Blessed

Mikaela and I attended a Chinese New Year celebration the other day. I photographed the event and Mikaela got to play with children (mostly little Asian ones, to her delight!) It was a fun event!

I received this from a friend the other day and thought it was neat, so I decided to share it.

Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival is a time when we count our blessings for the year just about to end and look forward to perhaps a more blessed one in the new year.
Indeed it’s by Providence that we are so blessed that we can celebrate the incoming year in peace at a time when the world around us seems to be descending into chaos.
For Christians, it’s a double celebration because Lent (Easter Celebrations) - the most important festival in the Christian calendar - begins on Chinese New Year eve this year.

The author goes on to talk about the decorations that are put up for Chinese New Year...

The all time favorite is undoubtedly decorations with the character (福) ,meaning blessed. It is not only quintessentially Chinese, it’s a life giving word that says the same thing in any language because its speaks of the blessings that we all hope for.
It’s an interesting character that is composed of four radicals. The first one on the left is a radical associated with all things divine. The three radicals stacked up on the right hand side consist of the characters for one, mouth and rice field or garden.
The word ‘blessed’(福) is a word picture of the original blessedness of mankind. One man (一口)in a garden(田) with the Divine(示). According to the Bible, Adam was this man, created in the image of God, to keep the Garden of Eden. He had a fellowship with God, thus glorifying and enjoying his Creator. This was true happiness.

During this reflection time of Lent, as we confess those "things we've done and those we've left undone" and as we look toward the cross as that place and point in time where we find forgiveness and reconciliation with God - may we be blessed...

Amidst it all, may the Divine (示) also walk with the one special person that is you(一口) in the garden of your heart (田).
May the Lord bless you (神 祝福 你).