Angels

Was terribly sick and sad today. But my friends instantly called and visited me in my humble home, they brought me food and drink, prayed and gave loads of caring words. My heart was deeply touched. That healed my body more than the bag of medicine from Al Noor Pharmacy!

Thank you Lord for blessing us through our friends in our lives. I love you all!

new life lesson today: 

when you are sick, 

friends care > medical care

~.-*-.~*-.~*-.~*-.~~.-*-.~*-.~*-.~*-.~

I believe in angels,

The kind that heaven sends,

I am surrounded by angels,

But I call them friends.

-by  Aizabel Parinas

~.-*-.~*-.~*-.~*-.~~.-*-.~*-.~*-.~*-.~

Life Shakes

Have you ever experienced sadness that causes you to cry uncontrollably? Your whole body shakes. Your head feel so heavy. You feel so defeated. And you want to release all the heavy air out of your lungs. 

Aahhhh!

You know what, just enjoy it. Just let it go. Cry all you want. Its painful yes but go ahead and feel it. It will soon pass. Because life is not always smiles and laughter. Sometimes it gets wet with tears also.

After that, inhale the deepest breath ever and exhale it freely. And then laugh it out loud. Listen to the sound of your laughter. Gain back your confidence and take control of your self again.

Oh Life. Stop shaking me.

picture borrowed from sir google

Assignment

Last weekend before leaving work my third Bujangnim gave me a difficult assignment. I thought to just  ignore it but surely he will demand an answer soon. Ok here his questions are answered honestly from the bottom of my heart. 

Assignment

1. What makes it exhausting to work here?

• Tough project situation.
• Culture clashes among colleagues.
• Stubborn subcontractors and suppliers.
• When my MAR returns back with Status C (or D).
• Many pending work but it seems like nothing is moving.
• When I try to explain something and it is misunderstood for something else.

2.What makes it boring to work here?

• Sometimes when the office is very silent.
• When it seems to have no progress at the site.
• Routine clerical works.
• Long working hours especially during summer in the Ramadan period.

3. What makes it exciting to work in our company?

• My friends. It is exciting to work here because my friends are here.
• I am in the best department and I have great bujangnims.
• When I finish a difficult task.
• Construction as a whole is exciting, work at site is full of life.
• And the best part is eating out with colleagues (see illustrations below)

^^ during 'pay' daysss

:( during 'goodbye' daysss

:) just get together' days

:) and 'couples' days.... (single alone hehe!)

The Good Samaritan

The Road of Decision

Today in ECC, Pastor Mark's sermon have struck a chord in many people's hearts. We live in a country where similar situation, as the parable have shown, is happening all the time. And we are tested each time to make the right decisions.

The story of the good Samaritan tells of a Jewish man falling in the hands of thieves and left half dead on the road. During that time, the road to Jericho is very dangerous and known for thieves. Three people passed by and saw the hurting man.

1st Person - expert of the law. He avoided him and passed by on the other side. 

Sad to say, we are like him. I am like him. When we meet people especially those who we consider as lower status, we think that it is better to keep distance and avoid them because if we get closer, we will be required to help and they may take advantage of us and then we may get hurt also.

2nd Person - a leader. He slows down to look at him and then also passed by on the other side. 

Many times we see people who needs help. We curiously look at them and stop there. We think it is better not to get involved so we ignore them and do nothing.

3rd Person - a samaritan. In the time of Jesus, Samaritans were treated like 'dogs'. They were despised and considered as lower class people. But this samaritan saw the man in the road and had compassion on him and helped him. He have no idea who the person was and he have absolutely nothing to gain from helping him. Yet he decided and acted instantly.

I was wrong when I said before, that we need to stay away from people and avoid attachments. I realized that to live fully, we must not fail to love in every opportunity. We don't have any excuse to be unloving. Yes, it may cost us something, our time, money, and maybe we'll get hurt too. But then, to love unconditionally is what makes life meaningful.

'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~

“Too often we underestimate the

power of a touch, a smile,

a kind word,

a listening ear,

an honest compliment,

or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential

to turn a life around.” 

- by Leo Buscaglia

'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~

The Four Gates of Speech

An old Sufi tradition advises us to speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates.

At the first gate, we ask ourselves,
"Are these words true?"
If so, we let them pass on;
if not, back they go.

At the second gate we ask;
"Are they necessary?" 

At the third gate we ask;
"Are they beneficial?" 

and at the fourth gate, we ask,
"Are they kind?"

If the answer to any of these is no, then what you are about to say should be left unsaid.

photo borrowed from sir google...

Rose (Inspiring True Story)

An 87 Year Old College Student Named Rose

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. 

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned round to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. 

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. 

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. 

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. 

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium.

As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. 

You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old.

If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. 

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.