Cold Christmas, part 1
So Christmas is coming.
I don't particular like Christmas & New Year. It is the most difficult time to bear in a year. In these days, I always want to find something to do, and I don't want to stay at home. Yet, seldom did my soul would satisfied during the Christmas.
Before I became a christian, I don't remember what I normally do during the christmas Eve and on christmas day. I may went out with my classmates to hang around, or just stayed at home during the Christmas Eve. I don't remember.
I became a christian in Dec 1996. That year christmas eve was very meaningful to me. After having a home fellowship meeting with brothers and sisters , we went out together to Tsim Sha Tsui to join the crowd for celebration. When we saw that some brother and sisters were singing christmas carol in the street, we joined them. That year was a happy christmas for me. It's the first year I understood the true meaning of christmas. I felt that I have many companions, who are accompanying me to walk in this life journey. I don't felt alone.
In Dec 1997, that christmas was a busy time for me, as I was about to become a committee member in my residential hall. There are many meetings during that period, but not on the christmas eve and on the christmas day. I don't remembered much about that two days. I remembered that there were some church activities, and that's all.
In Dec 1998, that christmas was again a busy time for me, as I was about to stand down as the committee member in my residential hall, and I have to participate in loads of meetings to ensure the smooth transistion. That year christmas was very special to me. I remember that on christmas eve, after having church dinner with my brothers/sisters in the church, I took my greatest courage to date a girl out. That year was the happiest and the sweetest christmas in my life so far. That night, we just kept walking and walking, passing through many roads and streets. We have endless things to talk that the conversation never seems to come to an end. A memorable christmas.
In Dec 1999, not a good christmas, especially when I had to appear like a gentlemen, stayed calm, and smiled before my former girlfriend and her boyfriend in the same venue on christmas eve. Apart from that, got nowhere to go, and I have my examination during the christmas vacation. Yet, for that year , my hall fellowship has joined with other hall to sing christmas carol around the campus.
I remember in the times where I was still in HK , my church fellowship has prepared programme for the thanksgiving service during the christmas eve. I can't remember exactly what we did. One year we played the drama, and the theme is 'gave our heart to God'. One year we sang the christmas songs, and I remembered that I had to play both harmonica and guitar for the songs, my first time to do both in the same time. Quite special. Yet, it is during these time I have started to wonder why we have to celebrate christmas within the church premises. It's good to have thanksgiving time, to sing christmas carol, and to celebrate christmas in the church. Yet, instead of preparing programme for a 'show', I do feel that it is more appropriate if we can channel our energy and resources to the action of spreading the gospel, or taking care of the needy people during the christmas time. Unveiling the mask of joyful celebrations, there is a lot of broken hearts. Underneath people's heart are emptiness and loneliness. They needed to be loved and to get connected, and ultimately, they needed to get connected to God. There is a scenerio on one christmas eve which have deeply touched my heart, and I still remeber that picture. I saw a church choir singing in front of the Queen's Square in Central, HK. The choir was singing evangelical songs, not the traditional christmas songs. Someone was standing up, and proclaiming the gospel to the crowd. Someone were distributing the gospel leaflet and engaging with a one-to-one conversation with those who are interested. I was very touched by the scenerio at that time. It made christmas more meaningful. The people there were serving with passion, but not for fun. My heart still keep burning to this day everytime when I saw these pictures again in my brain. The preacher was speaking with passion, and using a magic string to illustrate how Jesus save us from our sin. It is always a dream for me to do it during the christmas eve. Unfortunately, I have lost some of the boldness in my youth these days. Singing christmas carol has relegated into time for fun and tradition rather than evangelism.
I don't particular like Christmas & New Year. It is the most difficult time to bear in a year. In these days, I always want to find something to do, and I don't want to stay at home. Yet, seldom did my soul would satisfied during the Christmas.
Before I became a christian, I don't remember what I normally do during the christmas Eve and on christmas day. I may went out with my classmates to hang around, or just stayed at home during the Christmas Eve. I don't remember.
I became a christian in Dec 1996. That year christmas eve was very meaningful to me. After having a home fellowship meeting with brothers and sisters , we went out together to Tsim Sha Tsui to join the crowd for celebration. When we saw that some brother and sisters were singing christmas carol in the street, we joined them. That year was a happy christmas for me. It's the first year I understood the true meaning of christmas. I felt that I have many companions, who are accompanying me to walk in this life journey. I don't felt alone.
In Dec 1997, that christmas was a busy time for me, as I was about to become a committee member in my residential hall. There are many meetings during that period, but not on the christmas eve and on the christmas day. I don't remembered much about that two days. I remembered that there were some church activities, and that's all.
In Dec 1998, that christmas was again a busy time for me, as I was about to stand down as the committee member in my residential hall, and I have to participate in loads of meetings to ensure the smooth transistion. That year christmas was very special to me. I remember that on christmas eve, after having church dinner with my brothers/sisters in the church, I took my greatest courage to date a girl out. That year was the happiest and the sweetest christmas in my life so far. That night, we just kept walking and walking, passing through many roads and streets. We have endless things to talk that the conversation never seems to come to an end. A memorable christmas.
In Dec 1999, not a good christmas, especially when I had to appear like a gentlemen, stayed calm, and smiled before my former girlfriend and her boyfriend in the same venue on christmas eve. Apart from that, got nowhere to go, and I have my examination during the christmas vacation. Yet, for that year , my hall fellowship has joined with other hall to sing christmas carol around the campus.
I remember in the times where I was still in HK , my church fellowship has prepared programme for the thanksgiving service during the christmas eve. I can't remember exactly what we did. One year we played the drama, and the theme is 'gave our heart to God'. One year we sang the christmas songs, and I remembered that I had to play both harmonica and guitar for the songs, my first time to do both in the same time. Quite special. Yet, it is during these time I have started to wonder why we have to celebrate christmas within the church premises. It's good to have thanksgiving time, to sing christmas carol, and to celebrate christmas in the church. Yet, instead of preparing programme for a 'show', I do feel that it is more appropriate if we can channel our energy and resources to the action of spreading the gospel, or taking care of the needy people during the christmas time. Unveiling the mask of joyful celebrations, there is a lot of broken hearts. Underneath people's heart are emptiness and loneliness. They needed to be loved and to get connected, and ultimately, they needed to get connected to God. There is a scenerio on one christmas eve which have deeply touched my heart, and I still remeber that picture. I saw a church choir singing in front of the Queen's Square in Central, HK. The choir was singing evangelical songs, not the traditional christmas songs. Someone was standing up, and proclaiming the gospel to the crowd. Someone were distributing the gospel leaflet and engaging with a one-to-one conversation with those who are interested. I was very touched by the scenerio at that time. It made christmas more meaningful. The people there were serving with passion, but not for fun. My heart still keep burning to this day everytime when I saw these pictures again in my brain. The preacher was speaking with passion, and using a magic string to illustrate how Jesus save us from our sin. It is always a dream for me to do it during the christmas eve. Unfortunately, I have lost some of the boldness in my youth these days. Singing christmas carol has relegated into time for fun and tradition rather than evangelism.
posted by justanotherbrotherinchrist | 11:59 pm
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