Aisa Des Hai Mera

Enjoy the rural countryside of India in this video.
The fields of grain and a village fair.

India' s $35 Laptop

Earlier it was Nano the world 's cheapest car, now its the world 's cheapest laptop







Looking as stylish as a large i-phone, this $35 “low-cost computing-cum-access device” is a 5/7/9 inch touchscreen gadget.Nokia 5800



Finally realising his dream project, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday launched a $35 computing device that will be made available to ‘learners’ right from primary schools to universities. Aiming at bringing down the price to $10, the Ministry has also begun discussions with global manufacturers to start mass production of arguably the world’s cheapest laptop.



“This is part of the national initiative to take forward inclusive education. The solutions for tomorrow will emerge from India,” said Sibal.



Looking as stylish as a large i-phone, this $35 “low-cost computing-cum-access device” is a 5/7/9 inch touchscreen gadget packed with Internet browsers, PDF reader, video conferencing facilities, open office, sci-lab, media player, remote device management capability, multimedia input-output interface option, and multiple content viewer.



The Linux based device will also have provisions for running on solar power besides the usual battery- operated systems. The Indian Express had first reported that the ministry was set to launch the product.



While the device developed by the HRD Ministry’s teams will come with a smaller memory and no hard disk, the ministry said it would be sufficient for a student’s needs. The Rs 1,500/$35 computing device is expected to first hit higher education institutions — colleges and varsities starting 2011 — but the government could subsidise 50 per cent of this cost, bringing down the price.



( Story taken from Indian Express)



Sure sounds very affordable and accessible to all. But certain questions as raised by my computer expert friend, should be asked about this device.

He shared this comment on my FaceBook link
How big is the hard drive? What type of screen ? What type of Processor? What type of graphics card? and the Type of RAM, including the type of operating system will determine its value. For example; Adobe Premiere Pro (movie editing software) requires 4 GB RAM & Core DUO processor with lots of hard drive space to load up movies to edit.If it were possible to give a laptop same as Dell Inspiron (or something like that) with the configurations that it is now in the market for $20, then Dell will be out of business in a month.The value of a laptop or desk top is determined by what it can do for you.But still very interesting news; and it may bring some prices down...hopefully!"

This is very exciting news. Looks like every child in India will own a computer, it will definitely make a difference. Lets see what its performance is like.

Coffee Break

I indulge in a cup of hot and sweet milky coffee
a few mornings a week
(otherwise I begin my day with
black tea)
This is when I need a morning kickstart.

(Actually I need it everyday)

In the humidity my coffee powder solidifies and forms chunks.
Even in airtight plastic or
glass containers.

Please can someone advise me how to store coffee
in humid conditions.
Will storing it in the freezer help?
Our lights go off very often
so condensation will take place.
These days our power supply is very uncertain.
Its just so stressful.
Our inverter battery is weak.
So when my mother watches TV
during a shut down we have to switch off
the lights. I keep one fan on
to keep cool.

I don 't know what happened

All the photos and graphics I had stored in a file

called My Pictures have disappeared.

I tried to search for them, but they did not show up.

I will give it a try, if they don' t turn up

I will consult a techie.

My laptop is within the guarantee

period so I will get free service.

Will You Beieve?

Don't expect wisdom to come into your life like great chunks of rock on a conveyor
belt.

It isn't like that. It is not dispensed like a prescription across a counter. Wisdom
comes privately from God as a by-product of right decisions, Godly reactions, and
the application of spiritual principles to daily circumstances. -- Charles Swindoll

Watch Ravi Zacharias on Atheism, Suffering and Absolutes.




The following has been taken from Joni E. Tada 's devotional



DO YOU BELIEVE?
Abram believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness.
--Genesis 15:6




The panel of disability ministry specialists sat on the platform of the small auditorium.
Two hundred students of Russia's first college for training social workers were
gathered there to hear the specialists talk about disability policies in the United
States. The specialists, as agreed, spent the hour talking about various issues
such as housing, independent living, and employment. They were careful to respect
the wishes of the school by not speaking of their faith but rather focusing on the
issues at hand.

At the end of the presentation, the moderator asked for questions. Several hands
went up but one was most enthusiastic. He stood up and asked a question that shocked
everyone:
"Do you believe in God?"




The room was silent. Some students looked at the teacher, others nodded encouragement,
eager to hear the answer. The atmosphere became electric as the panelists leaned
forward in their chairs and shared their testimony. The students had come to learn
about human solutions to suffering, but what was on their mind was the most fundamental
of all questions: God.





The essence of humanity, both in society and the individual, is found in how we
answer that question. If we believe in God, it will make a difference in how we
live and learn. It should be asked on a daily basis as we ponder a decision, face
a crisis, undergo a temptation. Our affirmative answer forces us to trust God and
to yield to his way of life. And best of all, God affirms our hearts that he is,
indeed, in control.

Do you believe in God?

Sunday Blessings- The Rickshaw Wala

During the cold season a rickshaw wala sought shelter in our church porch. He is a street dweller and usually camps beside his rickshaw with his few possessions .His means of livelihood is ferrying passengers and earning a few rupees everyday. He eats at cheap roadside food stalls and uses public places to wash.








One night someone stole his clothes and blanket an elderly couple in our neighbourhood had given him. We gave him refuge in our compound till he found a safe place to rest.

Here is his vehicle and he is sleeping on the porch covered with a blanket.

The Lord 's house is a sanctuary for the homeless.

For us, the surest evidence that the Lord's hand of blessing is upon us comes when others are blessed through us. When we encourage friends and family in the midst of our trials, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God's hand of favor is onus. The best part is that those who are being blessed are at the same time being drawn closer to the Lord.To be blessed by God means being drawn deeper, higher, and further into his heart.Being blessed means feeling his favor, his pleasure, and his delight. It means understanding him in his ways. What a gift to pass on to others!

__________________________________________

In continuation to this post I want to share this heart warming story I read on Elizabeth Mahlou 's blog. This was sent to her in an email. The author is unknown.

A stranger found love, acceptance and shelter at a time of need and he returned this kindness in his own way.

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my 8-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'til morning."He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success; no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face. I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments..."For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning."I told him we would find him a bed but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No, thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag.When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.He didn't tell it by way of complaint. In fact, every other sentence was prefaced with thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded, and the little man was out on the porch.He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, "Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind."I told him he was welcome to come again. And, on his next trip, he arrived a little after 7 in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen! He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.In the years he came to stay overnight with us, there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious.When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. "Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!"Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But, oh!, if only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear. Our family always will be grateful to have known him. From him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.Recently I was visiting a friend, who has a greenhouse, as she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!"My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots," she explained, "and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden."She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. "Here's an especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body."All this happened long ago. Now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand! "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b)

Horse Sense

Had a peaceful day today. No major upheavals LOL. Its not raining as much as we want it too. Electricity has been playing truant since the past 2 days. But since this morning my Internet connection has improved.




Do watch this darling video. You will love it

Panic Room

Recently I read that for every soldier engaged on the front line there are seven to provide back up support, keeping the supply lines open and caring for the wounded. This is true in spiritual warfare too. Backup prayer support for those engaged in a struggles provides victory and strength. I felt the same happening for me. Thank you for your prayers and good wishes my friends.

People offered me all kinds of worldly advice on how to deal with these men, wanting me to react in a strong provocative way, but I resisted all that. I said ;No I will only say peaceful things. I will not pour oil into the fire. They said call us if trouble brews up and we will come to your rescue with other people. I But I did not have to press that button to. God is my panic room. The Rock in which I hide.

I waited for this man to arrive at the appointed hour, but he did not turn up. He got his answers yesterday and maybe does not want further clarification. I had also prepared lunch for him as he had indicated that would like to have lunch with us.

Anyway we were in the watchtower.

After waiting for 45 minutes my mother calmly announced that they will not come. The men live in different cities. I still had a 10 % doubt. A friend called to enquire about our well being . I said we were fine. H e offered the same worldly advice which I refused.

Afterwards mother and I watched a stand -up comedy show and laughed aloud. And when I mentioned our visitor who faile d to turn up my mother said;Are you still thinking about him? He will not come '. That put an end to it.

Thank you for your prayers my friends.

Give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4 ;7 (New Testament)

Mishael with his Mom, my sister Namrita

Mishael (13 yrs) with his brother Rayguel.

Tomorrow is Mishael 's baptism. God bless you Misheal.

The Body Guard

Today was a day of high drama, and spiritual warfare, akin to an episode of a soap opera. I cannot give the details unfortunately.


This morning I went out on important business and could have been mugged and robbed on the way back. But my Shield and Defender God provided maximum security for me and I reached home safely. He is my Body Guard literally



I was taking a breather after this when an unexpected visitors showed up. Five huge men against two weak women ( mama and me). The meeting could have taken a very ugly and nasty turn had not the Holy Spirit given me the right words to say and wisdom to deal with them. I silently kept praying , at times I felt they were not going to leave. We kept talking for nearly 2 hours and they left.



One of them is going to come to see me tomorrow morning to talk about a certain matter.
I promised to help him as best I can.


Please pray for me. We need God' s protection and wisdom and the right words to say. Pray for these men too . That God may wash away the enmity which has taken root in their hearts for each other (they are cousins and brothers) and us too, even my Pastor.



As Goliath reared his monstrous head, I picked up God' s 5 stones to confront him.

For God not given has not us a spirit of fear , but of power , and love and self control. 2 Timothy 1:7 (New Testament)



PS The the evening we had a cool refreshing shower. Praise God!

Value Plus

At about noon time loud party music wafted through our neighbourhood making me wonder who was getting married in broad daylight. Most weddings take place in the evening. Jags came and told us that a new store was being inaugurated by film actress Juhi Chawla (photo above) and thence all the commotion. He (from a rural background) could not understand the logic of inviting a famous celebrity to cut the ribbon and spending such a lot on her travel, hospitality, security and traffic restrictions. He wondered why could they not ask a local fella or HER Mom and Dad (age is revered in India) to do it instead. I could not explain fashion icons and celebrities to him. They are not a poor semi literate man' s dreams. He looks upon millionaires with great disdain.
Anyway, Juhi Chawla came and did the honors. She could be the brand ambassador of this company. I like her a lot so I decided to visit the store in the evening.

The Value Plus stores have several outlets all over India and this is their 30th.

Excuse my poor cell phone photography. I could not take digital shots without attracting unwelcome attention.

The store sells a variety of home appliances , gadgets and kitchenware etc.

All very good branded stuff and quite expensive. Although they are selling them at retail price.

Washing machines.

Fridges

Giant TV and cameras of all sorts.

As I looked around I was served very good hot coffee as inaugural welcome.

On the way home I bought hot samosas ( potato stuffed deep fried snacks)

From a roadside tea stall which looks like the one above (this photo is from the web)

The owner 's pretty daughters were serving the customers. I asked for 4 samosas and one lass aged 13 0r 14 charged me for 5. I told her I wanted just 4 and she told me she had packed an extra one for me. I was watching her and said ;no there are only 4 in the bag. She looked in and was embarrassed and gave me another one.

Either she was careless or smart (read cheating me). I think the latter was more likely. I asked her which school she went to. She waved in a general direction and mumbled something. I brought my message across, her teachers are teaching her how to make a fast buck, but some customers are faster.

The rest of the evening was spent with my Pastor going over church accounts and bills.And when I came home it started raining heavily.

Praise God for the rain. The temperature has come down.

My boil is so much better today.

And another praise report. God 'is helping me meet my financial burdens.

Thank you for praying

Beethoven 's Third

I love this story from Max Lucado

What happens when a dog interrupts a concert? To answer that, come with me to a spring night in Lawrence, Kansas.Take your seat in Hoch Auditorium and behold the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra—the oldest continually operating orchestra in the world. The greatest composers and conductors in history have directed this orchestra. It was playing in the days of Beethoven (some of the musicians have been replaced).You watch as stately dressed Europeans take their seats on the stage. You listen as professionals carefully tune their instruments. The percussionist puts her ear to the kettle drum. A violinist plucks the nylon sting. A clarinet player tightens the reed. And you sit a bit straighter as the lights dim and the tuning stops. The music is about to begin.The conductor, dressed in tails, strides onto the stage, springs onto the podium, and gestures for the orchestra to rise. You and two thousand others applaud. The musicians take their seats, the maestro takes his position, and the audience holds its breath.There is a second of silence between lightning and thunder. And there is a second of silence between the raising of the baton and the explosion of the music. But when it falls the heavens open and you are delightfully drenched in the downpour of Beethoven’s Third Symphony.Such was the power of that spring night in Lawrence, Kansas. That hot, spring night in Lawrence, Kansas. I mention the temperature so you’ll understand why the doors were open. It was hot. Hoch Auditorium, a historic building, was not air-conditioned. Combine bright stage lights with formal dress and furious music, and the result is a heated orchestra. Outside doors on each side of the stage were left open in case of a breeze.Enter, stage right, the dog. A brown, generic, Kansas dog. Not a mean dog. Not a mad dog. Just a curious dog. He passes between the double basses and makes his way through the second violins and into the cellos. His tail wags in beat with the music. As the dog passes between the players, they look at him, look at each other, and continue with the next measure.The dog takes a liking to a certain cello. Perhaps it was the lateral passing of the bow. Maybe it was the eye-level view of the strings. Whatever it was, it caught the dog’s attention and he stopped and watched. The cellist wasn’t sure what to do. He’d never played before a canine audience. And music schools don’t teach you what dog slobber might do to the lacquer of a sixteenth-century Guarneri cello. But the dog did nothing but watch for a moment and then move on.Had he passed on through the orchestra, the music might have continued. Had he made his way across the stage into the motioning hands of the stagehand, the audience might have never noticed. But he didn’t leave. He stayed. At home in the splendor. Roaming through the meadow of music.He visited the woodwinds, turned his head at the trumpets, stepped between the flutists, and stopped by the side of the conductor. And Beethoven’s Third Symphony came undone.The musicians laughed. The audience laughed. The dog looked up at the conductor and panted. And the conductor lowered his baton.The most historic orchestra in the world. One of the most moving pieces ever written. A night wrapped in glory, all brought to a stop by a wayward dog.The chuckles ceased as the conductor turned. What fury might erupt? The audience grew quiet as the maestro faced them. What fuse had been lit? The polished, German director looked at the crowd, looked down at the dog, then looked back at the people, raised his hands in a universal gesture and . . . shrugged.Everyone roared.He stepped off the podium and scratched the dog behind the ears. The tail wagged again. The maestro spoke to the dog. He spoke in German, but the dog seemed to understand. The two visited for a few seconds before the maestro took his new friend by the collar and led him off the stage. You’d have thought the dog was Pavarotti the way the people applauded. The conductor returned and the music began and Beethoven seemed none the worse for the whole experience.Can you find you and me in this picture?I can. Just call us Fido. And consider God the Maestro.And envision the moment when we will walk onto his stage. We won’t deserve it. We will not have earned it. We may even surprise the musicians with our presence.The music will be like none we’ve ever heard. We’ll stroll among the angels and listen as they sing. We’ll gaze at heaven’s lights and gasp as they shine. And we’ll walk next to the Maestro, stand by his side, and worship as he leads.These final chapters remind us of that moment. They challenge us to see the unseen and live for that event. They invite us to tune our ears to the song of the skies and long—long for the moment when we’ll be at the Maestro’s side.He, too, will welcome. And he, too, will speak. But he will not lead us away. He will invite us to remain, forever his guests on his stage.

I almost titled this entry Wag the Dog but I thought it would take away from its atmosphere.

Listen to a short clipping of Bethooven 's Third

Sunday Service

Sunday morning dawned warm and sultry and had visitors at church from the neighbouring city of Varanasi. They drove two and half hours at dawn to get here. We welcomed them with breakfast, which Pastor and his wife served them.
Just I wa s getting ready for church a group of our relatives showed up. They visit occasionally and were here to attend church . Mama chatted with them as I got ready. I called her in to change my (boil) dressing.
Church was very nice. The seminary students have returned from the holidays so we had good attendance. (my mobile photo showing the visitors, I forgot to carry my digital camera)




A husband and wife shared their testimony. Nirja (wife) belongs to a Hindu family. She accepted Christ as a student. Her family forcibly got her married to a Hindu man. She took Jesus ' promise :I will leave you nor forsake you even to the ends of the earth. She said,"Lord you are with me even as I am going into this non-Christian milieu".
Her husband and in-laws opposed her Christian beliefs. But they were impressed by her life and prayers. Later on her husband and entire family became Christians.
Her husband told us that for 16 years he worked in BHU (-it is Asia 's largest university) as a non-permanent employee, but he received God' s blessing and now his job is permanent, which means a lot in India. He is a musician and used to sing in pop bands, but now he uses his talents for the Lord. They sang a lovely song too.




After church we got to know our visitors better and discussed ministry possibilities with them. Our Pastor 's wife had prepared a nice chicken curry for lunch. While she was cooking the rice and fresh green peas pilaf, Nirja and I helped with the salad as all three of us chatted in the kitchen.
After lunch we bid farewell to our guests.
---------------------------
P.S. Other news
Today the pain (boil) is much less. Otherwise I was thinking would not be able to attend church.



Tonight I am going to watch the movie"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" on HBO



Another prayer request.
Late Aunt Virginia 's creditors are knocking at my door. I have stalled till Wednesday. I also have to pay a big electricity bill.We live by faith and mama's small pension.
GOD WILL PROVIDE.HE IS OUR JEHOVAH JIREH.

Bodily Woes and Research

My poor cell phone shots of the wedding fireworks. The fireworks are brilliant actually.

There are several of them going right now.One tries to tune out, what else can one do. Sometimes I get the feeling I am living on Wedding Planet. A Shangri La where everybody rockets to get married. You have areas designated for each religion ,( also atheists), race and nation.You can take your pick from wedding packages ranging from multi millionaires down to homeless people. But you have to come 'down to earth ' for your honeymoon.

My imagination is running wild, so I better put an end to this.

Thank you for your prayers and good wishes. It is such a comfort to know people are praying for you. I slept peacefully last night.

Today I prepared a dressing of Sophramycin cream and Nebasulph (zinc powder) and mama stuck it to my back.

Tonight when I changed the dressing I found the boil has drained out quite a bit. So I think the worst is over. Although it will take a few more days to completely drain and dry.

God is very good to me. His healing is coming to me.

Its a staph like infection and once I get it , it goes on and on.It resurfaced after last November.

================

I can' t help but mention 2 news items I read in my papers today.

BEWARE OF YOUR COMPUTER-it can make you fat. Researchers at the Copenhagen University say that staring for a long time at a computer screen can make people crave for sweet treats like chocolate cake and biscuits. Can you believe that?

Another headline screams cruelly- BIG HIPS IMPAIR WOMEN 'S MEMORY. This is the prize result of research by Northwestern Medicine.

Was Shakira right when she sang 'Hips don 't lie '. I don 't remember.

Don 't take them seriously ladies. If this was true I wouldn 't even remember my own name.

But after reading this I want to herd all these researchers into a subterranean lab and lock them up there! LOL.

Better Red Than Dead

A few days ago my poor Sheeba wa s caught in the heat of the battle.

A stray dog was found wandering behind the house and Sheeba did a 'charge of the Light Brigade" unisol (Universal Soldier) type of thing. The feral dog was no Miss Tootsie, he charged back . Sheeba was taken aback as she is a very gentle peaceful animal. The wild dog got a mouthful of her fur before she rushed indoors encouraged by my frantic screaming.

Later on I gave her a sanctifying shampoo bath.

Sorry for the blurry cell phone photos.

This is Mr Naughty Wilde. The wandering packs of stray dogs have chewed him up quite a bit.

PRAYER REQUEST

I need your prayers. I have a nasty pustular boil on my back. It is very sore and painful and burns.

Trips to the hospital usually get me infected.

It was just a tiny thing and I thought it would heal, but last night it developed into a big hard lump. It hurts so much I feel feverish. I am taking antibiotics for it. Started today.

Lord have mercy.

As Good as It Gets

Today we had our real monsoon showers.

We had from light to moderate rain throughout the day.


Temperature came down and the humidity too.

At 3 in the afternoon the sky was black with clouds

and with a cool breeze blowing

Sheeba and I sat out on the porch

enjoying the moment.


It good to see nature washed and clean.

My mom is already worried about floods.

Actually there is flooding in North Western India,

New Delhi has taken a lashing too.

But Eastern U.P. where w e live is

so drought stricken, I don 't think

there are chances of flooding here.

Water logging, - plenty of it in the cities though.

Well, besides all this it was a

BLUE/BLACK Day for us

Blue for the rain

and black for the power outages.

Yesterday too we had incessant power cuts

all day and through the night.

Today it was worse.

We 've hardly had a decent supply.

Composing this post has taken me a long time.

A man who had been to the electricity sub-station

told us there is something wrong

with a transformer.

Well, its taking them 2 days and a night to fix it.

Stamp...stamp...stamp!

The water supply came when there was no

power, so I could not fill the

overhead tank properly.

But I choose electricity over water.

What about you?

Oh well, in the West people don' t

have to worry about this option,

at least not on a daily basis.

I think it would be better

living in the middle of the

Amazon forest

rather than this contrete jungle.

When the lights went out again at 9pm

Sheeba and I sat out in the garden

trying to enjoy the wedding fireworks

all around us.

Folks tonight is an auspicious wedding night

so scores of weddings are taking place around us

in the post hotels and weddings halls

in our neighbourhood.

But Sheeba doesn 't like the idea of wedding fireworks.

She takes umbrage at people throwing

fire at the sky accompanied by

loud bangs and music.

She lodges her complaints with powerful barks.

I tell her ;Sheeba beta, let

others enjoy getting married

while we are collecting our tears in a bottle

in the dark.

To amuse myself I took

some photos of the fireworks

with my mobile phone.

Haven' t uploaded them yet. I want to finish this post and

R.I.P.

read

Rest in Peace

or

Return If Possible.
So glad there won' t be any shortage

of light and water in heaven.

The river of life flows there

and

the Lamb (Christ)

is the Light.

Stop Press

Found this newspaper generator on th e web. Thought I 'd try it.

There is a cool breeze blowing tonight. Anticipaing precipitation

Y Viva Espana. Song of the day. We loved it as schoolkids.

Sunday Blessings: Picking up My Stones

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."-- 1 Samuel 7:12

When the Israelites defeated the Philistines, the prophet Samuel raised a memorial to commemorate the victory. He named it Ebenezer, which means "stone of help." It was to remind everyone, including Samuel, that God was their help.

From the beginning, God has sealed special events with some kind of physical memorial.He gave Noah a rainbow.

He instituted the Passover feast as a memorial of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.

When he gave the law to Moses, he wrote it on two tablets so his people could see and remember.

The tabernacle, the ark itself, and the cloud that hovered over it were visible reminders of God's ever-present help.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus declared that Mary's gift of perfume, which she poured over him, should be a memorial.

What are the memorials in your life, the tangible reminders God has given you of his ever present help?

My orthopedic cane is one such Ebenezer for me. There was a time I could not take a step without it, due to my arthritis pain. I remember a cold and windy afternoon when I went to a wholesale medical store in the old part of the city to buy it.There was a traffic jam on the narrow streets, but my rickshaw driver helped me find the shop. I cried on the way home, wondering if I could ever walk properly again. I had almost forgotten how to walk.

But God be praised, as a result of prevailing prayers and medication I received healing a year and a half after I bought the cane. Now I don 't have to use it. I am unsteady on rough ground and have taken a few falls, but I can manage. Now my cane stands in a corner in the bedroom.

But I want to tell you that when I used my cane in public places I got lots of sympathy and kind treatment. I could jump queues- that was the best! LOL! Sometimes while waiting in a long line I wish i had my cane handy.

My eye glasses are also my Ebeneezer. An instrument of help to see better.My my hearing aid too is another one. It was the hardest to accept. I was born with sharp and perfect hearing and my hearing loss came to me as a big blow.The surgery I had in Christian Medical College, Vellore (South India), did not help at all. Sometimes I feel something blocking my left ear in which I had surgery, but I have not been to a specialist.

The sharpest thorns in my flesh are my poor eyesight and hearing. But God 's grace is sufficient for me. People with unseen disabilities like I have have extra struggles. In my country we don 't have any assistance for disabled people like me. Do reach out and help a disabled person today my friend.

Look for the memorials, the stones of remembrances in your life. Whatever they are- perhaps a ring, a family Bible, a pair of crutches, a pebble you picked up during a journey - they can be anchors to your soul. When pain becomes severe or sorrow crushing, you can remind yourself of that memorial set in place in a time of greater strength, and you can pray, "Oh, God, keep me faithful to that." Then rest your heart on the faithfulness of the One who has given you help in the past, that One who helped you raise the stone of remembrance in the first place.

God, your understanding of us is so great. You know that we need visible reminders of your faithfulness. Show me what reminders I can establish in my life that will stand in the face of all the future might bring.

(adapted and inspired by a devotional by Joni Eareckson Tada)