Hallelujah
S: Good night
Late at night, the sound of raindrops dripping outside the window echoes like an ancient, unchanging love song. "Dear, I miss you... Really, I miss you so much, so much. I miss your kindness, your diligence, your hard work, and your dedication to raising our children. Then I think of myself, living alone in a foreign land, unable to offer you much help or comfort. Alas! I owe you so much, and I don't know when I'll ever be able to repay you."
A week into my Taipei experience, I'm still not used to the pace of life in Taipei. I miss the little things I had in Chiayi, but I can only dream about them. I pray, meditate, and ask myself, was coming to Taipei the right place? Is God pleased? When I'm feeling down, no one listens to my complaints. When I'm lonely, no one offers companionship. Now I understand a little bit what my father-in-law once said: the discomfort of being alone in an empty, deserted room. I long to return to Chiayi, to cry in your arms, to sleep in your arms, to live what is generally considered a "happy and fulfilling" family life.
Yet, I resisted. I had to tell myself: Unless the Lord gave me clear instructions, I would remain a sojourner for a while. Otherwise, I would rather endure loneliness and hardship than easily change my decision. I feared, I worried that if I returned, I would fall into an even greater clutch of evil, unable to extricate myself. friends, and confidants?" Every day in Chiayi, as you know, I can only pass the time and loneliness by composing poetry, playing the piano, and praying and reading the Bible regularly. I have little joy or satisfaction. Although my life is carefree, the burden on my heart is truly unbearable!
Walking this path of truth is so difficult! We cannot indulge in sin like the pagans, and I am getting older and can no longer afford to waste time on trivial matters. I fear that if I don't rush out this time, I will deeply regret it. Perhaps the two reasons I left home are ridiculous (one is work, the other is television). But seriously consider my situation: a man without a stable job and with such high expectations of himself, I fear failing to live up to the "gift" from the Lord, afraid of becoming increasingly useless, or developing an evil face, and not having a good example for my three sons to follow. Regarding the television: I have prayed that if you buy another TV, it will be the time for the Lord to call me to leave home, because I told the Lord: I cannot resist that temptation.
I have a lifelong love for watching and studying, and I've become completely absorbed in sensual pleasures. (I met a dancer in Taipei. She once told me that the church urged her to give up dancing. Although she obeyed, it was painful, and she couldn't give it up completely. Later, she found a way to choreograph her own dances, using inspiration and other methods to spread the gospel. Now she's living a good life and is truly content. She's a member of the Living Water Fellowship and currently teaches dance at the Arts Academy.) I'm saying this case to say: If I could go back, in addition to entertainment and leisure, watching TV with my family (which I think is a normal and happy life for modern people, as long as it doesn't go beyond the norm), I would still tend to use art (devotion to God, exploring God, just like music) to glorify God and please myself. Why not? This is one of the revelations I've had coming here, but can I make good use of it? (I have a TV in my current rental apartment, but I've already tampered with it, so it's just fine.)
I prayed that way because, unable to find a true direction for my ministry, I'd fall back into my old problems. You've experienced this yourself, and I'm truly afraid. But honestly, if I didn't set my expectations too high and just enjoyed the audio and video experiences that I'm most interested in and can appreciate, what's the sin? But now, I've rented it myself, and I'll wait and see. Once I've cleared all the impurities, mistakes, and confusion, perhaps I'll truly understand what I should do (perhaps teaching? writing? piano lessons? business? preaching? or even being a tomboy!). I'll be the pillar of my family, perhaps spending the rest of my life doing nothing, fulfilling the curse of the "old" church: "Everything that leaves this church leads to death"... Only wait for the Lord's coming, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts (1 Corinthians 4:5). This is my reflection from today's Bible reading.
I really need to clarify my motives for coming to Taipei. Every day, seeing your wedding makeup photos, or watching your family sing on a trip to Xitou, I can't help but be deeply moved by your beautiful image. Nearly 20 years of married life have aged you considerably. You've experienced every bittersweet taste. being unemployed, yet refusing to settle for a menial job, while you work and earn money to support the family. (Of course, I love that you can do your current job, but selfishly, I think: We men have the responsibility.) Please don't misunderstand me as jealous or resentful. I think: once you gradually understand my predicament and situation, you'll understand. What worries me most now is that I cannot help you educate your three children well. I also feel deeply guilty for not fulfilling my responsibility of teaching. I hope that in the future, we will have a grasp of our work and direction, and our steps or beliefs will turn around. Then I must rush home, hold you high and treat you as a queen, kiss you sweetly, kiss you wholeheartedly, I really love you.
PS Phone calls are too expensive, so I'll write a letter instead.
Immanuel,
H
June 16, 1992, 1:22 AM
With the other party's consent, I feel the same way.
哈利路亞
S: 晚安。
夜深了,窗外傳來雨水滴答滴答聲,宛如古老而又不變的戀曲,親愛的,我想你… 真的,好想你,好想你,好想你的好,你的善良,勤儉,你的辛勞,及教孩子,又回想自己,隻身客居在外,絲毫不能給你多少幫助和安慰。唉!我欠你的太多了,不知何時才能還清。
來北一週,仍不習慣臺北人的生活步調,懷念在家的點滴卻只能夢想… 禱告、靜思,捫心自問,我來北對嗎?神悅納嗎? 心情不佳時,無人來聽我苦情,寂寞時,無人可來陪伴,現在方稍了解丈人曾說過:一人待在空曠又無人的房中的難受滋味,真想回家,抱著你痛哭,睡在在你懷中,過一般所謂的「幸福美滿」的家庭生活。
可是,我卻忍情,我又不得不告訴自己:除非得主清楚的指示,否則暫時還是客居一段時間,否則:寧可孤單-寂寞,刻苦己身,也絕不輕易改變我的決定,我害怕,我擔心,我若回去必陷入更大的魔掌中,不能自拔;我怕我會更加失常。 我的苦楚不是外面的,而是內心深處的呼喊著:「主啊!,我的工廠何在?我的弟兄朋友知己在哪裡?每天在家,你也知道,我只能藉作詩、彈琴,定時禱告讀經,來排遣寂寥和時間,沒有多少喜樂和滿足感,雖然生活無慮,但內心重擔委實難卸啊!
走這條真理的路,好苦啊!我們不能像外邦人有罪中之樂,而且自己年歲漸大,不能再浪費,時力於次要事情。我怕若此次不衝出來,我會很後悔,或許我離家的兩個原因是很可笑,(一是工作,二是電視。)但是認真為我的處境想一想:一個男人沒有固定工作,又自我期許那麼高,怕愧對從主而來的「恩賜」,怕越來越變成廢物,或邪惡的面龐的型態出現,而無好的榜樣給孩子看觀看。 為了電視問題:我曾禱告過,在你再買電視,則是主叫我離家的時候,因為我對主說過:我不能拒絕那種誘惑。
一生天生的愛看、愛研究,那些與聲色娛樂到忘我地步。(我來北遇見一個舞者,她曾說,教會勸她,棄舞,她雖順服卻好苦,總不能全捨,日後走出一條路,就是自己編舞,藉靈感或什麼的,來傳福音,現在她過得好,實在好滿足,她是活水團契的成員,現在藝專教舞) 我說這個個案是說:如果我有可能回去的話,除了娛樂或消遣,全家同賞電視之樂外,(我認為這是現代人的正常幸福生活,只要不逾矩),我還是會傾向於藉藝術(獻身,探索神,正如音樂一樣)使用在神方面能榮耀也悅己,何樂而不為呢?這是來此的啟蒙之一,但我能善加利用嗎?(我現在租屋有電視機,但已動過手腳,正好)。
我所以禱告那樣:是因在無法找出真正可事奉的方向時,會再陷入從前的問題,這事妳也親自經歷過的,我真怕。 但是,說真的,若不是自己期許太高,享受享受一下,我最有興趣而又能感受的音響和影視,又有何罪過呢? 但如今,我自己租下來了,暫時還是待一陣子再說,等我把一切雜質、錯誤、迷惘等等沉澱,澄清後或許我真明白我該做什麼,(可能教書?寫作?教琴?做生意?傳道?或做「男人婆」!)。坐陣家中,中流砥柱,或許就此終老一生,無所事事,正驗了:「老」會所咒詛的「所做離開本會的死路一條」… 只等主來,他要照出暗中的隱情,顯明人心的意念(林上4:5),這是今日的讀經心得。
我得真的澄清來北的動機為何? 每天一看見你那新娘妝照,再看到溪頭旅遊全家獻唱時,妳的倩影不禁感觸良深,近20年來的夫婦生活,已叫你蒼老許多,其中辛酸苦辣滋味叫你遍嚐,可真為難你了,苦待了你,我真該打,沒善盡保護顧惜之責。但我知道自己仍無法面對無工作,而又不肯屈就小職業,妳卻能工作賺錢,養家的局面和矛盾心理(我當然喜歡你能做現在的工作,但是我卻自私地想:有我們男人來負這種責任)請不要誤會我在嫉妒你,或者埋怨什麼。 我想:等妳漸明白我的為難,處境後,你會體諒我的。 我現最擔憂的是,無法幫助你好好教育孩子們,我也因未能盡教導之責而深深自責,盼望日後或是工作及方向,有了掌握,我們的腳步或信仰有了轉機,那時我必須飛奔回家,把你高高舉起當皇后看待,香香的吻妳,吻個痛快,我真的愛妳。
p.s.電話費太貴了,以寫信代替。
以馬內利
H
1992.06.16 凌晨1:22