YISS Preparation

Seems like this work of God hadn't been posted on my blog yet.. haha!! How silly am I to miss this out before I go for the camp.

Anyway, let me just begin.

I'd actually heard of this Youth In The Spirit Seminar (YISS) sometime last yr, after I read Jeremy's testimony in SJC's Carpenter's newsletter. Yeah.. at that time, I felt so... "in need of it".. coz I was like him, I was drifted further and further away..

May came and June came.. Somehow this thing was not in my mind.. coz I believe at this point of time, I was sort of in prep for my confirmation in July.

August came and Sept came.. I'd gotten to know about this YISS dates and I was like.. Oh no.. its so near Christmas.. and its like.. hmm.. I shld be busy with my Christmas ordering program.. at this point of time.. and it actually falls on a Chinese Prayer day too.. where I actually have to work due to super heavy workload.. Worse comes when one "main character" from my FV dept wanted to take leave too.. and I was like.. "oh-no".. how to go like tt..??!?!?! There is no one in my depts whom I can rely on coz they are really ppl w/ no "capabilities" & ownership. Furthermore, all the executives in my store (Andrew, Raymond & I) always always have difficulties applying for leave. So its like we always clear our leave by half day half day.. or at most one day. We are seldom unable to take leave one shot. In addition to that, my mum had never never allow me to go for camps or even a one- night- out this sort of thing. I'd never gotten to stay out late or whatsoever. Furthermore, guess what, the 1st day of YISS happens to be her birthday. It is like.. I actually felt quite bad lar..

Well, its like I held on to my registration until some time later.

Its really by the grace of God that I am able to make it. I had been praying hard that if it is God's will for me to attend YISS, I believe that He will make things possible.

It is until Oct when I got to know that I've got a "new buddy" (named Manuel, who is a new philippino TL, whom is also a catholic) who will supposedly be "partnering" me to run my depts in my store. Hmm.. L&D dept said he will be working w me for his 2 yrs contract coz my store is consider a big store and it is kind of unfair for me to run the 5 departments (which contributes to abt 40% of total store sales) myself. However, OM said he will just be attached temporary to me coz he does not have any home store yet and will be posted out soon after the new store is ready.

Somehow, after abt 1mth's training/ working w me, I felt tt he shld be able to run the depts for the company w/o my presence. So one day after mass, I showed him the catholic news and church's bulletin whereby YISS was publicised. I told him tt I wanted to attend this YISS and wonder if it will be alright for him.

"YES! Go ahead! I will be alright." and tt was what he told me. He also told me, "Don't worry." I really thank God for this wonderful gift of Manuel He sent me to take over my duties during YISS. It is really really v rare and I really feel v v blessed.

The next prob came when I was applying for leave. My boss had refused to allow me to take "so many" days of leave 'coz he belongs to the group of bosses who "will die if staff is not around". As I am sort of "had already served my notice" and now I am staying just for the sake of helping them for CNY, he has nothing to say. My last day of service is to be on 25 Jan 09 and can you imagine he asked me to save my leave until Jan? Its like CNY is a busy period, how to take leave, right? Well, he almost broke the promise he gave me and I was like.. hmm.. telling him, "anytime from now to CNY, any terms breached by you or OM, I will leave w/ immediate effect coz ultimately, I had already served my notice". Although I sounded quite bad, its like.. hmm.. I don't know.. hmm.. perhaps he feels stressed coz my OM had actually threatened him tt if I really go (resign), she will not give him another exec to run my 5 depts coz he does not know how to appreciate.

ok, anyway, he'd agreed to let me go on leave. esp when he was informed tt Manuel will b posted out in mid Dec.. Ain't tt beautiful? beautiful such tt God sent Manuel specifically just to take over my duties during my absence and he will leave once I return from my leave? God, its really wonderful. Its really awesome.

Its until 7dec when my colleague came to work, informing us tt his dad's condition is rather critical and is in the hosp. He'd received a call frm his siblings 2hrs before his work but he was unable to go to the hosp coz he has to work. I was assuring him to take half day leave (luckily my boss was not ard tt day) and I will help him cover his shift until he comes back. His dad passed on the following morning. Thank God for giving me a selfless heart such tt despite I was fearful of doing "closing" shift at work (coz so far I'd only done once and its like a lot of system things involved which I am not v sure), I am able to overcome my fear. Andrew at this point of time was on leave and I am the only person left (as compared to Manuel who had never done closing b4) who can help him. Yes, I'd cancelled my leave on 9 dec and its like, although his compassionate leave and etc is until Sun, for a moment, I was so afraid tt I will have to cancel my leave as I'd applied my leave all the way until Mon. However, thanks b to God, no body had approached me to ask me to cancel my leave. So its like both manuel and andrew had been sloughing for the rest of the wk. God, I just pray that you will bless both Manuel and Andrew for being so selfless.

So, it was until Tue when there is this syndicate attack at store where a pair of guys actually attempted to steal our beers. total costing around $200++. Thank God for giving me the wisdom to bring the items into the office instead of leaving it at where it is and attempt to catch them or whatsoever. Thank God for such protection you had given me. Also for the wisdom bestowed onto me to put the video tapes aside, writing down all the timings affected such that they will be able to make police report if necessary. Thanks be to God, this syndicate attack case did not affect my leave for the following 2 days.

Well, I started to go on leave peacefully on 10dec, which is 1 day before YISS.

As for my mum, I just spoke to her few days before the camp and I am really touched by God's grace tt she'd actually agreed to let me go, even though it falls on her b/day and every yr, I am the one to buy cakes and presents on behalf of my bros. so its like so diff.

W God, all things are possible.

**Always Keep Him in your heart. In everything, give thanks.. for it is God's will for you in Christ Jesus..**