我們都是一樣的 We are all the same

昨天晚上Vivian在房裏讀書準備今天的數學考試，我不小心走進去，發現她在玩電腦遊戲，氣得我把她罵了一頓，把她的電腦也沒收了。今天媽媽問我昨天為什麼教訓Vivian，我把這件事情告訴媽媽，她就提醒我中學時代發生的一件事。。。

國二的時候，有一天我從學校抱了一堆「少女」漫畫還有小説（向同學借的）回家，雖然在第二天我也是有一個重要考試，但我不只沒有讀書，還躺在床上看漫畫。後來被我爸爸發現了，他氣得當場就把全部的書都撕毀了，還問我是向誰借的，準備還要去教訓她。實在不是我不夠朋友，但是如果我不説，我可能就看不到明天的太陽，連向她解釋的機會都沒有了。。。所以我只好很出賣地告訴我爸她的名字。第二天一早到學校我馬上去通知她，她嚇得都快哭出來了（我爸在我們學校是「有名號」的老師，人人聞之喪膽）。她説書撕了就算了，可是千萬不要去找她。。。後來這件事是怎麼擺平的我也搞不清楚了。唉，真是對不起她。

我媽的意思是，我們都是一樣的，罵過就算了，不要太苛責（其實我也沒有哇！）。唉！誰叫我有把柄在人家手上呢？

Last night Vivian was supposed to be studying for a test in her room. But when I accidentally walked in to her room, I found that she was playing computer game. I was so furious that I scolded her and took away her laptop. This morning when my mom asked me what happened last night, I told her about it, and she reminded me one thing happened when I was in middle school...

One day when I was in eighth grade, I borrowed a bunch of comic books and a novel book from one of my classmates. Even though I was going to have an important exam on the second day, but I didn't study for it. Instead, I was lying on my bed and enjoying the comic books when my father saw me. He got very angry (like father like daughter). He not only torn all the books(I would never do that though) but also asked my friend's name. He said he would talk to my friend on the next day. It was really not that I wanted to sell her out, but if I didn't tell, I might not see the sun again not to mention to be able to explain and apologize to her... So, I told my father her name... The next day I went to her first thing in the morning and told her what happened. She was so scared and almost cried. She said it was ok to torn the book but she begged me to ask my father not to scold her... I don't remember exactly what happened afterward. I felt so sorry for her.

What my mom was trying to tell me is that we are all the same! It is enough that I have disciplined her and don't be too harsh on her(I wasn't, really!). Sigh! If I had not left the evidence against me with other people...

牛肉乾 Beef Jerky

剛剛在一個BBS網站上看到有人問了一個問題，他説他媽媽進海關時因為被發現帶牛肉乾而被罰款，他擔心會不會因此將來再次申請簽證時會受到影響。這讓我想到十幾年前我們剛來美國一年多，媽媽帶著妹妹來看我們，她也帶了牛肉乾，而且是好幾斤上好的牛肉乾，裝在一個蒸鍋裏，在進海關時被發現。那時海關人員問她鍋裏是什麼，她也聽不懂，但她看到海關人員拿出牛肉乾還很生氣地念念有詞時，竟然很奮勇地上前要把牛肉乾搶回來，與海關人員發生拉扯。。。那個海關被她氣得半死，竟然有人如此大膽，可是因為語言不通，到最後也沒罰她也沒原機遣返，只是沒收了事。後來我聽了妹妹的描述，非常佩服我媽膽識過人（家族遺傳？？）。。。但是我們從此以後就再也沒有幹過這種夾帶的事了。

I just read a post on BBS. A guy asked a question... his mom got fined at the custom for bringing beef jerky. He is worried that it will cause problem when she re-applies visa in the future. This reminds me that more than 10 years ago when we just came to the US for a little more than one year. My mom and my sister came visit us. She also brought several ponds of top-graded beef jerky. She put it in a steamer and packed it in her luggage. She didn't understand when the custom official was asking about what it was. But when she saw the custom official took out the jerky and talking angrily, she went up to the official and tried to grab and hold on to the big pack of beef jerky... The custom official was surprised that she would do something like that and got so mad at her. But due to the language barrier, she (it was a female officer) only seized the jerky without giving her a fine or sending her back to Taiwan on the same flight. When I heard my sister described my mom's bravery acts, I admire her for her courage(it runs in the family??)... But we have never done anything like this ever since.

祢的恩典夠我用 Your grace is sufficient for me

『我的恩典夠你用的，我的恩典夠你用的
因為我的能力，是在人的軟弱上，顯得完全，顯得完全』
你的恩典夠我用的，你的恩典夠我用的
因為主的能力，是在人的軟弱上，顯得完全，顯得完全
所以我要單單誇我的軟弱
好叫基督的能力覆庇我
何時我軟弱，何時我就得剛強
喔！主的恩手，永不離開我。

今天聽到這首歌時，眼淚忍不住流下來。當一個人軟弱與痛苦的時候，主耶穌的應許「恩典夠我用」顯得特別地珍貴。

宣教 Missions

最近我們教會差遣的一對宣教士夫婦回到我們當中，一方面來探望各個支持他們事工的教會，一方面回來作短暫的休息。我一直很佩服他們服事主的心志，帶著兩個年幼的孩子，到生活條件比這兒差得多的地方去宣教，卻靠主剛強並甘之如飴。

我記得他們前一次回來時，在分享中曾提到過一個弟兄，因為他會彈吉他，所以他走到哪兒就唱到哪兒，不停地用詩歌及音樂來傳神的美好。那時我心裏好感動也好羡慕，開始夢想自己也能帶著一把琴，走到哪兒就傳到哪兒，David也能走到哪兒拍到哪兒，把神的創造用照片記錄下來。這次他們回來，再次提醒了我這個夢，但這始終只能是一個夢嗎？這是一個幻想還是一個異相？我是否像宣教年會的那個講員說的，落入了一個「安全信仰」(Safe Religion) 的桎梏中？是否有太多的後顧之憂，無法真的把信心放在主的身上？我最近一直不停地思考著馬太福音第八章裏描述跟隨耶穌的代價，耶穌清楚地告訴那個門徒，跟從祂的代價是要忘了埋葬他自己的父親去跟從祂。雖然聽起來讓人非常不安，但是我相信這就是我們需要有的心理準備。。。

A couple (husband and wife) missionaries came back to visit the churches suporting their ministry and have a short retreat from mission field recently. I have always admired their courage and heart to serve our Lord with their two young children in far away places and simply place their confidence in the Lord, even though the living standard is much lower than what we have here.

I remember when they came back last time, they mentioned about one brother in their sharing. This brother carried his guitar with him, and he spread the gospel through music and singing wherever he goes. I was moved and wished I could be like him when I heard about his story. I dreamed about carrying a small keyboard with me to outreach through music, and David can carry his camera and record God's wondrous creation. Their return reminded me about my dream again this time. Is this only to become an unrealized dream after all? Is this a mirage or a vision? Am I like most of the people falling into the trap of 'safe religion' just like the speaker preached about in the Mission ConneXion? Are my worries preventing me from placing my confidence on God? I keep thinking about in Matthew chapter 8 recently that Jesus told the one disciple not to worry about burying his father and just to follow Him. This thought may make people uneasy, but this is a reminder to all His followers that the cost of following Him can be big and we all need to be prepared.

歌頌復活主 Praise the resurrected Lord!

天韻詩班的「歌頌復活主」！一首充滿歡樂慶讚的詩歌。
"Praise the Resurrected Lord" by Heavenly Melody, a very joyful and celebratory song!