My family 

Is it a sign ?

It is on last monday, 28 March 2005, another great earthquake shook Pulau Nias, one of the island in the North Sumatera. I guess it is still fresh in our mind, one of the greatest catastrophe that happened last december at about the same place. The first Tsunami disaster has not been handled completely another disaster has come again.

If we think carefully, the first Tsunami disaster happened on 26th December 2004, which was one day after christmas. Then the second catastrophe occured on 28th March 2005 which was one day after easter. I don't know, just wonder is it a coincidence or is it a sign ? and a sign of what ? Nobody knows, only God knows. In everything there must be a good purpose behind it, only sometimes hard to comprehend with our limit thought.

This morning, I read one of the articles on the newspaper. It said that the catastrophes has changed the survivals' thoughts. These events has taught them to live their life differ from previously. Wealth is not their main goal anymore, because money and other material goods can disappear in only a minute, including life. One of the survival admit that previously she used to pray in hurry, because need to earn more money, but now she don't want to work too hard like previously. The most important thing for her now is get closer to God, because we don't know when He will "call" us. The victims has learnt through these bad experiences. This statement has reminded me too about the most essential thing in our life. and I just want to thank's God, that I don't need to experience such a bad event to realised it.

For futher reading: Luke 12:13-21

"Live like there is no tommorow" Anon

Happy Easter.

Just wanna say Happy Easter to everyone, may the Easter spirit will always reside in our heart. "We are the reasons that He gave His life".

I just have a short visit to Denpasar. My colleague and I conducted General computer audit for one of clients at Denpasar. I thought it would be a chance to have a holiday in Bali. Guess what, couldn't do anything except work, started to work at 8.00am until 10.00 pm. No wonder, it was only three days. It should be longer than that, but the client budget for IT audit was limited so we had to do the review as efficient as we could. Fortunately, the client could cooperate reasonably well in providing data.

I think I start to enjoy my job, I encounter a lot of new things on the way I do my task. Thank's God for this job.

The storm will pass.

That was the last saturday reflection in our daily bread. It has refreshed my heart from what I've been through last week. Last week was the worst week I've ever had since I came back to Jakarta. So overwhelming with the situation. I haven't really familiar with the work but was chased by due date, tiring and stress with the traffic. Then my wallet was stolen when I took city bus to the office. I lost my atm card, ID card and driving license. Just so frustated, every unpleasant things happened at the same time. One problem hasn't been solved, came another problem.

Then on last saturday quiet time has given my spirit back. And what just happened has reminded me about Him. I realised since I started to work last month, I was so overwhelming with working stuff and began to reduce my quiet time. Hence, my relation also getting further and further from God. Until last Saturday I tried to comprehend what the rationale behind this incident, I want to thanks God I experienced these. By this situation, I was drawed back to Him again. It also reminded me how to set my priority in managing my time.

YOU ARE MY ALL IN ALL

You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek,
You are my all in all.

Seeking you as a precious jewel,
Lord, to give up, I’d be a fool,
You are my all in all.

Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your Name.
Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your Name.
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
Rising again — I bless your Name.
You are my all in all.

When I fall down, you pick me up,
When I am dry, you fill my cup.
You are my all in all.

Dennis Jernigan© 1991 Shepherd’s Heart Music (Administered by Word, Inc).
Used By Permission. CCLI Church Copyright License Number 1236420.

Sydney in memory: My last Bondi - Coogee coastal walk

The following pics were taken on 21th December 2004 when my friend, Weni, had a visit to Sydney from Melbourne, before we both went back to Indonesia. Windy and I took her to have a coastal walk from Bondi beach to Coogee beach. We really had a good time along the walk.

Ended at Coogee beach 

Continue.. 

In between.. 

Starting point - Bondi Beach 

Coogee - Coastal Walk 

It is often not so easy at the beginning.

It has been a few weeks since I started working at PWC. Until now I am still struggling with the work, because I have not had any experiences in this area, except from the little knowledge, which I got from my last semester lectures. The nature of audit job always need to make contact with clients. I often have difficulties to communicate with a new person. Moreover, not all clients' employees have a positive point of view to Auditing work. They often see audit as finding out their mistakes, and make them look awful. In fact, auditors try to fix weaknesses in their current system, so they can run their business more properly in the future.

In addition to that, I also have struggle with the technical knowledges and the procedure to audit. In fact, every inexperience new employees are given a basic training for this, except in my case. Hmmm, I wonder whether only me that face these difficulties at the starting point.

However, I am really thanks God that He always gives a comfort when we are in tough situation. I was encouraged by His words at last wednesday quiet time topic, which is "Little by little". In Exodus 23:30 says, "Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possesion of the land". In the reflection says, Israelites seemed frustated to believe that they would be given the promise land by God, because so many obstacles that they faced. Though, God did not ask them to do it all at once.

This situation make me remember the first time I went to college, the first time when I started to work after graduate from my first degree and the first time when I arrived at Sydney. All of them were very hard at the beginning. Thanks God, I could cope with the situations little by little and they were ended with happy ending stories although some of them took time. I hope this time will also like that.

God promises us a victory in our life, but He never says we will get it immediately. He wants us to learn and tackle our life obstructions step by step. One thing that important to be remembered whatever our situations He always there for us.

Back to work or travelling ???

I've got a job, I started to work on 7th Feb. After working fortwo days, I've already got two public holidays in row, then got weekend after working for another day. what a wonderful life if every week is like that. hmmm, all of that in fact just a screensaver.. you know what, the week after that I got the real task. Company has a client at Gresik, so my manager assigned me to audit at Gresik for a week. Basically, the accomodation is goode nough, except the food sometimes a bit no taste. The task was confusing, because last year audit report was not documented completely so it is difficult to follow up and review some issues. Haven't finished the documentation completely, I came back to Jakarta last saturday and will continue to follow up other issues from Jakarta. Suddenly, on sunday my collegue called me said that on monday got another client at Cikarang. Cikarang about40-50 Kms from Jakarta, and I need to stay there for another week.

Yeah, that the risk work as an auditor, always mobile. I think it is also an opportunity to travel around Indonesia, to see the places and people at other side of Indonesia. Sometimes feel funny, I went to more places in Australia within only in one and half year than places in Indonesia.

PS: I've just got another niece, so I have two nieces now. hmm, suddenly feel old when someone start calling you "auntie" :P

Thank you.

Thank's God already got a job at PWC as Information System Auditor. Have been hoping to work in this area of job. Undoubtedly God always gives the best to His children.


Mat 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer"

Interview with God

Just found a writing in my compi, it has been kept for a long time. I think it is very interesting to share about it. Probably some of you have read it. However, just enjoy and contemplate about it.

I dreamed I had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.
“If you have the time” I said.
God smiled. “My time is eternity.”“What questions do you have in mind for me?”
“What surprises you most about humankind?”
God answered...“That they get bored with childhood,they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money...and then lose their money to restore their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.”
"That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had never lived.”
God’s hand took mineand we were silent for a while.
And then I asked...“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”
“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”
“To learn to forgiveby practicing forgiveness.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.”
“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most,but is one who needs the least.”
“To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”
“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.
"Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"
God smiled and said, “Just know that I am here... always.”

-author unknown

God's work.

In the mids of waiting for interview, these last two or three weeks I began to doubt whether God really know what I need ? However, thank's God that He always keeps remaining me about His faithfulness to us who trust Him.

In the beginning of my day in Jakarta, I was quite motivated to look for job. However, until the end of the third weeks I felt quite discourage, because didn't see any result from what i've done. During that time, I was struck by one verse from my quiet time guide. It is from Ecclesiastes 3:1 "Everything on earth has its own time and its own season". From this verse, I flashed back my past, and realised that God has always made my dreams happened although in the beginning I felt disappointed. It is because I want it come true immediately. However, God has its own plan and He know when is the right time. In the case when I really wanted to pursue higher tertiary education, I tried to apply at my former University. But then I failed in the admission test. After that I attempted to apply for a scholarship. In the first two years I also failed. Finally in the third time I was accepted by AUSAID. I can see the reasons behind these failure and struggles. God doesn't mean to abandon or even forget about us. He will give everything to us, if we are ready to receive it.

I realised He's already given me an opportunity to pursue higher tertiary study in Sydney, and now I have completed the study. I believe He Himself will also complete the work over me with his own time, He will not neglect what He's initiated. And it has been proven that last week I can see a positive sign in my job hunting. God never too late to act.

Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".

He's been Good

by David Baroni
I have known the Father's care for me
He's been good He's been good
Through it all He's always care there for me
God's been good to me

Through the storms
Through the night
Come what may everything will be all right
I have known the Father's care for me
God's been good to me

God is good, all the time.

Another week has passing by, and yet my job hunting hasn't made any significant progress. Having ran through one interview last Tuesday, the interview was ok, but the offer was not so interested me. Still keep sending out my resumes. However, thank's God always provide a comfort while I am in difficult situation. He always drawed me back to Him.

These past two weeks, although sometimes feel a bit worry I feel very blessed. Everyday in my quiet time I can feel God present and encourage me through His words. One of that really comfort me is Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass". It reminds me what I have learnt last year. I feel embarrassed how come I am so easy to forget what God taught me. It also makes me realised that we have to put the knowledges into practice, if not it will be gone with the wind.

Further like yesterday, I could participate in christmas celebration for homeless people with Christine and Edwin. Heard about their stories, though they undergo tough and hard situation in Jakarta, sometimes they still can thanks God because they still have chance to live, compared with those who were killed because of the tsunami disaster. I think it was not a coincidence that I could take part of this event. It was because of God's grace, and maybe because God wants me to know He always take care of me and He always in control. This experience taught me to appreciate what I have now, what has God given to me these passing years.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

People Need The Lord

by Steve Green

Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eye.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize -- people need the Lord?

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What would be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who's lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For people need the Lord.
People need the Lord.

A new chapter in a new year

It has been about one week since the first time I arrived in Jakarta. The first impression when I arrived was the weather is quite hot and humid. However, Thank's God, I haven't experienced any reverse culture shock yet. Just sometimes it is quite difficult to go out if you don't have any vehicles.

The first couple days my sis brought us to Puncak, to take a fresh air there. It was quite good, could see such natural and peaceful environment, although the way back from puncak was very crowded.

After the holiday, I started to look for job. I don't know, just feel a bit tough. Had contacted my former company, they would like to offer a job. Personally, I am quite interested, but just desire to look for a new work environment. Therefore, I haven't decided yet want to take it or not. Then also tried to contact a company that willing to interview me while I was in Sydney, but still couldn't reach the person in charge. I have sent out my resume again to other companies, but haven't got any responses yet. begin to ponder and worry how long I have to wait.. In fact it's just been a week. Hmmm, I think my patience is being tested. We always want something to be done immediately and never want to go through the process. At the very bottom of my heart believe that God will eventually give me what I need, yet I am still impatient to wait for Him. Afterall nothing much I can do except pray and keep trying.

Lamentations 3:22-24 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."