Happy New Year. What do you mean...you are thinking...it is January 22nd...isn't it a little late. Not in my neighborhood. The part of Oakland we live in is one of the most ethnically diverse and integrated neighborhoods in the entire country. Last night our Chinese population made themselves heard.

It was about midnight. Because our entire family has colds we had been asleep for a couple hours. And the fire works starting going off. The were loud poppers, strings of poppers. The fireworks that woke us up were directly across the street from an apartment building and next door. What really amazed me and actually allowed me to enjoy being woken up was when the close fireworks stopped. In the background you heard all over our city the deep roar of very loud fireworks. It almost sounded like thunder. Deep reach thunder, all over our city.

Just this morning as I was leaving for work my next door neighbor was placing his offering on his alter next to his front door. This is the year of the monkey in the Chinese New Year. I pray that this year we would see Christ reveal Himself to our neighbors. That their beautiful and rich culture could be redeemed by the blood of Christ. That offerings would not be placed on the alters of gods who cannot breath, eat, or see. But that their lives would be offered to the living God who will return on the clouds.