Father's Day 2021 thoughts dedicated for the late (Uncle-like) Mr. Joshua Narayanan Mylatore

Dear friends,

My thoughts on this Father’s Day are on an uncle-like person, Joshua Narayanan Mylatore. He went to glory just three weeks ago this year. Today on my blog I write honoring him. The world needs many Joshua-like men in our communities as brothers, uncles, dads, and godly role models to showcase what God is like.

He and his late wife had no kids of their own but they treated young people from the church’s youth group as their own kids. They practiced generous hospitality like: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2) and Romans 12:13 (NIV) ^“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

They were not related to me in any way but they have left a positive impact on my life of what a loving Indian Christian home looks like, feels like, and loves like! I met him and his wife in Mombasa, Kenya, during the weekend of February 9-10th 2002.  I was invited as a guest singer at their church. They chose to be my host family. I spent that weekend in their cozy lovely little simple home! What a kind and sweet hospitality they both gave me. I was in my late 30s and with my busy schedule, it felt good to kind of getaway to a “parental sort of home” and feel like a little girl all by myself, like a princess.

After a good night's sleep in my room, the next day being Sunday, after personal devotions and dressing up I was invited to join them for breakfast. Uncle Joshua had personally prepared traditional south Indian breakfast: Chai (tea) and delicious Upma.  (Upma is a spicy thick porridge from dry roasted semolina or coarse rice flour. Various seasonings and vegetables are often added during the cooking) yum yum! (That reminded me how my dad used to cook for us on Sundays while we got ready to go to church.)

Auntie read the Daily Bread devotional and Uncle Joshua prayed for the breakfast, for my singing, and for that day to be a blessing. That spiritual connection was bliss.  Auntie gifted me with a comfy Kenyan traditional dress.

After the church service and luncheon, I flew back to Nairobi. On my return flight, I was feeling ecstatic, grateful for the sheer joy of having experienced simple God-honoring living. I had no idea of the devastating news that I was to receive back home that Sunday night which would change my life drastically! (But that will be a story for some other day!) All I think about is I believe over that weekend through the hospitality of Uncle Joshua and Auntie, God let me experience in advance, that regardless of what happens in my life, I was precious, and that I was worth and that I was loved as a person, as a daughter, and as a fellow worker in God’s Kingdom.  

While they were alive I did let them know that I have never forgotten their Christian love, hospitality, and how they made me feel during that first and last visit.  I am grateful to God for the obedience of such godly men and women; who reach out to others in pure Godlike love, grace, generosity, and extend hospitality.  Such people represent God as God. On this Father’s Day thank God with me for Uncle Joshua’s life, his good, and holy life choices, and his obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rest in eternal Peace, Uncle Joshua, and Auntie, I am sure we will all shout Amen when we hear God tell you, “Well done my faithful servants….. Come and share your master's happiness!' OR you have already heard it! J

Happy Father’s Day to a number of genuine, kind, considerate, truly caring, and loving men! 

Grateful for godly men in my life,

©Kalpana Christian Sharma

Lessons of Boundary, Courage, Resilience, Confidence, Friendliness etc. from our furry friends

Hi, Dear ones,

Yesterday God opened my eyes to learn few lessons from our cat's encounter with "danger". 

I saw: Courage, 

Boundary,  

Confident stance, (no flight, fight, or faint mode)

Resiliency

Guarding peace etc...

Yesterday morning was the real action time so I couldn't take the photo then. This photo was taken today at the same spot, so she seems a bit alert today.

Smart, Alert, Confident, Courageous, Resilient, bold and beautiful Cat Cinnamon

On cooler summer mornings and evenings, Cinni our (good and healthy 14 years old, a runt of the litter) cat enjoys strolling around in our green comfortable backyard; feeling confident, protected, and secure. We have a wooden fence on one side and a chicken-wired garden fence on the other side. 

Three houses down on the chicken-wired fence side, a lady moved in last year with her cool, friendly but 5 or more times bigger sized dog than our cat's size. The friendly owner has assured us that Luke like a gentle giant, a friendly dog, and wouldn't hurt Cinni.  I believe her as he really is a gentle dog. Sometimes back we tried to befriend them as Luke is a kind dog but Ms. Cinnamon has her own mind, her boundaries drawn, and her guards up. 

If you know anything about cats, they ARE territorial. She loves to patrol around our yard marking her territory. 

Btw, Cinni is not a fearful cat. When she was hardly 2 or 3 years old, even as a guest, she had slapped a domesticated dog in her owner's (our host's) house.  After slapping, she then ran into our arms for safety but first, she courageously faced him and gave him one on his face. 😀 🙂

In the Gujarati language, it is said, "Billi Vaagh Tani Maasi"(the cat is like a Tiger's aunt) 

Before I head out in the morning, we both enjoy a little backyard time during warmer days. Yesterday morning I was finishing something in the kitchen so I let her out a little earlier before accompanying her as I normally do. In few minutes I heard Luke the dog bark from (the chicken-wired fence side of) my neighbor's yard!  The entrance to my backyard and sidewalk is from the kitchen side nearby where Luke was. Only the Lord knows if he is upset and venting that she cannot be friends with him or he was angry. 🤷‍♀️

I was hesitant to go because

1) confident of the solid fence that the dog wouldn't jump, 

2) she was far on the other side. 

3) Luke the dog runs to greet me whenever he sees me (so on one side if I didn't go he would go back to his house, 3 houses from my next-door neighbor's).

4) I could calm him to make him stop barking, and stop scaring Cinni. 

5) I also didn't want to make Cinni feel scared and/or insecure. 

But the mama bear in me marched out to intervene for my "Cubbie" kittie. Since I was near Luke I tried to calm him by petting his head; he did stop a bit as I told him to run back to his owner, who was also telling him to keep quiet and get back. 

But when I saw Cinni I WAS AWED!!! She was FAR away, close to the opposite side wooden fence, and facing him calmly, from a safe distance, unmoved and confident. I was so proud of her.

I did acknowledge that she may be scared within, to face the danger, BUT, But, but 

1) She didn't run away on either side of the backyard, to be out of his sight, (not beside the garage or beside the main house.) Both spots are quick, easy, safe, and nearer. 

2) She didn't come closer to charge or fight back either! 

3) She didn't show fear. NO! no! 

4) She stayed put at a distance, faced him, and let him bark. Whoa!! 

I would have scared Cinni going close to her so I was waiting for Luke to go away and then let Cinnamon choose on her own either to continue enjoying her morning stroll or run back into the house.

By that time our daughter heard the commotion and ran to Cinni and brought her in as Luke went back. 

Once there was no danger, a few minutes later, I carried Cinni close to my heart and took her to the backyard to enjoy a few min before she returned to the house and I headed out. 

What a brave creature! At times we underestimate these little ones. Their Maker watches over them. They are divinely fashioned with brilliant intelligence and self-defense mechanism. We don't let her roam around in the 'hood like other alley cats AND we also don't let her be confined inside our home. 

Luke has helped me get over my own fear of dogs since I was surrounded by a gang of barking dogs in my childhood. He runs to me and loves to receive affection from me. I love our cat with her individual personality, and I also appreciate the neighbor's dog's friendly trait. 

God must have fun watching each kind and their personality traits He has divinely ordained. Oh, I do wait for the day and era as prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 11:6 "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them."

Isaiah 65:25: The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord. (NIV)So as I await I also work towards peaceful coexistence of all kinds as it was in the beginning, and shall it be forever in the future; but for now, we learn and strive towards that. 

I learned boundary lessons, bravery lessons, courage lessons, protection lessons, and resilience lessons. I also learned a peace-making lesson. 

For friendly folks: Respect others' boundaries.  🙂🙃

For those whose boundaries are not respected: 

1. Stay within your safety zone. 

2. Maintain a healthy distance even from a seeming danger. 

3. Acknowledge the fear but don't let it rule your better choice; 

4. In the moment of fear face the "enemy" with confidence 

5. You have God endowed self-defense mechanisms and protection and peace and confidence.

6. Weighing in the options, even when "safety" seems quicker, nearer and fast, don't run away. 

7. Be alert, be careful and dare within limits. Acknowledge the safety and be at peace. 

8. Stay put and actively watch them bark. (No flight or fight or freeze mode) 

9. Don't stop enjoying safe life because there's danger out there. 

10. Even as a smaller creature,  be a possibility for encouragement, for huge humans. 

Lord, your peaceful Kingdom come! Until then let God's peace act as a guard! 

Peacefully 

©️KC aka Kalpana Christian Sh