Moved on :)

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Movie Review: The Martian

It was a long weekend, so decided to take mum out for a movie and thus giver her a break from the daily chores. Initially I had not planed to go for this one as I am not a big fan of space movies. Matt Damon kinda changed my mind;)

The movie is about one of the crew person Mark Watney( Matt Damon) being left behind on Mars and the rescue plan for getting him back. So while the remaining crew people continue on their mission thinking Mark is dead, he is keeping himself alive and busy growing potatoes. How he manages to do that on Mars, for that you will have to go watch the movie.

Fortunately as the movie has many characters and goes back and forth from Mars to the people at NASA, you don't get bored. Mark's in your face sense of humour keeps you from truly feeling sad at his condition. His never to give up attitude helped.

All you science geeks will like the movie for the astrodymamics and any other concepts that a lay person like me might not be aware of;) It made me appreciate the work the people at NASA do and the amount of time they are willing to be away from the ones they love.

All in all great job by Matt Damon, Sean Bean and my favorite Jeff Daniels. A one time watch I would rate this movie a 3.5/5.

Coldplay

Coldplay has always been one of my favorite bands. So here is one song from their recent album:)

I AM ALIVE!!!

Oh well, I think its about time I wrote a post. A lot has transpired in the past couple of months. To start with, I got a new job:) And I must say after a really long time, I am enjoying what I do. The best part being, that I get to work with some really neat people. Apart from that, life in general has had its ups and down-well that's how it should be, otherwise we would all be pretty bored.

Apart from the new job and my new bicycle ( oh yeah I got myself one of those;) I got to attend Awake 2015 ( a youth conference). It was quite a spiritual nourishment to the soul. There were things I really needed to hear and I love how the Holy Spirit can bring conviction to your heart.

So in the midst of all the craziness and transition and change, the only day I got to write down this post is on my day off from work -thanks to the flu. But I thank God for these slow days, makes me appreciate the things I cannot do on normal ones:)

Have a good weekend all of you!!!

Contemporary Dance

I have always been fond of contemporary style of dance dance. I remember there was a time I used to watch some dance series on TV and I developed a liking in this particular style.

Season 2 was probably one of my favorites of You Think You Can Dance. I liked the routines of one of the contemporary dancers, Travis Wall. I was having some time on my hand the other day and I came across one of his dance performances. It is a beautiful routine and I love the mix of ballet and modern dance in it. Hope you like it.J

True Dat!

10/03/2015

Photo credit-Nidhi Tracy

Photo Credit: Nidhi tracy

It was a good day :)

My God-The Righteous Judge

It's not everyday I wake up and remember that I am  31 and single. Don't take this in the wrong way. I am not saying its a bad thing to be single. God has blessed me with a good job that keeps me busy, great friends and the freedom of time-where I can take a break and go for a vacation whenever I like.

But today something from the past suddenly came to my mind regarding a relationship, which discouraged me and I had to really fight hard with my emotions to not let it take over me. The thing with emotions is that, it clouds your judgment about the truth. The truth that Christ is sufficient, only He can satisfy and in this fallen world I will never be completely satisfied.

I am glad I carry my  bible with me everywhere I go  and I had the time to read it on my way back from work. Its amazing how the word of God can calm your soul and at the same time remind you of the truth (which I should have been dwelling on in the first place anyways). 

I was struggling with what seemed like the wicked people are prospering and somehow they don't get the right judgement. Its when I came to the below verses in Psalm 37 that quietened all my agitation.

He Will Not Forsake His Saints 

Of David.

 [1] Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

 [2] For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 

 (Psalm 37:1-2 ESV)

[10] In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

 [11] But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

 [12] The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 

[13] but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

 (Psalm 37:10-13 ESV)

I need to always remind myself of God's just character.If He did not spare His own Son and sacrificed Him as a propitiation for my sin- I should NEVER doubt his justice.

Mid week humour

I realised I like my routines

Growing up I always liked change. There would be that excitement of something new. Lately I realized I ain't such a big fan of it. In the past two years I don't remember having  any two months that looked similar.

According to my normal schedule I would not be writing a post on a Monday night. I would just be back from my swim lesson and having a cup of hot tea. Only if things were to go according to our plans. I ended up with the flu- on Valentines day :( Not that I had anyone special to go out with, but had to cancel lunch plans with friends. Was hoping to be at work today after the 2 day rest, but I am still sick and probably heading to a chest congestion.

It looks like another day in bed tomorrow or in bed with my work laptop trying to finish up on stuff. Really hoping to get back to my workouts, work and some normal routine. Till then I shall get back to my faithful companions- books, hot water and lots and lots of tissue :P

Quote

Are You Fighting The New Greed?

A good post on TGC by Christine Hoover

Kyle and I sat down at the restaurant, away from the children, yet I still couldn't relax and enjoy myself. I had been consistently distracted for weeks. Slumped at the table, I stared at him and tried to explain how I was feeling.

“I feel overrun with thoughts and emotions, many of them sad and discontented. My brain feels like it's being pulled in a million different directions. What is going on with me?”

After listening to my winding trail of thoughts for many minutes, Kyle replied, “You check e-mail a lot. You're on your phone a lot.”

My purse sat on the booth seat beside me, and inside my phone's blinking green light beckoned even as he said those words. He's right, I thought, immediately recalling a conversation with a group of women about our children and technology. What was it one of them had said? “When people are on their phones, they're not present in their surroundings. They're going someplace else.”

That description explained it all—the discontentedness, the obsessive comparison with other women, the uncertainty and its resulting pursuit of online evidence that I'm successful and loved, the desire for what I don't have and the wondering if I ever will, the pride. I'd only been checking my phone in every down moment, but it became apparent that these seemingly inconsequential acts of swiping and scrolling weren't so simple and inconsequential after all.

Technology Run Amok

The next morning I opened my Bible, gave this issue to the Lord, and waited. I knew he was going to talk to me about it, and he did.

“God, help me,” I prayed. “I've allowed technology to distract me beyond measure. I'm causing myself great pain.”

It seemed as if God were saying, “Doesn't this remind you of something you read recently, something about piercing yourself through with many sorrows? What does it say again?”

This is what I'd read in 1 Timothy 6:9–10:

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

Again, he seemed to say, “What you're doing is being greedy. Technology and social media is birthing a new greed, and you've fallen into the snare. Your desire for accolades, invitations, relationships with those I haven't given you, followers, and whatever contentment you think you’ll gain is actually covetousness and greed, and all you're accomplishing is piercing yourself through with many sorrows. Read further.”

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Tim. 6:17–19)

Going somewhere else in your mind takes away time and energy that could be given to the good works right in front of you.

Slicing Your Mind into a Million Pieces

He helped me understand by applying the Word to me: “Your greediness means you're trusting in uncertain riches and not in me. It also slices your mind in a million pieces, taking you out of your present life and causing stress. This stress gives the illusion that you don't have time to give to others; that you're busy in ways that you're not; that you don't have enough when you have all you need, and that you must be stingy with yourself. Going somewhere else in your mind takes away time and energy that could be given to the good works right in front of you. You are rich—in love, in time, in energy, in gifts—but you act as if you're not. Keep reading.”

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. . . . Now godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:11–12, 6)

The Lord kept instructing me: “This is what matters. This is true gain, not an uptick in Twitter followers or an important e-mail coming through or seeing how you stack up against others. All of what's important with regard to contentment happens in the present. Pursue godliness and pursue contentment in me. This is great gain.”

I knew that God was absolutely right, and I felt so silly because I step so willingly into the snare of greed. But God reminded me that it isn’t silly—it’s a fight.

The New Greed

The new greed. That phrase kept ringing in my ears as I was seeking God about how to fight the good fight of faith. The new greed. We are after so many things, and it's playing out on our phones and iPads and computers as much as it ever has in our other material possessions and our bank accounts. 

Why are we—why am I—checking our phones so often, scrolling through Facebook or Instagram? What exactly are we looking for? Why are we leaving the present that God has given us so richly to enjoy to go somewhere else in our mind, a place often called Comparison or Discontent? 

God has given me the present to richly enjoy. I have enough and, with God's help, will not be ensnared by subtle greed and covetousness.

Weddings, Weddings and some more Weddings ;)

This month has probably been just about weddings. There were 4 of them. It was good to share in their joy as they plan to start a new life with their respective partners. Its funny how every person has a different style of celebration. Some were somber, others were a lot more exciting and crazy.

It's but natural that you end up thinking of your own wedding ( if your already married) or how you would like it to be( to those who are single). So I fall in the second category and have had my moments where I have secretly planned out my wedding day in my head :P

Its actually good to attend different weddings. There are a lot of do's and dont's you can come back with. That got me thinking to the stuff I would have/not have at my wedding. 

So here is a small list:

Have's:

-Small crowd

-Morning wedding- preferably winter time

-Ceremony and venue at the same location

-Food to be eaten together with everyone

-A photo booth

-If possible no individual pictures with everyone on the stage etc

-Thank you note for from the bride and groom for the invitees

Have not's:

-Given the Indian scene- I would probably not keep  a 

 dance floor :P

-Color co-ordinated bridesmaids

-No change in the attire for the reception

-Zillion camera people ( especially during  the vows- as I have noticed that the people in the pews can't see anything:(

I am hoping somehow I can keep up to the list. If not, there is always court marriage ;)

Ha!

Memorable Moments of 2014:)

I can't believe that we are already in 2015. Last year was quite a blur to me. But there were still a lot of memorable things, more of 'first time' events. To list a few-getting my  own room, flying in a plane and many more things.

I enjoyed travelling in 2014. Bangalore, Panchgani, Mumbai and Goa. Blessed to have great friends all across. Anyways I am not great with words so here are a few photos that mark the highlights of last year..:)

Naiesha's pre birthday celebration in Panchgani

Long lasting friendships

Fun times

New and old friends :)

Family I love :)

Joy of holding Abigail:)

  

Thought for the Day

:D

Boundless: Advice by Scott Croft

I love the Advice section in Boundless. Thought I'd repost one of their articles.

Is church the only place I can meet a Christian woman?   
 

Question :

 

I'm 24 and have been actively seeking a Christian woman for quite some time now. Not only have I been seeking, but I have been failing.
Everywhere I go, I try to be proactive in meeting a godly woman, but how am I supposed decipher between the godly women from the ungodly women?
Sometimes I'll find myself outside church wanting to strike up a conversation with a beautiful woman, but I don't want it to lead somewhere, get interested in her and develop feelings just to find out she's not a believer. It's almost as if I have to meet a woman at church or some type of church-held event, because then the chances of her being a believer are 100 times greater.
Any advice?

 

Answer:

 

Thanks for your question. First, I commend you for being deliberate about dating only believers in Christ. I've written this before, but it seems I can't write it often enough. Godly marriage can only be undertaken by growing Christians who are relying on Christ. The Bible is clear that believers are only to marry other believers.

In 1 Corinthians 7:39, Paul instructs that marriages of believers are to be "only in the Lord" — that is, only to other Christians. Also, Ephesians 5:22-33, the fullest explanation we have in the Bible of what a godly, biblical marriage is, makes clear that what God calls us to in marriage — to bring God glory by intentionally reflecting the way Christ has loved the church and the way the church responds to the leadership of Christ — can only be carried out by people who are themselves in Christ.
 
As for finding a potential wife who is a believer, there are some really helpful steps to take. It's not entirely clear from your question whether you've already done this, but in case you haven't, find a good, biblical church and really get plugged in. In your question, you mention being at church, but it's unclear how involved you are.

If your church has membership — which it should — join formally. Make it a priority to be at every service. If the church has small groups or other discipleship opportunities, take advantage of those things. Get to know people, and just as importantly, be transparent and let people get to know you. Look for ways to serve others. Be involved in the church's ministries.

Why am I encouraging you to do these things? First, and most important, it's for your spiritual good. All Christians need to hear and read God's Word regularly, and we need other believers around us to build us up, hold us accountable, help us examine ourselves to make sure we are in Christ, and help us grow spiritually. Second, and more to your question, it will put you in a better position to find a woman who clearly loves Jesus and whom you might pursue as a potential wife. The more you build your life around serving God and His people in the church, the more you will be able to see who the women are in your church who have the same priorities. You'll also see how they interact with people and how they serve in ministry

Remember, you're not looking for the most physically attractive woman from across the room; you're looking for consistent evidence of faithfulness and godly womanhood as defined by Scripture (see 1 Peter 3, Proverbs 31, Titus 2). Though as finite human beings we can never know with absolute certainty whether another person is truly a believer, the consistent choices and priorities in a person's life pretty reliably tell us a tremendous amount about what is in his or her heart. A woman who is consistently involved in and under the teaching of the type of church I have in mind is about as safe a bet as it gets in a fallen world.

And there's even more! (This is starting to sound like an infomercial.) As you get to know more mature Christians and are discipled, there will be people in your life who are able to teach you about godly marriage and help you discern how to approach it. They can also vouch for potential spouses to you and vouch for you to others when and if that becomes helpful. As you serve in the church and minister to others, you will be around other godly single people — not a bad thing — and you will learn skills and characteristics that, among other things, will serve you well in marriage.
So, do you have to find a potential spouse through involvement in a local church? No, of course the Lord can and does work in many other ways, but the Lord has given us the church as the source of true fellowship of many sorts among His people, so it's obviously a wonderful place to start.

I will pray for the Lord to give you wisdom and peace as you continue to pray and look for a godly wife.

For His glory,
SCOTT CROFT

Book Review: 8:28

I usually don't do book reviews.And the very few that I have done,have  probably had an impact on me. One such book that I read recently was Ian and Larissa's 'Eight Twenty Eight'. I have been following their blog Ian & Larissa for a while now and when I can came to know that they are going to publish a book I knew I had to get a copy.

In a day and age where the true meaning of love is so adulterated, it was good to read Larissa's account of how she continued to love the man she was dating after he met with a really bad car accident. Something that comes out very clearly from the book is that on our own, we cannot love someone unconditionally. It is because we have experienced Christ's love in our life- be it his sacrifice on the cross, or that he came down on the earth to save vile sinners like us or the daily grace and mercy we experience.

What I really liked about the book is that she was very honest about how she felt during the trials. Personally and as a family we went through a similar trial recently, and the comfort that i could draw from her experience, was that it is normal to feel tired and angry and sad. But at the same time not to wallow in it too much, as we have Christ as our sympathetic high priest.

I was encouraged that in a day and age where people divorce and break up for trivial reasons, they both persevered post his accident and even got married :)I would encourage you to read this book, but be warned there shall be many tears even as you read it- tears of sorrow and tears of joy as well :)

And It Finally Happened

I never thought we would ever move out of our old place. I accepted a long time back that I would probably never get to stay in a decent society. Don't get me wrong-its not like my old place was a dump. But just that it was way too noisy ( we lived right on the main road), dusty and high ( 4th floor without a lift). All of this combined together was never an ideal combination.

 

But it was for a time and season. We had to move out of that place for Dad's health and my knee condition. So grateful to God that everything went smoothly:) Even as I write this post I can hear my thoughts clearly. There is a heart of gratefulness for the small things- like an elevator in my society, bus stop right outside my house, a seat every time I take the bus from my place (as its the starting point) and the biggest of all my own room:)

 

I don't think these small things would have mattered to me as much, many years ago if I had got it all easy. Sometimes its good when certain things are taken away from you. You tend to appreciate it more when you have them.

 

All in all right now I am happy.. and that's all I have to say :)