Debriefing - Sampoerna Team.

How To Dance In The Rain. (Anon)

I got this story from my church milist, just very touched by the story. I hope everyone who read this story may get inspired and could act like the elder gentlement in the story..

Here is the story goes:

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb.

He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch, and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health; he told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.
He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are'? He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is'. I had to hold back tears as he left; I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life'.

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought I could share with you. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, But how to dance in the rain.'

You Are Special

Suatu hari seorang pembicara terkenal membuka seminarnya dengan cara yang unik. Sambil memegang uang pecahan Rp. 100.000,00, ia bertanya kepada hadirin, "Siapa yang mau uang ini?" Tampak banyak tangan diacungkan pertanda banyak minat. "Saya akan berikan ini kepada salah satu dari Anda sekalian, tapi sebelumnya perkenankanlah saya melakukan ini." Ia berdiri mendekati hadirin. Uang itu diremas-remas dengan tangannya sampai berlipat2. Lalu bertanya lagi, "Siapa yang masih mau uang ini?" Jumlah tangan yang teracung tak berkurang. "Baiklah," jawabnya, "Apa jadinya bila saya melakukan ini?" ujarnya sambil menjatuhkan uang itu ke lantai dan menginjak2nya dengan sepatunya. Meski masih utuh, kini uang itu jadi amat kotor dan tak mulus lagi."Nah, apakah sekarang masih ada yang berminat? "Tangan-tangan yang mengacung masih tetap banyak."Hadirin sekalian, Anda baru saja menghadapi sebuah pelajaran penting. Apapun yang terjadi dengan uang ini, anda masih berminat karena apa yang saya lakukan tidak akan mengurangi nilainya. Biarpun lecek dan kotor, uang itu tetap bernilai Rp. 100.000,00. Dalam kehidupan ini kita pernah beberapa kali terjatuh, terkoyak, dan berlepotan kotoran akibat keputusan yang kita buat dan situasi yang menerpa kita. Dalam kondisi seperti itu, kita merasa tak berharga, tak berarti. Padahal apapun yang telah dan akan terjadi, Anda tidak pernah akan kehilangan nilai di mata mereka yang mencintai Anda, terlebih di mata Tuhan.

Don't forget: U're Special. Happy easter !! He gave all He could give, so we can live.

1 Cor 15:3b "that Christ died for our sins.."

Learn How to Pray. (Anon)

I asked God to take away my pride
He said "No"
He said it's not for Him to take away
but it's for me to give up

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole
He said "No"
He said the child's spirit is whole
his life is fulfilling and his body is temporary

I asked God to give me patience
He said "No"
He said patience is by-product of tribulation
it is not granted but earned

I asked God to give me happiness
He said "No"
He said He will give me blessing happiness
is up to me

I asked God to take away my pain
He said "No"
He said I need pain to grow
and I will grow closer to Him in pain

I asked God to make my spirit grow
He said "No"
He said He will provide the path for me to grow
but it's my own decision to walk this path

I asked God to teach me to love others the way He loves us
He smiled and said "You finally get the right idea"

How can I know what God wants me to do?

Yeah sometimes quite frustrating about how.. after comtemplating and pray for sometimes but still don't get any indication of guidances and answers. Or we actually we've got the answers but we are too stuborn to follow the directions.

Maybe some of you have been gone through the same experiences can share your thought, suggestions, advice or ideas.. Any Inputs are welcome.

Mujizat itu Nyata.

by: Jonathan Prawira

Tak terbatas kuasa-Mu Tuhan
Semua dapat kau lakukan
Apa yang kelihatan mustahil bagiku
Itu sangat mungkin bagi-Mu

Reff:
Di saat ku tak berdaya
Kuasa-Mu yang sempurna
Ketika ku percaya
Mujizat itu nyata

Bukan karena kekuatan
Namun Roh-Mu ya Tuhan
Ketika ku berdoa
Mujizat itu nyata

Bridge:
Mujizat itu di dekat mulutku
Dan ku hidup oleh percaya

Life is like a box of chocolate.. (Forest Gump).

About one month ago one day in the afternoon, I got a chat invitation from my MSN messenger. It was from my Junior High School Friend. We haven't met each other for more than a decade, during the period we sent email to each other and then lost contact afterwards. Then that afternoon we began to make a contact again. She live in Bandung, married with one son. Then one week later, fortunately I got an assignment, which required me to travel to Bandung. Without thinking any longer, I used this opportunity to set an appointment to meet my old best friend. And then we met after about eleven years. Nothing change much with the appearance except she gained a bit weight and she weared headcapped. We talked about one hour, she told me about the life of some of our junior high friend. One was murdered three years ago, and one died because of giving birth difficulties recently, I was shocked hearing that news, which I never thought that would be happened with my friends. What I didn't understand how and why she was murdered. Yeah we never know what would happened to our very own life and close relative and friend. Only God know..

S'mua Baik.

By: Tommy Widodo & Budi

Dari semula
T'lah kau tetapkan
Hidupku dalam tangan-Mu
Dalam rencana-Mu Tuhan

Rencana indah
T'lah kau siapkan
Bagi masa depanku
Yang penuh harapan

Reff:
S'mua baik, S'mua baik
Apa yang t'lah kau perbuat di dalam hidupku
S'mua baik, S'mua baik
Kau jadikan hidupku berarti

To begin the year.

After having a ten days of year end holiday, I started to come to my office on 2nd January. That morning began with a hard rain, and when I woke up I did not feel like to work. With a very low motivation I took a bath and prepared to begin my working days. I took all of my stuff and put them in my car. With a full confident I did not do a final check then drove to the office. I arrived at 6.40. I thought it was still early, I had my breakfast and took an easy sleep for awhile. At 7.40 when I want to go upstairs and just realised I forgot to bring my laptop. Oh my.. how could I work without it. I decided to drive back home to take my laptop. I ended up with spending almost three hours back and forth to the office, caught in a bad traffic jam because it was a rainy day. Losing my energy to work normally, fed up with my carelessness. Start wondering it was a bad start for beginning of a year.

Regardless the bad start, I believed our life pathway is not determined by a good sign or bad sign. It is definitely depend on God. These days since the advent period, I was stroke by a verse (Romans 8:28) repetititvely. These past year I have been struggling with my faith. It seems that everything happened in my life was stagnant, does not make any progress at all. Yeah maybe people see on the surface that I quite succeed with my career, but the spiritual inside of me is falling down slowly. At a point, sometimes I was wondering, can I still trust God? or I have to stand up by my own feet? Then in one of the year end testimonial sessions a congregation member shared about his past until he found the Lord and brought him become an evangelist. He closed with the Romans 8:28 verse. That remind me with a long time ago sermon. A preacher illustrated that he was waiting in the airport to pick up one of his family member. The plane actually supposed has been arrived but he heard an announcement saying that the plane was delayed for two hours because of some technical issues. He waited and waited.. seems that the plane was not make any progress to arrive, but actually the airline officers were making effort to reach the destination. Finally after two hours past, the plane arrived and he met with the family member. God's work sometimes is like that he said. On the surface it seems nothing is happening, but in fact He is in progress getting it done. We just need to do our part and put our faith on Him.

With the reminder, my resolution for year 2008 may I put my faith more in HIM, trust HIM and act as I have received whatever I have asked for. Be joyfull in God in whatever circumstances.

Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Yeah a bit late to say that hehehe. Anyway hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New year holiday. The most important thing is really experience Christ present during the season.

Cheers, May God give us strength to go through year 2008.

Exploring a Submarine.

If you believe in GOD

If you have faith in God
If you believe
He will return
Follow the way that Jesus has come to teach you
And then you will see that the life can turn better.

REFRAIN
I will sing, I will sing what God came to teach us
That the way of reaching the heaven is to love, is to love
Is to love, to love the poor, the rich and the sinner
And everything that in this life is cherished by the Lord.
If God want, I will stop thinking about me
And so I will bide one´s time to worship Him.
I will be happy and with me everything that sings

Mengenal-Mu. (To know You, God)

Bila kubuka mataku,
dan lihat wajah-Mu...
kuterkagum...

Bila kulihat hidupku,
dan karya tangan-Mu...
kutersanjung....

Karna semua yang baik dalam hidupku..
itulah karya-Mu...
Kau bri kesempatan yang baru...

Reff :
Dan ku ingin mengenal-Mu Tuhan...
lebih dalam dari smua yang ku kenal...
Tiada kasih yang melebihi-Mu...
ku ada untuk menjadi penyembah-Mu....

Comment:
That was the song, which sang during our retreat, I was very touch with this song. Somehow made me think how well have I known God and realised have been very selfish all of the time.. always thinking about me, me and me.. what if I.. how about if I.. hardly think what God's plan for me. Whether what I've done is according to God's will.. Fortunate, I've realised and need to put thing into perspective.

Tea Walk group.

All about August.

Hmm actually nothing is special in August.. except yeah, my birthday in August.. and office busy season started in August.. just about it. However, I felt very blessed for this year August. Lately felt a bit disoriented, in the surface it seems everything are fine, my routine, activities hmm but just felt a bit lost.. Regardless the feeling, I think God knows what I need. I was introduced to a member of IES (International English Service), ibu Setiawati, who invited me to join "Connecting the Dots" seminar. The seminar is about to connect our past (bad and good) to our present condition. So as a pre-work assignment, we were required to list down all of the past event that have impact to our life at that time. Then during the seminar, a long with the talk we did an exersice to make a timeline through these listed event. At the end, we can see our draft autobiography, and somehow realised that all of the bad or good things happened actually for our own good.. yeah "God is good, all the time", said Don Moen. This seminar has drawn me back to focus.

As I mentioned before, we entered busy season since August. Although it's just started, I've felt so weary hehe.. then out of the blue, one of my friend's friend, Herlina asked me to join a tea walk event. Initially I was not so interested, but I agreed to go eventually.. hmm that was nice, meeting some new friends, experiencing the tea field and nature.. yeah nice... :)

Who Am I ?

This song was sang during the "Connecting the dots" Seminar, which I just attended these two days. I like this song once it was sang, it described the truth about us. Later will share about what the seminar all about.. Feel so amazed, inspired and blessed. Thank's to Ibu Setiawati who invited me to join the seminar.

Artist: Casting Crowns
Album : Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out throught the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

SPA Outing 2007 Part II - Bali

Romans 8:28.

I was cleaning up my inbox, and found a nice article. I received this email November 19, 2003 from my brother. I think although the story happened for long time ago, it is still relevant to share the story. Here it is:

As you read this, remember Romans 8: 28.. "And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose." A man from Norfolk, VA called a local radio station to share this on Sep 11th, 2003. His Name was Robert Matthews. These are his words: "A few weeks before Sept 11th, my wife and I found out we were going to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit her sister. On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I said 'amen' we both heard a loud pop and the car shook violently. We had blown out a tire. I replaced the tireas quickly as I could, but we still missed her flight. Both very upset, we drove home. I received a call from my father who was retired FDNY. He asked what my wife's flight number was, but explained that we missed the flight. My father informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak. My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. 'This is not something I can just sit by for, I have to do something.' I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was made up. Before he got off of The phone, he said, 'take good care of my grandchild.' Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died while helping in the rescue effort. My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quickly became anger. Anger at God, at my father, and at myself. I had gone for nearly 2 years blaming God for taking my father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never accepted Christ, and never got to say goodbye.

Then something happened. About 2 months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with a small child. The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got the chance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son.' He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find his wife and free her. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, 'there is something else you need to know.' his wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talked to him and lead him to Christ. I began sobbing at the news. Now I know that when I get to heaven, my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this family would be able to thank him themselves." When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew in honor of the man who gave his life so mother and baby could live. This story should help us to realize two things: First, that though it has been two years since the attacks, we should never let it become a mere tragic memory. And second, but most important, God is always in control. We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control.

What a such encouraging story...

Old McDonald has a farm.

About two weeks ago, with a bunch of sunday school students we visited dairy farm. Having our first experience to milking a cow.. what a fun experience mhoooo hehehe... see how is the milk being processed to variety of dairy product..

Hmmm an interesting place to get away...

Office - End of financial year.

I have passed another end of financial year of the firm. The time passed so fast, I have been in the firm for about two and half years now. Here are some updates of some events that I've been through inside and outside the firm:

• Then Firm's usual annual tradition is the performance result or promotion announcement. This year would be another blessing year, I am promoted as an Assistance Manager. Certainly there will be a significant salary increase, and abundance work would also follow. I tried to encourage myself to contribute as best as I can, and may His name glorify through my career. Sometimes career issue make me worry about how to manage a life balance.

• I was confirmed at the beginning of this month. In addition I have passed the Sunday School teacher lessons and officially allow to teach Sunday School students.. So far so good with the role, I manage to prepare all the stuff right before Sunday. Thank's to the Internet, which help me a lot in providing the material. However, there are still many things that need to improve.

• Our team will have an outing by the end of next month. We plan to go to Bali island. Hmm, have been six years since my last visit, I hope will get some fresh air and energy before the high season come. Looking forward for the outing.