Happy Women's day

Luke 8: 1-3

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Today is women's day and it is important to know that there was at least one thing that only women could do for Jesus- help support his ministry. This required three behaviours from the women.

1.The  women had to travel with Jesus and stay close to Him

They needed to always be with Him. Every move, every town and every stop they had to follow Him.

2. The women had to support Jesus' Ministry without being asked for.

There is no evidence that Jesus or His disciples asked the women for anything. Without being asked they took care of food, water, other supplies and travel needs. Always seeking to proactively know what the Lord wanted them to do. Even he seemed helpless on the cross, they stayed near him.

3. The women did not focus on any parts of Jesus'ministry that brought them attention. 

When the 5000 were fed they were not the ones distributing the food. When the blind man was healed they were not the ones asking questions about his sins and the sins of his parents. They were not at the Garden of Gethsemane where the disciples fell asleep.  When the last supper was shared they were not present at the table. 

Perhaps as women we are called to a ministry of being invisible yet quintessential. Surely our Saviour desires that we stay close to Him.Our Saviour wants us to know his heart more than all else.  

Happy Women's day

 Good Morning, Indeed!

Why is this morning so very special?

It does not change my horrible yesterday.

It does not remove last night’s ordeal.

Does the rising of the sun change anything?

The  troubles of yesterday will haunt my today.

The birdsong of dawn alters not a single thing.

Alas the sun rises, and the sun sets, day after day.

Bringing no new hope, no fresh joy along its way.

But if the Sun of righteousness rises on me today.

Then my morning is truly special.

His Spirit removes the horror of yesterday.

His love quietens me, I forget the night’s ordeal.

His forgiveness for me changes everything.

The  troubles of yesterday do not haunt my today.

The birdsong of dawn has me singing and praising- and

New mercies, new hope, new joy all come my way.

 ஒரு மொழியில் சிந்தித்து மற்றொன்றில் பேசுவது

" அம்மா ஹாக்கி ஆடையை கழுவ வேண்டும் நாளைப் போட்டி இருக்கிறது" என்றான் என் மகன். "அடேய்  துவைக்க வேண்டும் என்று சொல்லடா" என்றேன். "இந்தியாவில் பொங்கல் சமயத்தில் சக்கர குச்சி கிடைக்கும் தானே" என்றான் என் மகன் "அடேய் அது கரும்பு" என்றேன் நான். தாயம் ஆடுகையில் "அம்மா இது உங்க போ" என்றான் "உங்க ஆட்டம்" என்று சொல்லணும்பா என்றேன். என் மகன் wash, sugarcane, your go என்ற ஆங்கிலச் சொற்களை அப்படியே மொழியாக்கம் செய்திருந்தான்.  அவன் பேசுவதோ தமிழில் அவன் சிந்திப்பதோ ஆங்கிலத்தில்.

சிந்திக்க ஆரம்பித்தேன். கிறிஸ்துவின் மொழியில் சிந்திக்க ஆரம்பித்தால் அவர் மொழியை தமிழாக்கம் செய்து பேச முடியுமோ? கிறிஸ்துவின் மொழி எது? 

இரு வாரத்தைகளே நினைவுக்கு  வந்தன. "என்று எழுதியிருக்கிறதே" எழுதப்பட்ட வசனமே கிறிஸ்துவின் மொழி.  பேதுரு  இதை அறிந்திருந்தார் "  ஒருவர் பேசும் கொடையைப் பெற்றிருந்தால், அவரது பேச்சு கடவுளுடைய வார்த்தைகளைப் போல் இருக்கட்டும்." 1 பேதுரு 4:11.

இயேசுவைப் போல பேச வேண்டும் என்றால் அவரைப் போல் சிந்திக்க வேண்டும். பவுல் சொல்கிறார் "  உண்மையுள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, ஒழுக்கமுள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, நீதியுள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, கற்புள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, அன்புள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, நற்கீர்த்தியுள்ளவைகளெவைகளோ, புண்ணியம் எதுவோ, புகழ் எதுவோ அவைகளையே சிந்தித்துக் கொண்டிருங்கள்." பிலிப்பியர் 4:8. சங்கீதக்காரன், பவுல் கூறிய குணங்கள் யாவும் வேதத்திற்கே பொருந்தும் என்கிறான் "அநேகமாயிரம் பொன் வெள்ளியைப்பார்க்கிலும், நீர் விளம்பின வேதமே எனக்கு நலம்." சங்கீதம் 119:72.

வேதத்தின் வழியே சிந்தித்தும், வேதத்தையே சிந்தித்தும் வாழ்ந்தால் கிறிஸ்துவின் மொழியை இந்நூற்றாண்டின் மொழியில் மொழியாக்கம் செய்து பேசலாம் நாம். 

Far away friends

'Happy Birthday Hannah!! ', said the was the voice of a friend, she has been a friend since I was four. Memories of our friendship are not always candid or vivid but conversations with her are always refreshing, and joy- evoking. All through the day many other friends called, friends I had not seen in decades. Friends who lived miles away from me, who had not the faintest idea, about my current hairstyle, the nature of my current job, choice of clothes or footwear. 'Now how did I make friends with her?' , I thought about each one of them. 

Friendship is the strangest of  relationships ! Surely 'make' is a verb we use only in the context of friendship and not any other relationship. As we became friends, my friends and I made ourselves accept and love each other. Much went on within each of us without us having to talk about it. Friends helped me know my insufficiency, my failings, and my weaknesses, by hardly talking about them. Friends encouraged, consoled and appreciated generously, without me asking for it.

When physical distance separated, the bond grew firmer. There was no anguish like the separation from a lover, but calm confidence that we will continue to be friends.  No desperation to talk things out but, pure determination to keep in touch. After years of silence, when a telephone call reaches me from across the oceans, out come the words, smiles, tears and frustrations and fears. An hour or less of chatting, arguing, and sometimes even quarreling  bridges the distance of time and miles and make me feel like my friend has walked beside me every single day of my life. 

Perhaps every relationship must be a friendship for it to stand the test of time and distance. Oh! that I may be a friend to mum and dad, sis and son and husband and indeed my creator itself. For He is unseen but ever present, unheard but ever speaking, far away but ever near, ever listening, ever loving, ever longing that i'd be His friend.

Thatha

You are in my thoughts everyday.
My son hears about you everyday.
That you are no longer here does not hurt.
But not being able to talk to you does hurt.
Every milestone, I wish- you could know.
May be you do- and that I do not know.
Birthdays, I suppose dont matter to you now.
Does anything matter at all to you now :).
Your birthday went by yesterday-Bringing to me
Found memories of you all day.

Oh common one

How do you grow where no one plants.
Why do you flower where no one looks.
How do you survive where no one waters.
Why do you live taking all sorts as neighbours.
How do you smile so sweetly when no one cares.
Why do you chose to grow on roofs and sidewalks.
How do you manage to hold your head up high.
When everyone ignores you and passes you by.

My Child

All things  to you are interest arousing.
Be it morning, noon, or evening.
The umteen number of questions you ask.
Make answering them quite a task.
How you love to question every convention.
How sweetly worded your every confession.
The excitement through the day you cannot keep.
Yet at night how deep and undisturbed your sleep.