Social Workers' Day

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Yeah! The first-ever Social Workers' Day is finally over... I really would never have expected to be able to see this day; a day all social workers can go all out to proclaim who we really are. I can imagine the joy of the pioneers social workers seeing that a day is finally here to recognise the contributions of the countless social workers working behind the scenes.

I really had great fun being amidst people who passionately care and continue to humbly work with the needy and underprivileged; tolling away despite high stress and low pay. Frankly, I do miss the days working in direct social work. All I can say is that although I am no longer in direct social work practice, I still feel pretty much a social worker and am proud to be one.

It was a youthful event and for once, I was beginning to feel hope for the profession. A year back, things were quite bad and younger social workers were not stepping up to take leadership and be part of the professional body, let alone come together to advocate for the profession. But today, seeing so many young social workers coming to support the event, I thought to myself, "things have changed"... Then when the minister finally announced about revision of pay scale for social workers and other benefits for social workers, everyone cheered in unison. Boy, do I really miss social work.

Actually, on one hand, I am thrilled to know that Social Workers' Day ended with a bang but on the other hand, I feel so relieved that now, one more commitment is off my to-do list. In a way, I also feel quite guilty for not having done much in the committee. Given the me a few years ago, I would have given my all. I guess having been disappointed by a few people in the professional body and coupled with the fact I am dying from an ever-growing list of to-dos, I just didn't put in as much as I would have had in the past. I know, excuses... People came to thank me for helping but really I didn't do much...

By the end of the event, I can see the joy and sense of satisfaction on the faces of the committee. I wanted to feel that joy but then guess I haven't been too involved to begin with, so don't feel as exhilarated as some of them. Maybe, it is a matter of priorities. I guess it is a valuable lesson; I have been trying to do so much in such little time, so much so I am not enjoying the process... OK, this year really need to cut down on my commitment and just focus on a few things, so I can be meaningfully involved and enjoy the whole process.

Here's my "loot" for the day :)


Anyway, everything went extremely well for the whole day except for the news coverage on TV about the event. Really almost want to wring some necks when they reported on Social Workers' Day but showed video footage of volunteers cutting hair, painting houses, mopping floor etc... sighhh... no wonder people keep thinking we social workers are volunteers and no wonder no one wants to study social work and come into the field... the press kit wrote very clearly that social workers are not volunteers but apparently someone did not read the kit properly... so annoyed!

Venturing Forth

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Just at a time when I was getting real disappointed at work at how it seems to be almost impossible to develop further my organisation's volunteer management system, there seems to be a glimpse of hope. At today's volunteer management meeting, I decided to try something different and instead of doing a mini training/sharing on volunteer management, I decided to work group discussions into the meeting. I thank God for a good and fruitful meeting with plenty of sharing and brainstorming.

Yeah, I will be going for my first missions trip this April. Will be away for 2 weeks. At the missions meeting yesterday, I began to understand more about what we are going to do there. However, I am also starting to have concerns whether I will be able to survive the relatively harsher living conditions, whether I will be physically fit enough for the trip, whether I will be needed to socialise (since I am such an introvert). Arghhh, just go in faith...

I have just been informed that church has gave instructions that we stop all forms of communication with a sister-in-christ (the one who I lost my cool with) because they felt she is facing some issues and is "stalking" another sister-in-christ. I have taken heed and have not respond to her messages but sometimes just feel sorry for her... but I guess what has to be done has to be done... all I can do is continue to pray for her healing.

Dad's diabetes condition has gotten worse and now he has to use insulin injections... sighhh... somehow he does not listen one and just doesn't take care of himself... now need to save more money to anticipate higher expenses on medicine etc...

Weekend of Leadership & Ministry

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I did promise to blog about the keys to a fruitful ministry. It is a good sharing and so I hope to have it documented somewhere. Anyway, blogging will help me reiterate and also remember important life lessons. So here goes:

4 Keys to a Fruitful Ministry
At a recent staff devotion, someone shared 4 simple keys to a fruitful ministry using the agriculture. Simple but powerful pointers:

Step 1: Cultivate Roots
For ministries to take shape and be fruitful, we need to make sure that the ministry (and ourselves) are deeply rooted to God. As Ephesians 3:17-19 says:

17. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18. may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19. and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Just as plants need to be deeply rooted for survival; to reach water and nutrients, and to be stable, so will our ministries need to be deeply rooted for spiritual nourishment and stability.

The parable of the sower in Matthew 13:5-6 also illustrates:

3. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
9.He who has ears, let him hear."

Step 2: Eliminate Weeds
How much does it take to grow weeds? Nothing! Weeds are signs of neglect and can come uninvited. In the same way, if spiritual negligence and attacks can come along as well while working on our ministries. Again, see Matthew 13:3-9.

Step 3: Cooperate with God who prunes
In agriculture, pruning rids the plant of unproductive branches and also promotes growth in branches which are fruitful... In the same way, I am personally reminded that there are no instant successful ministries. Trials do occur and we can sometimes go down with the unproductive branches or grow more fruitful. John15:1-8 says:

1. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Step 4: Wait for the Harvest
Cultivating a plant takes time and in the same way will your ministries. God may have called you to your current ministry with your giftings but there are no instant success ministries.

Just as the seed, once sown, will have to die before a new plant is birthed forth, so does the sinful man need to be reborned through a reconnection with the holy God, through Jesus Christ His son, who have redeemed us by dying on the cross. In this way, so we may be reunited in relationship with our heavenly Father. But Romans 12:2 also reminds:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Once reborn, man is saved but would need to constantly be transformed by the renewing of the mind to be more Christ-like.

Learning more about Leadership
Spent almost my whole Saturday in church for the leaders' conference and I must say I learnt a lot through that weekend conference. It felt as if I was attending 3 services in 1 day hahaha with all the worship sessions and talks etc. But upon reflecting on the conference, I did took back important lessons about being a spiritual leader;

1. that we need to stay focused on God because it can be so tempting to forget why we are leading in the first place when things are going well and moving forth in clockwork precision. We may get distracted and start doing our own will rather than the will of God.
   
   
2. that we need to be humble as leaders. I need to remind myself that I am not seeking glory for myself but for the glory of God. When things are going fine, be reminded that it is of the blessings of the Lord working with you.

2 important reminders I need to keep reminding myself of. And I recognise that as cell leader, I should not be setting myself way apart from my cell group members because I am a servant leader, serving God and Sheparding my members.

Reading on Leadership
I don't normally read but then I managed to pick up this real good book on leadership by Dr Tim Elmore, titled "Habitudes - Images that form Leadership Habits and Attitudes". It is a wonderfully easy book to read but carries powerful pointers on leadership using images. Amazing how images can make so much difference; never have I read a book and can remember the lessons learnt with ease. I am still reading but then some lessons learnt include:

1. Floods and Rivers - Both are bodies of water but one causes damage and one brings life. How so? Focus... Floods is water flowing in all directions, rivers flow in a certain focused direction.
2. Bit Market - A drill company learns that focusing on drill bits as their market is not as powerful as focusing on holes as their mission. Programs are a means to an end.
3. Big Rocks First - Prioritsing life is just like putting rocks of varying sizes into a jar. Randomly place them and you will soon find out you can only fit so much. But placing the big rocks in, then smaller rocks to fit into the crevices of the big ones, then pouring in the gravel, then sang and then water, we can fit more in.
4. Duck Hunting - Leadership is just like duck hunting, when hunting for ducks, you need to focus on your target amidst all the ducks. We are bound to miss ducks because we can't catch all. Similarly in leadership, we can't get everyone; work with those who does not respond but invest in those who does.

OK, am halfway through the book, so more to come... :)

All Fired Up
I realised one thing... so far, my shallow breathing seems to happen only in cell and during worship during this weekend. Together with my shallow breathing seems to be this nervous feeling. Not sure if it is because I am all fired up for God or it is psychological stress. But one thing is for sure, I realised I am smiling while singing songs of worship to God... enjoy singing praise and worship songs... Oh yah, I also realised that life seems to be slightly different since last weekend... can't put a finger on it... more "springy"

Anyway, I am going for my first missions trip in April. Have applied for 2 weeks leave and will be going to China for some missions work. Pray that everything will be fine.

My Friend's Unhappy with Me?
On Sunday, I felt a little emotionally down because I thought my friend was unhappy with me. But I am real glad that we clarified things over sms today and he is OK with me :) Phew, just a misunderstanding. That's the sensitive me, gotta do something... but then again, maybe friendships do mean a great deal to me. Thank God things are OK!