Magnolia!

Near our balcony ( Am on the 3rd floor), we have this huge tree, that is blooming with flowers. The flowers are pure white, and are as big as the size of my palm.

There are hundreds of buds on that tree and nearly every morning, I come to the balcony with the hope of seeing a white tree, full of the pretty white flowers. It's been few weeks, but no. I get to see one or may be 2 white flowers, the rest are happy to remain as buds. Why don't they bloom quickly! I am running out of patience!

Oh yes, they die as quickly as they bloom too, the petal dry sticking to the flower, and get brown like brownies :( It looks sad, but I know, they can't live forever, just as how we can't. And just as each flower blooms at its own time, we all have our own time to bloom in our life! But whenever they do, they are the prettiest bunch ever! Oh am so blessed to see this Magnolia everyday, to remind me!

Seeds along the path

I cross a huge church everyday to work. It has interesting marquee signboards that they keep changing. The latest one read 'Healing the family'. Hundreds of cars go past. It is a busy street. How many people see it. Does that mean anything at all?

Only the sick need the healing. Only those who seek find it. Only those who thirst, need water. For others, it makes no sense as we are Stable, Settled, Satisfied? Insensitive. Sublime? Indifferent? I don't know. Plastic?

Only an empty glass, gets refilled. Only a softened heart, a good soil is ready for seeds to produce crop 30,60,100 folds. Makes me realise, that I need to empty every day, make my heart tender, humble towards God and men. Realise the need of the El Salvador.

Spring!

Rightly named. Looking around, I see everything fresh, the grass, the leaves on the trees. The bare cold winter melting away and life springing forth out of every thing that was brown.

I pass through lot of trees on the way to office, and all I see now is fresh green, bottle green, so bright and clean.. Such beautiful leaves springing up from all trees, that were once so very barren, brown and dead.

The flowers are so wonderful. Red, blue, yellow, orange, the colors seem to be splashed all over the place, as if from an artist's paint brush. Where were these flowers for so long? An overnight miracle? The dead grass, springing forth with fresh bright green grass, now spotted with hundreds of wild flowers all over the place.

Change is beautiful. Yes, I do agree now. Things might look barren, but I know deep inside I have a living Spring. And as long as I draw from it and let it touch all my being, I know I will spring forth with green grass and bright flowers!

I never knew

Well, I've never seen popcorns being made so far. I have seen the Popcorn guy handing it out. I have seen it magically change in the microwave. But today, I got to see it firsthand.

I never knew the kernels were so small. I never knew the heat could bring out so much good out out of them. I never knew they taste awful, without salt!

I have been muling over for sometime.I never know, why I ended up here. I probably would not. But just because I never knew, it dint exist! ..Lesson learnt 1.I may not know the big picture. I may not understand why. But there are things you may not understand at all 'RIGHT NOW' 2. The heat may be painful enough.. But its good.. Popcorns are good. aren't they? And I know my maker wont let it burn..

PS: I made some chappati today for the church potluck. Not just that, I taught how to make them in my pastor's home. The funny side is, I never knew how to make them 2 months back. I learnt it for dad.. I never knew, the big picture!

zib?wqz6

Well, that was the pwd given to me at work in Nov 2007. I was told, I can't change it the first two days. I had to use this pwd for accessing ALL my stuff. I had to write it down, memorise it so that I dint lock my account.

Well, at the end of two days, I had used it for nearly for 50-60 times, that it was imprinted on my memory. Believe it or not, I dint change it for the next 4 months! :D

Now after 2 years, I still remember it.. Knowing my capacity for memory, you know that it is an achievement. Its funny, that certain things stick with us.

Certain things/people look complex and difficult at first.. but then, you get around it.....

Love language

I am with a bunch of friends, who speak different languages. Gujarati, Hindi, Telugu, Haryana. I try to make out what they are trying to say, and end up having no clue. Today, I laughed when everyone laughed, and even ventured to interpret what they said. Everyone had a good ribtickling laughter, as they heard my interpretation. I was badly, madly, entirely wrong!

Talking of different language, Mike said about 'Love Language'. This is unique for every one in the planet. How you show your love,to the one you love. One may show love by buying a gift, or doing some chores, or hugging, or spending time, a caring, understanding or encouraging word, or cooking.

And here comes the tough part. To show love, you need to speak the love language of the other person you love. Else it will be like Greek to the other person, and Hindi to the other.

What language do u speak to your mom, dad, brothers, sisters, loved ones, friends? Yours or theirs??

Chaos

Apart from the shock of seeing a well planned cold blooded murder, by a known very ' righteous' man , it was amazing to see it recorded blatantly in the Bible. Uriah and David. Though being a king, who has right to kill anyone, anytime, the incident was not hidden, not justified. Not excused.

Well, reading it I felt bad for Uriah. Here was a dedicated guy, who says he wont go home, when the army and the tabernacle is out in the battle. One who obeys immediately and even carries his own death sentence!! Wuf... David repented, that's true, but Uriah dint know that. What if David meets Uriah(In heaven). How would he explain himself?

It will be utter chaos in heaven, if one is not reconciled, even if he repents. Reconciliation to the one, to whom we had done wrong. Apologising, accepting and setting our relationships right is as important as repenting to God. David dint get a chance. Do you?

2 Samuel 11

Worst case scenarios

I've made a habit of cooking it up. Say I call someone, and nobody picks up, it could either be
1. the person is not interested in talking, the person ignores my call. No return calls, or remorse for a missed call. Too busy with more important things.
2. The battery was down. or The phone was in the other room. The phone was in silent mode. There is some problem with the phone. Was in a middle of an important meeting or call.There was no signal. or worst case, the phone was stolen.

We always think. But if we train ourself to justify the other person action as in point 2, it is a sea of difference. We can apply this daily to any situations when someone is late, someone hasn't replied your emails, messages, calls, or be it someone did not return your smile, or 'good morning'. Saves a lot of disappointments.

I've practiced it for few years now, and am still learning. Couple of us go to work in car pool. My friend, whom I have known for nearly 2 yrs, is ALWAYS punctual. When I say punctual, he is dot on time. Not a minute late. For him, 1 minute late is VERY late. Being the opposite, I have learnt to be early most of the time when going with him. In all these days, only once he was late. Just once. For 30 mins. It was cold windy day. Standing in the parking lot, I lost all my nerve. I was mad. Had I put into practice my WCS theory, I could have kept my cool. Well, his boss had called and he couldn't inform he was late. But the anger that boiled inside me was so enormous and though it had a lid on it.. I don't think it was worth it. WCS theory... I guess I still have a long way to go.

Finaly it drills down to this secret. To expect from God and not on men.

I hate cooking!

Just like my mom. Yes, you heard it right. The first time she ever cooked, was after marriage, when she made upuma without salt. Dad always exclaims, wonderful, marvelous to whatever you cook, and that turned her into a marvelous cook, I had ever known.

Mom cooks quick and tasty. Her idlis,sambar, chicken, putu, biriyani, paayasam.. whew they were mouth watering. I started cooking, for the love of mom. I loved to surprise her. She sure was surprised, by my burnt rice, burnt chicken, burnt milk ( oh yeah) and burnt everything. Ask my brothers, they even have a name for all my messed up food.

As I look back, its been 12 yrs of my stint with kitchen! I cook the essentials. I had resolved only to cook for mom.. But these days I cook for dad. Nothing beats the happiness you get, when you get nothing to eat( no leftovers), since it tasted so good! :) My friend says you can leave everything, anything, do anything, for the love of your life! How lovely!

Huh, now it makes me wonder, what I do for 'THE love' of my life? The least I can do is spend some quiet time every morning.. For all the things he has done for me... and to know that all he asked for was one tenth.. yickes.. that means 2.4hrs/day :(

Sea of faces!

The place where I work houses nearly 9000 employees. Unfortunately, everytime I have to reach my building, I have to cross the Food Court. Lunch time can be so overwhelming. The place is so loud and overflowing, that you wish no one was there.

It is quite irritating. But these days, I just let myself loose into the crowd. The sea of faces I see all around me. Lean face, Stout face, square, oval. Bushy eyebrows, thin, scanty ones. Eyes that seek, speak, eyes that are lifeless. Long straight nose,blunt small ones. Scowling face, smiling and frowning ones or plain blank ones. Tall ones, short ones. differently abled folks. Short hair, curly and straight ones.

Such a variety of faces, and definitely distinct behavior and voices! Strange, how not one of them resemble another. All are so very different! Yet we are, so oblivious of that fact, and move around like machines, trying to avoid eachother with a straight face! Nowadays, I dont get irritated, it leaves me in awe, at how amazing we have all been created!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made!