Love at last sight!

Yes, you read it right. Love at LAST sight. Not the head over heels, butterfly effect and pretty rainbows. Way past that, till death do us part. Through thick and thin. Through awkwardness, differences, silence, frustration, discouragement, arguments, disappointments. A love with all your heart, mind and soul.

In their book, Love at Last sight, Kerry and Chris Shook share the Word of God about relationship, in a down to earth practical way. Walking through the relationship puzzle with all its complexities, twists, turns, failure and challenge. Relationship is hard work. Intentional than convenient. Commitment rather than feelings. Action Adventure. Risking awkwardness, to move to the danger zone from a complacent comfort zone, giving up control and giving over to God. Pleasing God and not men. Accepting and not expecting. Learning to ask, listen and not assume. Accepting change as growth. Serving with humility and not selfishness. Treating people as priceless and not as perfect. Appreciating and not discouraging. Taking conscious effort to work togethar.

We hardly ever think seriously about it. Things that we take granted for, gets the special limelight on this book, as we learn to pause(STOP), challenge ourself into growing the kind of person God wants us to be. Nothing else matters. The insights on 'relationship lessons' from Jesus when he walked on earth, is amazing. I never realised there were so many.

"The next time you're face to face with someone you love, ask yourself, If this were the last time we were togethar on earth, what would I say, what would I do? " check out www.lastsightchallenge.com, you can read the first sample chapter under Books.

Show off

My mom/ bro called it the Red Sea Event. When you face a huge Sea in front, towering mountains on the sides, and an enemy army behind, you are frozen in your thoughts, and your foot is unsure of where to step into. Confused, perplexed and fear struck.

Frozen. Big time. I was into one such stuck inbetween period, when a friend of mine at lunch, just smiled and said, 'Well, that's the show off time'. I said,'a what?' He beamed, and said, well 'It can't be better than this'. Better??? I am all stuck on all 4 sides, and its better? He went on. 'This is the time for God to show off. You can't do anything, but he's gonna display his power and majesty so beautiful as you hold on to Him.'

Show off, He did. Many a times. When I've hit the dead end, he shows off with a way, as long as I trust him and walk in faith. Next time as I hit the Red Sea Event, I am all eager like my friend, ready to see His awesomeness. Knowing, he will show off his Mighty power and display his love as he has already done. Yes, there is confusion,and fear and anxiety so overwhelming in every decision, step I am to take, but I know that my God has been faithfull so far, and he is forever. I can walk with faith trusting him to take me through.

All I need.

Even when men abandon me, when my flesh stinks as its rotten
When all my wealth is lost , and I am pushed over saying I am no good.
Jesus is all I need.

They sang this beautiful song in tamil ( Yesu podhumae)in a prayer meeting last evening. Last time, I sang it, was in a hospital room. We had just got mom admitted coz she had difficulty breathing. Me, dad, Praveen were there, and just before they( dad n bro) left for the night, we had the family prayer. Mom loved this song, it became her favorite after she heard it being sung by a blind leper on a cold winter morning on the streets on her way to work. The peace in the face of this hungry begger, had left a mark on her heart.

That night mom was coughing blood, and I for one, had no idea that her lung nodules, were what was coming out nor that she had just 4 more days to live. May be my brother did. He choked at the verse above. Mom gave him a hug, she had her oxygen mask on,seated (she couldn't lie down her last 4 days.)

I don't think I can ever sing this song again. But I know for sure, that Jesus is all I need. I saw it in my mom's face.

Fine print!

Last week, I was given a task of researching on LED signs installation for our Church. So I was on the lookout for signboards. I cross one on the way to work everyday. But what I never noticed was the fine letters at the bottom of the sign board that gave the name of the installer and their phone number. So past few days, I have been straining to read the fine print on it and other LED signs that I pass through.

What made the difference? The same signs, the same places. I read the signs all the time, but had never noticed the fine print!

I believe we all have fine prints. Things that say something extra, even though we don't verbalise it. We can read between the lines, when a person is upset, but still doesn't look upset. Anger, indifference, disappointment, expectation, hope, longing for love. We can see that fine print in people that we meet with, the ones at the store, our collegues, neighbours, friends and family. But do we ever notice it? Do we take time, to even notice it? Its there alright, but do we read it? and then what do we do about it?

God does! and he wants us to be like him! Now I see sign boards everywhere with a fine print on them! and I hope I do what God wants me to do about it.

1 Samuel 16:7b"... Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Ephesians 5:1a Be imitators of Christ!

Just around the corner

More than I spend watching my face on the mirror, I spend lot of time online. Today, as I checked my messages on FB, I was horrified to read about a memorial service for a friend I had just chatted with last week. What on earth, was that! He was probably 23.

I know he is in heaven, happy with the Lord but what strikes me hard and strong, is how sudden, and how unexpected. How many do I chat with per day? What if... ( I HATE to complete that) How fragile and futile our life is! You step out on the streets, and you just never know! Forget the streets, in your own kitchen, I was thinking about all of it, and got my finger burnt. Freak/Fatal accidents can happen anytime! It's purely by God's grace that I am breathing.

What is important in life? Thoughts of what to eat for dinner today, what to wear to work for tmw, my appraisal next year, my savings this year, my career goals, what kind of house, car, health, family? Well, NONE of it is going to come with us when we die. How much prepared I am for the eternal life, and how many of my friends? In the light of an unexpected death, of me(you), or my(your) closest family or my (your) closest friends, or friends, could we bravely say, that I(u)/he/she is in heaven? What am I working towards..?

Priority!

Your best friend at school, with whom you spent hours togethar doing homework, playing, and cycling; is not around when you get to college. Your close friends from college with whom you always hangout with, are no where around, when you get a job. The collegues you were so close with, the lunch and coffee breaks, the weekends, the night outs, are not in touch as frequently as you used to be, since you moved out to a new project, new city, new company.

Your priority changes.

As a kid, all you learnt, all you looked up to was your mom, dad. Things change a little as you made friends. School friends, college friends, office friends. Things changed a whole lot, when you get married. Everything is your spouse. When a baby comes your way, the whole world takes a different turn. Now when two babies come, now that's an altogethar different story.

Change seems to be the constant factor. New people, come into our life, make a mark and leave. We don't have one person, who will always be there and be the same! There is a mismatch of time, frequency, understanding, behaviour, culture. Restricted by distance, space and way of life. How many times, have you stopped short in a conversation, because it doesn't feel the same anymore. ( I am often stuck with the mundane 'Hi, How are you? Howz work? ' with the best friends of yester years! ) Priority seems to change every time.

But thank God, we have One who can understand, love, and is the same yesterday, today and forever. One, with whom I can talk anytime, and feel close. What is my priority to Him?

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.

Breezee

Well, I have resisted change all my life. So when my new roomate moved in, I wasn't so sure. And we were so very different. Food, language, lifestyle, hobbies, likes, dislikes, interests, expectations, everything was different.

But looking back at the 3 months she was here, I have had nothing but fun. We did all crazy things togethar. Shopping, eating out, walking, stories we shared, movies we saw, or just the talks on and on, and boy, she is a great cook! Our favorite show on TV is the AFV. We could see that for hours again and again. ROFL literally.

Its been like a cool breeze, that was soothing, gentle and quick enough. I thank God for giving a good friend. I am not sure, how she'll respond when she knows about this blog, she's up in the flight flying home. Its been just 3 hours, and I already miss her!

'Change is good! - from Freshman Father

Lifted up!

'Lord, I lift your name on high.... '
'We wanna see Jesus lifted high... '
Cast your burdens... Higher higher... lift Jesus higher..'

Lifting hands, and standing on toes for these action songs at Sunday school, may be got me the idea, that lifting was lifting up high above. So 'lift your name on high..' is that lifting up in sky? or 'We wanna see Jesus lifted up!' was it up the cross?? What did really mean?

Last Sunday when we were singing some lifting up songs, i kinda stopped abruptly. Here was a God, who created the heavens ( including all galaxies, stars, nebeulas, the powerful sun, the cooling moon) the earth, powerful volcanoes, the lightning, the thunder, the awesome waterfalls, the animals, from tall giraffes, teeny ant, huge whales and tiny tadpoles, the lil sparrows and the huge eagles, the pretty rose bush, to the giant oak trees, the lil womb, to huge heavy weight champions, the complex innovative brain, the complex nervous system, whew how great, how great is thou art!

An awesome, amazing God, and he says, he lives in you and me! Inside me! How crazy is that.

Now that being the case, as I get up snoozing my alarm dozen times, fix my hair, breakfast, and rush to work, and check my mails more than a dozen time( or more)in 5 mins, eat n do my own mundane stuff, where is the power of Him inside me? Half the time I am oblivious of the fact, that he is within me. Oh yes, I go to him for any hue and cry at work, family, or my health ( say as silly as seeing a bunch of white hairs!) How funny?!

You won't believe, how many people know that my dad is coming here. They say it is written all over my face, as I am beeming and oh yes downright excited!

But how much of excitement, should I really have in having the all powerful God WITHIN me? Talk about limiting him! I hardly do a thing to lift him up above my daily chores. Ofcourse I pray, read my bible, but that's still limiting him. Imagine, I have him, who has the power to heal, to forgive, to care and love unconditionaly. And ofcourse I have my stupid self, that ALWAYS thinks abt me, me and me alone all the time. As I say, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. How much do I really know?? or the fellowship of the sufferings, becoming like him in his death! Hardly. The sacrifice he did, denying his power, or the humility he wore and the life he lived.

Well, back to lifting up, I think its high time I put him above all things in my daily life. Boy, he says its a holy temple! Wuf! I need to give him the due. Lifting him up above me. Above my self, my decisions, my finances, my desires, my thoughts, my expectations, my past, my present and my future. He is the all, my all in all, let me stop singing, and start living.

phil 3:8

Staying up late?

Ever stayed up late? Not at the movies, partying with friends, or working, or chatting. Worried about the wrinkles on your face, dark circles under your eyes, flabs on your hips, and tummies?

Well, am talking about staying up late because your child is sick or/and in the emergency room, worried because your baby in your womb may be missing a beat, and that you eat for your baby, you are worried about every single cell in your womb growing into an organ, into a baby!

Yes, am talking about mothers, who seem to have unconditional love swelling in them ALWAYS for their kids. Be it a baby in the womb, a terrible two, a teen or a grown up! As my friend said, you can't get rid of your kids, they just keep growing. You first wait for them to turn over, then crawl, then few baby steps, walk, potty train, talk, run, dress up, ride a tricyle, a bicycle, read, sing, study, make friends, btw, fix breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks, morph into a doctor, teacher, coach, friend, well the list seems endless. I can't believe how my mom raised us FOUR kids!

Gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love. Ps 145:8. God wanted us to see the impossible, yet practical, logical, sample of him face to face. He gave us all, 1 per person, to absorb, relish the love, forgiveness, patience, care that He has and gives; through MOTHERS. Hats off to them!

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you. Isaiah 66:13
..As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.. Luke 13:34
Staying up late? Next time, think about them :)

Mirror mirror on the wall,

IF you had known me personally, you would know by now, my 2 great weaknesses.
1. Memory.- I can't remember what I had for breakfast, few minutes back.
2. getting up early- Being a nite owl, it has always been a struggle.

This was such a Monday morning, when I had snoozed the alarm for an hour, got up late, and hastily getting ready. I was combing by long hair HURRIEDLY, that I stopped short seeing the image in the mirror in front of me. I peered into my image in the mirror. I felt like seeing my mom. I don't have her lips, was it the cheek? eyes perhaps? brows? may be forehead? I am not sure.

I also catch myself doing things that my mom used to. The way she used the knife for mixing food, the dosa, the salt, sambar. I knew what she would say, on any situation. She wasn't around, she wasn't seeing, but I knew, and I do, even though she aint looking! Strange.

Remember looking at any baby and saying, she resembles her dad/mom? Well,I guess, that's what God expects too. To be in his image. To do what he would want us to.