Love and Fellowship end of the year

愛，信任一切，決不欺騙。
愛，盼望一切，決不淪亡。
愛，無求於一己之利，勇往直前。-祁克果-

'The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait until the other is ready.' - Henry David Thoreau -

不想人的攻擊，只想人的靈魂。 -達秘 -

在神我們的父面前，不住的記念你們因信心所作的工夫，因愛心所受的勞苦，因盼望我們主耶穌基督所存的忍耐。-聖經 帖前1:3-

傳道書『虛空』一詞 及 書中信息

『虛空』一詞
煙霧、氣息
短暫、沒有實質
神秘、沒法理解
諷刺、不合理
荒謬

書中信息
空 與 滿
得 與 失
生 與 死
實 與 虛

日光之下
凡事 都是短暫人不能掌握

日光之下
凡事 都不是人所能理解

傳道書五問

是否 虛空論 ? 1:2 / 12:8
傳 1: 2 傳道者說：虛空的虛空，虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。
12:8 傳道者說：虛空的虛空，凡事都是虛空。

是否 對立論 ? 1:9 / 2:11
我見 日光之下  那麼 日光之上 ! ?

是否 命定論 ? 3:15
傳 3:15 現今的事早先就有了，將來的事早已也有了，並且神使已過的事重新再來，〔或作並且神再尋回已過的事〕

是否 歧視論 ? 7:27-28
傳 7:27 傳道者說：看哪，一千男子中，我找到一個正直人，但眾女子中，沒有找到一個，我將這事一一比較，要尋求其理，我心仍要尋找，卻未曾找到。

是否 機會論 ? 9: 11-12
傳 9:11 我又轉念，見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏，力戰的未必得勝，智慧的未必得糧食，明哲的未必得貲財，靈巧的未必得喜悅，所臨到眾人的，是在乎當時的機會。

閱讀詩篇有感

向神 禱告 的 記錄
人生 哀樂 的 結晶
人等 候神 的 操練
靈修 參考 的 素材
尋求 公義 的 呼聲

製作 聖詩 的 源流

天父 心懷 的 展現
屬神 百姓 的 衷曲
屬靈 生命 的 探究
信心 之旅 的 寫照
讚美 上主 的 樂章

Fanaticism

Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim.
- George Santayana

憶母親 11.27

母親於2010年11月27日早上五時安息，經過二週住院辛勞。其實她上述住院日子，也未能與之作有效溝通。見她呼吸困難，主早些接她回家也是好事，在世寄居 79載。
母親一生只為五位兒女活著沒別的，沒朋友、也沒鄰舍。
母親早年患精神病惜一直延續終身，曾先後三次入住青山病院，二三度住進葵涌醫院，屬於分裂症患者。
母親健康時心地善良常顧念貧苦，且樂於供應他人需要。
母親沒任何娛樂喜好，不擅詞令、不好與人攀談，怕熱鬧人群，也沒外遊旅行習慣。只曾數次往內地探親及一度赴台參與女兒畢業禮。
母親只替別人設想，從沒想及自身需要，只想到不要躭誤他人。既沒要求，只見勞苦。
九八年時母與先父倆一起接受洗禮歸信基督。那時她信心清楚，但因精神健康兼性情內向沒參與聚會，只在家唸聖經給她聽且與之禱告。
因精神病患影響，母親生活中帶來人際困難遺憾，自有她的缺點，既令人傷痛亦難於解釋。但為人忠厚樂施，她雖只小學程度但勤勞不計較，只付出不講回報。只要別人快樂，心就滿足。但是，她那不講享受的生活，到底是如何走過來的 ?
我們作兒女的，也常會揣摩問道，天父對世上精神病患者的愛，到底是如何施與的? 惟深信祂沒撇下此小群不予理會，亦會透過他們發出祂的信息與權能。
「彎曲的不能變直，缺少的不能足數。」但願世上一切精神病患者，在彎曲難直人生的路上，仍蒙受天父慈愛與信實。
別了 ! 母親。在主榮耀國度裡再見吧 !
願在天父懷裡，終見你得享至大寧靜與安息 ! 又願在父神懷裡，得見你嚐到人間本有的享受與好處。
兒女們願繼續努力走完人生路，因見你曾有的堅忍，也因著我們主耶穌基督的十字架，終勝過世上的試探與慾望，作主忠誠的僕人。

患難的作用

今天周牧師說在我的email上有下列qoutation

困境是忍耐的木筏，它載你到老練的彼岸。

他的回應：

患難並未使任何人失去耐性，只是將他沒有耐性顯露出來。

那是在馬丁路德之羅馬書講義可找到

Write again

It's been a long time not writing anything on blog.

These days I am right back HK without outreaching to Mainland. Also, I went back church as volunteer senior pastor again. Double changes occur these past two months but things went out well.

＜愛在中國＞的一句話

"To touch the world by faith．To transform lives by love."
「因信進入世界．藉愛改變生命！」

A special quote from the unknown

Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity.

Past qoutes

善良，最平凡，也最溫暖。
Kindness is the simplest and the warmest quality.

時間，對等候者而言太緩，對恐懼者太快，對悲傷者太久，
對歡欣者太短；但是對懂得愛者來說，時間就是永恆。

Time is too slow for those who wait,
too swift for those who fear,
too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love, time is eternity --Henry Van Dyke --

Quote

追求名垂青史，是不甘於生命短暫；
選擇隨遇而安，是看透生命不在乎長短。

Some strive for immortal remembrance for fear of life's transience,
Some opt for ordinary anonymity as the significance of life lies not in its span.

Servant leadership again

I borrowed a book yesterday on servant leadership,this time focusing on across culture practices.

Seven Core qualities as well as dilemmas mentioned by
the authors Fons Trompenaars and Ed Voerman are as follows:

Leading Vs Serving
Rules Vs Exceptions
Parts Vs Whole
Control Vs Passion
Specific Vs Diffuse
Short Term Vs Long Term
Push Vs Pull

A Genius Says Goodbye

Received 2010.7.22

Mr.Gabriel García Marquez, Great Latin American writer,has said goodbye to the public life due to complications in his health: lymphatic cancer.
He has sent a letter to his friends and thanks to the Internet we all are able to share it.
I recommend you to read it, because this short text written by one of the most brilliant Latin American of the past years is really inspiring.

“If for an instant God forgot that I am just a puppet, and He gave me one more piece of life, I would take advantage of that time, the best I could.”
I would probably not say everything I think, but definitely think all I say.
I would value things not for what they are worth, but for what they represent.
I would sleep less and dream more. For every minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.
I would continue where others have stopped and I would rise when others sleep.

If God allowed me one more piece of life, I would dress simpler, would wallow in the sunlight, leaving uncovered, not only my body but also my soul.
I would prove to men how wrong they are to think that they stop falling in love as they get older, since they actually start getting older as soon as they stop falling in love..

I would give wings to the children, but I would leave the child alone so that he could learn how to fly on his own.

To the old, I would show them how death comes not with the ageing process but with forgetting.

So many things I have learned from you….
I have learned that everybody wants to live at the top of the mountain,forgetting that is how we climb is all that matters.
I have learned that when a newborn grabs his father’s thumb, he takes a hold on him forever.
I have learned that a man has the right to look down on somebody, only when he is helping him to get up.

So many things I have learned from all of you.
Always tell, what you feel and do what you think.
If I knew that today it would be the last time that I will see you, I will embrace you strongly to be the guardian of your soul.

If I would know that these would be the last minutes that I will see you,
I would say to you “I love you” and wouldn´t assume that you would know it.
There is always morning where life gives us another opportunity to make things good.
Keep always close to you, your dear ones, and tell them how much you need them and love and take care of them. Take time to say, “I am sorry”, “forgive me”, “please,” “ thank you” and all the nice and lovely words you know.
Nobody would remember you if you keep your thoughts secret. Force yourself to express them.

Show your friends and dear ones how much you care about them.
SEND THIS TO THE PEOPLE YOU CARE OR LOVE.
IF YOU DON´T DO IT, TOMORROW WILL BE THE SAME AS TODAY.

And it will not matter either….
Now is the time to send it.
For you with much love and care.

Making Change, or D + V + F > R

LICC'sSummer Appeal

Mathematicians and scientists are fond of formulae. They make a lot of things easier, like calculating how much fuel you need to fly from London to New York – good to get that one right since there aren't many garages along the way.
But people who work with organisations are less fond of formulae. Indeed, church leaders have rightly become sceptical about the latest formula or programme that promises to propel their community into a land flowing with new converts and growing disciples.

Still, the formula D + V + F > R has proved rather helpful in summing up how a church can begin to go about generating sustainable change that enables people to live out their discipleship in all of life - Monday through Monday, home and away, neighbourhood and workplace. The formula suggests 3 incentives for change:

- Dissatisfaction with the status quo
- Vision of a better future
- First steps that are doable: preparations to climb Everest may need to start with a walk round the block.

To work, however, D + V + F needs to be greater than the Resistance to change - cultures rarely change without a struggle.

Mark Greene

Fear & Faith

From Bernard Messing --- The national lead facilitator for SVM2 in Cameroon.

Fear ”we may define it as FALSE EXPEREINCES APPEARING REAL

F = False
E = Experiences
A = Appearing
R = Real

Faith in one sentence: FOR ALL I TRUST HIM

F = for
A = all
I = I
T = trust
H = Him

不一樣的人生

大姊從台灣傳來下列分享 ，也記下有意思的事情:

在現實生活中，你和誰在一起的確很重要，甚至能改變你的成長軌跡，決定你的人生成敗。

和什麼樣的人在一起，就會有什麼樣的人生。

和勤奮的人在一起，你不會懶惰；和積極的人在一起，你不會消沈；
與智者同行，你會不同凡響；與高人為伍，你能登上巔峰。

科學家研究認為：“人是唯一能接受暗示的動物。”
積極的暗示，會對人的情緒和生理狀態產生良好的影響，激發人的內在潛能，發揮人的超常水平，
使人進取，催人奮進。
遠離消極的的人吧！否則，他們會在不知不覺中偷走你的夢想，使你漸漸頹廢，變得平庸。

積極的人像太陽，照到哪裏哪裏亮；消極的人像月亮，初一十五不一樣。

態度決定一切！
有什麼態度，就有什麼樣的未來； 性格決定命運。
有怎樣的性格，就有怎樣的人生。

有人說，人生有三大幸運：上學時遇到好老師，工作時遇到一位好師傅，成家時遇到一個好伴侶。
有時他們一個甜美的笑容，一句溫馨的問候，就能使你的人生與眾不同，光彩照人。
生活中最不幸的是：由於你身邊缺乏積極進取的人，缺少遠見卓識的人，使你的人生變得平平庸庸，黯然失色。

有句話說得好，你是誰並不重要，重要的是你和誰在一起。
古有“孟母三遷”，足以說明和誰在一起的確很重要。

雄鷹在雞窩裏長大，就會失落去飛翔的本領，怎能博擊長空，飛翔藍天？
野狼在羊群裏成長，也會“愛上羊”而喪失狼性，怎能叱翅風雲，馳騁大地？

原本你很優秀, 由於周圍那些消極的人影響了你, 使你缺乏向上的壓力, 喪失前進的動力而變得俗不可耐, 如此平庸。

讀好書，交高人，乃人生兩大幸事。人生的奧妙之處就在於與人相處，攜手同行。
生活的美好之處則在於送人玫瑰，手留餘香, 人生就是這樣。

想和聰明的人在一起，你就得聰明；想和優秀的人在一起，你就得優秀。

善於發現別人的優點，並把它轉化成自己的長處，你就會成為聰明人；

善於把握人生的機遇，並把它轉化成自己的機遇，你就會成為優秀者。

對他人的成功像對待自己的成功一樣充滿熱情。
學最好的別人，做最好的自己。借人之智，成就自己，此乃成功之道。
和不一樣的人在一起，就會有不一樣的人生。

May You Be Blessed--- Roy Lessin

May you be blessed with—

Peace when you are troubled;
Grace when you are needy;
Courage when you are afraid;

Strength when you are weary;
Faith when you are doubting;
Hope when you are uncertain;

Tenderness when you need to be assured;
Wisdom when you need to know the way;
Endurance when you need to continue on.

“God shall bless us; and all the ends
of the earth shall fear Him” Psalm 67:7 KJV

50 maxims on leadership

I came across a book by John Wooden and there's a chapter on leadership maxims,50 altogether as follows:

Ability may get you to the top,but it takes character to stay there.
When you are through learning,you‘re through.
The journey is better than the inn.
If you're not making mistakes,you are not doing anything.
Do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.

Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all.
Little things make big things happen
The best way to improve the team is to improve yourself.
You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.
The force of character is cumulative.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team
Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
Don’t mistake activity for achievement.
Discipline yourself and others won’t need to.
Love is the greatest word in English. Balance is the second-greatest word.

A leader has one team, not starters and substitutes.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
If you have done your job in preparing the team,the team is prepared to do its job in playing the game. So let them.
Be quick,but don’t hurry.
No written word nor spoken plea can teach your team what it should be.

Perfection of relevant details is silly to some,but’s it’s not funny to me.
The infection of success is often fatal.
More often than we ever suspect, the lives of others we do affect.
Define normal as abnormally high.
Play to win,but play fair.

The will to win means nothing without the will to work.
You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.
Learn as if you were to live forever; live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Happiness begins where selfishness ends.
Fear is short term; pride lasts.


There is no such a thing as an overachiever.
Do not be vulnerable to praise or criticism from outsiders.
If you don’t have time to do it right,when will you have time to do it over ?
I will get ready,and then perhaps,my chance will come.
Be more interested in finding the best way, not in having it your way.

Make sure those under your supervision feel they are working with you,not for you.
Goals achieved with little effort are seldom worthwhile or long-lasting
Time spent getting even is best spent getting ahead.
There is nothing stronger than gentleness.
Be slow to criticize. Be quick to commend.

Much more can be accomplished when no one is concerned about who gets the credit.
Agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
You must earn the right to be proud and confident.
Give credit to those who do little jobs in a big way.
You can’t make up for poor effort today by working harder tomorrow.

Heed this observation : “ Others, too, have brains.”
Don’t measure yourself by what you’ve accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your abilities.
Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.
The smallest good deed is better than the biggest intention.
A leader must have courage, including the courage to change.

Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.

Much,More,All

I received this short but powerful quote from Arthur Burt today through Roy Lessin's Meet me in the Meadows

“God can do MUCH with LITTLE; MORE with LESS, and ALL with NOTHING!”


Arthur Burt
"Surrender is the Key to Spiritual Success."

Arthur Burt resides in Gwynedd, North Wales. He has traveled all over the world to bring the Father's word of challenge and encouragement.He describes himself as "a piece of paper blown by the wind from one place to another", but more often as simply a vessel of God's mercy. "If you ask me who I am, I will tell you. I am nobody, and the message I bring today is that every somebody will now have to become nobody. We must lose our identity in the body of Christ, because Father will not give his glory to anybody but Christ."


Arthur Burt's message presents an antidote for failure and the key for spiritual success. What does it mean for Jesus to live His life in us? The expression of the heart of Jesus was, "Father, glorify thy name." Arthur shows us that when the glory of God means to us what it means to God, then we will be one with the Father and that only happens as we surrender to Christ.

基督徒幸福的生命

讀唐崇平牧師論基督徒幸福的生命一文，說及美國幾位心理學家經過多年探討鑽研，對快樂人生秘訣作出下面七個結論，要有快樂人生必須要有七重點：

(一) 要有人生的目的；
(二) 要有生命的意義；
(三) 要有新奇的異象；
(四) 要有忍耐的心境；
(五) 要有和諧的生活；
(六) 要有良好的環境；
(七) 要有自我的定向。

此七點建議不過是今生人生見解，但惟具永生盼望的人才能承受。新約希臘文對happiness 這個字有三個不同字：

(一) hedone，譯作宴樂或快樂，指今生與屬世的外來宴樂 (路8：14；多3：3；雅4：3；彼後2：12-13)
(二) makarios，譯作歡樂或福樂，例如：“施比受更為有福”(約13：17；彼前4：13-14；徒20：35)
(三) chara，譯作喜悅，這種樂趣是不受時空的限制，也不因環境而變遷，那是屬於屬靈與內心的喜樂與福祉(約16：20；羅5：3-4；雅1：2；徒5：41；羅12：12，15：13)

基督徒幸福的生命，是指上述第二與第三個字所說的，是屬靈與內心的喜樂與幸福的來源

Quotes from reading these few days

You can stand tall without standing on someone, you can be a victor without havng victims. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)

Through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and flight restored. Hellen Keller (1880-1968)

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. Ivy Baker Priest (1905-1975)

I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by loving.
Anais Nin (1903-1977)

Let me learn—

That the way down is the way up,

That to be low is to be high,

That the broken heart is the healed heart,

That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

That to have nothing is to possess all,

That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

That to give is to receive,

That the valley is the place of vision.

-Puritan Prayer

人生如書本

我喜讀書，在網上竟讀到下面句子，很有意思 !

人生如書本，愚蠢者把它草草翻過，聰明人將它細細閱讀。因為聰明人知道，他只能讀一次 !

Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild

Mary Kassian's new book, Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild Moody 2010 gives the following main concern of a wise woman.

Kassian says that Scripture offers us many points of comparison when we consider the differences between a wise woman and a wild woman. Kassian focuses on twenty.

o Heart: What Holds First Place in Her Affections
o Counsel: Where She Gets Her Instruction
o Approach: Who Directs Her Love Story
o Attitude: Her Prevailing Disposition
o Habits: Her Priorities and Routines
o Focus: What Commands Her Attention
o Appearance: How She Adorns Herself
o Body language: Her Nonverbal Behavior
o Roles: Her Pattern of Interaction
o Sexual conduct: Her Sexual Behavior
o Boundaries: Her Hedges and Precautions
o Authenticity: Her Public Versus Private Persona
o Neediness: Whom She Depends on to Fulfill Her Longings
o Possessions: How She Handles Her Money and Resources
o Entitlement: Her Insistence on Gratification
o Reliability: Her Faithfulness to Commitments
o Speech: Her Speech Habits
o Influence: Her Impact on Others and Their Impact on Her
o Sustainability: Her Ability to Nurture and Sustain a Relationship
o Teachability: Her Willingness to Be Corrected and Instructed

Found quotes in old files

I discovered some old quotes when trying to add the first quote by Laotze below.It's great to meditate on some related to time dimensions in particular.

天下大事，必做於細
天下難事，必成於易 -老子-

Ability can take you to the top, but
it takes character to keep you there. - Zig Ziglar-

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry,
show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. – Unknown-

Work like you don't need the money,
love like you've never been hurt and
dance like no one is watching. - Randall G Leighton-

Be who you are and
say what you feel because
those who mind don't matter and
those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss-

Live with no excuses and
love with no regrets – Montel-

“You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future”

“Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have - so spend it wisely”- Kay Lyons-

“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”- Henry Van Dyke -

“Time is the cruelest teacher; first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson.

Brokenness by Bonnie Jensen & Oswald Chambers

Yet through the cracks

Our spirit blooms…stronger, more determined, and with a deeper appreciation of the light that constantly draws us upward. -Bonnie Jensen

It takes a heart

Broken by conviction of sin,
Baptized by the Holy Spirit, and
Crushed into submission to God’s purpose

to make a person’s life A holy example of God’s message. - Oswald Chambers-

How Does God Love You?

I've found Dayspring author Roy Lessin's devotional pieces very helpful! From web quotes as follow one of the pieces by the senior writer Bonnie Jensen when she made use of 18 adjectives to describe God's unfathomable love

Child of God, how does He love you?
Let me count some of the ways:

He loves you—
With an everlasting love;
With a perfect love;
With a pure love;
With a sacrificial love;
With an unfailing love;
With a steadfast love;
With a patient love;
With a kind love;
With a forgiving love;
With an accepting love;
With an all-embracing love;
With an enduring love;
With a truthful love;
With a holy love;
With a gracious love;
With a love that reaches to the heights;
With a love that goes to the depths;
With a love that calls you, woos you, draws you, keeps you, and holds you close to His heart.

I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith; so that having your roots deep and your foundations strong, in love, you may become mighty to grasp the idea, as it is grasped by all God's people, of the breadth and length, the height and depth— yes, to attain to a knowledge of the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, so that you may be made complete in accordance with God's own standard of completeness. Ephesians 3:17-19 WEY

The memory of the righteous

Our MEMORIES are Strong...
Our THANKFULLNESS is Deep...
Our BLESSINGS are Many

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing. Proverbs 10:7 NIV

Assurance in Jesus

May Jesus assure you that as you follow Him

you will never meet a fear He cannot conquer,
you will never face an enemy He cannot defeat,
you will never enter a battle He cannot win,
you will never have a need He cannot meet,
you will never face a temptation He cannot overcome,
you will never have a burden He cannot lift,
you will never face a problem He cannot solve,
you will never have a bondage He cannot break,
you will never have a moment when He does not care,
you will never have a time when He is not there.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13 AMP - Roy Lessin -

Three quotes today

Saturday for me is vacation readings if no special meetings and ministry. I read a few books and websites and got the following three meaningful quotations :

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose. - Helen Keller-

信仰是用來分享分擔，而不是高談論辯。有時以為在言說上佔了上鋒，其實是失去了見證與生命的感召力。 -李錦洪-

If you want to go quickly, go alone;
If you want to go far, go together. – African Proverb -

From Orchid come's these meditations

Cecilia sent colleagues the Orchid Powerpoint pics and I gathered the pics sayings as follows:

Don't ever take away someone’s hope, it may be all they have to hold on to.
Don’t make decisions when you are angry.
Take care of your physical body.
Don’t pay for a job until it is finished.

Be careful of those who have nothing to lose.
Learn to say “no”, but do so with kindness and caring.
Don’t expect life to be fair.
Don’t be worried about losing a battle, if this helps you win the war.

Don’t put things off. Do what is needed to be done in the moment.
Don’t be afraid of saying, “I don’t know” or “I am sorry”.
Contemplate the dawn hours at least once a year.
Look into the eyes of people.

Loneliness is a state of mind. You don’t need other people to love yourself.
There is nothing good or bad in life, it is all about choices…So choose wisely
Treat everyone as you would like to be treated..
Live in the moment. Don’t rush ahead… There is much to taste of life in the “now”.

Don’t be so hard on yourself.You’ve come to this life to learn all about who you are. So enjoy the experience.
Always tell the truth.
Don’t believe all that you hear and don’t say all that you think.
Much of your growth as a person will come through hardships and challenges. Embrace those and know you will be better, stronger and wiser because of them.

Learn to listen, it is an art.
Life is all about energy. Try to feel it around you, through you and in you. Distinguish the positive from the negative.
Enjoy the beauty of this Earth all around you.

Choose your partner well, for there is derived a lot of happiness.
Don’t get out of control at any time, breathe deeply.
There are no coincidences and no accidents in life. Everything big and small is for a reason. Pay careful attention.
Meditate at least thirty minutes a day.

Enjoy times of rest.
Nurture and maintain your friendships
Live more in your heart and less in your head.
You have a right to be happy!

Get rid of hatred and bitterness, they do you more harm.
There are those things in life that can never be recaptured: the spoken word, time passed and opportunities.
Do one thing at a time and do it well.
There are two dominant energies in life, love and fear. Love overcomes all. Stay out of fear. There is nothing to fear, it only brings chaos.

Love your body. It knows what you think. From your emotions spring health or illness. Send yourself positive thoughts all the time..
Be thoughtful and careful what comes out of your mouth since with those words you create your reality.
One day you will look back over all that you did in this life and you will die with laughter…

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIGHT EVERYDAY!

From The National Day of Prayer to our own prayers

National Day of Prayer for USA - Thursday, May 6 -

No ocean can hold it back.
No river can overtake it.
No whirlwind can go faster.
No army can defeat it.
No law can stop it.
No distance can slow it.
No disease can cripple it.

No force on earth is more powerful or effective than the power of prayer.– Linn Carlson, DaySpring writer

It's great for this writer to see the power of Prayer. I pray that in our own day of prayer,daily prayer can witness such feelings of urgency to our Lord God upon the throne in heaven

講道之比方

我在一位朋友神學生劉弟兄的facebook上，找到他如下的講道體會，有點意思:

有講道如一杯白開水，淡然無味，卻是生命的必須；
有講道如一罐冰凍的可樂，口感極爽，卻於生命無益；
有講道如一瓶紅酒，令人陶醉，回味無窮，卻只能使人麻醉，不能帶來醫治；
有講道如苦口良藥，難以下嚥，令人紮心，卻帶來反省和醫治……

我卻盼望我的講道是一碗老火雞湯，

用靈火來加熱，
用信心去熬制，
用愛去承載，
用自己的生命去傳遞。

對我們傳道人來說，每次講道到底是甚麼回事 ?

都是上面所有，
都是天父在看，
都是回應天父的愛。

Taste buds may hold new key to obesity

FARRAH TOMAZIN March 8, 2010
The key to avoid getting fat may be in your ability to taste it.

A Deakin University study has found that humans can detect a sixth taste - fat - and this may hold the key to reducing obesity.

Building on US research that used animal models to discover fat taste, researchers tested the ability of humans to identify fatty acids commonly found in food.

Subjects were asked to taste three samples of a modified milk drink, one of which contained a concentration of fat.

By using this method, researchers found that humans have a taste threshold for fat that varies from person to person.

Those who were ''sensitive'' - and could taste it relatively easily during the tests - were found to have a lower body mass index than those with lower sensitivity.

''When we broke it down even further and looked at their diets, we found that they were actually consuming less fat,'' said lead researcher Russell Keast.

''We are now interested in understanding why some people are sensitive and others are not, which we believe will lead to ways of helping people lower their fat intakes and aid development of new low-fat foods and diets.''

The study - a joint project between Deakin, the University of Adelaide, the CSIRO, and Massey University (New Zealand) - has been published in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.

It concluded that fat is another taste that can be detected by humans, in addition to five other tastes: sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami (a taste for identifying protein-rich foods).

According to Dr Keast, the study could pave the way for the creation of better-tasting foods with low levels of fat - that more consumers actually enjoy eating.

''Obesity is a major problem and the leading cause of preventable death worldwide,'' he said.

''So when we understand one of the factors involved in developing obesity - which we think this certainly is - it could help us look at a set of strategies to reduce obesity.''

Our Gospel

You're more sinful than you ever dared believe;
You're more loved than you ever dared hope.
—Tim Keller-

Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian
Author of The Reason for God

Dare to Go the Second Mile

The message, The Second Mile, in an inspirational movie from Inspired Faith From The Second Mile by Paula J. Fox is wonderful

We often hear the phrase "going the Second Mile" in our modern conversation, but it actually has its roots in first century Palestine.

During Bible times, the Romans had conquered much of the known world and ruled with an iron hand. A Roman soldier could compel a subject of one of the conquered lands to carry his backpack, or "load," for him one mile, but only one mile. When Jesus spoke to His followers in the Sermon on the Mount, He said to them...

"If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles" (Matthew 5:41 NIV).

The choice to go the second mile is the key that unlocks the secret of joy in difficult circustances. It has the power to transform a tiresome, menial walk into a joyful act of giving; to infuse a contentious relationship with a new spirit of kindness and generosity; and to change an individual's self-perception from that of a victim to a victor.
The Second Mile represents a much higher law - the law of kindness, generosity and love.

The Second Mile, the key to a life of purpose and joy. Experience in your heart and mind the powerful truth that you can live above "the norm" to accomplish things that change the world for others - and your own life! Drawn from a few short words delivered on a hillside by the Jesus Christ,

Paula Fox has crafted one of her trademark poetic narratives that will capture and entertain your imagination-and teach Seven simple principles of walking the second mile:

Generosity, Humility, Kindness, Gratitude, Excellence, Choice and Victory.

This book is the roadmap for experiencing new levels of purpose and joy in your life.

Missional Map-Making : Skills for Leading in times of Transition

When Maps no longer Work
Shaping Our Imaginations in Modernity
Our Common Sense no longer Common
Leading in an in-Between Time
Playing Pool to Herding Cats
Strategic Planning no Longer Work
Eight Currents of Changes
Formation of the Internets

Map-Making Process
Cultivating a core–identity
Cultivating Parallel Cultures
Partnerships between local church & neighborhood

Alan J RoxBurgh 2010

Essential skills for Great Preaching

Text Analysis
1. Diagramming the Text Structure
2. Noting The Text Details
3. Asking Research Questions

Theological Intepretation
4. Naming The Text Ideas
5. Bridging From Text To Sermon
6. Writing The Sermon Divisions

Sermon Development
7. Balancing Persuasive Elements
8. Exploring Natural Analogies
9. Drawing Pictures, Telling Stories

Sermon Design
10. Touching Human Experiences
11. Aiming for a Faith Response
12. Planning the Oral Presentation

Wayne Mcdill 2006 On 12 Essential skills for Great Preaching

On The Character of Leadership

There are nine qualities as suggested by the President of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary :

Maintaining Integrity
Finding Security
Maintaining Purity
Learning Humility

Developing Servanthood

Gaining Wisdom
Practicing Discipline
Showing Courage
Sustaining Passion

-Jeff Iorg 2007 -

福音文宣與考據

讀于中旻文宣與考據有關加拉太書部份，他提出 ABCDE 為福音真偽辨如下，很是有啟發性:

A 真本的標準（Authority and Authenticity）
B 信仰與態度（Belief and Behavior）
C 內容與爭持（Content and Contention）
D 聖果與分別（Divine and Division）
E 見證與印記（Ensign and Endorsement）

读老子《道德经》之三十四章

原文 ：
大道泛兮，其可左右。万物恃之而生而不辞，功成而不名有。衣养万物而不为主，可名于小；万物归焉而不为主，可名为大。以其终不自为大，故能成其大。

了解 :
最为博大的自然规律，它广泛地渗透在天地万物之中，既可主宰万物，又可协助万物。万物正是倚仗着道的法则赖以生存发展，虽然它造就了万物，但人类从不说它是客观的实在。它给万物提供了生存条件，但它从不把这一点当作主要的因素，可以说，它是对自身地位的弱化；尽管万物都要归属于道这一法则，然而它又不把这一点当作主要的因素，可以说，它的胸怀非常博大。正是由于它始终不自以为伟大，所以能高居主宰地位。

反省 :
在此真謙卑者具二表現，一方懂得弱化自身地位，同時亦具博大胸懷。但自眨是難事，因可以是假謙卑，心胸博大也不易，面對不平不美，如何能有容乃大，把不美說成好且加以接納，那豈非虛假? 謙卑若只淪為一種對人的策略，目的只為息事寧人或及時討好，那仍是否可叫作謙卑?

老子道德经三十三章

原文：
知人者智，自知者明；胜人者有力，自胜者强。
知足者富。强行者有志。不失其所者久。死而不亡者寿。

理解 :
能了解别人的行为和心理的人，是一个具有洞察力的智者；
能正确认识自己的长处和短处，是明智的表现；
能战胜别人，他必然有大力气；
永不满足已有的业绩，能战胜自己的自满、畏怯心态，
必然是一个好强的人；
能知足的人，他总觉眼下的生活已经心满意足了；
对事业追求不止，是具有远大理想的表现；
具备赖以安身立命的长处，他的寿命也必然长久；
那些死了还不会被别人忘怀的人，才是真正的长寿。

省覺 :

善解人心真智慧，
人貴自知是明慧，
勝過他人顯力量，
誇勝己傲是剛強。
知足者常樂是福，
川流不息顯理想，
特立獨行不遺忘，
真壽者人長廝念。

Sermon Qualities, Stages of Homiletical Plot and possible structures

Six qualities put forth by Fred Craddock in his 1985 Preaching Book are as follows :

Unity
Memory
recognition
Identification
Anticipation
Intimacy

Five stages of Homiletical Plot by Eugene Lowry in his 2001 book The sermon as Narrative Art Form :

Upsetting the equilibrium
Analyzing the discrepancy
Disclosing the clue to resolution
Experiencing the Gospel
Anticipating the consequences.


Five possible sermon structures by Kenton Anderson in his 2006 Choosing to Preach:A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and structures :

Declarative—make an argument
Pragmatic—solve a mystery
Narrative—tell a story
Visionary—paint a picture
Integrative—sing a song

L & R Set by David Murrow

Left Set / Right Set

Competence / Love
Power / Communication
Efficiency / Beauty
Achievement / Relationship
Skills / Support
Proving Oneself / Help
Results / Nurturing
Accomplishment / Feelings
Objects / Sharings
Technology / Relating
Goal oriented / Harmony
Self sufficiency/ Community
Success / Loving Cooperation
Competition / Personal expression

Work & Play

When work is pleasure,life is a joy. When work is duty,life is slavery.
Work is something you want to get done; play is something you like to be doing.- C. S. Canonigo -

We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own. --Ben Sweetland

詩 26 篇

詩人四次向主呼喊 (1,2,6,8節)

我主伸寃
我主試驗
我表無辜
我愛主殿

而喜愛主殿是放在此詩的中心

「耶和華啊!我喜愛你所住的殿，和你顯榮耀的居所。」(8節)

然而，
人的奸惡 與
行事純全 卻 又是生命的兩極。(1,11節)

在其中，
須 察看 主的作為，
且 環繞 祂的祭壇。(6-7節)

Efficiency

Sometimes my own speed in finishing things is awesome.

Efficiency is a word known to me for long. Effectiveness is better than efficiency in administration.But to have both is rare.I admit it's a bit too proud to say that I have both these double Es,as said by the Management Guru Peter Drucker.

Poling asked me yesterday afternoon to have some sharing in TSTCC Bulletin before mid March. But within not even an hour,and in between I had to attend a meeting that spent an hour and a half,I already finished the typing draft in complete form,with just bit word variations finalized by Janet later.Actually I already sent PL the first draft before leaving office at 5:30p.m. Isn't that too fast ?

Two days ago when Chris Chiu asked my response to her sermon draft,I gave her feedback within 15 min. and then rewrote her outline within 30 min.sending it back to her. It's hardworking for me plus faith plus speed,just to reduce my daily workload and not piling up for latter busy.

Today I started to set the Acts of the Apostles bible questions again,pending to be used in coming August bible competition. Last time I have finished ch 1-12 during the Timothy Training Period. This morning I worked on the second part ch 13-28,and before 1:00p.m.I already wrote up to ch18, six Chapters in all.I have 10 more chapter questions to go. Also, another efficiency plus to me !!

Intersting KISS Principle

I search for the principle of simplicity and found out from the Wikipedia the following interesting introduction. It's explanation as follows:

The KISS principle "Keep it Simple, Stupid" states that

Design simplicity should be a key goal and unnecessary complexity avoided. It serves as a useful principle in a wide array of disciplines, such as software development, animation, journalism, photography, engineering, and strategic planning.

Common variants of the acronym include:

Keep it Simple, Stupid.
Keep it Simple & Stupid
Keep it Small & Simple
Keep it Sweet & Simple
Keep it Simple & Straightforward
Keep it Short & Simple
Keep it Simple & Smart
Keep it Strictly Simple
Keep it Speckless & Sane
Keep It Super-Simple
Keep it Sober & Significant

Well,that's a good reminder for us who thinks well and commmunicate well,both in our daily conversations and even sermonic preachings. Simplicity is a kind of beauty. What do you think ?

WHAT IS PLURALISM? —Diana L. Eck

The plurality of religious traditions and cultures has come to characterize every part of the world today. But what is pluralism? Here are four points to begin our thinking:

First, pluralism is not diversity alone, but the energetic engagement with diversity. Diversity can and has meant the creation of religious ghettoes with little traffic between or among them. Today, religious diversity is a given, but pluralism is not a given; it is an achievement. Mere diversity without real encounter and relationship will yield increasing tensions in our societies.

Second, pluralism is not just tolerance, but the active seeking of understanding across lines of difference. Tolerance is a necessary public virtue, but it does not require Christians and Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and ardent secularists to know anything about one another. Tolerance is too thin a foundation for a world of religious difference and proximity. It does nothing to remove our ignorance of one another, and leaves in place the stereotype, the half-truth, the fears that underlie old patterns of division and violence. In the world in which we live today, our ignorance of one another will be increasingly costly.

Third, pluralism is not relativism, but the encounter of commitments. The new paradigm of pluralism does not require us to leave our identities and our commitments behind, for pluralism is the encounter of commitments. It means holding our deepest differences, even our religious differences, not in isolation, but in relationship to one another.

Fourth, pluralism is based on dialogue. The language of pluralism is that of dialogue and encounter, give and take, criticism and self-criticism. Dialogue means both speaking and listening, and that process reveals both common understandings and real differences. Dialogue does not mean everyone at the “table” will agree with one another. Pluralism involves the commitment to being at the table -- with one’s commitments.

I-Hua 2010 Lunar New Year of the Tiger

WE went on the 4th day to Rev. Kenneth Lo's home for a New Year visit and had two pics taken as shown

New Year mountain walk

We went on the third day of the Tiger year to Fanling,having a mountain walk with 16 persons altogether. Mys sister Lai Ming joined us too. It's organized by Chin Keung,one deacon from my church Canaan. We spent 3 hrs just walk around the reservoir,with an hour sitting together in between sharing & introducing each other. It's a good experience amid the walking.

讀老子《道德經》之十二章

早前在內地買了老子道德經一書，但沒有詳看。
今在網上找到解釋，就想每天一則細想。

今天12日的一則，與人生得失有關。茲摘取如下，作為新年提醒 :

原文:

五色令人目盲；
五音令人耳聾；
五味令人口爽；
馳騁畋獵，令人心發狂；
難得之貨，令人行妨。是以
聖人為腹不為目。故去彼取此。

翻譯：

繽紛的色彩能使人眼花繚亂，變幻的音樂能使人沉迷，美味佳餚能使人對食物越來越挑剔，馳騁狩獵等娛樂活動 能使人放蕩不羈，讓世人追求奢華，就會妨礙正常的管理。總之，有得必有失。因此，聖人重在心靈的感悟，不去追求表面的奢華。所以，為人處世要懂得取與舍的關係，得到這一方面，必然失去另一方面。


認識：

得和失這一對立關係實則是物質的膨脹與萎縮的關係，是一點論的哲學思維反映，就其過程而言，二者是不可能統一的,就像要工作就不可能休息一樣。對得與失的認識，老子的理解已相當透徹精闢。

但從整個行文看，他是反對讓世人追求奢華的，將管理視為最終的目的，強調治，沒有將如何提高人民的生活水平作為第一要務，沒有將國家的發展視為第一要務，這種思想影響了中國幾千年。

社會要發展，就需要競爭，有競爭，就必然會出現一定程度的混亂。問題是在新的“混亂”出現之後，如何制訂相應的對策，尤其是法律方面的不斷完善至關重要。要使法律得以完善，制定法律的方式方法極為重要，要體現相互制約的原則，決不能取此得此還得彼——我是老大，一切我說了算。否則，一旦大權在握，一旦缺乏理智，法律又可隨意更改。

反省:

中年過了，人也變得愈發實際。

我雖仍喜歡理念思維的東西,但老子的得失論，仍是很有意思、實際生活的反思。

虎年仍必有得亦有失，你我應如何看待 ?

使徒保羅說:

只是我先前以為與我有益的，我現在因基督都當作有損的。我為祂已經丟棄萬事，看作糞土,為要得著基督。(腓三7-8)

我們的得與失，應當是在基督裡來說明的!

Be Grateful

A grateful heart is the cure for loneliness,

May the new year holidays find us more grateful to God in case we feel lonely. He knows what's best for us amid our perplexities.

Complaining or Giving

A ppt on the best email by Pearl Siu received this afternoon when in office.

It's about observations on the many two-thirds in the world today who are deficient and in need while most of us who have enough just still not feel satisfied.

It's really a good introspection before the new year comes.

Father help me to be conscientious about things around me,to be compassionate towards those who are poor,to be satisfied with what I have right now,to learn to give to others,to be not jealous to those who are better off,to know that someday we have to be accountable to what we are having and being judged standing before you.