54) Only You

To whom alone credit is due,

It was you first showed your love to me, wiping away my tears and bringing me hope;

Protecting me and guiding me like a shepherd in the midst of any storms;

Always giving me strength to do things beyond my capabilities for heaven's sake;

Plus showering your abundant blessings to me and my beloved ones.

You love simply never fails. You are truly a God worthy of praise.

"Only You" is what I can say to sum up for the students whom I surely believe are also humbly thanking you for.

With lots of praises,

View Clint Brown's song "It was you"

~cC

P.S. Clint Brown is my favourite christian composer for "You Are"

53) The Kanye Curriculum

One Way to be a Success according to Kanye West, as written in his co-authored book Thank You and You're Welcome

"Would you rather have 100% from an average person

or

10% from someone who is outstanding?"

To me, it's neither. I agree with Bill Hybels which he wrote in his book Axiom that "I need maximum energy, maximum effort and maximum help" from someone who has qualities that made up of character, competence and chemistry. Plus never let go to hire the 10s, the brightest, most accomplished, and most effective leaders.

~cC

52) Letter to you

To my beloved:

Remember the prophet Elijah who was deeply discouraged with feelings of inadequacy and defeat...prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep (1 Kings 19:4). God understood Elijah's weary & despair and let him sleep until he's rejuvenated.

"As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:11

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

For Questioning or Worrying the unknown is a waste of time*. As long as you're doing what is good, "to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men" Titus 3:2, there's no need to think too much.

May you find rest and peace in God. May he grant you wisdom and encouragement to overcome this.  May his strength and comfort shower upon you.  May his warmth cheer you and make you giggle.  May you sleep well and not let the bed bugs bite.

Love u always,
~cC

* "Look at the ravens of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:26-27

~cC

51) 10 Most Marketable Skills

1. Adaptability

"An effective marketer isn't resistant to change but views it as a challenge and an opportunity"

2. Commitment

"With so many similar products and services today competing for the same market, the commitment of the person is often the deciding factor."

3. Communications

"Increase your selling power by improving your communications: be sure that your message is received the way that you sent it and meant it."

4. Creativity

"Selling is creative problem solving: how best to get what you want while giving the customer what he or she needs."

5. Decision Making

"Marketing often requires quick and confident decisions. That doesn't mean you have to be right all the time. We learn from all our choices."

6. Evaluation

"The best sales question you can ask yourselves, "How can I do better next time?""

7. Foresight

"Marketing must be consistently future oriented for a product or service to survive in a rapidly changing world."

8. Independence

"The more we rely on our own sales and marketing abilites, the more self-assured we became"

9. Be a team player

"Interdependence and trust are the essential relationship builder."

10.Value-added Marketing

"The success of value added marketing lies in knowing what people want and giving them more than they expected."

From "How to sell yourself and get the jobs you've always wanted"

~cC

48) Simple, Focus & Discipline

A message I often hear which is coming back stronger to me through various media (readings or the following nooma video). This is something i ought to keep pursuing coz it's something we ought to set samples for the next generation. I have to say I have improved a lot especially I was a typical Martha but still a lot more to go...sigh...

Nooma: Shells

47) 從商之道

李嘉誠的從商之道 from business weekly article　九十％時間先想失敗

”好謀而成、分段治事、不疾而速、無為而治”

「好謀而成」是凡事深思熟慮，謀定而後動。
「分段治事」是洞悉事物的條理，按部就班的進行。
「不疾而速」充足的準備資料(老早想到假如碰到問題的時候應怎麼辦?)，當機會來臨時自能迅速把握，一擊即中。
「無為而治」則要有好的制度、好的管治系統來管理。

~cＣ

46) Simple Rules of Governance

My faith governs how i speak, act and engage others but at emotional times, I often break this rule. That's why EQ is so important and comes into play. More importantly, without EQ, you cannot live happily in this stressful HK environment!

Something i observed in my company is the lack of simple basic & static rules of governance. Everyday, my boss keeps changing the rules and basically no one can follow him. He's definitely a poor leader without followers. May be one day he'll read this blog and see the following good sample by Murthy at Infosys from Business weekly article "贏得尊敬就贏了財富".

Infosys公司治理5大原則

1. The softest pillow is a clear conscience.（問心無愧）

2. When in doubt, disclose.（有疑問的事，就揭露）

3. Don't use corporate resources for personal benefit.（勿假公濟私）

4. Put long-term interests ahead of short-term ones.（捨短利取長利）

5. A small slice of a large pie is better than a large slice of a small pie (that is, the company's growth depends on management's sharing profits through stock options and other means) .（分享越多，成長越快）

~cC

45) 洞察力, 思考力 & 執行力

What's lacking in the new generation? Common sense and the ability to observe, think and execute. This is something i learnt from my first HK job. It is something I believe one (esp. business) must need for surviving in this ever changing world just like what 大前研一 said in the business weekly article (唯有整合者，才能成為解答者):

"Sense is more important than knowledge"
"在二十一世紀，感受比知識更重要...知識在二十一世紀變得很廉價. 更何況現在網路搜尋引擎這麼發達？ 所以真正的是，面對困難時的獨立思考能力 & 執行力."

~cC

44) 簡單愛

足知體驗一日工作辛苦後,只想不用腦坐着看一些簡單有趣的電視...這就是許多香港人的寫照. 以我愛上了"咖啡王子1號店" 和 "螢之光". "咖啡王子1號店 Coffee Prince" 使我回想最初拍拖時的激情(就像Jay's簡單愛的lyrics). 我發現愛是需要維繫這重感覺才歷久常新. 但怎樣維繫(特別對耶穌的愛)?


咖啡王子1號店 link



螢之光



~cC

42) Less is More

Reduce, reuse, recycle is what most environmentalists urge us to do to minimize our damaging footprints in the world today.  BUT today's recycling is actually downcycling.  High-quality steel is "recycled" by melting down with other automobile parts (incl. copper & paint), releasing harmful chemicals and resulting in a weaker less useful product. Same approach applies to paper and plastic.  It only perpetuates the one-way "cradle to grave" manufacturing model generated by Industrial Revolution.  Why can't we challenge ourselves to simply create products (wastes) that can cycle back to the system as nutrients (food).  For example, design buildings (like trees) that produce more energy than they consume and purify their own waste water and create factories that produce effluents that are drinking water.
"Less is More" is just "Less Bad", therefore no good.  And Instead of targeting zero waste, we should aim to produce 100% Good.

~cC - A Summary of "Cradle to Cradle"

40) Free

I want to be free but this cannot be. For my life is full of puzzles which I cannot piece. My body feels weak as i hear my faith speaks "Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. You shall seek the good of others rather than thy own". oh Lord oh Lord, forgive me, haven't i been living my life like this but why can't I sing "I'm free"?



*DT's new song for VW commercial

~cC

39) The Martha Rules

"The Martha Rules" by Martha Stewart somewhat echos what i gathered from 斗叔.
According to Martha, here are the 10 essentials for acheieving success in the business (market place) world:
1) Passion - doing something that you love
2) Focus - concentrate on ideas (things) that make the world better
3) Get wide range of lens - expand your vision through support & learning network
4) Me.inc concept - serve by thinking like a customer, share your knowledge to customers
5) Promote as an expert - fully know your product and tell the story well
6) Quality - create a frugal culture but never sacrifice quality
7) Build an A Team - seek talented & energetic employees and find good advisors/partners
8) Cut the inperfect pie into wedges - gather the good and abandon the bad when facing challenges. Stay in Control & never panic.
9) Take Risks, not chances - a well-calculated business risk is an investment
10) Make it beautiful - empower your customers by willing to innovate so that customer's lives are easier, more meaningful & more beautiful.

I believe it is something we should incoporate into our daily lives (even in our serving roles at church).

~cC

37) Consume less, live more

11th Hour, a new documentary movie like "An Inconvient Truth", will be out next week presented by Leonardo DiCarpio. It examines the human relationship with earth from its earliest glimmers of innovation, to the challenges humaity faces in the present, to the possibilities of the future. Here's the trailer:



Reflection: I wish there are christians (may be famous ones) who speaks up what good things christians are voting "for" (i.e. environmentalism), so we are not potrayed as always "against" things....need to keep praying.

~cC

36) 斗叔的宏觀 - paradigm shift

In today's marketplace, a lot of people are earning a passive income. These are employees or self-employed people whose wealth only make up 10% of world's wealth. Those who are poor continues to be poor and those who are wealthy becomes more wealthy. For those who are in the middle, their professional skills are in the risk of being disposed because unlike the boomer ages, their job is not life guaranteed. So how do we approach this changing world so we are not stressed out?

One of the keys is to make "Money work for you" instead of "working for money" by investing something that will grow itself in a few or 10 years. It can be physical, mental, emotional and spiritual things that you can invest. Another key is to maintain life balance by managing and making wise choices. Also, one will need to learn how to take breaks to rest (Matthew 11:28) and take small steps to transform oneself (Romans 12:1-2).

I especially like 斗叔's Federer analogy of "Move in Balance" where he points out the key of Federer's success in tennis is knowing the:
- basis of power, control, endurance, timing, recovery & good vision
- core skill to keep empowering & enjoying
- key to make the game look easy
- links between the physical, mental, emotional & spiritual

Finally, i love 斗叔 because he's like a sponge who absorbs great ideas and re-interpret the ideas into his christian faith that works for today's world (note: he deletes anything that's bad against his core christian moral values). He's never bias and willing to listen to anyone because he thinks anyone has something he can learn from. This is an attitude Ros had pointed out to me and i love to learn from.

~cC

35) 溏心金句

溏心風暴 is the best drama i have seen in ages from TVB. The casting chemistry and the plot is outstanding. The story gave me a lot of reminders i.e. how to maintain an authentic community and how to treasure your love ones. It also gave me new inspiration especially from the key verses like:

耳聽三分假，眼看未為真。

有口也是和，無口也是禾，大家要和和氣氣。

甜的吃，苦的吃，酸的也要吃！

And i love the character of 得得地 (Roy thinks it's impossible to find such person in HK). All I know is his willing to sacrifice and bringing joy to people is what we Christians should live out day to day. How i wish there are more chapters to see coz it's so entertaining! And I've spread this addictiveness to Roy who didn't want to watch but changed his mind after seeing a glimpse of the last chapter.

~cC
P.S. 金句 originated from TVB

33) Little Ant & Dec

Came across this funny Britian show where 2 kids interviewing celebrities. What i like about it is how they make jokes as light & easy (back to basics) and it's not really teasing people in a bad way like Jan lamb. Here's one clip with Victoria Beckham.

32) Painter

In Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell describes christian followers as painters who need to keep painting & reforming the way Christian faith is defined, lived and explained. The following will explain more about this analogy.

Here's what often happens: Somebody comes along who has a fresh perspective on the Christian faith. People are inspired. A movement starts. Faith that was stale and dying is now alive. But then the pioneer of the movement (the painter) dies and the followers stop exploring. Eventually, the painting is no longer relevant. It doesn't fit. It's outdated. It doesn't have anything to say to the world they live in every day.

So, the challenge of the art is to take what was great about the previous paintings and incoporate that into new paintings. And in the process, make something beautiful - for today

~cC

31) Daily Preparedness Kit

Are you well prepared for for Lord's 2nd coming? Here's what Ann Spangler shared we can do from her book Praying the Names of Jesus. I thought the 2nd one should be reworded so it doesn't sound too funny...hmm...

1. Repent daily (Matthew 3:2).
2. Get caught serving (Matthew 25:14-30).
3. Be quick to forgive (Matthew 18:23-32).
4. Never let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:25-27).
5. Pray always (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
6. Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
7. Be generous to the poor (Luke 12:33-34).
8. Remeber, no matter what, that God is faithful (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
9. Link your life with other believers (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

~cC

29) Leadership III

There are those that know not and know not they know not;
they are fools - shun them.

There are those that know not and know they know not;
they are simple - teach them.

There are those who know and know not they know;
they are asleep - awaken them.

There are those that know and know that they know;
they are wise - follow them.

~ Salomon Ibn Gabirol

"Leadership is essentially about constantly embracing #2 so we can consistently move toward #4." ~ Dr. Ron Martoia

28) Journey

it's a long long journey
till i find my way home to you (Jesus)
many days i've spent
drifting on through empty shores
wondering what's my purpose
wondering how to make me strong
i know i will falter i know i will cry
i know you'll be standing by my side

Tis a lovely song i heard from my favourite DJ Vani sing by 張韶涵 (a Taiwanese pop singer). It is written by Corrinne May (a singsong writer in Singapore) .

Although Jesus name was not mentioned literally but the end it talks about how Jesus had paid the price for us on Calvary. I really love this song and i cry almost every time i hear the lyrics because it really express how i feel ...a long spiritual journey.



~cC
P.S. The melody resembles Angels by Sarah McLachlan, doesn't it?