The Sun Felt closer

This is one day when I was able to pick my daughter from school before the sun set.  As I was leaving the school compound, a BIG orangey-red sun was sitting at the horizon.  The view was indescribable! As I was driving, I couldn't and shouldn't whip out my hand-phone to snap a picture of the scene.

My daughter was helpful and had her camera on standby mode, so that when we next see mr setting sun, she could help snap shots and shots.  Alas!  Staying in a concrete jungle, we could see the tinges of orange hue and all, but not the real thing :(

We tried to drive around the area for a clearing, but by then, mr sun had shied away and what was left were shades of orange, pink and of course, blue since nightfall was just round the bend.

I am glad my daughter has the initiative to have her phone handy, and of course the extra time in the car given that we were chasing the sun.  I always enjoy my time (one-on-one) with the kids, and always Thank my God for his grace and blessings.  May the children learn to shine brightly for Him too - like mr sun - even without seeing the sun, we know his presence is just around the corner.

Why are we not reading IT

Over dinner the other day, my daughter started asking me about things to come - such as having a sign before we can transact - things prior to the Second coming of Jesus.  As I probed a little more, I understood that she was trying to clarify with her classmate that while we know that His return is near, we cannot pin down to a specific date... For some reasons her friend was so certain Jesus will return in a couple of months.

They decided to ask the teacher - who is also a believer.  But the later was unsure and asked about her references.  When my daughter mentioned the Bible, the teacher was also unsure.  Her comment to me was: I didn't know people don't read the Bible.  Sadly, this is so true,

We take our God for granted... We go to Him when we need help, other times, we will only drop by and say 'Hi' and even so, we are distracted with the notifications from our phones or devices.  Is it a wonder why we do not lead transformed lives and make a difference in the world?  I am guilty too - how many times do I rush through Quiet Time to just have a 'check' that the duty is done for the day? How much of a day's time do I spend in prayer only? Really very disappointing.... Thank God for his patience to wait for us... This we shouldn't take for granted too... Life has to change... Priorities too...

10,000 steps

Its Sunday again!! And I am looking forward to my new weekly regime of walking around my mum's place. Rather than go on a pretty usual route, I decided to take a random path.

This day I came across a path that would bring me below a highway and beside a body of water.  I witnessed how vehicles, concrete, nature and hobby can all co-exist. Managed to break my momentum by whipping out my camera and snapping a quick shot before continuing my walk.  Below the highway is a body of water and teams were trying their hand at rod fishing. Some children were playing by a playground nearby. And many of us were either jogging, (brisk) walking or cycling along the foot path.  

The time of the day was great - post 5.30pm where the day is cooler.  Finally - a great achievement for me - I crossed 10,000 steps today and completed some 5.2km in about 48min!

Surely a motivation to maintain the 10.000 steps regime and 5km target for weekend walks.  What a great way to spend Sunday! :) 

The Spirit prays

I had some issues recently where I felt I was caught between a rock and a hard place.  Frustrated that the issue had unfolded in such a manner and given the history of how previous issues unfolded, I felt the path would lead to the same outcome.

Yet I was trying to cling to God and more like - submission rather than resignation, to a possible lesson He has planned for me.  In my prayer, I was also uttering my frustration and also unable to even know how to pray and what to ask for... But I had the assurance that the Spirit agonizes for me and prays for me too. This was certainly an assurance.

The issue has gained some partial clarity - not totally out of the woods.  I am witnessing changes to the events around the issue and am digesting the marvelous ways God works - when it all pans out, I believe this will be a stone for me - to inscribe an experience with God, and my lessons learnt as a result.  God is faithful and we are asked to submit and obey Him... Praise God for His patience too! :)

Taken for granted

I didn't realise how high the mercury level has risen to - just knowing that the surrounding seems so so warm.  Recently when I was in Yangon, the temperature rose to like 37 degrees celsius.  We were literally sweating even when we were standing still!  Our team leader shared with us that the mercury level can potentially rise beyond 40 degrees celsius!  My guess is even with a ceiling fan, the wind that comes out from the blades are likely warm air.

So it was similar for us yesterday.  Temperature reading was like 36 degrees celsius and this was like past 4pm!  Cannot imagine what the hottest time of the day would have felt like.

Being so warm, I too, yearned for a cold cold treat - so after we had parked our vehicle, we got a slurpee.  I tell you, it was the best beverage that day - the cold feel in the mouth, and letting the iced fluid sit in the mouth for several short seconds beyond letting it down the throat and cooling the passage way as well.  

Some things just cannot be taken for granted for.  As I sipped the cool cool drink, I am reminded of the people in Yangon who have less privileges than us - yet they survived.  I have to not take our privileges for granted, and where possible, and where moved, to be more aware of how to sponsor/ support our fellow human folks in other regions nearby too.

Great welcome for a Saturday

I woke up to the smell of pancakes!  What a great way to welcome our weekend!
This morning, my daughter decided to prepare breakfast for us - not sure what triggered it, but we don't need reasons for acts of love.  I am so Thankful for her willingness to wake up early, get into the kitchen and start smelling like the kitchen just so we can have a change for breakfast!

Our usual breakfast is healthy - fruits and some biscuits, of course along with our coffee, but nothing beats a change.

This also reminds me of the many days and months from yonder years when my mother would rise early to prepare breakfast for us - those were the days when domestic help was less prevalent, and when mommies were home makers.  Fast forward a generation, and many of us who are mothers, hold down a job, and domestic helpers are features for our families.

Hence for rare occasions such as this morning, they are very much treasured.  Now heading down for my pancakes!

Blank...

Despite my attempt to keep up with my blog, I realised that I had missed my appointment with my blog post - yet again... it's only now, when my work day is over that it dawn on me that I had activity after activity ...

Now as I sit, and try to recollect the key things that struck me today, I realised it's a ___BLANK___...  Despite meeting so many people and having one thing after another, nothing significant stood out.  Yes, there were minor irritations that peeved me, but they were not significant enough to spoil my day.  At the same time, the connections made with different folks were also related to work and opportunity, and again, they did not strike me as something so significant to be penned down.

At the end of the day, what really matters?  

As I recall the book - It all goes back to the box, I can't help but think of the times and days where I am not with my kids - mentally, physically and emotionally...   While I enjoy my work, and the interactions and stimulation they bring to my mental capacity, these things won't count when I am about to 'migrate' to THE box.  Yet, these are the distractions that take up many of my waking moments.

Well, it's April and I guess it is never too late to recalibrate.  It's always better slightly late than never...  time to reweigh the things and relations that matter more than transient things (that are important - don't get me wrong), but are temporary regardless.

It's in their blood!

Over the last half year or so, I noticed new big touch screens at McDonalds.  These are deemed 'productivity' tools to enable diners to customize their menu and also to take orders which will be sent to the kitchen.  

Diners can choose to pay via different modes - for cash, they will then have to queue up, pay before the order is dispatched.  For other payment mode, the orders are routed to the kitchen immediately, and diners only have to wait for their order numbers to flash before picking up their orders.

On this day, I was waiting for my son as he was having class.  Sitting in McDonald's I noticed the stream of young children and teenagers who walk in, head straight to the touch screens and intuitively place their orders!  Wow!  It's so in their blood!  They grow up in a touch screen society, where pinching and tapping as well as payment via all means but cash are languages they understand.

Sometimes, I marvel at how technology has progressed so quickly over 2 generations - with me, sitting as the sandwiched generation, experiencing life when a phone at home is a rarity, to now where we have more phones than people in the household.  What a transformation.  In the process, we will have to be deliberate in helping our children to cultivate values such as staying in touch (human touch) and not be impatient as things move and happen so quickly for them - at a swipe or a touch of the screen....

What Heaven will sound like

How  many hands do we see here?

They belong to a group of 14-year old boys who decided to jam on a piano after Sunday worship.  A few observations that brought a smile to my face when I watch them jam.

1. It's a healthy group activity to jam together.  If they don't jam, there could be a possibility of them communicating with their handphones! To that extent this is a very good alternative

2. Friendships that last.  There is a large number of kids in church who are 14 years old this year.  I hope their friendship will extend beyond their teenage years, and into their adulthood and as they change their stations in life... May this friendship continue. .

3. Possible candidates for worship ministry! These boys can be potential musicians for the children worship and for adult worship too.  In fact some of them play more than the piano...

Other than musicians, must truly ground them in the Word, so that they can be discipled and in turn, to disciple the next generation of children.

A Chance to the newbie

I decided that I needed to get a haircut as my mane was getting too long for my liking.  This being a weekend is actually a horrible day to even try to get a walk in appointment with any hairstylist.  Have often been asked to make appointments prior to turning up.

As I have a 30-min window between my errands, I decided to pop by my hairstylist and try and get a quick snip.  Interestingly, as I neared her shop, I noticed a new face - a new staff - sipping coffee and starring into the space outside the shop.  When I approached her and asked for Lydia - the business owner and my hairstylist, I was told she is off for a short holiday.

What a state to be caught in - a new hand and a desire to get my hair done, and as there were no clients in the shop, I could possibly get my hair cut in 30 min! Quick thinking has it that, I ought to also give this new hand a chance... Someone has to... Else she will never get a break in her new job.

We spoke briefly and at 19 years of age, she has already done a fair bit of hairstyling jobs.  Her hope is to undertake a professional course some time in the future.  After she has done her job, I left the shop.  While it was not as great as if Lydia had done the cut, I would say, I am glad an intentional decision was made to give her a chance to work in the absence of her boss.  To me, this is a test of confidence, and trust - whether Lydia will be able to entrust her to operate the shop with integrity.  My parting words to our new hairstylist was to treasure the opportunity to work here, and work hard!

Made me smile as I reflect on it as I am reminded of the many chances that people had granted me... If not for them, I probably would not be where I am today..,, so in some ways, this is like passing it forward :)

Copywriting - next item to check off in bucket list

As usual, my evenings are spent reading things that I want to - as far as possible, they should not be related to work.  Since I was listening to a podcast on the way home on StoryBrand by Donald Miller, I decided to google more to learn about marketing and such.

Strangely though, I came across topics on CopyWriting.  This started a chain of linking from one writer to another writer.  All of them professed that copywriting was about the best thing that happened to them as it gave them freedom of time and financial independence.  Of course, they were also quick to point out the need for hardwork, and strategies to adopt.  As expected though, towards the end of their story, and actually, along the way, the articles were peppered with different 'call-to-action' links.  These are usually links to online courses or books or materials where readers are given opportunities to invest to learn.

Interesting though that some time last year, I was also planning to learn how to be a copywriter - this was more for building an economic skill and interest than for a living - though I will not rule out the possibility of the latter.  However, my day job got the better of me, and it was only now that I realised I had left my copywriting agenda aside ... and a year has since passed since.  Sigh...

I would like to think that this plan of writing on a daily basis will be the beginning of a discovery process of finding that I, too, can be a great copywriter!  Look forward to consuming the readings that the various writers have suggested - including PennyThomas - what could one do when we become sitting ducks due to corporate restructuring... Rather than mope around and wait for things to happen, we could do what Penny did - learn a skill, spend serious time on honing the skill and moving on.  For Penny, I will say, based on her article, it's sheer determination/ perseverance and keeping an eye on opportunity that got her where she is.  This survival skill is definitely something our next generation can learn from.

In the universe of copywriting, I have probably just taken the first baby step - there are still tonnes of things I have to learn, but I look forward to the day when I get my first copywriting assignment!  :)

Great Opportunities

My daughter's internship is coming to an end later this month.  This is her second internship experience, and I am sure at the next term break, she will be doing her third stint at yet another startup.

As i reflected on the 'jobs' she has, I felt that things were so different a generation ago.  Many of us were probably taking on holiday jobs to supplement our pocket money.  In the process we learn some things and we probably don't plan to go back to these school holiday jobs as a career possibility.  There were fewer startups - in fact the term was also coined perhaps 10 odd years ago for us.

Yet this generation, they have the privilege to be attached to internship opportunities where the aim of exposure, discovery and to learn. In fact, I hope my daughter will eventually start something on her own some time in the future! So it is like, startup of her choice rather than out of necessity.

What a change in just one generation! This is also a generation that witnessed massive technological advancement - from gameboys to handphones (you can't leave home without it).  What will the next technology breakthroughs be...

Technology - so good!

My son was involved in a sports accident just prior to Good Friday.  As an amateur soccer goalie, he failed to see that there were two soccer balls heading his way.  The one that came from the side smacked right into his hand, causing a 'hairline' crack to the wrist (not the right medical terminology, but good enough for the lay person).

He was on a make-shift cast for the last week or so, and we finally got it changed to a proper cast.  This is the second time he is in a cast - the first was last year when he broke his elbow.  Boys.... sigh...

Anyhow, I am always very amazed by what technology can do - in every part of our lives, including medical technology.  The technicians put him into a cast - magically - using ScotchCast.  So easy, but yet so effective and strong; not to mention so colourful!  My son will have a green arm for the next two weeks before the cast is removed.

Regardless of the discomfort, I am thankful that he continues to remain in high spirit, though he grumbles about not being able to play in the field for the next few weeks.  I guess accidents are part and parcel of growing up - and they make good stories in the future :)

Leadership

Over lunch, my friends and I were commenting about leadership styles and politics within the office. A comment was shared that in an organisation where the leadership is insecure, a stark behaviour would appear wherein when a subordinate appears to threaten the position of his/her boss, the boss could then cold storage the staff.  Another way could be to disregard comments and contributions from this staff.  Yet another way is to transfer this staff elsewhere.  I am sure there are many other possibilities too.

As I reflected on these comments, I am reminded that as pilgrims on this earth, we have to remember to pray for our leaders - work and government.  That they will acknowledge that there is a power greater than themselves, and that they know they are in the position not by chance.  Similarly, when and should we get to be in the leadership role, to guide the team with humility and wisdom.  Given that we commit so much of our waking hours to work, it is also important to develop the team and groom them (deliberately) to be leaders in their own ways.  I suppose this is where the servant-leadership model can possibly be explored, and this will be topic for another day.

But as a subordinate/ staff, our role will still be to do our part, and acknowledge that we are to submit to our leaders and pray for them.

Not a Lone Ranger

I met a 2-time entrepreneur yesterday.  As she recounted her journey over the last so-many years, she repeated how her first venture felt more like her own baby to carry despite having two other co-founders.  That is because the notion of being involved in a startup is romantic and appealing.  However the partners were not ready to quit their existing work/lifestyle to join the entrepreneur in this journey which is lined by lots of work, and little pay.  In the end, she felt so burnout that she just stopped the venture.  Could she have sold the business to a competitor? Yes she could, but she was so tired of it, she just wanted out.  Looking back, though, she felt she would have sold it...but at that time, she was just too tired to even have to deal with it.

Her second venture was also primarily founded by herself, but this time round, she had many helping hands - advisors she could turn to who offered good input, people to help on varying parts of the operations.  A much more fulfilled startup for herself and incidentally, also with positive impact for the world.

I am reminded that human beings are made to interact and have social connections.  Definitely not meant to be hermits and Lone Rangers.  Already the startup journey is challenging, one needs people to pace him/her on this long arduous journey.  For those who have been there, done that, I am sure they appreciate the helping hands that brought them along, and I am confident they too, will avail themselves to those behind them, who are undertaking similar journeys too.

A Park by a waterway

After almost two weeks of missing my exercise routine, I was so glad that I could put on my running shoes for my brisk walks.  Was checking out a new route/ park today.  It took me a while to find this park, but once when I was in it, I was so so so amazed by the good works of the town planners - how they have implanted a park next to a beautiful body of water, overlooking the residences!  This body of water used is the 'natural drains' in the city, and now, it is transformed to include water activities such as kayaking/ canoeing.  

I also observed that there is a trail by the body of water which extends for quite a bit of way. Cyclists and joggers were seen during my entire hour or so stay.  Certainly good human traffic which means people are enjoying the park.

The air was good, the weather was great!  I did not check out the entire park but will certainly do so in the weeks ahead.  Had also suggested to my chubby nephew that in the weeks ahead, I will take him to this park to walk with me - so that he, too can have a healthier body :)

Look forward to my cross fit tomorrow, and hopefully I will resume my regular exercise regime.

Impact comes from the grassroots

I attended a seminar this morning where the speaker shared about how changes can happen only if we start working at the grassroots,  and what can we bring to the people in this segment.  How interesting... as many times, we imagine that we should strategize and talk to political leaders to effect changes.  What a rethinking this needs.

Over lunch, I was also told of a couple who has created impact working with women refugees, and how they have caught the attention of their political leaders, and press.  Again, I am reminded that when we work with people who are marginalized (prisoners, weak, poor) these are also the people God created, so it should not be deemed unusual or out of the ordinary.

In fact, the challenge for city folks like us is really how can we be deliberate in setting time for this segment? Being involved in programs, and if the assigned role is modest, will we feel that this is 'beneath us'?  Or will we set aside time to pray specifically for them?

Even where I am, how can I look to Him for guidance and direction given where He has placed me, and what can I do in my capacity? Befriend and earn the right to share? Perhaps...