Author: admin

This is war

One week before Halloween last year, the neighbor across my house erected a purple inflatable witch with a black hat on the top and green fingers like craws stretching out in the front yard. This is the beginning of my fighting of prayer. Every morning, I walked by and prayed in my neighborhood. In the end of day, the witch inflatable leaked air and bent the waist bowing down. However, my neighbor was determined and inflated it again each day. So I kept praying. On the night of Halloween, this witch was totally “dead”, lying flat on the ground.

After the victory last year, I plan to pray again one week before Halloween this year. But my neighbor took out the witch inflatable in the beginning of October. So I am going to pray earlier than the date I planned.

The Bible tells us: Fearing God is hating evil (Proverbs 8:13). I once saw a festival of “Pagan’s pride” celebrated in Minnehaha Fall Park. The attendants who dressed up for that exactly like for the Halloween: witch, painted face of death, and horrible figures. This tell us that Halloween is the display of pagans’ pride, who are proud of being company with darkness, rather than enjoying the lovely light and truth.

My children thought I am not “Americanized” enough to celebrate the Halloween. I told them the story from an American missionary, uncle M, who was invited to share his story in our Sunday School. He has been a missionary for more than 20 years. When he travels to Asia and Africa, he saw how the devil persecuted Christians from torturing or killing them to burning down their churches. He told me that he never wants to give Satan a foothold to rob him of God’s truth by naively or ignorantly participating in the evil activities.

Remember: One step closer to the evil darkness is one step away from the righteous God. And our God is a consuming fire (Hebrew 12:29). His justice will burn down all the evil unrighteousness. Only through Jesus Christ’ blood of righteousness like fire-proof coat in the fire, the forgiven sinners won’t be consumed.

Please join me to pray for our family, neighborhood and the nations. I have asked God for the strategy and I want to write it down for calling all the saints to pray to advance His Kingdom.

Psalm 96 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for He comes, He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His truth.

Therefore, my prayer this week will firstly praise God. I choose several songs focusing on His attributes and sing aloud at home or walking in the neighborhood. When you worship in singing, you can feel free to pause and pray whatever God prompts in your heart.

Shine, Jesus shine.
How Great is our God.
Majesty.
Our God reigns.
Holy, Holy, Holy.
Great is thy faithfulness.
Then sings my soul.

王善忠看盡冷暖 立志為弱者抱不平

圖1：年輕有為的王善忠（Shan Wang），日前由明州市長戴頓（Mark Dayton）任命為第七司法區（7th Judicial District）的法官。（圖片由王善忠提供）

圖2：愛家的王善忠在繁忙之餘，全家喜歡旅行享受天倫之樂。（圖片由王善忠提供）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

1977年生的王善忠（Shan Wang），年輕有為，日前由明州市長戴頓（Mark Dayton）任命為第七司法區（7th Judicial District）的法官，讚許他的「多元專業與義工服務經驗」將帶來重要貢獻。明州法官多數為白人，王善忠說他的任命反映出明州多元種族的社區現況。第七司法區轄管明州十個縣，王善忠是此區的第一位亞裔法官，許多少數族裔以他為榮，他也期許自己成為亞裔的模範。

王善忠的「多元專業經驗」與他的成長背景有關。父親是山東移民到韓國的華僑，母親是韓國人。父親生他時才18歲。王善忠四歲時父母離異。之後與父親到台灣住了五年。九歲時隨父親到美國開餐館。王善忠在16歲時因與父親衝突而離家出走。第一個月沒地方住時，他常睡在公園裡。但他告訴自己不能失敗，要活下去。王善忠說當時最難熬的是失去希望，所以他不敢想太遠，並到處打工，攢錢餘月後租拖車裡的房間棲身。王善忠流浪時，看盡人間冷暖與社會不公，激發他為弱者打抱不平的決心。18歲時，接受住芝加哥的姑姑資助，到芝加哥州立大學念政治科學，再到明尼蘇達大學完成法律學位。

王善忠曾擔任檢查官有13年，他說檢察官的工作就是追求正義。比起起訴刑事案，他說起訴性販賣（sex trafficking）等案件更有成就。因為即使將殺人兇手繩之於法，死者也無法復生，當中沒有贏家。而性販賣受害者，常因害怕不敢報警。檢察官若能說服被害人指認壞人，不僅救人，還為社會除害。

王善忠認為正義要兼顧法與情。他說兩個法官對同一案件的判決可能不同，因此身為法官，品格與觀點很重要。王善忠從過去起訴罪犯的經驗，到之後擔任書記官，協助法官收集資料審理案件，對他分辨對錯極有幫助。另外由於他過去困苦的遭遇，使他富同情心，願意給犯人機會改過。

王善忠在美國長大，青少年期也經歷身份認同的問題。但他學會做自己、負責任、不為別人而假裝，或在乎別人的批評而失去內心平靜。他的人生哲學是「你要人怎麼待你，你就先怎麼待人」，他說如果大家都這樣做，社會問題會少很多。王善忠認為華人社區要互相幫助，因為團結力量大，從找工作到婚姻都能得力於人脈。他說華人影響力逐漸增大，未來仍有許多發展空間。

王善忠也是個愛家的好男人。他說讓太太快樂，人生就幸福。他大學時經姑姑介紹認識住在台灣的蔡佩軒。當年看到蔡佩軒與孩童的良好互動，他知道這是一個能與他建立幸福家庭的人。蔡佩軒目前在聖克勞德市（St. Cloud）的中文沉浸式學校教書，平日相夫教子，繁忙之餘，全家喜歡旅行享受天倫之樂。

This is war. Day14

When would you cry out to God in your trouble? There might be three situations coming to our reality:
Some people may suffer for bitter labor in an unfair working environment. But their attitude of pride put their hearts in constant grumbling and the deepest gloom, like prisoners suffering in iron chains.
Some people may become foolish to beat themselves up by demanding things in their own selfish ways. They become depressed and loathe all food, drawing near the gates of death.
Other people may suddenly encounter disaster or crisis in life and are at their wits’ end. Their courage are melted away in their peril.
However, there’s a hope.
The Bible says: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.” (Psalms 107:19)
It’s not a shame to have trouble. But it’s a shame not to ask for help. The good and loving God is opening His ears to listen and His arms to embrace you when you ask Him in the name of Jesus Christ for wisdom and deliverance with a broken and contrite heart .
So I pray: Lord, God, our pride and evil bondage keep us from crying out to You in our trouble. When the situations strike us, may You give us humility to come to Jesus Christ for help. Then, You will bring us out of darkness and break away our chains. You will send forth Your word and heal us. You will still the storm of our life and guide us to the desired haven. As a result, we can sing our thanks and praise to You with all our hearts.

This is the war. Day12

A baby boy was born blind and abandoned on the street in Taiwan. He was sent to the orphanage and well taken care by the staff. He grew up with a joyful heart because he received a lot of love. Whenever he struggled with his physical blindness, he remembered how greatly he was loved by “many fathers and many mothers” in the orphanage. The eyes of his spirit are bright.
Later on, a pastor taught him to play Saxophone and he loved the music and carried the musical instrument with him all the time. He studied in the special aid school called Huei-Ming, which organized a music group for the students to play music. This group was invited to perform in many places including prisons. The prisoners were touched by his gratitude to God in his weakness.
The joyful attitude of the handicapped people often make healthy people feel shameful because the physical healthy people with unhealthy soul often take what they are given for granted.
Therefore, if we often feel not satisfied in our heart, why not come to ask God to check if there’s any illness in our soul?
The Bible says: “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.’” (Romans 3:10-11)
So I pray: Lord, God, “No one is good” is Your diagnosis of every person’s spiritual health. You, as our Creator, know humans’ situation so well that You sent Jesus Christ to come to heal the brokenness in our soul. May You open our spiritual eyes to see our souls are sick and need Your healing through receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior and the Lord.

This is the war. Day11

If you receive foreign currency, without knowing which country it is from and its foreign exchange-rate, you have no clue about how much it is worth.
Likewise, if you want to know your value, you have to find the right measurement from the origin that you are from.
Knowing your value is the only way of restoring your self-esteem. But with what unit do you measure your value? The world teaches us to value our value by the unit of social status, financial condition, people’s praise, virtues, or achievement, etc. But sooner or later, such kind of self-esteem will pop out like bubble when we don’t live up to the standard of the secular measurement.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to reveal to humans the right measurement for our value: we are created in the image of the infinite God.
Even though we are mortal and finite in this life, we are given potential and power to rule over the earth. Don’t you want to know this potential and power He grants each of us? If you do, how will you find it?
Jesus uses the natural law to explain the spiritual law. He says:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)For bearing much fruit in your life, your pride and self-dependence need to go away. Look at a farmer. He plants the seed and then waits in expectation for God to make it grow. Likewise, you first receive and plant the seed of the gospel to your heart, which is Jesus Christ came to save you by His sacrifice for your sins. Moreover, through regularly coming to learn His truth like watering the seed, and confessing your sins to Him like weeding in the field of your heart, then wait for God’s timing. The seed in your heart in due time will grow to a beautiful abundance of life, one of a kind, designed by Him.
So I pray: Lord, God, please give us a heart of fearing You, not people including ourselves. Therefore, we can hate sins and die to sins, then we will be alive to God in Jesus Christ.

This is the war. Day10

Have you ever cried out to God in the midst of your trouble? Are you seeking His help or wanting to find out what He desires for you? God promises that if you truly seek Him, you will find Him.
God is good and doesn’t force us to love Him even though He has the ability. But He patiently shows us how much He loves us. Every morning, the sun faithfully shines up in the sky to provide heat and light to all the creature. A healthy human body functions in a complicated but efficient way. We are given taste buds for enjoying all kinds of flavors of food rather than just devouring stuff for digestion.
However, when we take all the good things offered by the infinite Heavenly Father for granted like a spoiled child, we may question God in our trouble, demanding an answer by saying something like: “If God is good, why does this happen to me?”
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9:20)
Do we really want to know the answer? Or are we justifying our anger by blowing it out to God? This question is not wrong, but could be hidden with a wrong attitude. For a truth seeker, this question can be rephrased to a prayer like: “In the midst of disaster, what does God want me to learn?” or “How does God help people like me overcome in this situation?” Asking a good question with a humble attitude may bring you beneficial answers.
So I pray: God, when we come to you with a wrong attitude, our questions often reveal the evil darkness in our hearts that we are not thankful and respectful for the all-knowing Creator as finite creature. Lord, please forgive our self-exalting pride to question You in an arrogant way and please teach us to ask You good questions with humility.

This is the war. Day9

If someone lies to you once, it is normal that you give what he says a second thought: is he telling the truth this time?
However, if someone promises you hundreds of things long time ago and he remembers and fulfills them all, it is natural that you want to trust this person with all your heart.
Henry Blackaby, author of “Experiencing God”, refers to the Bible not as what “it says” but what “He says”, meaning what God says. As the author of “The battle plan for prayer” mentioned, the Bible is not like other books you read. When you open the Bible, the Writer of the words is there with you. God is here. God is speaking. God is listening.
Once, I prayed before I opened the Bible to read, I thought about what Holy Spirit is about. I usually pray to God by calling Him “Lord” or “Jesus”. But that day, I heard myself praying, “Abba Father, do I have Holy Spirit in my heart?” Of course, I didn’t hear anything audible. But when I opened the Bible to the page I planned to read, I saw this verse before my eyes: Galatians 4:6, “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.””
I was shocked to “hear” the instant reply from God. He is kindly telling me what I want to know to assure of His love for me as His child. Since then, I always pray to God to lead me to read His words.
If you don’t know who God and Jesus Christ is and never read Bible before, why not give yourself a chance to meet Him in the Bible with a seeking heart?
So I pray: Lord, God, the Bible is Your word to tell us about Yourself and teaches us to know who we are so that we may be complete, fully equipped for every good work You design for our lives. May You open our hearts to understand Your divine message through reading the Bible.

吳新興訪明州 會談僑界代表

圖1：台灣僑務委員會委員長吳新興（前排右四），由駐芝加哥經濟文化辦事處處長何震寰（前排右三）陪同，日前拜訪明州，與雙城地區的二十多位僑務代表與僑民座談交換意見。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

台灣僑務委員會委員長吳新興，由駐芝加哥經濟文化辦事處處長何震寰陪同，日前拜訪明州，與雙城地區的二十多位僑務代表與僑民座談交換意見。明州僑民感謝僑委會贊助僑界舉辦活動，如萬國節的台灣文化展示與學術聯誼演講等。

何震寰致歡迎詞說，吳委員長上任一年多來，風塵僕僕走訪各地探視僑民情況。吳新興接著說明此行到加拿大參加台加文化中心的活動，之後再到底特律和明州。他說如果政府像公司，僑民就是他的客戶。他以公僕的身份，代表台灣政府關心僑民；並行銷台灣，讓僑民知道政府在做什麼。他認為去瞭解僑民的滿意度，是自由民主國家的風範。

吳新興看到明州各僑界團體不分政治色彩，在海外支持國家，他並感謝僑務委員、顧問們幫助政府服務僑民。他說不論是中華民國或台灣，如銅板的兩面，都是僑民所愛，那塊曾經居住、成長與家人所在的地方。只要彼此認同，都是一家人。

吳新興以影片介紹1962年成立的僑委會，宗旨是聆聽僑胞心聲，服務認同中華民國與支持台灣的僑民。影片中提到，在台灣這塊土地上，不同的族群走過衝突、對立，使今日台灣成為華人世界中最民主的國家。僑委會也弘揚海外僑教與外交，與全球上千所中文學校聯絡，培養20多萬名僑生。僑委會設置海外融資信用中心，服務僑商需求，並鼓勵海外青年返台學習與貢獻。

座談時，廖正富詢問台灣傳統週的團體選拔評估；林志誠建議中文教育延伸至美國主流學校；張儀君提出是否能與傅爾布萊特獎學金（Fulbright）合作，增派台灣師資到美國大學內協助亞洲研究。蔡玉茂分享經驗，他看到學習簡體字的美國學生，只要有機會接觸正體字，就愈能欣賞正體字與中華文化。吳新興回應說，中華文化在台灣是優質文化，希望大家一起努力傳承。最後吳新興說僑務應科技轉型，不受限於紙本，勉勵大家多上網，到台灣文化部、教育部、觀光局等網站，都可找到豐富的文化素材。

此行還有駐芝加哥經濟文化辦事處秘書董慶豐、華僑文教中心主任王偉讚、副組長李佳怡，與台灣僑教處社會教育科科長林高名蒞臨。

中文夏令營 體驗亞洲美食文化

圖1：崔孝子（右）與小朋友開心製作簡單又健康的亞洲美食。（陳曼玲攝影）

記者陳曼玲╱明尼蘇達州報導

明州台灣線上圖書館日前舉辦中文夏令營，帶給學生一場豐富的亞洲美食之旅。能吃到自己動手做的台灣飯團、水餃、日本壽司、越南春捲與韓國烤肉等，學生與家長每天引頸期盼品嚐這些健康美食，紛紛表示希望將來能再繼續舉辦。

華人學生蔡言欣說，此次夏令營讓她體會到料理可以簡單製作、內容健康又好吃。美國家長說，他們對亞洲食物很感興趣，但總感嘆在明州吃不到道地風味。教學老師崔孝子來自韓國，對料理研究頗有心得。她兼顧傳統風味與美國口味，先在家中準備超過十種以上的蔬菜食材，然後讓學生練習切菜、洗菜、包餃子、捲壽司等，學生因為興致高昂，專心學習，結果出乎意料的好，自己也覺得很有成就感。老師也就地取材，教學生乾燥自家可栽種的薄荷葉，用來泡茶或作為烹飪用的香料；用檸檬做成糖漿、混合西瓜與蘇打汽水，簡單就能喝到健康的飲料。崔孝子詳盡記錄此次教學的食譜與方法與家長分享，鼓勵學生回家繼續為自己和家人烹調。

從台灣來的美術老師陳郁佳教學生畫靜物水彩，並練習說中文，像是番茄、香蕉、麵包、馬鈴薯等。學生一邊觀察、一邊聽、說、一邊畫，畫完還可以吃，充分使用五感來提高學習中文的興趣。

另外在料理教學中，中文老師配合教學，讓學生練習說各種食材的中文，以及認識漢字，例如餃、卷、飯、米等。根據學生的中文程度與興趣，中文老師利用機會在學生畫圖、玩遊戲等活動中，與學生進行中文會話。例如有個在家學習的美國學生，平時使用電腦軟體學中文，他很喜歡在活動中練習說中文。另外有一個上中文沈浸式學校的美國學生，在學校學的是簡體字，但在此次活動中，學到許多正體字的美好意義，讓她覺得很有收獲。

此次活動成功地讓在美國長大的華洋下一代，更懂得欣賞健康美味的亞洲食物，並增加對正體漢字與文化的興趣。

人的失敗，神的成功

你如何定義失敗？是沒有達成他人的期許？還是對自己應有的表現感到失望？

上帝差主耶穌到世界來救人脫離罪的黑暗。但祂開始宣教三年後就被釘死在十字架上，使猶太人對他成為政治領袖的期望落空。舊約的約瑟年輕時被嫉妒他的兄長賣到埃及為奴，之後遭人誣陷而坐牢，他的人生好像在起跑點上就栽了跟斗。

但我們從聖經歷史看到，在上帝的計畫中沒有所謂的失敗；那些暫時的「不如意」，卻是愛主的人邁向成熟的踏腳石。

我的求學過程沒有太大挫折，因此我相信只要努力，一定有收獲。讀教育研究所時，我對林林總總的教育理論很感興趣。成為母親後，更希望能使用這些理念，幫助孩子順利成長。

然而倚賴自己的聰明，是我第一個「錯誤」。我的老大是「照書養」，就是參照別人的教養經驗與社會對個人的期待，來告訴孩子該做什麼，不該做什麼。

告訴孩子「別人做得到，你也可以」是我第二個「錯誤」，不自覺地把孩子和別人放在同一個天平上比較，忽略了觀察孩子的獨特性。

在該放手讓孩子跌倒的時候，卻想扶著他，是我第三個「錯誤」。這種看似保護的行為，其實是對自己的判斷沒有安全感，因為不知道孩子能承受多少；間接縱容孩子的自我中心，也養成容易放棄的習慣。

個性溫和的兒子一向「乖乖」聽話，但到青少年期，才敢「叛逆」跟我說出他長年累積的不滿。我驚覺自己鑄成大錯，因此我棄甲投降，來到上帝面前求祂憐憫。在痛苦中我禱告：「主啊，我倚靠人的聰明，對孩子造成傷害，我向您懺悔。」神感動我向兒子坦誠錯誤，並請他原諒。可是那無法彌補過去的後悔仍纏繞心底。直到有一天讀到聖經說：「我打發到你們中間的大軍隊，就是蝗蟲、蝻子、螞蚱、剪蟲，那些年所吃的，我要補還你們」（約珥書第二章25節）。神的話讓我明白，我雖無法改變過去，但神可以使用我的「錯誤」來建造兒子的未來。神也藉由我的悔改，使我確信神能復興我，也必能復興任何倚靠祂的人。

全心相信聖經話語而轉化更新的我，對老二女兒不是「照豬養」，而是「照主養」。我不再套用自己或別人的經驗在孩子身上，而是常常為孩子禱告，求最瞭解孩子需要的上帝給我智慧，來引導孩子當學習的事，尤其是鍛鍊正直、敬畏主的品格。

我尊主為大，不論斷自己，也不論斷孩子。因為聖經說：「連我自己也不論斷自己…判斷我的乃是主…」（哥林多前書第四章3-4節）。要尊重孩子是神大而可畏的創造，不是父母操縱的魁儡。鼓勵孩子發展他喜歡做的事，並且支持他去嘗試，而不要對他說：「你沒有這個天分吧」，或是「學別人做那個才有前途」等消滅他志氣的話。

有個設計師說，他讀建築系時，教授要他們繪圖時不可以用橡皮擦，因此他學會了「順其自然」：不偏執於不完美，而是將有缺陷的筆觸，變成計畫中的一部份。

同樣地，在主耶穌被釘死的十字架上，似乎就寫著約瑟對賣他的兄長所說的：「從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。」（創世記第50章20節）法利賽人雖因其惡心，釘死了威脅他們地位的耶穌，但是神卻能用人眼中的「失敗」，來完成祂對人類救贖的計畫，讓祂揀選得救的人有永遠的生命。

世人認為「不做不錯」，就是不要做事，就不會犯錯。但主耶穌說「不做不錯」的人是又懶又惡（參考馬太福音第25章26節）。如果我們真的尊主為大，就會相信神「使萬事互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處」（羅馬書第八章28節），而勤勞去做神感動我去做的事。即便結果不如預期，也不灰心，因為我們怎知道神不是要「叫你們的信心既被試驗…可以在耶穌基督顯現的時候，得著稱讚、榮耀、尊貴」（彼得前書第一章7節），或是「我受苦是與我有益，為要使我學習你的律例」（詩篇119篇71節）呢？

所以，我不再自憐看「錯誤」為失敗，而是讚美神使我倚靠祂勇敢去「嘗試」，然後完成祂在我身上的美意。