Weekly Reflection (6 Sept – 17 Sept 2025)
The past ten days have been a mixture of job search intensity, community commitments, family life, and church fellowship. Writing this reflection helps me trace the threads together — to see how each area, in its own way, is shaping me.
過去十天充滿了求職的緊張、社區的參與、家庭的點滴，還有教會的團契。寫下這些反思，讓我看到各方面之間的連繫 —— 每一部分都在塑造我。
Career & Job Search
I put steady effort into applications this week, tailoring my CV for roles at Barings, BCG, NTT DATA, Robert Walters, and Capgemini. Some of these roles stretch me to reframe my experience — especially around governance frameworks and product ownership. The Amex interview reflections are still fresh in my mind; I’m learning that when interviewers recap or expand on my answers, it’s not a signal that I failed, but a chance to engage further and show flexibility.
I also thought about the UK job market for accountants after helping a friend explore returner options. It reminded me again how competitive things are, and how much emphasis employers place on recent, directly relevant experience — something I’ve also been wrestling with in my own search.
職涯與求職
這個星期我繼續努力投遞申請，調整履歷去配合 Barings、BCG、NTT DATA、Robert Walters、Capgemini 等公司的職位。有些崗位挑戰我需要重新定位自己的經驗，特別是在治理框架和產品管理方面。對 Amex 面試的反思仍然歷歷在目，我學到當面試官重述或補充我的回答時，不一定代表我答得不好，而是給我一個機會去延伸對話，表現出彈性。
同時，我亦幫朋友研究會計師重返職場的選項，讓我再次體會到英國職場競爭激烈，僱主很看重最近、直接相關的經驗 —— 這也是我自己在求職過程中面對的挑戰。
Community Engagement
Freshwater Foundation work continued with a number of calls and preparations: Heston in the Community, Food with Love, and Elevate Community Productions. Each group has different needs — some seek grants, others sponsorship, others guidance on structure. I’ve been reflecting on my role as a “catalyst” rather than a fixer, and how to keep the first calls focused on discovery, not qualification. Mark’s style often comes to mind as a benchmark.
社區參與
在 Freshwater Foundation 的工作仍在繼續，包括與 Heston in the Community、Food with Love 和 Elevate Community Productions 的多個會議和準備。每個團體的需要都不一樣 —— 有些尋求資助，有些希望找贊助，亦有些需要架構上的指導。我反思自己更應該像一個「催化劑」而不是解決者，第一次會談應該專注在探索，而不是急於判斷。Mark 的帶領方式常常成為我的參考。
Family & Personal Life
On the family side, there have been lighter but meaningful moments: checking school matters, advising my wife how to use AI to prepare bible classes, and trimming the garden tree became a small but satisfying project too.
I’m also very happy that my son has joined some inter-school chess competitions. It’s encouraging to see him stepping out, not only enjoying the game but also representing himself and his school in a wider arena. These small steps of growth remind me how important it is to support and celebrate each stage of our children’s journey.
I’ve also been thinking about how to better communicate with my parents’ generation — especially around faith. Understanding the worldview (“三觀”) of the older generation is not easy, but it’s an important step for me as I consider how to share the gospel with my family overseas.
家庭與生活
在家庭方面，有一些輕鬆卻很有意義的時刻：處理孩子學校的事情、指導太太如何用 AI 準備聖經課堂，以及修剪花園的樹木 —— 這些都帶來一份簡單的滿足感。
我特別開心的是，兒子參加了校際象棋比賽。他不單止享受下棋的樂趣，還踏出一步，代表自己和學校在更大的平台上比賽。這些小小的成長步伐提醒我，要用心支持和欣賞孩子生命中的每個階段。
另外，我也常常思考如何與父母那一代更好地溝通，尤其是在信仰方面。明白上一代的「三觀」並不容易，但這是我必須走的一步，好讓我能夠更有效地與家人分享福音。
Faith & Church
This period also involved preparing for church service on 28 Sept — drafting the order of service, selecting hymns, checking copyright issues, and preparing WhatsApp messages.
Another area on my mind has been our church website. I’ve started thinking about how to bring in more people to help with the revamp — not just to spread the workload, but also to build shared ownership. Beyond the technical side, I see this as a ministry opportunity: training others, giving them a chance to serve, and making sure the church has a sustainable way to manage content and costs in the long run.
Last Saturday, we also hosted a cell group gathering at my home, with 16 people joining. We sang hymns together and shared a time of prayer. It was a very special moment for me — not just for the fellowship, but for the sense of God’s presence in our midst.
信仰與教會
這段時間我也在準備 9 月 28 日的教會崇拜 —— 安排程序、選詩歌、處理版權事宜，以及準備 WhatsApp message。
另一件在我心裡的事是教會網站。我開始思考如何邀請更多弟兄姊妹參與改版，不只是分擔工作，還能建立共同的歸屬感。除了技術層面之外，我更看見這是一個事奉的機會：訓練他人、給予服事的空間，並確保教會能有長遠而可持續的網站管理模式。
上星期六，我家亦舉辦了一次細胞小組聚會，有 16 位弟兄姊妹參加。我們一起唱詩歌、一起禱告。這一刻對我非常珍貴 —— 不單是因為團契，更因為真切感受到神的同在。
Personal Growth
One area I keep revisiting is my communication style. From job interviews to community meetings, I notice my tendency to over-explain or use filler words. I’ve been practicing more concise “soundbites” and smoother English phrasing. Even small things, like how to express myself politely in calls, have become learning opportunities.
個人成長
我不斷反思自己的表達方式。無論是面試還是社區會議，我常常有解釋過多或使用語氣詞的習慣。我一直在練習更簡潔的「重點句」，以及更流暢的英文表達。就連一些細節，例如如何在電話裡更有禮貌地表達，也成為我的學習機會。
Closing Thoughts
Looking back, this period has been busy but fruitful. I’m learning to juggle career pressures, community roles, family needs, and spiritual service — and to see them not as competing demands, but as interconnected parts of my journey. My prayer is to stay faithful in small things, courageous in bigger steps, and attentive to God’s quiet presence in the midst of it all.
總結
回望這段日子，雖然忙碌，但也很充實。我在學習如何兼顧職涯、社區、家庭和教會的不同角色，並且看到它們並不是互相競爭，而是共同組成我成長旅程的一部分。我的禱告是：在小事上忠心，在大事上勇敢，並在一切當中聆聽神那微小卻真實的聲音。
(Prepared by AI and edited by Jeff on 23/Sep/2025)
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