(Clearwisdom.net) I started cultivating in 2005. I have tried to be diligent in walking the path Master has arranged for me and doing the three things well. I have been involved in many truth-clarification projects. I have been working part time for a newspaper, first as a reporter, and now as an editor. For the most part my path has been smooth.
I’d like to share some of my cultivation experiences at my job this last year. I work as an independent contractor at a local outlet for a small American manufacturing company. I am in the fortunate position of working from an office in my home. I answer customers’ questions and take orders.
Challenges sometimes come up in my work. They can be either customer service-related things, difficulties at our factory, or issues about my income, which can fluctuate quite a bit from month to month, as I am paid by sales commissions, not a fixed salary. I always consider any tribulations as tests arranged by Master and try to stay calm and not think much about them.
A relative of mine from Europe once said to me he would find it very hard to live like I do with no health insurance and no job security. I never saw it that way as I have lived without these things for over 25 years, and always thought that trusting human institutions was an illusion. Now that I am a Dafa practitioner, I know that only by following Dafa—the Great Law of the universe—can I truly be safe.
I find my job very convenient, as working from my home allows me to also do editing work for the newspaper during the day.
When things at work appear not good, I try to take it lightly, stay friendly, and go about my work as usual. I take good care of every detail at work, and never complain about how long it might take. If another sales person takes a sale that seems to belong to me, I think, “What is mine, is mine, and what’s not mine I don’t want.” I then forget about it and go on with my work.
Every Dafa practitioner uses his or her income to clarify the truth. I have financially supported Dafa projects that are in need of funds. I feel that Master has always looked out for my financial well-being, and my income has increased year after year, even when other businesses have had problems after the financial crisis.
I make sure that almost every customer I come in contact with learns the truth about Dafa and the persecution, and most everyone in our company and our main business network knows about Dafa.
Sometimes, when sales are slow at the end of the month, I may have already sent in my donations as usual to Dafa projects. I pay no attention to the decreased income, and often, right after I have sent the checks, several orders may come in. It is just like what Master says about the Celestial Eye, believing comes before seeing.
Last year my boss had marriage problems and was unable to take care of business for several months. Consequently a large check bounced, at which point he told me he could not pay me on time, and he also said that I had to take over his work for an unknown length of time or else we might lose the business.
I told him not to worry and that I would take good care of everything. I also offered him a loan of $10,000, so he could cover the bounced check. He was very grateful and accepted my offer.
I later remembered that, many years ago when I bought my house, he had given me $5,000 to help with the down payment. He said he wanted to contribute to my retirement as I didn’t have any security benefits with my job. I decided I would offer to return the $5,000 to him, since he and his family were now in need of money. I thought that, as a Dafa practitioner, I should demonstrate kindness and generosity. Also, I may have had to give away a lot of de in exchange for that money, so whatever he decided, I would accept it as Master’s arrangement.
My boss couldn’t speak for a while, because he was moved to tears. He then said he would gratefully accept the money. I later went to his office to pick up some things and I gave him a folded paper lotus flower with a bookmark saying, “Falun Dafa is good.” My boss happily took it and placed it on the top of the book shelf in front of his mother’s picture, which to him was the best place in his office.
During the next few months I worked very hard with little rest, taking care of all of the customers' problems. But I also made a lot more money. Eventually my boss’ crisis was resolved, and fortunately his marriage was saved, and he came back to work.
He felt he had to work extra hard to catch up and pay off some debts. As a result my official work hours were cut down to just Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and some other sales channels were also routed to him.
Fear came up inside of me of what would happen to my income, but I firmly dismissed it. I said to myself, “Master takes care of me, and there is nothing to worry about.” Miraculously, orders still came to me and my income stayed at about the usual level. My boss was also making so much money that soon he started letting me answer the phone again on the old schedule. Master was really taking care of me.
Master also arranged for a home refinance that saved me almost $500 per month. Interest rates had been very low for a long time. I once had the thought to refinance my house, but I dismissed the idea because I thought it would take a lot of my time, and I should spend my free time saving sentient beings. I also recalled Master saying we should not do things at will. I thought that perhaps my loan was part of the overall arrangement of my paying off karma, and I should leave it the way it was.
Then, one day, my bank manager called and asked if I wanted to refinance my mortgage. They wanted to make me a better interest rate offer. I told her I was not interested as I had no time to do all the paperwork. She said it wouldn’t take much time. I asked her why they wanted to make me such a good offer and what was the benefit to them? She said they wanted to make sure to keep me as their customer so that I wouldn’t refinance with another bank.
I then agreed to it, as it was the bank’s idea, and it seemed that Master might have arranged it. The paperwork really did go very fast and smoothly. Looking back now, I think this was Master’s way of further providing me financial security.
It always seems that the more I give, the more I get. But it is not that I calculate it that way. I know my giving has to come from the heart and without expectations or attachment to pursuit.
By not being attached to loss or gain, doing the three things well, and firmly trusting in Master and the Fa, I walk the path Master has arranged for me. What Master arranges is always the best.
This is my present understanding. Please let me know if you see anything inappropriate.
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Category: Journeys of Cultivation
