Chinese New Year - 3rd day

Normally we are given two public holidays for the Lunar New Year, but this year First day of the New Year falls on Sunday, so Tuesday is a holiday. So here am I at home waiting for guests instead of being at Peacehaven Nursing Home conducting chapel service and visiting the residents.

Yesterday, we had about 20 visitors - friends and relatives. What a joy to have them in our home to celebrate the New Year. So to date we have entertained 66 visitors not counting those who came before the New Year with gifts as they were going overseas, or too busy to come during the New Year;

One of the Chinese customs in Singapore and Malaysia is the exchange mandarin oranges. The guests bring two or four oranges (must be even number)  to greet the hosts and these are handed with two hands. The hosts then reciprocate in the same way and we wish each other God's blessings. The oranges represent gold - in other words, we offer our best to each other.

To the worldly gold represents wealth, but to us it represents the richest of God's blessings. The wise men brought gold to give to Jesus.

As Christians we do nor normally use the prosperity greeting, of  Xin Nian Fa Cai in Mandarin ( or Sin Ni Huat Chye in Hokkien.Teochew or Sun Neen Fatt Choy in Cantonese) We use greetings like

Xin nian meng en, meaning "God's grace or favour be with you"
Xin nian ping an meaning "God's peace be with you" or  "Shalom"
Xin Nian Kuai le meaning "God's joy be with you"  The joy of the Lord is our strength.
Xin Nian Jiang Kang meaning "God grant you good health"

Xin nian Fa Cai or Huat Chye or  Fatt Choy means wealthy, rich, prosperous materially. Christians should refrain from such materialistic thinking.  "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6: 33. We've proven this to be true! Put God first and let Him supply all our needs.

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9 NIV)

So I pray this prayer for you "I pray that God will give you enough" The Lord is my Shepherd and Provider - that's Enough!