Happy Chinese New Year!

This year's Chinese New Year is more festive than the previous years with Valentine's and Chinese New Year falling on the same week. It also meant that the week was a more hectic one. Pastor's 12 met up for a gathering at Mabel's house (it was quite an experience to have 5-6 people preparing for dinner in a small a kitchen! The other 5--6 people were shaking leg, keke...) and had a time of gift exchange. It was fun we had enough spaghetti to feed two football teams (Lijun had 3 servings in valiant attempt to help finish! We managed to only finish half heh...), soup and our homemade fondue which was really really yummy. The food was definitely good, which was not surprising since we had a good cook (our dearest Pastor Yo!). But more than that, it was the fact that we took time out out to spend with each other and to show each other that we were thinking about each other that made the night special. There was of course the fact that we were spending what most people would see as a romantic night with the spiritual family that made it unique too.

Even though Valentine's is originally a festival that celebrates sex and fertility, I think in choosing to celebrate it the way we did was gave the day a new and different meaning and added value to ourselves by celebrating it. We went beyond just gift-giving or romance, but expressed love that was deliberate, committed and sisterly.

Chinese New Year too is rooted in myth and originated because of the need to chase away a fearsome beast called 'Nian'. But even just like we celebrate Valentine's in a positive way, let's do the same for Chinese New Year. This festival has become for us an important day for families and friends to visit and bless each other. May you think of your families, and ask for a blessing for them and commit to be a blessing to them as well.

Happy and Victorious Chinese New Year people!