GOD’s GRACE, HOW DO I SURVIVE THE CRAZY WORLD !!!!

A personal testimony to be delivered in kuliah etika. Bandung 8 December 2007

I am a successful person. I lead a team of 8 consultants in one of the most prestigious consulting organization in the world. My salary has increased 20 fold from the time I started working. I am well regarded in my field as an expert, people respect me and look up to me. They came to me to solve issues, to get advice. My company charge thousands of dollars to our client to sell my services. I have a lovely wife

A thought in your mind : Wow this guy is so arrogant, there’s a lot more people more successful than his definition....

I am an average student, my GPA is only 2.7 (actually a little bit less than that). I got D for my Kimia dasar (and have to join “semester pendek”). Out of that 2.7 I think I have several D’s that I decide not to have. My first Job is a clerk job (technical documentator). I was passed up for promotion several times. I actually got demoted in the first day of my job...

Additional thought in your mind : This guy is “tidak tahu diri” to be arrogant in the beginning while actually he’s very lucky ... yup he’s very lucky to be in the position he is now. I wonder if he’s a liar too ???

I am a fat person. I weigh more than 100 kgs. Mmm I got into fights during my relationships (with my previous girlfriend) about my weight ... (still have fights with my wife). I was rejected by Australian Government to study there because they say I am TOO FAT. I have a flat foot, I lag behind in hiking, in sports ... in shopping (in the mall with family) ...

Thought : now this guy is losing it ... now he’s blabbering about fat ...

BUT HOLD ON !!!!

What if I tell you, it’s all because God’s Grace. You know, GRACE .... in Indonesian “Kasih Karunia” .... we all know about John 3:16 ( I hope you do ). Have you know what Grace is ?

Grace is something you don’t deserve, something given to you but it’s not because of your performance, it’s not because of your looks, it’s not because of your thoughts ... It’s just given to you by the owner... by the Grace giver ... In case of God’s Grace .. bible says God give it out of LOVE ...

I am what I am now because of God’s Grace. Of course not the bad things, that’s because of my self (i am quick tempered, a sloth, boaster, like to delay things etc). But the good stuff, my success, my status, my salary, my GPA, my grades, my job, my family, my body ... it’s all because God’s Grace.

And let me show you, TWO examples of God’s Grace based on my beginning statement ... Before let me show you acronym I made up.... God’s grace is about

GOD

Gratitude

Relationship

Attitude

Contentment

Enthusiasm

Example number 1 (WARNING THIS FOLLOWING TEXT ONLY APPLIES TO ME IN NO WAY I AM ASKING YOU TO BE FAT ALSO !!!!)

GOD has made me, from a mix family (my father was still not saved L pray for us ya). And my body has a very slow metabolism (maybe because im so lazy and bad at sport ... ). Thus I am FAT

But ... now I am Grateful because God had allow me to be fat ... see the following for WHY and WHAT I DO ABOUT IT

1. Being fat made me pleasant and very unthreatening. I like to laugh, and I usually act funny. So people feel at ease with me. God has ignited a passion for helping people ... it really help then to be fat in Relationship.
2. I have thus develop a trusting Attitude toward people. A lot of people tell me naive. But I prefer to trust people first then sort it out later.
3. I learn to be Content, because if you see the facts, actually any of my achievement is only because of God. I really have a little to do with that. So I am ok with what I have.
4. But ... I think a good Attitude and Contentment brings good Enthusiasm in what you are doing. It give you a purpose ... because you’re focusing on relationship ... not on achievement...

See ??? God Grace hidden among the fats of my body .... oh ya ... additional facts :

1. I try to diet though, being fat is not healthy
2. The biggest God’s Grace connected to me being fat? My Wife ... If Australian government didn’t reject me because of my weight, I’d never join Magnus and I’d never met Venny. Because I appear pleasant and harmless.. then after 5 years knowing Venny ... we got married J

Example number 2 ...

GOD’s grace have given me a job. A good job in Bandung first.... I took that job because I promised my leader in the Navigators, i’ll stay for a year. I quit the job to go to Australia (you all know what happened then).

Grateful because of the rejection, because the money then was spend to fund my training to enable me to land a job at Magnus (end up with a career in consulting and a beautiful wife)

Relationship, consulting world is all about relationship, the passion about people God has given me enables me to focus on people. Focus on relationship. Trying to share my life. I am so blessed to be trained in the Navigators ... it really put the perspective on sharing your life, on being a really thoughtful person. I tell you, you bring that thoughtfulness in every relationship you have ... you are in a good road to success

Attitude, the first thing I realise when I got my job was .. I know nothing. I have no experience. Thus ... the most applicable attitude I can have is .. humility. (rendah hati). You got to find excellent people in consulting. You will meet cream of the crop of any organization, and it really helps to be humble ... to be able to listen, to be able to understand, to be able to feel, and put their needs above yours.

Contentment .... Can you believe ? I never asked for a promotion ... I never asked for a raise .. I never asked for a position ... I learn to be content, I have been passed for promotion 2-3 times. I have been lied to about my performance several times. But I learn to be content.. Why ? Because it’s God’s Grace remember ??? I have not deserve it, I do whatever I can .. .but at the end it’s God’s giving...

Enthusiasm ... I can’t see a people person who’s not enthusiastic about life. There’s a lot of people out there that you can help. There’s a lot of people you can bring the good news ...

So that’s it ... God’s Grace ...That’s how I survive the world ... by

Focusing on GOD ... and I make it an effort to be Grateful in everything. I focus on Relationship instead of achievements. I tried to have a good Attitude about everything. To have Contentment for everything I have.And of course bring about the Enthusiasm ....

Hope you can try that also ...

Closing remark...

1Co 15:10 Tetapi karena kasih karunia Allah aku adalah sebagaimana aku ada sekarang, dan kasih karunia yang dianugerahkan-Nya kepadaku tidak sia-sia. Sebaliknya, aku telah bekerja lebih keras dari pada mereka semua; tetapi bukannya aku, melainkan kasih karunia Allah yang menyertai aku.

God have given His grace to me, I am what I am now because of his grace. Im sure His grace in me would not be wasted. Hmmm but have I do more than everyone? Not yet … But it’s true … it’s not me … it’s GOD’s GRACE …

PS: Written in English because I wrote better in English… and also this is suppose to be delivered to undergrads in ITB … they better learn English J

E e

"you know i've done it in whole mal in jakarta. there's not one that i missed" people will just llook at me in disgust.

fast forward yesterday.

my daughter have no proble. doing it in gas station.

today, in the mall my son did it. after ten minutes, aiko want to go also.
theyre truly daddy's children

Bread foot (Kaki Roti)

Dut, kaki lu kaya roti ... (Fatso, your foot looks like bread) ...

This is the usual remark used by Lusti when she looked at my feet. Yep they are large and wide and thick ... I usually can only wear Clarks because it's the only brand that offer "Wide" size (not to mention that it's as expensive as it can get)

And ... about 3 weeks ago...

"Do you have size 22" ...

ups dont fit ...

How about 24 ? .... don't fit also ... 25 ????

"Sir 25 is for 2 1/2 years old ?" "Maybe you can go to our store downstairs, they have more models to chose from"

"Sir this one has removable soles, especially designed for thick feet babies" ...


So there it was, the scene at Gading's shoe store, Kenai has inherited his father's feet. It was Oshkosh, that has special size with removable soles so Kenai can wear size 23 (still the size for 1 1/2 year old though ... well better than 25). Bless you Osh Kosh (expensive but worth it)....



BTW, when we tried size 25 ... it fits perfectly but he look like Donald Duck

Representative ...

Kenai looks like his father .. yea whats new. I do think he look far better than me, with his cute smile and antics.

BUT ...

Last time I printed out one big picture for my aunt ... and this is the picture I've chosen.

Why do you ask ??

It represent him fully. A curious stare with some "blankness" in them hahahaha, "tatapan melongo" in bahasa.

It recap the usual greeting that I've usually used to Kenai:

"Selamat pagi/siang/malam Keken, apa kabar ? Apa yang bisa papa bantu Keken ? Kenapa tampangnya bengong seperti itu Keken ?"

Translation:
Good morning/afternoon/evening Keken, how are you? (He will stare at me .. no smile, just staring curiously)
What can I do for you Keken? (still staring ... maybe a hint of smile)
Why do you stare like that Keken?


Yep it recaps, this is Kenai :)

Being Shot At ... !!!

From one of nice articles at Grant's Graceland

Got a nice reminder...

...just because you are being "shot" at does not mean you are not in the correct battle, it is just a reminder that you ARE in a battle ...

Yep

That's right ...

Beautiful World - On being a parent

Showed this photo to my former manager ... "If you see this picture, we wonder how come the world can be so screwed up..."

So true ... children innocence and smile ... my children.

And, the responsibility to oversee them growing up is bestowed upon me and wifey ... surely that need a vast dosage of prayer ...

Harry Potter - hmm I wonder ...

Warning ... this post contain spoiler ...

Just read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ... and I end up wondering ...

You know, there's this notion in some people, that Harry Potter and JK rowling is the embodiment of the devil itself. Promoting magic to children especially Christian children. it's unacceptable ... cannot be ... atrocious etc.

Well I was just wondering now that in the story, Harry Potter chose to die, so that others can live ... and then live again... I was wondering what would be the argument from those above now ... "You know son ... Harry Potter is bad ..." "Why Dad ..." "It promotes magic ..." "Oooo ... but isn't Harry chose to sacrifice himself and rise from the dead Dad ? Just like the bible stories ?" " Welllll I dunno son, at least magic is bad, Harry Potter is bad ... end of discussion"...

Im not defending Harry Potter, but like I wrote, I just wonder ... what would the argument be ...

Our Ancol Trip

Hmmmppfffhhh

Got complaint from an old lady today

"Been checking flyingpiggies ... no update at all ... NOTHING " ...

Ya ya ya ... mam I've been so busy...

And... what was that writing about commitment again ... ??? Hmmffpphh....

Okay lah ... I should make good of my word isn't it. So let me tell you a story about the day we went to Dunia Fantasi Ancol...

Yep .... it was the last day of school holiday. And gosh... I haven't spent any quality trip with my girl. And monday she's due in school again. What to do oh what to do... And at the end I do what any loving father would do ... Skip work ... okay not skip work but take an emergency leave (Hey I have tons of leave okay ... seems ages since I've taken them ..... officially >:) )

So here we are ... 12 in the noon ( not a good idea I tell you ) driving to Ancol. Of course Aiko is excited. Look at her smiling - cute isn't it


We went together in a circus pack ... my mom was being generous that day so she took all the maid's children, our driver's children and off we go in a very large group. I thought there were 25 of us at that time. Alot of person huh.... Heres Aiko with Risel, the maid's daughter


Off we go started with the merry go round ...


Then off we go to the boats ...

OKAY OKAY you didn't see the boat ... hey what do you think how on earth I can take a picture of the boat while riding it ? Who do you think I am .. mr Fantastic ????

Ok ... next come Dumbo the flying elephant ... our experience ????? WELLLLLLL let's just say Dumbo had troubles getting off the ground ... Aiko must be getting heavy .... Here's the view behind Dumbo's ear

After Dumbo's experience, daddy hadn't had the heart to try out the motorbikes... so here's Aiko with aunt Isty...


Afterwards ... It was chaos ... The heat and the up and down in dumbo took it's toll on Aiko's stomach. And Daddy being insensitive HAD TO take Aiko on a circling teacup (dunno what's the name)... So Aiko was crying ..."Papaaaa sakit peruttt" ... (daddy my tummy hurts) ... Daddy was brokenhearted ... what to do ... Take her to istana boneka (dolly castle) ... but then she was so tired and her tummy must felt terrible, she fell asleep in daddy's arm in the LOOONGG Dolly Castle queue... Mind you Aiko was not that heavy ... only 22 kgs !!! So .. being a manly daddy I carry her throughout the queue (i swear .. must be 1/2 hour long), and throughout the queue Aiko was .... how do you say it ... FARTING !!! Must be good for her stomach though...


Luckily in the dolly castle, tummy feeling better, Aiko was being her happy self again ...

After that we ate ... and JOOOYYY oh JOOOYYY ... mommy decided to skip work also ... well mommys story was a bit more dramatic, as she sneaks out the office (hopefully her boss didn't read this blog) ..

So after that ... Dolly castle again !!!

Then the ferris wheel - Mommy is afraid of heights
After that ... we got FIREWORKS !!!


And ended with another go at the merry go round

And ... we're all happy ... well at first Aiko is grumpy when we about to go home
But .. she's soon became her cheerful self again

Multiply !!!! a commitment

Matthew 28:19-20 .... multiply ....

Hey what i am thinking ? Nah ... it's only my new "recommitment" to write. Just finished this multiply site.

I'll try my earnest to update it regularly.