I'm on to my third weekend of nasty coughs and disrupted sleep patterns ... and the soliloquy continues.
In my down-and-out state more than two weeks ago, I remembered feeling disoriented and having the sensation of being flushed out of a tunnel or pipe and into the deep blue. The sudden expanse made it difficult for me to focus, thus the need to slow down, recollect and refocus on life's direction and once again, find peace in my sense of being.
The search has continued. Some in church call this returning to one's first love. I see it as taking time to rest ... to be still and know that God is Lord! I am beginning to accept and relate to this vastness of depth, width, height, and length all around me as the sense of being surrounded by God's love, His presence!
Nature - the creation of God - is vast! Majestic! Full of splendor! Awesome! Larger than life itself! Glorious and yet fearful!
If I were climbing a volvanic mountain and it errupted ...
If I were diving in deep blue and the storms came ...
If I were traveling to work and the roads split open ...
... what would my thoughts, words or deed be?
Would I know that He is God?
Would I call out to Him to save me?
Would I be able to hear His voice?
Would I know to do what He tells me to do?
Would I find peace in my soul knowing that my life is in His hands?
Suddenly, I am drawn to this passage ... it was as if God knew exactly what was on my mind ... and the words came ...
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea
Let the oceans roar and foam,
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
A river brings joy to the city of God
the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city, it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble!
God's voice thunders, and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven's Armies is here among us
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Come see the glorious works of the Lord
See how he brings destruction upon the world
He causes wars to end throughout the earth
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear
he burns the shields with fire.
Be still and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation
I will be honored throughout the world.
The Lord of Heaven's Armies is here among us
the God of Israel is our fortress.
[Psalm 46]
Where God's rule and reign is, there's the kingdom of God. Incidentally, I am led to believe that that is where people who know God will be able to be still and know that He is God even in the midst of physical disasters! They will be able to find peace in the midst of chaos.
And it is no surprise that "Still" by Reuben Morgan of Hillsongs brings me great comfort ... and perhaps, these would be my words in the midst of calamities ...
Hide me now, under your wings
Cover me within your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
Find rest my soul in Christ alone
Know his power in quietness and trust
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Created for Glory, destined for greatness!
"See, I told you so ... my parents lovvvve me ...uh huh ... just as I am!"
- Jeevan -
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration - what a creation!
You know me inside out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculptured from nothing to something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.
[The Message; Psalm 139: 13-16]
Saturday, May 12, 2007
A Superhero in the the making ...
Life's been like an emotional roller coaster of late. It's difficult for me to express what it is that I am going through so I have turned to doing what some might call "nonsensical" quizzes to help "lighten" the atmosphere and hopefully alleviate the unfounded fears and sense of disorientation that have been plaguing my otherwise peaceful rest ...
I chanced upon several fun quizzes that help you determine your comic superheros while reading an old friend's blog. He's not literally "old" but I best remember him from my very first missions trip to Khon Kean, Thailand, in the mid-90s. He was the leader of the group. I digress ...
Back to the quizzes ... it helps to know that my X-Men Personality is Storm. Controlling the weather (atmokinesis) might be her mutant talent, but it's her sharp wit and loyalty that make her a valuable asset to the X-Men crew. Ororo Munroe, known for her ability to spark lightening storms and command rain and snow, is consumed by her allegiance to Professor X's goal of peacefully coexisting with humans. Storm is one of the oldest and respected members of the X-Men squad, often acting as its second in command.
Then there's the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz and it turns out that my inner superhero is Spider-Man / Catwoman. There's a dark side to you, but you always end up doing the right thing. With great power comes greater responsibility, so don't be fooled by the glitz and get caught in a web of evil.
It helps to day dream a little about the great and mighty things that my superhero personalities can fulfill in this life time!
Perhaps, I could also someday partake of supernatural wonders of such majestic scale. After all didn't the Bible characters Moses part the Red Sea or Joshua the Jordon River? or Daniel who came out of the fiery furnace unscathed or out of the lion's den alive? or Jesus (then Peter ... and then not!) who walked on water?
I believe God has given us the ability to exercise the supernatural in our natural realms, where miracles can and should perhaps be common place for those who know God and seek to fulfill His purposes in a needy world!
It feels like I am going through some kind of transition. It feels like I have just journeyed down a tunnel towards the light that is at the end of the tunnel. It feels like I just got flushed out into the deep blue as if I were a little fish called Nemo or the high-society mouse butler (from Flushed Away). At that point, my senses require a refocusing to adapt to the vastness of the deep blue.
It will take time to orientate myself to this new level or perspective. I would like to be able to see God do greater things in and through my life and see the nations blessed. For isn't this one of the reasons He has called us to partner Him in world missions?
I chanced upon several fun quizzes that help you determine your comic superheros while reading an old friend's blog. He's not literally "old" but I best remember him from my very first missions trip to Khon Kean, Thailand, in the mid-90s. He was the leader of the group. I digress ...
Back to the quizzes ... it helps to know that my X-Men Personality is Storm. Controlling the weather (atmokinesis) might be her mutant talent, but it's her sharp wit and loyalty that make her a valuable asset to the X-Men crew. Ororo Munroe, known for her ability to spark lightening storms and command rain and snow, is consumed by her allegiance to Professor X's goal of peacefully coexisting with humans. Storm is one of the oldest and respected members of the X-Men squad, often acting as its second in command.
Then there's the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz and it turns out that my inner superhero is Spider-Man / Catwoman. There's a dark side to you, but you always end up doing the right thing. With great power comes greater responsibility, so don't be fooled by the glitz and get caught in a web of evil.
It helps to day dream a little about the great and mighty things that my superhero personalities can fulfill in this life time!
Perhaps, I could also someday partake of supernatural wonders of such majestic scale. After all didn't the Bible characters Moses part the Red Sea or Joshua the Jordon River? or Daniel who came out of the fiery furnace unscathed or out of the lion's den alive? or Jesus (then Peter ... and then not!) who walked on water?
I believe God has given us the ability to exercise the supernatural in our natural realms, where miracles can and should perhaps be common place for those who know God and seek to fulfill His purposes in a needy world!
It feels like I am going through some kind of transition. It feels like I have just journeyed down a tunnel towards the light that is at the end of the tunnel. It feels like I just got flushed out into the deep blue as if I were a little fish called Nemo or the high-society mouse butler (from Flushed Away). At that point, my senses require a refocusing to adapt to the vastness of the deep blue.
It will take time to orientate myself to this new level or perspective. I would like to be able to see God do greater things in and through my life and see the nations blessed. For isn't this one of the reasons He has called us to partner Him in world missions?
Friday, May 11, 2007
Marketing Concepts Worth Noting
I had to give a presentation to a very important group of people today and found some of the following light hearted analogies very useful in helping non-marketers understand some of the work that I do in marketing.
I hope you enoy these as much as my audience did today ...
1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" That's Direct Marketing
2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says: "He's very rich. Marry him." That's Advertising
3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say: "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me." That's Telemarketing
4. You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie, you walk up to her and pour her a drink, you open the door (of the car) for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her ride and then say: "By the way, I'm rich. Will you marry me?" That's Public Relations
5. You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says: "You are very rich! Can you marry me?" That's Brand Recognition
6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. That's Customer Feedback
7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" And she introduces you to her husband. That's demand and supply gap
8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say anything, another person comes and tell her: "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him. That's losing market share
9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say: "I'm rich, Marry me!" your wife arrives. That's barriers to enter new markets
I hope you enoy these as much as my audience did today ...
1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" That's Direct Marketing
2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says: "He's very rich. Marry him." That's Advertising
3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say: "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me." That's Telemarketing
4. You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie, you walk up to her and pour her a drink, you open the door (of the car) for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her ride and then say: "By the way, I'm rich. Will you marry me?" That's Public Relations
5. You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says: "You are very rich! Can you marry me?" That's Brand Recognition
6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. That's Customer Feedback
7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" And she introduces you to her husband. That's demand and supply gap
8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say anything, another person comes and tell her: "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him. That's losing market share
9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say: "I'm rich, Marry me!" your wife arrives. That's barriers to enter new markets
Saturday, May 5, 2007
My personality in a flash!
Was reading other people's blog and found this- What Does Your Birth Date Mean?
Gosh, this is pretty accurate, don't you think? If you've been following my blog entries or if you know me pretty well, you just may find yourself nodding your head to a lot of these descriptions about me. Some parts of it seems utterly rubbish though! Read on ...
Gosh, this is pretty accurate, don't you think? If you've been following my blog entries or if you know me pretty well, you just may find yourself nodding your head to a lot of these descriptions about me. Some parts of it seems utterly rubbish though! Read on ...
| Your Birthdate: November 29 |
|
Get yours and share with me.
Fulfilling our deepest desires - Impossible?
Many times, we cry Impossible! but with God, all things are surely Possible!
I started reading "Wealth Conundrum" by Ralph Doudera and am finding the insights both revelational and practical. In the chapter titled "Relax and Win," Doudera points out how many people have pre-conceived ideas as to what is spiritual and what is not. In this example, he talks about racing (a subject that sparks my interest!)
To some people, driving a race car doesn't seem like a Christian thing to do, and my dad still doesn't let me talk to him about it, but I want to dispel the notion that my spiritual life and my racing activities are not related. I have learned a lot about my relationship with God by driving race cars.
... Several years ago, I decided to buy a Twin Turbo Porsche. I had the money available, but since they were very rare at that time I had to shop around to find one to use for racing. After I made the decision, I decided to pray about it, thinking my request would just get a rubber stamped for approval because I had the funds available ... Listening carefully to the Still Small Voice within, I was impressed that God said emphatically, NO!
When I asked Him why not, He said I wasn't good enough yet to use a car with that much power (over 400 hp). So I committed to learning to drive the car I had, an M5 BMW. I went to several driving schools ... and worked hard on learning how to drive a medium-powered car.
A year or two later, after I had forgotten all about my dream car, I was in a church worship service and out of nowhere I heard in my heart a message to go and get the Twin Turbo. Sometimes I think that God laughs at all the religious stuff that people do. He just wants a relationship.
I agree with Doudera that God is interested in giving us the desires of our hearts when the time is right. Doudera goes on to say, I try not to miss worship on Sunday mornings because it is the highlight of the week for me. This is when I can best hear directly from God, specifically to me, about the practical areas of my life.
The Porsche I really wanted was a 1997 Twin Turbo-S, the last of the air-cooled lined of turbocharged Porsches that came with 424 horsepower right from the factory. It was a limited edition model that was available by special order. Reservations for these cars had to be placed within a 24-hour period with no advance notice given, and you had to put down a non-refundable deposit of $20,000. I had missed the deadline, and found out that there would be only 180 of them made worldwide, and they were all sold.
Knowing how impossible it would be to find one, I asked a friend who referred me to a dealer in Florida who might know something about the car. I called ... and a sales rep ... laughed when I told him what I wanted.
He said that someone had canceled their order less than an hour before my call, and the sales team had just finished a meeting about it ... they were all on the phones calling their clients ... [the car] would be sold in an hour. I told him it was mine and gave him my charge card number for deposit.
Again, my thoughts are in agreement with Doudera's that this is the way life is supposed to work! God's timing, not my timing. No stress, no worry, no hurry, no guilt. Always being willing to let any deal go without anxiety. Whether it is getting a new car ... or hiring new employees, I am learning to turn over all my decisions - both big and small - to God, and not to get obsessed with getting things I want immediately.
One thing I have learned. When someone tells me that I have to act quickly to buy something or it will be gone, I never buy on those terms.
I believe the same principle applies for life all around - whether it be a job offer, pursuing a new hobby, receiving invitations to get to know some better or marriage proposals for that matter. If God wants me to have it, it will be there after I have a chance to discuss it with Him. If I am all stressed out and in a hurry, I am probably not listening, but acting ahead of Him.
This is a good (and true) picture of what it is like to have a relationship with God. He knows our deepest desires and wants to give us good gifts, even gifts that the traditional mindset may not and cannot associate as a spiritual thing, i.e., racing, diving, dancing, etc.
My experiences indicate that I learn the most about spirituality and Christian living by being in the marketplace and doing activities that I enjoy. Amazing revelations seem to crop up when I am on holiday either diving, climbing mountains, and yes ... even shopping!
May we allow our traditional mindsets to undergo a paradigm shift. May we have the best adventures as we pick up courage to relate to and journey with a true and living God!
I started reading "Wealth Conundrum" by Ralph Doudera and am finding the insights both revelational and practical. In the chapter titled "Relax and Win," Doudera points out how many people have pre-conceived ideas as to what is spiritual and what is not. In this example, he talks about racing (a subject that sparks my interest!)To some people, driving a race car doesn't seem like a Christian thing to do, and my dad still doesn't let me talk to him about it, but I want to dispel the notion that my spiritual life and my racing activities are not related. I have learned a lot about my relationship with God by driving race cars.
... Several years ago, I decided to buy a Twin Turbo Porsche. I had the money available, but since they were very rare at that time I had to shop around to find one to use for racing. After I made the decision, I decided to pray about it, thinking my request would just get a rubber stamped for approval because I had the funds available ... Listening carefully to the Still Small Voice within, I was impressed that God said emphatically, NO!
When I asked Him why not, He said I wasn't good enough yet to use a car with that much power (over 400 hp). So I committed to learning to drive the car I had, an M5 BMW. I went to several driving schools ... and worked hard on learning how to drive a medium-powered car.
A year or two later, after I had forgotten all about my dream car, I was in a church worship service and out of nowhere I heard in my heart a message to go and get the Twin Turbo. Sometimes I think that God laughs at all the religious stuff that people do. He just wants a relationship.
I agree with Doudera that God is interested in giving us the desires of our hearts when the time is right. Doudera goes on to say, I try not to miss worship on Sunday mornings because it is the highlight of the week for me. This is when I can best hear directly from God, specifically to me, about the practical areas of my life.
The Porsche I really wanted was a 1997 Twin Turbo-S, the last of the air-cooled lined of turbocharged Porsches that came with 424 horsepower right from the factory. It was a limited edition model that was available by special order. Reservations for these cars had to be placed within a 24-hour period with no advance notice given, and you had to put down a non-refundable deposit of $20,000. I had missed the deadline, and found out that there would be only 180 of them made worldwide, and they were all sold.
Knowing how impossible it would be to find one, I asked a friend who referred me to a dealer in Florida who might know something about the car. I called ... and a sales rep ... laughed when I told him what I wanted.
He said that someone had canceled their order less than an hour before my call, and the sales team had just finished a meeting about it ... they were all on the phones calling their clients ... [the car] would be sold in an hour. I told him it was mine and gave him my charge card number for deposit.
Again, my thoughts are in agreement with Doudera's that this is the way life is supposed to work! God's timing, not my timing. No stress, no worry, no hurry, no guilt. Always being willing to let any deal go without anxiety. Whether it is getting a new car ... or hiring new employees, I am learning to turn over all my decisions - both big and small - to God, and not to get obsessed with getting things I want immediately.
One thing I have learned. When someone tells me that I have to act quickly to buy something or it will be gone, I never buy on those terms.
I believe the same principle applies for life all around - whether it be a job offer, pursuing a new hobby, receiving invitations to get to know some better or marriage proposals for that matter. If God wants me to have it, it will be there after I have a chance to discuss it with Him. If I am all stressed out and in a hurry, I am probably not listening, but acting ahead of Him.
This is a good (and true) picture of what it is like to have a relationship with God. He knows our deepest desires and wants to give us good gifts, even gifts that the traditional mindset may not and cannot associate as a spiritual thing, i.e., racing, diving, dancing, etc.
My experiences indicate that I learn the most about spirituality and Christian living by being in the marketplace and doing activities that I enjoy. Amazing revelations seem to crop up when I am on holiday either diving, climbing mountains, and yes ... even shopping!
May we allow our traditional mindsets to undergo a paradigm shift. May we have the best adventures as we pick up courage to relate to and journey with a true and living God!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)