Ox

It's the Chinese New Year and we're eating tikoy. Tikoy, by the way, is a glutinous round rice cake traditionally served during Chinese New Year believed to bring "sticky" good luck for the whole year in this year that they call Year of the Ox. I always find it funny how they assign each year to an animal. I'm still clueless where the idea come from.

I learned today that the well known greeting "kung hei fat choy" which means "wishing you happiness and prosperity" is not a preferred greeting by older Chinese. The reason? It smacks crass materialism . The better greeting would be "kiong hi", which simply wishes happiness, pointing out that wealth doesn't always mean happiness. Agree.

As for me, I don't have to entrust my life to some cake for prosperity. I have a God who is able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things at all times, having all that I need, I will abound in good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). It has always been a year of God's faithfulness for me, year after year after year. The blessings I have came from Him who makes everything "work together for good for those who love Him" and not to some ox or monkey.

I was supposed to greet you "kiong hi". Let me say God bless y'all, instead. :-)