遠方不会太遥遠

        明天就是《LOST》的歌舞劇布道會了。整半年來的籌備計劃排練預備，成果明天就要分曉！說不期待是假的啦，說不興奮是假的啦，說沒有壓力更是假定啦！呵呵～ 今晚我們將會有禁食禱告會，主要當然是為著明天的布道會代禱，求主帶領我們能繼續同心的事奉主、敬拜主、榮耀主，也將出席的新朋友都交托在主的圣手中。甚愿主賜福我們手所獻上的事工。

        昨晚最后彩排，雖然還有些地方可以改進，但整體來說，我覺得：嗯，我們是預備好上臺了！yes des!哈哈～

 

 

     As a pastor, I like to think that I provide the leadership that my particular congregation needs. I like to think that I have what it takes to make everything flow smoothly. I like to think these things, because I know that they are NOT REAL. I have some of the gifts and graces to de well in a particular setting. I don't, however, have all of the gifts and graces necessary. That's why I keep on reminding myself: to be a pastor doesn't mean I'm possible to handle all kind of church's stuffs, but I'm definitely responsible for the settings which I'm assigned to, not by the church, but by my Abba Father.

      John the baptist, one of my favourite biblical heroes, apparently knew his place in the grand scheme of things. He knew what his role was in God's unfolding act of salvation. He knew that he was not the number one man on the totem pole. His job was to act as a forerunner - a messenger telling the world of the one that was to come. He knew his set of gifts and graces and was content to work out of them getting the world ready for the coming Messiah. Well, I dare not to pray to be the John II, but I do very much pray to know clearly my role as a pastor, in the realm of time and space i confined with.

 

 

        今天04.09，還有兩天就是我們06.09《LOST》歌舞劇布道會了。其實自己在當中也沒有參與什么，即沒有參與歌劇或舞蹈里頭，也沒有負責當晚幕后的工作。只是在歌劇結束后有短講，然后呼召（這不就是傳道人一貫的‘任務’，哈哈～）但不知道為什么，時間逼近的時候，一種無形的壓力越來越大，幾個晚上睡覺也睡的不太好，滿腦子里都是亂七八糟不成文的東西。不理還好，越理越亂。睡是可以睡，可能就睡到比較淺吧！（感覺上好像是等待著妻子分娩的丈夫，一顆心掛得七上八下的～）

        其實弟兄姐妹又何嘗沒有壓力？如果出席人數不理想，場面不是很不好看？如果出席人數太多，沒地方坐怎辦？如果沒有人決志信主那打擊不是很大？如果太多人決志信主陪談員夠嗎？然后又唯恐自己做得不好，唯恐當晚表現出差錯，唯恐音響燈光失常，唯恐... 嗯，這么多的‘唯恐’，恐怕就不再是‘唯’恐了，只會形成了總總無形的壓力。

        或許有壓力是好的，讓我們會更加謹慎，更加認真的對待這個事工吧！我還是一直在提醒自己：嚴肅看待，輕松面對。我們能力范圍以內的本分，我們盡力而為；至于那些不再我們能夠控制的范圍，我們就放心的把它交托給主吧，主會自己掌權的。

        06.09，倒數兩天。

 

       9月1號！美麗的星期一早晨！八月過去了，也意味著冬天結束，而春天“正式”的到訪了！哈哈～ 揮別了我的第一個冬天，才發覺冬天其實也不太難捱過的，雖然有時真的會有些的depress，坐起事來總會感覺到一股懶洋洋的樣子，本來已經很慢的走路步伐更加緩慢了下來。好幾次本來想出去買些東西，卻因為看見外邊呼啦啦做響的冷風，綿綿的冬雨，陰沉沉的天氣，就放棄了出門，寧可在家里啃罐頭，簡單的吃些就算。他們都安慰我說：“傳道，這是正常的啦，何況又是你第一次過冬天。”但是也好了，可能也是因為如此，體重還是保持‘美觀’，呵呵～

        雖然這個美麗的星期一早晨外頭還是有些陰霾，可是就是不一樣了！因為這是春天咯～ 可是春天不表示溫暖的陽光，聽說過去反而是在9月份顯得更冷，時而還會下雪。而今年的冬天也聽說會比較往年的較冷些，所以明媚的天氣可能會延遲些才到來。但這一切都不打緊，因為怎么說現在都是春天了！而我相信，嚴冬之后的花，總是會開得更嬌艷、更香郁的。不經一番寒徹骨，哪得梅花撲鼻香？

        春天咯～ \(^o^)/ 

 

     本來請教朋友如何要把這個trailer 帖上部落格，但隨后自己著手弄弄，發現竟然用自己以前學programming時的一些小聰明也給我弄上了！哈哈，有成就感，有成就感！！ 哎呀，言歸正傳，這是守榮那天full dress彩排后連夜把它趕出來的trailer，昨天在崇拜中第一次正式播放，今早upload上you tube，然后我也把它載下來放在部落格這里，也是宣傳的一部分吧～ 呵呵...

      來，《LOST》歌舞劇，請....

COMING SOON... ... ...

哈哈～

 

 

        剛從《LOST》歌舞劇布道會的彩排回來。這幾個晚上連續的排練，看到弟兄姐妹真的付出了很多的時間很精神。時間越來越緊湊了，還不有一星期就是正式登場了，無形的壓力當然相對的大了，而演出卻也是越來越熟練、精彩了起來。從一片的雜亂到逐漸成形的程序，從只有概念到具體的實踐，一步步走來真的不容易，幾個帶頭的壓力更是不再話下... 很多時候我這個傳道也不曉得要怎樣給予幫助，只有默默的在禱告中紀念他們。看了今晚第一次的full dress彩排，雖然還有一些的細節需要加強和注意，但整體來說我真的是很滿意了！我從來都不要求完美的演出，我只會要求大家按自己的能力做得最好，沒有遺憾就是了！也不曉得當晚會有多少人出席（我們target 400人，其中300個非基督徒），更不曉得會有多少人會透過我們的布道會決志信主。但我們能做的，我們做好我們的本分；而那些我們不能控制的未知數，我們則安安心心的交個我們的主。As we do our best, God will do the rest. I always believe that~

         我遠方的朋友，請繼續在禱告中紀念我們吧～ 謝謝你們禱告上的支持，謝謝你們的同工。（ok ok,知道了，我們一定會加油的！）

 

有句話說：“做人難，做男人更難！”

真的嗎？ 還是男人給自己一個“偉大”的借口？哈哈!

無意中看到一個蠻有趣的漫畫，值得弟兄們好好反省反省～

其實嘛，要做個快樂的男人不太難的。它里邊的道理真的很簡單，只是不曉得你同意否？呵呵

 

 

 

 

這是一封來自朋友的forward mail，思考下。

 

太太在二十五歲時問丈夫，丈夫沮喪的回答她：

我錯過一個新的工作機會。

三十五歲時， 丈夫生氣的告訴她：

我剛錯過了一班公車。

四十五歲時， 丈夫傷心的說：

我錯過與親人見最後一面。

五十五歲時， 丈夫失望的回答：

我錯過了退休的好時機。

六十五歲時， 丈夫匆匆的答說：

我錯過了看牙醫的時間。

 

一如往常的， 太太總是回以微笑， 而微笑中總帶著落寞。

七十五歲那年， 太太不再問先生了，

此時，先生正跪坐在病 危的太太面前，

想起太太每隔一段時間，

總要問他的問題，他反過來問太太，

而太太的微笑中帶著解脫回答：

 

這一生，我沒有錯過你！

此時，先生早已淚流滿面，

原以為兩人可以永遠在一起，

所以，終日忙著工作與繁瑣的事，

卻從不曾用心體貼朝夕相處的另一半，

　

先生緊抱著太太說：

這輩子，我錯過妳五十年來的深情?

繁忙的都市裡，有著許多為工作打拚的人，

大家總習慣於把工作當成生活的重心，

為了滿足社會的價值，

不惜出賣自己的時間與身體，

捨不得多花時間投資健康，

以至於錯過了陪同孩子成長的機會、

忽略了身旁關心自己的親友、輕忽了自己的身體。

珍惜，果真要在錯過後才能感受？
 

沒有人知道明年今日會怎麼？

人世無常，趕緊把握當下，把心中的感激告訴愛你的人、

用行動關心你的家人，把每一天都當成人生的最後一段，

即使走了，也能讓自己及身旁的人了無遺憾。

 

 

      We all know that when we are apart from God, we experience alienation and desolation. Therefore we must discover God as the center of our being to which all things tend and to whom all of our activity must be directed, and it really takes time and a harsh journey in spiritual dicispline. To me, and to my ministry, I have often wrestle with how to be contemplative in a world of action, yet offers no quick fix, no 3-or-5-step to a successful spiritual life.

      Surely, there's no short cut to build up an intimate relationship with God. Just commit yourself, and take your time. Never, never, never, never give up!

 

 

       I came across the extended prayer from Henri Nouwen, his words have always given me a passion to keep seeking Christ.

 

       "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I am impressed by my own spiritual insights. I probably know more about prayer, meditation, and contemplation than most Christians do. I have read many books bout the Christian life, and have even written a few myself. Still, as impressed as I am, I am more impressed by the enormous abyss between my insights and my life.

       It seems as if I am standing on one side of a huge canyon and see how I should grow toward You, live in Your presence and serve You, but cannot reach the other side of the canyon where You are. I can speak and write, preach and argue about the beauty and goodness of the life I see on the other side, but how, O Lord, can I get there? Sometimes I even have the painful feeling that the clearer the vision, the more aware I am of the depth of the canyon.

       Am I doomed to die on the wrong side of the abyss? Am I destined to excite others to reach the promised land while remaining unable to enter there myself? Sometimes I feel imprisioned by my own insights and "spiritual competence". You alone, Lord, can reach out to me and save me. You alone.

       I can only keep trying to be faithful, even though I feel faithless most of the time. What else can I do but keep praying to You, even when I feel dark; to keep writing about You, even when I feel numb; to keep speaking in Your name, even when I feel alone.

       Come, Lord Jesus, come. Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen"

 

       -from the book "A Cry for Mercy", Henri J.M. Nouwen.

 

       As I read these words, I was thinking about my ministry all these while, and just how true these words are at times. I might have the book knowledge and theological training, I can tell people what they should do to get a closer intimate relationship with God, but I sometimes find it hard to follow my own advice. And as I pondered through this, I finally realized that as a pastor, I need to recognize my brokenness, my messiness and as everybody else being able to come to the Father, not because who I am, but about who He is. Yeah, how can I ever forget that I am merely a sinner saved solely by my Saviour's grace, but at times I, all too clearly see the abyss and wish that I could experience the warmth that I know exists on the other side..

 

       “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.”