Let Dubai welcome the Prince of Good TImes...

all set.. packing over... set to fly... tomorrow, my flight is at 12 25... haven't been excited this much for any of my previous trips... i can meet my sister and my niece tomorrow...

have a plan of what all are the things i am supposed to do there... hopefully everything will go according to current plans... can't wait to eat "shavarma" and my sister's food... tomorrow onwards... back to eating spree!!!

even though had lot of things to complete before i go on leave... nothing reduced my excitement... thank God, everything that i should complete is already completed... now can enjoy my vacation to the best...

will try to keep this blog updated while i am away... but not sure whether i will be able to do it on a regular basis... so till i blog next time... u have a good time... keep smiling and make someone smile... God Bless

Counting Down.... 3 more days!!!!!!

after a mentallytough weekend, am getting back to normal life... i didn't have anything to do over the weekend... no soccer games too... was at home all through out... i hate doing that... coz my thoughts go out of control... wandering in the past... so was feeling pretty low too... but normal now... coz at work, i was quite busy.. i love being busy... it will help me to keep thoughts under control...

even thought of leaving singapore and going to some other place... may be back to australia... my friends have been asking me to go back too... i am giving it a good thought... just keeping my options opened... but i pray that i won't take any decision on my own... praying that God will lead me in whatever decisions i make...

now i am counting down every hour and minute... can't wait to see my sister and niece... shopping and packing are nearly over... just need to hop on to flight... i am soooo eager and excited...

* JS and esther will be having a baby boy.... very happy for them...

will keep u updated on my trip... God bless... keep smiling

I HAVE A DREAM !!!!

today was cynthia's birthday... tomorrow is JS'... Happy Birthday to both of them... Praying that they will be blessed abundantly in the year ahead... much more than the blessings they received in the past... and also the God will grand them the wishes and desires of their hearts...

had dinner with them from botak jones... had chilli dog... was very good... you can have a look at it....


today happened to read the MOST FAMOUS PUBLIC ADDRESS of 20th Century... yes, am referring to Martin Luther's speech... this was the speech he made to address a crowd of African Americans, who were facing hardcore racism... this was on August 28, 1963...it is indeed a very inspirational one... i used to have lot of dreams... but may be for last 7 months, i didn't want to dream... all those i had were no longer my priorities... but after reading this message again... its spurring me on... i will dream... and i will pursue my dreams... will put a portion of the message here... if u r interested in reading the complete message, let me know, i can forward it to u...

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends - so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

martin luther's dream came to past... then mine will also come to past... i will dream... i will dream big... in Kerala, the old people say... DREAM FOR THE SKIES, U WILL GET AS BIG AS A HILL... so dream big my friends...and achieve big things in life...

let me sleep now.. need to go to work tomorrow.. lazy to wake up early these days... Good night

*Once again... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JS AND CYNTHIA

5 - 3.. Goals at both ends... But we Won!!!!

it wasn't a great performance... but at the end of the day, we won the game... always a 2 goal cushion was there... so nothing was there to worry, when i let in goals also...

i feel better today... yesterday, found it hard to sleep... but today, i am ok... after the game, just felt more relaxed...so i am nearly back to normal mood... it is tough when i am under stress... but once back to normal, everything is fine....

was kind of lazy to go and eat... but afternoon, land lady gave me food... i think i haven't eaten tastier nasi lemak ever before... and the chicken was too good... after a long time i had 6 pieces of chicken wings today... evening had dinner with Eve.. JS and Esther also joined... so had a good time with them... ate pizza... that too after a long time...

after that.. watched Man U playing Reading... they played good soccer as usual... but the scoring was not so good... until the lasy 15 min.... i thought it would be draw without goals... but Rooney and Ronaldo managed to put 2 at the back of the net... so... still above Arsenal atleast on goal difference...

nothing else to write for the time being... take care.. let me sleep now...

P.S. recently realised that i put on 9kgs in 2 months... thats scary... hopefully, it will remain the way it is now...

Let me Bear Fruit...

a long week is getting over... a week of mixed fortunes.... nothing so bad or nothing so good... everything went smoothly...

today had cell... was kind of emotional time...we were supposed to share about our quite time based on John 15:1-17... the portion says about how God prunes us and enable us to bear fruits.... while i was doing my quite time, after reading the portion, i thought about last few years in my life... especially last 5 years... starting from 2003...i looked back at those moments when i was being pruned... those were tough moments... they went on to the extend i asked God whether He is real or not... At times i felt, i didn't want to be a christian anymore... but all those while, God's love was real to me... those things that were cut off from me, were all precious to me... things i loved more than anything else... so it hurt the most when those things were taken away from me... BUT when i look back... i have changed a lot... from someone who was once called the most notorious guy in a school of 3000 students to someone who was called the most patient guy some of my friends have ever met... it wasn't easy road to travel... it wasn't a highway... it was a road with lot of gutters and humps... every fall was painful... but i am no longer the same person who was 5 years before... i can see lot of changes in me...

today jeremy prayed for me... i don't know whether u remember me writing down in this blog somewhere that IN 2007, I WENT THROUGH THE VALLEY OF SHADOW OF DEATH... BUT IN 2008, I WILL RUN TO THE MOUNTAINS WITH THE FEET OF A DEER... today while praying, Jeremy spoke the same thing to me... it was a kind of conformation for me... Yes... its going to happen... i will run to mountains of greater height than i ever thought of...

i got my leave approved this week... so am happy about that... but my dad is sick... that makes my happiness disappear... do keep him in prayers and also my mom...

tomorrow got soccer match... our opponents seem to be very good... and the game is on the same ground where i first started playing for TCC... i made horrible mistakes then... i don't know how it will be tomorrow... hoping not to make any errors... to an extend i am stressed and i am having bad head ache too...so i am off to sleep now... take care.. God Bless

Thrashed Again !!!!!!! 0 - 4

i think today was one of those very bad days for Team TCC... no one played a good game... the field was too bad... was kind of swimming pool... and ball never comes to the feet and we didn't know how to play in that field... at the goalkeeping end, i had my tough time too... performance deteriorating... the end result was a 0 - 4 thrashing by the opponents... 2 goals each in each half... my ankle got worse.. swelling got bigger... now it started aching too... walking with a crepe bandage tied around it... hopefully i will be ok by tomorrow morning...

after the game went home quickly... had shower and went for lunch and debrief session of Christmas isn't Christmas at Royal Plaza... food was ok... it was a buffet... but since i was tired and didn't have much sleep yesterday, i didn't eat much... after lunch, they talked about how to make the future events better... once it was over, i ran away from there and came home and slept...

during debrief, happened to talk about my time in melbourne... every time i think of melbourne, i think of Hal and Harsha

this was a pic taken while we had breakfast at MacDonald’s on our way to Falls Creek...they were my best friends in melbourne... they used to work at the same place where i used to work as part time telemarketer... were my team leaders... i learnt a lot from this guys... i try to imitate many of their ways... even when i have to give training, i tend to do it the way they used to do... when i have to lead a team, again i tend to do it the way they used to do...their wives used to send me food everyday through them... so my lunch was always taken care of... i was blessed tremendously coz of these guys... thank god for hal, harsha and their wives...

later Man U is playing Newcastle... hopefully, the new manager syndrome won't put Man U in trouble...let them win and let Arsenal draw...

i am looking forward to Jan 31st... still got 19 days more... that will go like ages... but am very eager to see my sister... haven't seen her for 2 years...

now, am going to watch a movie till Man U game... will keep updating he blog whenever something happens... so if i don't update my blog, there can be 2 reasons, either i am lazy or nothing is happening in life which is to be updated here... so.. see guys... remember to make someone laugh .... God bless...

Extracts from a Book written by one of the greatest Indian Missionaries

After a few days, i am back here.... there was nothing much to write... this week was quite boring... at work, also nothing much to do... even today i didn't have anything to write... but in the evening i got a mail from one of the greatest indian missionaries whom i know personally... it was encouraging... it was a kind of prophecy to me... he doesn't know anything which i had to go through for the last few years... but what he wrote was about that too... and wrote that god will lead me in great ways... yes!!!! i am looking forward to it....

He attached a portion of the new book he is writing, a couple of stories and his testimony... i liked that... so thought of sharing with you guys....

Let me borrow a page from Ruth Bells Graham’s written collection.

Quote:

Happy Christians were apart of my heritage. And those I knew were deeply committed to Christ. One would have to be to go to China in those days, learn the difficult language and work as hard as they did, often under dangerous circumstances.

For example, an oil company was about to open a new operation in China. A committee was charged with finding a man to manage the new division. This manager had to meet for qualifications: He had to be under 30 years of age, university graduate, a proven leader and have a fluent knowledge of Chinese. Each man considered was found lacking. Then some one said that they had a friend meeting all the requirements who already was living in the very city where the company was planning to establish its headquarters. He was 28, had brilliant college record, had three years’ study and practice in the Chinese language, plus he had the full confidence of the Chinese people among whom he was well known. The committee asked how much salary this friend getting and was startled to learn that it was only $600 a year because he worked for a mission board. After further questioning, the committee chairman appointed the man to g to China and gave him the instructions, “Hire that man. Offer him $10,000 a year. If that fails, offer him $12,000 or even $15,000.” The man made the long trip, found his friend and made him the offer – which was declined. As instructed, the man raised the offer but was gain refused. Finally the man asked his friend, “What will you take?” “It’s not a question of the salary,” the young missionary assured him. “The salary is tremendous. The trouble is with the job. The job is too little. I feel that God has called me to preach the Gospel of Christ. I should be a fool to quit preaching in order to sell oil.” Such were the giants among whom we grew up.”

Unquote.

Mrs. Graham was raised among spiritual giants. But I feel that our children and youth are growing among dwarfs – who are willing to sell the call and ministry that God gave and go to the gulf to work for oil companies. I remember the story of my pastor P M Thomas. He was the pastor of a church in Jammu & Kashmir and I was saved in his convention in 1971. Immediately he took me under his wings and trained me as a disciple of the Lord. As I was serving in the Indian Army I could go to the Church only on an occasional home meeting and one or hardy two Sunday church service. The rest of the days I was on duty in the office. But when ever I was available he ad his wife Christy gave me their time. He was a teacher in an English medium school in Kerala. He was also a well-accepted preacher in the conventions too. Then this young man felt the call for Kashmir. He was only happy to g but he had many responsibilities towards his home: 2 younger brothers, four unmarried sisters and aged parents. But he decided to obey God and go as a missionary to Kashmir. Let me quote the rest of the story from his life storybook though he himself told this to me.

Quote:

“Temptation appeared. Some one in the USA heard about Thomas and offered him a full scholarship at Grace Theological College in Los Angels. In those days, going to America for theological training was almost like going to Paradise. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and America and all its dollars shall be added unto thee”, was the popular notion. “Lord, what shall I do? Thomas cried out. Every monring for six weeks he walked down the street and spent the day in prayer and fasting until evening. As he agonized in Spirit, he realized that many who had gone to America for training never returned to India for ministry. And inside, he could hear God speaking to him not to go to America for his studies. ….Reluctantly, Thomas wrote to the school in Los Angels, thanking them but declining the offer.”

Unquote.

Let me tell you about my temptation. I left my army job and went to Katra as a pioneer missionary working on faith. I did not have a mailing list and no mission to support. It was a life of poverty. I saw my son becoming unconscious three times because we did not have a grain of rice to give. Lily was all skin and bones walking around in torn clothes. I remember crying as I watched her skeleton body and torn clothes. It was a very hard life. One day I was sitting under a tree in front of our rented room reading the mail. There was a letter from Alain, UAE. It said, “Recently there was an influx of sweepers from Pakistan. A special camp is set up to accommodate the 1000 newly arrived sweepers. Recently I found that all these people are Christians – mostly nominal Christians. They are given a large tent to meet and worship. But they have no pastor. We wish you can come to Alain and be their pastor. The American hospital here will give you the visa and free housing. We will send you a ticket and give a car on arrival. Since you speak Urdu, You can havea very good ministry here.” It also talked about opportunity to minister in the other Indian assemblies also. I did not even pray about it. I tore that letter into pieces and scattered in the air. Because I knew my calling and the place for which He has called me. The offer did not even tempt me even for a fraction of a second.

I Rememeber going for a visa to go to USA to preach in a few churches. The Visa officer rejected my application saying that she is afraid that I will not return to India. I talked to her and said, “I am a Christian preacher. I promise that I will return on time” She laughed and said, “Those who went before you said the same thing, shaking their Bibles in their hands. But none of them came back. They settled there.” I did not have any words to speak to her.

Dear friend, know your call, know the place of your call and know the term of your call. If God is calling you now, don’t wait for another ten years. If God is calling you for Bihar, don’t settle for Bombay. If God is calling you – don’t say, “Lord here I am – but send my neighbour. I will support him.” God does not lack money – but He lacks men called for a purpose. If he called you – you must go to do that job God called you.

I heard another story from Rev (Dr) John Haggai in April 2004 in Kula Lumpur, Malaysia. He talked about South Korea liberated. The American caretaker government was looking for an able man who will be accepted by the people. They considered one after the other and finally narrowed on one man, a Presbyterian pastor who was highly respected by the people of Korea. They approached him to be the President of Korea to lead that country which was in ruins into stability and prosperity. He declined saying that he is doing a greater job and he cannot step down to take up the position of the president of Korea though the offer is tempting.

hope it blessed you guys too... God Bless

TRINITY CUP CHAMPIONS!!!!

Yes, today we won the Trinity Cup.... it was a tournament in league format... played 3 games, won 3 games.... 1st one 2 - 0, 2nd one 2 - 1 (that was a tricky game) and last one 3 -2 ..... during the time i played, it wasn't a bad performance even though my usual temptation of making mistakes was there.... Got a small sprain in my leg and its a bit swollen... painful too... hope i will be ok soon...

Yesterday, we had some good food... couldn't take the pics though.... Eve and myself accompanied JS to the west... had stingray, sotong, claypot rice and satay... was very good... ate quite a bit.. i think, i need to explore singapore... there are hell lot of places here where i can get good food... currently everyday i eat from AMK... at times i think, my life will end eating AMK food... now i need to explore Singapore for food.... people already started saying that i put on some kgs recently... am not sure about that.. but one thing is sure... thats my tummy is growing... currently it looks like as if i am 3 months pregnant... hopefully it wont grow as if i am 9 months pregnant... that can be pretty horrible... i will have to be scared of myself then...

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday... need to wish her in the morning... as i told u many times, she is one of the biggest blessings God has ever given me... very supportive and encouraging... i am looking forward to see her when i go to dubai... today is 6th only... need to wait till 31st... :(.. hopefully days will pass very fast....

Nothing much is happening these days with which i can update the blog... so maybe i won't update for few days now... lets see whether something good is happening or not... till then God Bless... Be Cheerful... Smile always and make someone laugh....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Yes!!! its here... the long awaited 2008... and i wish you all A VERY BLESSED 2008 Remember? in my last post i typed in a song which came to my mind for 2008

It's a new season, it's a new day.
A fresh anointing is flowing my way.

It's a season of power and prosperity.
It's a new season coming to me.

I was asking God to give me conviction about this.... He gave me more than one... First was yesterday during watch nite.... Ps. Dom's message itself was that 2008 will be a Year if New Beginnings... and this song was being sung again and again... then, today i got a mail from one of my family friends... from someone whom i consider just as my own sister.... she also told me the same, that this will be a year of new beginnings for me... i called my mom... and she too told the same to me... i am holding on to the promise... He will make this a year of new beginnings for me...

Today i prayed and asked God, how he is going to lead me in 2008.... He gave me a passage from the book of Ezra where the king granted whatever Ezra asked for... thats in chapter 7... yes.. i am going to do the same... i am going to ask the King what ever i want... this year, He has promised me that He will grand them to me.... I am excited for 2008....

btw... the way i started 2008 is not so nice.... slept till 2 pm... i woke up thinking that it as 10 am... but the clock showed it was 2pm... so its not my fault... but i am happy that i could sleep most of the day today... i needed that sleep.... but yesterday after watch nite we had a good supper at Lagoona at ECP.... was good.. happy for that..

I pray that you will be blessed much more than what i am going to be blessed... and again i wish you a prosperous 2008... God Bless