Monday, April 09, 2007

Genesis 22
Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.

9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.

12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram [a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

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i actually like the chinese version of the story more....
And God Said No

I asked God to take away my pride. And God said "No". He said it was not for him to take away, but for me to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. And God said "No". He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No". He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No". He said he gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No". He said suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No". He said I must grow on my own. But he will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No". He said I will give you life, that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me. And God said, Ah, finally you have the idea.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

完璧的父親

if i get what the advert shows, i'm cancer, actually :)

Monday, April 02, 2007

quoted from my friend's blog, an interesting story...

March 27
龍蝦與寄居蟹
我不嬲好少好少聽收音機既, 即使自己開車出街都係聽CD多. 不過上個星期搭van仔既時候聽收音機就聽到一個好有意思既故事, 我想響呢度送俾大家.

有一天, 寄居蟹興龍蝦在深海中相遇, 寄居蟹看見龍蝦正在把自己的硬殼脫掉, 只露出嬌嫩的身體. 寄居蟹非常緊張地說: "龍蝦, 你怎能把唯一保護自己的硬殼也放棄呢? 難道你不怕有大魚一口把你吃掉嗎? 以你現在的情況來看, 連急流也會把你沖到岩石裏去, 到時你不死才怪呢!"

龍蝦氣定神閒地回答: "謝謝你的關心, 但是你不了解, 我們龍蝦每次成長, 都必須先脫掉舊殼, 身體才能長大, 再生長出更堅固的外殼. 現在面對的危險, 只是為了將來發展得更好作出的準備."

寄居蟹細心思考了一下, 自己整天只找可以避居的地方. 而沒有想過怎樣使自己成長得更強壯. 整天只活在別人的護蔭之下, 難怪永遠都限制了自己的發展.

每個人都有一定的安全區, 對於那些害怕危險的人, 危險無處不在. 你想跨越自己目前的成就, 請不要劃地自限. 勇於接受挑戰充實自我, 你一定會發展得比想像中更好.