New Year Eve

It's another Auld Lang Syne... What does that actually mean?

I went on line and found out that it literally means, old long since, or better translated into modern English, 'long, long, ago'.

Robert Burns, a Scot, wrote the poem which is now used to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight (of course, it has now been put to music and people often sing it at new year eve gatherings) --

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne.

CHORUS:

On Old long syne my Jo,

On Old long syne,

That thou canst never once reflect,

On Old long syne.

In Taiwan, what people like to do is to go to the Taipei 101 to watch the fireworks display... 

Here is a Youtube upload of this year's firework display --

Taipei 101 2014 Fireworks Display

And now, it has also become very popular for people to come to Neihu and join the party right in front of the Miramar Entertainment Center. People also walk to the nearby park to shoot off fireworks.

What did we do this New Year Eve?

Alan had to sub for a co-worker and didn't get back home until 10p.m.

Abby went to cram school but was able to get out of class early.

Isaiah finished practice early. And after eating dinner and resting at home, he went down to Miramar to hang out with his friends.

When Abby came home, she watched Korean Soap Opera until after 1a.m.

Alan went to bed right after 12 midnight.

And yes, I wrote this post.

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Facing the New Year

Each year Alan and I sit down in November to look back and to look forward. We set Family Goals (which we discuss with our kids), Couple Goals and I set my own personal goals.  We do this so that we will not remain stagnant.  We want to excel still more. We want to abound even more.  And like the Beth Moore Bible study that I'm doing, I am convinced that you can excel even more for good or for bad. And if you don't excel, then you are going the other way, whether you realize it or not.

I think Phil. 1:9 expresses our heartfelt prayer --


We want to abound more and more... in our love for one another and in our knowledge of God and all discernment.

As we draw to the closing of another year, I hope you will take the time to reflect and consider how God would want you to abound more and more in this new year.

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A Lesson on Tea

Tonight we had our end of the year dinner for the ladies' Bible study that I've been a part of for over 10 years. The members of the group might have changed over the years, but the joy of being together has not.

Amy again hosted the party.

The food was great. Sorry no pictures... we ate everything too quickly...

But after the dinner, Amy's husband, Darwin, took out his tea drinking 'gears' and started to serve traditional Chinese tea.

I learned so much as Darwin collects TEA. I never knew anyone who collects tea. I never knew that tea is like wine or whiskey... the older, the better and the more expensive. In fact, he told me that 100 year old tea can be sold now for over 4 million RMB. WHAT???????????  You can buy a nice house in Taipei with that amount.

I think my grandfather had old tea... and I think when he passed away, we just threw all that tea away. That's worst than the Boston Tea Party!

Here are some pictures --

I went on line and here is what I found -- 

A tong of FuYuanChang puerh tea from the early 1900s--The price achieved for this 2060g of tea was just over £1 million (1.7 million USD).

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Morning and Afternoon Services

This was the last Sunday of 2014 and it was a busy one.

In the morning, I shared at the New Beitou Baptist Church from Col. 4, focusing on verses 5-18.

In the afternoon, it was last prayer walk of 2014 for House of Praise.

In the morning, there were more than 12 people present for the service. And after the service, people wanted to stay to receive prayer ministry.

In the afternoon, there were many new people present for the prayer walk.  And there was only a slight sprinkle outside.

What a way to end the year... the last Sunday of 2014!


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Prayer Time and Party Time

Today Alan and I met up with Hugo and Liza and their kids and Paul and Joyce and their daughter, and together we had a time of prayer.  What a blessed time.

In the evening, Alan had a party with the tennis players who all gather at the local courts. It was a splendid time of feasting. The food was incredible.  This gentleman is a floral designer. And the place was so beautifully decorated. I will update this post with pictures!

There was a KTV set up. And Alan was asked to sing Amazing Grace.

Abby and I went up with him. Just as we were on the third stanza, the signal was given -- it was 9:30 -- the party had to end so that we do not disturb the neighbors. But our host, Claude, insisted that we finish the whole song and then the party ended.

How amazing!  If the song popped up three minutes later, we would not have sung. And it was the last song of the evening...

I pray that each person went home with that song ringing in their year...



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Opening Their Presents

For Family Night, after reading the devotional and I John 1:5-9, the kids got to open their presents before we shared about our week and our prayer requests.

The kids with their goods!

Isaiah -- An excellent music CD

Abby -- An excellent collection of piano and guitar song sheets

It seems that the theme of the gifts was related to music!  We immediately listened to the CD and the second song was so beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcCT5bWhV_8

Good by Matthew West and Leigh Nash

And Abby has been serving in her youth group, playing the piano or the guitar, and leading the worship time. So, the youth leaders knew she needed more songs. Even though this book is a bit outdated with more 'older' songs, it's still a great resource for her.

The presents were just a real reminder of those at their youth group who pray and support our kids. I felt so blessed with each package that they opened. I knew that the ones who wrapped the presents spent time thinking and praying for my kids.

We ended our Family Night with joyful and grateful prayer!

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Merry Christmas!

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

It sure has been for all of us here in Taiwan!

Rejoice each day ...
     For God gave His only Son...
           So that we may live...

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It's Christmas Eve!

To most people here in Taiwan, it's just another day.  There is no holiday. There is no rushing around to find that perfect Christmas gift.  There is no snow.  There might be a lot of 'nos'... but one thing for sure... there is still a spirit of celebration, something is in the air... Many churches have special Silent Night Service, or they are singing at a mall or going caroling...

Abigail finished her practice exams.

Isaiah had class and practice.

Alan and I had a nice date!

Tonight, we're just kicking back and relaxing.

Even though no one knows the exact date of the birth of Christ, I celebrate that He came.  I celebrate that God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus.  I celebrate... not only tonight... but every day.



Hallelujah Christmas!

http://youtu.be/43OQi0KJC8g

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Wrapping Up White Elephants

I love white elephant gift exchange parties.


All year I've been collecting. And this year was a bumper crop of elephants.  I took the entire morning 'packing' them just right.

It felt good to finally get these 'elephants' out of the house...

The party is a month away, but I'm totally ready.

Oh... another thing -- I went to the local post office this afternoon and it was totally decorated so beautifully for Christmas... I was so pleasantly surprised!


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The A-team 2014 Christmas Newsletter

It's amazing to think that we're coming to the end of another year.

Our 2014 Family Portraits

Isaiah had his 16th birthday on November 25th and started at Nanhu Senior High School in August of this year. Although Nanhu is a great school, it has been difficult for Isaiah as he got in through the "PE Track". What he learned this year is that he needed to respect his parents more and their advice to him.  He should have put in more time in his studies. He should have shown more appreciation to his homeroom teacher, Ms. Dong, and his parents.  Even though it has been quite an adjustment being in the PE Class, overall, he sees it as a good thing if he can learn self control and greater motivation towards his studies.  What he sees for this coming year is improvement in the 3S -- School, Sport and Spiritual Life. He needs maturity in all three areas.  He has to maintain a high grade point average for all five semesters of his high school career in order to get into a university of his choice.  The verse he'd like to claim for this new year is II Tim. 1:7 -- For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. What he needs most is DISCIPLINE.

Abigail had her 15th birthday on November 28th. She is a 9th grader at Xihu Junior High School. The highlight of this year was definitely our family missions trip to the Philippines.  She really enjoyed serving the kids and being a part of the team.  She loved helping with the games and learning all the VBS songs.  For this new year, she has lots going on. In January, she will have her graduation trip. Then in May she will take her very important high school entrance exams. The results of the tests will determine what high school she will be able to enter. That will also determine what she will be doing this summer and the summers to follow  The verse she'd like to claim for this new year is Proverbs 1:7 -- The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline. 

Alan continues to teach at Soochow University. As he looked back over this year, many important things come to mind. He helped to get his mom settled into her own place, living with her sister, Ethel.  They are very involved in the senior community and have made so many wonderful friends. He also loved the family missions trip to the Philippines. This has been something that he had wanted to do for a long time. What fun it was to see his children loving others.  He was also very anxious about Isaiah's schooling situation.  This continues to be an area of trust as he knows that for the next three years, Isaiah will most likely not be so free to travel to the States as he will have to stay in Taiwan to train with the tennis team.  It has also been challenging for him as he has had to take a more active role as an elder at HOP.  What he sees for next year is to have men at House of Praise rising up to be more involved and active in their roles as fathers, husbands, sons, employers, employees, and so on.  The verse he'd like to claim for this new year is -- James 1: 19-20 -- This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Lovely was teaching part time at Soochow, but decided not to for the new school year. She always finds lots to things to be involved in. She continues to pray run and actually decided to sign up for a full marathon. Without having the time to train, she finished the race, but not hitting her desired goal. She wanted to finish under four hours. She crossed the finish line -- 4:07!!!!  She was pleasantly surprised to get first place for her age group.  As she looks ahead to 2015, she hopes to continue to speak at the New Beitou Baptist Church and at House of Praise.  If Abigail goes to high school full time, she might start tutoring or teaching again. She wants God to lead in terms of all that she does with her life.  The theme that God gave her for the new year is Hear the word of the Lord and the verse is Isaiah 50:4-5 -- The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back. 

As we look forward to 2015, we have chosen Heb. 4:12 as our family verse -- For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

We ask you to pray for us as a family that we'd continue to influence others for Christ and that the word of God would be our firm foundation.  

As we draw closer to Christmas day, we just want to lift up the name of Jesus. He is the Name above every name. And one day, every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus. How we pray that those knees will bow now, on this side of eternity!

We want to wish you all --

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