PrieFiks Dinner and Event Planning Services

Jeffrey Cho is a master of business administration graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A consultant with Accenture in Chicago and a former underwriter with The Warranty Group, Jeffrey Cho is also the founder of PrieFiks.

Hosting a dinner event can be a stressful ordeal, particularly if it requires hosts and hostesses to move from the comfortable familiarity of their own home and place some degree of responsibility in the hands of a restaurant staff. Fortunately, individuals can take a few simple steps to ensure their dinner goes off without a hitch, starting with contacting PrieFiks personalized dining services.

The PrieFiks system can be broken down into four basic steps. After contacting PrieFiks and providing information regarding the event, the organization will immediately contact the preferred restaurant and begin planning the menu. As the event draws near, PrieFiks handles all aspects of logistics and payment. Finally, event hosts and their guests can enjoy a seamless dinner event without worrying about ordering food or paying. For more information on PrieFiks services or to begin planning an event, visit www.priefiks.com.

2016 Election - Reflections

These are not my words, but I fully agree with them.  Our country was not united for the election of any president in my lifetime.  For half the country, every time a winner was declared, they had to look forward with hope taken with a grain of salt.  This election is no different.  Leaders need their country as much as a country needs their leaders.  I have re-posted what I believe to be the correct perspective about our situation.  Cheers.

Was it a sigh of relief? Were they groans of disgust? Mixed emotions pervaded the air. The city streets are still noisy with shouts of ‘He’s not my President!’ or ‘Lock her up!’ People sneering at one another! But in a small church in Chicago, the faithful will gather to give thanks to the Lord.

WE VOTED OUR CONSCIENCE
We are thankful that even though ballots were cast for different candidates, we still respected each other’s right to exercise our freedom to vote. Our genuine love and respect for one another remained.

We knew that both main candidates are gravely flawed. They are humans just as we all are after all! Though they found his character distasteful, those who voted for the now President elect Trump did so despite his persona to support conservative principles often associated with the GOP. Those who voted for Clinton ignored all the scandals associated with the family, focusing instead on issues of immigration and minority struggles. Others who disliked both of them, voted either for a third party candidate or none at all. Whichever way we voted, we conceded and respected each other’s personal convictions.

It was not ‘unChristian’ to vote one way or the other. It did not make my brother a racist because he voted for Trump. Nor, did it make my sister a liar and crook because she voted for Clinton. Each one exercised their right to vote so that their voices can be heard and their convictions counted in shaping the future of our beloved country. There was mutual respect for one another as we voted our conscience!

WE WILL PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS
We vowed that whatever the outcome and no matter how we feel about it, we would commit ourselves to honor, pray for, and respect all of our political leaders. I remembered sharing to the congregation during the 2008 and 2012 elections the same Scriptures below.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Peter 2:17 - Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Mark 12:17 - Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

With differing persuasions, we all prayed for President Obama. Let us now pray for President elect Trump to lead our nation towards peace and justice. In as much as President Obama deserves no more support simply because he is black, President Trump does not deserve any less because he is white. Both President Obama and President elect Trump are our presidents through a democratic process. Let us ask the Lord to remove the bitterness, divisiveness and pride in our hearts and start the process of uniting our nation. Until he starts leading, we don’t know how President elect Trump would govern. But the one thing we do know is that God is in control and He alone holds the future and has the power to change hearts.

WE WILL DO JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY
We live in a world where lawlessness, corruption and racism are rampant. We are confronted with disputes where life seems no longer matter, whether black, yellow, white, brown, or the unborn. Religious persecutions are going on in various parts of the world. Our church is deeply concerned about the status of our society. However, we are encouraged by what God is doing in our midst. We are presented with information at our fingertips, most especially in the social media where we read passionate remarks and opinions being posted. People are looking for answers! Those of us who choose to use social media to provide answers or comments have a grave responsibility to do so in a way that would give hope to the people and value individual differences. Our words can have the power to further divide or promote unity. Especially as Christians, we should respond not with an attitude of superiority nor with curses and insults! Instead, we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to love our neighbors whether they agree or disagree. We respond not merely in words but in deeds of kindness and generosity as well.

The answer to people’s fears and insecurities transcends politics! The answer lies in the love of Christ in us and through us. We are but channels of His love that heals the broken-hearted. Did He not say what He requires of us? “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

As we humble ourselves before God, let us be encouraged because we have a better opportunity to minister to the people and proclaim a God who is greater than all the political powers in Washington, DC!

WE WILL PUT OUR TRUST IN A SOVEREIGN GOD!
As a church, let us keep doing the Great Commission given us. Let us continue in preaching the Word! Let us continue reaching out to people with the love of Christ!

We do not put our trust in presidents nor kings but we put our trust in a Sovereign God who is in control yesterday, today and tomorrow! We will put our trust in a Sovereign God who transforms lives and who makes all things possible according to His will! Indeed, what made the election less difficult to process is the fact that we did not vote President elect Trump or Clinton for the position of Savior. We already voted Jesus for that position! Unlike presidents with limited tenures, He is here permanently elected in our lives with a platform founded on unconditional love and forgiveness.

May we humble ourselves before the Lord and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways that He will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our divided nation! (2 Chronicles 7:14)

To God be the glory!

Is this a pro-health initiative? It could be a pro-profit initiative in disguise.

Bloomberg reported today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ordered up new nutrition labels that will list not just how much sugar is inside, but whether that sugar was naturally occurring or added later.  Initially, this seems like a great thing.  When we purchase a granola bar with fruits and nuts, we will be able to discern see how much sugar was naturally in the dried fruits versus how much sugar was added after the fact to make the bar.  We would also be able to see that although an apple has the same amount of sugar as a candy bar, that the apple has all natural sugar versus all added sugar.

There was a prediction made by health advocates that this legally mandated disclosure would be followed by companies offering less-sugary foods; they were correct.  One well known company, Kind, has already introduced well-advertised, less-sweet fruit and nut bars in response to this new initiative.  It is likely that other companies will follow shortly, especially ones that have built their brand and reputation on being healthy or healthier than their alternatives.

But, is this really an initiative that helps consumers make better choices?  This does not provide any new news.  There are numerous studies out there that blatantly state any sugar is still sugar, regardless if its natural, raw, or refined.  Those same reports inform consumers that a apple, for example, still has a lot of sugar, although natural, and individuals that are focusing on sugar-less or minimum sugar diets should still avoid apples.  (We can debate this claim of course - it is an entirely different, debatable topic.)  In this same example, consumers should know that any food bar has added sugar which is obviously not natural.  So from the consumer end, maybe seeing it on the label will finally prompt smarter choices.

However, the untold truth here is that most consumers are blissfully satisfied with what is marketed instead of doing their own careful research. When the products that they've always purchased (regardless of whether they are healthy or unhealthy, full of sugar or not) will now push a campaign to advertise a new version that has less or reduced sugar, some consumers could very well eat more.  The result I foresee is that the consumers that didn't care before, still will not care.  The consumers that cared before and didn't buy may now purchase the newer, healthier product.  The consumers that cared before but still bought anyway will still buy and perhaps buy more.  In considering that there is less sugar (less cost), sales and profits could very likely increase for these companies as a result.

This is most likely not the intention of the FDA, but instead, a very likely outcome.

Attitude Creates Reality

I came across this poem, written by a student in high school, and I couldn’t help but be amazed at that individual’s wisdom. I think this is something we can all take to heart:

Today was the absolute worst day ever 
And don't try to convince me that 
There's something good in every day 
Because, when you take a closer look, 
This world is a pretty evil place. 
Even if 
Some goodness does shine through once in a while 
Satisfaction and happiness don't last. 
And it's not true that 
It's all in the mind and heart 
Because 
True happiness can be obtained 
Only if one's surroundings are good 
It's not true that good exists 
I'm sure you can agree that 
The reality 
Creates 
My attitude 
It's all beyond my control 
And you'll never in a million years hear me say that 
Today was a good day 

Now, read from bottom to top.

Are Management Rings Really Necessary?

Here is an article from Huffington Post on this matter: Link.

A friend of mine approached me today, asking me if I knew anything about management rings.  I will admit, at first, I had no idea what he was talking about!  After some brief research, it is to show equity in pre-commitment, commitment.  That concept sounds funny, but it does make a whole bit of sense. 

For the commitment of an engagement, it now allows both sides to signal to the marketplace that they are no longer available.  The rings provide equality whereas before there was no real exhibition from one side of the table.

There is also the equality of investment.  With the introduction of these rings, the onus of financial commitment to an engagement no longer solely rests on the shoulders of one party, but both.  Furthermore, perhaps with dual-investment, people can finally realize that it is not the size of the "diamond" but the meaning behind the ring that is important! 

Perhaps not, but then we come to the real winners of the new introduction of management rings... the jewelry companies!  They get to sell another ring now.  All kidding aside, the new idea has merit - but will it catch on?  Only time will tell.