Pursuing Our Purpose

Who would have thought that our group would won the 1st prize for Poster Making Contest? I was amazed and it actually took me hours before I got over it.. It was a group effort. Oday had the idea of what to paint. While I did the writing of what the drawing was about. Then the rest of the group contributed in painting. It was fun!

The last portion of the event was the announcement of winners. While the MC announced the winners for 3rd and 2nd place, I saw from afar that the MC was holding my piece of writing. And before he announced it, I knew it in my heart that we are the winner! And true enough, we grabbed the 1st place.

The winning spill? "... no matter how high or low our position is, we all have our share in making this world a better and healthy place to live in." 

It was inspired by Gary Cohen's speech. I was actually touched by BD's contribution to society - helping people in need of medical supplies especially those in the remote areas. And I'm proud to be one of the employees of a company which philosophy is to help all people live healthy lives.

It's Yours Now

It has been two weeks since I passed my resume to our HR executive – applying for a Planner post. It was my most awaited opportunity. My deepest desire. The fulfilment of my career. I have been asking God day and night to give it to me. I have been asking Him relentlessly to grant my prayer. But day after day, there was no good news, no positive response, no email that I was considered or scheduled for an interview. I became desperate. All the negative thoughts were bombarding me left and right. I was fighting them with God’s Word. I was trying to wrestle it with faith. The battle of faith and doubt was in my mind for weeks. Until I became restless, tired, exhausted, worn-out.

When I went to church this morning and while I was worshipping God in songs, God spoke to me. He said, “Give it to me. I know you like that job very much. I know how you have been praying for that opportunity. But nothing you can do to make it come to pass. Give it to me. Offer it to me.” Then I remember the story in Genesis. When God said to Abraham, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." I wondered how Abraham felt about it. His very own, most loved son. His only one. He should have thought, Lord I have been waiting for this child for years, only to offer it as a sacrifice?! But he obeyed and did exactly what the angel of the Lord told him to do.

Now, I am asking myself, if God will tell me the same thing, offer that opportunity to Him, will I follow? Will I give it to Him? I resolved. It’s all Yours, God. It’s yours now. Do your will. Have your way.

Be blessed.

i love to LIVE because i live to LOVE!

Fireproof

I had the chance to watch the most inspirational movie of 2008: Fireproof. This movie is a great resource to help strengthen and affirm marriages.

It is about a fire fighter who lives by the old fire fighter’s adage: Never leave your partner behind. While his work is inside burning buildings, his marriage was as cold as ice. Everyone treats him as a hero for saving lives, but not at his own home. He rescued many but not his wife’s heart.

Until his father tried to save their marriage by giving him a “40-day love dare” that he should do before signing up the divorce paper filed by his wife. It is a day-to-day challenge on how to keep their marriage. Taking one day at a time, he did every single task, however, there were times that he wanted to stop and just blow it. It was also then that He realized that he cannot love without first accepting the truth that God loves him and that He is interested in every single detail of his life. Not by his own effort that he can love back his wife but the love of God within him flowing over to his wife.

To make the story short, this proud, self-centered, conceited man was transformed to become a loving, selfless and faithful husband. How he did it? I think the lyrics of the sound track While I’m Waiting by John Waller says it all.

I'm waiting

I'm waiting on You, Lord

And I am hopeful

I'm waiting on You, Lord

Though it is painful

But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident

Taking every step in obedience

While I'm waiting

I will serve You

While I'm waiting

I will worship

While I'm waiting

I will not faint

I'll be running the race

Even while I wait

Watch it and be blessed.

I Earned

Handling people is never an easy task. We need to adapt to their culture, their thinking, their values.

Recently, I had difficulty dealing with one of my UTs. I wanted to get into a relationship with him as his facilitator but I just can't get his cooperation. I've been praying for him for days. Asking God to break the ice between us. We belong to one team so I need him to become a team player. Not play the game on his own. Even if he is the MVP.

So yesterday, as I had a comm session with him, as usual, I did the most effective way of correcting behaviour - the sandwich approach. Good -> Bad -> Good. Sandwich the bad things with good things. Before I discussed with him the areas on which he needs to improve on, I made a series of appreciation and good remarks on how well he performs. After that, I went to the most sensitive part. Letting him know his flaws. Very carefully, I told him his lapses. Subsequently, after saying all those, I ended the conversation by telling him how important he is in the team and how significant his role is in the entire Value Stream.

After the session, I can say that I finally earned his respect. Maybe because he realized that I care for him as his facilitator, that I did an effort to resolve the issues. Or maybe I made him realized his worth. Or maybe he felt good when I appraciated all his efforts. Whatever the reason was, I am glad that he is showing respect to me now. He's not attending meetings with long face anymore. He has become cooperative and proactive. And that made me say, "Thank you Lord!".

God is good! I call, He answers!