Year end thoughts

Oh! my lord, after much trouble,
deliberation, you have opened ,
a door for me, let me walk in,
without fear and hesitation.

Bless me lord, with the courage,
perseverance, I never had.

Thank you.

Carol

There is a family close to my home, who every year do the carol rounds without fail. Just the three kids and the dad. They do a good job. This year, they had a little companion, who was very enthusiastic to don the santa cap.

Merry christmas my friends, or should I say, happy memories 2011.

stars of 2012

Power

You my lord is the power of my mind, the wind of my sails, the color of my dreams, let me not, never ever, loose sight of you and walk away from your ways!!

I still carry the never healing scars of the those awful times, when I was away from you, in a world I foolishly thought I ruled.

Christmas 2011

Light at the end of tunnel.
We are surviving.
We are waking up to a new dawn.

We have hope, we have a reassurance,
that life will be back.

The lesson learned, during the dark days, why did you give up hope and loose your days to the spirit of darkness, death itself.

Each day has to be celebrated, for your freedom is bought with a price. An invaluable price.

Psalms 21:21 "He who seeks justice and mercy will gain life, prosperity and honor."

Humility and faith in God, they gain life and prosperity. The right way.

Christian Treatment

Varghese used to visit us when our mother was alive. He used to work with drug addicts and alcoholics of our town, finding them, bringing them to some Christian rehabs, help them recover from their addiction and lead a normal life. Varghese too had some demons in his life earlier, which he had struggled hard to over come. Through the ministries of Potta, he had found god and has stayed strong in the love of god ever after.

His method of operation was to have a network of Charismatic prayer group member in finding friends and families who might need a helping hand to save a family member or a friend or a neighbor. In the course of time, many priests and lay brothers had set up de addiction centers through Jesus, which was fondly called the christian treatment.

Recently I came across the Christian Rehabs in America and learned about the wonderful job they were doing in saving lives. Only then I realized the importance of the selfless work Varghese and people like him were doing.

No one gets into addiction knowingly, they have some serious problems in their lives from which they want to run off or need some consolation. Christian treatment helps these hopeless to realize that its not the substance of addiction which is in control, but the Creator who made this whole world who is in control of their lives and the whole world.

They are initiated into prayers and a new way of thinking. Once they are in a way of recovery and out of these rehabs, the network of the prayer groups take them over and help them stay in the lord. But I do doubt the infrastructures that are involved in these programs now. The individuals and the organizations that are running these programs are way short in means that they could not help loosing some saved lives from relapse.

It has been proved the christian treatment is the best form of recovery from addiction the world over, its high time, government showed some interest in these programs, now run on the good heart of some priests and persons like Varghese, to take it to the next level.

Addiction, is not just to drugs and alcohol, it can be food and sex too. In our society, we speak of drug and alcohol, what about the other two. Not speaking of it does not mean, it does not exist. There will be folks struggling with it, not knowing the cause of their behavior, thus falling prey to the pressures of society and ruining themselves and those around them.

Let us hope, very soon, we have a system which will look into these kind of behavioral abnormalities. That would help the society a lot, both the serving and served.

Realms

Job 12:4 To my friends I am a laughingstock
when I call on God who does not answer;
the just and blameless man
is made fun of.
5“Contempt for the unfortunate,” so think the prosperous,
“a blow for those who are staggering.”

Creativity

I always wanted to write inspiring stories and poems that leaves a positive message. So much for my creativity, this blog is all I have and here there is nothing much noteworthy. Or else, how will I explain the next to nothing readers..:):):) (Is that what I am looking for ????:( )

I was at Mary Magdalene's, close to my home, where I usually go once in a while, just to enjoy the "celebration of silence" in the empty church on evenings. Last time when I went there, I sat there in the silence of the lonely church, meditating over the relationship between Mother Mary and Magdalene, wondering at the magnanimity of Mariamma's heart to accept Magdalene as one of their own, not judging her by her past. I was certain, Mother would not have even thought of her as a "challenge" or "poison" considering the way Magdalene had turned around after she found her true love.

As I sat there, smiling at my own follies in avenging insults and murdering hearts even after the persons who have hurt me had reconciled, I saw the Capiar coming out with a broom and cleaning the altar of the church.

There was something about the way he was cleaning, a kind of earnest sincerity which was hard to miss. I found it very touching. Later before leaving I went to him and thanked him for the way he was serving the church and told him he is indeed an inspiration.

He looked at me for a while and then went inside and brought me a book. It was the published copy of his collection of poems which the "love" in his heart had prompted.

"How can I not serve the lord with all my heart, when He fills me with rhyme after rhyme."

I was overawed by his simple, but strong faith.

Presenting to you my friends, Chinnikara Joy of Moothedam St. Magdalene's church, Maradu.

The Day's bread

May god bless and keep our ways of earning bread.

Sirach 51:13 In my youth, before I set out on my travels, I openly sought wisdom in prayer; 14before the Temple I asked for her and I will pursue her to the end of my days

Reason for our ruins

Haggai 1:9 You expected much but it turned out to be very little. I blew away what you had piled up. Why? Because my House lies in ruins while each of you goes running home

Comfort

Jeremiah 16:19 Yahweh, my strength and my fortress,
my refuge in times of distress!

Bonds

The bonds that keep us together in this life. The bonds that keep us steady in life.

November to February, we have the best of the sky. When the other half of the world is having shivering winter we have just cool nights. Mornings are a delight in these months in our tropical world.
Just one of the shots I am trying during these months at Vallarpadam.

Safe Crossing

I've a friend at Lady of Ransom, who help around with the church everyday. He is part of the church in a very special way and spends his day mostly at the church. He gets a small salary for that. Inspite of his close association with God, like all of us, he kept worrying about his family, how he will educate his children, how he would meet the expenses of running a family, what will his family do if he died suddenly etc.

Though he had shared his anxieties with me many times, I was not in a position to help him financially, though I tried strengthening him and his faith.

John 1:12 "..but all who have received him
he empowers to become children of God
for they believe in his Name."

If Children of God could not live well, who else will live? So the problem here could be, I thought, how much we want to put our faith in God, that He will be part of our everyday lives in leading and guiding us, in earning bread and meeting our deadlines. I could identify myself with my friend's situation as I too had failed in leaning on God in all situations. Life, as we live longer, teach us its possible and its true that God indeed help the faithful in everyday chores. So I kept telling my friend one day you will be surprised to see how much God does for his Children.

Few weeks ago when I went to Lady of Ransom, he came running to me to share the good news that an American who was visiting the church offered to sponsor his children's education.

A miracle indeed. Hundreds visit the church everyday, how come my friend get to talk to this very man who was actually looking out for an opportunity to lend a helping hand.

God knows what we want and is willing to help if we are willing to give ourselves to him- our "fancy" intellect and all. The process is a joy too and sometimes it can become an addition..:):)

Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. Mathew 11:28-29

Stability

The highs and lows in life is inevitable, ofcourse, but how does a man who has found peace through Jesus deal with it. How should his outlook be like, no matter which phase of life he is on. I guess, his peace should remain the same, his thought should remain the same, he should be still thanking the god for whatever he is going through, high or low.

Recently, I lost a friendship, a friendship I had in the peace of the lord. Our situations had changed drastically, I had fallen in life materially, he had gone up. While I could be happy about his success as if it was my own, he felt I was not in the league any more..:)

Thank you lord, for teaching me that its not me, but YOU who owns my life, whatever happens in this life, happen with your permission and I have to accept it graciously. Though I am not successful to live that thought always, thank you for the times I have lived it.

This picture was taken while I was in Dubai. Over the years it has become dear to me, it reminds me of the lesson God has taught me, to be humble in your victories just as you are humble in your failure.

Port after port,
Load after load,
Crew after crew,
Day after day...

A journey, a sail,
Till that day,
Same like the day,
We were born,

When we all will be,
buried back into,
the womb of mother nature.

Till then, life has to float on.

The monsoon. Another year, another season.
For the living to survive, for the dead....??

Trolling Ban

Just a few days after the "Logos Hope" called on our port, this years trolling ban came into effect. The monsoon have started rampaging our coast and the sea is high. A good decision from the point of view of safety and the reproduction of fishes.

Hope the fishing families of the coast cruise without any strains on their purse.

Farewell

The Arch Bishop of Syro - Malabar Christians. A soft spoken, really enlightened human.

Thank you, for being what you were.

Marian Towers

Though Marian towers were dedicated earlier, it was open to public only a few weeks ago. They charged a nominal ticket fee for this awe inspiring experience of climbing the pier at Lady of Ransom church.
Top of the dome on a over cast afternoon.
Meenakshi Amma and the mother. Classic attachment.
The grill domes at the top for safety. It indeed felt safe even at such height. Even me, who has a fear of height felt safe at top. I should admit I was more afraid climbing the stairs than at the top.
Views, a generation ago, could not have possibly imagined even in their wildest dreams. A view of the church and the neighborhood from such a height!!!
The curator, sometimes handwork go painfully unnoticed. But some just smile and keep it going.

The cameras to monitor, these kind of control devices have become a need as the brotherhood sometimes turn into a convenient cover for wrongful indulgence.

Amma

On November fifth last year, the first Friday of the month she went to St. George's Church at Edappally as always for the adoration and mass. She spent the whole day there. On her way back, just about a 100 meters away from our home, she stopped at the shop to buy some grocery. There she collapsed and died instantly.

Above everything else, my dear Ammachi, I will remember you for teaching us to "Pray".

St. Gemma Gilgani

A very special association I have with this saint. She inspires me, makes me believe in my own faith and let me enjoy the unbelievable cheer that realization gives.

Thank you St. Gemma, you touch my heart in a very special way and make my heart smile each time I think of you.

A link to her web site:

http://www.stgemmagalgani.com

A link to a dedicated blogger:

http://stlouiscatholic.blogspot.com