It was raining heavily as we stepped out of the shopping mall and one of my son’s friends asked if we could drop her friend, a young Irish student at the metro station. Apparently, he had an inter-state bus to catch and was already running late. We agreed and as we got into the car, we started talking. By then it was raining heavily, and the traffic was chaotic. ‘Do you think the bus will wait to board you if you don’t make it on time for the departure?’ I asked. ‘I hope so, I have faith.’ He responded. I was amused and curious with his answer. Faith was a good place to start a conversation ..read more

The other day I was  at a place, waiting. Heavy rain and cool breeze through the window Public offices in this city are full of greenery. They are spacious. Airy. Some are old palaces, ancient, royal, impressive structures. They are beautiful. Whenever I visit these places, I enjoy the simplicity as well as the grandeur of the old-fashioned ambience. There I was trying to beat a summer day so hot and humid despite the greenery. The large garden overlooking the sprawling property, the tall trees, the bushes, the green plants, the multi coloured flowers, none of it seemed to help the h ..read more

Do you find yourself in a compromising situation? Abraham & Lot Separate Are you going through a time when you trusted God’s word yet your fears and your situation is still overwhelming? One experience that always makes me relate to this passage in the Bible is during the time, when my husband had to choose between two business locations to manage as sales territory and generate business from. Against popular opinion, he chose the seemingly less lucrative market.  The success that came from the region that looked like there was no business opportunity was huge. God surprised us. He sh ..read more

Every year, just before winter began, my grandmother, a very hard-working woman was seen clearing up the front yard.  Image Courtesy Dreamstime The ground, well-watered by months of heavy rainfall would sprout different kinds of weeds, plants, and grass. Unique wildflowers could also be found among all the wildly grown weeds. The entire landscape would be filled with grass, tall grass, short grass, green grass, yellow grass. Indeed, it was a lot of grass and, it all needed uprooting to make the yard clean and free from snakes. Getting rid of the seasonal grass would take a day and at time ..read more

Juniper berries apparently  are used in cooking, but the more common usage is that Juniper berries are what gives a gin martini its unique flavoring. Juniper Tree In the part of the world where I live, I am not even sure if Juniper berries are available for cooking, and I am certainly not into drinking Gin or any alcoholic beverages. So why write about Junipers? Because there was something about these berries that grabbed my interest: They are exotic. They are drought tolerant. They  grow without a fuss. They grow in unlikely places. So where would anyone looking for junipers go? Not ..read more

I recently began teaching a series on marriage. My core point of the session,  ‘Marriage is God’s idea and therefore it has to work.’ This concept can be traced back to the beginning in the book of Genesis where God finished the process of creation. That is the time God instituted the marriage covenant. The Bible records, “Male and Female, He created them”. God then told the first couple to take possession, authority, and dominion over all the earth and be successful and win. God approved of His creation by confirming it ‘Good’. Yet, something went wrong. It didn’t seem like it was worki ..read more

For a long time, I was troubled over a problem. I was praying for at least three years and frankly, I worried even while praying. Through the Gospels, one aspect of Jesus that stood out was His competency in  problem solving. Day to day, human problems that people faced and struggled with until Jesus intervened. There was something about His re-assuring words, His teaching, His guidance, and His calming presence, that also had a fundamental problem-solving ability. He displayed two distinct features, clarity on one hand, mystery on the other. This was Jesus’ personality that aroused intr ..read more

Sunday morning began with a light-hearted mood. I decided to order for some Dosa online to enjoy breakfast with a friend. For those  not familiar, a Dosa is a thin pancake or crepe originating from South India, made from a fermented batter predominantly consisting of lentils and rice.  It is accompanied with Sambar a vegetable soup and tangy Chutney, a savory condiment made from slow-cooked vegetables, vinegar, and spices. The food package was delivered by an older looking man, unlike most delivery people who are usually younger. I took the pack and since the ord ..read more

Back at my native place, there was a way in which the town folk would respond to a drunk. They understood that the man was misbehaving under the influence of alcohol, and they’d say, “ignore him, it is the alcohol speaking not the man’. I was reading the story of a man who sat outside a church and begged for money. For many years the man was stuck in a rut. He was lame. One day he sought for money from a man of God who stepped out of the church after worship. The response was a blunt “No” Can you guess who this man of God was? It was Peter, the Apostle of Jesus and the story I was reading is m ..read more

Recently I got a closer peek of Indian weddings while interacting with a wedding filmmaker. From what I can remember, Indian weddings have become larger and have gone grander.  Extensive decorations, colour, music, dance, costumes, and rituals. Added to it is the pomp, choicest food, lavish clothing and it’s become a rich and elaborate extravaganza. One thing that stands out is the focus on the invitees. If you are invited you are supposed to be aware of a few standard, unspoken instructions. Don’t bring food or drinks, you will be provided a sumptuous wedding feast. Relax and just come ..read more