盛況空前

太太來自個大家庭，兄長和姊姊連她共七兄弟姊妹，她排行最小，眾人都開枝散葉。我從來都很欣賞和羨慕她們一家的凝聚力，不一定要等到過時過節大家都經常會保持見面和聯繫：或是家聚、或是大食會、或是吃午飯晚飯等，每次都最少會坐滿整圍檯，熱熱鬧鬧的你一言我一語，哈哈大笑後霎眼間便會過掉兩三個小時，就算在岳丈和岳母大人先後返天家後大家仍能保持這個寶貴傳統，很難得！

聖誕過後這天外家們都來了我家開大食派對，人數破了在我家聚會的紀錄：連兩個菲傭共有29人塞在家裡，玩遊戲和抽獎時喧嘩和歡笑聲一浪接一浪，震耳欲聾，幸虧沒有給人投訴！

我給這些可愛家人的稱謂，上至大舅，下至... 還是考考你吧：

有三個是大姨姐（太太的大姊姊）的男孫和外孫女，我應該稱他們甚麼呢？他們又應該怎樣稱呼我和我兩個比他們年長不過幾年的女兒呢？

最小的是剛滿一歲的小芍蕎，是大舅的外孫女，我應該稱她甚麼？她又應該怎樣稱呼我和我的女兒呢？

「情深25載」貝澳大露營

兩天紅色聖誕假期去了貝澳露營，跟和我同年信主的豪記慶祝我們25年前信主後首次參加當時YCC幾乎每年聖誕或新年都會攪的十人以上大露營。

太多東西想說，又想找多一點廿多年來camping的相片（其中一張在這裡），此篇網誌唯有後補（若有空的話！）... 現在先放一些這兩天的照片上來：

25載後的組合，兩代同堂！

「情深25載」，這25載特指我和豪記在YCC的年資。25年後今天的豪記風采和fit佬身形依然，雖然髮線上移了少許，卻仍然是我們露營不能少的靈魂人物！

我因睡得不夠，一直在頭痛，要在營幕裡躺一會，看見外面的弟兄和姊妹們各從其類分開兩組的，不是在站立祈禱，而是在閒談和準備往後的BBQ。

沒有電視、沒有洋娃娃，兩個女兒唯有堆沙和拾貝殼...

在沙灘邊玩了一朝早，一班小朋友褲管都盡濕了。

「神雕俠侶」：為了陪小龍女來紀念和懷緬廿年來的露營情，這位楊過就算明知自己因脊患會無法在營幕裡安睡也來，結果晚上只在營裡躺了不到兩個小時，其餘時間都是在營外閒蕩，吃盡漆黑和呼呼北風，整個晚上至黎明達旦就此渡過，如此由關愛生發出來的堅毅，不能不叫我佩服！

假若你感到意悠未盡，再看我們隨團攝影師楊過分享的照片吧：一、二、及兩天後在豪記的安樂窩重聚，打著邊爐看照片的盛況。

祈禧遊樂園

KK and HH have been planning and rehearsing for this party since summer... and now it's show time!

On the door of their room you can see a poster KK made showing an elaborate rundown of what they'll do in the party (dinner, games, singing, talk show, and even acknowledgement!), regulation that the invited kids need to observe, and a floor plan of the house (not shown here)!

Kids invited include cousins and schoolmates.

Everybody gets a gift/souvenir after the party.

Here's a composition that HH did back in 27 August 2008:

《快開張的小樂園》

我和姊姊一起建立了一個小樂園，這個小樂園是獨一無二的，這個樂園的名叫「祈禧遊樂園」，「祈禧」的意思是我和姊姊的姓名。我和姊姊開幕時將會有一個剪綵 儀式。我們在八月二十六日和八月二十七日做了門票，我們分開不同顏色的紙。我和姊姊有一個麥兜笑話，這個笑話的人物有：麥兜、他的媽媽和一個伙記。我希望 「祈禧遊樂園」不會有任何危險事情發生啊！

衷心感謝各位有心人

12月13日 原本只是跟弟兄姊妹在家住青衣的姊妹家中打邊爐，誰知還來個驚喜，給我預早慶祝生日。天使疍糕很好吃，愛心在打過邊爐後顯得更溫暖，謝謝！

12月14日 跟家人吃冬至飯，席上媽媽一如既往給我一封生日大利是。〔唔... 我不會告訴你這封利是有多大！〕

12月18日 收到一樓一一年一度的聖誕咭（見下圖），謝謝你一家的祝福！很欣賞閣下在這個年頭還能堅持寄發聖誕咭！〔話時話，平安夜晚7:30黎唔黎聚會，今年唔駛買禮物交換...〕

12月21日 崇拜後阿歡預祝我生日快樂，謝謝！〔多年來她幾乎都是教會中最早和最記得祝賀我的人（今年卻被人搶先了，哈！〕

12月22日 我抱著平常心過生日...

00:30 太太祝了我生日快樂才睡覺...

09:30 小女兒睡醒，牙還沒有刷便想起要跟我說生日快樂

09:50 老爸發過來短訊：

爸爸，這幾項祝福很有心思，肯定是經過了細想才寫下來，不是信口開河，謝謝！〕

13:52 想打電話給太太，誰知她跟小女兒外出了，手機還飛了線回家未取消！大女兒聽電話，也跟我說了句happy birthday，並即時問我到底幾歲... 對，到現在我和太太的年齡對兩個女兒仍然是秘密！你縱然知道亦請勿告訴她們... 哈！〕

15:23 太太來電，說她跟小女兒竟然已來到我辦公室門外，為要送來生日禮物，但我寧可等今晚回家才拆呢！兩個人催我可否早點下班，對不起，做不到呢！

15:42 我打電話給姚老姊妹，祝她生日快樂。姚姊妹跟我一樣，都是在冬至生日的，她的名字也是按「冬大過年」起的。在電話裡姊妹也給了我很多的祝福，謝謝！

16:49 阿歡再在正日光臨寒舍道賀，謝謝！

18:06 遠在蘇格蘭的Dan和Amy發了張電子賀咭過來，攪笑非常！

Hey, I did have a wonderful day! Thanks for your prayer!

18:30 同事們陸續下班，臨行前都給我祝賀，謝謝！

18:42 難道二哥抵不住寒流襲港，手也顫抖起來？何因他六分鐘之內連續發了三張相同的聖誕電子賀咭過來？

隨卡播放的Jingle Bell可能是我聽過以來其中一個最悅耳的版本，所以連聽三次也不會生厭呢！謝謝、謝謝、謝謝！（收到三張賀卡，所以要道謝三次！）

20:00 下班回到家中，太太和兩個女兒一連串的安排，我必須乖乖跟隨，包括：

1. 拆禮物：待我拆禮物前先幫它們拍個照...

由左至右：一樓一寄來的聖誕咭，太太送的禮物，兩個女兒親手做的禮物（由外面包裝至裡面的東西也是自己做的）

2. 燭光晚餐：小女兒堅持要我關掉家中所有燈，吃甚麼由菲傭出主意

3. 再來一個天使生日疍糕！這是最叫我意想不到的一著，因為我下班後是跟太太和兩個女兒一起逛超市後回家，是沒有看見她倆拿著蛋糕的，還打趣地問沒有蛋糕嗎...

太太，很飽呢！不單是肚子飽，連內心也是呢！謝謝妳細心的安排！感激！

順祝 大家聖誕蒙福，新年主恩滿溢！

Shadows rise at the glory of the Son

Half an hour later an evangelical ministry to the Mainland Chinese students will be kicked off in Aberdeen, Scotland. Although I am thousands of miles away from these people, I have the privilege to be involved in this -- at least praying for them:

Dear Lord,

You are not only the King of kings, but also Professor of professors, PhD of PhDs. When there are thousands of Chinese students from Mainland China going overseas to seek for world-class knowledge and academic qualifications, or even wisdom, open their eyes and expose them so that they understand "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

Thank you for giving Dan and Amy the vision of bringing the Christian message to my fellow Chinese in Aberdeen, Scotland. Empower them so that through them, their knowledge, their wisdom, their love, their lives, the power and love of God is revealed and it will attract the Chinese students there to be curious about knowing You. Strengthen their faith in You since there are prayers supporting them in this in different corners of the world.

Half an hour later Dan and Amy will host their very first gathering of Oil Lamp Initiative. I am sure You have already helped them to be well-prepared. Prepare also the hearts of all those who are invited and coming. Even when they are on their way now, let them start to experience the unusual Heavenly joy. Lord, let this gathering be a great start of a lasting ministry that has long been missing in this place. Let them enjoy the games, the food (especially the steam buns!), the songs, and most importantly, Dan's brief message on real freedom. Let all these stimulate their minds as well as their souls. Let them feel the emptiness of life and have a need for its fulfilment. Inspire them to be hungry like a wolf on reconsidering life and its meanings. Urge them to come back for a 2nd time not because it is just a great social gathering, but also because of the meanings behind. Let them encounter You my Lord!

Praying in Jesus' name. Amen.

Extended reading:
1. Read how Amy and Dan are preparing for this gathering.
2. Read how the gathering went and Amy's reflection on it.
3. More on Oil Lamp Initiative, and find a way to support us.

A sample layout for their OLI's PowerPoint opening. There's been quite some time that I haven't practised Chinese calligraphy. This design exercise gave me an excuse to do it again.

鬆一口氣！

終於完成這學期一科兩班（full-time and part-time）Experimental Typography的所有課堂！（還要在個多星期內完成評分工作。）雖然已經是第五個學期教授這個科目，但今個學期算是最吃力的了：既要為改動課程內容而傷腦筋和重新做準備功夫（especially some changes that I don't really believe in），也是最多學生的一次 —— 日夜校兩班共57人，每次tutorial和他們逐個談功課十分鐘，也最少要用上九個半小時！ —— 叫我不得不將有限的事間花在導修上而犧牲了lecture的時間。結果今晚final presentation至十時下課後，一些學生雖然已經離開，還是有八九個同學嚷著要看看我一早已經準備了卻沒有時間deliver的lecture PowerPoint...

日校的學生下課後說要拍張集體照

好了，星期二晚的一科尚有兩堂...