Be a Blessing in the Workplace

Every morning, my dad and mom would listen to the radio and tune in to 702 DZAS. This radio station has been a great source of encouragement and inspiration to our family. One of their segments, “Pro Tips”, which is hosted by Maloi Malibiran Salumbides, talks about action steps and biblical principles on being a blessing in the workplace.

Photo taken from her Facebook account. :)
Photo taken from her Facebook account. :)

Last February 18, 2014, I passed by the kitchen (where the radio was) and I heard the host talk about the Pro Tips for the day. I don’t remember her exact words, but I remembered some of the principles she said:

1. Be content with your work, but don’t be lazy. She encouraged the listeners to find contentment in God as we work for Him and not compare our work, tasks, and situations to others. Also, she emphasized that being content is different from being lazy. We must also learn how to strive and excel continuously at work because it is God’s blessing to us.

2. Continue to aspire and dream big. She also talked about how our God is able to do so much more than we can ever imagine or think of and because of this, we can hope and desire for bigger things in the workplace. (Eph. 3:20)

3. Be open to the things that God wants us to do. There would be times when God would speak to us about certain decisions at work (e.g. moving to a different department, looking for another job, starting our own business, training others, etc.) and it’s important that we open our hearts to these and obey Him when He tells us to do something. God can definitely use these faith steps and new opportunities to develop our character and skills. Most importantly, it’ll help us grow in our relationship with Him as we choose to honor Him in our career.

These are just some of the Pro Tips shared on the radio station and by God’s grace, they will continue to encourage us with more. :)

Surprise encouragement from my officemate who dropped by my area. :P
Surprise encouragement from my officemate who dropped by my area. :P

Sometimes, our work can get toxic and discouraging. But, whenever we focus on who God is, thank Him for the blessing of work, and choose to be a blessing to others in the workplace, He changes the way we view our work. And as a result, it positively affects our behavior and our influence to the people around us.

Surprise gift from my seatmate at work! She (Iza) made this, by the way. :)
Surprise gift from my seatmate at work! She (Iza) made this, by the way. :)

“Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” -Colossians 3:23-24

Encouraging time with my officemate (Shermaine) after work. :)
Encouraging time at Hanako with my officemate (Shermaine) after work. :)

Looking forward to a great week ahead! Thank You, Lord, for the workplace. :)

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Made In Candy: Candy Chefs and Sugar Art

As mentioned in my previous post, here are some photos of the customized candies sold at Made In Candy, SM Megamall. It’s really amazing how the candy chefs were able to come up with these unique and sweet treats!

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For more details, you may check out the ff. websites:

Facebook
Twitter
Made In Candy

Enjoy!!
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MADE IN CANDY: Making the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time. :)

 

Spontaneous Treat: Made In Candy

While waiting for my mom and sisters at the mall, I decided to have my alone time at my favorite coffee shop. However, as I was walking towards the shop, I passed by a store named “Made In Candy” and I ended up staying there for more than an hour. Even though I’ve seen it a lot of times before, it was my first time to really appreciate their special candy and the awesome talent of the candy chefs.

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When I got there, there were about twenty people around me who were also watching the chefs push and pull the chunks of candy. It was an interesting moment because none of us knew what the chefs were doing. They just kept on piling one flattened “candy dough” on top of another and eventually rolled them into a huge log. I heard the two ladies beside me tell each other “I don’t know what design he’s doing and it’s taking a lot of our time. Let’s just leave.”

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I didn’t mind their comment at first because I was very fascinated with the candy chefs’ skills. After about 15 minutes of working on the dough, a candy chef finally took one side of the stretched log, squeezed it, and pulled it until it reached their desired thinness. I, along with other curious viewers, continued to watch them stretch out thin strips of candies. One candy chef, then, took a few strips and quickly chopped them.

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The result? A gorgeous batch of sweet and sour cherry-designed candy. It was amazing!!! The candy chef took a piece and showed it to us, the people who were watching from the outside of the store’s glass walls. One of their staff members, then, got a bowl and filled it with the candies they’ve just made, walked outside of the store, and gave us all a piece or two to enjoy.

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I really enjoyed that moment because God gave me the privilege of seeing the candy chefs work through the candy dough and produce amazing candies. Also, I didn’t know they let the people taste their products every now and then.

Because I loved the experience so much, I went inside the store and checked out the other designs they made. The candies were beautifully made, indeed! I was even surprised to see words and detailed drawings in the center of the candies. How were they able to come up with such creative and cool masterpieces?? Hahaha.

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Before leaving the store, I knew I had to purchase a bag or a small jar with candies. So, I went around and searched for the perfect batch for me. As I was scanning through the candies on display, I noticed a statement printed on some of the products’ plastic bag.

It said “When no two pieces of candy are ever the same, you know we make rock candy lovingly by hand.”

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The first thought that came to my mind was “Hey! It’s just like having unique fingerprints!”

In that simple moment, I was reminded of how God lovingly created us too. Because He made us, He knows everything about us. Our strengths and struggles, our heart’s desires and fears, our past and future! He knows the motives of our hearts, our thoughts and next action steps, how to break and heal us, and He even knows when and how we’ll hurt Him in this lifetime.

But our gracious God had a special plan and purpose for us all when He made us. In spite of how many times we’ve failed Him, He continues to help us get back on our feet and walk with Him again. Because of this, I am encouraged to constantly find my security in God — the One who lovingly crafted me.

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After enjoying my stay at the store for an hour, I remembered the two ladies who were beside me at the start. At one point, they focused on how long it was taking the chefs to finish the candy that they decided to leave instead. If they only stayed for a few more minutes, they would have had the privilege of enjoying the free candies from the store.

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I pray that as I grow through the circumstances in my life, I will keep my eyes focused on God and on how He can continue to work in and through me and the people around me. I pray that my heart wouldn’t be impatient and/or distracted with the things of this world that I lose focus on what matters most — my relationship with Jesus and sharing Him to others. The candy chefs at Made In Candy showed us their remarkable skills in transforming the candy dough to masterpieces. In God’s perfect time, I know that He, too, will continue to transform and use our hearts and lives for His glory.

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“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

–Philippians 1:6

 

I’ll post more photos of the products soon. :)

 

Special thanks to: Made In Candy at SM Megamall

 

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

THURSDAY TUNE #23: A Million Miles Away

I was driving home from work today when a car abruptly swerved right in front of me. Immediately, I felt my heart beat faster as I pressed the horn for about two seconds and stepped on the brake. “Man! That was close.” I said to myself.

A few meters further, I found myself looking intently at the car and wondered why the driver had to do that. I even saw him talking and laughing with another person who was in his car like nothing happened. And while I continued to drive with my scrunched eyebrows, I felt a strong urge to let go of it and to not hold a grudge towards the driver who almost hit my brother’s car.

But, because of my stubborn heart, I still thought about it for a minute or two and drove with a heavy heart. I even drove faster just to overtake the car. And finally, when I was in front of him, I felt a kind of satisfaction that lasted for only a few seconds. The car, then, drove towards the east and I drove towards the west.

At this point, God was clearly speaking to my heart and was prompting me to humble myself before Him and confess the pride that was in me. By God’s grace, I did. I asked for His forgiveness for being so preoccupied with myself that I let it take control of me instead of lifting the situation up to God. I then expressed my desire to change and honor Him the next time it happens.

Photo was taken two years ago. It was my first time to drive alone. :)
Photo was taken two years ago. It was my first time to drive alone. :)

Sometimes, it frustrates me whenever I give in to my weaknesses, especially when I choose to honor myself and not God. But, God constantly reminds me of his desire for me to walk intimately with Him and my decision years ago to surrender every part of me to Him. So, even if I still struggle in different aspects, I am encouraged to look to Christ instead and find my strength in Him as I improve for Him. He is gracious and faithful and His mercies are new every morning.

After 20 minutes of driving, I finally entered our village. While I was a minute away from our place, I suddenly realized that the car I drove was subject to number coding. I couldn’t believe it. As I parked the car, all I could hear was “Such Grace! Grace… Grace… Grace.” I was so concerned with the other driver’s fault that I failed to see my own careless act of bringing a car out when I wasn’t supposed to.

God humbled my heart and it was only by His grace that I survived today.

It says in Psalm 103:8, 11-12

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love…

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

 

I recently discovered this song by Hawk Nelson through YouTube and it encourages me to get back up again whenever I struggle or make mistakes. Because of His grace, He gives us the strength and desire to choose Him even in the midst of temptations, difficulties, and frustrations.

 


Encourage yourself one tune at a time. :)

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About Me

My name is Nicole Obligacion and I started this blog because I was inspired by Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 3:13. I love to eat, cook, bake, read the Bible, and encourage. :)

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