Cultivating Real Fellowship

Rev. Rick Warren, in his book "The Purpose Driven Life", talks about the nine characteristics of biblical fellowship:

Authenticity - sharing our true feelings
Mutuality - encourage each other
Sympathy - support each other
Mercy - forgive each other
Honesty - speak the truth in love
Humility - admit our weakness
Courtesy - respect our differences
Confidentiality - not gossip
Frequency - make group a priority

Brothers and sisters, how well are we carrying these things out? Remember, fellowship is not merely social gathering. We, joint together as a spiritual family, should be experiencing life together, for each of us is a part of the body of Christ. A body cannot function if the parts are disconnected from each other. For connection, we would need share our lives with each other to a very deep level, and that's where the nine characteristics of biblical fellowship come. I pray that all the Christians who read this would make some reflection upon this.

Follow-up with Clothes Shopping

Finally I found something to match my skirt.

So this morning I arrived Calgary, and soon after I went to a mall to buy some necessities because I don't have shampoo, conditioner and stuff at home. Of course I used this "golden" opportunity (since I had to wait for my dad to pick me up) to do some clothes hunting. I went into Suzy Shier to look. I found a few pieces of clothes that looked okay (not too exposed ... haha) and quite matchable with my skirt I mentioned in my previous entry, so I went for fitting. The first one made me look like a pregnant woman; the upper part of the second one is too wide for me; the third one, though, fit all right. I thought of buying it immediately and never had to worry about it again, but I felt I should go to other stores to pick out a few more options before I make a decision.

Just before I stepped out of Suzy Shier though, my dad called and said he is approaching the mall and I should get ready to go. Because I really didn't want to worry about this clothes issue again, I immediately took the top that I thought of purchasing and bought it. It was at a reasonable price.

After I went home, I tried the top on again with my skirt, and it looked okay. The color matched decently (The top is black and my skirt is gold. Black basically matches with anything I suppose.), and the cutting matched too. Hai~ finally my concern is past.

Thank God - He knows I always worry about things too well in advance, so He alleviates my concerns well in advance too. Also thank God for preparing this piece of clothes in Calgary, or else I would have to pay extra tax! :-D

Clothes Shopping

買衫這回事，真是可遇不可求。

在去年boxing day時買了一件衫和一條裙﹝很便宜的﹞，很合襯的，原本想好在不同occasions，包括我將會參加的婚禮，穿著的。怎料我上身那件top在我四月份穿完後被我弄垮了！我當然frustrated，因為那件衫的確很美麗﹝有興趣請到 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=4482&l=b6625&id=726355545 瀏覽﹞，而且我只穿了三次！Anyhow，我心想，只好再買一件去配襯那條裙好了。

近這三個月去了mall不下四、五次，而且很多大溫地區的大型mall都給我走遍了，但我總是找不到。不是夏季時裝太casual，就是布料或色系不合適﹝綠色配金色？I don't think so!﹞。我心想，不是那麼攪笑吧？近月全Vancouver都不流行我想找那種布料和色系？我快要回Calgary度暑假了，唯有在那裡碰一碰運氣吧！

其實我還有其他option的─我都有一兩件不同顏色的衫去襯那條裙，而且我可以穿另一條裙去婚禮。只不過，那一條裙so far我只穿過一次，不想太浪費。

或許神要幽我一默，叫我不要太將我的精神放在物質上，雖然我一向都算慳儉。其實，我們基督徒是不太需要worry about物質生活，因為神一定會供應，而且物質價值會過去，只有spiritual value是永遠長存。我們應該將心思放在甚麼身上呢？

「所以，不要憂慮說：吃什麼？喝什麼？穿什麼？這都是外邦人所求的，你們需用的這一切東西，你們的天父是知道的。你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。所以，不要為明天憂慮，因為明天自有明天的憂慮；一天的難處一天當就夠了。」﹝馬太福音6:31-34﹞

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:31-34, ESV)

共勉之。