Finding God in Corporate America - Part 2: Frank Blake (Former CEO of Home Depot)

Deep within each shepherd's heart lies the call to care for every sheep in personal ways. Nevertheless, I have to admit that it is easier said than done. Week-in and week-out, there are always meetings to attend, logistics to oversee and programs to plan. In the midst of the busyness, vision and calling can easily be drown and pushed aside. Fortunately, by the mercy of God, there are usually divine reminders along the journey that keep us in track. And this is exactly what happened on a Sunday morning few years back.

I remembered everything ran very smoothly that morning. However, as I saw groups after groups of kids arriving in the children's center, somehow, instead of seeing the kids as individuals, I saw crowds. I remember asking God, "This is not what I signed up for. I got called into the ministry wanting to minister to kids, but look at what I am doing now! Have I become a program manger instead of children's minister? Am I managing programs instead of tending sheep?" If so, I don't want to continue the path even if the ministry grows steadily. I remember a chill feeling creep up in my mind reminding me: Be mindful with our priorities, or else we can well be running a ministry that continues to grow and flourish as a result of human efforts but without God's presence. That thought dawned on me so hard. It was on that morning that I received a renewed vision from God: don't minister to the crowds, minister to individuals. This is a noble vision, but one that is very hard to achieve, especially in the mega church setting. How am I supposed to reach out to hundreds of volunteers and children with personal care?

"Don't minister to the crowds, minister to individuals" remained as mission impossible until I heard an interview of former CEO, Frank Blake, on Andy Stanley's leadership podcast. In the podcast, Frank discussed with Andy about the inverted pyramid concept (servant leadership), the skipped-level luncheon along with other precious leadership principles. It turned out that Frank had invited Andy as speaker to provide leadership training for Home Depot and had adopted Andy's leadership principles extensively in his company. It is amazing to see how the biblical principles be transferred into a corporation setting.

In the podcast, Frank mentioned that in his early days of being the Home Depot CEO, he made an effort to write personal notes to his associates to show that he cared for them. Home Depot has 350K employees and Frank spent his early days writing 100+ hand written note cards on a weekly base. Those numbers are unbelievable and jaw-dropping. As I typed these lines, I had to double and triple check to make sure I got the numbers right. Yes, it is remarkable not only to the audience, but even more so to his employees. Frank's associates wondered if those handwritten notes were filled with auto pen instead of authentic autograph. One of the associates even took the extra step to put the card in the water to test its validity. And as the ink came out, they realized it's for real.

When Frank's habit became known and got woven into the corporate culture, more and more managers took on the same initiative of using hand written notes to reach out to the associates. Some employees treasured such personal notes so much that they framed them for keepsake. The personal sense of touch helped Home Depot bring transformation. As Frank put it, "You would be surprised how much people have to say when they know you listen genuinely."

Frank's sharing touches me a great deal and makes me appreciate card-writing and gift-giving in a brand new way. If that level of personal touch can be administered in a corporate environment, how much more can we do it at the church setting! You and I may not have the prominent position as Frank's, but each of us has our unique circle of influence. It would be so powerful if we can all approach people around us with an observant eye; a compassionate heart, coupled with a sense of the personal touch at the appropriate moment. When we do that time and again, we can literally become the ambassador of divine presence reaching out and touching the people within your circle of influence that no one on this planet earth can. Random act of kindness may seem random; but it takes discipline and intentionality.

If you are interested to learn more about Frank Blake, below are a few relevant links.

 

 

 

Finding God in Corporate America - Part 1: Kirk Perry (Google President of Brand Solution)

This is the picture I took a year ago in the Silicon Valley Prayer Breakfast. The gathering took place super early at 7am. At first, I was thinking that there would probably only be a handful of people since it was so early. A few days before the event, I got an email reminder saying that they were expecting 600+ attendees. I was so surprised, and even more so when I stepped foot into the room. The room was full at 7am. The topic was not about business and investment. It's about God and Faith. Bay Area may be more spiritual than we think.

There were a few speakers that morning. Kirk Perry was the keynote speaker of the prior year and returned to the event with his status updates. His testimony caught my attention and touched my heart.

On our way out, we were given Skip Vaccarello's book: Finding God in Silicon Valley. The book describes authentic faith walks of business leaders and their life stories. Indeed, there is power within community, especially when the like-minded leaders are connected. When we step out and truly listen with our hearts, we would realize that our sky is boarder than we thought and we are not alone in our struggles.

Kirk Perry's interview was also included in the book. I am so touched by his life story.

I like how Kirk highlights the theme of his life story as one with "people reached down and picked me up, even though there was a cost and no benefit to them whatsoever. They saw in me what I didn't see in myself." Yes, may we all find ways to be like the Little League coach, the high school principle, and the restaurant manager in another Kirk Perry's life.

Just like what Pastor Andy Stanley's said: for those who are in the 40's+, we are in a great position to invest in others lives. The 40+ often are in a position with more resources to give. May we take heart in our abundance and being willing to do what those did to Kirk. If you are in the position of able to give, may God guide us to invest in lives who lack of resources. If you are in the position of lacking, may God give you faith that He would provide.

If you are interested in the full talk, here is the link of Kirk's sharing in the 2015 Silicon Valley Prayer Breakfast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9mKnDGibvg. In the talk, Kirk touched on how he responded to the nagging feeling and eventually left his job as the president of P&G in Cincinnati to join Google in California in 2013. He also touched on how he walked through the valley when his then six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and his own cancer diagnosis in 2015.

Kirk concluded that
◾God is always with you. You just have to keep your eyes open.
◾God cares more about your character than your comfort.
◾God never gives you more than you can handle.
◾God always has a better plan than the one you have for yourself.

May we look up and keep Silicon Valley in our prayers!

Moment Maker - Freedom Box

In the book H3 Leadership, Brad Lomenick mentioned Carlos Whittaker's book, Moment Maker. The example of Carols Whittaker caught my attention. Carols starts his day at 5am with exercise and begins working by 6 am. He doesn't check email until 9am. He said, "email gives the steering wheel to someone else. When I open it, I am no longer in charge. So I wait until after I finish with me to help them." Carlos also sets up a freedom box in his home where all the digital devices go into that box until the kids go to bed. What a discipline!

I love the Freedom Box idea a lot. And so, my girl and I went to search for our own version of freedom boxes over the weekend. We found two plain ones and got some alphabet stickers to go along with them so we can personalize the boxes. I name mine the "Freedom Box" and promise her to put my iPhone in it and not to check email until after her bed time. We name hers Calm Realm. She promises to lock her tandrum into the calm realm.

We are so prone to multi-tasking in this era hoping to achieve more with less time. But may be sometimes less is more. When we slow down and give the undivided attention to ones around us, we are

making a moment that stands out and is spectacular. It's about making someone feel valued through that moment. Because of the thought you put into it. Because they know they are worth that much. --- from Moment Maker

Thank you for guarding the moment, my Freedom Box.

 

 

 

The Concept of "Bread Crumbs"

Yesterday had been a hectic one. Both of my kids were sick with asthma and ear infection respectively. I brought them to the urgent care and the wait had been unbelievably long. We checked in at around 1:30pm, but didn't get to see the doctor until 5:30pm. By the time when we stepped out the clinic, all the pharmacies in the neighborhood had closed. After managing to find one about 15 miles away; I breathed in a sign of relief. I dropped off the kids at home with my husband and was on my way to the 24-hour pharmacy.

More than half way through the drive, Waze warmed me that there was hazardous items on the road. A few minutes later, I saw some peeled off tire laid in front of my lane. Not able to avoid it, my car ran right over the object. I got freak out a bit and kept praying that it won't damage the tire on this mission critical moment. While the thoughts were still lingering, the "low-tire" pressure warming light came on. OH NO! I managed to pull over in a close by shopping mall not knowing exactly where I was. 

Thereafter, there were chaotic moments seeking friends for ride, waiting in long line of the pharmacy counter, AAA tow calls, auto shop arrangements, etc. By the time I got home watching the AAA truck unload my car with the completely collapsed tire, it was already 10:30pm. My stomach was growling and I was exhausted.

This morning, I realized that there was no handy food around the house to feed my kids before giving them medicine, plain rice seems to be the best last resort. As I rinsed the rice, I looked out the kitchen window and saw this scene.

 

As I saw the flowers radiates its beauty under the morning sunshine, it instantly brought back the concept of "bread crumb" from Mary Beth Chapman in her book "Choose to See" . . .  

"Whether you're in a good place, or in a place that's hard, sad, mad, or desperately hopeless. In the midst of it all, God really is with us and for us. I have found that even during these times when the path is darkest, He leaves little bits of evidence all along the way--bread crumbs of grace--that can give me what I need to take the next step. But I can only find them if I choose to SEE."

It is true that we may not have much say on the events that are unfolding in lives. There are times that storms just surface from nowhere and a seemingly bright day can turn into day with twister and tornado in a split of second. But I guess the choice we have on hand is how to respond. When those thoughts came to my mind, I started thanking God for the doctor in the urgent care, the pharmacy that opens 24-hours, the friends who provide rides, and the rice in my cook pot.

I wanna dedicate this blog particularly to friends who are walking through valleys in lives. May you find strength through Chapman's testimonies. May Chapman's testimony help you process the pain and find strength to battle with the life storms. The book "Choose to See" describes how the Chapman family copes with a terrible tragedy in 2008 when their 5-year-old daughter died after accidentally being hit by an SUV that was being driven by their son. Below are some related infor. about Chapman if you would like to look further into it.

https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-SEE-Journey-Struggle-Hope/dp/0800720857/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494202302&sr=8-1&keywords=choose+to+see

http://marybethchapman.com/about/

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/excerpt-choosing-mary-beth-chapman/story?id=12495888

A teenager with a brilliant idea and an unusual amount of tenacity

What would you do if you were a fifteen year old high schooler with a brilliant idea in your mind; but the thoughts were vetoed by 199 out of the 200 professors whom you reached out. And not only that, one of the professors rebutted your thesis point-by-point, proving why your ideas are at fault. Would you conclude that your idea is not that brilliant after all or would you persist through? 

My girl's teacher introduced to her a series of teen's TED talks and this one by Jack Andraka particularly caught her attention. Here are her words: 

Jack's talk captured my attention because he didn't really know what a pancreas was; and yet, he turned out finding the cure for pancreatic cancer. It is especially amazing that he didn't give up when he got so many rejections. If I were him, I would've given up.

Jack concludes his talk with these words,

through the Internet, anything is possible. Theories can be shared, and you don't have to be a professor with multiple degrees to have your ideas valued. It's a neutral space, where what you look like, age or gender — it doesn't matter. It's just your ideas that count.

We all have dreams. Dreams, like seeds buried underground, take intentional cultivation to nurture the growth. Just as a tiny seed needs to press through the soil to bud, so do ideas need to live through rejections. As a mom, I wanna challenge myself to always look out for the bright side when journeying with my kids; even when the whole world screams out loud and clear that "it is impossible!" 

Here is the link of Jack's talk, a teen with amazing tenacity. Check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ycQufrgK4

"Who are you? And what breaks your heart?" 

This morning I took a few pictures of trees around the neighborhood for my blog. I was looking full-grown trees that are firmly rooted and with big branches. My dream is to build a blog that offers encouragements and positive energy for readers. I strike to reflect on the everyday routines, things that seem ordinary and are easy to miss. May "A Rooted Life" offer brief moments of rest for the readers; just like how a big tree would have provided shades and offered fruits.

 

Speaking about dreams, it brought back the memory of Andy Stanley's talk in Catalyst West 2015. His opening statement "Who are you? And what breaks your heart?" caught my attention and I resonated with his message:

https://www.leadercast.com/programs/what-breaks-your-heart

What breaks your heart? Every significant non-profit that has made an impact in the world and most social movements that have impacted the world began with a broken-hearted leader. Someone whose heart was so broken over an issue, someone whose heart was so broken over what was happening in their community, their school system, their city, their community, their world, that they decided something has to be done and they decided not to take no for an answer, that this is an extremely important question for all of you. What breaks your heart?
It's why Dr. King was in Boston. Had this cush teaching job, kind of had it all going on, everything is worked out and safe and sound, but what was happening in the south broke his heart. He took his leadership skills and he came south and changed our world.
It's the story of Bob Pierce who was in China, visiting China, and a mom who can't afford a child hands him her child and says, “I can't afford this child.” He had five dollars and gave her five dollars and gave her the child back and it changed her world. He thought to himself, “If I can do this, other people can do this.” He came back to the United States. His heart was broken, and he launched what would become world vision, four million children in over a hundred countries because of one broken-hearted leader. What breaks your heart?
It's the story of Linda and Millard Fuller who decided it's ridiculous that people can't afford homes and that the underprivileged and the poor people in the world will never ever own a home unless something changes. So they got some money together and some friends together and they built a house. They put someone in a house they could not afford and showed them how to afford it. And then they built another one, and then they built another one and eventually their organization came to be known what we call Habitat for Humanity. They're all over the world. I think over 800,000 homes, they have either fixed up or built for people who would never own a home, all because of a broken heart. What breaks your heart?

For years, I was not able to formulate my personal vision statement. As I listened to Andy's message, I had a glimpse of what my mission statement may be like. It breaks my heart every time when I see someone with passion and dream, but being stuck somewhere not able to achieve it. I want to be the cheerleader who fosters dreams, and the mentor who assists the youngsters leap over their hurdles in lives.

Pursuing dreams takes courage and tenacity. I am fortunate to be raised by my mom who was a courageous dream pursuer. Mom was a learner all her life. And because she was constantly learning, she was constantly onto something new and always caught the next wave before it became a trend. More and more, I realize that I am carrying my mom’s legacy. Mom started learning English in her early 50’s, literally from the ground up with alphabets, and managed to get her MBA degree before she turned 60. Driving didn’t come easy to her, but she managed to pull it off, to a point that she was offering rides for sisters in her small group right before she passed away. Knowing that computer and technology are here to stay, she learned email, Internet, audio and video stuff up to a point that she could edit clips for her dance team. As I saw this wonder woman leaped over hurdles after hurdles in her life to pursue her dream and refused to get struck down by the hurts from her past, I got a glimpse of what it means by “when there is a will, there is a way" 

So step by step, brick by brick, I am building up a personal site that promotes a positive life style: a life that is always learning, improving and in the pursue of excellence. I want to keep my mom’s legacy alive. There are days when I wonder if the intentionally carved message would reach out and touch anyone. But I am determine to use what I have in my hands to fulfill what is in my heart! May this little seed grow, and one day, turns into a strong tree offering rest and nourishment for the ones who visit this site. 

Life Fragrance

When I was in high school, one of the subjects we had to learn is cookery. And for some reasons, the instructor at that time only taught us about baking, and never touched on the main meal preparation. Being a practical gal, I always felt that it was such a waste of time, especially when she demonstrated how to sprinkle the powder sugar on pastry. I never appreciated those extra steps.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to help organize a weekly group gathering. With that, I got the opportunity to prepare refreshment from time to time. To my surprise, the skill sets that I once thought as impractical came in handy. It's so true that none of the things we learned along the way will ever be wasted if we are mindful.

Tonight as I browsed through the pictures of the refreshment I made in the past years, I was amazed by the passion and heart that I have poured into each of them. Wanna take a look? Here is the slide show. 

We live in a time with such a fast-paced lifestyle. Things seem constantly changing. But if you think about it, one that has remained rather constant over the ages is food: we all have to eat. And because of that, food can be an amazing channel to minister and bless people around us. Wanna see how far the blessed food can go to bring transformation? Check out the sermon below, you would be amazed.

I thought of the testimony of this ice-cream lady often when I prepared the group refreshment. I hope and pray that the ones who taste my food would also be blessed with joyful spirit. Below is the clip of that testimony, may it bring you encouragement. Never look down on the impact you can bring through the seemingly ordinary platform. The home-cook food from your kitchen can well be an healing agent in God's hand. 

May our lives be like bottles of fragrance, taking whatever lessons that God allows us to absorb. And at due time, be bold and sensitive to God's call to step out, open the cap of the bottle and let the fragrance permeate in whichever context God guides us to.

10/18/2015 要為主走出去 | 劉彤牧師 | https://vimeo.com/album/1569834/video/142814902#t=18m42s

 

On "Power of Habit"

Do you have the tradition of setting up new year resolutions? If so, do you find it hard to sustain after a short while? Have you ever wondered why are healthy habits so hard to establish?

A while ago, I came across the New York Times Best Seller, "The Power of Habit," by Charles Duhigg. The book has a lot of thorough researches with fascinating data points. What struck me in particular is the fact that majority of our daily decisions is actually habitual; meaning we don't process through before we act. It is almost like our brain is set in the cruising mode. 

I am particularly impressed with the chapter about how Target uses their sales data to project the need of their customers and it is very eye opening to see how the static numerics can come to life when it is analyzed and applied organically. 

I remember I was sitting in Panera Bread at the moment sipping my morning coffee when I was digesting the food for thoughts of that chapter. And suddenly, an enlightenment came to my mind. What if we can instill a habit of daily scripture reading into the kids lives. If that habit can weave into the fabric of their lives the same way how coffee is to ours, the impact can be transformational. 

I used to think that thoughts ought to come before actions and habits are established through will power and determination. But when I read these few sentences from "Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry," it gives me a very different perspective.

[Y]ou don't think yourself into a new way of acting, you act yourself into a new way of thinking . . . we believed that thinking is paramount-that thoughts turn into action. But it's actually the opposite. When you act your way into a new habit, the habit becomes your opinion about how you should do things, and that opinion becomes your character as a person or as an organization.

Small daily actions can be so powerful. Indeed, small daily actions will form habits and which in turn drives our destination. If you are in the process of setting up new habits, but struggle to keep it up, hope the principles outlined in the book (cues, routines and rewards) will bring you some insights and tips to get your habit stick. Here is a very good summary of "The Power of Habit." Check it out if you don't have time to read through the whole book. http://www.deconstructingexcellence.com/the-power-of-habit-summary/

 

Emptying Our Cup - With Childlike Imagination

My girl was sick yesterday. In the midst of struggling with cough and fever, she lined up her troops to comfort her. Each of her stuff animals has unique name: Duffy, Chirpy, _____, and Froggy. She hasn't found a perfect one for the panda yet, any suggestions?

When I saw her friends last night, an instant phrase flashed through my mind: what a lovely childlike imagination and naïveness. It brought back the memory of an analogy I used in my very first sermon many years ago. I still remember I was preaching on the topic of molding. In the opening lines, I used this story:

One day, a little boy was jumping and skipping on the road. He stopped at a corner where a sculptor was working. The boy was very curious as he saw the pebbles, big and small, falling down. He paused, looked and walked away after a short while. Few days later, the little boy returned to the exact same location and he was stunned. He couldn't believe what he saw. The giant stone was turned into a lion. With his eyes wide opened, he asked, "Sir, how do you know that there is a lion lying inside the stone?"

Interesting question, isn't it? You may have met such sculptor sometime in your life; or you may have been one. Mentors, in many ways, are like the sculptors equipped with childlike imaginations. They are able to see the potential that lies within us; able to imagine who we can become before we even notice any traces of that remote resemblance of who we can grow into.

As we get older, it is harder to find mentors. If you feel the same, may be you have stepped into the season of becoming one. Pastor Andy Stanley has done a great talk on this subject in 2014 Catalyst Conference: "Becoming a Beyond You Leader: Empty Your Cup." Here is the portion of that talk.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4f6k2vrVVE

May we put on our childlike imagination to look for opportunities to fill the cups of those who come after us. "If your leadership isn’t all about you, it will live beyond you."

Know what drains you and what rejuvenates you . . .

Before I was called to ministry, I was in the financial accounting field. I always love data analysis and strategic planning and have a passion in improving operation efficiency. Till these days, I still get fascinated when I see images of production lines and conveyor belts. They often trigger my thoughts on how to improve the efficiency. 

Years ago I responded to God's call and had left the business world to embrace the ministry. Serving people requires very different sets of skills. Being an introvert analytic, there were moments that I noticed a real gap between my natural gift and what the job calls for. In those moments, a sense of inadequacy often surfaced.

Early this year, I made a commitment to smile more; a baby step to help me become more welcoming and less uptight. This self-awareness really made a difference at the beginning. Nevertheless, when fatigue strikes and stress mounts, it's so easy to give in and drift back to square one. The reality check pushes me to reflect on a few key principles:

  1. Self-awareness. It is imperative to know what drains and what rejuvenates us. At the end of the day, we need to make sure our inner energy bucket is refilled, and this often is related to how we are wired. An extroverted outgoing person may get energized in crowds while the introverted quiet one may need the alone space to chill. Having that realization helps me safeguard my reflective time. Reading and writing are no longer a luxury to do when time allows; instead, they are the non-negotiable to maintain my emotional health.
  2. Form a team that complements you. Knowing the temperament of the team members will strengthen the team effectiveness and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Be open in admitting areas that are not our natural strong suits. Be bold to invite people with different personalities and strength into the team. We don't need to do it all to be effective leaders, we just need to have the openness to allow talents of all sorts to shine in a platform that fits them. 
  3. Just do the thing you are good at. The older one gets, the easier to admit that it is very difficult to improve in the areas that we are naturally not good at. Instead of spending countless hours to strengthen the weaker links, we may be better off in focusing on things that we are good at, and work on it with laser focus. Be mindful that the same type of strength may have distintive ramifications in different fields. Be creative to find your niche and work tirelessly toward the goal. You will reap fruits eventually. And because the fruits grow out from the soil with your natural gift, it can be a very joyful journey. 

If you are in the process of soul searching; wanting to know yourself or your team members more, here is an awesome tool. It is by far the best free resources I have come across in this area. Check it out and take the free test, the analysis is quite comprehensive. https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types

 

The Preparation of Leaders - Off Stage . . .

Last week our senior leader shared with us on the topic of "Seven Reminders of Life Journey."

  1. God has only one calling in your life: come follow me
  2. Just do the thing you are good at 
  3. Never rely on yesterday's success
  4. Big thing always starts from small
  5. Always look out for the interest of the others
  6. Learn to rest in God's working hand (rest, have assurance, depending on God, a sense of focus)
  7. Never give up (Philippians 3:14 press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus)

It was a good talk. I was touched by both the content and the intentional preparation of the message. As I listened to the carefully carved sermon with tailor-fitted analogies to go with each point, I know there was thoughtful planning that went in behind-the-scene. I am encouraged to see a senior leader, whose preaching skill is already widely recognized, willing to put in this level of preparation. It is especially precious given the audience was only a small group of staff, compare with the thousands of congregation members on a typical Sunday morning.

Couple days ago I was listening to the audio book: H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle by Brad Lomenick, the longtime president of Catalyst.

In the book, Brad describes an off-stage encounter with Hillsong United Band. Here is what Brad observed in the green room, a picture of true leadership.

The music at Catalyst events is always interspersed with first-rate speakers sharing groundbreaking and insightful content. Normally, when a band finishes a set, they go back to the green room behind the stage to relax, have a cup of coffee, and goof off a little bit before they have to go back out. They aren’t typically engaged in the speakers. And who would blame them? These bands play dozens of conferences each year. They’ve heard much of this content before.
When I walked into the green room and encountered the Hillsong United band after their first set, I was nearly knocked off my feet. The band members were huddled together around a tiny television with a closed-loop feed of the first speakers. Then they watched the second presentation. Then, the third. Many of them had moleskin pads, and were furiously scribbling notes. No one was talking. No one was checking text messages.
You could have knocked me over with a cough.
Observing Hillsong United band in that moment, I had uncovered one of the secrets to their success. They have never let fame go to their heads and have instead maintained a habit of curiosity. Rather than transition from the role of student to the role of teacher—as most accomplished people do—they remained pliable, always maturing and improving.

Brad went on to describe a common trajectory of a leader.

Most leaders follow a particular trajectory. The early stages of one’s life and career are often marked by unbridled curiosity. The leader amasses college diplomas, graduate school degrees, and specialized certifications. She will often attend conferences and read books within her field and accept low-paying or unpaid internships just for the benefit of learning something. After some time, the leader’s curiosity begins to pay off. People notice her effort and respect her industry knowledge. Promotions and raises follow, and soon she may be asked to present in meetings or speak at conferences herself. But as a leader’s career surges, her curiosity often sinks. She has all the degrees she needs, and who can afford to take an internship at this stage of the game? Her busy schedule doesn’t allow time to read much, and she wouldn’t be caught dead sitting in a conference crowd after being onstage. If the leader’s life were a movie, this is where it moves from feel-good flick to tragedy.

May we take heart to fight against that tragic trajectory. Stay humble and hungry, develop a life-long habit of curiosity. Indeed, it is our attitude, not aptitude, that determine our altitude. As Pastor Craig Groeschel puts it, "Often it's the small things that no one sees that result in the big impact that everyone wants." Let's cheer each other on.

If you are interested to read more about Brad's thought on this topic, here is the article on "Seven Ways To Develop A Habit Of Curiosity." http://orangeblogs.org/orangeleaders/2015/09/21/develop-a-habit-of-curiosity-keep-learning/

Every Kid Needs A Tribe

I saw these flowers in a shopping center this morning, and I got attracted by their beauty. Their charm is not so much on individual flowers, but collectively as a group. Not a single flower particularly stands out, but their togetherness does carry a "wow" impact.

Living in a very individualistic social setting may naturally make parents and kids compare and compete with each other; but in fact, we should embrace and nurture our children as a village.

 

Being an introverted person, I don't usually enjoy group gatherings and often find myself lost and feel out of place in the midst of the conversations. Recently, as I revisited the parenting principles laid out in the book "Parenting Beyond Capacity," it reminds me once again the importance of pursuing strategic mentoring relationships for our children and the value of community.

 

When kids are at the younger age, we as moms spend a lot of energy being in the center of their schedules: taking care of their routines and planning their activities. As I am about to step into another season of parenting, I am seeking ways to take a step back to play the supportive role, to cultivate the sense of community for my kids so the voices of the potential mentors can surface to the foreground.

We live in such a fast-paced era, it is harder than ever to find mentors who are committed to invest in our kids' lives. And if we are not intentional, chances are the mentoring relationship would never take root. Being inspired by the book, I have started praying for five positive voices in my son's life as he enters into the preteen stage. Indeed, it takes a village to raise a child. Everybody needs a circle and every kid needs a tribe. Lord, help me pour out my energy in the coming years to invest in the village, to embrace the tribe and connect the community that goes after Your own heart!

Here is a short article on this topic if you are interested. 
http://theparentcue.org/widen-the-circle-2/

On "Incubator"

When I set up "A Rooted Life" Facebook a short while ago, I wrestled with what to put in the descriptions: some short phrases that sum up the essence of what I would like this venue to represent. I scramble something temporary, but not sure how representative those few lines accurately reflect the underlying principles. Often time, the ideology that we hold cannot be verified until the results start to show. And in those months and years of waiting, we need an "ideology incubator," an environment that keeps our principle warm and alive, an organic place to nurture the untested thoughts and believes.

Speaking of a nurturing incubator, I had a recent experience on my son's piano learning that I found it very fulfilling. My boy started the piano learning in his preschool years and has traveled on this journey for close to ten years now. After witnessing many kids who made the attempt for piano learning but ended up giving up after a few years into it, I wanna cultivate a different learning experience for my kids. We are fortunate to run into an amazing teacher, one with unique approach and teaching philosophy. I remember early on, the piano teacher would challenge my boy to use his primitive skills to play the same songs with variations of different majors and keys. I would describe her approach as very "organic." Instead of drilling on the mechanic skills, music theories, recitals and exam preparations, she seized to get to know and love each of her students in personal ways and instill the love of music in their hearts through very gentle and caring ways.

There were times when my kids arrived her class half awake after falling into sleep in the car ride. In those moments, she would have them sit next to her, searching YouTube music videos that interested them to gradually bring them into the learning mode. She would listen attentively to my kids' inquiries and discussed the personal stories of the composers behind the songs they were learning. If you ask me if there were times that I had my share of doubts on her organic approach, I would have to admit it. Yes, there were moments flashing through my mind wondering if my money yielded good return when I didn't see very obvious progress. It is especially so when I came across other kids with very impressive recital songs. But deep inside my heart, I trust that a fun and nurturing learning environment would eventually foster growth and bear fruits. And in due time, the genuine love of music will compose songs that carry contagious energy.

As time goes, those ideologies are affirmed when I witnessed my kids' love of music grew ORGANICALLY. With enough techniques under his belts, my boy started to transfer his piano learning skills into other musical instruments he embraces. Recently, he fell in love with the song, "Oceans, Where Feet May Fail." He started to play by ear and eventually stitched together the whole song pretty much on his own. It's so reaffirming to witness the growth after years of investments. And we record the song for our keepsake. It is not a perfectly polished recording, nevertheless, it's a song born out of his heart: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9rtSUAgLKBJa2gyTV91ZTlnc1U/view?usp=sharing

If you are in a stage doubting your ideology, don't give up. Press on and remember growth takes time. May the following excerpt from Rick Warren's Purpose Drive Life bring you encouragement as you wait upon the budding moments:

“Of all the growth patterns I’ve observed as a gardener, the growth of the Chinese bamboo tree is the most amazing to me.  Plant a bamboo sprout in the ground, and for four or five years (sometimes much longer) nothing happens!  You water and fertilize, water and fertilize, water and fertilize –but you see no visible evidence that anything is happening.  Nothing!  But about the fifth year things change rather dramatically.  In a six-week period the Chinese bamboo tree grows to be a staggering ninety feet tall!  World Book Encyclopedia records that one bamboo plant can grow three feet in a single twenty-four-hour period.  It seems incredible that a plant that lies dormant for years can suddenly explode with growth, but it happens without fail with bamboo trees.”

The Chords of Our Hearts

This week in our staff devotion, a brother led the song "Give Me Jesus" by Fernando Ortega. It was the first time I heard of the song, and I totally enjoyed it. Both the melody and the lyrics are so simple, yet, charming. It gave me moments of pause, and helped me refocus on the core of lives. Like what the lyrics says, "In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus . . ." May our every morning starts with such yearning.

It brings me back to a talk by pastor Andy Stanley in which he shared a simple prayer that he did for years and years: "Lord, help me see as you see, so I can do as you ask." Imagine if we start each day with such determination to see as God sees and do as God asks, how different would our lives be.

Moments ago, I took out my girl's guitar wanting to take a picture to go along with this blog. When I laid the guitar out, I noticed that there were two stickers on the guitar to help my girl anchor her hands. By doing so, she would strike the chords at the right position and the sound would be warm and full. Isn't it the same way as we journey through lives? If we start each morning crying out for Jesus, pleading for divine perspective to comprehend the events about to unfold and the obedience to follow suit; then, the chord of our heart would for sure sing out a song that is pleasing to God. 

Mark 1:35-37 says,

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

After the busy ministries, Jesus went to a solitary place and when the crowds found him, they said "Everyone is looking for you." Fast forward to today, do you echo with that phrase, "Everyone is looking for you?" We set our iPhone alarm. Early in the morning, we wake up, we reach for our iPhone and we check email, text, FB. And all the messages are crying out loud, "EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR YOU."

Lord, help us set the priority right. Help us guard that solitary place in You before our immediate context cries out "EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR YOU." May we learn the art of saying NO and practice the Holy presence in the midst of chaotic and fast paced life with pressing demands and deadline. "In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus . . ." "Help me see as You see, so I can do as You ask." Help us ground our lives on PRAYER, Lord!

Here is the song "Give me Jesus," may it bless your day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_3c1tLhUgM

Traveling the In-Between Stages

Have you ever have the feeling of being trapped in an in-between stage thinking that your current season is not meant to be your destiny, nevertheless, you know it is not the time for next phrase just yet. In those times, did you ever feel a mismatch with your talents or natural inclinations and the current landscape? Have you ever wonder if you are riding in the wrong seat of the bus?

When those feelings surface, it is very easy to fall into the trap of discounting the value of your current seasons. After all, it's human nature to plan ahead, to wanting to know what is next. But if we take a step back to examine our life journey, you may be able to see the dots that connect the lines. If we are mindful, every experience we encounter today can become the foundation of tomorrow's platform; even when they seem totally irrelevant at times. 

I remember a talk by Steven Jobs' graduation speech at Standford in 2005 and how he connected a seemingly unrelated calligraphy class with the invention of Mac's typography. The connection is striking, though it may not be obvious at the time. His words may resonate with you if you are journeying the in-between stages. Remember not to discount today's value. Stay humble and hungry. Do the mundane small things with big heart. Learn and absorb like a sponge, and when the opportunity knocks the door, you will be ready to leap over to embrace the next season! Here is the excerpt from Jobs' graduation speech.

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and sans serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backward 10 years later.

Here are the speech clip and scripts if you are interested for the whole session.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

http://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/

On "Passion" & "Opportunity"

If I ask you to define passion, what would you say? The Merriam-Webster defines it as "a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something." We all have passion to certain extent. Things that we naturally get excited about doing, even though we may not be necessarily good at them. 

I always love "The CBS On the Road stories by Steven Hartman." Yesterday, I heard the interview about a basketball hero without hands. It brought back the memory of a similar amazing story aired back in 2013, also about a basketball player. I have included both links below for you to watch. They are truly amazing.

Both news clips are about children with some physical limitations. We may naturally rule these people out from the team, but not these two special coaches. In both cases, the coaches and teams were willing to give these youngsters a chance. And with that, they embraced the opportunity and shine. It gets me reflect on two principles in lives:

1. If there is any passion in your heart, pursue it, even when it stands at odd with the chance of succeeding. There is a certain reason why that level of passion exists in you. When you put your heart and mind to it, it will bring great joy. The value may not lie in the success of crossing the finish line, but rather, in the process of trying and exploring.

2. If we are ever put in any type of leadership position, may we we lead not with our mind only, but also with our heart. May we gain perspective that relies not solely on objective evaluations, but compassion as well. It is when our arms of love extend out that miracles happen.

With that, I invite you to take a look at these two minutes-long clip. May you watch with your heart.

 

On "Growth"

Yesterday, my FB popped up a memory reminder with a quote that I posted two years ago. The words still bring great reminders:

"Japanese Koi fish has unlimited growth potential. When the Koi fish is put into a small fish bowl, it will only grow two or three inches in length. But when it is put into a large tank or even small pond, it will grow six to ten inches. If placed in an even bigger pond, it will grow to one and one half feet. Finally, if it is put into a large lake where it can really stretch out, it will grow to three feet. The size of the fish is proportional to the size of its environment." - - Harvey Mackay

If you take an honest assessment in the environment you are in, are you in the right pond size that matches your growth potential? Or are you merely swimming in the pond busily but have somewhat lost that sense of excitement that naturally come with stretching?  Wanna offer an ABC principle of growth to encourage you.

1. Accountability Partners: As you see these words, you were probably thinking that it's very hard to find one in today's busy life style. Who would have time to care for what you are going through and sit down with you to evaluate regularly? But if we think closer, may be there will be someone in your lives who you naturally get the chance to meet up. For me, the most natural accountability partners are my kids. They are in the age that understand what I am trying to achieve. If you give your kids the permission to check on you, you would be amazed how good your kids are in keeping you accountable. It would be a very meaningful exercise for them to witness your discipline and tenacity too. As a matter of fact, I invited my kids to help me brainstorm the ABC of growth in today's blog. I need three words that start with A,B,C with the right meaning that matches this topic. They offered their thoughts before they headed out the door. When they come home today, I will share with them the final post and it creates a great sense of "togetherness" as if this is not just my goal, but our's.

2. Bite-Size Goal: For most people, once we stepped out of the campus life, growth doesn't seem to come naturally. We no longer have a big chuck of time to learn. But if we break things into bite size, we may be amazed with the return we can reap through small and consistent steps. The key is "balanced." Don't take a big bite occasionally, keep it small and with the rhythm that is manageable. For me, I am trying to grow my writing skills, and so, I am setting up a daily 30 minutes free write exercise. I literally set my timer in order to safeguard the time to prevent myself from spending too much time on a single blog, a luxury that I don't have at the moment. As I am typing these words, I glanced over to my timer, and it's at 13 minute marks. I still have one more paragraph to go.

3. Courage: Often time the reason for us to stay within a pond that we have outgrown already is not the attractiveness of the current pond, but rather, the lack of courage to leap over to another bigger tank. After all, there are life obligations to fulfill, bills to pay and the cozy feeling that comes with familiarity. Yes, we may not be overly excited with where we are, but we know the path and we can travel with ease. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Yes, journeying on an untraveled path takes courage. However, in order "to step toward your destiny, you might have to step away from your security . . . Sometimes the best decision you can make is to go, even when it would easier just to stay where you are." (Craig Groeshcel).

Okay, my 30 minutes is almost up, gonna go. I am trusting God to put these daily reflections into the right readers at the right time to make an impact. I may never become an official writer in my life time with my own book, but I am taking a leap of faith jumping into a bigger pond, seeking for growth and breakthrough. May my daily 30 minutes carry me to a higher ground, a wider pond, and deeper sea. One thing for sure, my vacabulary bank will grow . . . May God bless your quest as well. 

On "Consistency"

Lately as I drove by the neighborhood, I saw this farmland being prepared for the growth of certain crops. Though I am not sure what type of food would be planted soon, I can definitely see that they need certain consistency of preparation beforehand.

Last year marked the fifth anniversary in my current job. As I celebrated the milestone, I also took some time to look back and review. Somehow, those reflective moments pushed me into a crossroad, evaluating the effectiveness of the past few years. All of a sudden, doubts surfaced and I wonder what lies ahead. Are the efforts reaping fruits? Are goals met and objectives achieved? What is next for me?

Have you ever have the same feeling that some big assignments are just around the corner but you are not sure what and there is a huge sense of restless in the waiting moment feeling trapped in the in-between stages? And with that, I find myself wrestling in somewhat a valley after riding on high ground for a few years with lots of energy and positive perspective (Thanks to Mark Batterson's book, The Circle Maker).

Thank God for giving me a reminder through a brother's sharing yesterday. He too was feeling a bit down in life for a few months. Bit by bit, he came out of the valley and has regained the energy with proper perspective. Wanna guess his tips in getting out of of valley? To my surprise, nothing extraordinary, just plain simple consistency of doing the right thing: small and healthy habits and bit by bit, he climbed out.  Just like pastor Craig Groeschel's teaching from his book, Divine Direction: 7 Decisions That Will Change Your Life: "Often it's the small things that no one sees that result in the big impact that everyone wants." May we cheer each other on in doing little things with big heart faithfully, consistently, over the long haul.

On "LOOK"

Yesterday when I put a post on my blog, my daughter was reading along. When she read through the sentence, " As I am glaring at the pool water floating up and down," she said, "GLARE?, do you mean GLANCE?" I asked her what does "GLARE" mean? She said it means you look angrily. Wow, it dawned on me that just two letters off, it meant a day-and-night difference, though both words refer to looking.

And so, just for fun, we brainstormed over the dinner table to see how many words we can find with the meaning of "look." We came up with a list of 20.

Detect, Examine, Gaze, Glance, Glare, Inspect, Look, Notice, Observe, Peek, Scan, See, Skim, Spot, Spy, Stare, Study, Survey, View, Watch.

Isn't it amazing? Indeed, there are different ways of looking at the same thing, with various pace and depth. Which one describes your current stage?

 

On "Drifting"

Last week we had a team meeting. The topic was about building up healthy habits. We were challenged to pick two habits we wanted to work on and committed to do it regularly in both quantity and frequency. The two that I shared with my team were: 1. Teach my kids to cook; and 2. Write on my blog regularly. And so here I am, trying to take a small step. I am going to try to set aside 30 minutes per week and simply free write to see what comes to mind.

I am sitting at the pool side watching my daughter swim now. As I am glancing at the pool water floating up and down; my mind lands on a conference talk by Wilfredo De Jesus in 2016 Global Leadership Summit on the topic of "Stay on the Course."

Here are some of his points that particular touched me:

Quotes From Wilfredo De Jesus from the 2016 Global Leadership Summit: http://briandoddonleadership.com/2016/08/12/live-blog-2016-leadership-summit-44-leadership-quotes-from-wilfredo-de-jesus/

  • A leader who stops learning stops leading.
  • If there was ever a time leadership was needed it is now. We need men and women of God to lead in their communities.
  • We have a culture that’s drifting.
  • No one drifts upstream. No one drifts toward holiness. It is our natural tendency to drift away from God.

Yes, it is natural for us to have the tendency to drift . . . Indeed, staying in the course doesn't come effortlessly. It does take intentionally, discipline and tenacity.