Living in Harmony

Since I am on a newsmedia fast (due to lack of time and lack of trustworthiness in what is being reported), some friends brought to my attention yesterday a recently-published cartoon with tremendous controversy. I was not aware of the particular stereotype existing and so I took the cartoon at face value. After the stereotype was brought to my attention, I can understand why there is such controversy and offense-taking. Then, I made a comment to which my friends’ reactions got me thinking last night. Without getting into the whole long conversation (sorry that you don’t have the context of the following statement), I said, “People are too quick to take offense.”

Before I get into my monologue, let me give you a little background. I spent the first 5 years of my life in a country where I am a second-class citizen. Actually, make that 3^rd-class because I neither speak nor understand the national language. Then I grew up in a country where if I didn’t dress to the nines or wear designer clothes when going out, I wouldn’t be given the time of day, even by sales clerks who made less than what I was spending. Then I went to college where I was the only Southeast Asian on campus (the only other Asian I was aware of was Japanese and she was there for one semester). There, my first friends were from Haiti and my first good friend is black (he’s still my big brother today) and I had friends from all cultures and nationalities.

So that being said, why…

• is it alright for (some) blacks to call each other the “N” word but not for another non-black good friend to use it?
• is it alright for whites to call each other “cracker” but not for another non-white friend to use it?
• is it offensive for some of my non-Asian friends to hear me retell a story about another Asian friend calling me a banana when we were growing up?
  
• do reporters and camerapeople shove their cameras and microphones into the faces of grieving black families when bad crimes happen in the city, but not do likewise with white families?
• do the news companies give high publicity to missing white kids (particularly girls) but not to other kids?
• does everything have to be about race?
• can’t people in America say that they are American, instead of Irish, German, African-American, Asian-American, English, etc?

My comment to my friends last night comes from this: if we all lived and gave each other a measure of grace, we would be less sensitive and less quick to take offense. This is how people can get along with others who are different, and the world will become a better place. Granted this sounds simple. Yet when was the last time you put this into practice? Living harmoniously in a multi-cultural society is not impossible. It just takes a little effort and grace from everyone.

In the entire time I was in college, there was no one else from within a 1,500-mile radius of where I came from. I was not made to conform, and I did not lose myself. People were kind enough to extend me grace whenever I did or said something that could have been offensive, and I learned to do likewise. The result: I have many good friends today, from many cultures, living all over the world.

It is the small-minded, low self-image folk who cannot bear any sort of offense, real or imagined, intended or unintended, who give themselves a not-so-positive image as they lash out at others with a double-standard. They have nothing else but “The Identity” they cling onto so dearly.

The good news is: we all can change. We can broaden our minds to accept differences, to extend a little grace to others and take offense less quickly. Isn’t harmony worth a little effort on your part?

Addendum: I guess I should have been a little more careful to point out that what I really meant is for people to to not automatically assume the other person is meaning offense in anything they say or do. Point proven?

Free Enterprise 101

This is part of something I was talking about in a previous post... (Sorry I don't know how to insert a video!)

http://www.forbes.com/video/?video=fvn/talkback/rk_vlog111808

All in the name of what?

The following is a disturbing email I received. Whatever you believe, you cannot believe there isn't a sanctity of life. Whatever you believe, you actually have the freedom to believe in it. We do not face such terrors here on American soil because of the freedoms we have, paid for with the costly price of our troops, past and present. It's not Veteran's Day or Memorial Day, but remember the sacrifices which have been made since the American Revolution. Freedom is not free, my friends.

Dear beloved sponsors and friends of Good News India.

We have never seen anything like this. We knew that
Orissa was the most resistant and hostile State in India
as far as the Gospel is concerned. And we brushed off the
continuous threats and harassment we faced as we went
about His work. But none of our staff imagined that they
would see this kind of carnage... And it seems to be
totally under the radar of the Western Media.
Let me explain. A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his
attendants, who were zealously going around the villages
of Orissa and 'reconverting' people back to Hinduism, were
gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last
weekend. Immediately the Christians were blamed. The cry
rose up...'Kill the Christians!' And the horror began...
In the past 4 days, we have first hand witness to hundreds
of churches being blown up or burned and many, many dozens
of Christian tribals have been slaughtered. For no other
reason than they bare the name of Christ.
Night and day I have been in touch with our Good News
India Directors spread across 14 Dream Centers in
Orissa... they are right in the middle of all this chaos.
In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer
protection, a group of 70 blood-thirsty militants came to
kill our staff and destroy the home. They were not
allowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage to our
Dream Center by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our
gate, etc. They have promised to come back and 'finish
the job.' Our kids and staff are locked inside and have
stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3
days. It has been a time of desperately calling on the
Lord in prayer. More police have come to offer
protection. In Kalahandi, the police and some local
sympathizers got to our dream center and gave our staff
and kids about 3 minutes notice to vacate. No one had time
to even grab a change of clothes or any personal
belonging. As they fled, the bloodthirsty mob came to kill
everyone in the building. We would have had a mass funeral
there, but for His grace. In Phulbani, the mob came
looking for Christian homes and missions. The local Hindu
people, our neighbors turned them away by saying that
there were no Christians in this area. So they left. We
had favor. The same thing happened in Balasore.
All our dream centers are under lock down with the kids
and staff huddled inside and police outside. The fanatics
are circling outside waiting for a chance to kill. Others
were not so fortunate. In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the
mob allowed the kids to leave and locked up a Priest and a
computer teacher in the house and burned them to death.
Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and
left on the road... even women and children. At another
orphanage run by another organization, when this began,
the Director and his wife jumped on their motorbike and
simply fled, leaving all the children and staff behind.
Every one of our GNI directors that I have spoken to said:
'We stay with our kids... we live together or die
together, but we will never abandon what God has called us
to do.' More than 5000 Christian families have had their
homes burned or destroyed. They have fled into the jungles
and are living in great fear waiting for the authorities
to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen.
This will continue for another 10 days... supposedly the
14 day mourning period for the slain Hindu priest. Many
more Christians will die and their houses destroyed. Many
more churches will be smashed down. The Federal government
is trying to restore order and perhaps things will calm
down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can
calm this storm. None of us know the meaning of
persecution. But now our kids and staff know what that
means. So many of our kids coming from Hindu backgrounds
are confused and totally bewildered at what is happening
around them. So many of their guardians have fled into the
jungles and are unable to come and get them during these
trying times. Through all this, I am more determined
than ever to continue with our goal: the transformation of
a community by transforming its children. Orissa will be
saved... that is our heart's cry. If we can take these
thousands of throw-away children and help them to become
disciples of Jesus, they will transform an entire region.
It is a long-term goal, but it is strategic thinking in
terms of the Great Commission.
What can you do? First, please uphold all this in
fervent prayer. Second, pass this e-mail on to as many
friends as you can. We must get the word out and increase
our prayer base for this is spiritual warfare at its most
basic meaning. We are literally fighting the devil in
order to live for His Kingdom. The next 10 days are
crucial. We pray for peace and calm to pervade across
Orissa.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please pass it
on and help us to get as many people to partner with us on
this cutting edge effort to fulfill His mandate: Go and
make disciples of all nations...
Prayer works!

Freedom

Nothing like being sick and shopping online in your own store while clearing out voicemails and emails from your business. Lots of nice handbags from our newest partner store – very cool… I’m not even a bag person and I’ve got half a dozen bags I’m eyeing!

So what else is new with me? I was in Denver last week for business. We were celebrating Free Enterprise. It was a phenomenal trip and I’m really excited about what we’re doing and where things are headed. We are one of the few industries which are actually growing in the current economic situation, and we get to help people make money, if they are willing to learn and to work hard.

The topic I really wanted to write about today is really about Freedom and Free Enterprise, upon which America was founded. I grew up in a country which says it is democratic but it’s really more socialistic in government and reality. “A benevolent big brother” as someone once described the government. The country is safe to wander around and it is stable, but the people have no dream, limited joy, and are unaware of how little freedom they really have. There is no such thing as freedom of speech in the public because you might get arrested for an illegal gathering (a permit is required for any gathering of more than 8 people) or you might end up on the political blacklist depending on what you have to say. The stress on people there is unbelievable and they fear to pursue their own dreams because they so dependent on having security, even if it means that someone else is controlling your life.

Here in America, we have the freedom of equal opportunity, which allows us to pursue our dreams and spurs us to pursue excellence. Do not make the mistake of confusing equal opportunity with equality of outcome. Equality of outcome is not only incompatible with the foundations of the United States of America; it is also only possible with force and a resulting loss of freedom. We have been given freedom to choose! You tell your kids to make right choices; do likewise. Inform and educate yourselves on the history of this country and dig for the truth which isn’t being taught in the classrooms. Inform and educate yourselves on the relationship between Economics and Freedom (I highly recommend the book “Free To Choose” by Milton & Rose Friedman, Harcourt Brace, 1980).

Open your eyes to what makes this country the one that most people want to get to, legally or not. Why do you think the Green Card is the most sought after piece of plastic in the world? The media is no longer as unbiased as you think – they have their own agenda. You know that yet why do you treat everything they say as the one and only truth? Do your research with due diligence so that you can make an informed decision.

There’s something wrong in a free country if 80% of the people are voting that the top 10% must help the bottom 10%. That is not freedom. Imagine the homeless person telling you what to do with your $20,000 or $40,000 a year income. You won’t stand for it, so why would you do the same to someone else? Or do you go for it because you are so used to your boss dictating your lifestyle and choices because he/she decides what income you make?

Keep this country free, for us and for the future generations.

The Right Thing To Do

I was sick yesterday and got wiped out even just taking a shower. All I could manage for the next 4 hours was watching TV and had the opportunity to watch “Eight Below” (well, most of it anyway).

I couldn’t help but cry at several points in the movie (hey I’m sick, remember?). Besides, I’m a big softie when it comes to dogs and when 2 of the dogs died, the tears were flowing freely. I felt the angst of Paul Walker’s character as he struggled to do what is right.

The indignant anger rose further within me when I saw it for what it is: a reflection of what many of us do every single day – making decisions not because it is the right thing to do, but because of every other reason, especially financial ones. Don’t people know anymore what the right thing to do is? What about the true meanings of Honour, Loyalty, Courage, and Integrity?

“It’s just a pen from work. Afterall, it’s not worth much and I’m not getting paid what I’m worth.”

“We have to move our family because of my job.”

“I can’t donate this money to (whatever cause) because I can’t give up my coffee everyday.”

“Sorry kids/dear, we can’t (fill in the blank) because we don’t have the (fill in the other blank).”

“You can’t go to the doctor because you don’t have insurance.”

“I/We/You can’t… because of (some excuse/obstacle).”

“I can’t give up my hobbies/leisure time to build my family’s future.” (aka. I’m too selfish to go out and do something worthwhile for the sake and future of my family.)

Come on, if you deny that you’ve done any of these, you’re either financially independent or you seriously need to wake up and smell the manure. I admit it: I’ve done the latter and am headed for the former.

Be honest with yourself if nobody else. If you’ve swallowed your principles, pride and sense of justice, I say to you: Stand up and be a real man or woman! Start doing what's right and teach that to the next generation!

One of the golden rules is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Go ahead and be that person of Honour, Loyalty, Courage, and Integrity! Be a person who does things and accomplishes in spite of whatever obstacles! Be the person who does the right thing all of the time.

Real Investments

No man can live happily who regards himself alone; who turns everything to his own advantage. You must live for others if you wish to live for yourself. – Seneca

I think deep down inside each of us, we know that we were created for something great; and greatness is recognized, usually, after we’ve passed on. Anything man-made will crumble and/or disappear – buildings, careers and accomplishments, health… The only lasting greatness is people. Who and what kind of people are you leaving behind? What investment are you making in them?

Children often reflect their Parents, Workers their Bosses, and the Mentored their Mentors. That kind of responsibility sometimes scares me, but then again, it’s not about me. I have to remember: It’s always about someone else.

All my life, I always knew that I wanted to help someone else, to make a positive impact on someone else. Over the years, the choices I’ve made to pursue (or not pursue) certain areas/things have led to the realization (finally!!) of where my gifts and strengths are, and where they are not. I’ve made changes as a result of learning the following things:

• I enjoy relationships with people
• I find my purpose in helping others and helping them meet their needs
• I am happy to invest in others and their lives
• It is in the doing that one begins to be fulfilled

Do you wonder if your life has a purpose and if it is more than just existence? Do you wonder if life is more than just earning a living and getting the kids out of the house and standing on their own two feet? Life is found in a personal relationship with the Living God, who loves you and calls you. There is no meaning to Life if you do not know where Life comes from. And every life has purpose. It’s like the old saying, “Use it or lose it.”

We have chosen to invest in transforming people and their lives – helping them work towards better marriages, become men and women of character and strength, raise kids who make good choices, leave incredible legacies for the future. We can do this through our business – we believe that if the financials are taken care of, and people are taught the How-To, then people can focus on what’s truly important.

Parents, do you want your kids to be just like you – to do what you do, act the way you act, speak the way you speak? Do you want your kids’ (future) spouse to treat your child the way you treat yours?

Workers, do you want to be just like your Bosses, and to have their lifestyle in the next 5 or more years? Do you want your kids to do what you do and to live the way you do today? Do you want them to become the person like your Boss in the future?

The Mentored, are you getting enough direction, positive and good, to see transformation in all areas of your life?

If you feel like something’s missing or if you’re not happy with where you are today, try a change. If you change nothing, here’s precisely where you’ll be in the future: exactly where you are today.

I can offer suggestions if you email me. Again, I’m not the answer, but I can point you in the right direction.

New Year 's Excitement

It’s a new year and I can’t stress how excited I am about it! I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a new year. There’s so much to look forward to! My God is awesome, My Saviour lives, and my future is bright.

I know it’s been almost half a year since my last entry and there’s more to report than I have time (or fingers that can last long enough) for… Sure I could look back and reflect a little on last year, but what for? It’s in the past and it can stay there. It’s a new year – a new beginning! If you aren’t excited about that, you’re either too bogged down by stuff (which you can do something about), or you don’t have a pulse (which there’s not much you can do about it).

C’mon, how can you not be excited??!

I don’t do New Year’s resolutions (not sure why I just never got into it) but here’s some of what I’m looking forward to this year:

• Retirement from jobs
• Spending more time helping people
• Giving more money away
• Travelling more less (I did get a little worn out from all the traveling last year)
• Helping towards my husband’s retirement from his jobs
• (Finally) Tidying up the disorganized parts in our apartment

WHOO-HOO!!

Happy New Year, folks!

Dreams of a kid

What did you dream of as a kid? (I’m interested to find out what dreams you had as a kid, so please email me. I’m planning of making up a Top 20 list…)

As a kid, I had all kinds of dreams…

• I dreamt of being a member of G-Force.
• I dreamt of being an ordinary person with a superhero secret identity. I dreamt that I would spend all my day hours rescuing people with my awesome M.A.S.K. car.
• I dreamt that I was the daughter of Matt Trakker, who was rich and a superhero, the leader of M.A.S.K. (even though he had a son in the cartoon…)
• I dreamt of becoming a fighter jet pilot.
• When I started wearing glasses, I dreamt of becoming a helicopter pilot instead – specifically, an Airwolf helicopter pilot.
• I dreamt of living in a log cabin in the woods in the mountains (with Jan-Michael Vincent and playing the cello with him?).
• I dreamt of becoming a veterinarian.
• I dreamt of being a Gold-winning Olympic swimmer who was also a secret superhero.
• I dreamt of owning and driving a Honda Accord. (Hey, it was a big thing where I came from because my family didn’t own a car and it was extremely expensive to even own a dinky little Subaru Justy!)
• I dreamt that I was Laura in Remington Steele, working with Pierce Brosnan.
• In a culture where families live together under the same roof, even after marriage, my best friend and I dreamt of getting an apartment together and getting 2 dogs. We’d name the dogs Oxford and Cambridge, and the rooms London and England.
• When I got older, I dreamt of finding the cure to save the world. (I went into Medicinal Chemistry thanks to “Medicine Man”, starring Sean Connery.)
• I dreamt of riding a motorcycle.
• I dreamt that I’d marry a Flyers hockey player (the star of the team) and that he’d win the Stanley Cup.

As you can see, I had some crazy dreams. Some have come true – I love my Accord, and don’t tell my mom about me and motorcycles… Some dreams will be coming true in the future – like being the rich secret superhero, rescuing people from the prison of no financial freedom, and helping build stronger families. And sadly, some dreams have been buried– I am resigned to the fact that I will never become a member of G-Force or M.A.S.K (sniff sniff), nor will I become an Olympic swimmer. Yet some of the dead dreams were replaced with something even better, like my awesome husband. (Hon, you’re such a warrior and you beat Jan-Michael Vincent and the Flyers hands down.) I even have new dreams now, and they keep me going. In fact, they get me pretty excited about Life. Someone once said something like the following, “When your dreams are bigger than your problems, you will keep moving forward.”

Am I the only one who feels sad that many of us have had amazing and marvelous dreams as kids and we’ve let them die? And worse yet, we’ve allowed ourselves to shrink our remaining dreams? As an adult, do you have any dreams left?

Are not dreams the stuff (not fluff) of life? Why do we allow ourselves to smother our dreams? Why do you let others steal your dreams, and listen to them tell you that you can’t do it? I’m going to say it to you today, “You can!”

Your dreams may change the way they look over the years, but don’t give them up. What would the 10 year-old You say about the You today? Would that 10 year-old ask, “What happened to me? Did I sell myself out? Am I really such a loser?” I say to you, get back your dreams! And then pursue them! And when the going gets tough, dream bigger and get tougher!

You have one life to live – make it worthwhile and make good choices.

Carpe Diem!

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises." – Demosthenes

Hmm… So if I started the little 5k training for running, I’m going to win the Olympic Marathon? Okay, maybe not. But let’s examine Demosthenes’ statement…

For all who have had the opportunity to go to (and finish) school, regardless of the level attained, you’ve been offered jobs, which theoretically could lead you up to being CEO. (We all know about glass ceilings, but for all intents and purposes of feeling out this post, we naively assume that glass ceilings are non-existent and difficult work environments/situations are not factors.) So “small opportunities” = going to school, working hard, getting a job, completing projects/assignments in half the expected time, getting promotion after promotion, developing leadership skills; “great enterprises” = becoming CEO, leader of a company.

Another example, Boy meets Girl somewhere and they strike up a conversation. And next thing they know, they’ve been talking for hours, so Boy asks Girl out. Girl accepts and after some period of time, Boy and Girl become Husband and Wife. They start a family. They have grandkids. So “small opportunities” = they meet, they converse, she accepts a date (and then more dates), she accepts the marriage proposal, etc; “great enterprises” = they raise kids, who decide to follow the same path and then raise kids of their own. Next thing you know, there’s a whole clan from that one Boy and one Girl.

How about You meet Someone/Friend and find out You have what they’re looking for? You offer your help, maybe make a referral. Maybe you end up developing a strong friendship and Someone/Friend’s life is changed – maybe it was a health supplement which improved the quality of life, or an extra stream of income, or some counsel to strengthen their marriage… Maybe through a business of referrals, Someone/Friend makes extra money through meeting more Someone (Else)/Friends and offering some help they need. So “small opportunities” = You meeting Someone/Friend, You have what they need, You offer it to them, Someone/Friend meets Someone Else/Friend and offers the help that is needed, etc.; “great enterprises” = lasting friendships, changed lives, big booming business.

Demosthenes’ statement is exactly what we do in our business. We offer the opportunity to earn money, and/or save money, and/or save time. The startup costs are low (read “very low-risk”, aka small opportunity) but the potential is unlimited (aka great enterprise). Little opportunities to meet people at their needs can result in deep, lasting friendships. Little opportunities to offer some help can result in thousands of changed lives. Little opportunities add up to great opportunities, and great opportunities multiply into great enterprises. Isn’t that exciting??

What little opportunities are you missing out on? Open your eyes and minds, and carpe diem!

Day 16 of the 5k Training

I’ve been really good keeping with the 5k training schedule since we started doing it 2 weeks ago. Everyday; sometimes running even on a designated rest day. Well, I was really good… Today was a running day and we skipped the running. In our defense, I have to say that it was for a really good reason (despite our kin in Texas laughing at us) – the temperature was a crazy 96 degrees and the Heat Index was over 100 degrees. It didn’t feel a whole lot cooler when I opened the back door around 9pm… Yeesh!!

I have to say that I might actually begin to like running, but it’s still a very distant last place from swimming and biking… It is free though (no membership required and no crazy startup costs). And this training program really isn’t bad. It’s actually pretty good. I mean, come on, I’m doing it! I’m actually running! So here’s my encouragement to all fellow non-runners: If I can do it, so can you!

In the words of Nike,

"Just Do It"

(And in my words, “Make sure you take your XS Energy Drinks, Nutrilite Rhodiola, Nutrilite Double X, etc.”)