Saturday, June 27, 2009

Finale Dessert

It's raining outside and the car is sick. We cannot go far to travel around New England. So, we went to walk around Harvard Square and Charles River. Shamefully, it is our first time shopping around Harvard Square and walking along the Charles River. We tried the Finale Desert too. The Tiramisu and Cheesecake are both amazing.

Poor Miss Car...

We've just picked up Miss Car from the hospital. She is fine right now. But the engineer said she would need another surgery. Its timing-belt needs to be replaced urgently or else the engine would die. She will need another hospitalization next week. Poor Miss Car. Although it would cost another big sum of money, we wont give her up!

Finally, we've decided to go to the Niagara Fall tour next week, as we're gonna be busy two weeks later. So, we're leaving from Monday morning till Wednesday night. Niagara Fall, Canada..we are coming!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Miss Car is sick...

My lovely car is sick. The engine shuts down occasionally when the A/C is on. It is being hospitalized right now and I hope we could bring her back home tomorrow. We originally plan to go cherry picking tomorrow. If the car is not ready, we will have to call it off.
Still thinking if we should go for the Niagara fall trip next week. The weather forecast seems to be discouraging - Thunderstorm next week! Hope that the weather would change..
I've just finished the bottle of desert wine: Newport Jazz. It's sooooooo good! I love it!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Our testimony (marriage) - written by Sandra

感謝主﹗我跟樂銘快要慶祝我們的結婚一週年紀念了﹗在這一年的婚姻生活裡,我們除了享受新婚夫婦間的甜蜜,更重要的是我們每一天都一起經歷主的恩典。過去這一年,我們要面對很多的改變,亦曾面對很多困難的決定。通常,當太多的改變和決擇在同一時間發生,便很容易在夫妻關係上引起衝突,我和樂銘也不例外。我們婚後,除了要面對身份上的轉變,還要面對生活環境、工作、教會等各方面的問題。為著適應這些改變,我和樂銘吵架次數不下十次,而程度更可以用「竭嘶底理」或「咆哮」來形容。

我和樂銘可以說是有著完全不同的背景,唯一共同的是我們相信同一位救主。樂銘為著學業,在美國已經歷差不多七個多寒暑,雖然是香港出生,但生活習慣早已深受美國文化薰陶;而我,除了大學畢業後去了英國遊學那半年外,未曾離開香港超過三個月。我們的生活習慣、文化差異甚至學術水平,可算是有著天與地的差別。另一方面,樂銘因為獨自在美國生活,一事一物都要自力更生,可是我跟他卻完全相反。在結婚前,我是個十指不沾陽春水的「千金小姐」,因為家庭背景的造就,我從小到大都是吃要吃最好,住要住最好,穿也是穿最好的,從來就不用擔心將來。

還記得當我們決定結婚時,樂銘還是一個博士班學生,沒有工作。初時我們常憧憬著婚後的生活是怎樣美好和稱意,但後來發現,在他沒有經濟收入下,我們的計劃就算再美好,也是一個空想,所以我們開始為樂銘畢業後的出路禱告。縱然我們一起禱告,也是按著我們的心意求主應允,從來沒有認真地細想這些計畫是否主的旨意。可是,問題就這樣發生了。當我們遇到意見不合時,我們便會吵起來,為著居住地方吵、為著家用吵,甚至結婚時,我們也為著很多小事吵個不停,原因是我們兩個都錯把自己的需要放在首位,而忘卻了我們結婚的真正目的︰見證基督的愛,讓神得榮耀。真的很感謝主﹗祂帶領我們的每一步,連工作也早已為我們安排好,只等我們去求祂。最後,神為樂銘安排了一份很多人也夢寐以求的工作,在哈佛大學作兩年的博士後學者,而收入能夠支持我們在美國生活。神為我們安排的往往都是最好,既是足夠,也是有餘。我們深深體會神真是一位聽禱告的神,祂為我們解決一切的問題。

又記得有一次,在我們尋找在波士頓的住所時,神又再一次為我們安排一切。由於我們尋找居所時,也不在波士頓,當我在香港籌備婚禮,而樂銘則在洛杉磯完成他的畢業論文,故此我們是透過互聯網跟經紀聯絡,入住現時居所前,我們是未曾實地視察過互近的居住環境,一切都是憑信心而行。本來,我們找到一間合心意的住所,表面上它的地理位置、居住環境也很好,而且租金也較便宜,因此我們便立刻聯絡經紀公司,打算租下這個地方。在打電話前,我跟樂銘也為這事禱告,求神指引。可是,樂銘一直聯絡不到經紀公司,我們便開始急起來,怕這地方會被別人捷足先登。樂銘每天都打電話到經紀公司,我們亦不斷為這地方禱告,直到有一天,樂銘告訴我,他已聯絡上經紀公司,亦準備第二天跟他們簽約租下這個心宜的地方,為此,我們再一次禱告。豈料,樂銘禱告後,突然想到互聯網搜尋這個地方,於是他便隨便在Google打下我們準備租住的地方的地址,看看有甚麽特別沒有。就這樣誤打誤撞,讓他找到原來這個地方附近在一星期前發生了兇殺案,而死者伏屍的地方正正是我們的停車場。得料此事,我們便立即致電給經紀公司取消簽約。而神亦在同一天帶領我們找到另一個條件更好的地方,這次簽約過程亦非常順利,甚致當我們上網找尋二手家俬時,神亦帶領我們找到我們的前住客,讓我們直接向她購買一些大型家俬,省卻了第一天到步後的「困境」。

經歷主恩不一定是在大事上,我和樂銘也覺得神在每一時每一刻也在帶領我們,保護我們,只要我們願意把自己的需要告訴祂,然後憑信心等候祂,祂便會為我們作最好的安排。我們在神的帶領之下,從來沒有一點的缺乏。聖經有很多經文都提及神的帶領,而當中有兩節是我們最喜歡的提醒。
「應當一無掛慮,只要凡事藉著禱告,祈求和感謝,將你們所要的告訴神,神所賜出人意外的平安,必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念」(腓立比書四章6-7節)。
我們知道人的能力是有限的,而神卻是創世的神,祂的能力是大於世界上任何一切。今日,我們承認我們在每一件事情上都是軟弱的,但正因我們軟弱,神就是在這裡幫助我們。正如聖經所說︰
「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…我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱,好叫基督的能力覆庇我。」 (哥林多後書十二章 9節)
我們是祂的子女,祂愛我們甚於一切,甚至連祂的獨生子也賜下,為的是要拯救我們這班悖逆的子女。祂每天為野地的花草樹木澆水,也餵飽天空和非洲大草原的飛禽走獸,而我們是祂最疼錫的子女,祂又甚會捨得讓我們餓肚子或者受委屈呢?只要我們願意放下自己的偏見、固執、任性,返回這個慈父身邊,跟祂認錯,祂一定會原諒我們,繼續把我們抱在懷中呵護,為我們分擔所有的勞苦。

要順服神,也要彼此順服

... 雅各書告訴我們說,你們要順服神。以弗所書告訴我們說,又要彼此順服。弟兄們,你們看見麼?這裏又是講到兩方面,一方面說要順服神,一方面說要彼此順服。 順服神是個人的事,彼此順服是弟兄們中間該作的。今天在教會裏,有一等人是沒有翻過的餅。一件事,只要弟兄姊妹同意,就是宗教的道理也跟從,就是異端的教 訓也接受。只要是大多數贊成的就跟從。弄到把神的命令、聖經的教訓都摔掉。這是一塊沒有翻過的餅。人那邊雖然弄得好,但是,不管神這邊,仍是沒有翻過的 餅。又有一等人,不管弟兄姊妹的意思如何,見地如何,只管神如何說,就如何行...有頂多的事是神的旨意,但是,頂多的時候要在人手裏受限制,就需要等候。光知道神的旨意是彀了,但是,弟兄姊妹兩三個人合起來的見證,也是好的。如果一個 指頭動一動,能不能說只是一個指頭動一動,不是我這個人動呢?豈不是一個肢體動,別的肢體也一起動麼?一個肢體不能單獨動作,因為肢體雖多,身子仍是一個呢...
比方:你先得著一點亮光,神說是的,你就甚麼都不顧,一下就傳出去。但是,與你同在的弟兄,並不像你那樣看得清楚,你就應當等候得著他們的同意再講。不 然,就要有分門別類的事發生。你說,是神啟示你的。他說,我沒有看清楚,恐怕是異端。這樣的時候,你就該等候。聖經說,你們要順服神;但是,聖經也說,你 們要彼此順服。當弟兄們彼此看法有不同時,不要彼此爭辯、分裂;可以等候、禱告,慢慢的學習看。讓我說句頂直的話,沒有一件東西能助人有屬靈的進步,會過 於等候的。如果一直是真的,就等一等還是真的。如果錯了,就更該等候了,幸虧有等候,纔沒有作錯。但是,我們若非真捨己,真肯背十字架,就不能這樣。溫柔 的等候,是需要神的恩典纔能的...



I've come across this article, which is a recording of a sermon. I've found it quite edifying and it's a good reminder for me. Very often, we understand how important it is to be submissive to God. And yet we seem to have forgotten the other command by God that we should submit ourselves to one another. God wants us to take a good balance. If we only focus on the submission to God and ignore the submission to one another between bro/sis, it is never beneficial. Sometimes, it might even destroy the oneness of church.

Of course, it is not an easy lesson to learn to be submissive. I've lately realized that being submissive to God is much easier than being submissive between bro/sis. We really have to put down ALL of ourselves: "我們若非真捨己,真肯背十字架,就不能這樣。" May God give me wisdom to learn this big lesson.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Back from Hong Kong

Sandra and I are back from Hong Kong. We've traveled to Hong Kong to change our US visa and visit families. We've had a really wonderful time in Hong Kong. We were nervous about whether we could get the visa due to several risky situations of our case. The only thing we could possibly do was to pray ernestly. Thanks God. The visa application process turned out to be very successful. While we're in HK, we spent lots of time with our families. We decided not to travel too much but stayed more with our parents. We've had a good time and shared a lot with them. I also got the official contract for my new job next year. I have been waiting for it for a while and it's finally come. I am really thankful to our Lord because He has prepared everything for us. There is nothing for us to worry about when we are walking with Him.
On June 3, we took a long flight back to Boston. It was a very tiring journey. We've spent about 26 hours on the flight and waiting at the terminal for boarding. Glad that Sandra was traveling with me that made time passing faster. We found a dusty apartment when getting back home. Thanks Sandra for spending two days cleaning up the house. It's become comfy again!
I confessed that I've done nothing much for my research while I was in HK. I should definitely get back to work seriously. No more laziness! And frankly, I feel a bit stressed with my research work lately. May God give me peace and wisdom.