The Travails of Travel

Thanks to my inability to ride a bike or drive a car, I have always been dependent on the public transport. Buses in Pune are not a fun mode of transportation. There are no rush hours-I call them as rush day-coz the buses are packed at 6:30 in the morning too(Trust me I have seen them at that time)

As far as memory serves me right using the public transport has always been a continuous trial, and the Lord has allowed it. Every time I start feeling a little good about myself, God sovereignly throws in a  crowded bus ride to work or a cheating( meter) rickshaw guy. Yeah then I can see my sin even more clearly.

I remember struggling with an abusive tongue for the longest time while taking the buses and then realized I cant be singing praises to God  and yelling at the bus driver( for not stopping the bus) with the same mouth.

Something that helped was listening to Christian songs while I travel. That helped me focus on things  that are more important than these passing phases of life. I remember a friend of mine telling me that its not just what comes out of your mouth, but God is also concerned with your heart attitude.

So the situation as regards the travel has not changed, but God has helped in having a better attitude towards it :)

Hell Fire

Book or E-book

I love to read. I have my hard copies and my Kindle. But I still prefer my books over E-books.Below is an infographic of a survey of people who think the same as well :)

Lost Love

‘T is better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all

This is the last line of the poem 'Lost Love' by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Somehow I have always preferred the latter half of the sentence. I never wanted to ever fall in love coz I always feared of being hurt- in case things never worked out. Well I did fall in love- and I was hurt- and it did not work out. Will obviously not go into all the details, but sometimes I hoped it had not happened.

I know that I am definitely a better person since then. God has His ways of teaching His children. I can be quite insensitive about this whole "love thing" but He taught me how to be compassionate. I learned to be sympathetic towards other people. The many tears that made my pillow wet in the night helped me to comfort someone else when they were going through something similar.

Anyways, in all of this I am just glad that God is sovereign over all situations and He is in complete control. And in these times He has been my best source of comfort :)

So here is the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Lost Love

(From "In Memoriam")

I envy not in any moods

   The captive void of noble rage,

   The linnet born within the cage,

That never knew the summer woods;

I envy not the beast that takes

   His license in the field of time,

   Unfetter’d by the sense of crime,

To whom a conscience never wakes;

Nor, what may count itself as blest,

   The heart that never plighted troth

   But stagnates in the weeds of sloth;

Nor any want-begotten rest.

I hold it true, whate’er befall;

   I feel it, when I sorrow most;

   ‘T is better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all

Happy Friday!

Learning to be Thankful:)

I have been blessed with a lot of good things. Its just that most of the time I lose sight of it. So just to remind myself for all the blessings God has showered on me, I thought I'd make a list. I know that this is not an exhaustive one, but I am hoping that by the time I finish writing this post I will have many reasons to be joyful :)

1.Salvation-That my sins are forgiven and I know Christ as my Saviour and Lord

2.My sister-Praising God for our friendship :)

3.The church- The fellowship with one another

4. Friends- For good times

5. A job-Ability to earn and serve others

6. Trials-Helps to grow in maturity

7. Home-A roof over my head

8. Faithful teachers of God's word

9. Biblical Christian Songs

10.Life- A gift from God

Where are the ideas fleeting?

Every day I will have a thought or an idea pop into my head for my blog. By the time I get down to writing it, I am staring at a blank word document for a long time. This has been happening for quite some time now. I think the time I choose to write (which is usually  in the night) does not work so well. I usually write when everyone is asleep and I am the only one in the hall. But because the day has been so long I am usually brain dead by that time.

 

Also the past couple of months have not been particularly easy. But I don’t want  give that as an excuse. I am really hoping for brighter and better days and then maybe the ideas might flow in as well :)

A Break

A break has been on my mind for a really long time. Not the kind, where you take 2 days off with the weekend and hope to be rejuvenated to get back to your desk job. A really long break- from my job, city, people.. Maybe some place quiet, could take up a small job just to keep my mind occupied..Or just stay with a family and help them with whatever I can help them out with.

I know right now things just seem to be overwhelming and things will go back to being normal. Maybe I want things to go back to normal..like really soon... but I need to be patient, with myself, the situation and things around me.

Valentines Day and Singleness :)

There was a time when I would get excited about Valentine's Day. I guess those days have far gone. I have nothing against the day, but sometimes it kinda makes things difficult for us singles. I don't regret being single as of now and happy that I am working and have the freedom to do things. But I get reminded of my "Single Status" more on this given day.

I know that  its more of a commercial thing, and that you don't need a day to celebrate love. But every year I hope that- ok maybe next year I will have someone in my life. I guess this year it will just have to pass...again. I am definitely learning to be content in this long season of singleness. But it is a good place to be, coz the grass always looks greener on the other side and tomorrow when I do have a guy in my life, I don't want to be looking back on these years and wishing I could go back in time.

So I still have plans for today - with all my single girlfriends, and that is not too bad in itself as well :)

When Sin starts to look Normal

My sister and I need our regular dose of series and we usually like the detective/ behavioral analysis  kinds. The cases in Criminal  Minds can sometimes be quite disturbing. On many occasions I would turn to my sister and say, how can they be so cold and commit such murders or evil deeds. The answer obviously is the depravity of man. But also these perpetrators come to a point of committing such heinous crimes, where they start thinking it is pretty normal. 

For example: When you lie for the first time, it stings you... a lot .. but then later when you indulge in it more, it really does not bother you as much. This is when a lifestyle of sin starts looking normal. Its sad but true.

My prayer is always that I keep God's word close, and dwell on what is true, know and recognize my sin and continue to confess unto the Lord.

Forgiveness

To forgive someone at times can get hard, especially if you know that person has intentionally hurt/sinned against you. I have many times rehearsed lines in my head that I would want to say to that person. Usually those lines are not very pleasant. I feel that the person is getting away with what they are doing and justice is not being executed.

This is where I know that I have not been dwelling on the truth. If I would continually be dwelling on the attributes of God, I would remember that He has been gracious and merciful to me and forgiven my sins. He executed justice by sending His own Son on the cross to die for my sin. I have to remember who God is - Righteous, Just and  Holy. He does not let any sin go unpunished. 

Something that I have been learning, is to trust God when He says in Romans 12:9   

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord"

Most of the time I wanna take matters in my own hand, because I feel He is delaying in His justice. But I have to learn to submit everything in His hand and remember He is an all wise God who has created the entire universe. Therefore He definitely knows what He is doing.

Sure I might feel a little better just lashing out at a person who has hurt me, but later when I will come to my senses, I know that God has not called me to unrighteousness. All I am trying to say here is that, forgiving someone can really be hard at times, but God has called me to do it, trusting Him completely that He will take care of things and the unjust will not go free.

I was listening to a sermon on  forgiveness by Tim Keller. It made me examine my heart more closely. Hoping you are blessed by it too.

Click here for the sermon.