Vickie Chow
It is widely known that pride is a dangerous trap to fall in, even more so when it comes to our faith. I don’t know about you, but I hereby confess that I’ve had my leg caught in that trap a couple of times. Now, I haven’t waved a banner proclaiming the things I do to serve God or commented to my friends how hard I worked on last week’s BSF homework. Lately, I’ve been more conscious of certain subtle actions that essentially spring from the same attitude. Here’s a list of things that I’ve caught myself doing:
1. I’m too good for the Table of Contents
I don’t know about you, but other than Genesis, Revelation, and Psalms, I often cannot get to the passage I want without having to undergo a little trial and error with my page flipping. Normally, in the privacy of my own home, I am indifferent to how long it takes for me to find a passage in the Bible, but during Sunday service, when it comes time to open our Bibles to the scripture reading, I’m under a little bit more of a time constraint. I would imagine that the Table of Contents page is included in every Bible for just such a purpose—to facilitate easy page finding—but I cannot bring myself to using this page for fear of others who may notice and think “She doesn’t know where the book of 1 John is? Wow. Just wow.” I realize that the reality of it is more like no one is paying attention to my Bible perusing habits, but it ultimately comes down to my pride. Yes, I think I am too good for an innocent page outlining a list of books in the Bible.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
驕傲與微妙
Vickie Chow | 中譯：楊光
衆所周知，驕傲是一個危險的陷阱，尤其當它涉及到信仰之時。不瞞你說，我承認有好幾次被驕傲絆倒。雖然我沒有揮舞著旗幟宣布我怎樣事奉上帝，或大聲講我怎麼努力地做著上周的查經作業，但我最近發覺到一些更微妙的行動，其根源就是出於相同的驕傲態度。以下我列出了發覺自己做的小動作：
一，我不需要看目錄
不瞞你說，除了創世記、啓示錄和詩篇，我翻頁找其他經文時經常需要一番嘗試與錯誤才可以做到 。通常隱蔽在自己家中，我不在乎是否費長時間查找聖經中的一段話，但在主日崇拜時，當需要打開聖經找經文時，時間可就有點緊迫了。我想每一本聖經都包含目錄頁就是為了在這種時刻能方便尋找經文，但我卻怎麼也不能逼自己去查看目錄，生怕別人會注意到，並想，「她連約翰一書在哪兒都不知道？真是不可思議!」實際上，我知道注意我的聖經閱讀習慣的人一個都沒有，但最終這是出於我的驕傲心態。是的，我覺得我並不需要一張無辜的、列出聖經書卷的目錄。
衆所周知，驕傲是一個危險的陷阱，尤其當它涉及到信仰之時。不瞞你說，我承認有好幾次被驕傲絆倒。雖然我沒有揮舞著旗幟宣布我怎樣事奉上帝，或大聲講我怎麼努力地做著上周的查經作業，但我最近發覺到一些更微妙的行動，其根源就是出於相同的驕傲態度。以下我列出了發覺自己做的小動作：
一，我不需要看目錄
不瞞你說，除了創世記、啓示錄和詩篇，我翻頁找其他經文時經常需要一番嘗試與錯誤才可以做到 。通常隱蔽在自己家中，我不在乎是否費長時間查找聖經中的一段話，但在主日崇拜時，當需要打開聖經找經文時，時間可就有點緊迫了。我想每一本聖經都包含目錄頁就是為了在這種時刻能方便尋找經文，但我卻怎麼也不能逼自己去查看目錄，生怕別人會注意到，並想，「她連約翰一書在哪兒都不知道？真是不可思議!」實際上，我知道注意我的聖經閱讀習慣的人一個都沒有，但最終這是出於我的驕傲心態。是的，我覺得我並不需要一張無辜的、列出聖經書卷的目錄。
An Ode of Thanksgiving
Francis Loo | English translation by Iris Lo
God’s Creation
Lord, thank you for creating the heavens and the earth,
Lord, thank you for creating man and woman,
Lord, thank you for assigning seasons,
Lord, thank you for winter’s chill,
Lord, thank you for the freshness of spring,
Lord, thank you for summer’s green,
Lord, thank you for the leaves of autumn,
Lord, thank you for the birds of the air,
Lord, thank you for the fish in the sea.
God’s Creation
Lord, thank you for creating the heavens and the earth,
Lord, thank you for creating man and woman,
Lord, thank you for assigning seasons,
Lord, thank you for winter’s chill,
Lord, thank you for the freshness of spring,
Lord, thank you for summer’s green,
Lord, thank you for the leaves of autumn,
Lord, thank you for the birds of the air,
Lord, thank you for the fish in the sea.
感恩頌
盧國禮
神的創造
神啊！感謝你，創造天地。
神啊！感謝你，造男造女。
神啊！感謝你，定下節令。
神啊！感謝你，冬季嚴寒。
神啊！感謝你，春和景明。
神啊！感謝你，夏樹蒼翠。
神啊！感謝你，秋風紅葉。
神啊！感謝你，空中飛鳥。
神啊！感謝你，海裏有魚。
神的創造
神啊！感謝你，創造天地。
神啊！感謝你，造男造女。
神啊！感謝你，定下節令。
神啊！感謝你，冬季嚴寒。
神啊！感謝你，春和景明。
神啊！感謝你，夏樹蒼翠。
神啊！感謝你，秋風紅葉。
神啊！感謝你，空中飛鳥。
神啊！感謝你，海裏有魚。
Monday, May 9, 2011
Finally Home
Christopher Yuan
“Sign here and date here,” the officer directed, pointing to two blank lines on the page in front of me. I had been looking forward to this day for so long that I almost couldn’t believe it was here. Even though this wasn’t my official release date, it was the day I was transferred by furlough release to a halfway house in Chicago. This time my parents were picking me up to take me to the halfway house—but not before swinging by home. It had been so long since I’d been home, and even longer yet since I considered home to be…home.
“Sign here and date here,” the officer directed, pointing to two blank lines on the page in front of me. I had been looking forward to this day for so long that I almost couldn’t believe it was here. Even though this wasn’t my official release date, it was the day I was transferred by furlough release to a halfway house in Chicago. This time my parents were picking me up to take me to the halfway house—but not before swinging by home. It had been so long since I’d been home, and even longer yet since I considered home to be…home.
終於回家了
袁幼軒 | 中譯：楊光
“在這裡簽名，為下日期”，警衛告訴我，指著在我面前的兩行空格。我幾乎不敢相信這期待已久的一天已經到來。雖然我還沒被正式釋放，但今天我將被轉移到芝加哥的一所重返社會訓練所。這次我的父母要來接我去那間訓練所，但在此之前我們會先回家一趟。我已經好久都沒回過家了，而更久之前我已經沒有把這個家當自己的家了。
“在這裡簽名，為下日期”，警衛告訴我，指著在我面前的兩行空格。我幾乎不敢相信這期待已久的一天已經到來。雖然我還沒被正式釋放，但今天我將被轉移到芝加哥的一所重返社會訓練所。這次我的父母要來接我去那間訓練所，但在此之前我們會先回家一趟。我已經好久都沒回過家了，而更久之前我已經沒有把這個家當自己的家了。
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Doughnuts
Anonymous
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States .
Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major..
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
"How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States .
Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major..
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
"How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
油炸圈餅
作者：佚名，中譯：趙泰和
在美國西部一所小的學院裡，有個好學的神學教授名叫Christianson，他在學校教了一門必修的基督教課程。不論專業，所有第一年的新生都得修這門課。儘管Christianson博士想盡辦法向學生們闡述福音的真諦，但他發現學生們只把這門課當作是痛苦煎熬的一門必修課罷了。即使他付出了諸般努力，大部分學生仍是不怎麼將信仰當回事。
今年，Christianson博士發現了一個叫Steve的學生。他很特別，雖然只是個新生，但他學習的目標是為了去神學院進修，以便加入事工。Steve人緣很好，並且體格健壯。現在他正在學校的橄欖球隊擔任首發中鋒，同樣也是Christianson教授最優秀的學生。有一天，教授讓Steve課後留下來與他談話：「你可以做多少個俯臥撐?」
Steve說：「我每天晚上做200個。」
「200？那挺不錯啊，Steve。 要是做300個呢？」，教授問道。
在美國西部一所小的學院裡，有個好學的神學教授名叫Christianson，他在學校教了一門必修的基督教課程。不論專業，所有第一年的新生都得修這門課。儘管Christianson博士想盡辦法向學生們闡述福音的真諦，但他發現學生們只把這門課當作是痛苦煎熬的一門必修課罷了。即使他付出了諸般努力，大部分學生仍是不怎麼將信仰當回事。
今年，Christianson博士發現了一個叫Steve的學生。他很特別，雖然只是個新生，但他學習的目標是為了去神學院進修，以便加入事工。Steve人緣很好，並且體格健壯。現在他正在學校的橄欖球隊擔任首發中鋒，同樣也是Christianson教授最優秀的學生。有一天，教授讓Steve課後留下來與他談話：「你可以做多少個俯臥撐?」
Steve說：「我每天晚上做200個。」
「200？那挺不錯啊，Steve。 要是做300個呢？」，教授問道。