Just as left is to the right!

Some habits are ingrained in your mind, that you do it automatically, without any thoughts. I was bumping into people, while walking in the hallway/corridor at work. My client manager called that a lil Indian dance. The problem was, I was taught to walk to the left, and my manager was taught to walk to the right. So when we meet in the corridor, am undecided, and move to the left and then to the right. Total mess. Now you got the dance?

In India, and I think even in UK, people keep to the left- on road, walkways, corridors etc. I had to learn and make a conscious effort to walk to the right. It was hard, to unlearn something you have learnt from childhood. But human mind is adaptable. You learn things and then learn to unlearn things. I had to, once I reached India. I was bumping into people again! I was walking to my right in the corridors, hallway of our office, railway stations, on the roads. I consciously tuned my mind to walk to my left. My short trip to Detroit, made it even worse. I was doing the Indian dance.

I wrote this couple of months back. Now its even more clear. Certain things are different. Just as left is to the right. Its better we learn, adapt, unlearn, and adjust than to change the environment we are in. We cannot expect things/people/environment to change, coz its different! - Just as left is to the right!

Pine Cones!

My bro literally laughed out loud, when I opened my bag. I had blamed him, for the TSA had broke open my lock and had checked my bag after I had checked-in in Detroit Airport. ( I had got clay for Praveen, and I assume, they thought it was an explosive? Dono why, I have had 3 security incidents in the past 7 days in 3 different airports!)

My bro, laughed seeing all the pine cones I had brought. While going for a walk around my hotel, the lil pine cones fascinated me, that I picked few of them to my room. While vacating my room, hated to leave them and brought them along. In addition to that I got few from Cathy's home as well. Never realised that I had 15 pine cones! All the way from Houston, Detroit and now in the hot Chennai! ( and other cities on transit ;P)

If you had known me 20 years earlier, you wouldn't be surprised. Me and my friends collected stones 'precious stones' as we called, any pebble, colored stone or funny shaped stone was in our school bags. Yes, we also collected feathers. My favorite one was a greenish red parrot feather- a gift for my birthday from my friend. We stuck them in a collection album ( I did no stamp collecting!)

As my co-worker in Detroit, says, these days I have a thing for leaves and flowers. Every lil, big leaf or flower ends up pressed up in Bible. Everyday it reminds me of an awesome God who took time and care for such simple leaf, which is here today and gone tomorrow.

It also tells me that we don't have to go the Niagara or the Mt.Everest or the Swiss to be stunned by the beauty. All it takes is that we look down, on the grass and the teeny weeny wild flowers. So I got to see the purple crepe myrtle of Houston, the White Dogwood of Detroit, the pretty yellow tree in the sun scorching Delhi ( I spotted nearly 10 of them!) or the cotton puffed cloudy skies of Chennai! Seems God has put us in one HUGE BIG school. All we need are eyes of my 3 yr old nephew, whose eyes would light up, if he sees snow, or mine, when I get inside a huge icecream shop. But most of the times, we just shut our eyes so tight, that we miss all the fun!

Btw, bro said that I can find those pinecones in Ooty! I love them anyway. ( I still got no idea what to do with so many of them, if you have a bright plan, do lemme know!!)

Helpdesk

I called the helpdesk. I was in a hurry and was furious when I couldn’t check my webmail.They resolved it in few mins.

Few hours later, I had a question and was wondering if I should raise a request online or call the Claims desk. A 888 number. I dialed. After just 1 ring, a guy picked up. He not only answered my question, but gave lot more useful details. I thanked him and said how surprised I was to be responded quickly. I asked ‘where are you located?’. The guy responded Bangalore.

After the call, it made me wonder, how nice to have someone respond so quickly and clearly as if I were talking to a teammate who sits next to me. Its hard to believe, but I know for certain if I call now there will be someone to respond, across the seas, wide awake at the middle of their night, with a cheerful voice, and a great attitude.

If I am so sure and confident about man/a company/its policies ( which is now there and may not be tomorrow), how much sure I can be of a God who indwells in me, and is working in me. If only I would call him all the time!

Paid!

We got this badge this afternoon at work. Our client had paid off 7+ Billion dollars loans they had taken. Well, it was a time of celebration! We got more than 2 emails, there were couple of PA announcements, and the ceo talked at noon to all the employees. More than a 2000 gathered for that brief 15 min talk. There were hi fis, hugs and smiles all around. and yes we all got that badge.

Looking at that red 'PAID', I couldn't help myself smile, and imagine how jubilant we all should be everyday, for yes He paid in full with his blood, that I now have eternal life, an abundant life! What a relief! No matter, what we go through in this fallen world, it never matters! Coz, he has finished the deal. What hope, and strength and faith we can draw on that fact, to live inspite of all the struggles. Yippeee! PAID in FULL!

Ezekial's wife

'With one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears ' Ezekiel 24:15.

And Ezekiel loses his dear wife! And he wasn't even allowed to mourn! 'Groan quietly, and do not mourn for the dead.' That took me by surprise, I never knew Ezekial wife died this way. When we talk about loss, we talk about only Job. But here is Ezekial, losing his beloved wife in probably 8-10 hrs. Just like that. He was made as a sign! (v 24) why? That 'then they will know that I am the Lord'.

This phrase 'then they will know that I am the Lord' appears 53 times in the Bible, and all of it from this book! In whole of Ezekial, God pours his love and passion on Israel in so many different ways. If only Israel would listen. It is just the same now. If only 21st century(we) would listen.

This story, also makes me wonder, will I be like Ezekiel and be ready to be a sign, no matter what that takes?

Let go

Mom thought I had real nice long fingers, fit to play the piano. ( I was a teen then) She made me go for piano class near home. More than learning music, I was eager to go to the class early and wait. Why? My teacher has a stack of Guideposts on her living room. I used to be a voracious reader then, and loved reading that magazine.

Below is a poem I read one day, that has stuck with me all these years. You probably have heard me say this as a story more than 100 times ( with exaggeration and a lil twist). But here it is again, believing that this lesson on trust that I learnt more than 15 years ago, which had imbibed in me ( inspite of my terrible memory), will also help you in your walk and that I won't ever forget again.

As children bring their broken toys,

With tears, for us to mend;

I brought my broken dreams to God,

Because he was my friend.

But then instead of leaving him,

In peace to work alone,

I hung around and tried to help,

With ways that were my own.

At last, I snatched them back and cried,

"How could you be so slow?"

"My child," He said, "What could I do?

You never did let go...."

Poem's called 'Broken dreams/broken toys/let go and let God.' Looks like my memory is not bad after all!

Jammed.

Thanks to my carpool friend, who took leave today, I had to take the train to office. Nothing had prepared me for what I experienced. I knew it would be crowded, but not to that extent. I did not have to ‘get into’ the 7.40 AM train, People behind me, just pushed me into it. The complete 60 min travel, was a sandwich of human bodies.

Fortunately I found a place to stand, leaning against the wall of the seat. But I quickly found it was a wrong place to stand. People getting in and out automatically, magically move in and out. And you have to be flexible yet be rooted like a wall, to prevent being swept away into the current. I could smell the shampoo of a girl in front of me. And what was that? Body lotion or deodorant? It smelt good. Her hair was brushing against my nose. I couldn’t blame her. She was sandwiched by 6 women, whereas I was by just 3.

With nothing to do, all you could do is observe. Curly hair, short hair, long flowy hair, big eyes, squint eyes, blunt noses, sharp nose, cute earrings, bracelets. Sad eyes, scared face, worried eyebrows, Tired faces, Anxious faces. There were college students, school kids and ofcourse, my fellow co-workers.
Learnt one thing for sure. When things corner you, against your will, it sure is hard, yucky and painful. But you get to see things you have never seen before. Especialy from someone's else shoes.
Heard this at church today, that sometimes God puts you in a pressure cooker. You know what happens to the chicken inside? The meat comes off the bones. Sometimes God gives us pressure cooker situation, for a total surrender to God. To humble and remind us of his might, power and love and beauty!

Know that you know?

I couldn't stand it any longer. How can he get away with every nasty thing he does?! Not fair at all. He can break things, throw things, crumple a book, tear a paper, shout and scream when he want to, and does any body stop him? All that I have been hearing is, 'Oh, it is ok, he doesn't KNOW it is wrong. He doesn't KNOW anything' Ha! Anything? I know he is a brat. If he can throw temper tantrum, when he doesn't get what he wanted, and put on that cute face and do something that he is not supposed to, with such a lovely smile? You can see Meulah writing this. Meulah or Beulah, its all the same.

I was reading 1 John. Well, Adam, in his terrible two can do get away. But not Beulah.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. ( I John 2:4-6 FULLSTOP. Aint that pretty clear and straightforward?
He goes on to say, 'I do not write to you because you do not KNOW the truth, but because you do KNOW it and because no lie comes from the truth.'v21. No one needs to teach me about anything, because, God with me, teaches me about all things!v27 ( How I wish I only listen!)

21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” II Peter 2. Now that's a warning!

What's that stench?

I entered my apmt an hour back, and couldn't even breathe. The stench was so bad. I turned on the AC. ( Its 47F/8C outside), finaly I had to open the door, and let the cool air in to take the stench out. So what was that stinking smell. The trash can was empty. Did I leave any leftover food on my coffee table. No. Toilet? No. It was really sickening as I had company. My friend looked over the kitchen and said, that's where it comes from.

Strange. For I haven't been cooking regularly.Yes, there were few dishes, that I had not washed and were in the sink. After my friend left, I decided to see if she was right. She sure was. There were not much dishes. I just finished washing them. Took 10 minutes to wash them all. But they had remained there for...errr... 4 days, leading to that yucky smell.

Lesson learnt: Never let your dishes pile up. No procrastination. God reminded me of my quiet time. It was seriously getting shrunk. I once had my alarm at 6.15. Now I get up at 7. It won't take long before my life gets yucky and stinking. Good wake up call.

Love and Respect

"Women need love.Men need respect.It's as simple and as complicated as that.— Emerson" This is on their home page of www.loveandrespect.com. So simple and clear, but why does so many marriages fall apart? I read further.

LnR is rooted from Ephesians 5:33. A verse that I have had trouble with before. Lady respect your husband? Why not vice versa? I never realised that men regard repect more than love. Kind of weird.

Yes, love and trust are required equally by both. "Though we all need love and respect equally, the felt need differs during conflict, and this difference is as different as pink is from blue! " Conflict! that makes the difference! Aha! More than 70% responded that way states the website.

"A woman needs love like the air she needs to breathe. A man needs respect like the air he needs to breathe." It goes on to say, that they are connected to an air hose to a respect/love tank. When you step on the air hose, ahem you are choking the person!

"Unconditional respect is as powerful for him as is unconditional love is for her." Understanding it and practicing it through the Crazy\Energising\Rewarding Cycle does take time. The simple step towards it is, 'if you have bitterness or boredom or a conflict, trace back to see if you did anything in an unloving/disrespectful way. Set it right by giving 'unconditional love and respect'! ' Some wisdom! All the best to my married friends!!