Different Strokes!

Lunch times are fun times! I get to interact with my colleagues during this time and chat on various topics. The topics vary every single day. In fact every time I sit down to eat, I ask myself, "Wonder what will be the topic today?"

Today as we were chatting away about exams and which board is good (for example)I just glanced at my colleagues and realised-Hey!! We are from different states. It was an amazing revelation to me!!. Right from Jammu to Assam, then West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka(me!!) and of course from Maharashtra....
It was interesting to note the variety present and yet we all sat together enjoying our meals and enjoying each other's company. Isn't that great? People from different strata of society, lifestyle, culture, upbringing, influence, education sitting together! I love this about my country!! 
Apart from the fact that lunch hour is for relaxing and eating, it is also a time of appreciating one another, their cuisine, their ideas and so much more!! It is easy to gloat about our culture and our own language and feel proud about it which in reality is foolish. What is the common thread then? God is the Maker of us all!!

Milestones-2

Continuing with the theme of completing a milestone in my life, when the clock struck 12, my sister wished me and presented with goodies that I was dying to open!! :)..Finally!! As they say, “Patience is a virtue”:P......

Honestly, I did not know where to begin! So, I started reading the cards first. It was encouraging to read what dear friends had to say on this special occasion........Then I read my sister's card. I was in for a surprise!! She had a taken a pic of us two and printed it on a card!! That was so cute!! I absolutely loved it!!! What did she give?? She bought me“The Lord of The Rings” as she knew I love books.....Wow! That was a neat start. Then came cosmetics and a classy clutch purse :) and of course a scented candle!! But the card with our picture printed on it was a stealer!!

As I continued with the gift opening ritual, out came cross-stitch manual, more books to read, cosmetics, earrings, a gift coupon, branded t-shirt and cash from my parents. I was truly enriched!! hahaha.....

My surprise, ecstasy, joy and excitement were all captured on the camera, courtesy my sister!! And I got flowers too...red roses!!!

As anticipated, I got a call from a dear ex-colleague and friend in the morning!! Thank you S.K!! oops!!! S.P.....:P Had to go to work, but it was kinda fun with all the attention and cake cutting(3rd cake). Got calls throughout the day from friends and my sister checking on me to see whether I was enjoying my birthday and not to forget emails and messages! Then I got a surprise flower delivery in the evening...ooohhhh!!!! That was a dear friend of mine....It stands today adorning my cubicle! In the evening I had a quiet moment with my sis in a coffee shop eating Chocolate Bliss pie...courtesy the coffee shop.....Well!! Everybody were so kind to me!

Had dinner with family in a Chinese restaurant and I must say, the food was delicious! After we reached home, another chocolate was waiting to be cut...Wow!! That was the 4th cake ...Loved the cake!! Thank you dear sis!!!

In the end, as I retired to bed, I could just thank God for His immense blessings upon me and for my family and friends who made my birthday a wonderful milestone to pass!

Milestones-1

This year as I celebrated my special birthday, I knew I crossed another milestone. It kept me thinking of the ways in which I had grown as a person, as a daughter, as a sister, as a friend, as a colleague and more so as a child of God! And I am just hoping that I have grown in stature(metaphorically speaking :)) and in a positive way which only time will tell!

This was the first birthday where everyone was excited about, right from my family and friends. My sister was busy contemplating ways in which to surprise me and the kind of gifts to give. You have no clue how I pestered her to tell me what she was gonna give me. Was she annoyed or what?? Haahaa...

I was so touched with the fact that friends asked what kind of a birthday party I desired. That was awfully kind of them. This was for those who could not see me on my birthday, so we had a pre-birthday celebrations!! Yippee!! I enjoyed it so much.

I had my pre-birthday celebration on Sunday. I put on brand new clothes and clicked many pics with my family and friends. My sister who developed a great taste in photography become my own official photographer!! She loves clicking pics anyway!! After church, my friends sang to me and another church member who was also celebrating her birthday. Then!! We cut a cake (chocolate cake soaked in wine!!) and posed for more pics!! It was fun!!!

Then off we went to a coffee shop and celebrated again with another cake cutting!! I was showered with gifts and cards....It was so special!! Met my old friends too...then more pics :). Then my sister and I went to watch a movie!! Reached home in the evening, tired but extremely happy!! My sister had already purchased a lot of gifts which I was dying to open. And boy!! she wouldn't let me go near that special bag which contained all the goodies!!!

All the gifts given by my friends and the ones which my sister had got were neatly arranged on our table, along with the cards....They looked so beautiful...for the simple reason that so many cared enough to write a note to encourage me and celebrate in my joy!!!

What makes birthday special is not the cutting of cake or the gifts but the fact that you have a family who loves you and friends who care about you and desire to encourage you.....

More to come in the next post :)

Oh How I Wish...

Every time I watch Jim Carey complain and murmur about his pitiable condition in 'Bruce Almighty', it brings a smile on my face. The makers of this movie were able to capture the universal disease of us human beings, “complaining”. It is not an unique disease that plagues a few, but is prevalent among the rich and poor alike!!

One statement from Jim Carey that stuck me was this, “I hate my mediocre life.”. Wow!! Mediocre, eh? Well, the movie has a humorous undertone where in the end, Jim Carey a.k.a Bruce Nolan realised that what he had, was so much better and well satisfying than what he wished for!!

So, readers what are you wishing for today?? A better comfortable life, a spectacular job, great loyal friends, understanding spouse who is able to read your mind and respond instantly?? For starters, this post isn't meant to give any advice for I have none!! Sorry folks!! What I am trying to do is think through the issue of complaining. Why do I complain? Tell me, why are you complaining?

The main reason I complain is because I feel I deserve better than what I have. Instead of being thankful for what I have, I look at what I don't have and become unhappy!! And my heart is so deceitful that it will coax me to find satisfaction in the things around me, when there are just supposed to point me to the One, the Giver of all things! It is God alone who can satisfy me! Period.

I like what my pastor said during one of his sermons, “If you don't have something in your life that you desire, probably it is not something you need at the moment.” Every time we complain, we are actually raising our fists against God telling Him, “You aren't doing a good job.” Of all creation, the animals and birds pay their respects better to their Creator by not complaining.

No wonder, in the Bible, Jesus Christ talked about the lilies of the field and the birds of the air in Matthew 6: 25-35. If God can take care of the birds who neither sow nor reap, how much more for those believe in God through Christ Jesus??

By God's grace, my complaining has reduced quite a bit and there is so much to thank God for!! For a job in this recession, for a roof over my head, for a healthy body and kind friends too.

Coming back to the statement about a mediocre life mentioned by Bruce Nolan in Bruce Almighty is that maybe, if I don't have a great life as wanted/fancied is probably because I can't handle it. More often than ever, we overestimate ourselves. We think we can handle everything. Never envy somebody else's life, coz we don't know what their secret troubles are! In the process of coveting their so-called prosperous lives, you might inherit their troubles too!

Being content is the key!!