Sermon on the 2nd Floor (Part 1: The Beatitudes)

In the book of Mathew, chapter 5, there’s a very famous and powerful exposition that Jesus ever preach. It called “Sermon on the mount” (Kothbah di Bukit). This “Sermon On the Mount” starts with “The Beatitude” (Ucapan/Sabda Bahagia). There are 8 beatitudes that every believer should live in their daily life, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven“, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted“, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” and so on. But, anyway, I’m not gonna teach about this “Sermon on the mount”.

I have my own Sermon. This is probably the most and powerful academic sermon I’ve ever preached in my career history as an IT lecturer. Since my room at 2nd floor of B* P* Building, I call it “Sermon on the 2nd Floor“.

Let’s start with the first series, called “The Beatitudes” (Sabda Bahagia).

1. And seeing the multitudes reading this blog, I went up to my office: and when I was set, I start to type.
2. Blessed are the pure in heart during the work, for they shall obtain promotion.
3. Blessed are the Professors and Ph. D/DR, for they shall appreciated with high salary.
4. Blessed are those who hold JAFA (Jabatan Fungsional Akademik/Functional Acknowledgment as a lecturer from the Department of National Education), for they shall teach in peace.
5. Blessed are those which do hunger and thirst after the truth, for they shall receive block grant through their research.
6. Blessed are those hold Structural position (Jabatan Struktural), for they shall find many problems and challanges.
7. Blessed are the workaholics and productive lecturers, for they shall be praised.
8. Blessed are the diligent, merciful, cheerful and joyful, for they shall become popular and nominated as Lecturer of the year.
9. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for they shall quit and find another good University.
10. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for you shall receive help from many friends.

So, colleagues, if you want to quote this verse, you may say, “According to Sermon on the 2nd Floor by Windra, Posting #155, verse 3, it said that Blessed are the …”

Hehe2… and someday this “Sermon on the 2nd Floor” will become popular around the world and be preached from university to university. This sermon will be a standard for lecturer attitude. It starts from this small university.

Seed of Greatness

I’ve just finished watching “August Rush” movie couple minutes ago. It really indeed a good movie, one of the best movie I’ve ever watched. (Thanks to Ivonne Sabrina who put this movie in her favourite movies list). If you DO love music, I strongly recommend you to watch the movie. I guarantee that it’ll inspire you more… Even for me, a guy with no (or very little) music talent, it’s still sooo inspiring.

I’m not going to review the movie actually (you’d better watch by yourself). But, after watching this movie, I can’t stop thinking that all of us has a seed of greatness in certain area. Either area of leadership, entertainment, science, linguistic, music, writing or whatever human being have been developing since the starting of mankind’s civllitation. All of us has it! God never creates junk! Whether you realize it or not, as long as you’re breathing in the same earth, living in the same sun, sleeping under the same moon, each of us has and living with the seed of greatness inside us. It always starts with a seed, no more and no less.

Some of us realize their greatness in a very young age, some in their youth, some in their adult, and many never realize at all for the rest of their live. So sad… But once we realize our seed of greatness, we have our own choice to either grow it up or just ignore that seed. In the final analysis, it’s always about choice.

I’ve decided to grow it up. This is probably a bit shocking… But, recently I realized the seed of greatness inside me trough my name. Ya, through my name, Windra Swastika. I never know how and why did my dad give me that name. I don’t even know what’s the meaning. There were time, that I was a bit shame when introduce or saying my name to new people, simply because it’s a uncommon name. But, recently… I sense the greatness of “Windra Swastika” name. I’ve seen through my eyes of faith, that someday, some years from now, that name will be known as a person that give positive impact to the world, either it’s in education, IT, or as a best selling book author. What I’m doing now, is making that seed grows well, fruitful and multiply in its season.

I don’t know about you… But, lately I’ve found very importance lesson in live. Whatever we think, whatever ever we say, whatever we do, each time we breath, it’s either we grow the seed or we abandon that seed. If you already know that you have seed of greatness, and then you wasting your time by playing around, busy gosipping and talk nonsense to others, never force yourself to exercise or learn, then it will always remains as a seed, no more and no less. And finally, you die with that little small unfruitful seed inside you.

Trust me, every minute counts.

Hmmm… I just realize that the story (and history) of mankind is always about growing the greatness inside them, right?

Quantum Leap - Offering Preaching

Inspired from this Quantum Leap Posting by Pak Patris, I felt like having my own Quantum Leap on last Saturday Evening.

… and there he goes, stands in a luxurious well-decorated stage before the church musical drama "Gembel Jadi Pangeran" start. His job is to preach what-so-called "Offering Preaching" - a short preaching before offering time… It was easy thou actually, very easy for him if done in front of 10-15 youths - like he usually does in cell group. But this time, 500 people are coming to see the musical drama, 1000 eyes will stare at him and 1000 ears will listen to what he said. And… one more fact, preaching in front of hundreds people is realyyyy reallyyy not his natural ability…

So, when I was standing at the pulpit, in front of those foreigners to preach, I felt like having my Quantum Leap. Yesterday, I was Windra, an IT lecturer that usually lecturing 40-50 young college students. In a very short time, I change and leap in into this character. A character that must complete its mission: "do offering-preaching in front of 500 foreigners".

Well then, I accomplished the mission… But I know it wasn’t my best. If Simon Cowell, one of the American Idols judges, was there, definitely he will say, "That was so forgettable-performance, Win. People will going home without even remember what you talking." Then with his strong british English, he’ll continue, "You’re not qualified to be in that glotious stage, Win. Go back and teach small class, you’re lucky enough if your student know what you talking about…" Then the audience will "booo" him.

Well, whatever Simon said, I’ve set new record for my own, speaking in front of 500 foreigners - something that I’ve never done before. But, that’s not the point. The point is that you’ll surprise if you knew me 10 years ago.

A very sarcastic and selfish boy, solitaire and living in his own world, doesn’t really care to people. Yet, deep inside his heart, he felt inferior, felt nothing but ordinary un-important and not-so-likable boy. He couldn’t even speak clearly to other people, 5 words is enough to answer a very long question. In his 22, he found and encounter God’s true love through Jesus and his life never be the same again. He started to speak and preach confidently in front of 10 people, 20 people, 50 people, 100 people, 200 people and yesterday 500 people. He’s no longer feel inferior. He found his vision and destiny. God is not finish dealing with him, many great things are prepared and waiting to be done. That Saturday evening, definitely is one of God’s preparation for him.

God… you always "wow" me with Your surprises.

Gradma

She was 50 when I was born and I’m 30 when she died. Remember my early kid, when my parents were working so hard from day till evening. At that time, she was like my nanny, she took care of me, fed me, protected me with her love, she was truly my world during my early age. She told lot legendary chinesse stories before I sleep (she’s a good story teller, though). She also care about education. She taught me, and my sisters as well, how to spell "A-Be-Ce-De…" during my preschool, how to say "ma-mi, pa-pi, cik-de, cik-nga.", how to read, how to write, and how to count.

If I can do coding computer program using very complex algorithms and implemented it in programming language, developing sophisticated application, do count differential and integral today, she’s definitely the one who laid the foundation of basic math and language on me…

Not to mention the moral values I’ve learn from her. She occupied big portion in my childhood… and I’ll be completely different person if I never know her.

I notice her as a very precise and organized person. She always remembers where puts things. Even in his old age, she puts all her stuffs in very orderly way and make sure everything is in its place. Neat, tidy, careful was truly her DNA (I think I only got half of it). She’s very compassion, tender, lovely… As far as I remember, she never scold me.

In her last days, she still remembered that I’m studying to get master degree, many times she asked me whether I’ve already got master degree or not and then told me to find a wife soon after I finished my study (I will) - actually it was her last message to me.

Since 2007, she couldn’t wake up. Totally rest in bed. My mom took care of her. I usualy went to see her after work at 9pm or 10pm, give her milk or other kind of beverage. For the last one month, she couldn’t speak and getting worse.

Last Friday she’s totally unconscious, comatose and not responding at all. We know that the time is coming. But she’s waiting for someone. She’s struggle very hard, try to keep breathing, keep on keeping on to be alive, force herself to breath in, breathe out… She’s waiting for this woman.

She’s already waiting for years her oldest daughter - her lovely one. Although she’s totally unconscious, we can sense that she didn’t want to go before her oldest daughter come to see her… She made it, she made force herself to wait till Sunday. Sunday, at 12, after hours struggling and dying, her oldest daughter came to her, cried before her and sorry for all the mistake she’s done, sorry that she never see and couldn’t take care of her in her old age…

An hours later after her oldest daughter came, she’s gone. She’s leaving all of us… What a GREAT TRUE LOVE of a mother… and I couldn’t stand not to cry seeing how she struggling, dying, suffering, trying hard to keep alive just to wait for her oldest daughter to come.

Grandma… I’m proud to be your grandson, we do love you.

Rest in peace.

I love my students

During my theses research, i’m still doing my daily activities as a lecturer… You know, what I like to be a lecturer is trying to encourage my students to do something that they think they can’t do, encouraging them to maximize their potentials to the fullest…

And the most beautiful thing for me as a lecturer is when my student showing their best, doing something that beyond my expectation, doing such creative things that I never imagine before… Capable to do something that they can’t do before… and that happen in Program Paket Aplikasi (PPA) Subject.

The first PPA project was compiling an e-book (from CHM format) into Ms-Word format. They must create "real world" book using Ms-Word. The challenges are:

1. They have to create table of contents automatically
2. The page number must placed side-to-side (different placing for odd and even page)
3. The book must have different header/footer for each chapter
4. They also must index and number the figures automatically
5. All content of the book must be in ONE FILE only (not allowed to split in different files)

There are 4 e-books they can choose, but it wasn’t easy though. It was really not that simple since there are about 300-400 pages (and contains 14-22 chapters). But they made it! Some of them even created their own book-cover and give index page! Wow! I was amazed! I gave my own book as a gift for they who get best point for each class. It seems that this project was their first 70Mb++ document they ever created using Ms-Word in the whole of their life.

The second and third project was thought by my colleague. And for the last project, time to boost their brain again. I challenge them to create a project using Photoshop. It is up to them to create ANYTHING they like. Let the creativity talks! The grade based on: originality, technique complexity, and purpose value. So, they must carefully think what to create for their project. The objectives was not made them to be an expert in Photoshop design since this is not Visual Design subject, but rather than make them familiar with image processing software. To make the project more interesting and challenging, I gave one additional rule. For those who qualified, I ask them to make presentation in front of the class about how did they create the project within 10-15 minutes. So, the others also can learn the techniques s/he used. This is what I called, "knowledge-sharing class".

Last week was the submission deadline, and once again, some of them really amazed me with their work. So, I decided to carefully index their projects in this address. Next week, the battle
is ON, they’ll make presentation how they did it.

I love IT and I love my students. I believe that one of God’s calling in my life is to be a teacher… and it’s truly amazing to see how my students maximize their potential to the fullest in IT field. After this semester is over (on June 2008), I’m thinking to index all their first year projects (including their first website project for Dasar Sistem Informasi Subject), so they can
access and show their work to their friends or parents. I bet you’ll surprise by what they can do in their first pursuing year to be an ITer.

If in their first year they can amaze me, I believe, in the next years ahead, they’ll amaze the world with their IT expertise! Surely!

Give the Best

Once upon a time, there's a little boy with a bucket of marble. When he was playing with his marbles, one little girl came to him, and say:

"Hi, do you want a bucket of candy...?" The little girl showed a bucket of candy... The little boy stopped playing. He saw a colorful candies in her hand, look so yummy. He's thinking for a while, and say:

"Ok, I want them. What shall I give to you in exchange of your candies?"

The girl answered, "Em... What about all your marbles...?"

"Ok, deal...!" The boy answered, he's so excited...

But, the boy cheated. When he gave the bucket of marble, he kept 3 best marbles for himself. He receieved one bucket of candy in exchange. At first, he was very happy. Now, He has a bucket of candy and also 3 best marbles, while the girl only has one bucket murbles minus 3 best marbles. He thought he's smart.

At night, when he was in bed, he hides the 3 best marbles under the pillow. Then when he's going to sleep... all of a sudden, something pop up in his mind. Something that really bother his mind... "What if... what if... that little girl also hide the best candies from me...? What if, she hide more candies...?" He can't sleep. He's no longer happy though he has 3 marbles and a bucket of candy.

---

Many times, I do the same like the little boy did. I keep my best from God, and keep wondering, thinking... Are give YOUR best to my live, Lord...? Why everything happen in me seem not the best.

But, now, I know... If I give my best to God, then everything best will happen to me. For whatever happen to me, good or bad, I'll have peace in my heart... Because I know exactly, that God give me the best if I also give the best. Lord, I'm not gonna cheat you... I'll give my best to YOU.

There were times...

[apology if you can't have something positive from this posting]

There were times... (many times, I think) when I reallyyy... realllyyy... want so bad that my normal life back.

What is my normal life? Freedom. I used to have my own time. I used to go wherever I want. I used to be a person that do whatever I want and won't do whatever I don't want. Now, it's all robbed by this M* C** university. No freedom anymore... And after couples months, it's not going to be easier, but it's going to be tougher and tougher. So stressful by what happened recently... works, study, relationship with other... All these things are coming and ruin my life.

I was asking to myself if all successful people must have done all these stressful things. I really want to ask them how did they finally survive. It is hard... Very hard, indeed.

This proves one thing. I'm an ordinary human being... with all the weaknesses and feel like want to give up many times.

Ah, ok then... I glad I still a living human being... and ya, I think I still can have thousand reasons to smile. I think I'm quite sure that there are people who love me unconditionally. I think I know that at least thousand youth read my books and blessed by it. Ya, I think I know that my life is so meaningful, regardless I have many problems and I know exactly that all my problems are finally solved beautifully at the end. Thanks God for the grace.

Well, my greatest honor will always be to serve my Lord and King.