What are you living for?

This evening, while walking from work to the bus stop on the way home, I was handed a small brochure by a middle-aged lady outside the Commonwealth Bank Building in Queen St. What I thought would be another one of those junk mail handouts turned out to be anything but. The brochure I received was a Christian brochure - just a glance over for 1-2 seconds & I could tell this is the case. The title on the top front of the brochure read "What are you living for?", followed by a big question mark in the middle. More words appear under the big question mark, "Are you saved? If you die tonight, will you go to heaven?"

That really grabbed my attention. Even though I'm already a Christian, I knew this was not a brochure to be discarded or ignored. You see, the question "What are you living for?" is one which crop up in my mind from time to time. And recently, too, I've pondered on something similar to this question.

I continued holding the brochure in my hand as I headed towards the bus stop (didn't want to simply pocket such a treasure). On the bus, I read the brochure, instead of the latest issue of the AFR Smart Investor magazine which I subscribe to.

So, you might think, what's in the brochure, what does it say? Well, the brochure is divided into 4 parts - & I found it to be so good (contents seem biblical) that I shall type it out, since I can't find a copy of this on the internet which I can otherwise attach to this post (also, it's a good chance to sharpen my typing speed!). The end of the brochure refers to the website: www.intout.com.

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What are you living for?
Are you saved? If you die tonight, will you go to heaven?

(1) Our position

Eternal life is a gift but sin separates us from God. Sin is choosing to do what we clearly know is wrong....lying, theft, lust, hate, greed, etc.
The Bible says that "all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God" & "the wages of sin is death". This death is eternal separation, in hell. (Romans 3:23 & 6:23).
You cannot earn eternal life in heaven by being a good person, going to a certain church, doing good things or being baptised etc. (see Ephesians 2:8-9). God says "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
You are dead in your sins.

(2) God's response

In His love, God has provided a way for you to be forgiven. The Bible says, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
On the cross, Jesus took the punishment you deserve & rose from the dead to offer you forgiveness of sins & new life, if you repent & trust in Him.
The Bible says, "Christ...suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" so that "we have peace with God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3:18 & Romans 5:1)
Jesus died to give you life.

(3) Your choice

The choice is yours. Jesus said, "I am the way & the truth & the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
The Bible says, "Repent, then, & turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (Acts 3:19)
If you refuse to accept God's free & only offer of forgiveness then, by choice, you will spend eternity in hell.
Today is the day for your salvation.
Jesus is the only way.

(4) Crossing over

For forgiveness & the gift of eternal life, you must personally trust in Jesus.
To be saved:
- You must repent (turn from your sins) and
- Receive Jesus as Lord of your life.

You can be sure of heaven right now through a simple prayer in your own words or like this:

Dear God, I'm sorry that I have sinned against you. I now turn form my sins & put my trust in Jesus alone for forgiveness & eternal life.
Jesus please come into my heart as Lord, to live with me & keep me from sin, for ever & ever. Thank you Lord Jesus for coming into my life. Amen.

God knows your heart. If you have prayed, sincerely repenting, then you can be sure that Jesus has come into your life. Now, your sins are forgiven, you are a child of God & have eternal life. You may not feel different but God's promise is "to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

To be saved, you must repent. That is, you must turn from all that you know is wrong (lies, theft, lust, hate, greed, etc) & turn to God for forgiveness. Jesus said, "...unless you repent, you too will all perish"...(in hell). You cannot keep from sin by yourself, you need Jesus. When you repent, He gives you new life & strength to overcome any sin. The Bible says, "all things are possible with God" & "if we confess our sins, he is faithful & just & will forgive us our sins & purify us from all unrighteousness." (Luke 13:3, Mark 10:27 & 1 John 1:9)

You should meet with others to study & understand God's Word. Bible knowledge will give your faith a solid footing & keep you from being deceived. If any teaching you receive does not agree with the Bible then it must be discarded & God's Word alone used as the source of your faith.

To grow in your faith:
- Read your Bible daily.
- Talk to God about everything.
- Trust Him in every detail of your life.
- Obey Him moment by moment.
- Tell your friends about Jesus.

Having a bit of a whine.....

Uh huh, just as I thought, more bills to pay within the next month or so. The car insurance renewal certificate from NRMA came in the post today, & so did the RACQ membership renewal notice. Just add this to the list of "compulsory" expenditure which I previously blogged on. I know this might sound a bit like a whine, but why does everything have to come at once???!!!

Ai yah, at a time when I felt like indulging myself with Myer's mid-season sale, I may have to hold back on my spending because of all these bills. Arrrggghh, never mind, what can I do. It's part of life. Anyways, let's surf to the various managed fund websites, eh, & see how my investments are going. I want to see growth!! I want to see increasing unit prices. Ya hear me!! Money money yeah yeah....

Thereafter, I might even write up another post before the end of the night. Hmmm, that sounds like a plan. Oh well, I'll get into it, & might be back later tonite eh.

30 lines to make you smile

My colleague emailed this around work last Friday, as a "Friday funny". I don't think I forwarded this to anyone. Perhaps I will do so this Friday, if time permits.....

Ahhh, the wonders of junkmails! That's one reason I go to work - to get stuff like this in my inbox ;)

Oh well, have a look. I am sure it would make u smile :)

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THIRTY LINES TO MAKE YOU SMILE -


1.. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he
was God and I didn't.

2... I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

3.. I Work Hard Because Millions On Welfare Depend on Me!

4.. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.

5.. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

6.. Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.

7.. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me

8.. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

9.. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.

10.. I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are missing.

11.. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

12. NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-hell-is-the-room-spinning
medicine.

13.. God must love stupid people; He made so many.

14.. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

15.. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

16.. Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

17.. Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!

18.. Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

19.. Procrastinate Now!

20.. I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts; Do You Want Fries With That?

21.. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

22.. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance

23.. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

24..They call it PMS because MadCow Disease was already taken.

25..He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.

26..A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand
times the memory.

27..Ham and eggs. A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for
a pig.

28.. The trouble with life is there's no background music.

29.. The original point and click interface was a Smith and Wesson.

30.. I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.

Labels labels labels

I considered labelling my posts recently, especially after viewing the labels on friends' blogs. I decided to go for it & today, after going back & forth, I've finally done it. I had to cut down on the number of posts tagged with the "Miscellaneous" label - quite a number of those have been re-labelled "Personal".

It's intended to make it easier for my readers (if there are any) to go to the labels that interests them. Yeah, duh, that might be stating the obvious, as that's obviously what the labels are there for. But hey, not everyone that pops into my planet are mad football fans like myself, so they can just hit whatever non-football labels they fancy.

Of course, I'm no expert on labelling. I will continue to monitor my labels & labelling, & make any changes as I see appropriate.

Meantime, I wonder what label to label this posts, which talks about....labels. Hmmm, I'll just stick it with "Miscellaneous"!

Anyway, I will also monitor the layout & appearance of my "chocolate & caramel" blog. I wonder how to change the font of the various elements - would be nice to have different fonts & colours for the different page elements. Oh well, there's no real hurry to do that, is there? Got other things to do, stuff to attend to, so this can always wait.

Stretching the financial pocket a bit

June's coming up (whoa, time really flies, huh), & it's around that time of the year (end of June to start of July) that I have to shell out some money, on "compulsory" items.

Just came in the mail today is the ICAA annual subscription fee/membership renewal. And oh, surprise surprise, they've upped the subscription fee a bit (by $20). Some things go up but never down. Hmm, I wonder why....

That's one thing. Just a few days ago, my car registration came in the mail. And, I'm expecting my car insurance renewal to come within the next couple of weeks.

So yeah - ICAA membership renewal, car registration, car insurance. All to be paid virtually in "one hit" (by end of June or early July), all around the same time. And that's because I got the ICAA membership around this time last year, & bought the car around this time 4 years ago. Any more "compulsory" expenditure to come???

Oh well, I will use the credit card where possible, to make use of the interest-free days. Pay them around end of June or early July via credit card, then pay off the credit card around the end of July. That means a few more pay days before I pay off the credit card.

I'm just glad the income protection insurance won't come out until December. Come that time, I'll pay that insurance together with all my Christmas "splurges"!

Meantime, I will look around for any good opportunities to grow my money. Money money yeah yeah.........

Office hygiene/ The dirtiest part of the office

Apparently, the story below (on office hygiene) was featured on "What's Good for You", which shows each Monday on Channel Nine. I didn't see that particular episode, as I don't often watch the show. But since I spend a large chunk of the week behind my work desk, I thought I'd post this article (which I found on NineMSN).

After sitting down & reading the article below:

• Yeah, don't worry, I've never ever touched my mouth with my hands after touching the toilet door. Why would anyone do that?
• What?? Desktop has the most germs??!! Aaarrggghhh...this coming Monday, I'd better clean up my work desk & the phone, both computer screens, the mouse, the keyboard, everything. It's so dusty & all - especially the area immediately surrounding the computer screens & right in front of the keyboard.
• OK then, next time a bit of kebab meat or whatever drops on my desk, I'll chuck it away.

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What's the dirtiest part of the office?

Did you know that almost half of us spend our lives driving a desk for a living?

Our reporter, Jessica Rowe, is on a search and destroy mission to find all those office germs and work out which are the worst.

It's no surprise that germs get passed around. After all, we breathe the same air-conditioned air, share bathrooms and kitchens and when one of us catches a cold, chances are the rest of us will, too.

So what's passing the germs on?

The test

Jessica's armed with a bunch of swabs — one for every suspect surface in the office we might touch every day.

Jess: This phone belongs to one of our producer's, Kate — she's always on it, so I'm sure there will be quite a bit of bacteria. Other people use the phone as well so I can't just blame her!

The humble door handle will probably have a few nasties and if there was ever a place for germs to multiply, it's the photocopier.

The toilet door is surely another black spot and under our shoes could be shockers too.

Jess (shaking her keyboard): Ooh, now this is not looking good. I do often eat my lunch over my keyboard … I'm a little anxious about what the results are going to reveal. I'm going to take a swab and let's see.

Jess also must not forget the mouse. One more potentially repulsive gadget is the mobile phone.

Next stop is the University of New South Wales to meet doctoral student, Molecular Biologist, Hannah Root.

Jess: Hi Hannah I've got this delivery for you, now tell me, how are you going to test them?
Hannah: Well what I'll do is open up the swabs and streak them out onto bacterial media, grow them at 37 degrees, because that's the temperature of the body, and we'll wait two or three days and see what grows.

Results

It's time to head back to the lab at the University of New South Wales to see what nasties have incubated from those samples.

Jess: I've been sweating over these results for the past three days. I've been scrubbing myself like mad trying to be bacteria-free. What have you found for the toilet door?
Hannah: We actually found quite a bit of E.coli on the toilet door and the cubicle door.

E.coli can cause severe abdominal cramping and diarrhoea, so you really don't want faecal bacteria like them being passed around the office! Let's face it, all you have to do to give yourself a big dose of them is touch the toilet door, then touch your mouth with your hands.

"The phone is interesting as well. You'd think more respiratory disease could be transmitted between a phone. But again, not dangerous levels, but something to remember," says Hannah.

Four of our other samples fared quite well: shoe, photocopier, door handle, lift button.

But what takes the prize as the office gadget you most want to avoid?

Jess: What is the most germy part of our office?
Hannah: I think the keyboard is the winner. Because of the different types of bacteria, how much we found and the fact that we did find a lot of E.coli on the keyboard as well and it's kind of interesting to see that the keyboard plate looks very similar to the toilet door plate. So I think the keyboard's the winner.

So it turns out your keyboard is the most toxic, E.coli-ridden gadget in the office. Thankfully, most of the germs won't do too much harm. But if you share a phone or a computer on a regular basis, the key is wiping them down with disinfectant — and do it every couple of days, because viruses like flu can survive on keyboards and phones for up to three days.

But don't bother with those antibacterial cleaning sprays. A 2005 trial found that households that use them have the same rate of infection as those that don't.

Conclusion

So what's the best way to keep yourself bacteria-free? Stick with the tried and true method — wash your hands often and avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.

Fast facts

• Which is the most germ-ridden surface? The toilet bowl or the desktop? Sorry to tell you, it's the desktop. In fact, the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet bowl. Think about that next time you drop a piece of food on your desk and pop it in your mouth!

AC Milan - 2007 Champions of Europe

AC Milan won the UEFA Champions League final, beating Liverpool 2-1 inside the normal 90 minutes. Two goals by goal machine Inzaghi helped the Italian side secure victory, while Dutchman Kuyt's late goal for Liverpool proving too little, too late. The final will not be remembered as a classic, as some feel that both Milan & Liverpool could have offered more than what we saw in the final. But Milan supporters will not care - after all, they got the trophy, & are now kings of Europe.

So, no repeat of the Istanbul heroics for Liverpool, who can feel a little hard done by as they were the better side in the first half. However, Liverpool went a goal down just before half-time ended, courtesy of Xabi Alonso needlessly conceding a free-kick just outside the box. Pirlo took the free-kick, which struck Inzaghi on his shoulder & went into the net. Inzaghi wouldn't have known much about what happened, but hey, a goal is a goal, & the goal-meister would be happy to claim it. So for all Liverpool's first-half efforts, they were lacking in the finishing department, & they trailed at half-time. You would have expected Liverpool to come out fighting in the second half. Try as they might, their second-half performance was a little subdued, perhaps a reflection of Milan (who had an ordinary first-half) slowly coming to grips with the match. Late late in the second-half, Inzaghi scored his & Milan's second goal to seal the Champions League trophy. Kaka ran at the Liverpool's retreating defence, which offered him perhaps a little more space than they ought to. Thus Kaka, who had until then shown only glimpses of his great talent, slipped a through pass for Inzaghi to take the ball wide of the keeper & slide it into the net. A masterful piece of opportunism, a perfect demonstration of being at the right place at the right time. Liverpool's forwards simply could not replicate Inzaghi's nose for goal, & that played a significant part in the final outcome.

Liverpool can look back at "what might have been". If Gerrard had taken his chance in the second-half when bursting through into Milan's penalty area with only the keeper to beat, then it would have been 1-1 & who knows what would have happened next. If only the coach had not taken off Mascherano who had done such a good job containing Kaka, then perhaps Kaka may not have that much space as he did get in setting up Milan's second goal. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. From AC Milan's point of view, it was revenge for what happened in Istanbul in 2005 (they were winning 3-0 at half-time, then pegged back by Liverpool to 3-3 & then proceeded to lose on penalty shoot-out).

I guess Milan's extra quality made the difference in the end, although Liverpool can be proud of their efforts & were certainly not disgraced in any way to lose to such a quality side as Milan. It's pleasing to hear Liverpool coach & players graciously accepting that they were beaten by a better side, a top-class side. No whinging from anyone, no excuses offered whatsoever, but simply acceptance of defeat. Even in defeat, Liverpool managed to show that they do belong to the elite of European club football. As for Milan, they have perhaps been the best side in Europe this season, so perhaps it was fitting that they lift the trophy. The fact that they are able to secure victory without playing at their best is testament to their quality. It's a great way for some of their players who will probably bid farewell to the club, most notably long-serving loyal servant Maldini. As for Milan coach Ancelotti, what can I say - he's a great coach. I like him & I hope securing this trophy for Milan will go a long way towards silencing certain critics who do not believe in him & his ability to lead Milan.

Congratulations Milan, commiserations Liverpool.

2007 UEFA Champions League final preview - AC Milan v Liverpool

Tomorrow morning (Queensland time) is the final of the UEFA Champions League for season 2006/2007. The showdown in Athens will be between AC Milan & Liverpool. It's a repeat of the 2004/2005 final in Istanbul which was won so dramatically by Liverpool who came from 3 goals down at half-time to draw 3-3 & clinch the trophy on penalty-shootout.

So, how will the final pan out this time round? Differently, in my opinion. AC Milan are a better side than Liverpool, & their form in the Champions League semi-final destruction of Manchester United will have encouraged their fans to believe that their side can secure revenge for what happened in Istanbul 2 years ago. Based considerably on that semi-final form, AC Milan start the final as favourites. People may talk of revenge, but it will be dangerous if Milan get too obsessed with it. I'm sure their coach Carlo Ancelotti will be wise enough to play down talk of revenge.

Key players in midfield for Milan would be Brazil's Kaka (perhaps the best footballer in the world currently), Dutchman Seedorf & Italy's Pirlo & Gattuso. In fact, midfield is definitely Milan's greatest strength. They combine very well in this department, & when on song, Milan's football is free-flowing & sparkling - witness the semi-final matches against Manchester United where Milan's midfield featured prominently. In attack, Milan would look to forward Inzaghi for goals. Then they also have old stalwart Maldini in defense, playing what could be his last game for the club, as well as Italy's star centre-back Nesta & the Georgian, Kaladze. The Czech, Jankulovski, is a useful full-back, too. Brazil's keeper Dida will start in goal.

As for Liverpool, they will be keen to prove that their success in Istanbul was no accident. As always, they will look firstly to England midfielder Steven Gerrard for inspiration. He will be accomoanied in midfield by either Argentina's Mascherano or Spain's Xabi Alonso - it's likely either but not both will play alongside Gerrard. In attack, Liverpool could choose from beanpole Crouch, Holland's Kuyt or Bellamy the Welshman. Their defense will be marshalled by Carragher. In goals, they have the Spanish shot-stopper, Reina, who has such a fantastic record of penalty saves. So if the final were to go all the way to penalty shoot-out, then Liverpool will definitely fancy their chances. After all, that's how they won the cup in Istanbul 2 years ago, & that they beat London giants Chelsea in this year's semi-final.

Milan will certainly use memories of Istanbul as extra motivation to get it right this time in the final. And I think they might succeed. Milan will win either 2-0 or 2-1. And don't be surprised if the final goes into extra-time, either. The final could be a very close affair, but I think in the end, AC Milan will be winners, albeit pushed very hard by their opponents.

Sermon on Matthew 13

Given the Sunday School roster swap, I was able to sit in on Pastor Steve’s sermon at church on Matthew 13. Although I was feeling “dead” as I only had 5 hours sleep, I still managed to take some notes. Once again, any posts on church sermons will be accompanied by the usual disclaimer that “any mistakes or oddities in my post are completely mine”. I won’t rehash the entire sermon (partly because my note-taking was not at the optimal level). Rather, I will talk about parts of the sermon & thereafter post my thoughts. My post may be patchy, but anyway, here it is.

In the sermon, we were reminded that the biggest problem in our church (perhaps not just talking about the church we attend) is deceitfulness. No one can serve both God & money. If we are trying to make money today & it becomes our priority, then we are “gone”.

Another thing from the sermon is that Jesus is about transformed lives & He wants the weeds to become wheat. The difference between weeds & wheat is receptivity & responsiveness. Pastor referred to Matthew 13:44-46 for a picture of what receptivity looks like.

Then, pastor made a point that really grabbed my attention – true Christians can be seen by what they treasure. After talking about treasures in Matthew 13, pastor referred to one of his favourite authors, John Piper & his book ‘Seeing & Savouring Jesus Christ’. In that book, Piper apparently stated: We were made to enjoy God. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. Nothing most satisfies us or more glorifies God than when we are blown away by God’s grace.

Pastor also referred to Ephesians 1 , & said that God’s love is the ground of our joy. On the subject of love, he said that love must be God-centered, or it is not love. It is a wake-up call for those who find treasure/love in the wrong place.

Pastor then said that being a Christian is about receptivity, taking hold of the treasure out there (which God has made for us). What treasures are we trying to gain? Those who seek the world forfeits his/her soul. Pastor then called us to assess our priorities – where are we at, if we are a Christian? What happens if what we currently have is taken away from us? We must be willing to put Jesus as number 1. Would Jesus still be number 1, a treasure of unsurpassable value, if we lose what we have? Will we walk away from Jesus in that instance, or will Jesus remain number 1?

Pastoral ministry & missions are worthless if Jesus is not at the centre of our heart. Pastor’s last comment is this: Is Jesus our treasure, our pearl of unsurpassable value?

Ok then, that’s the sermon. Now here are my thoughts:

• The point about not serving God & money came just 2 days after chatting with a friend on Friday nite, regarding his “sulphur” comment on a previous post regarding workaholism. When that friend explained what he meant by his comment, it felt a tad ominous. He sounded like he meant business. His explanation for the “sulphur” comment was also centered on the futility of believers serving God & money. I wonder if it’s a coincidence that I heard about this “God & money” thing from 2 different people within a matter of days – is it mere coincidence, or is it God trying to highlight an area in my life where I may be struggling (& am in danger of stumbling even further)?

• “True Christians can be seen by what they treasure”. It's that attention-grabbing sentence from Pastor's sermon. Flowing from that, I have to pose this question: What is it that I treasure? Well, I’d be bluffing if I say that I only treasure Jesus & the Word of God. I also happen to treasure the pleasures of this world – in fact, I often am more carried away by the things of this world than by spiritual things. This raises a further question: Am I then a real Christian?

• Have I got my priorities right, as a Christian? The answer is probably not, although these days I’m more mindful of & less oblivious to my faults.

• Am I looking for treasures in the wrong place? Should I be looking for those “wrong” treasures, given that I already have the one that really matter – Jesus, our pearl of unsurpassable value?

As u can see, I’m left with lots & lots of things to think about. Serious things, the answers to which will not just come instantly or overnight.

What happened from Friday nite to Sunday morning

For more background info, refer to my previous post on Wednesday (“Busy/eventful next few days”).

Friday nite social (18/5/07, nite)

A sizeable number of Clayers (from both the St Lucia & Southside groups) turned up to my place for the Clay social. We had takeaway pizza (& watermelon & some brownies & cupcakes), & caught up & chat with each other in small groups. Some played pool. A few of us (including myself) played 2 games of poker. I did rather well in both games. I came second in the first game behind Belle who was aided by Steven in the latter stages of the game. I came equal third (with BT) in the second game, won by Winston ahead of Belle. With the first game, I wonder why is it that everytime there’s 1 girl playing poker among guys, the girl often ended up winning??!! Belle somehow pulled off some amazing hands. Still, at least among the guys that played, I beat everyone at least once – BT, Winston, Kwang, Sean (who came in time for second game), Wong, Steven. After the poker was done, those remaining watched what remained of a competitive & thrilling pool game between team BT/Sean & team Wong/Steven, which BT & Sean winning by the narrowest of margins. That took us past midnight.

We ended up not watching any DVDs – a couple of people tried to watch the Ravi Zacharias DVD but couldn’t as the DVD would not play on our DVD player. Never mind, I’m sure an opportunity will present itself in the future for us to watch that DVD.

All in all, it was a fantastic Clay social.

WALK4BIBLES (19/5/07, morning)

I didn’t get much sleep before waking up just after 8am, & after a quick breakfast, headed to Toowong to join Terence & Catherine. My cousin Darren was chatting with Terence when I arrived at the Toowong Village foodcourt. Darren then went his own way & the 3 of us caught the City Cat to Southbank, to take part in WALK4BIBLES along with some church members.

It was quite warm, though not excessively hot. A few Clayers, including birthday guy Hung (& Stella & baby Nathaniel), turned up. Interestingly, Darren’s eldest brother Davin was also there. Apparently, Pastor Steve was still searching for a parking spot when we started the walk! But not before ST said a prayer, reminding us as to the reason we do the WALK4BIBLES thing.

We did the 7km route which started from the Galleria along the Brisbane River, then crossed the Story Bridge & then walked along the other side of the river before crossing Goodwill Bridge & then back to the Galleria. I joked with some friends that I arranged for a van to pick me up along the way & drop me off to walk the last 500m. But jokes aside, of course I won’t resort to such under-handedness – not if I remember the reason why I’m doing the walk.

I did ok, although I have to say the walk reminded me (yet again) of my lack of fitness & that I’m no longer 18-19! Having said that, I didn’t feel that tired after completing the walk (which, according to Terence, is a good sign as it meant I haven’t exerted myself too much). After all, I didn’t pass out or anything like that. I only stopped once along the way, to get an ice bar. And I took some pictures, too – although haven’t yet checked how they turned out. Before catching the City Cat back to Toowong, I had a New Zealand Natural chocolate ice-cream. Good….

All in all, the walk was an excellent exercise. Definitely for a most worthy cause, & I will certainly be back next year. May God bless the event, & the proceeds raised from it.

Hung’s 30th birthday party (19/5/07, afternoon)

I got back home & had a quick shower before heading off to Hung’s place for his 30th birthday party. I did a quick stop at Yuen’s Market along the way to pick up Chinese liniment, called pak fah yeow (white flower liniment, similar to tiger balm).

It was on arrival at Hung’s house that I started to feel the effects of WALK4BIBLES. Suddenly, I felt dehydrated, & I quickly gulped down several cups of soft drink before feeling slightly better. Some of the participants in WALK4BIBLES were there, including Sam, Keiyeng & Pastor Steve. All up, there was quite a number of people. A lot of them were people I don’t know (Hung’s relatives & friends outside of church & Clay).

The birthday guy managed to mess up his shirt while cutting some chicken pieces which looked remarkably similar to Nando’s chicken. In doing so, the bottom of my shirt got stained a bit, too, as I was with him chatting while he did his work on the chicken.

Of course, I chat with some of the Clayers there, & even talked about cartoons of the 1980s with Melina, Pastor Steve & Wong. I also took some pictures, but unfortunately, my camera malfunctioned before I managed to snap the birthday cake, & also couldn’t get a picture of myself with latecomers Ivan & Maria. So, I think I’ll get a picture of the cake from Winston when I get the chance to ask. But ai yah, looks like I’ll have to get my camera fixed…..really dunno what happened.

Anyway, I didn’t stay too long – overall, only stayed for about 2 hours. I then left to head back to the Westside for dinner with friends. I thank God for blessing us with a godly friend & Christian brother Hung. May The Lord continue to bless u & your family richly.

Group dinner @ Singapura & FA Cup Final (19/5/07 evening/nite - 20/5/07 morning)

After showering & changing (had to, because of Hung’s chicken stains), me & BT headed to Terence’s place to pick him & Catherine up. We went to Singapura in Milton, which was chosen as it was very close to Terence’s place. We were to have dinner & relax before the FA Cup final at Nigel’s place. Ivan & Maria would be joining us, presumably from Hung’s place (I had left before them), & Maria had called me to say they would be running late. Huh, there’s no need for her call, as we all know those 2 are always late for everything!

We ordered when Ivan & Maria finally arrived. The dinner dishes were reasonably nice, & the 6 of us had the usual fun conversations. This time, I didn’t order the customary ice kacang, as I was feeling under the weather & didn’t want to fall sick. Terence even pranked Nigel when he called, saying we all won’t be coming to Nigel’s place for the FA Cup final as we would be staying at Terence’s place to play poker prior to the match. Nigel bought it hook, line & sinker, & sounded irate that we all piked from the original plan. It was funny. Terence had his mobile on speaker so diners in Singapura could hear Nigel’s ranting! Nigel later SMSed Terence vowing revenge for the prank. Hahaha…

After the dinner, we went to Terence’s place. I had some liang teh as my throat was sore. Everyone except me & Maria played chor dai di. Shortly after, we left. Maria headed home, & Catherine stayed back – neither girls wanted to stay up till midnite for the FA Cup final. Us boys went in my car & we picked up Mark from Unicell at church, & then off we headed to Nigel’s place.

We watched the build-up to the final, which was between glamour London side Chelsea & Manchester United. Most of us were going for Chelsea, except Ivan & Nigel’s dad. The final was a drab, cagey affair, with both teams not performing to expectations. Perhaps the fear of conceding the first goal got to both teams. I thought overall, Chelsea were the better team during the goalless 90 minutes. The stalemate meant extra-time, during which Manchester United were better. Nevertheless, with just 4-5 minutes of extra-time remaining, Chelsea scored from some good team-work which saw Drogba advancing into the penalty area with only the keeper to beat, & he did the honours. Up went me, BT, Nigel & Terence celebrating the goal. Poor Ivan just sat passively. The goal meant that the dreaded lottery of the penalty shoot-out was avoided, & Chelsea secured victory & the FA Cup for 2007.

We left shortly after, & by the time I arrived home (after dropping off Ivan, Terence & Mark) & got myself into bed, it was 3:45am Sunday morning! What a long long day! But it was fun.

Mother's influence

Uhh, hehe, I'm still here. Before I really call it a nite, I'd leave here an article forwarded by my aunty a couple of days ago. Have a read. In light of the Mother's Day that just passed, I thank God for my mother & for all His blessings on her. I'm also thankful to mum for looking after me & the rest of my family, for her love, for her words of wisdom & for her devotion to The Lord.

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THE GREATEST INFLUENCE
by Charles R. Swindoll

2 Timothy 1:1-5

Several years ago someone interviewed the contemporary artist Marc
Chagall for a PBS program. The young, arty interviewer started the
session with a question about influences. His question was very long
and involved and exhibited his own learning along the way, giving
everybody, including Chagall, a lecture on the nature of influences
on the artist.

When the young man finally gave the artist a chance to answer for
himself, Chagall said, in the simplest way, that his greatest
influence was his mother. It took the poor young man a bit of time to
get his bearings after that.

I know of no more permanent imprint on a life than the one made by
mothers. I guess that's why Mother's Day always leaves me a little
nostalgic. Not simply because my mother has gone on (and heaven's
probably cleaner because of it!), but because that's the one day the
real heroines of our world get the credit they deserve. Hats off to
every one of you!

More than any statesman or teacher, more than any minister or
physician, more than any film star, athlete, business person, author,
scientist, civic leader, entertainer, or military hero . . . you are
the most influential person in your child's life.

Never doubt that fact!

There would never have been an Isaac without a Sarah, a Moses without
a Jochebed, a Samuel without a Hannah, a John without an Elizabeth, a
Timothy without a Eunice, or a John Mark without a Mary.

A mother's influence is so great that we model it even when we don't
realize it, and we return to it, often to the surprise of others.

As I think of my own mother's influence on me, two words come to
mind: class and zest. My mother, being a classy lady, was determined
to keep our family from being ignorant of the arts or lacking in
social graces. I have her to thank for my love of artistic beauty,
fine music, which fork to use, and no gravy on my tie. She also
possessed such a zest for life. I am indebted to her for my
enthusiasm and relentless drive. Her indomitable spirit got passed
on, thank goodness.

And so, mothers, don't ever forget the permanence of your imprint.
The kids may seem ungrateful, they may act irresponsible, they may
even ignore your reminders and forget your advice these days. But
believe this: They cannot erase your influence.

Think about how your own mother has influenced your life. Have you
ever thanked her? Have you thanked God for your mother's influence in
your life?

Busy/eventful next few days

Wow, I've only had this blog for 3 months & this is my 50th post already. I didn't realise I'd blog that much so soon (well, for me it's soon, anyway), but when u get hooked on something, u just get hooked & get into it. It's a new addiction, lah!!

Anyway, thanks to a Sunday School roster swap with the other teacher, Wing (at her request), she will be teaching Sunday School this coming Sunday (20/5/07) & I'll be teaching next Sunday (27/5/07). I'm happy with that roster swap, as it frees up some of my time this week from preparing for Sunday School teaching - that's because the next few days is going to be very busy/eventful.

The busy new few days starts tomorrow morning with the UEFA Cup final, an all-Spanish affair between defending holders Sevilla & Espanyol. I think Sevilla will retain their trophy, as they should be a tad too strong for Espanyol. Then, Friday's nite's Clay social will be at my place. I know quite a few Clayers have indicated they will not be available this Friday nite. A shame, but never mind, it should still be good. We will have takeaway pizzas, & then watch some DVDs. Those who want to play pool are welcome to do so. Always great to have social events where Clayers can catch up & get to know each other better.

Saturday will be even more eventful - I'll be out practically the whole day! There's the WALK4BIBLES event on Saturday morning, in which a number of people from church will be taking part. The aim is to raise money for Bibles in China. I'll be doing the 7km walk, & I'm sure I'll be making a few "food stops" along the way. In the afternoon, my church friend (Hung) will be having his birthday party at his place. Of course, I will be there. Then Saturday nite, there's the FA Cup final between Chelsea & Manchester United. Both sides are hit by injuries, especially Chelsea. I tip Chelsea to win by a 1 goal margin - don't be surprised if the final score is 2-1 & don't be surprised if the match goes to extra-time. I certainly hope Chelsea will win, & will be a Chelsea supporter for 1 day.

Sunday, of course, there's church. Since I'm not teaching this Sunday, I will get to listen to Pastor Steve's sermon - it'll be on Matthew 13, according to last week's church bulletin. After church, I'm sure a few of us will head out to lunch as usual (I keep mentioning this in my posts), & if the food is tasty, it's likely that I will mention it on this blog - as was the case with last week's spicy beef noodle soup (the mere mention of that makes me drool). Then, after Sunday's lunch, who knows?? We shall see what happens.

You know what, dear readers? I might blog in a few days time about how the next few days transpire (e.g. what DVD we watched, how the WALK4BIBLES went etc). But now, I'd better get some sleep, before waking up early tomorrow morning for the UEFA Cup final. Good nite.

"Jesus Take The Wheel" (by Carrie Underwood)

While "trolling" on a Christian online forum last month, I stumbled on the lyrics to the song "Jesus Take The Wheel" performed Carrie Underwood. I then hopped on to YouTube to listen to the song. It was wonderful, & it has a soothing & assuring feel about it. Assuring in the sense that it reminds me that Jesus is Lord & that He is in control of everything in life - something which is not necessarily always at the forefront of my mind.

I hope by listening to the song every now & then, it will spur me on in my quest to be dependent on God & rely less on myself. But goodness, it's not going to be easy to surrender the wheel....

The song (not actually written by Carrie herself) is of country music variety. Normally, I'm not into country music, but I will definitely make an exception for this song! I certainly should - it has Christian content (although I don't know how strong Carrie's spiritual life is). And according to Wikipedia, this song has earned number 1 spots on Christian radio countdown in the US, & it has won the Gospel Music Association's award for best country single for the year 2006.

Here are the lyrics:

"Jesus Take The Wheel"

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
she was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was sooo scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Oh, Jesus take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
Oh, take it, take it from me
Oh, why, oh


And the clip from YouTube:




NB: I thought there was something vaguely familiar when I saw the name "Carrie Underwood" on that Christian forum. No wonder - she's actually the winner of American Idol Season 4. Cool - a Christian song making an impact & achieving musical success on a prominent (if secular) stage.

Spicy beef noodle soup

That's my favourite Vietnamese dish, spicy beef noodle soup. In fact, it's one of my favourite dishes of any ethnic type (hmm, this sentence doesn't sound totally right - bah, u know what I mean).

Apparently, the dish is also known as bún bò huế. Funny, I thought that's the name for another Vietnamese dish? *shrugs* Anyway, spicy beef noodle soup is very popular in Vietnam, & no wonder - it's so delicious. It's one heck of a dish. It tastes mainly of lemongrass, & as the name suggests, the soup is spicy. Here's a picture of what the dish looks like (taken from Wikipedia):


I had the dish yesterday for lunch (after church) at a Vietnamese place in Hawken Drive, called Chez Tessa. I was joined by BT, Winston, Pastor Steve, Keiyeng, Terence & Catherine. Only 1 other person besides me ordered the above dish. I think the last few times I visited Chez Tessa, I ordered spicy beef noodle soup. Each time, it tastes no less delicious than the previous visit. Now the dish at Chez Tessa had less greens than the above, & the soup looks less spicy than the above pic. But it was good.

Of course, I've also tasted the dish at various places, such as Quan Thanh, Kim Khanh, Cam Ranh, Market Square (forgot the name of that Vietnamese place), Queen St Mall. Out of these, Quan Thanh's spicy beef noodle soup is the best I have ever tasted - very very delicious. I wonder how the Vietnamese came up with this dish - it's great. Being my favourite Vietnamese dish, I invariably order this almost everytime I dine at a Vietnamese place. Of course, there would be lots of other tasty Vietnamese dishes, too, & I've tasted some of them. Just not nearly as often as the spicy beef noodle soup. Maybe I should venture into those other Vietnamese dishes. Oh well, there'll be plenty of time to do that...

Eurovision Song Contest 2007

I just watched the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 which was held in Helsinki, Finland. The way the hosting works is that the given year's event is hosted in the country that won the previous year's edition. Since Finland's representative won the 2006 edition, it hosted this year's Eurovision. In the end, newcomers Serbia (who recently split with Montenegro) were winners of Eurovision Song Contest 2007.

Some 24 countries took part in the final, & this is made up of the 4 automatic qualifiers, the top 10 placed countries from Eurovision Song Contest 2006 final & the top 10 countries from the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 semi-final (which was shown on Saturday nite). The 4 automatic qualifiers are France, Germany, Spain & the UK, & they earn their automatic slots simply because apparently (so I heard) they are the biggest financial contributors to Eurovision (or at least to the producers of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Network).

As it turned out, the 4 automatic qualifiers did not fare well - they occupied 4 of the bottom 6 places. The UK finished 2nd last, ahead of only Ireland. France finished 3rd last. In fact, Western European countries did not fare well in this year's Eurovision - the highest from Western Europe is the host Finland, which took out 17th place. I have sympathy for Ireland's representative, who certainly didn't deserve anything like the last place.

The Eastern Europeans strongly dominated the final, with the top 5 spots filled by Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey & Bulgaria. Serbia's representative may have won, but I personally preferred the performances of the representatives from Turkey, Ukraine, & Russia. These 3 songs were the more "upbeat" dance/pop types, compared to the more passive/mellow ballad sang by the Serbian representative. If pressed to name my choice for winner from those 3, I'd pick Turkey, whose song "Shake It Up Şekerim" (a.k.a. Shake it Up Sweetheart) was peformed by popular Turkish pop singer Kenan Doğulu, accompanied by some British belly dancers (!) - they were awesome, Kenan's singing was good too. Having said that, I quite liked the Serbian entry, & congratulations must go to the Serbian singer Marija Šerifović, complete with her thick spectacles.^ I guess it's good that a country who previously never won the competition has now won it. Actually, that would be because Serbia never previously took part. So apparently, this is the first time a newcomer wins at first attempt. Well done to Serbia! The winning song is called "Molitva" (English translation is Prayer).

The televoting took place after all songs were presented. Viewers from practically all countries in Europe (even those not taking part in the final) get a chance to vote for their favourite song, athough they cannot vote for their own country. A spokesperson from each country announce the "top 10" results of the country's televote, from lowest (1 point for 10th place) to the highest (12 points for 1st place). This year, the European Broadcasting Network cut down on the broadcast time allocated for presentation of the votes, so that points 1 to 7 are shown automatically on the screen & only the top 3 votes (8, 10 & 12 points) are read out individually.

One entertaining feature of the Eurovision televoting is the voting bias or "bloc voting", where the trend is that viewers/voters seem to award points to neighbouring or "nearby" countries, or to countries which have a political relationship or some other commonality to the voters' own country. There's Greece & Cyprus. There's the Nordic bloc (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland & Iceland). There's the Balkan bloc, i.e. the former states of Yugoslavia (Serbia, Croatia, etc). There's the ex-Soviet bloc (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus etc). And then, there's the UK, Ireland & Malta. Some people say that the voting "bias" happens because people do vote for the country which with which they share similar culture, language & musical taste (& therefore more inclination to appreciate the music), rather than because of political ties between countries.

It's "hilarious" watching who gives top points to whom, & some of the results are rather predictable. Cyprus gave top points to Greece (as they do every year), & the only reason Greece didn't reciprocate this year is Cyprus didn't take part - so Greece gave top points to Bulgaria. And Bulgaria gave first place to....yeah, Greece. The UK got all their points from Ireland & Malta, & nothing from the rest of Europe. France got almost half their total points from tiny neighbours Andorra. Denmark & Norway gave top marks to Sweden. The Norwegian spokesperson jubilantly announced that 12 points go to "our neighbours Sweden" (hmm, what a surprise, I wonder why). The ex-Soviet states gave top marks to either Ukraine & Russia, so that greatly helped these 2 countries finished 2nd & 3rd respectively. And interestingly, voters in Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Macedonia & Montenegro awarded top place to Serbia. It seems all that animosity from years of brutal Balkan conflict does not extend to music & entertainment. Oh and if that's not enough, Turkey got top marks from Austria, Belgium, Germany & the Netherlands - countries which have a sizeable Turkish population.

Eurovision's a once a year thing, it's quite interesting to watch. Needless to say, some performers are better than others, that's the way it is. Serbia will be next year's host thanks to this year's success. Oh, & next year, there's Euro 2008, too!

^ Hmm, speaking of spectacles, I think it's high time I get myself a new pair. That means scouting around for a suitable new look ;)

More on "work/workaholism" (Christian perspective)

Here are more useful materials (which came in "separate bits") which I found, this time from a "Life Challenges" webpage. It's considerably more comprehensive than the previous post. Good read, quite insightful.

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What are some workaholic symptoms?

Do you exhibit workaholic symptoms? Many people would not label themselves a workaholic. They would say, “I’m self motivated and success driven. I work because I love my job and I feel it is necessary to society.”

Here are some workaholic symptoms:

• There is no separation for you between work and home.
• Even when at home, your work is the top priority.
• You are overly committed and driven to work. Your happiness is found in your work.
• Work always seems to take precedence over family and leisure time.
• You have no social life other then work-related events.
• Work is on your mind 24/7.
• You feel stressed because of your work.
• You get upset when others suggest you cut back on your work.
• You do not take vacations or take your work with you on vacation.

If your life is consumed by work, then chances are that you’re a workaholic or on your way to becoming one.

Workaholic: Characteristics of a Workaholic
Like other “aholics,” the workaholic has an unhealthy addiction. In this case, the addiction is for work, career, or a belief that they are “the only one who can do the job right.” Without this consuming focus, the workaholic may believe he’s a failure or has little worth. Often, this is a sign of insecurity or having priorities out of order.

Workaholics will spend most of their lives at work or taking work home with them. They will often have little time for personal lives -- family, hobbies, or relaxation. Having a balance is not just a preferable desire; it is needed for overall mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health.

Workaholic: How to find Balance
Step back and look at your life. Are you sacrificing other areas of your life because of the time and attention you spend on work? If pursuing a short term financial goal is more important that assuring a long-term relationship with your spouse and children, you need to rethink your priorities. Sure, you might tell yourself that you are working to provide for your family and that is a necessary part of life. But be honest, is there a balance in the time you spend on each? Balance is truly the key.

Here are a few steps to achieve a healthy balance:

• Set limits on the hours and attention you devote to your job.
• Set aside quality time for your personal relationships and pleasures.
• Confront possible fear of failure or insecurities -- talk to a pastor or counselor.
• Define your worth through God, do not replace Him with idolizing self or career.
• Use your creativity toward accomplishments other than work, perhaps hobbies.
• Be sensitive to the needs of your family and friends.
• Take up healthy physical workouts -- swim, hike, or go to the gym.

When we are physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally well balanced, everything we do is going to be affected. We perform better at our jobs; we enjoy less-stressed relationships with our loved ones, and finally we can enjoy the purpose and beauty of life that God has provided for us. You know, a “stop and smell the roses” appreciation.

Workaholic: The Benefits of Balance
When we achieve that lifestyle balance, we will more easily attain that inner peace we all strive for. We don’t have to fear insecurities. We can turn to God and pray for wisdom and guidance. Our spiritual relationship with Him can not be ignored.

This is how Robert turned it around: “No matter how hard I work, I will never be indispensable to any corporation, committee, or employer. I will never be as valuable as I’d like to think I am. I was nearly killing myself from stress and exhaustion. Was it worth it? I thought so for awhile. But I was making work my idol and discovered how wrong I was.

“I didn’t know my kids, my marriage was falling apart, and my health was deteriorating. Then one day God reminded me that health and relationships with my family and Him are what life is all about. If I didn’t start taking care of myself, I wouldn’t be there for them or my employer. If I didn’t find a balance, I wouldn’t have a family!

“I can’t go back and recapture what I’ve lost with my family, but I certainly don’t want to miss out on anymore. God helped me see their value and how much they value me. He is the one who fulfills my need to hear “You’re irreplaceable!” I now know I can wrongly decide my priorities; I now submit that decision to God. He planned the purpose of my life and I have repented for ignoring my family and my God.”

And now - "A Christian View of Work"

In light of my friend's useful comments on the previous post, I thought I'd do some research on what the Christian view on work is.

At the website www.preachingtodaysermons.com, I found a brief synopsis of a sermon by William Willimon titled "A Christian View of Work". The full, complete transcript of the sermon is downloadable as a Word file, but you got to pay, so at the moment I won't be downloading it ;) Nevertheless, the brief synopsis seem to provide some useful points from a Christian perspective. Here is that synopsis:

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A Christian View of Work
by William Willimon
Text: Exodus 3:1-12
Topic: How to relate to your job
Big Idea: While work may be an invitation to join in God's continuing creativity, our present structures of work are not divinely ordained.
Keywords: Work; Workaholism; Vocation; Creativity; Idolatry; Materialism; Workplace


Introduction:

• Illustration: God used a reluctant Moses to accomplish his work.
• God chooses to use humans to carry out his plans on earth.

The myth of glorified work.

• Martin Luther instilled "the Protestant work ethic" in his followers, the idea that work is God's invitation for us to join in his continuing creativity.
• Vocation comes from the Latin vocari, meaning "we are called."

The potentially degrading nature of work.

• The Protestant work ethic ended up, sometimes, validating degrading work.
• Illustration: Students today can expect to make seven job changes in their life, most due to external factors.
• Illustration: The founder of Scotland's lona community volunteered to be part of the crew that cleaned the toilets every week.

God's invitation to join the work.

• Beginning in Genesis, humanity is graciously invited by God to get in on the work.
• We have no record in the Bible that Jesus ever worked.

Work as a form of idolatry.

• Work, like any human endeavor, can be tainted by human sin.
• When work becomes the end toward which all human creativity is directed, work becomes an idol.

Work and materialism.

• The Bible is relentless in its attack on the rich.
• The Old Testament shows a remarkable concern for minute details of economic justice.
• The philosopher Albert Camus said, "Life goes rotten without work." But, Camus added, "And yet, life stifles and dies when work becomes soulless."
• Our vocation is not our job; our vocation is, in the words of the old Westminster Confession, "to glorify God and to enjoy God forever."

Right expectations of work.

• We're right to seek meaningful work.
• Making a life is more significant than making a living.
• Most of work's rewards are mundane.
  -Illustration: Thomas Moore told Duke students that maybe the goal of work ought to be friendship.
• From a Christian perspective, your work has value—not because it contributes to your well-being—but because it contributes to somebody else.

Conclusion

• Your life is not just your work.
• Look for the sort of work that makes you feel like it's part of your call from God.

Article: "Succeed Like a Workaholic"

Found this article a few days ago on MSN. Quite interesting, & those of u whose work ethic is up at the "workaholic" level may find this article useful.

I can think of some friends (& even relatives) overseas who might fall into, or at least come close to, the "workaholic" category - though perhaps more out of necessity than choice. I'm not sure if I have attained the "workaholic" level, but should I do so in the future, at least I now know where to go in order to get some useful tips ;)

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Succeed Like a Workaholic

By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com

Amy Zucker calls herself a "serial workaholic." The president of Synergy Marketing Group, an Indianapolis-based public relations and marketing firm, Zucker regularly puts in long hours, takes few breaks and constantly thinks about the office. Zucker sees this as a commitment to her job and an indication of an innate strong work ethic and a quest for perfection that she has exhibited at every job she has held. "I do it for me," she says. "Only my best is good enough."

This level of job devotion is not for everyone and for many, working too much can have a detrimental effect on personal relationships. Zucker's current situation is unique. She runs her business with her husband and takes her dog to work, so she is able to spend time with her family in and out of the office. And her work ethic has paid off. Her business has grown to be one of Indianapolis's largest public relations agencies.

So do workaholics really get ahead? Yes and no, says Barry Zweibel, an executive/life coach based in Chicago. Zweibel works regularly with professionals who move up the ladder by putting in extra time and effort, but says he also sees the benefit of balance between work and personal time. For most people, sustaining a workaholic lifestyle long term is just not possible.

Zweibel counsels professionals to learn to do more in less time and urges his clients to increase their contributions, not their hours. Zweibel points to the "Parkinson's Law," which states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." Thus, if you have three days to work on a project, most people will use all three days to complete it. "It is part of the human condition to let things go longer than they need to," he says.

Zweibel says that professionals could be even more effective by learning to pick and choose when to unleash their inner workaholic. "I'm not suggesting that working hard is not the goal, but you need to take a laser approach." Putting in 110 percent on every task can be exhausting, but those who know how to prioritize and put in the extra effort on the projects that matter most gain extra attention from the boss.

If you want to have the success of a workaholic and still have your down time, Zweibel offers five strategies you can employ.

1. Put in the hours at the right time. "There is a benefit to being seen in an organization," Zweibel says. If you are working late or are in on the weekend, pass by your boss's office for some face time. Not only will you get kudos for the extra effort, but you might get the opportunity for valuable one-on-one time.

2. Pay attention to time stamps. If you are sending an assignment to your boss via e-mail after hours, the e-mail will indicate the extra time you are spending. Pay attention to when you are sending these messages -- they could demonstrate your commitment. However, Zweibel cautions against going too far. Sending messages at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night or at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning could indicate that you are not able to manage your time well, and there is something to be said for being able to get the job done early. "You could make a better impression if you can do the same work in a shorter amount of time," Zweibel says.

3. Talk up your successes. Don't be afraid to be your own cheering section. Make sure your boss knows about your achievements and the extra time you put in. More importantly, have other people talk up your successes. There's nothing like a good word from another respected co-worker or client to make you look great.

4. Be the "go to" person in a crunch. You don't have to work every weekend, but make sure your boss knows that you are someone who is willing to go the extra mile when needed.

5. Strive for perfection, but know when to settle. One thing most workaholics have in common is the pursuit of perfection. This drive to be perfect brings about results, but can also wear you out. On the continuum between lousy work and perfect work, there is what Zweibel calls "merely excellent," which, he says, is "pretty damn good." He suggests you strive for greatness, but allow yourself to settle for "merely excellent" work most of the time and reserve absolute perfection for those really special projects.

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She's an expert in job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.