Bike or car

 The first cycle I had was not girlish. It was a brand new cycle. Unlike what my brother's had. They had big boring cycle. And I don't think they were new. But I got a red flashy bold bike. The tyres were very very thick. So it made it lil harder. More friction?

Then I moved on to a small scooty.  It was small, handy and quick. Loved the air on my face. Zipped up and down instead of the cycle. I don't remember wearing a helmet. Then at my brother's recommendations we got the access 125. Big, bulky and swift. 

Looking back, can't believe it's been 8 years with my access 125. Dependable and trustworthy. Still love it. It seems to have a mind of its own and drag me into the wind. 

Well, it must have been 2002 when I got my 2 wheeler license. And how my mom.insosted and pestered and forced me to get a 4 wheeler license  as well. We never owned a car then. And the driving classes were early mornings. But at my mom's insistence I did take it. I only remember driving a 8. Car I don't think I did.

My other memory of driving tests was in Houston.. where I failed repeatedly. I drove Judy's car. And I don't remember who else. But it was hard. The parallel parking and all.

Back in 2007 my mom's repeated trip to cmc on rental car made us think of getting a new car. And so Getzie was born. October 2027. Handsome and cute Getzie was swift and tough. I have few memories of riding it. Once with mom and getting stuck in the middle of the road. Lol. But it was my bro who rode for few years in Getzie. When clari was born and I realised taking a new born in bike isn't that good, I thought of trying out our old car. Still remember Praveen giving me  crash course on reverse. Getzie had lot of bruises in her body, thanks to my adventurous driving. God saved me from  many a fatal accidents.  And in 2025 , the faithful getzie had to be let go. 

In Jan 2025, we got Exty. It was God's grace., and still is. As I look back, I can't thank god enough for how he held me under his wings. And also how my mom's determination has helped me all these years to not worry of how or what. Road very to God. 

not a scratch...

It started when sil asked when i last got tt. Me and my fish brain memory cantbrecollect. 

Made me think of when I had trouble and God healed, rescued me. So here's a way of keeping check of my countless miracles and blessings under his wings.   

Jan 2024 was sick with pneumonia.  Was admitted in hospital for 5 days with iv antibiotics,  as antibiotics for more than 3 wèks did not make cough go away.

May 2025. Bad knees. Unable to walk.( shifting to new house in udayam grande) Physio for 5 days. I thought I could never kneel down to pray. But God healed me.

July 2025 hot Puttur water on my right arm. Took 2-3 weeks for new skin to come .

Had a bad cough cold. Had to take nebuliser for 14 days. In nov,December 2025

Steel splinter in right finger in August 2025.

Injured left big toe 18 Feb 2026

Terrible proj. In 2nd shift since May 2025 till date March 2026. 

Salty Or tasty

It's been ages, since we had a thought provoking interesting conversation. My brother's prayer Or talk, his behavior always teaches something and though it is slow and  difficult to understand I got it! 

So here it is. 

The conversation was around the flag hoisting in every house. He said Salt is invisible and supposed to be invisible. If we want it to be prominent, it becomes salty. And fit to be thrown away.  People wanted to crown Jesus. They wanted him to be  king. But he was already king. 

This was a conversation  2-3 years back and I had it drafted and never posted. This salt nugget though has often reminded me when. I feel invisible and unworthy. I don't have to be seen. I need to be tasty. Spread the fragrance. It is such a relief. And a comfort to know, God wants us as  salt. Not as a monument  or some big achiever. Too much salt qould spoil anyway! Wherever you are. Whatever you do. However you are. Just be the salt. In just the right amount. That's all!

Savor the time

More than 11 years back, I remember  walking into the hall to see my bro carryon rhe then 1 year old niece in his arms, for a pretty long time.she was dast asleep. I said she's too big, why don't you put her down! 

He replied, with a nod as he always does. This is the age, when you can carry them in your arms. One day they'll be big and you just can't lift them up.  To me a tired mom, all night with a lil baby, this wasn't fancy. I was just waiting for my baby to grow up quick and stand on her legs. It did not make sense to me now. But it does now. With my 3 girls,  its didficult to carry the youngest foe more than 30 secs. 

Today, I saw him leave his busy meetings and take my girls to school.. and boy were they pampered and hyper excited. They were giggling and beaming. He's their favorite  mama handsdown. Even if he spends 15 mins, it was the entire 15 mins of the universe. 

He told me later, that these years are only for couple of years, then they will not be as attached, showing the love or care, they would even forget it all. I look back and can't remember a thing. He was right. Savor it. before it flees.

I thank God for a bro who walks his talks. 

God in the center of your life.

My bro prem seeing me being busy bee in back to back and no time to talk, stopped me. 

He said keep God in the centre of your everything.   While walking. While talking. While in meeting.  While getting up. In everything.  Cast your burdens on him and be free. 

He is a marathon runner. And while playing soccer with his son Adam, he fell twice. A bad fall. He flew stretched out. His glasses were found at a distance. He had scrapped elbow. He felt he was carried gently. no broken bones. He wanted to see if his fall was captured in any cc camera. But couldn't. He said it was very evident that had I not been with the Lord, I would have broken multiple bones. It was grace that kept him safe.

So he said. Keep God in the center of whatever you are doing. While walking from one room to another. While talking to your team. Let him be with you. He opened the Bible to Exodus 3 where God says to Moses, is it not I who made the mouth. The blind and the one who can see. I will put words in your mouth. Meaning when we walk with him. His words are in our mouth. He talks through us.

The difference

Written in 2011, to my friends in Westend Baptist church, Houston.

Dear Westenders,

I did not expect this to be such a long mail, but it ended up to be one! So read it when you have time!

For those who wondered what India is like, this is a lil sneak view of the other side of the world.  I wrote this over past few months. ( Btw, it is entirely my point of view, what I saw, and what I felt/feel.  ) READ DISCLAIMER. So please don’t forward this to your friends. I wanted to send this before I left, but dint get to do it.  This is just for your reading and a good laugh perhaps!

DISCLAIMER:  It cannot be collectively said as ‘Indian experience’, but only as ‘Beulah’s experience’.  India is wide and so different in culture, language and everything among itself. So it may or may not agree to other Indians’ opinion.

So what’s the big difference?

 

Houses

Ø    We don’t have centralized ac's in our homes. I have never seen one in India. Normally only the bedrooms have split ac's, which are individual units that cool only the room they are fixed in. Not all houses have this luxury!

Ø   And ofcourse, we need no heaters!

Ø    Our houses are not carpeted. The flooring is mosaic, tile or marble.  We don't have wooden floors either.

Ø    Houses are made of brick and cement. Wood is only for doors and windows.

Ø    We normaly don’t have 2 faucets for hot and cold water. Bathrooms are fitted with water heaters, which can be turned on to heat the water. Hot water will come out of the hot water faucet only when the heater is turned on. 

Ø    We don’t have bathtubs. we either shower, or fill water in a bucket and use it.  (There is water shortage ALL the time, so water is spent very carefully. )

Ø  No Toilet papers. No bidets.  There would be a water hose or a bucket and a mug.

Ø    Most houses have a well in the backyard. Or a borewell, and the water is pumped by a motor to an overhead tank. This water is used for washing/cleaning. Drinking water is either bought at store or used from the water line that the government had laid. ( We have heavy water shortage during summer, and water is a precious commodity which is hoarded)

Ø    We don’t wear shoes inside the house. In most traditional houses in India, it is even a disrespect for guests to wear footwear inside the house. They should be left near the front door. ( people can use house slippers).

Ø    Each room will have a fan, but the fans do not all have lights. The ones with lights are merely ornamental. 

Ø    Dim lighting is only for hotel dining rooms. Almost every house in India is brightly lit with long and powerful tubelights in every room.

Ø    Each house will have a minimum 1-2 motorbikes.

Ø    Owning a car ( 1 per house) used to be a luxury in itself, but nowadays, many families have a car. still, every single person does not own their own car.

Ø  I have never seen a garage in India. Cars are parked inside the front porch, which are probably called as ‘carshed’

Ø  By the way, nobody uses terms like ‘yard’– back yard, front yard , patio or porch.   The only term I have heard is ‘balcony’, garden.

    

Kitchen

Ø  Electric stoves are extremely rare. The most prevalent are LPG Gas stoves. The gas comes in cylinders which a gas delivery guy drops at your home, when you order for it. Many lower-class houses do not have gas stoves at all. they use what are called kerosene stoves. 

Ø  We have stainless steel utensils, and not just dishes. In fact, pewter and china are used when there is company. We have nonstick pans.

Ø  Dish washers are another rarity in India. I have seen only 1rich house have it!

Ø  Most people in India have maids who come in and clean the house, do the dishes and wash the clothes everyday. Maids are not hard to find, although it is getting increasingly harder now. 

We pay our maid Rs 1500 equivalent to $33 per month! ( for cleaning house, washing, and cooking)

Ø  No homes have oven. Baking is not a common thing. Only those who really are interested in making cakes bake using microwave oven. 

Ø  We use the right hand to eat. Left hand is considered dirty.

Ø  We don’t normally use a fork, unless we are eating noodles.  A spoon is used if you have cut your finger and can't eat with your hands.

Ø  We don't have kitchen rolls. There will probably be a small wash cloth hanging over the sink for you to wipe your hands after you wash them.

Ø  Ziploc bags, aluminium foil wraps  are not as commonly used as here.

Ø  Milk is never in a can. It is fresh milk,delivered by the cowherd in person, or it is packeted the day before and delivered to the house every morning. 

 

Roads

Ø  We don’t have as many lanes. 

Ø  We don’t have yield signs.

Ø  We have right-hand driving that means we are on the left side of the road.  No free left or right turns. 

Ø  We have bikes ( which we call cycle- for bicycle), bikes ( which are motorbikes), autos ( 3wheeler for taking people on short distance), taxis( long distance), buses, trains ( trains have 10-12 compartments of which 2 compartments are air-conditioned ). A train  can carry more than 1000 people at a time.  It is too long.

Ø  ‘ Autos’ are 3 wheelers which carry people, they are like mini taxis, which can carry 2 easily. 

Ø  80Km per hour is the maximum speed limit, even in highways.  ( ie 49 miles/hour)

Ø  There are 25% of motorbikes, 25% cars , 20% buses, 10% autos, 10%  trucks.

Ø  It is common to see stray dogs in neighbourhood streets. Very common to see a cow or a buffalo sleeping or walking in the street.

Ø  Common to see old people and street urchin on the roads.  They eat and sleep there.

Ø  All cars are much much smaller than what I saw in Houston.  Small cars, that fit our roads, and easy to park and push through the crowd.  I have not seen any trucks ( like that of daniel’s old truck)

Ø  Motorbikes are not the fancy ones, but these can carry 2 people around. This is the most common and easy way to travel in the crowded street.

Ø  Helmets and seatbelts are not used.  No body follows rules anyway!

Ø  We have a strict rule against using cellphone while driving though!

Ø  Bribe works wonders! You have to bribe to get anything done. You have to even bribe the garbage guy to take your garbage too!

 

Buses

Ø  Every bus has a bus conductor, who gives your tickets, depending on where you got in, and where you want to go.  5 years back, he would have a stack of different tickets, but now they have an electronic machine, which gives a paper ticket. We don't use rechargeable metro cards.  ( and not the flat rate $1.25 however you travel )

Ø  Only 20% of the buses in India are air conditioned.

Ø  Men sit on the right side of the bus. Women on the left. ( it is marked in red above the seats) You have seats dedicated for the disabled and the aged, and pregnant women.

Ø  Most buses don’t have doors.It is so crowded that people hang outside.

Ø  We have double decker buses, and vestibule ones( double the length).

Ø  Unlike here, where you only have one bus for a route, and most buses don't cross routes, in India, almost every route has two or more buses, and more often than not, bus routes criss cross a lot, which makes taking a bus a lot easier.

Others

Ø  Swimming pools are for teaching swimming I guess. ( I haven’t seen one . may be the rich have it!)

Ø  We have the longest beach in our city. There are HUGE waves on the seashore. I have seen men swim there. Women just wet their legs.  Beaches are crowded.   No one wears swim suit. People are dressed for a normal day.  ( I had seen only swim suits on tv before)

Ø  People mostly wear cotton clothes as it is summer all year! Even though it is hot people were clothes that cover them up. ( may  be to avoid heat burn! )

Ø  Mosquitoes are common all year round.

Ø  No concept of dating!

Ø  I have not seen ‘made in China’ materials as much as I saw in Houston, in India.

 

Groceries

Ø  We don’t call ‘grocery’ shopping. 

Ø  We don’t have supermarkets as big as Kroger or walmart.  They are smaller supermarkets and are very less in number.

Ø  In a normal grocery store, (one for almost every street) you stand at the counter and ask for what you need. The grocer will pick it off the shelf and hand it to you. they even weigh the vegetables themselves and hand it to you in a bag.  

Ø  There are separate shops for each.  You get fish in Fish shop, Chicken in another, Goat/ beef in another shop.  Vegetables in one shop, Clothing in another. Footwear, gift, Furniture, pharmacy, books, electronics, all in separate shops.  Nothing like ‘everything under the sun’ as Walmart or even Kroger or HEB or even Walgreens!  They strictly stick to what they are known for.

Ø  A grocery bag is usually 1 bag that you take. Unlike here, where you have multiple bags ( probably because u have a cart to pull thru and a car to carry it home). 

Ø  There are what is called street vendors - people who bring you vegetables, books, toys, nuts and fish, pushing a cart through the streets. most housewives buy from these vendors at their own doorsteps.

Ø  Bread is eaten only when you are sick. Bread/jam is a sick person’s food!

Ø  Cheese is not used in our food regularly. Ghee and butter are used for cooking and on bread.

Ø  Canned and frozen food are not used. ( I have not heard of them)

Ø  Everything is freshly bought, and consumed. Leftovers are rare, and are mostly discarded. Most cooking is on a daily basis.

 

Restaurants

Ø  ‘Restaurants’ are the fancy ones. The local restaurants go by name ‘hotel’ – just a place to eat – and not to stay.

Ø  The fancy ones provide you with spoons. The hotels will provide spoons if you ask for one.

Ø  A cheap meal will be less than Rs 20/-  A good meal will range from Rs.30-60. Very costly meal is Rs. 80 above.  $1 = Rs45. You can do the Math.

Ø  You can get good coffee for Rs 4.  Fancy restaurants may cost you Rs 10.

 

Cost of Living

Ø  There is no minimum wage concept in India.

Ø  I spend probably $1-2 for an entire day.  my commute/breakfast and Lunch.  My commute  from home to office includes – 2 buses and a train. ( Last year I started using car pool!- which costs me 10-15$ per month for travel)

 

Food

Ø  No Hot dogs, pies, marshmellows. No canned food. No frozen food.

Ø  Chicken, and mutton ( not lamb, but goat) are the most common and used meat. Beef and pig meat are available too. Turkey is not that common.

Ø  Ofcoz, Fish is very common.  You get fresh fish from the market. You can pay to get it cleaned.  But once you get home, you still have to clean it thrice to get rid of the waste. ( Not like what you get in Kroger! I have never seen any fish without bones in india!)

Ø  In South India, for lunch and dinner, rice is the base of the meal. Vegetables and/or meat are made as kulambu /curry (of consistency like stew) and poured over the rice to eat. 

Ø  You drink hot coffee and hot tea or hot milk. 

Ø  We don’t have so much variety of chocolates ( that I saw in Houston) We have few chocolates, and lot of sweets.  Sweets are stuff mostly made of milk and milk products. – sugar, cashew nut and you get them in sweet shops.

 

 

Some mixed up terms.

Following are some terms that we use, which are used differently there.

Ø    Petrol not gas

Ø    Tap not faucets

Ø    Vessels/utensils not dishes

Ø    Biscuits not cookies

Ø    Curd not yogurt.

Ø    Slippers not flipflops

Ø    Cycles not bikes.

Ø    Bikes not motorbikes.

Ø    Hotels not restaurant.

Ø    Lorry not truck.

Ø  Dress not clothes.  ( both words are interchangeably used)

Ø  Metric system is used. So miles and gallons or pounds is unheard of. I had tough time converting them!

 

Climate.

Ø    Lowest temperature is 60F in Dec/January

Ø    and Highest temperature is 114F in May.

Ø  No Spring, Autumn or Winter. Its only summer!( In my city, with humidity 97%  

Ø  Not much greenery, because water is always a shortage. People do have small gardens.   

Ø  I haven’t seen so much flowers in Chennai.

Ø  Jasmine and rose are common. Women thread jasmine into strings and clip it in their long hair.

Ø  People apply coconut oil in hair. Considered to help hair grow, and cool you down, and give you dark hair. 

 

 

 Population

Ø    US - 307,006,550

Ø    India - 1,155,347,678  ( 1.15 billion) ( China is 1.33 billion)

 

Area of Land

Ø    US - 9,826,630 km2

Ø    India - 2,973,190 km2    ( China 9,326,000 km2 )

 

So India is 3 times the population of US, in an area 3 times smaller than US!!!

So now you know, how crowded our city can get!

 

Read here to know more about my City

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston

 

 

kannamoochi

Today after the keyboard class the cm girls wanted to play at Joel's home. They always did. Thr reason the girls go eagerly foe class is to play and to eat priscy's snack. 

And usually I am never with them so I never get to see what they do. But today I waited with them to pick them up.  It was fun seeing them play. And the girl in me wanted to play so I volunteered to catch. It was a medium sized room. 6 kids. That should be such an easy catch. Or so I thought. My eyes were tied up and i was swirled into the world of darkness....this is how the blind folks feel....

The girls were yelling. Clapping. screaming. More importantly they were swift. And un find able! It wad fun. And I thank God for helping me to play with the lil ones today. 

thaanguvaen

We were talking about how our 80+ aunt had a fall and gotten 20 stitches from her forehead to the back. Thankfully my anni had been with her to quickly get an ambulance to the hospital before much blood loss.

It gave me a knot on my stomach, as dad,83+  has been staying alone in our old house. Though he's just 2 houses away, he stays alone most of the time and comes home only for dinner and family prayer which is about say 1-2hrs. Though we had moved to a  bigger house to make him comfortable,  he remained back,wanting probably some peace without our brats at home. 

Looking at my worried face, he said do you know that I fell last Thursday.  Dec 4. He had left by train to kalakurichi on Dec5 night. My jaws dropped. How . When where. My brother on botim was also am sure at loss of words.  He didn't say anything before. 

Dad said he usually wakes around 2 am for a potty trip. And that day, while trying to get his body up, he couldnt and kind of slipped and fell down from the bed. Being nearly 70kg. 83 yrs. In the middle of the night. With full bladder. He just couldnt pull himself up. He tried to turn and use the bed to lift himself up. Nope. Couldnt. And NO one in the house. I am 2 houses away. 2 am. Phone is probably sitting on a table few feet away. 

And that's when he said it quite aloud. Jesus you are right here with me. He lifted one of his hands, like how you would ask someone nearby to lift you up. Konjam thookividuga. And that's all he said. Next minute he was up. He went to the toilet and came back and slept like a baby. No bruises. No aches. Dad  just quoted us. ' thaanguvaen. Sumapaen. Thapuvipaen. He enjoyed seeing our bewildered faces and quickly added. This is not the first time. 

He was on thiruvetkaadu. He was speaking on Sunday morning in the church. And there he was as a guest staying prior night in a house. The bathroom was probably less used. He slipped and his legs came right up. And that's all he remembers. He felt someone hold him firmly below both of his underarms from behind, lift and put him back on his legs. Firmly.  He said, how you would lift a child up and put him back on the ground firmly.  He heard the first bell in church ring just then, and he quickly finished his bath and rushed to the church.

Flabbergasted,  we both beamed. How sweet is our Lord's love. His special purpose for keeping dad alive and healthy, gives me goosebumps. But that's what it is. Dad chipped again, thaanguvaen. Aenduvaen. Sumapaen. Thapuvipaen. ஏசாயா 46:4  'நான் உங்களைத் தாங்குவேன்; ஏந்துவேன், சுமப்பேன், தப்புவிப்பேன். Praise be to God for his mercies never fails.

A day with the Holy Spirit.

S davidar. God has raised up an army un tcc.  You could be commander, lieutenant or s trumpeter. Or an armor bearer.

Be prepared for the next.

Ezekiel 36:23  God's name is profaned. 

God will bring forces of darkness to our homes. To Destroy them. We are to do the finishing job.

39:11 burial place of Gog is Jerusalem.  Dead dog stinks. 

Undertakers. Bury the dead. Clean up all the bones. Not even one bone is left. In God's army, burial people will be people of  renown!

We have a lovely job. To bury and clease the land.

God sanctifies the nations. God calls us to cleanse us of every dead work of conscience.  

Gog. Magog are evil around us.  And God is bringing them and give them a burial  in your own land so that you will gain renowned  and God will be glorified.

Davids heart was sold out for God. 

Isaiah 51.9,10

Isaiah 26.

-------

Joel. Carol. We are Supernatural.  Extraordinary.  Undertakers. God wants us to adorn/ decorate with spirit of discernment. 

Ask God everyday for spirit of discernment.

Spirit of discernment. 

1. helps us to take the right decision.   Helps us to progress onbyhe will of God in our lives. Every choice we make leads us towards the kingdom of God. 

Weapon rny uses is offense. In relation and God's calling. 

When people offend you and you take offense it destroys your calling.

In God's army, we need to have thick skin.

Stay there.dont run. Put on breastplate of righteousness.

Forgive.

Love them again. 

How to handle hurts. Get used to it.

Focus on what God has called you.

Cling on to the calling. 

2. Helps us know what season we are in. Season of low. Or high 

Make Holy Spirit your best friend. 

Be alert.  Aware and ready with weapons of warfare --> discernment, praise, word of God and prayer. 

Desire for the spirit of discernment.  Spend an hr minimum with God. 

Don't be like everyone. You are special. 

Shunamite women was wise. Shr knew what to fo. What to say. She built Upper room. She dint say a word to hubby or gehazi. She insisted on elisah to come. 

‐------

Steve

Kingdom of God is of power. Walk in power. Acts 1.8to walk in power of God, align yourself to God. 

Allow God.  Spirit abides. Teaches. Guides. Walks.

John 14. Counselor. Helper. Intercession advocate.strengyher. stand up. 

Acts on your behalf. 

Teaches you all things. 

Helps you to recall. 

Kingdom of God. His will be done. K

Live according to spirit. Not the

World . Flesh or self.

If we live according yo the world, the Spirit of man will slowly die.

Spirit man needs to be fed. 

1 cor 2.11. 

Spirit of god, reveals things of God in spiritual realm. 

Natural cannot receive . Jairus story.  The lil girl was dead in natural realm. 

Jesus walked in spiritual realm. Holyspirit helps us believe what he wants. Are you willing to believe?

Doing what is right is different from doing what God wants you to do. 

Flesh pushes you to unholy things . To do wrong. Conflict between flesh and spiri. 

Everyday ask fill.me with your spirit. Be Continually filled. Allow hs to Continually correct uou and convict you. 

1 cor 2. When you are not led by the spirit you miss the mark. Mind of hs. Gives life and peace to soul. When spirit of god is part of your life he will give life and peace. 

Challenges will be seen as what God can do in your life. 

Scheme of the enemy. To normalise. 

So inquire the lord 

. Put on full armor of God. 

God gives strategy on how to handle. 

Right hand

Praise be to God. We had a wonderful weekend. After First Fruits Fasting prayer on Saturday,  Mano, Amudha and  kids stayed over. Took Amu to church on Sunday and then she prepared us a feast at her home. The kids had a mega fun time.

Yesterday ( Monday) around 8.15 am  while making putu, the kuzhal flew off in pressure.By God's grace it fell on the other side opposite to where I was standing. But the water somehow rose up and fell on my hands and tummy.it happened in a second and it was super hot. I cooled it under running water and then applied tooth paste which cooled it down. The girls were getting late so had to prepare them lunch and breakfast. Gave the girls cereals and made dad putu. Packed curd for the girls and dropped them.to school as the school gate closed. Later went to hospital and got it cleaned up.

The boils and blisters started appearing late in the day and there is no pain now.  I was wearing a kurta with 3/4th hand so damage was half and thankfully the dress was loose and easily removable. 

Looking at the wound, it's big, bad , ugly and terrible. But it's not that bad. I can move around. I can move my hands. My girls have been super sensitive and kind. They are helping with cleaning. Less fighting.  Amy has kept the house spotless. I have nice neighbor friends who came to help in the kitchen yesterday. My owner friend Suji came with burnol at the right time and helped clean up the kitchen. Viji too came to help and got us lunch for today.

God our Provider provides angels to help us. He provides strength when we are weak and helpless.  He protects us. Thankful  and grateful for his everlasting mercies and love.

Psalms 121: 5 

The Lord watches over you.

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;