文學與人生 Dream sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

"Hi, Dad," Kristi greeted her father, who was the manager of a large department store. "Do you have to go back to work after dinner?"

“嗨,爹地,”克莉絲蒂向父親打招呼,他是一家大百貨公司的經理。”你晚餐後還要回去工作嗎?”

"Nope-it's New Year's Eve," said Dad, "and I'm glad we're closed tonight. All week we've been busy with people returning and exchanging things they got for Christmas-and with our annual after-Christmas sales."

“不-這是新年前夕,”爹地說,”而且我很高興我們今晚不營業.整個星期我們都忙著處理客戶聖誕節禮物的退換服務-以及我們年度的聖誕節後的特賣活動。”

"How come you always have sales right after Christmas?" Kristi wondered.

“為什麼你們總在聖誕節過後舉行特賣活動呢?”克莉絲蒂不解。

"Well, partly to sell as much as possible before we take inventory next month," replied Dad.

“這個嘛,部份原因是希望在下個月盤點前能儘可能多賣一些,”父親回覆。

"Inventory?" asked Kristi. "What's that?"

“存貨?”克莉絲蒂問。”那是什麼呢?”

"Oh, you know," said her brother Brent. "They count everything in the store to see how well they did. And they need to find out what sold and what didn't so they know what to order for the next year and what to skip-stuff like that. Isn't that right, Dad?"

“喔,你知道,”她的哥哥布蘭特說.”他們盤點店裡所有的東西,看賣得多好.他們也需查出那些賣得好,哪些賣得不好,所以就知道明年要訂或不要訂的貨品是哪些-就是這麼一回事.對不對呢,爹地?”

Dad smiled. "That's a pretty good description," he agreed. "We do that once a year." He paused, then added, "It would be a good idea for all of us to take an inventory of our lives at least once a year, too-and New Year's Eve would be a good time for us to do that."

爹地微笑.”解釋得很好,”他同意.”我們一年盤點一次.”停了一下,又說,”如果我們一年至少也對我們自己的生活做一個盤點,這不是一個好主意嗎?-而新年的前夕對我們來說就是一個好時機.”

"Take inventory of our lives? Should we count how many pairs of shoes and jeans and shirts we have?" asked Kristi. She laughed. "Hey, that might be a good idea. Then maybe Mom would see that I need some more!"

“對我們的生活盤點?那我們是否應該算一下我們有多少雙鞋和有多少牛仔褲和襯衫呢?”克莉絲蒂問.她笑著.”嘿,這也許是個好主意.那媽咪也許就會知道我需要更多呢!”

"I bet she'd see you have too many already," Brent scoffed. "Then you wouldn't get any new clothes for a whole year." He grinned at his sister.

“我猜她會看到妳已經有太多了,”布蘭特嘲笑.”然後你一整年都得不到任何新衣服了.”他對妹妹咧嘴.

Dad laughed. "That's not exactly what I had in mind," he said. "I think it would be good to review how we lived this past year. We should think about things we've done and decide what was pleasing to God and what wasn't."

爹地大笑.”那不是我心裡真正想的,”他說.”我想如果能回顧這一年的生活應該不壞.我們應該回想我們所做的事,並且要知道哪些會蒙主喜悅,那些不討神喜歡.

"Should we make New Year's resolutions to do only the good ones?" asked Kristi.

“我們應該要許下新年的願望,只做那些好的部份嗎?” 克莉絲蒂問.

"Not necessarily," Dad replied "but we should ask God to show us which past actions we should keep and which we should replace-and then, with His help, please Him in all we do this coming year."

“不全然是,”爹地回答”但我們應該求上帝顯示給我們哪些過去的行為應該保持,哪些應該捨棄-然後,有了祂的幫助,在這新的一年,我們的行徑都要討神喜歡.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Looking back, do you see times when you were obedient, helpful, and loving? Times when you did your best to please God and serve Him? Do you also see times when you were thoughtless, unkind, or selfish? Times when you wanted your own way instead of God's way? Ask God to help you repeat those things that pleased Him and to avoid those that did not. Do your best to love Him and serve Him better each year.

你呢?

回顧過去,你可以看到你何時是順服,熱心助人,也很有愛心嗎?你有盡你的力取悅上帝並服事祂嗎?你是否也看到自己在何時不體諒他人,不仁慈,或自私嗎?你何時想要用自己的方式而不是遵行上帝的方式嗎?請求上帝幫助你,讓你能維持上帝所喜悅的行為,而避免那些上帝不喜悅的事.盡你的力愛祂,讓每年的服事都能更好。

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:

Remember that the Lord your God led you all the way. Deuteronomy 8:2

你 也 要 記 念 耶 和 華 你 的 　 神 在 曠 野 引導 你 、 這 四 十 年 、 是 要 苦 煉 你 、 試 驗 你 、 要 知 道 你 心 內 如 何 、 肯 守 他 的 誡 命 不 肯 。

申命記 8:2