝理雅簽閱。遺憾的是，報告「不合時宜」的結論，最終遭到政府的無視。

當時的內閣以舉辦奧運能推動公眾的體育參與、重振倫敦東部為由，支持申辦，並隨後經由倫敦奧申委主席塞巴斯蒂安·科正式向國際奧委會提出申辦要求，這才有了2005年的申辦成功。

倫敦商學院教授希曼斯基說：「這份強有力的報告告訴我們為什麼不應申辦奧運，但它卻落得個『不合時宜的真話』的下場。」

也難怪英國媒體翻6年前的舊賬。英國勞力和資源成本一向昂貴，而隨著倫敦奧運倒計時的開始，奧運的預算也大增，由最初的24億英鎊飆升至93億英鎊。據稱，無奈之中，政府已決定將用於基層體育的5.5億英鎊挪用為預算。

目前，英國經濟的衰退已逐漸在各個領域顯現——銀行瀕臨倒閉、英鎊貶值、企業裁員、公眾消費減緩，政府剛剛頒布的削減增值稅政策不少商家都遲遲不願落實，囊中羞澀的納稅人更不願看到政府在經濟最為困難的節骨眼上將大筆資金用作毫無實際意義的狂歡上。而對那些已將目光鎖定倫敦奧運獎牌的英國運動員來說，恐怕不只是未來獎金的兌現，就連眼下訓練資金的來源都不得不擔心了。(新華社)