Answered Prayer 2

I've been working on this live site issue at work for almost a month now. No one seem to know what the problem is, and it's causing us to lose money. I was frustrated. I've been praying about this and today, I decided to call the third party before sending out an email. I just felt to ask them a question...

Which prompted them to look into their database. And long behold, they realized they've made some mistake on their side. A month long journey is finally resolved.

!!!!!

Answered Pray 1

My friend was troubleshooting something important for his next day's presentation. It was getting really late, and it was critical that he has to figure out by the next day. I said a quick prayer asking Him to help my friend to fix the problem within the next hour.

I talked to my friend today, and apparently, after we spoke shortly after, he was able to fix the problem.

!!!!!

Finally Found You

Before leaving for Seattle, I thought to myself...I wonder where I can serve in a Church Ministry when I get there. I am a tech-head. I enjoy working with technology, so the obvious pick was PPT, Sound or Video related stuff. But, I also thought, in Seattle there will be enough tech-heads that why would they have problem getting these people.

Sunday. Went to the church I've began going here. Saw an Ad about wanting someone to be on the tech team. I did some asking, and eventually got in touch with the pastor who is in charge of Worship. He mentioned to me that they needed someone in the sound team. I was thirlled!

I tried it out for a week, and I totally like it! It's amazing how I found this opportunity, and he also mentioned that they've been praying for people to join sound team because they are short on people.

Wow!

A missed Sign can lead to Disaster

When we are driving, and we ignored a sign posted on the side of the street, and get ourselves into trouble or get ourselves injured/killed. Do we blame the city for not designing the road properly?

Same goes with life. God sends us signs, through situation, through people and through 'gut' feelings. But when we ignore them, and things slip and goes bust. We blame on God why he put us through. Why did he foresaken us. But did he really?

A year ago, around this time. I took a trip to San Francisco with a friend of mine, later became gf and then ex-gf. All was well, until the last day of the trip. Trust was deeply hurt at that moment. I've prayed for wisdom from God to reveal if it was a relationship that he has given me, because I've began to fall for her really deeply. I thought about if this was a clear sign that she wasn't. However, I chose to ignore it.

This relationship had taken a huge toll. Looking back, I am not saying that she will never be that 'one', but clearly it wasn't the right time. So, was the 'gut' feeling and combination of situation a year ago, a sign from God? Did he answer my prayer, but I just chose to ignore it?

So then really, I should be blaming myself for ignoring his direction, as oppose to dwell on why things didn't work out.

What if...

As I am sitting in front of my laptop after dinner, I saw an evenlope in my bag which I haven't touched since I moved to Seattle. In it, I found lots of business cards that were accumulated over the last year from working at different companies.

One card caught my attention. It's from a person whom is now my friend and my colleague. First time I met her was at my interview. Mere coincidence of two people happen to be at the same place at the same time. Fast forward 9 months, we are working in the same company.

As I read the business card, a thought came up. What if I didn't meet her that day?

- I wouldn't have gotten introduced to our common friend
- I wouldn't have a network of friends here in Seattle right when I came
- Wouldn't have found out so much about work before even starting
- Would probably be lot scared when I first came here of not knowing anyone

etc.

The list just goes on and on. I thank God for her. For her friendliness, for her professionalism and best of all her determination in trying to help new comers feel welcomed. Without her, this place will be just another foregin place for me. Without her, I might not have found the friends I have here today.

If God really exist (He definately does), then this obviously has his hand in it.

Job

As the departing date gets near, I've thought about the team that I will be going into. I am grateful that I was blessed with three job offers, and all of them are very lucrative and competetive offers. God has given me these choices to select the one that my heart yearns the most. Since then, I was further shown God's work in the descisions I made.

One day, my HR called me to notify me of this great opening in a new team - Asia Pacific team. A team that I thought was a perfect match and a perfect fit for me. In hindsight, this truly is God's work.

Unlike many other things, which things happened because may or may not be my input. But in this situation, I had no control over it. The opportunity has just shown itself.

It's also very comforting to know that, it was indeed a good desicion to choose Expedia the first place. I've always thought how my experiences in Japan and China would help me. But with this team assignment, it seems things are falling together.

Surrendering

I've been pretty down lately and also frustrated with how the things are turning out. I was at a point almost about to give up on my faith, and thought the heck with my life. I realized when things are good, I love God and I feel close to him. But as soon as things turn sour, I hate him and regardless of how reassuring things were when outlooks are bright, the moment tables are turned, I forget about those reassurances.

Looking back, he has given me so much. I've felt grateful, but the thankfulness only last as long as the duration for those pleasures. I agree, there are many bad unfortunate things happened in the past months, but I can't completely deny nothing good has happened either. Just days ago, I was very stressed and frustrated over relationships matters as well as financial situations. I now realize maybe I am frustrated not because God has foresaken me, but rather I wanted my will to be done, rather than surrendering to his timing and to his plans. Upon coming to that realization, I was finally able to look at the blessings he has given me already.

1. I was blessed with being able to finish 5 years of my post-secondary education at the University of Waterloo, graduating in honours Computer Engineering program.
2. My parents has provided me with financial support to allow me to spend a month in Europe to enjoy some down time.
3. A caring friend who looks out for the best interest of me, even in the midst of her own personal problems in life. She who truly care about me, and who supports me.
4. My other friends who contiuely to pray for me, and who constantly there to remind me how much I mean to them, and that I should persevere and be patient.
5. In another month, I will be leaving for Seattle for my fulltime job. Not many people are blessed with an awesome job right after graduating.

And just today, I was reminded by two seperate incidents that showed God still loved me, even though I've foresaken him for a while.

Too Many Choices Can Be Bad

So, I am in the midst of planning out my career life after graduating from post secondary education. I started early because I had my share of problems with finding the job I wanted in one period of my life, where I just felt like I was no good at anything. God has been helping me a lot, and blessing me with interview opportunities, and job offers.

I've so far have two job offers...one in Vancouver, and the other in Toronto. The pay for Vancouver one is slightly under what I was expecting, and Toronto one is about my expectation. I have another interview with a firm in Seattle coming up, later this week. I've also gotten a rejection, which surprisingly I am not disappointed. Now, don't get me wrong, it's probably "the" job that I wanted. But, it will probably makes my descision process even harder.

I've always loved the west coast sceneries, especially the north west, so that is Seattle, Vancouver area. However, there is pros and cons in all options. To make things easier, let's assume that I don't go successfuly with the interview later this week. So, I only have the Vancouver and Toronto offer. Vancouver is good, but I will be there alone, leaving my family and friends behind in Toronto. If I take the Toronto job, I will be doing a lot of traveling, little time spent at home, won't really have the sense of settling down....Hmm...as I am writing this, I just realized which job I should take. But my point is, people might say that oh I wish I had more choices in life etc., well, now I do, and when we are presented with good options, it's more stressful to decide, than forced into something.

See, if I take the Toronto job, something goes disappointing....I'd start to wonder if it was better off to take the Vancouver job. And by taking the Toronto job, I'd be waiving off west coast good-bye, other than the occasional chance of getting assigned to a west-coast based projects from the Toronto job.

Thinking in terms of long term, I think the Toronto job will put me further in where I want to go than all other offers. So, I guess I should take that one.

I am really thankful for the opportunities that are presented to me, and I pray that God will guide me through the desicision making process, and give me the wisdom of picking the right choice. I complain when there isn't a choice, and now I don't feel all that good that I have all the choices.

In light of the choices, it means that I am wanted in the job field, and knowing that is a good confident boost.

When God Winks

We complain all the time about pains and sufferings, and how God is no where to be found. Books such as "Where is God when it hurts" or "Disappointment with God" by Philip Yancey are truly amazing books, address how we interpret pain in life. But, when was the last time we complained about the pleasures we receive in our day to day life? Do we complain about the pleasures we get from God? Do we thank God for that? We take pleasures for granted everyday, and then a little pain that occurs in our life, we hold God against that...and asking how can God let that happen.

The truth is, without pain or suffering, we'll not be able to experience joy or pleasure. Everything is relative in life. When we say temperature is cold, because it's relative to our body's natural temperature of around 37 degrees celcius. We are so short-sighted that we don't see the implication of the immediate hurt that we received.

I've used to complain a lot everytime something disappointing happens in life, or I encounter situations that hurts me deeply. But, looking back at those situations, I've always come out of those situations with more experiences, and often in better shape than when I went in.

So, this is a blog site where I will be posting every little good things/pleasures that happens in my life, which I am thankful for and that I want to praise God for.