Opportunity!

I am involving myself in a big 'project' with the help and guidance from my previous boss or immediate superior (hereinafter referred to as "my ex-boss"). While I was doing one of the work yesterday, I realise that experiences can be gained easily and faster if we do have someone to guide us and also an OPPORTUNITY given to us. Well, if you ask me how good is my ex-boss, the only thing I can tell you is that, he is a GodlyLawyer and he trains GodlyLawyer too. He has 34 years experiences as a lawyer and he is a christian. Well, during my time with him, he has gave me various opportunities to expose on various cases and files. He guided me through and also gave me a lot of advice, especially guidance to be a christian lawyer. I guess, in a way... he has trained me to a lawyer different from the rest and that made me deal with things differently. I found it so difficult to get along with other lawyers because they are so much different from who I am trained as. I wouldn't do a work for money. I wouldn't be a money's slave. Even though I am poor and feeling helpless sometimes, but money that's not worth for me to trade my faith with, I wouldn't do. I tell the truth. I advice my clients properly and all these, I learned it from him. He is not my master on record, but I do always regard him as my master.

Ya.. and a friend reminded me that, I am indeed blessed with such a person/master/ex-boss. Even today, I received phone calls from him occasionally just to ask how things goes at my side. I left the previous firm about a year ago and he also left after I left. He has gone back to join his previous partnership and the more I get to know his partner and his firm, I started to understand most of the things he used to told me now, of being a christian lawyer.

So, I guess... an opportunity sometimes is not EARNED, it is at most time: GIVEN. Not only by people, but also by God. Well, ... my life is not in my hand. My life is in His hand.. and I am now really asking God for more opportunity to serve Him in various ways, including being a christian lawyer.

- opportunity -

Busy?

In a way, yes... I am busy...!!! Well, some people always react by saying "That's good. That's mean, there's business", when they heard that I said I am busy. But that's not exactly true because I am not busy with business lately. I am busy with some other thing... NON-PROFITABLE/ NON-MONETARY business, i.e. church, counselling, encouraging, answering phone calls, buying tickets, serving others, bringing car for inspection in Puspakom, calling insurance company to renew my car insurance and road tax and servicing my car, and others. So, yes.. in a way, I am really busy these few days.

My cell group just started its first cell group meeting yesterday (04.10.2006). We have a total of 10 persons joined the first cell group meeting and I was glad that they remember what I said until now because they used it on me. hahaha... so, yes.. we enjoyed ourselves very much. The Cell group members relationship built up matter is still on the move and that makes us meeting again tomorrow evening (06.10.2006) for movie.

Besides that, of course... I am trying to do all necessary things and works trying to get in some business. Some people called and made enquiry but ended up didn't continue with what they want to do. Well, ...

I woke up at 6am this morning just because I was FORCED to bring my car to Puspakom for a compulsory inspection. What do I mean? Well, according to the Road Tax department (JPJ), all cars shipped back from West Malaysia do need an inspection to determine that it is not a stolen car or car that has changed its engine,etc... As my road tax is expiring on 22.10.2006, I do need to do the inspection soon. So, yes, I am very tired now as it is 1.15am on 06.10.2006.

My burden and worries get worse when my partner is going away for a holiday because she won a free ticket during a dinner to Taiwan. Well, I asked myself what if I am in her position.. well, of course go for it... so, ya... free thing doesn't come that often, so... I will have to let her go. Meanwhile, I am trying to meet some developer and company to get myself in as their penal lawyer. Honestly... last month till now, it's too quiet. I am started to feel worry... (if I said this, my cell member will tell me: have faith in God because we talked about Faith this week in Cell Group).

So, if you asked me if I am busy ... YES. I AM!!!

Suffer now or later?

The chinese educated will understand the above statement well as there's a saying which says, suffer earlier and enjoy later. During the whole weekend, this phrase was in my mind because: -

1st Scenario, TIME:

A pastor who recently moved to KK with her family from Tawau asked how far it is for me to travel to work from where I am staying. I answered her and said, between 20 to 30 minutes and she looked at me with this 'shocking' face. Then she asked again, "And you think it is ok?" Well, to me, I used to travel about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to work when I was in KL and now, it only takes me 20 to 30 minutes to work and of course it is BETTER. To her and her family, that's NOT OK because they used to travel 5 to 10 minutes to work and now, 20 to 30 minutes to work.

2nd Scenario, FINANCES:

Another pastor used to told me this. She said, if we were poor before, we would know how to feel contented easier than those who has not suffer poverty before. Well, if you used to be poor, and you remain poor now, you can still use RM1000 for a month well. But if you used to have RM4000 per month, you will have difficulties in using RM1000 later. If you are poor and when you have RM4000, you surely feel like you are the richest man in the world. But if you are rich and you receive RM4000, you feel like you are being insulted.

3rd Scenario, RELATIONSHIP:

Some people gets into relationship (courtship) when they were very young and therefore, whatever they do, whatever they plan, how they lives, how they react, it's all about this relationship. To them, relationship is everything but they only feel it's like a obligation/responsibility after a long tim. For those who do not involve in relationship when they were very young, they tend to treasure the moment when they started to get involved in a relationship. At that very moment, to them... it is the BEST time in their life. OK. let us see when they breaks up... of course the one with longer relationship will feel more hurting that the one just involved.

4th Scenario, GOD:

Those who suffer long enough for not be able to find GOD/LOVE/SAVIOUR and found it, it certainly brought joy and happiness and peace. Tears might dropped without stopping the moment they accepted Christ as their Saviour. For those who received Christ for many years, most of us need to remind ourselves of the 'first love' again and again so that we do not lost our passion in Christ.

So? I guess all these proved the chinese saving: "Bitter first, Sweet later"