下週一我會見黑先生；
下週二會幫同事搬屋；
下週三至週五到岩手縣的遠野參加義工的服事…！
「遵守祂的誡命、律例，就是我今日所吩咐你的，為要叫你得福。」
《申命記》10:13雖然在日本國這裏沒有甚麼農曆新年的氣氛，不過，作為宣教士，前輩提醒我們要為下一代保留自己國家的特色，所以，我和淑屏今早就預備了「利是」給子心，祝福他全人健康成長…；藉此也讓子心認識中國人所過的年！
論到新春祝福就想到本週開始就馬不停蹄地預備來主日的講章：「蒙福之路」（「祝福された道」）《申命記》10:1-22。在預備的過程中，思想一直追隨著摩西記述以色列人歷史中，上帝所賜的恩福與警誡，故此，不其然自己亦回想多年以來從上帝所領受的福氣！
然而，在數算的過程中我發現了一件很有趣的事：昔日就著所遭遇的事，順利的當然會感恩，事與願違的多少會埋怨上帝的「不夠體貼」（如此狂妄的我！）！隨著經歷主恩越深，每遇順暢就萬分感恩，不順利的則會多怪責自己的疏忽，甚至自知因「不聽話」而自討苦吃！
在這個資訊爆炸，「公說公有理，婆說婆有理」的時代，令人不容易相信別人，甚至不相信自己，因此承擔責任的承擔力亦薄弱了；而更糟糕的是「不順服」，「不聽話」的心態隨時一湧而上，因此造成生命中許多不必要的創傷，眼淚亦白流！
有時從子心的身上也學了功課！倘若好好地聽從父母的啟導與指引，就不必要走冤枉路了，然而，人就是不愛聽，不願聽，至終兜兜轉轉！頃刻，又回想到以色列人出埃及，本應只是40天的路程，至終走了40年...！
新春期間，我禱告上帝恩領我能帶領淑屏和子心接受「真福」，不走冤枉路！既有真理（《聖經》）可依從，就不用左搖右擺了！因為遵守上帝的誡命、律例，是會叫我們得福的！
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「求祢使我們早早飽得祢的慈愛，
好叫我們一生一世歡呼喜樂。」
《詩篇》90:14
「天父啊！
但基於他們已早早在祢面得著滿足和肯定，以至他們不再需要從旁邊的人身上得著甚麼！又能在風吹雨打之下仍歡呼喜樂。
天父啊！這就是作為父母的我們能為自己所深愛的兒子們向祢所作的禱告！奉主名求，阿們！」
I have just learned this short passage today and I am so glad to be reminded in that way!
Some people have a job in the church; others involve themselves in a ministry. What’s the difference?
If you are doing it just because no one else will, it’s a job.
If you quit because somebody criticized you, it’s a job.
If you keep on serving, it’s a ministry.
If you’ll do it only as long as it does not interfere with your othere activities, it’s a job.
If you are committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it’s a ministry.
If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you, it was a job.
If you stay with it, even though nobody recognizes your efforts, it’s a ministry.
If our concern is success, it’s a job.
If our concern is faithfulness, it’s a ministry.
An average church is filled with people doing jobs. A great and growing church is filled with people doing ministry.
“Heavenly Father, please help and use us to fulfil the ministries which you have granted us.”
Before I came to Japan, I did share my prayer to the brothers and sisters that may GOD guides me to lead even just one man to GOD in the time of our ministry in Japan.
In 2008, I got to know a retired man, Mr. K right after arriving Japan. Mr. K is a typical Japanese man and he invited me to join an English class which he has been attending for a long time. Surely, I was glad to have such a precious chance to make more friends, so I joined it and after a few months I invited him to be one of my language helpers. And he is so kind to share a lot of Japanese cultural things to me. I do still remember he taught me how to treat a Japanese friend properly in a meal and shared something about one of his son’s problem to me. I was so impressed through his sincere sharing!
In 2010, unexpectedly, he got cancer and was told to keep having medicines till the end of his life. Moreover, his mother passed away in that year. As a friend I did pray for him. And he accepted my offer even though he’s not a Christian. After that, I found Mr. K became more open to me. And he introduced me to his wife and relatives. In 2011, he welcomed to meet one of the Hong Kong teams who visited us after 3.11 Earthquake. Moreover, he helped me to do some translations of the church history from Japanese to English too. And recently, he starts to help me to correct the Japanese mistakes of my sermon and I am so glad that even though he has not yet joined to the church meeting, he can get to know something about the Bible through helping me in that way.
Now, when I think about Mr. K, it reminds me what did I share before and I would like to invite all of you to pray for that “first MAN” who I have met in Japan.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
And through this GOD reminded me that HE has already granted us many ‘partners’ like you, co-work with us in Japan in different ways. Thank you for all your supports and prayers, I have to say, without your prayers we couldn’t sustain. Moreover, thank you for investing in the kingdom of GOD in that way, even though Japan is just one of the mission fields in the world. I pray that we do invest in the kingdom of GOD and one day, you will step further to love Japan more deeply. I do confess: We do our best and GOD will take the responsibility.
These 10 days are quite special for me, for I was recommended to join a pre-home service workshop and I will stay at the guest house of OMF which is located at Chiba Ken. Here is more colder than Tokyo, especially at night time. Tonight I will not pray with Doris and Samuel but Samuel did send me a short message in Japanese by cell phone. I am glad that his Japanese is quite native and more natural than what I do.
In 2012, I will have to accommodate myself to 2 more places,…the North of Japan, Hong Kong….! NO, I should prepare for “going HOME" too. As a pastor, a missionary, should I do “home service” in Heaven too!!! Every Sunday when I worship GOD can it be a “pre-home service workshop”?!
…能夠稍稍離開現時的生活場景，離開日本語的世界而進入英語的世界，與不認識但卻有同一心志的宣教同工互勵互勉想必美極！不過，基於我將於29/1講道，所以，在學習的期間少不免仍要抽空預備信息呢！（申命記十章）儘管如此，能夠「活生生」地生活已是一份福氣了！
