Category: Christian

Posted in Christian, Daily, Family and Society

Stay on Track

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Watching the sports field as the shades of dusk settled, there was a hub of activity. As the preparations for the annual sports day was underway, the drill team were having their final instructions, the pit lines were being drawn and the tracks were being freshly marked. Observing the fresh white marked being poured to mark the race tracks, they were finely poured with measured distances between the lines. Everyone knows what happens when the tracks get drawn in a shabby manner. Too little space for the runners, or worst of all, they run into each other’s track fields resulting in a whole of confusion and shoving.

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Like wise in life, we too have our own tracks that help us stay in line. These tracks guide us, correct us when things go wrong and map out a course for us to run along. Such is the guidance of His Spirit. Life on earth, is never predictable. So are the paths that we follow, roads that we take and the unexpected roadblocks that we encounter. To stay on the track, in the course of events would be difficult at times. By His Spirit, the tendency to wander, get lost or be disheartened is lessened.

“Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them, Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name, Who led them through the depths? Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble…” (Isaiah 63:11-14)

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As one encounters the tough moments of life, His Spirit guides us on to which path to take, options to choose and heed to. One may call it the inner conscience, moral compass or the sixth sense, but it is His Spirit that stays in the mind and guides us through these actions, words and behaviour. The Spirit is strengthened by His Word and His Grace. for those to all come into being, one would need to walk in His Faith. Faith is not borne fruit by prayers alone, but complete belief in His Word and in His Law. When all these things come into proper balance, the gift of His Spirit and His Guidance would guide us through all the different race tracks or dirt tracks that we may run into throughout our lifetime.

“The Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie.” (1 John 2:27)

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Posted in Christian, Family and Society, Life, Reflections, Stories Around the World

Not to Condemn

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

At the turn of the spring, the yard resembles the after-effects of a wind-storm. As rakes get into action and leaves get piled up, a pit is dug for the dead leaves side-by-side before the dusk turns to night. The fear of the dead leaves starting an unprecedented fire always lies in the mind. The bush-fires of Australian and the Californian wildfires are some of the most damaging wildfires as recorded by time. While most of the times, the initiator is nature; the Northern Californian Carr Fire (2018) wasn’t so. These sparks rose from a trailer whose tire had burst en-course scraping the metal against the pavement. This wildfire had burnt nearly 230,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes and lives as well as rendering many moribund. One can only imagine the shame, grief and remorse the couple who had driven the trailer felt.

“… for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20)

As the survivors came to know about the details of wildfire, there were those who had condemned them and highlighted on the ramifications of being negligent and careless. Yet there were those survivors who on hearing that the couple were overcome with grief and shame, had extended their support to them with grace and kindness. They also had formed social media pages to show the same. As one survivor had written that blaming anyone doesn’t bring back the lost homes; accidents happen and no matter how much a burden one carries, we will all get through this together. (Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/15/us/carr-fire-community-sends-notes-trnd/index.html)

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To condemn another is relatively easy, but one has to learn to accept that condemnation doesn’t bring the loss back; neither does it reverse the hands of time. The act of condemnation, whether it be towards ourselves or others, is something that can damage the inner soul. Being human, one is prone to make innumerable mistakes. The latter of which some are accidental or made of ignorance, while the others are deliberate. Whatever the nature may be, correcting the mistake and taking care not to entertain a repeat is of more value. Condemning one doesn’t change anything. For some it may make one feel better, but to what extent. While for others, learning from mistakes or pointing out mistakes and their cause doesn’t give the right to condemn anyone or equate to the same.

“The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:22)

Everyone is redeemable through His Grace. Each of us have our own cache of mistakes, errors or carelessness. As we learn from them and regrets get accumulated, one has to realize that His Saving Grace will get us through all this. As the Scriptures say throughout, God is greater than our hearts. As Christ calls us towards repentance, He helps us to unmask the shame, grief and remorse engulfing us. Through His Divine Grace and redemption, our hearts can be at ease in once again. Though there may be many things, happenings and events that one wishes one could turn back or undo; God draws us out of them. He offers His Grace, His Love, His Understanding and His Peace to help us calm our restless heart, thoughts and soul again.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

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Posted in Christian, Daily, poetry, Reflections

Comfort of His Grace

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

On some mornings, the vivid recollections of the dreams of sleep hours stay behind. While some may hold the most bizarre sequences, images or forgotten faces and details; others may be of the nagging worry depicted in the subconscious mind. Regardless of the details, the unsettled moments of waking up can be calmed down by watching the early rays of light.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

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There is something about dawn, that helps one to face the uncertainty of the day. Yet to experience it, one has to spend some time with His Gifts as He helps us calm our souls and settle the restless thoughts lurking in the mind. Each of us needs those few moments to do nothing, but experience His Peace and His Grace, so as to know that through Him all things are indeed possible.

“You have to allow a certain amount of time in which you are doing nothing in order to have things occur to you, to let your mind think. When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing – just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?” Nigel Finn

His Peace and His Marvellous Works are shown in the quiet of the world, be it the in the dawn or the setting rays or the light of the day. Unless one learns to appreciate the quiet, the tires soul, though weary of the travels, would be in still in a constant state of restlessness. Being in the latter phase isn’t a pleasant feel. On the other hand, embracing the quiet of the day, helps the soul stay happy as well as experience His Grace and infinite Mercy.

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Quiet

Quiet, quiet, feel the morning breeze,
Quiet, quiet, listen to the whispering trees.
Hear the mourning dove coo upon the wire,
Let the quiet, quiet your heart inspire.

I hear the bark of a faraway dog,
Smell the dew from a fallen log.
I let fleshly feelings fall limp from me
Now I ask my God His will to speak.

And in His love and quiet and peace,
He stills my soul.
By Sunlite Wanter, 2019

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Posted in Christian, Life, poetry, Random Thoughts

Through the Darkness

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

During one of the inter-state Church fellowship meets, the joy of meeting up with childhood acquaintances was beautiful. Catching up on the news, both in the personal and professional front was done during the lunch hours. On the journey back home, it was natural to reflect back on the conversations. While many of us had plans during our growing years, of becoming teachers, pilots, actors,designers and so on, the lives led today mayn’t have been even thought of or imagined in the mind. There may have been plenty of “downs” and “ups”, deviations or detours as well as turning points. Yet the final outcome will always rest as per His Plans.

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

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As the conversations ran through, the discovery that things may haven’t gone as per what the inner mind had held, the final outcome had blessings and gifts of it’s own. The Lord’s Plan can never be calculated or fathomed on the surface. The true purpose may reveal itself only over the years. Yet what is true, is that, what ever one may do, if it is in true Faith and Belief, then things will always go as per the right tune in the long run. For His Ways are many and mysterious, but He will never Forsake or leave us alone, as long as the Faith stays strong and His Word remains true in the heart. For those very things give plenty of courage and light through the darkness.

” The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.” (Psalm 33:11)

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Light Shining out of Darkness

1
God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

2
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sov’reign will.

3
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

4
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

5
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev’ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.

6
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

– William Cowper

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Posted in Christian, Daily, Family and Society, Personal Musings

Cracked but Reinforced…

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

While putting a fresh coat of paint on the fence, my mother had redone her flowerpots. Due to the ever-present heat, some of them had tiny cracks, while others had deep ones. Yet after sanding in, filling in the cracks and with a fresh coat of paint, the new look had given a new lease of colours to the garden.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 )

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At times, we too behave like clay pots. Life, with all it’s experiences and lessons creates those inevitable cracks. While some are tiny and don’t weather us; others tends to break one apart. Not just to the external forces, but he internal pressure as well starts off those cracks. When rescued in time, these cracks heal better and give each of us a fresh spurt. Yet when the cracks go deep, leaning towards His Help for the final fresh coat of paint after being sanded and filled helps one to get back and brings colour to the garden.

Being of earth, we all have our cracks. Learning to heal them at the right time, helps us to stay on strong. Being human, the inner frailty, weakness and powerlessness is inevitable. Yet through His Grace and His Mercy, each of us receive the strength and courage to face life renewed. To receive His Help, one has to be receptive, abide in His Word and above all, have immense Faith that thins will all work out as long as His Hope stays strong. For no pot can ever be lost if the potter decides not to. Just as the potter shapes each pot from clay, so does he strengthen them when they weaken and remold them better to face the challenges of life as they come by.

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Posted in Christian, Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Reflections

The Truest Form

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

The morning fiasco was marked by the hunt for red crayons, golden hearts and lots of pink, green and blue colour pencils. En route to the routine drop to school, my kindergartener enlightened me on the activities planned for the day. The story of St. Valentine in English class, valentine cards to be drawn in art class and as for math  ” to count the stars, hearts, flowers and candy”!! With all these information occupying my immediate gray memory cells, coffee break was another discussion of valentine day’s special offers, discounts and reminiscences of past days.

“There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice.” F. Scott Fitzgerald

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As the mid-day of February approaches, there is a lot of activities around this. While the focus is targeted primarily on young love, one must remember that there are all sorts of love in this world. The joy of new parents on receiving their wrapped bundle in labour rooms, the joy of the first few lurchy steps of the toddler, quiet concern between friends on the announcement of exam results, celebrations over the first match win, sacrifice of sleep hours of a night shift nurse to babysit her niece and many more instances are there in the world around us. All these are different forms and sorts of love.

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it.” Nicholas Sparks

Each of us is surrounded by love. It may be manifest in many ways. From the occasional hugs from our parents, help from our spouses, efforts of our family and friends when we face a tough day, the boss’ agreement for a work in from home when the kids fall sick or an aunts’ help in designing the fancy dress costume when mom is out of town or the warm circle of child arms around us when we are tired. All these acts of help, sacrifice, kindness and care involve an amount of love. Love doesn’t necessarily mean expensive gifts, date nights, trips out of the country and the like; though the above are all really lovely experiences.

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As O’ Henry’s “Gift of the Magi” shows love doesn’t mind that extra mile. Whether it be sacrifice, more time, energy or sleep hours; love makes that extra miles of effort worth it. Such is the love that we all should strive to harbour close to ourselves. Such love should be cherished, appreciated and shared around; for this love lights up dreary hearts and brings ray of light to dull, dark dingy hours or even days.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

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Posted in Christian, Daily, Family and Society, Reflections

Perfect by His Time

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

While trying out a new cake recipe for the weekend, it involved getting the ingredients and their measures as well as mixing the batter to the right consistency. Finally the batter in the cake pan, the oven was set to preheat and then the baking was on. Reflecting back on the success of the experiment, it was getting the proportion of the mix and the timing right, which mattered the most. If either went imbalanced, the outcome wouldn’t be the expected.

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)

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Our regular days are a lot similar. We gather the ingredients, proportion them, mix and get the final outcome. The latter may at times be as expected or a little better or maybe worse. Cumulatively looking at all the incidents, the timing may be perfect when least expected or things go beyond salvage even in the best possible surroundings. Who sets the time ? All of us have our own set of skills. Yet using them at the right time, place and the will to do so matters quite a bit.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Psalms 32:8)

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Getting things right or going on the right track mayn’t always be a smooth ride. Along with own self-discovery, discernment of gifts, limitations as well as the determination to forge ahead, is the attitude to rectifying mistakes and re-proportioning the ingredients along the journey. It is never easy to accept own mistakes, acknowledge losses and learn from them. Instead it is easy to transfer the blame and guilt to circumstances, luck and fate. While they may have a role to play or not, knowing if one could have done something better than the present try is what makes the huge difference in perfecting the dream. While all things mayn’t be possible at one shot, with plenty of faith, Hope and His Grace the heart gets the courage to go on, the spirit strengthens itself when weak and one receives a glimmer of light in the direction of the present turn. And that is the beauty of life.

“What man is he that feareth the LORD, him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.” (Psalms 25:12)

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