Crazy & Eventful Week

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This whole week has been real crazy; too many things, too little time... almost pulled my hair out...

Apparently, I haven't been able to come in and blog and so will just summarize major happenings for the week in one entry. Here it goes...

I am a Listener
I have always lamented that I am so quiet when in the midst of people but then this week somehow helped me see that maybe God wants me to be a listener... throughout the week, 3 persons came up to me and shared their struggles and well, I listened. Surprisingly, I gained strength from their sharing because I learnt that everyone, even the outspoken ones, also have their struggles and want to connect with people. Although I can do nothing much, I am glad that I am able to lend a listening ear and also connect at a deep level with people. In a way, I feel honoured that these people choose to share their inner world with me. If this is indeed a gifting from God then I hope to really put it to good use.

Barbie Dress-Up Party
Sometime in the week, I found myself amidst many barbie dolls. I joined my female colleagues for a barbie dress-up lunch party. Don't get me wrong, I don't play with barbie dolls but was there to cover a story on staff volunteers because these colleagues of mine has decided to knit clothes and doll-up the donated dolls for the thrift stores. It was extreme makeover, "barbie-style".

On another note... saw a police patrol car at the thrift store on Saturday when I went to visit my volunteers. Apparently, someone was trying to steal from the thrift store. Now who steals from a charity? But then again, the fact that he/she targetted a charity could mean that he/she was probably in a bad financial situation.

God's Grace
This week, staff devotion was on God's grace, a nice little paragraph that speaks so nicely on how we are saved, made alive and are created for doing purposeful things:

Ephesians 2:1-10 says:

1. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

2. in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

3. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

4. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

5. made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7. in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

9. not by works, so that no one can boast.

10. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Staff Appreciation Dinner
This is a major project handled by my department. and the whole committee spent almost the whole day on Friday decorating the multipurpose hall where the dinner was to be held. But by the end of the day, we were so happy with the decorations and with jazzed-up old Chinese songs playing in the background, it really seemed like old shanghai. When staff started to come in in their old shanghai dressing... it was just picture perfect...

By the way, silly me misplaced my wallet yet again... apparently, I left my office in such a hurry, I locked my wallet and palmpilot in the office drawer. So later when I realized that I didn't have them with me, I panicked. Blessed that my colleagues helped me to check my drawer when they returned to office and voila, there it was sitting in my drawer... muddle head muddle head.

As our officer closed the dinner in prayer, my colleagues received news that we won lottery :) Thank God even though it was just a small sum.

I Will Survive!
Was having a late lunch with a friend at Hans @ Great Eastern Building on Saturday and as we left the place, we saw this bird hopping about on the road in front of us. The traffic light was turning green soon, which means cars will be coming the bird's way. It almost seen like a gone case for the bird. I think the bird was injured because it did not take off even though it had many close shaves when the traffic came its way; it jusy kept hopping. The whole "stunt" lasted for almost a minute and it was miraculous that the bird made it across the road unharmed because some of the cars were nice enough to slow down when it came near the bird... Thank God! Managed to take a picture of the bird...

Can you see the bird? Sorry, a bit blur...


I thought the bird is deadmeat liaoz...

I Picked You

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Someone shared this story during staff devotion yesterday (click on picture to view the larger version):

Volunteer Programme "Must-Haves"

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Been 4 months in my volunteer coordination job and can't help but think about volunteer management most of the time; about how things can be better blah blah blah. This is just me... sometimes can just get so engrossed with work I just seem to be lost in another world.

Anyway, have been reviewing the volunteer programme in my organization, researching and reading up a bit, as well as attended training on volunteer management. Was reflecting on the "must-haves" of a successful volunteer programme and the following came to mind (not claiming I am an expert but just documenting what I feel are important for a good volunteer programme):

1. Vision - Vision of how the volunteer programme will develop and the role volunteers play within the organization
2. Management's Support - Management's understanding and support of the volunteer programme
3. Resources - Dedicated resources for volunteer management e.g. Volunteer Programme Manager and/or a Volunteer Development Department
4. Volunteering Experience - Emphasis on fostering a positive volunteer experience for volunteers, which includes (a) seeking feedback from volunteers, (b) effective and efficient work and admin processes to support the volunteers, (c) appropriate work tools eg databases and forms, (d) support system in place for volunteers and (e) service learning for students
   
5. Roles, Tasks & Profile - Clear understanding of how volunteers can contribute, the tasks involved as well as the profile of volunteers needed e.g. age, marital status, experience level etc
   
6. Volunteer Policy and Handbook - Helps volunteers to better understand their roles and the organization's expectation of them and communicates that the organization takes volunteers seriously
   
7. Interview and Placement Processes - Help channel the "right volunteer with the right skills to the right place at the right time" as well as job rotation to allow volunteers to try new challenges and develop themselves
   
8. Orientation and Training - Helps volunteers know the organization better so that they will ascertain if this is the right organization for them as well as understand how they are contributing to the beneficiaries
9. Identity - Volunteers develop a sense of belonging to the organization
10. Culture & Climate - Volunteer-friendly climate which believes in the value that volunteers bring vs a feeling that volunteers are troublesome
11. Public Relations - Constant updates to management, volunteers and relevant persons on developments, achievements, opportunities and work of volunteers.
12. Leadership & Succession - Developing a "career pathway" for volunteers to allow them to develop and grow overtime as well as allow them to try new challenges and take on more responsibility in helping to manage volunteers. Having a flat structure will overtax the volunteer coordinator
13. Recognition & Appreciation - Recignizing and appreciating volunteers' work and this can range from small gestures such as affirmations to showcasing their work in publications or even large-scale volunteer appreciation teas etc.
    

The Body of Christ

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Source: http://www.hawko.com

I love my church!

It doesn't have a big, majestic auditorium;
It doesn't have an awesome and lavish building;
It doesn't have fanciful multimedia display works during service;
It doesn't have "national day parade" type of worship service with dancers

It has a wonderful community of friendly people who greets you
warmly the moment you step into the church;
It has a group of caring leaders who seem genuine when they preach;
It has a vision of what it has to do as a church which I can see are consistent with its actions (being a friendly family church, being a blessings to others, being non-discriminatory in membership, caring for members and understanding and being a part of the body of Christ working for the Christian mission);
It gives you a comfortable feeling of being there.

I love my church!

6Cs for Friendship

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Learnt quite a bit from sermon today on developing lasting friendship, so thought of documenting that lesson here and sharing it.

What the Bible says about Friendships
God created man for relationships and fellowships just like how he created both Adam and Eve together. In fact, the 10 commandments are all on relationships: the first 4 on the relationship between God and man and the next 6 on relationships between man.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
¹⁰ If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

What We should Remember about Friendships
1. I must be Committed -

Proverbs 18:24
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

It makes no sense to have many acquaintances but no friends who you can have a genuine relationship with. To have committed friends, we must first be committed. The focus is on quality and not quantity.

2. I must be Considerate -

Proverbs 17:9
⁹ He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

There will be times when friends will make mistakes and sin against another. The key here is to "cover over an offense" or to accept and forgive the wrongdoing. It means not "rubbing it in" or "snowballing" but does not mean not being accountable. There still needs to be accountability to what has been done.

3. I must be Confidential -

Proverbs 11:13
¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Proverbs 16:28
²⁸ A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

How do we treat what has been shared with us? It takes a lot of trust for a friend to share with us and how do we treat this trust?

4. I must be Candid -

Proverbs 27:5-6
⁵ Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Proverbs 27:9
⁹ Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

Proverbs
14 In the multitude of counselors there is safety

Friends as safe advisors. All of us have blindspots and someone who cares will help us see those blindspots, which will help better us. (a) Compliment in public but correct in private, (b) never rebuke a friend until you have proven that you are also open to rebuke from them (give and receive criticisms), (c) correct them when they are up not when they are down; when they are feeling good, not when they are feeling bad. There is always a time for everything.

5. I must be Constructive -

Proverbs 27:17
As irons sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man chooses his companions carefully

Be positive, be a "cheerleader" but also choose your company wisely as you will become like the people you hang out with.

6. I must be Consistent -

Proverbs 17:17
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

A friend may not agree with you but will consistently be there for you when needed. The care and love is genuine.

Friend or Foe?
Who are considered friends? Ask yourself how would you respond to a person's victory and successes? Do you rejoice with them or do you feel that they do not deserve it more than you or become envious of them?

An unfriendly christian is an insult and bad testimony of God.

What a Friend we have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Valuable lessons for me. Amen.

God Done it Again

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Speaking through Sermons?
God did it again; God seems to have timing for things and I find that God has a way of speaking to me through sermons, so much so it sometimes seem miraculous how the right sermon always seem to come at the time when I am facing trials and struggle with the same issue. But I must say that this has greatly renew my faith and sense of connection with God.

Just like the time when I was going through a rough patch that has caused me to feel so burnt out and the sermon series on "Burnout to Balance" came along and helped me review my priorities and understand my work ethics.

When I struggled with leadership and was so angry with my ex-superior, that week's sermon was on power and authority.

When I was struggling with a soured friendship with a former good friend, the week's sermon on compassion and forgivenes came along.

When I started wanting to serve in church and started wondering in what ways I can serve and when I came to know of my friend's involvement in a cult, the sermon for those couple of weeks were on calling and on mission.

Now, I am struggling with yet another relationship with a friend and his girlfriend which has gone wrong, the next day's sermon came: How to Develop Lasting Friendships.

Still not OK
Just the day before, I have decided to send a sms to this friend of mine and his girlfriend because I seldom hear from them since the New Year incident and recently when I messaged them, replies seldom came. Sensing something wrong, I messaged them asking if they were upset with anything and my friend messaged back and shared how they were still affected by the way I reacted on New Year's day.

I was, in a way, caught unaware because I thought things were OK since we spoken on the phone about the matter but I must admit that I was at fault too, reacting in that way and in a way ruining their New Year. I couldn't explain why I reacted that way but there was just this deep desire to want to leave the place. After so many past hurts, I just started to really fear the world around me, not knowing who I can trust and who I couldn't. When later, my soured relationship with the good friend who was "beginning to hate me" further caused much disillusionment, since I couldn't even trust a good friend.

Wanting to see the Hearts of People
I just feel so unsafe in this world and just feel so strongly about lies, so much so, I am seeing how my social life is affected now; fearing to talk to people. Research into cults recently makes the world even a more fearsome place with people out there preying on others, manipulating them. God has placed me amidst wonderful and supportive people in my workplace and in church but I sometimes just find it so difficult to relate to them, so much so people might find it boring to be around me. It can be very painful and lonely wanting to relate but fearing being hurt again. If I can ask something from God, then I really wish for eyes that could see the hearts of people. I seldom smile now and it just becomes more difficult day after day since my job requires me to relate to people and volunteers. I just don't like the "me" now. But although having said this, I still feel that it was wrong of me to behave that way to my 2 friends and I apologize.

Angry with God
In fact, I was so angry with God yesterday when I received my friend's sms yesterday; asking how He could allow something like that to happen? I am facing challenges at work, family and grappling with past hurts and now He has to take away another friendship which I cherish. I was so angry that, after receiving the message, I stopped listening to worship songs and immediately switched my mp3 player to listen to pop songs. I just found it difficult to relate to the songs which spoke of God's grace etc when God allowed something like that to happen.

But today's sermon helped me put things into perspective...