Christmas in NSW

Christmas has passed quickly, with the 4 days holiday we eat, chat, rest.
How are your christmas?
On the 24th, which was a very hot day, with hot wind blowing, temp around 38 degree. We went to China Town as tourist and had small boat congee and Yau cha gray. It has been a long time we had not have so local chinese food, so we enjoy much. In the evening, we went to church for party. Derek was in the drama as one of the wise men. He needed to sing too. Ha ha!
25th, the christmas day, morning in church. then we have lunch party in one of the friend's home, eating too much. Very sleepy , but we were not allow to go home yet since we have another BBQ in another friend's house in the evening. Aussi like BBQ very much, not the traditional way with char col. Use gas instead, so more like fried. They like to eat in their backyard, with drinks. Usually only one man is busy with cooking, others sit back & relax.
26th, we watched movie (Narnia) in the afternoon. The cinema was full of kids. Evening we went to another friends and enjoy Greek food. Jimmy is a European so he can cook very good European food. That night was really good, with wellcome drink, entree, main course, dessert, coffee...... Too full la! (you must think that we gain weight, of course la)
27th, we attended my colleague's son (8 months old) christening in a small Norway church. The ceremony is a bit different but still very warm and enjoyable. That night I grill a chicken (my first time), and share dinner with our neightbour( Ken/ Elaine), then we all went to see the christmas' s light decoration. The decoration is a bit different from HK, nto for business. They are done by the house owner, ususally the whole street will join for the decoration and make their street beacutiful. Then people search online to find the street, then everybody drove there and enjoy! This is a new experience.
4 days past, very busy though. Before I think we might just 2 of us celebrate and rest. But it turned out to have much people around us. This make this christmas special and enjoyable. Of course, all these not come without reasons. It is God who guide and enclose us with friends. We missed all of U in HK as I think we might have gathering either hot pot or bird game!
Anyway new year is coming, happy new year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Time pass fast, remember last year in HK. Derek & I hurrried to buy christmas gift for friends as we thought that is the last christmas before we leave for Australia. Now this is the first year in Australia for a hot christmas!
As in a western country, they treat Christmas as a big day for family gathering. They will buy christmas gift (a bit crazy in the shopping center), cook christmas lunch with turkey, roast chicken, pork, hams, seafood, desert...... just like us in chinese new year.
Every people look forward for christmas and they usually have long holiday from 21 dec till first week of jan. Some even longer!
The patients I met are also excited about christmas and always ask what will I do during those days and since only Derek & I are here, they think that we are too lonely. They brought christmas present to me which really suprise me!
But I have not heard about the real meaning of christmas from them, they all treat as family gathering days like Thanksgiving. I am a bit suprise when in a western country, less and less people talk about Jesus Christ in his big day, people just busy with shopping and preparing foods and talking about Santa chous. So when they ask me what will I do, I jsut tell them I will go to church to celebrate the birth of christ.
As christian, I still remind myself this is the great day for us as Jesus Christ is born to save us. Without him, we are still in sin and cannot reunit with God.
This year, Derek & I still will go to church on 24 Dec (evening) & 25 Dec, then we may have gathering with the friends in church.
Here, we wish you are Merry Christmas and may God's blessing be with U all!

God's grace

申 命 記 Deuteronomy 8:11-18

你 要 謹 慎 、 免 得 忘 記 耶 和 華 你 的 　 神 、 不 守 他 的 誡 命 、 典 章 、 律 例 、 就 是 我 今 日 所 吩 咐 你 的 。
8:12

恐 怕 你 喫 得 飽 足 、 建 造 美 好 的 房 屋 居 住 ．
8:13

你 的 牛 羊 加 多 、 你 的 金 銀 增 添 、 並 你 所 有 的 全 都 加 增 、
8:14

你 就 心 高 氣 傲 、 忘 記 耶 和 華 你 的 　 神 、 就 是 將 你 從 埃 及 地 為 奴 之 家 領 出 來 的 、

8:15

引 你 經 過 那 大 而 可 怕 的 曠 野 、 那 裡 有 火 蛇 、 蠍 子 、 乾 旱 無 水 之 地 ． 他 曾 為 你 使 水 從 堅 硬 的 磐 石 中 流 出 來 ．
8:16

又 在 曠 野 、 將 你 列 祖 所 不 認 識 的 嗎 哪 賜 給 你 喫 、 是 要 苦 煉 你 、 試 驗 你 、 叫 你 終 久 享 福 。
8:17

恐 怕 你 心 裡 說 、 這 貨 財 是 我 力 量 我 能 力 得 來 的 。
8:18

你 要 記 念 耶 和 華 你 的 　 神 、 因 為 得 貨 財 的 力 量 是 他 給 你 的 、 為 要 堅 定 他 向 你 列 祖 起 誓 所 立 的 約 、 像 今 日 一 樣 。

I think this remind me everything I did is from God's grace.

When people reaches certain age (I don't mean I am old), we always think we should possess something (status, wealth, achievement......). But at this stage, I still not able to get those, sometimes, I might think is the life all about? This might be the mid age crisis.
But as the grace from God remind me that all I possess now is not because what I have done, it is given by God. When I look back, I have all the essential needs from God but not the same way as the world count.....

8:4

這 四 十 年 、 你 的 衣 服 沒 有 穿 破 、 你 的 腳 也 沒 有 腫 。
8:5

你 當 心 裡 思 想 、 耶 和 華 你 　 神 管 教 你 、 好 像 人 管 教 兒 子 一 樣 。
8:6

你 要 謹 守 耶 和 華 你 　 神 的 誡 命 、 遵 行 他 的 道 、 敬 畏 他 ．
8:7

因 為 耶 和 華 你 　 神 領 你 進 入 美 地 、 那 地 有 河 、 有 泉 、 有 源 、 從 山 谷 中 流 出 水 來 。
8:8

那 地 有 小 麥 、 大 麥 、 葡 萄 樹 、 無 花 果 樹 、 石 榴 樹 、 橄 欖 樹 、 和 蜜 。
8:9

你 在 那 地 不 缺 食 物 、 一 無 所 缺 ． 那 地 的 石 頭 是 鐵 、 山 內 可 以 挖 銅 。
8:10

你 喫 得 飽 足 、 就 要 稱 頌 耶 和 華 你 的 　 神 、 因 他 將 那 美 地 賜 給 你 了 。

This is very true to us too. This is a different point of view. Of course, as Christian, we must follow God' way as this is the best way. Sometimes we just think too much but do too little.
Hope we can really learn and praise the Lord.

我們在澳洲的日子

歡樂時光特別快，又係時候講拜拜。返了公青四年，現因遷居澳洲而暫別了。機場的每一幕還歷歷在目，現我們離H.K.也三個月了。初踏上征途時，滿懷畏懼，畢竟在全陌生的地方，沒有親人，怎不懼怕？但還記得經上說：「當剛強壯膽，主必與你同在。」心裏才踏實點。

9月9日到Australia，寄居在朋友家﹝Elaine / Ken﹞，從未試過在別人的家那麼久﹝三個多星期啊﹞，他們的照顧使我們明白何為〝接待〞，衣食住行無不關顧，使我們深深感受何為主內肢體相愛，但願我倆有機會去學懂怎樣接待他人。

9月16日，Derek和我也開始工作了，全新的工作環境、陌生的人、全英對話，偶然遇著個說Cantonese / 國語的人，真的開心，這一切的適應也不容易，唯有靠禱告‧‧‧‧‧‧

10月2日，我們搬進自己的Unit，有汽車、有工作、有教會，一切都穩定下來。這邊的教會都說我們快速，似足香港人，但認識我們的朋友都明白我們不是作快決定的性格，每件事必先計算、計劃、商量才能作決定。這次的快捷全是神的安排，祂深知我們的需要和性格，所以在無須多作選擇下有最好的安排。看！主真的看顧我們每一步！

初來澳洲，本來計劃先休息一下，四處逛逛，但現在我倆也開始了工作，所以旅遊的計劃只好暫停。Derek亦問為何神這麼快要我們工作呢？現在看來，神的計劃是比我們高，祂知道只靠積蓄的生活是怎樣，況且這裏的開支也不少，二人都有工作實是恩典，因教會弟兄姊妹說有很多人來了一年也未找到工作，沒有收入，亦開始懷疑自己移民的決定而形成家庭問題，但我們這麼快找到工作亦是神的恩典。

一天早上靈修時，看到申命記8章，看見神引領以色列人出埃及，神怎樣看顧他們，今日神亦看顧我們，回看以往的日子，我們的衣服沒有穿破，沒有捱餓、扺冷，這不是偶然，是神一切的保守。這篇經文亦提醒我們勿忘神的恩典，「當謹守耶和華神的誡命，遵行祂的道，敬畏祂，因為耶和華我神領我們進入美地」﹝申8：6﹞神的恩典實在豐厚，短短數月，數也數不盡，祂的愛真的無法量度，唯有不斷讚美我主我神！

Two and a half month in Australia

Counting time, it has been two and half months in Australia. During these 2 months, we settled pretty fast. The speed is really out of expectation.
9.9.2005 we landed Australia, living in a friend's home. One week later I started to go to work, then Derek started to work in the coming week. We found a unit near our friend, buy a new car. All essential living things settled. In man's eye, they might think that Derek & I are effiiceint like most HK people. But friends know us well understand that this is not our usual practice. We need to think and count and weight before making decision. It is God who has already prepare everything. HE knows what we need, He knows what we worry even we not yet start to pray and ask. We settle well here not because we have strong adaptative power. It is because God is very close to us.
Tonight we attend a fellowhip, discussing humble and proud. We find our weakness and strength and praise the lord. I find that before I am a christian, I rely on myself. I thought that I can do things well if I worked hard. I don't want to leave my comfort zone. After these years, I understand that working hard is imporant but the most important thing is to rely to God. We can settle in here is beacuse we rely in God. We pray for everythings, we praise for everyday. Though there are uncertain times, but we become more close to God. I knows HE love us very much which make me cannot stop praising HIM.
Let's put our hands in God's hand and let him lead us to fullfill our purpose on earth.