Park Bench People

By Joses James

Running a race

In a race, you're thinking, will I make it? Can I meet the timing I had set?

Songs, memories, thoughts... Am I in the wrong race? Am I in the right race? Who can tell me?

Who's cheering you on? Who do you see? Actually there are others that you don't see, but they are there.

Put in your heart, soul and mind. Strength and creativity. All to bear.

Balance is the key. Keep the fellowship or lose it. Find solace where it's available, not where it empties your heart.

Yeah.

The Word, the Man, the Way

Reading the crucifixion in a matter of minutes while remembering it was a whirlwind sequence of events. Imagine you're one of the disciples and Jesus tells you, I'm going to die. Imagine you're a bystander witnessing Jesus tried by the Sanhedrin. Remember the parables He told just before those God-willed events.

Did Jesus know exactly how everything would pan out? From the rooster crowing to His betrayal to His crucifixion to resurrection to rising to glory??

Internal struggles with obedience and choices, external stoic facade--at least that's what many of us imagine--and an unwavering focus towards the cross and everything it stood for.

The Parable of the Talents (or Bags of Gold as translated in the newest NIV) speaks of 2 men that received resources and were faithful in getting to work right away and being fruitful and also confident about it! Who doesn't want to be like that?

The Parable of the Wicked Servant and the account of the Sheep and the Goats speak of having mercy and love. Who prays often to be able to love but feels he's not measuring up to it?

Wherefore does it start a change, a switch, a shift, a deviation from habits and standard practice? Change is born of a desire to...well, change. If not, it's forced by circumstances.

Gotta keep reading, keep meditating and living in joy and fulfilment.

Let it be.

What sets you apart?

Money? Possessions? Yesterday I spied a young chap in his 20s driving a sports car. Capability? What makes a leader a leader, able to effect, to decide on goals and get the results in spite of the problems?

Faithfulness. If the world were to close its eye, what would you be up to? Being sharp. Am I putting in my heart & mind, anticipating, planning and endeavouring?

Being dependent on God. Like totally. Not just words leaving one's lips, but a true attitude and way of life. Determining, listening, following and producing.

Things To Do abound...by the dozens of dozens of dozens. Am learning to prioritise.

Desire drives action. What are you looking for? What do you want to achieve?

Faith is...stretching out to grasp His hand.

So stretch.

Life is as boldness does

It sounds sexy to declare that you're bold and daring. To say that you're creative, progressive and visionary.

Living it is an entirely different story.

Why are we where we are? Are we the victim of choices made while we were hapless?

Surely there's a purpose behind my being here and doing what I do. Do you not see it? Do you not seek to live it?

The day we die and go to heaven, what will that day be like for you? For me?

What can we live for that warrants giving our all? Yes, that elusive calling that many say they do not know.

The need is the call, have you heard?

I need you, I call you. Ha!

God needs you, God calls you! Ha, you follow? Or harrumph, let's see about that...

What's the most crucial quality that decides your destiny? I believe it's willingness. Yes, many things are factored in, such as faith, commitment, smarts etc. But willingness? It's like the rudder of a ship. You don't see it immediately but you sure see where he's heading!

Decide to dwell on the positive, major on what matters to your Superior, persist till fruits are born and do your best, no matter how you feel.

Get better, not bitter--have you heard this?
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Ps Kong - 17 Sep (Sat) - Wisdom

Wisdom is a gift from God. Solomon asked for it.

Wisdom is better than gold, better than strength.

There was none like Solomon after his time.

Pro 30:24-28 - 4 things caught his attention. 4 little creatures, so insignificant, yet got the attention of the world's wisest man.

Some scholars say that if you can understand these creatures, you'll understand the entire Proverbs.

1) Ants

An ant can lift many times its own weight!

They have houses and structure. They are wise in their...

PREPARATION

During summer, they store food for winter. Eventually winter comes...no food, it's unbearably cold.

Their message: You got to prepare for the winter season.

Every failure is a stepping stone to success. It's okay to fail--as long as you fail forward!

Improve your EQ and emotional relationships because they will determine how successful and happy you'll be.

*Must improve interpersonal skills*

God has put eternity in my heart. Like the ant, we got to prepare for our life in heaven. Seek the Lord!

Heb 9 - Look for Him.

Lk 22:9-12 - Look for 4 things:

- City: Seek righteousness
- Man with pitcher: Submit yourself under a spirit-filled ministry
- House: Fellowship, connected with one another
- Upper room: To serve and minster--OVERTIME

Upper room is a place of power!

*Live with urgency! Because one day you stand before Jesus.*

Remember: Winter will surely come. Eternity will come. Prepare and prepare and prepare!

2) Rock Badgers

Feeble, yet make home in the crags.

It is very vulnerable and timid. It's slow-moving!

It acknowledges its weaknesses. So it seeks protection from the rock.

Everyone has a weakness...

Make the rock your HABITATION

Whatever your weakness, make the Rock your protection!

Psa 61:1-4 - What are you building your life upon?

3) Locusts

Unity: Agreement = Power

UNIFICATION

They have no king or leadership. Alone, a locust is powerless.

When locusts come together, they become the great army of God!

They work and flow together.

2 can put 10,000 to flight!

Individual tools can't do much until they come together!

Pro 6:16-19 - In every church, there are people seeking to sow discord. And it is an abomination to God.

Satan's strategy is to Divide and Conquer.

*Stay connected*

4) Spider

DETERMINATION

Nothing can sweep a spider away.

A spider just keeps weaving its web and staying in the king's palace.

In any trial, don't give up!

*Take hold of your calling and destiny of God!*

*Dont quit!*

Edison, Einstein, Beethoven, Disney all didn't give up!

Gecko - Secretes a solution in its hands to cling.

Faith is clinging on to the promises of the bible.

*I will still hold on!!!*

Gal 6:9 -
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To Confront Or Not To Confront

We are relational people. We are also imperfect people. Faced with behaviour that's less than what's becoming, what do you say to correct it? To correct him or her?

The word of God is active and alive. Let it uncover our inner being. God doesn't want to harm us or belittle us, but only to better us.

We might be task-oriented, but God's always destiny-oriented. So don't be afraid of being corrected and humbling yourself to change, willing yourself to try something different.

Faithfulness is this, I guess.
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Honestly

How honest are you with yourself and with others?

Just started reading this book, Honestly by Johnnie Moore, who starts off sharing his personal crisis of faith, sparked by his parents' divorce and then asks, are we living out what we say we believe in?

Recently a friend shared how his fellow member was so frustrated while trying to organise a gathering among the group, he exploded and posted an uncensored rant in their Facebook page. My friend mentioned something in this person's rant that got me: that others weren't doing what they espoused.

Can I end up praying one thing, repeating that one thing, yet living altogether a different thing? A person of faith's gotta have faith. A person loved gotta love others.

Reputation speaks a lot. What do others remember of you? What does your boss think of you?

Can life be simpler? Sure it can. Find a field somewhere and rear your own crops for subsistence.

Get better? Yeah... Do it.
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Divine Connections

Pray for divine connections. Get divine connections.

People of the same spirit draw together, move together in one direction.

You never know how God can move you, move on your behalf, move others.

Move.

Our God moves. Surely, not glacially, on time, in season, on target.

Am I being flown on an unseen autopilot or am I flying my own?

I don't understand everything. Do I need to? I'm not the brightest or boldest. Yet in the fullness of time, everything I have gone through comes to bear.

Live for the things that matter. Love the people that matter. Make wise choices and stay committed.

God, help me to move in the might of God and with divine strategies.
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Soaring

Isn't it amazing that a hunk of a plane--fuselage, hull, cargo, passengers--can take off into the air, propelled by comparatively tiny but powerful engines?

Exploiting physics and aerodynamics, we owe it to man's willingness to imagine, persist and innovate.

From what starts as a vague dream with raw starts, sophistication kicks in as the creator learns to grasp rules, principles and the knack of taking off into the sky--literally and metaphorically.

What keeps us from imagining? Thinking possibilities? Serving a God of no impossibilities, yet we naturally limit Him and ourselves. Easy to blog about, takes a lot to confront and change.

Let's aim to soar upon creativity.
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Be Strong

One of those days and moments that you're asking why why why and want to cry cry cry on the sofa.

Fulfilment comes from, not a day packed with tasks, but when God says well done.

How do you know you're on the right track? First you gotta see the track, seek clarity and direction, and check the signs I guess.

Sigh.

Did You choose the wrong person? I can't help wonder. But I know the answer.

Be strong, bold, persistent and creative.
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Condition

Struggling from task to task, I'm losing sight of an easier, more efficient way to do things. Be smarter, ask for smarts, look smart. For now, it's just smarting, lacking sleep and progress in good order.

No matter, you've got to try and keep trying. And don't give up. Most importantly, see the need beyond yourself. Bill Wilson says, "I have to go." In spite of age, dangers, real wounds, you just have to keep going.

Now go get better, bigger, brighter!

But don't lose sight of what you're doing it for. Is that happening to you?

Leaders lead forward. Every hero of faith mentioned is a leader. Am I a hero? Are you a hero? What makes a hero? Certainly the willingness to stand for something.

Make something your mission. It doesn't have to be a great and noble thing. Even something small can be significant.

Now what season am I in? In a thick season, that's for sure.

Thoughts, tasks, issues, replies...What can I keep my head above the water, above the thick of things where there is air and clarity?

The condition within--heart, soul, spirit, body--affect the conditions without. We should know this but like an onion, not every layer peels off easily. It's not that you'll cry but that there's a season for that too. Is this an excuse, masking a reluctance to deal with issues?

I hope not.

Condition, conditioning, conditions. Identify the issues impacting you and others. Else breakthrough will be elusive.

Life Lesson

It's only when we are accountable to others that our character begins to be shaped.

Morning

Live out your dreams & plans. Just be bold and do it. God moves when you move in faith.

Unlearning

When you realise the tasks at hand demand a new you, when you realise it's absolute high time you drop the old way of doing things, when you are urged/prodded/kicked into doing...SOMETHING, that's when change is fomented.

Growth (again)

We all work for a better life, don't we...

...don't we?

Without progress--the desire and ability to progress--what else would keep us going?

More money? Better work-life balance? Children who can enjoy a better life? Fulfilling a Grand Purpose? Doing good so others can enjoy a better life?

What's the alternative?

Do nothing. Do the same. Do a little more?

Should we expect radical improvement? Certainly!

Do we work radically hard? Of course!

So...what gives? What's keeping us--me--back from breaking through?

Progress is the keeps of hard workers (check), smart workers (err, check), anointed workers (hmm, check), selfless workers (hmm).

If someone else isn't up to par, or so you think, what do you do?

1) Give him a shelling
2) Give him encouragement
3) Teach him how to progress
4) Give him incentive
5) Threaten penalty...
(repeat ad infinitum)

To what extent do you do the above?

Change, challenge, progress...at the heart of it, yieldedness, methinks.

10 ways to be productive

Courtesy of the 99percent.com

Here are 10 laws of productivity we’ve consistently observed among serial idea executors:

1. Break the seal of hesitation.
A bias toward action is the most common trait we’ve found across the hundreds of creative professionals and entrepreneurs we’ve interviewed. While preparing properly as you start a new project is certainly valuable, it’s also easy to lose yourself in planning (and dreaming) indefinitely. We must challenge ourselves to take action sooner rather than later. The minute that you start acting (e.g. building a physical prototype, sharing a nascent concept with your community), you start getting valuable feedback that will help refine your original idea – and move forward with a more informed perspective.

2. Start small.
When our ideas are still in our head, we tend to think big, blue sky concepts. The downside is that such thinking makes the barrier to entry – and action – quite high. To avoid “blue sky paralysis,” pare your idea down to a small, immediately executable concept. Can you trial the idea of a multi-day festival with a smaller performance series? Take an idea for a skyscraper and model it in miniature? Work out the flow of an iPhone app by sketching on paper? Once you’ve road-tested your idea on a small scale, you’ll have loads more insight on how to take it to the next level.

3. Protoype, prototype, prototype.
Trial and error is an essential part of any creative’s life. As Ze Frank says, usually when we execute an idea for the first time, it kinda sucks. The important thing is to synthesize the knowledge gained during the process to refine the idea, and create a new-and-improved version. Serial idea-makers like Jack Dorsey, Ben Kaufman, and Studio 7.5 all attest: Prototyping and iteration is key to transforming a so-so idea into a game-changing product. Rather than being discouraged by your “failures,” listen closely and learn from them. Then build a new prototype. Then do it again. Sooner or later, you’ll hit gold.

To avoid 'blue sky paralysis,' pare your idea down to a small, immediately executable concept.


4. Create simple objectives for projects, and revisit them regularly.
When working on in-depth projects, we generate lots of new ideas along the way. This can lead to a gradual expansion of the project’s goals, or “scope creep.” This insidious habit can make it impossible to ever really complete anything. The best way to avoid it is to write down a simple statement summarizing your objective at the start of each project. (If you have collaborators, make sure there is agreement about the objective.) And then – this is the part we overlook! – revisit it regularly. When scope creep starts to happen, you’ll notice.

5. Work on your project a little bit each day.
With projects that require a serious infusion of creative juice – developing a new business plan, writing a novel, or just learning a new skill – it’s incredibly important to maintain momentum. Just as when you run everyday, the exercise gets easier and easier, the same thing happens with your brain. Stimulate it regularly each day, and those juices start to flow more freely. As Jack Cheng argues in a great blog post, “Thirty Minutes A Day”: “the important thing isn’t how much you do; it’s how often you do it.”

6. Develop a routine.
Part of being able to work on your project a little bit each day is carving out the time to do so. Routines can seem boring and uninspiring, but – on the contrary – they create a foundation for sparking true insight. In his recent memoir, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, famed Japanese author Haruki Murakami writes about how a rigorous routine – rising at 5am and going to bed at 10pm every day – is crucial to his impressive creative output. (In a side note: Alex Iskold derives a series of lessons for start-up entrepreneurs from Murakami here.)

7. Break big, long-term projects into smaller chunks or “phases.”
To help manage expectations and stay motivated for year-long or even multi-year endeavors, break each project into smaller chunks that only take a few weeks or a month to complete. The dual benefit of this approach is: (1) making the project feel more manageable, and (2) providing incremental rewards throughout the project. It’s crucial to pause periodically to take stock of what has been accomplished – even if there’s a long way to go.

With projects that require a serious infusion of creative juice, it’s incredibly important to maintain momentum.


8. Prune away superfluous meetings (and their attendees).
Few activities are more of a productivity drain than meetings. If you must meet (and this should be a big “if”), make sure everyone knows what needs to be accomplished from the outset. If people are present who don't help out with achieving that objective, let them leave. Qwest COO Teresa Taylor, recently interviewed in the NYT's Corner Office, starts her meetings with the question, "Do we all know why we're here?" and then follows with, "Does everyone need to be here?" To trim the runtime of internal meetings, you can also try the standing meeting.

9. Practice saying “No.”
Creative energy is not infinite. Seasoned idea-makers know that they must guard their energy – and their focus – closely. Take author Jim Collins for example. His books Built to Last and Good to Great have sold millions of copies. His business acumen and insights are in demand. Yet, “even though Collins demands over $60,000 per speech, he gives fewer than 18 per year.” More than that and Collins wouldn’t have enough time to focus on the research and writing that yield those bestselling books. When you’re in execution mode, keep in mind that “unexpected opportunities” also mean distraction from the work at hand. Saying no is an essential part of the productivity equation.

10. Remember that rules – even productivity rules – are made to be broken.
Did we say develop a routine? This and other tips here should only be followed as long as they are working. If forward motion has become impossible with your current routine, try something else. Whether it’s taking a long distance trip, popping into the art museum, walking around the block, or talking to a perfect stranger, make sure you occasionally shake up your normal routine. Breaking habits offers new perspective and helps recharge us to head back into the fray.

Hollow by Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands - Fooling No One from They on Vimeo.

Be Energetic

Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
~ Philippians 2:12-13 (Msg)

In the end

Who knows how we'll end up in end?

A glorious, magnificent step to a new day? Or cast aside into the deep?

I'm tired. Physically.

Need hope to keep me going, faith to keep me working. And... love?

What gives bigness of heart? Shoulders for others, on top of one's own load.

End of a day marks the beginning of another.

Enjoy the pursuit, we are told. Move in the direction of your dreams, we are reminded.

*sigh*