the right to speak

Love the weather.
I always thought it got too cold for me, this time of the year, but surprisingly this time around am loving it.
And I also jump at the chance to wear my trenchcoat, hat, and tights to protect me from the fierce wind. Heh.

Congrats Hady for winning the Asian Idol. I'm glad you won. Mom voted for you.
Mom is ALWAYS right.

Another controversial topic, possibly political, that I have no interest in delving in, save for the sake of some (many) people who might (will) be affected, negatively...

The RIGHT to SPEAK (into people's lives)

I guess infuence is a strange thing. It's really inexplainable. Like why you like straight cut jeans and not boot-cut or flare or skinny but always straight cut (Okay, I digress.) What makes a person's influence universal whereas some to specific groups, eg, single "40-year-old-virgin women" only? (Me and Kie's inside joke)

People can see if you've 'got it'...or not.

Like the way celebrities are able to influence a bunch of women cutting the same hairstyle, influential people are highly respected and they do go a long way.

And it's unfortunate when you try to influence people yet prove that you are not worthy of respect, time and again, through different situations that you were given ample time to handle. In the corporate world, you are not able to make it, really. You'd probably stick to the same post for 10 years or more. It's quite sad.

It's even sadder when such people are put above you and you have to 'submit' to their authority in God's kingdom.

I do wonder why some leaders do not accept criticism and learn from their mistakes. Hearing the things that they have said and done, I am appalled. If my member is asked not to serve because of something he has done, I wouldn't say it infront of a big group, no matter how pure my intentions are.

If I am truly concerned about my member's past relationships and ability to love and be loved, again - I would not ask him if he has had sexual relations with his previous girlfriends at a christmas party.

If I am a christian leader, I would be led by the Spirit and pray before I move, and seek other wise counsel before embarking on certain things. Not only me but everyone around me feels the same way. How can a spiritual leader act before praying? How can they advise without a godly input?

In life, it's not about who you know, but who knows you.
I find that I only want to share my life with people who care about me (duh)...and in helping people this year, I do find joy, because we are helping others without any ulterior motive, we just want to see them live a mature and happy life while they are with us... ...

Why build resentment when you can give hope? In a world which is already full of troubles, worries about family and financial issues, the most a shepherd can give is a listening ear. Learn from so many wrong leadership decisions you have made, and move on to be a better leader.

When I was a leader, my fundamental was to 1.bless, 2.encourage 3.minister.
Sadly, I seem to hear more criticism, pessimism and caution instead of the above.
I hope that things will change. Actually things will change when people focus on God - and not on the small stuff. A wise bird told me that the leaders should have more faith. Maybe I have been moving in faith for so long that I failed to realise not all leaders are like me. Maybe that sounds like too strong a statement, but I think as long as you trust God for your life, you will have an unshakeable faith. And you will also trust God to do the rest as long as you do the best.

For us, we learn.
We learn to be not like them if one day we should have their position.