Year 2.13

Year 2.13 was the occasion of my birthday week and with it memories of Doris. I finished what I thought was my last message to my Lent series entitled NO BETTER SACRIFICE (JOHN 10:11-18) but later found out there is one more must-have passage:
1. Be Acquainted with the Shepherd (11-13)
2. Be Added to the Saved (14-16)
3. Be Assured of the Safeguarding (17-18)
Before the morning ended I went to the gym for the first time to strengthen my weak biceps and thighs.

Day 2 was the eve of my birthday with a dinner planned at night. At 515pm the optometrist finally called me to say my uneven圆方glasses was ready. I picked up the 3k glasses for dinner with Doris' sisters and my friends. It was a wonderful dinner, something Doris previously insisted for me to have. This is almost my family in HK. Since the debut of my glasses I often have to answer why. My answer is that my life has been uneven (1) without Doris, (2) I am neither here nor there, not fully of Malaysia, USA or HK (3) and I gotta learn to draw square with left hand and circle with right the 周伯通 way because there is much workload. A deacon's spouse, however, asked, Can pastors wear those (my glasses)?

Wednesday was another eating and spending day. The morning began with early 7am breakfast with my neighbor Raymond 1 before my 830am 華福 devotion, followed by drinks with Raymond 2. Lunch was with a few coworkers and so was tea, and after that a few small cakes by lady coworkers, then dinner and another cake from interns. I counted six occasions. When pressed on my birthday wish, I answered,  同工同心. Best of all I bought myself Asus Zen Zoom that gave me 40 hours battery life with 10% battery life left. Tears welled up my eyes for Doris without a doubt today

Day 4 Lunch was with Calvin, a former college student I got to know in USA student. After lunch I bought mini roses for Doris. At night there was a wedding rehearsal for Saturday's wedding.

Friday morning was a staff meeting. I included a new item "health and help" for future regular staff meetings. Meeting ended with a birthday lunch. At midnoon was interns farewell sharing and at night I had dinner with Doris' sister and her husband before fellowship.

Day 6 2pm was wedding day, so I excused myself from two hours pre-prestudy and one hour prestudy. The wedding song *盟約*
我以永遠的愛，愛你，我以慈愛吸引你，聘你永遠歸我為妻，永以慈愛誠實待你，
哦，我願奪得主的心，用我注視的眼睛，
我的心如禁閉的井，新陳佳果存留為你。
將我放在你的心上如印記，將我帶在你手臂上如戳記，你的愛情堅貞，勝過死亡，眾水不能熄滅，不能淹沒。
我賜你肉心代替石心，把律法寫在你心裡，我用水將你洗潔淨，你眾罪惡我全忘記。
 https://m.youtube.com/watch from Songs 8:6-7 (Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm...Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it) was hard on me, so I apologized blowing my nose before leading the couple to say their wedding vows. Surprisingly those present applauded. Later I joined two ladies for an early dinner.

Sunday morning was early breakfast with young B who got me a birthday present from Japan. I also met Glory and talked 20 minutes with him about current affairs. Next up was baptism. After joining youth fellowship for lunch and baptism candidates for pictures I left, taking a rest and doing laundry before dinner with a Malaysian traveller and an intern, walking from Shum shui Po to Mongkok to shed the weight after. Praise God E gave a good first sermon that day.  A also did well but I cried a tear knowing how neglected workers are.

August 16, 2017