unexpected blessings!

July 19, 2003

when i got back from mexico, my mom informed me that a company called inform media had given me a call while i was away. i had contacted this company back in march to see if they had any summer positions but never heard anything from them. in any case, i gave the guy a call back last week and found out that he was interested in my work. i met up with him on thursday, and he offered me a summer position. it's more or less doing grunt work, but i get to work in a design studio with other designers. the pay isn't great, but when have i ever been concerned with money? it'll be a great learning experience. the cool thing is that this guy is a Christian. he goes to SCBC.

at the same time, my father told me that one of his patients (who is a graphic designer) was looking to contract out work. because he's going to be having a lot of work anytime now. i was supposed to meet with him on monday, but because i needed to give an answer to the inform media guy, i called him up yesterday and met with him at starbucks. i've come to realize that everyone likes to meet at starbucks! i have no idea why. in any case, this guy has been in the industry for 17 years. he's been running his own design company for about 3/4 years. it was pretty cool just listening to him share his experiences in the industry and he also gave me some advice:

1) always strive to overachieve any objectives
2) push the envelope as far as you can, clients will always push back
3) never be the best designer in a firm - you won't learn from anyone if you're the best
4) the sky's the limit
5) information architecture is useful for many things

he also told me that i had great potential and that i reminded him of himself when he was younger. it was really encouraging. i don't plan to enter the design industry, but i guess it doesn't hurt to know things about it. i've been trying to piece together how design fits into my life. and slowly, i'm beginning to see it. take the advice he gave me, and apply it to planning a church service, program. it applies! God deserves are best, our excellence! i believe God's given us the gift of creativity, and we should use that for His kingdom purposes. so why not be creative with how we approach planning a worship service? it could help to edify the body in a unique way that really strikes a chord with people.

i feel as if God's just pouring out these blessings upon me. i didn't ask for a job. i already work at york part time. i did, however, ask that God would just show me what's in store for the rest of the summer after the missions trip. and it's just cool, i mean God gives me two opportunities! it's awesome! so undeserving i am, but yet He chooses to lavish me with these blessings. but i must say, the word blessing doesn't have to and should not be equated with a 'positive outcome'. the hardships in our lives are also blessings! why? because God knows what's best for us. :)

and so, i begin my job with inform media on tuesday. i think i'll still need to iron out some of the details, because he said minimum i have to work 30 hrs a week. and i think that's all i can do. i very much want to stick with the sandwich runs and soup kitchen on mondays, so i'll have to discuss that with him.

i'll end with a verse from romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." amen!

Posted by Leo Chan at July 19, 2003 11:10 AM