becoming

今年聖誕家庭餐，我們玩pot-luck，不是「一家一餚」，是「一人一餚」，男女老幼，無一倖免…

於是從Jocelyn起，每人一味：

1. Jocelyn：兩色Jello
2. 靚姨：沙律兩款 — Thai salad with steak, Arugula with apple
3. Edmund：Butternut squash soup, Seared duck breast with roasted plums and celeriac
4. Cc：魷魚筒飯（魚雷）
5. Yvonne：日式炸豬扒
6. 老豆：「五白」甜品（蛋白、豆腐、蘆薈、Vanilla雪糕…美白！）
7. Mom：紅蘿蔔薯仔炆牛脷
8. 姨媽：炸鹹煎堆

掂呀！

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聖誕節，我除了教女兒耶穌降生之外，我也說聖誕老人。

我完全了解商業化的聖誕節之毒害，但我也不見得父母不解釋，小朋友就不會跟著世界將聖誕私有化。

我選擇告訴她關於St. Nicholas的故事。將要求禮物，轉為施予。

St. Nicholas也是個愛耶穌的人呢！

littleho早前問過這個問題。不知你們的答案又會怎樣？

Update: Alan Yu 巧合之作(?)

[HT: Scotteriology]

Recent studies on the political nature of Jesus’ ministry often begins with the Isaianic New Exodus. Rome is the new Egypt, where as Jesus, the new Moses (or the embodiment of Israel). It is further suggested that the Exodus is the principle story of the OT and as a result, God is a God who liberates. The poor and the oppressed are the ones that the Lord truly cares about, therefore the Ekklesia and Empire are constantly in opposition and competition until the New Heaven and New Earth etc…

Similar to the presupposition of Liberation theology, what fall to the background with such reading are the promise and covenant of God. Before God is a God who liberates, He is a God who keeps His word. Faithfulness precedes Liberation; Love before Justice.

Isn’t it interesting that the Jews decided to begin their story with Creation and not with Exodus? (Yes, I do understand that the Exodus is foundational to them as ONE people of God). The Lord listens to the cries of the Israelites both because they are in misery AND because that they are “my people”.

Yeah, no special effects, no gazillion $ budget –
No celebrities, no glamour –
Nothing but a simple and powerful message,

Shot entirely on a cell phone.

That’s what I am searching for, looking for, longing for.

[HT: Presentation Zen / Link: Tropfest NY 2008]

Imagine this: You’re reading through a car magazine when you come to an ad for the new MINI Cabrio. The ad directs you to a URL, and once there, asks you to place your magazine in front of a webcam. Suddenly, and before your very own eyes, a 3D model of the new Mini appears on the page, and you are literally holding it in your hands. If you move it closer to the webcam, the Mini gets bigger, if you move it farther away, the Mini gets smaller, and you can twist, turn and rotate the model to look at it from any angle that you’d like. It’s like a miniature showroom in the palm of your hands, and you’re in control.

Sounds futuristic, right?

Think again, because that’s exactly what Mini has done with their latest series of magazine ads:

[link: the future of ads]

有一人比聖殿更大

馬太福音 12:1-14

若然第一點是「休息」，第二是「恩典」，那麼我會說這整段經文的重點就是「耶穌」。耶穌與法利賽人的相遇，並祂談及自己的軛是容易，自己的擔子是輕省﹔又或者說真正的安息是只能從祂而來等等，這不是主要關於我們，或是我們怎樣領受福氣之類…。這段經文，首先，是在說明究竟基督是怎樣的。祂比大衛更重要，亦比聖殿更大（v.6），而作為安息日之主，祂可以掌管決定守安息日究竟是為了甚麼（v.8）。

講道錄音：

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後記：

1. 看著自己忙亂的樣子，這篇講章，首先是寫給自己的。
2. 另外，在這個聖誕節期，當我們為自己和別人拼命慶祝、狂歡；或是我們在經濟陰影裡拼命擔憂、自憐，盼望我們不會錯失，這個節期的主角並不是我們，而是那誓要進入混亂人世間行拯救的神。我相信，將焦點校正，我們才能真正了解自己的情況與位置。

A great conferences that you should pay attention to.

I was there last year. Man, you have to hear him speaks! This is the kind of conference that will ignite your passion of reading the Bible all over again! Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Let me know if you are interested.

——————-

Thy Kingdom Come
on Earth as it is in Heaven

Exploring the Bible Conference with Ray Vanderlaan

Think Hebrew.
The language of the Bible comes from a culture, time and place much different from our own.

This conference seeks to present God’s Word in its Jewish context in order to make the Bible intensely relevant and our calling to be Jesus’ disciples more urgent.

February 13 – 14 2009
Bethel Christian Reformed Church
Waterdown, Ontario

Ray Vanderlaan, best known as the host of the seven-part video series “That the World May Know,” has been intrigued with the meaning and message of Jesus Christ since childhood. Since he received his Master of Divinity from Westminster Seminary in 1976, he has been actively involved with studying and teaching Jewish culture using the methods of Jewish education.

“My life goal is to be of unique service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ,” he states, “by sharing my knowledge of the Jewish context of the Bible. I have a special interest in using my teaching ability and background to encourage young people to confront our culture with the message of God. That message is most clearly seen in its original Jewish context.”

VanderLaan received his Bachelors’ degree from Dordt College and his Masters from Westminster Seminary. He has been a teacher for 30 years and is currently a religion instructor at Holland Christian Schools in Michigan. He is also an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church.

[Conference details]

話說，教會周三祈禱會，開始前，見英文部那邊，在房門前，一堆人在議論紛紛…

一於少理，直至粵語這邊的祈禱會完畢。

走過去看看，房裡人影都唔見，只有門上一張紙，寫著：Do not open！

莫名其妙，回到自己的office，預備執o野走人。

門是關上的，不知從何而來，一隻黑卒卒的東西突然在房裡飛來飛去！

嘩！是蝙蝠！

仲要係一隻超低飛的蝙蝠！！

救命呀！

正當小弟動彈不得之際，同工開門進房，我也不知怎樣反應，口擘擘的，說「呀…呀…蝙蝠呀…」

終於知道之前那個Do not open 是甚麼意思。

可惜寫的人不知道蝙蝠不會，亦不需要等你開門；教會的ventilation氣喉，牠一樣可以穿梭無阻…

嘩！有「救主」就知嗟，乜教會都有「蝙蝠俠」！

走呀！