today can be a masterpiece

I was greatly encouraged by John Maxwell's "Today Matters".

If I can make the right decisions and do the right things today, then I only need to spend the rest of my life managing those actions and decisions that I have made. Well, of course it's easier said than done. We all have plenty of decisions to make everyday. Trivial and major ones, but neither one can we commit lackadaisically. ALL decisions made today will carry an importance of tomorrow. How then, can we truly say that we made the right decisions today?

I believe, we need to stay focus on what matters to us the most. Our priorities such as family, marriage, health, ministries will top the list. Different seasons of our lives too, will require us to prioritize differently. A young wife may make it her priority to focus on her husband and a young mother may focus on her new born child. Their decisions will be centered on what's best for their spouse and new baby respectively. This will require some adjustments to attitude, actions and even sacrifices to ensure that spouse and baby receives undivided attention, love and care.

I remembered when I decided to quit from my career after 13 years. As a performing sales person, there was a lot of money in terms of commission earned at stake if I were to leave my job. But, I did it so resolutely that I even astounded myself! Alas, I will be lying to say that it was a breeze deciding on leaving! No! It was one of the toughest decision I've ever made. I remembered struggling with finding the joy of staying at home instead of meeting clients and closing sales. And, boy, do I struggle too with my self-esteem and that sense of worthlessness of not being able to earn your own money. It didn't help that I constantly garner sympathetic smiles from people I meet in social functions when I told them that I am no longer working but am a homemaker now.

But, the joy did eventually return, after much reflection and prayer. I learnt to adjust my attitude towards staying at home. I trust God that this is the right thing to do at this time of my life. The fun did return too, so much so that I enjoy every day now learning new things and preparing myself for motherhood. I learnt to look forward to the other things in life God has created and to take it all in as life's inspirations and motivations to me. I am determined to making each day memorable as it is a masterpiece!

when the going gets tough

I heard so much complaints from so many people recently that if I haven't known better, I would have thought that the world was one huge bleak and sorry place to be. People complain about the rising cost of living, their lack of material posessions, their jobs...the list is endless! Yeah, times are hard now but is complaining about how tough things are getting on the best way to deal with it?  I would like to believe that the best way to overcome the tough times is to be optimistic about things. To think positively despite the negativity. To be creative with the limited resources that we have.  To be prudent in our spending and wise in our decisions.  Of course, there're old habits to break and new habits to learn, too.  I know as I'm going thru my own major adjustment - from a working person to a stay at home wife.  Honestly, it was not an easy adjustment but all it takes is perseverance and a whole lot of faith in God for providence.  I'll like to think I'm still a work in progress but am glad to go through this with the right attitude.

imperfect

Appreciating teachers - 16 May celebration

Mrs Thompson's Lesson

by Unknown Author

As she stood in front of her 6th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around..'

His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'

His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets.'

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favourite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was

usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.'

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'

"Sejuta Impian" - A Million Dreams

I caught a show called “Sejuta Impian” over TV3 last Sunday evening. From what I gathered in that short half an hour, the show's aimed at financially supporting young people with great aspirations to achieve greater things for Malaysia. The fund was held in trust by 1MDB and it seems that there's a lot of money to be disbursed to deserving people who genuinely want to make a difference in this world. Now, I understand the concept but I don’t quite understand the rational on granting some funds by the panel jury.  And, I couldn’t believe how atrocious some requests were.


For example, there was one request which I wasn’t able to fathom the rational for a grant. A youngster came forth to present his case. He believes that he deserves financial assistance to be trained internationally for – of all things– skate boarding!! His dream is to then return to Msia and build a skate boarding “school” to "teach" Msians how to skateboard. The juries deliberated and finally at the end of the show, they’ve concluded that RM10k (sponsored by TV3) will be given to the youngster to learn skateboarding internationally and another RM10k will be given out of the fund from "Sejuta Impian" when he is back from his training. This second RM10k is to assist him in setting up a place, purchase of equipment etc to realize his dream. Now, who has heard of sending someone to be professionally trained in skateboarding? Isn’t it just a hobby that one can hone one’s skills simply by more practice? What can skate boarding contribute to Malaysia’s society and economy? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against skateboarding. Skate boarding as a hobby – hell, yes. But, skate boarding as an investment – don’t think so! It didn’t seem to have any solid return of investment.

Ok, so once funds are disbursed, how are we to measure the return of the investment, then? Will 1MDB pick the people they sponsor randomly and check on them? What measures do they have in place to ensure the investments do not go in waste? How will they measure the success of every dreams and aspirations "Sejuta Impian" has funded? How will 1MDB hold all who have received the financial assistance accountable?

Again some questions were swirling in my head as I watched the show. Wouldn’t this fund be more useful for other needy purposes? There are equally, if not, more important and pressing matters which can benefit from additional funds. How about improving the education system? Or improving the public transport services? Or even ensuring quality food for children in schools to curb obesity? Or providing free English lessons to all so we could all improve our command of English?

I am sure the noble intention here is to help young aspiring Msians to achieve their dreams, but I guess for an ordinary Msian citizen like me, who’s hard pressed with the rising cost of living and limited income, the fund should be used for other more important matters which will lessen our burden and bring us immediate and tangible results.