Christmas Letter: Why did the Gospel mention that swaddling baby Jesus and lying in a manger a Sign for The Messiah? Dr. Phil Chan

Swaddling Clothes in a Manger - a Sign.

https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/65274.jpg?w=614

Fernando Ortega: What Child Is This.

YouTube Video: coram deo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaS1PuOkOU

   UP TO 2,800 VIEWS 

26 CHATS, COMMENTS

Dear Andy,

Thank you very much for your greetings.

You are a treasured friend who ask honest questions. My thoughts to your question are given below.

a) At Christmas season, we modern Christians tend to talk about the signs of Christmas Star or wisemen/gifts etc but why did the Gospel mention that swaddling baby Jesus and lying in a manger a Sign of The Messiah. I shared this Christmas scripture a few years ago to a Christian group. Luke 2:7-12 :  and she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Jesus was a carpenter.

https://www.philipchircop.com/post/117878790887/the-carpenters-son-when-jesus-finished-telling

b) The possible clue may come from Micah 4:8: “And you, O tower of the flock, hill of daughter Zion! To you it shall come: the former dominion shall be restored, the reign of daughter Jerusalem”. (this place/tower in OT Hebrew is Migdal Eder … also mentioned in Gen 35:21 A place/tower where Jacob set up camp after the death of Rachel). This verse tells us baby Jesus’ announcement is related to the Tower of the flock. Migdal Eder is a place/tower in the fields of Bethlehem where shepherds care for baby sheep or select unblemished sheep for sacrifice/passover. As selecting unblemished sheep was the duty of priests, these shepherds are likely to be also priests (this is not surprising; Jesus and Paul were “spiritual teachers” who also had a second profession … Jesus was a carpenter and Paul was a tent-maker). New fawns are carefully wrapped with cloth (taken from shepherd-priest clothes) stay warm as in the womb and put into a manger so that the baby lambs will not be trampled on. Thus, when these shepherd-priests went into Bethlehem, they immediately recognised the baby Messiah.

Away In A Manger - YouTube by The SBFII

Susan Boyle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l05A4c0bZA

c) Jesus was born to die to save the world.  Interestingly, in the middle eastern culture, when someone goes on a long desert journey he will bring along special strips of cloth that was used for swaddling dead body for burial in case he dies. Some translations are more explicit about the strips of cloth, e.g. ESV translation of Luke 2: 7 “ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger”.

Luke 2: 15-20 : When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Indeed, great is the Lord and greatly to be praised !

Wishing you and your family, a wonderful Christmas, good health and a Blessed New Year 2022 !Best Regards,

Phil.

A Christmas Letter: 

Prof. Dr. Phil Chan

Thanks Phil for this illuminating and interpretive explanation.

Images: Google 

Video: YouTube

A Christmas Miracle In Stockholm 1970's - By Hiroshi Deguchi [2021].

Contributing author to this blog Hiroshi Deguchi, 

with his wife & pet, writes on the spirit of Christmas...

UP TO 1,400 VIEWS, 24 COMMENTS

Thank you Hiroshi for telling an honest tale and 

the rugged truth about 70's Europe.

 

Hiroshi, the young student in Stockholm, 

in the early 1970's,enjoying his outdoor stunt.

I went to Hamburg after I finished working at Lappis Restaurant in Stockholm.  I stayed there for three months from October to the end of December.  I was quite depressed by the winter weather there.  It is very difficult to tell my friends what the Swedish winter is like if they haven't experienced living there in winter.  It is uncomfortable, cold, lonely, dark and gray, gloomy and depressing.  All those words are associated with the winter of the northern country.  The days are short and getting shorter and shorter.  It is light only a few hours a day.  The daybreak is about 9 or 10 o'clock and the sun sets around 2.  You are really lucky if you can see the sun shining in the sky.  The skies are overcast every day, which makes you down.  People can't afford to be cheerful, friendly and sociable.  Even ice seems warmer than the feelings people get in winter.  Sorry for those expressions.  But this is what I tell people here about the winter back there.

Former restaurant where he used to work.

At this time of the year, whenever I look back over the days I was in Stockholm, I always remember the Christmas I had there.  It still lives vividly in my memory.  I don't know how to put it.  It was a cold, lonely but heartwarming Christmas.  Still full of wonder.  I understood how much Christmas means to Christian people and how much it changed the people.

As I mentioned that Stockholm winter was terrible and made you feel more dead than alive.  So was the atmosphere of the kitchen in Lappis.  The people I worked with there were all foreigners, poor foreigners.  They left their home for some reason.  I could see they were not happy in their homelands and now struggling to make a living.

The students' dormitory in Stockholm where Hiroshi lived.

It is hard to be a foreign labor in other countries.  Living and working in foreign country and traveling to foreign places are two different things.  If you travel  to other countries for a short time, you may get a warm welcome.  Most people you meet are nice and kind to you.  But once you start living or working there, things are by no means easy.  You don't get respected.  You may feel a sense of outcast.  The people in the kitchen were like that.  They could never afford to be cheerful and friendly.

There were five people working on the night shift, including myself.  One of the two cooks was a black American who was extremely quiet and rarely  talked, except to ask me to bring dishes, to cut onions into slices.  The other was Rubo, I still remember his name.  He was middle aged, originated from Yugo-slavia taking his wife and a daughter.  He was very temperamental.  When he was in a good mood, he was humming and singing.  But he took his spite out on us by shouting at us and throwing eggs at us when he was in a bad mood.

Kitchen workers with student Hiroshi.

A man who I washed dishes with was from Bulgaria.  He and his wife had not been in Sweden for a long time.  He couldn't speak Swedish.  He was a good and tough guy, but sometimes he sighed to himself and said that it was an unfair world.  He didn't talk much.   

Then there was a young woman I didn't care for very much.  She was from Romania.  She came hard on us.  She seems to look down on anyone who can not speak Swedish.  As a cashier, being entitled to be in charge of the restaurant at night, she seemed to feel a need to act superior to others.  So I kept her at a distance.

Of course we were not close.  We just worked in the same place and bye-bye when the day's work was over.  We never felt we were a team, never thought we would do one same thing together.  We knew hardly anything about each other nor wanted we.

Getting to know his environment, Hiroshi moves 

around with folks he has learnt to live with.

But a miracle occurred.  On Christmas eve, we closed the restaurant rather early, about 10 o'clock.  But strangely enough, no one left the work.  I wondered why.  As i was about to leave, I was stopped and told to stay by someone.  I don't remember what went on.  But when I realized, I found myself mingling among all the people, sitting around the corner of the kitchen and watching the people smiling warmly.  That was the first time we had sat side by side, face to face.  I even repeated after Dormitory, a Bulgarian man who said Christmas prayer.  The air was filled with happiness, friendliness and made the place seem brighter and warmer.

We didn't have a Christmas dinner but Bulgarian nan's wife came over and joined us bringing some sweets.  Everyone was smiling.  Rubo's wife and kid joined, too.  That was the first time I had seen them laugh together, even the young woman who was always sourpuss.  I wondered what happened to us.  The party was just like lonely people get together to celebrate Christmas.  I guess they wanted to celebrate Christmas like everyone else.  They needed someone to share the Christmas joy.

I still think it was a miracle that Christmas brought.  It was the most impressive Christmas I have ever had in my life.

Then I quit there just before New Year's day and sailed from a port on the outskirts of Stockholm for Hamburg.

From Hiroshi Deguchi.

[Come to think of it, it was a blue, blue Christmas for Hiroshi then. But that little perk at the end, meeting as a group, with sweets as presents and nothing more, was a miracle! I can agree with that, considering... Andy.]

Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas - [Official Audio]

Elvis Presley Video from YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6WnnZRSKYs

Images and article belong to Hiroshi Deguchi [copyrights reserved).

Check it out, man!

This article isn't the first from Hiroshi. Read about his experience with Singapore pop and the Thunderbirds.

Connect here:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-japanese-pop-experience-in-singapore.html

December Songs Before Christmas Songs 2021 Covid Times

Dewy, damp, dreamy December.

Here he is again folks. December is like the last tin soldier in the flank of 12. Still, strong, resolute and steadfast, he has held on to his position until the 11 other soldiers have completed their round of duties to serve 2021. 

Now the wet spell hits, with heat and rain in the tropics and snow, fog and mist in the northern hemisphere. The listed songs below describe some of these conditions, emotional ones most possibly, e.g., ''warm, cold, white December'', till it, ''slips away... and we make it through.''

 December will need to stand for about 24 days before the festivities begin as Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ on the 25th and Christians fill the churches on their holy week.

Whatever comes your way, the Covid-19 Connection especially, just be more careful when masking, washing, crowding and dining.😷

Have a great December everyone.

Months of the year

Here are a few songs on December, beside the Christmas ones, that you could be familiar with...

Back to December - Taylor Swift [new]

December - Ariana Grande [new]

December Love -New Kids on the Block

December Song, I Dreamed Of Christmas - George Michael

December Day - Willie Nelson

If We Make It Through December - Merle Haggard

George Michael - 'December Song - I Dreamed Of Christmas'  

YouTube video by healmypain. Thank you.

Warm December - Julie London

After December Slips Away - Donny Osmond

Cold December Night - Michael Buble

White December - Kylie Minogue [image]

25th of Last December - Roberta Flack

December 1983, Oh What A Night - Frankie Valli, 4 Seasons

White December - Kylie Minogue album

Image - Google.

Singapore Rare Vinyl Records Banned - Tight Pants n Hot Pants

  

[This article has been forwarded from 2018.]

Look around today. Most ladies, young, old, fat, thin, tall or short, pretty or otherwise, of any colour and creed, are wearing tight pants or shorts today, two of the most popular fashion highlights on the streets.

Similarly, in the 60's and 70's, ladies were wearing sexy shorts and tight pants too. Below are two vinyl records to prove. 

Rare Singapore Vinyl Records: True Or False?

Tight Pants:

This record is called Tight Pants, a vinyl produced by Johnson Seah with studio engineer Vincent Lim and arranged by our own Singapore band called, Family Robinson. The label is Libra Records.

Tight Pants was a restricted record by RTS (Radio Television Singapore) in the 1970's, which means it has never been played over the airwaves.

The flip number of this Singles record is Same Old Feeling. It's another 45 RPM and it looks like both songs are Singapore originals. 

Anyone can help me? Just with the band and song information?

HOT PANTS:

One of the most popular pop bands in Singapore 60's and 70's was The X'periment (spelt exactly: without the E, an apostrophe after the X and without the plural S). 

The group recorded an Extended Play with three songs: Time To Get It Together - S. Roberds, Hot Pants and Satisfaction Guaranteed. It's produced by Reggie Verghese and distributed by EMI Orange label.

I have never seen anything like this vinyl anywhere on the internet, let alone on eBay or Hardware Zone. What made me put this vinyl up is because it costs $90.00 and labelled: Promotional Sample: Not For Sale and being told by the salesperson that it's rare. 

Can anyone verify this vinyl? Thanks. 

Western pop regressive? 
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2018/08/mao-communists-rediffusion-yellow.html

Horseshoes: Freakish Fashion Footwear?
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/search?q=shadows+sonny+james

Images: Andy Young Collection.

Andy's 60s Music Blog - Now 14 During Covid Quarantine On 21.11.21 Singapore

This Blog Celebrates 

Its 14th Anniversary 

On 21st November, 2021.

21.11.21 😆

This year is a fast moving one.  It seemed like only yesterday I was thanking everyone for the support given. So again dear people, truly appreciate the success of this Singapore music blog because of the solid backbone of viewers, visitors, friends, folks, contributing writers, readers , What's App. phone kakis, not forgetting Facebook, Twitter  and StatsCounter too.

Special thanks to Blogspot.com n Google.

It's coming to 3 million views soon.

Thank you.

The list below shows wonderful friends from all over the globe, who helped to guest-write, although quite a number have been doing so many times before.

I guess writing is also a mental remedy to ease the pain of a Covid-19 quarantine that comes around this season. Writing is a balm for the mind, eases the pain somewhat...

Their articles have approximately between 1,000 to 2,500 viewership each and written between December 2020 to November 2021.

Thank you all so much.

Guest Writers

Mrs. Elaine Sung-Tang

Mr. Henry Gan [California]

Ms. CY Lin

Mr. Stephen Han

Mr. Chow Wen Hing

Mr. Horace Wee

Mr. Tan Soo Khoon 

Dr. Phil Chan 

Mr Robert Suriya [Boys/Guam]

Mr. Paul Ibrahm [Tanya]

Mr. Jimmy Chng [Decibels]

Mr. Joey Koh

Mr. Daniel Abidin [Dukes]

Ms. Eunice Chua [SG uni]

Ms. Megan Lye [SG uni] 

Mrs. Judy Chong-Lee

Mr. Martin Ong [Cliff R/Sarawak]

Mr. Fred Ching

Ms. J. Dick [Manitoba]

Mr Cedric Collars [Perth]

Mr Suituapui [Sarawak]

Mr Scott van Dort [Melbourne]

Their articles can be read by writing their names on the SEARCH BOX on the right column of the blog page.  

In My Life - Beatles

YouTube video from The Beatles Stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqpysaAo4BQ&t=61s

There are places I'll remember

All my life, some have changed

Some forever, not for better

Some have gone and some remain.

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all...

[by John Lennon/Paul McCartney]

     TURNING 14     

   IN QUARANTINE 

   WITH COVID-19  

Andy roams the streets of Brisbane, Australia, 

chatting with youthful buskers who play 60s music. 

Cheers. [June, 2019]

Images - Google.

'Getting Old' - A Poem By Judy Chong-Lee & Songs About Life's Journey

Poet: Mrs. Judy Chong-Lee with husband 

Jimmy PresLee [Elvis Tribute Artiste].

UP TO 8,000 VIEWS, 40+ CHATS, COMMENTS

When I suggested that she let me publish her lively verses, Mrs. Chong-Lee responded positively. So to all our young once and young ones, please read the very down to earth but soul-stirring lines...

Thank you Judy.

Sharing with my close ones this poem I penned in May 2020 during the lock down. For the inspiration of fellow seniors 🙂.

Getting Old

Age they say is just a number

But the higher I go I seem dumber.

I've never been as old as I am now

To the march of time I must bow.

Simple chores no longer automatic

Auto-pilot programs gone erratic.

Things often get lost or go missing

Tasks to do need constant reminding.

Add on to these my new miseries

The sad pain of physical disabilities.

From birth to death we face life stages

Same for everyone through the ages.

With all our experience and wisdom

Age constraints restrict our freedom.

Since the past is already long gone

Please don't let it keep us forlorn.

The present is really a great gift

To live with joy as we daily drift.

The future is undecided for all

Just be very careful not to fall.

We're here on a wondrous journey

Aspiring to reach our divine destiny.

If there's still a dream or ambition

Go for it... too old for any inhibition.

For many they say life begins at 40

At 70 we could be young (once) as 30.

So cast away the cares every onus

To live these golden years is a bonus.

I want to live well laugh and love much

So my dear friends please stay in touch.

Composed by: 

Judy Chong - Lee [Mrs. Jimmy PresLee]

May, 2020.

*Click comments below, please, one by Chow Wen Hing especially...

Yours too are welcome.

Jimmy PresLee is Elvis Presley Singapore Tribute Artiste. Click the connection below to read about him. Check out his costumes too:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/11/jimmy-preslee-singapores-elvis-tribute.html

Here's a short list of songs with similar themes that could interest you:

1   Life - Elvis Presley [Mrs. Judy Chong's choice on YouTube]

2   Fly Like An Eagle - Steve Miller Band

3   Against the Wind - Bob Seger/Silver Bullet Band

4   Still Crazy After All These Years - Paul Simon

5   Those Were They Days - Mary Hopkin

6   It Was A Very Good Year - Frank Sinatra

7   Yesterday When I Was Young - Roy Clark

8   My Way - Paul Anka

9   Young At Heart - Frank Sinatra

10  Forever Young - Rod Stewart

Elvis Presley's 'Life' as selected by Judy Chong.

YouTube video from 'bigbadandrew'

11  Just Young - Paul Anka

12  The Young Ones - Cliff Richard

13  The Times Of Your Life - Paul Anka

14  Enjoy Yourself - Doris Day

15  In Our Old Age - Kenny Rogers

16  That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine - Gene Autry

17  Silver Threads Among The Gold - Will Oakland

18  We'll Meet Again - Johnny Cash

19  September Song - Willie Nelson

20  Rocking Chair - Hoagy Carmichael

Paul Anka: Just Young. 

YouTube video by: CatsPjamas1.

Happy Deepavali दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं 2021 With Music To All Hindu Friends

 

A Happy Deepavali 2021 To 

All Hindu Readers & Friends

UP TO 1,200 VIEWS

'Calcutta' by the Four Preps.

YouTube Video by SVansay.

A German pop song made popular by American band leader Lawrence Welk in 1961, it has been covered by so many artistes because of its cute lyrics and up-beat rhythm. The 4 Preps version on YouTube, with beautiful Indian ladies galore, is winning so many hearts again today. Thanks to S. VANSAY. 

The instrumental versions are by Lawrence Welk, Ventures, Les Baxter and Petula Clark sings it in French. The song charted #1 at the US Pop Hits.

These are songs that came to be before Cliff Richard and the Shadows emerged from Britain, about a time when we, in Singapore, had the Flamingos, the 3 Bambinos and before the Crescendos even cut their first vinyl. 

Cheers to 50's music...

Images: YouTube by S. Vansay.

Singapore's Pop Music History For Tertiary Students - Interest

https://wallpaperaccess.com/study-girl

Hello Mr. Young,

I’m a student at a local university and I’m currently working with a team on a research project about local Singaporean music in the 1960s, specifically focused on the local pop genre. While we were researching, we came across your blog on Singapore music of the 60s, and read that you fronted a couple of bands back then - the Swallows being one of them. 

Would you be open to a short interview with us? 

We understand that we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 climate and we’re open to doing the interview online! In the event that you are open to being interviewed, we would also like to ask for your permission to record it and use it for a class presentation. This is a non-profit project only for educational purposes but the website is likely to be made public. 

We’d love to hear your insights on this topic! Do feel free to let me know if you have any enquiries. Thank you so much for your time, looking forward to your reply😊 

Best wishes,

Simone.

[This letter has been edited.]

Carlos Santana n John McLaughlin Live - Switzerland 2016 [Full/HD]

Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin 

Live in Switzerland - 2016 YouTube Video by LIVE Music.

 UP TO 7,200 VIEWS

Truly one of the best bands in today's rock world. They make lead guitars scream, percussions beat pulsating Latin music and create a different sound somehow. 

47 million albums, 100 million sold with 14 reaching the top 10 in the US; also 6 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys; a Santana extravaganza.

Know The Difference:

She is 'Santa'.

He is 'Satan'.😝

Coconut Milk is 'Santan'.

[Malay language: spoken in Singapore & Malaysia]

He is 'Santana'.

Images: from Google.

YouTube Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0KcWyZ8II0&t=4518s