The Secret of Good Luck

I read a certain article in a site called Kisah-Kisah Inspiratif (Inspiring Stories) yesterday. You might want to hear a bit about it, too.
It is said that Prof. Richard Wiseman from University of Hertfordshire (UK) had run some tests on two groups of individuals: those who seem to always be fortunate in their lives, and those whose lives are always filled with problems and bad lucks. The tests show that the lucky guys tend to handle and respond to circumstances in quite a different way compared to the unlucky ones.
Here's the conclusions Wiseman drew from the observation:

1. Lucky people are more open-minded toward opportunities.

They are more capable of sensing the arrival of new opportunities, respond positively to chances, and even create possibilities. How come?
It is because these individuals are more relaxed and open to new experiences. They show the tendency to create or enter new social circles and interact positively with new acquaintances. On the other hand, unlucky people tend to be more rigid and unwilling to explore new possibilities.

2. Lucky people rely more on intuition than logic.

Most decisions made by lucky individuals turn out to be based more on intuition than logic. They have sharper and more trained intuition than the unlucky group. This comes from active meditation and clear conscience. Although reason also has its share in discerning a matter, lucky people count more on their intuitive side rather than relying on complicated calculations.

3. Lucky people always wish for the best to come.

They always respond positively and optimistically to life. With this outlook, they tend to be more flexible in managing problems and tougher when disasters strike. The optimistic values they hold also help promoting good interactions with other people.

4. Lucky people alter bad circumstances into good.

They can always see the silver lining in every dark cloud. No matter how bad the situation, lucky people are able to recognize the positive value and turn it into the way to promote goodness. They possess the ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances -- though disastrous they may seem -- and gain benefits out of them. This keeps good luck in their side at all times!

Wiseman then concluded that every normal individual is actually able to gain good luck in life by following this very simple method: OPEN YOUR MIND, ENJOY YOUR LIFE!
Welcome good luck into your life today!

Divine Vengeance

There was a saying I once heard, "Vengeance is never just. It's always two eyes for an eye."
How true!
As corrupted mortals, we always demand greater recompense than the harm done us. That's why Gandhi, in his peace-promoting concept, said, "An eye for an eye only turns the whole world go blind!"
At all times, it hurts to forgive. But it's something demanded of us, if we want this world to grow into a better place for all man.
"But what about those evildoers?" you might ask in aggravation.
Surely, God never sleeps, and He never lets justice suffers lost. We are to submit to His will, lay our case on His feet, and let it go -- then, God will act in our place to bring justice to victory.
I've seen many cases of God's followers mistreated, and how in the end they are vindicated through divine intervention.
Here's one example:
There was a true story of a devout woman my late mother-in-law once knew. Her husband was seduced by another woman, and left her with their children behind. She was filled with grief and disappointment, no doubt.
Nevertheless, she didn't do a single thing to repay her husband or his mistress for the wrong done her. She went her way, clinging to the Lord and working hard to make ends meet for her children's future.
Two decades afterward, she was a happy grandmother of loving grandchildren. All her children had successfully finished their education and got good jobs, by which they helped supporting their mother.
God had proven Himself to be her Mighty Protector and Faithful Comforter, who cared for all her family's needs.
What about the other woman?
The mistress delivered a baby boy suffering from psychic disorder from birth! Two decades afterward, the boy quarreled with his mother, struck and murdered her!
The homicide was printed all over the newspapers!
My husband gasped as he incidentally read the news, and showed it to my mother-in-law (still in her prime condition those days). She sighed and shook her head.
"Divine vengeance," she whispered.
God never lets injustice triumphs or His faithful followers harmed. "Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free" (Proverbs 11:21).
How dreadful it is to fall under God's divine vengeance!
Ought we not be careful to keep ourselves from doing others wrong, since He who holds justice in His hand is One far mightier than us?

Being a Mother of Two Toddlers = Hard but Awesome Job!

My son, Dharma, is 39-months now. His sister, Sarah, is 23-months. Every day, they always come up with something new: new ideas, new abilities, new perceptions of their surroundings, and new activities.
And, as toddlers, they still haven't learn the point that some activities can be dangerous. Sometimes, it drives me haywire!
On the last day of February, Dharma got his left ear torn and ended up with four sutures in Emergency Room. The cause was simple.
Both my children asked to go to the church's bathroom after Sunday Service. I was too occupied with Sarah that when Dharma asked to enter the bathroom alone I didn't pay too much attention or even feel the slightest worry. Then, all the sudden he slipped and fell on the bathroom floor, his left ear bleeding real bad!
No one would notice the overlooked little nail hanging loose on the door, though I -- the mother -- SHOULD!
So off we went to the Emergency Room, where he got his left ear stitched (I had to hold him down as he was struggling and screaming in pain since the paramedics stitched him up BEFORE the anesthetics worked). It was a very painful experience for him, and for me as a mother.
That was the worst we encountered so far.
Yet, it wasn't the first time my babies were exposed to danger.
There was this instance when Sarah and I were praying before she took her bottle of milk. Dharma climbed onto the bedside-table, and as we came to "Amen," he slipped and dived toward the floor -- head first! I managed to snatch his ankle, his head hanging just a few inches from the marble floor!
And not to mention Sarah accidentally splashed into the water tank in our bathroom (several times) as I was shampooing her brother. She came up gurgling as I lifted her out of the tank, then she laughed out-loud upon noticing my frightened expression.
Oh, children will be children!
It's simply our job to keep them safe at all times. Being a mother of two toddlers? It's one really hard but awesome job! Every day's a new adventure!

Parable of the Pipeline

Once upon a time, in a remote village, lived two brothers. They were water carriers. Every morning, at sunrise, the two of them went to the river a mile away from the village to fetch water for the whole village.
From time to time, they fetched water with buckets, carrying them all the way to the village, back and forth every morning, working hard to earn their wages.
However, as time went on, the younger brother thought to himself, “I can’t go on earning my living this way for the rest of my life! What will happen when I’m old?”
He sat down one evening, thinking hard.
Then, the next morning, the younger brother didn’t go to the river. He stayed home, making a pipeline!
He poured all his energy and concentration on this effort for some days (while his elder brother kept on fetching water). At last, when the pipeline was finished, he connected it from the village’s water tank to the river, and there came water flowing directly to the village without his having to fetch them.
The whole village praised the younger brother for his brilliance, and bought his pipeline. Finally, the younger brother didn’t simply stop carrying water for the rest of his life. He retired young – and retired rich!

The story above really did happen in reality. Nowadays, it inspires economists to establish the idea of Passive Income. This story is now widely known as the Parable of the Pipeline.
This parable talks about a river (cash flow), two brothers (workers), water buckets (their source of income), and a pipeline (a system that works without their having to run it). The elder brother talks about ordinary people who keep on doing their job from day to day, year to year, until they grow old and retire without the slightest idea to change their condition. The younger brother represents ordinary people who use their mind to find a better way to earn their living without their having to work hard day and night for the rest of their lives. At first, they need to abandon their water buckets (or simply list it as second priority) to concentrate on making a pipeline, a system that will pull cash flow their way for the rest of their days – in one effort!
Once the system is established, money will flow into their bank account for good, leaving out anxiety and hard-work behind. This sort of income that works for its owner without its owner having to work for it is called Passive Income.
Is there any system in the world that can drive Passive Income our way?
Of course there is!
Multilevel Marketing is one of such systems.
At first, you do have to pour quite some effort making your pipeline (network). But once your network is safely established, strong and firm, you can be sure that the system is finally running for you, driving cash flow into your bank account. All you need to do is maintain a good surveillance on your network.
Dare to retire young and rich?
Build your pipeline today!

Celebrating Easter

My friend, Arum, now resides temporarily in Australia. She's completing her master degree in a country where the people and culture differ greatly from the ones she grew up in.
Yesterday, on Good Friday, she posted an Easter greeting on my Facebook Wall.
I replied, "Thanks, Rum. How's Easter in Aussie?"
And she said, "Easter here means a week holiday! I like it! Loads of Easter chocolates and hot buns!"
I laughed. Easter is, of course, not about chocolates, hot buns, eggs and bunnies. It's about commemorating the turning point of human history, when Jesus' sacrifice redeemed us from the bondage of sin and death, opening us the way to salvation and eternity.
Easter is the moment of victory!
But Arum certainly does not fully understand the significance of the feast to Christians. Nevertheless, she enjoys becoming part of the celebration as much as I enjoy finding ketupat and dates on Idul Fitri.
And to all of you who celebrates Easter this morning, I wish you a very Happy Easter. May the power of Christ's resurrection fills our lives and guides us all the way through the passage to eternity. Amen!