'twas the 1st day of summer - 21 june 2011 and my daughters and i were on our regular daily walk. the weather was just right and warm as it heated up but windy and breezy, so loved it. as we walked in our neighborhood on the side walks, lo and behold, in about half an hour or so, an untamed dog pushed open the fense gate and charged at us for no reason. 1st encounter, and he attacked me straight; the owner was standing right there, unable to control the dog.
I started to scream while the dog was still chasing me and barking loud. I tripped and fell down from the side walk right onto the tarmac Burnham road, in Lansing, IL. The on coming traffic stood still looking at a drama on a broad day light hour of 1:30pm. The ordeal lasted for sometime as i got hurt, bruised and tried to stand up, remove my backpack trying to defend myself. i was also worried that since i am down, the dog might get a good size of my flesh in his mouth, so i tried to push him with my hand, feet, and my backpack. i managed to get up and thank God that the dog didnt succeed at taking my flesh but he was adamant. he tried to go round and round as i also, in defense, screamed, swung my backpack going round and round. the dog owner managed to chase him away from me, but just for a while. 2nd encounter, since he didnt think the leashing of dog was necessary, the dog again tried to attack me as i was gathering myself and seeing which way to go as i checked my bruises. again, the dog tried to have the same game for few more minutes and the dog owner again came to chase him away from me. i was thankful that no car hit me, or hooted; they were patient. i managed to walk away on the opposite side of the road, and lo and behold, 3rd encounter, the dog ran to chase me 3rd time now crossing both sides of the traffic onto the opposite side and again my defense charged up and i continued to scream, swing my backpack to chase him away. The traffic stopped watching the drama as one of the onlookers screamed, 'Leash your dog" and the dog owner now came all the way to the opposite side walk to chase back his dog and tried to leash him.
Paranoid, shocked and hurt, i started walking away from there to a place of safety and saw a parking lot at an intersection; just sat on the pavement in a shade; called 911 but couldnt hear them in the traffic rush so the police called back and left a message so i called back to report the incident. she asked if i needed the ambulance, but i didnt think it was that bad, so i declined the offer but i still took her offer on sending an officer to report the incident. sadly we waited for more than half an hour; meanwhile, all of a sudden we saw a good samaritan/gentleman pull his car to us ward and asked if we needed any assistance as he thought we kinda looked new in the neighborhood. That was so sweet; we said we were on our walk exploring the new 'hood and got chased by a dog so we were waiting for the police to come and report the incident and he noticed my bruises. he said, ok and left. as we waited further, the gentleman came back again after sometime but this time he brought cold drinks of two large size strawberry lemonades with cool ice. Thank you, God, and thank you, nice stranger, unknown gentleman, who made us feel that God was right there, protecting us from the cars, from the dog and not only that but sent an angel to attend to us. What more can one ask for?
Went home since police were busy and couldnt come on the scene til then and the police station was far so went next day, noticed the house number to report. After a long wait, the animal cruelty officer came and took down the details, promising us that he was going there right away to give them a written warning.
but, on the dog chase, i almost felt like a demonic attack as well as an angelic visit after, both in a same hour of incident. God hasnt promised a smooth ride but a protecting side amidst the adversities and this was evident this summer day.
Thank God, that dog was neither able to bite me nor take my flesh; thank God, that i got chased and none of my daughters; thank God, that cars stood still patiently and didnt race up, hit me or hoot. Thank God, for the stranger/angel gentleman that showed God's loving care. God is good, all the time.
Dog owners, please save us and your dogs a trouble and yourself too. We need safe neighborhood, not only from thieves and robbers but from wild dog chases too. Please curb your dogs! a friendly rightly said, 'He loves dogs but not the dog owners."
Copyright by Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Fathers' Day - 2011 - thoughts on my Dad, the late Nandubhai G Christian
Father's Day is celebrated mainly in the USA much the same way as Mother's Day and other holidays.
This year, I want to give a special tribute to my father, the late Nandubhai Christian, who was born on 18Jan1933 and died on 19May1984 after he dedicated his life to Christ on 01Aug1982. It was a fatal, tragic 'hit and run' road accident where he was hit by a drunk driver. I regret not joining him for a walk when he had asked me to, on the last day of his life - (had I known it was his last day on earth!). I was a 19yr teenager, crazy about learning to play a new song on my guitar: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost.." so I chose to play guitar over a walk with my Dad in the last hours of his life; but i have captured in my memory, Dad walking alone on the jogging field of Jamhuri High School, Nairobi, as i played the guitar and watched him walk from my bedroom window!
Dad was born in a humble home in a small village in India, called Navagam, in Gujarat State. Out of 13 kids, he was the only child that survived, so my grandparents loved him much. His childhood best friend, Narendra Bhatt, was so fond of him that he came from Kenya, Africa, in the late 60s- early 70s, to take Dad to be with him to teach Math and Physics in his school. it was sheer joy for Dad to reconnect with his other childhood friends; after he arrived in Kenya, he enjoyed many barbeques with uncle Bhatt and other childhood friends from India, that is later in Dagoretti suburbs of Nairobi, the green city in the sun.
His famous song lines were: "The Lord of love has come to me/I want to pass it on!" by Kurt Kaiser!
"I am so glad that Jesus set me free... Jesus is a soul man and I am sure sold on him, Jesus is a soul man, hallelujah,.."
"If I live well, praise the Lord, If I die well, praise the Lord, if I live or die my only cry will be, Jesus in me, praise the Lord!"
"One of These Days, I Am Going Home" was his favorite song, he sang often in the last years of his life.
Written in his own handwriting, on the back of a hymn book, are the words, "God is the great sphere whose center is everywhere but circumference nowhere. God is the sphere of infinite radius."
While Spring cleaning one day, I found an old diary where he had written: ds2=gijdxidxj, i&j=i…n., he used to keep saying this out loud many times. He had a superb memory when it came to remembering the Math axioms and at the age of 3, he taught me: (a+b)= a2 + 2ab+ b2
Looking at nature, he admired rose flowers so much that in his Dagoretti home, he had 40 flowers blooming each day in the front yard, he even named our home in India, "Gulab Kunj" meaning Rose pot.
From observing such things, his belief in God, his love for nature, and his passion for Math are evident. You will enjoy reading these anecdotes. He understood Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity which very few have grasped till today.
Handsome-looking, Mathematician, Physicist, weightlifter, scientist, Believer in Christ, intelligent, and with the strength of a horse plus love for the family, Pa had it all under his belt. He was positive to the extent that he would carry a motorbike up the hill when it had a mechanical issue and he would say to me, "Bubblee, every day the bike carries us, it is our turn today to carry the bike, up the hill that is!" hey, why not! Great thinking, Dad!
He was married to our mother, Germana (a nurse by profession)-- they lived a simple life with 4 children, Dinker (Dinu), Kundan, Rajni, and me, being the youngest. Early in their marriage, they seemed to have settled their differences well; for their own space and time, he enjoyed doing Maths, while Mom enjoyed watching movies and they seemed to have a pretty good understanding to let each enjoy their fields of joy. They had a good marriage and I am thankful to God for that.
He had faith and love for God, but in early life, he was not that serious about it. He grew up in a Methodist denomination in India in his early life but after coming to Kenya, he attended Nairobi Baptist Church, particularly the 8:30 am Youth service. He was introduced to Nairobi Baptist Church by his god-fearing colleague who also happened to be his neighbor, Rev. Norman Dodman. The dear Dodmans are special to us as Mr. Norman was a Chaplain at the Degoretti High School where Dad taught. Dad called him his role model. Many years later, Bharat chose Mr. Doman to preach at our wedding. His wife Jean Dodman was a music teacher and taught me to play piano. Before death, Dad became a member at the Baptist church and longed to serve as an usher but before he enjoyed his 1st serving assignment, scheduled for Sunday, May, 20th, 1984, a day before, he was ushered into heaven on a Saturday night (May, 19th, 1984). I remember him telling me: 'Keep reading Proverbs' - his favorite book in the Bible.
In his younger years, he was rather too passionate about Maths and Physics that even now I visualize him studying at night by a small candlelight in our home in Nadiad while completing his Master's degree in the 60s. You will enjoy a super hilarious incident that I am mentioning here. But before his death, his Bible became more of his passion; he loved reading the gospels more often.
Going back to the hilarious incident in Nadiad, India, in the 60s, on his way back from work one fine evening, his zeal for Math and equations led him surrounded by traffic jams and a crowd of people, right on the tarmac highway. For a few days, he had been struggling to solve a hard equation and just as he rode the bike, the answer popped into his head, and instantly, he stopped, stooped down, and started writing the equation on the tarmac road(!), unaware of the traffic jam that his actions would cause! There was an uproar, but he requested even the police to please be patient with him until he got the answer! writing all on the tarmac road with a chalk that he generally carried in his pocket! so, as his equation balanced on the tarmac road, he breathed in a sigh of accomplishment, and upon raising his head he saw the people and traffic, they all smiled, laughed, and admired him for his Math craze!
I remember Dad taking my brother Rajoo and me for fresh veggie shopping in the evenings. Being the youngest, I would be in the front and my brother would be in the back seat as Dad rode the bicycle. I was hardly 4 or 5 years old. While returning, one twilight, my leg got trapped in the front wheel of the bike but I was strong enough not to let Daddy be disturbed. I didn't want to stop him riding as it was getting late, and took as much pain as I could; I was so thin and even though my tiny leg was squeezed and about to bleed, I was quiet. Some passerby stopped and brought Dad's attention to the front wheel and my leg. My Dad got down, saw, and was surprised at my high pain tolerance and my so brave spirit at that age. Only as they tried to pull my leg out, and it started bleeding, I started crying profusely. humbly I am thankful to God for giving me the strength to handle pain, and to persevere; even now many folks mistakenly question why I 'enjoy' pain in life. well, it is not that you 'enjoy' but you trust God to carry you through as even the pain is supposed to work out for your good! Thanks, Dad!
His job took him away from us in our childhood, so part of our lives we grew up without him. Later on, at the age of 15, I was the first one to reconnect with Dad and Mom and we had meaningful five years together that we enjoyed.
Dad knew he could bank on me to do the most difficult task, be it getting a blank paper from a huge pile of scratch papers or looking for a lid of a milk can in the early wee hours of dawn for his trip to the village during my childhood days in India. Dad also laughed at me when I would come up with silly ideas like "A girl in my grade 1 passed with only 1 number but I passed with 27 numbers!" (me, not knowing then that number 1 is the smartest..) When he taught higher Math in a school I was hardly 3, and I was taken to KG class; I disliked going to that school just because they would make us go to sleep at the hour when we should be playing, and also because my brother and sister were in a nearby school with other neighborhood kids; I felt being excluded from the neighborhood fun games... hahaha kids' thinking at that age! I remember fussing every day in my school uniform and how my Dad would persuade me by buying freshly roasted peanuts (my favorite till today) to make me agree to go to school happily then taking me and leaving me on the lower floor of the school building where KG class met and yet, later on I would run to the top floor in my Dad's higher class.. but I would be taken back to my class. :(
In my childhood, Dad used to take my sister Kundan, my brother Rajoo, and me to the farmhouse every other weekend; our eldest brother Dinker (Dinu) lived on the farmhouse with our grandma. I loved climbing trees in our backyard farm. once, I climbed so high that I had difficulty coming down and just couldn't come down even when everyone kept persuading me for a long time. Dad finally said, "I will catch you, just throw yourself down." wow! that was it! I trusted him so much, I actually closed my eyes and jumped right into my dad's arms. I won't forget that incident. Dad made it easy for me to trust God no matter what the height or depth, I can jump right back into the safe arms of my Heavenly Father and He will catch me, and won't let me fall or let go of me.
At one time when, due to having broken his leg in a road accident, my brother Rajoo had a plaster (cast) on that leg for 6 months. During harvesting season, every Saturday, Dad would put him in a basket, lift it to his head, and carry him to the farms. We all enjoyed it when we brought home a bumper crop, piled up in our living room at the farmhouse, he would throw me on top of it with joy to what God had blessed us with. I remember him helping my Grandma make curds and buttermilk manually, in a huge clay-pot, that required a lot of strenuous work.
In my growing years when hooligans in the 'hood in India, tried to bully and name-call me as I was young, during his visit, my Dad's just one roar of a lion or even his presence used to send every hooligan behind closed doors. No one dared come out. That was my Dad that I miss so dearly today as I am going through one of the worst periods of my life but I am reminded to be able to trust an even bigger Heavenly Father who has assigned angels for my rescue without fail.
Back in Nairobi, Africa, Dad loved to cook for us and sing to us too. In those days, there were no radios in the cars, so during the Christmas season, my sister and I became his 'live Christmas carol singers' all the way from home to church or to town and back home to Dagoretti, a beautiful Nairobi suburb - was what he called his heaven on earth. Dad taught my sister and me to ride the motor scooter and drive the car too; not only that, on my 1st Christmas with my parents in Nairobi, our car faced mechanical issues, so Dad took me to his friends' Auto shop in Kirinyaga Road and got Carburetor brushes that needed to be changed. Then as he opened the carburetor he taught me the mechanism and why the generator was not charging the battery. I had fun working on a car with Dad on that Christmas day; later on, we went to our dear Scottish family friends for Christmas dinner. These were beautiful moments in the green deep valleys of the Dagoretti area.
I have witnessed Dad love and respect God, and my Mom. As a nurse when she would be on night duty and he had cooked a delicious meal, he would drive 17 miles from Dagoretti/Waithaka all the way to Park Road Nursing Home, even at late night to give my mom a fresh taste of his cooking.
These are some more anecdotes that I would like to mention to encourage you.
His famous one-liner encouragement to everyone was: "You don't know what will happen in one minute; leave everything to God"!
In Nairobi, while tutoring a student in his home one day, the student's parent asked my dad if his God could bring a million Shillings; my Dad said, "Forget the money, my God brought rain down for me, and that only in my field." Then he narrated that years back, along with being a professor at the Anand Science College in India, he was an Agriculturist, too. He had many farms that he looked after during weekends, after working as a professor on the weekdays. One day, he had plowed and planted rice and was waiting for rain to come but there was no sign of rain. So he prayed and asked the Lord to send the rain. He joyfully narrated, "I saw only one black cloud came and rained only in my field!" What a faith!!! He witnessed Christ in his circle of friends and people knew him to be a believer Christian who professed faith in Christ. He loved to take me with him for theological discussions, as he could bank on me for many. LOL!
By the time I reconnected with him, I was a teenager, and I used to tell him to receive Jesus as his personal Savior but he couldn't relate to that spiritual jargon at first, as he was a good godly man and did his regular church activities without fail. But on 1 August 1982 while dropping my mom off for her morning shift at her hospital, they got trapped in a huge trouble caused by an attempted coup in Nairobi, the political disruption; a gun was aimed at his forehead, ordering him to surrender; he prayed and asked the Lord to save him, saying, "Lord Jesus, on one side there is death, on the other side, my daughters are waiting for me to take them to church so we can go and worship you, please save me so I can take them and go and worship you" yes, he wanted to go to church and worship. In a friction of a second, the gunman changed his mind and allowed my parents to go and flee for their lives!! bingo! As they ran for their lives to a nearby friend's home, it was now that my dad connected the saving faith in Christ. He knew that not only did God save him physically, but also eternally, and he received Christ as his personal Savior.
From that day on, he became passionate about living for Christ and witnessed even more. I remember the days when I was in those teen moods and he would sing songs for me, "No friend closer than Jesus, no friend will more love you than him!" because of that I was able to leave my rebel attitude and come to the foot of the Cross, fully!
Once he lifted a huge train wheel in India and assisted the railway workers; he was a weightlifter and the workers were not that strong. I remember as a child, my Dad would lift weights, with a rod, and my brother and I were on opposite sides, hanging, as he made the "snatch" while doing the exercise.
Not only that, on 1st day of every school year, his students would witness him bringing a hard coconut and cracking it open with just one blow of his open hand, and his students would be so impressed; the next day they would all bring one coconut each, the hard ones, to really check him out and he would break open each with just one blow; then he would say to them that he never misuses his strength but gives his heart to his students, reminding them he was in charge while they studied, and would expect them to do their best! Years later, after his death, one of his students shared with me that one day while at Jamhuri High School, in Nairobi, my Dad took his students for a lab assignment and after instructing them, left them to do some experiments. After some time he came back and asked them how did it go. The students replied, "It didn't work! We tried many things a couple of times to no avail." the student retold me saying, "I will never forget what your Dad taught us that day. He said, "No! you did learn, you learned what does not work; if what you tried does not work, something else will work. Never give up trying," look at Thomas Edison and his invention of superb incandescent bulb work after so many trials. Even though Dad was a professor in the early years of his career, he gave that up and chose teaching in the high school to help the young kids build a great foundation, I admire Dad for that.
He oversaw the hockey team practice and took them to tournaments. and you can believe this without a shadow of a doubt that before the games began, with all students at the center of the field, Dad would go right in the middle and pray before they started the game, this was his normal practice.
One story that I have found in a file, written in his own handwriting in the Gujarati language (our mother tongue); which am translating a few lines here. It was in the early 70s when he had gone climbing Ngong Hills in Ngong Karen area of Nairobi, Kenya, with a friend, and how he enjoyed climbing with weights in his hands, making a pathway in the wilderness, up the hills, with wild animals around and yet unafraid. En route he met the Masai tribe families who informed him of some of their customs, one of which was the criteria for marriage: if a man wanted to marry a girl, he had to go kill a lion and bring the lion's dead body, and then a bride will be given to the groom; so my Dad challenged them to bring a live lion instead of a dead one.. :) When he made it to the top of all the hills, he saw the only tallest buildings then in Nairobi; the KANU building (KICC) and Nairobi Hilton Hotel appeared like small toy cylinder-type jars put upside down. He wrote that when you see a big thing from a wider angle, or from a higher distance, it looks smaller, in the same way when we look at others' faults with a big heart, they look small; how great must God's vision and heart be to extend grace to us and let us get fresh start every day! Not that he overlooks but he allows grace to help us, accept our big faults as big as they are, and work the process.
On the evening he died, he had willingly given his helmet to my brother who was riding the bike; a drunk driver from somewhere drove recklessly and hit dad's bike from the back,(rear-ended); since Dad was a passenger, he got hit badly. A good Samaritan (Kikuyu) lady stopped and took them to the hospital where he was pronounced Brought in Dead,(BID). On his funeral day, all the people, students, friends, and folks that he wanted to share the gospel with, came and heard the gospel, which is the highlight and grand finale of Dad's spiritual life that I thank God for. "The Lord of love has come to me, I want to pass it on."
I am so glad my Dad has left a heritage and legacy of faith, bravery, boldness, challenge, the importance of studies, and hard work. I had the privilege to work with cars under his supervision as he taught me the mechanism of cars; repairing the parts and enjoying his teaching and meaningful time with him. I am thankful on this Fathers' Day for my Dad who loved God, and is in heaven; I hope to see him on the resurrection day and sing with him there as he sang with me here, " O what a wonderful day, the day I will never forget...Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, when at the cross my Savior made me whole, my sins were washed away and my night was turned to day...now I have hope that will surely endure, after the passing of time, I have a future in heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime... it all because of that wonderful day" Yes, Dad! Go on singing and keep praising God, as one of your colleagues, unaware of your death, had the accident on the same evening, and in her after-death experience, she witnessed you going to heaven. When she was discharged and healed, she shared that experience with the world, 6 months after your passing away. I know you are in heaven rejoicing and I look forward to seeing you at the feet of Jesus!
copyright© by Kalpna Christian Sharma
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Mothers' Day 2011 - thoughts on my Mom - the late Mrs. Germana N Christian
Each year different celebrations come and go and we enjoy the days, the family gatherings, and of course the food with fellowship.
Mother's Day is special because it reminds us of the special person who has taken a lot of pain to bring us into this world. We would not be here unless it was for her. So we are indebted to her for a lifetime.
Some mothers are strong, hardworking, disciplinarian, and caring. This year my mom is not alive as she passed away 3 months ago so today's tribute is to her. Her name is the late Germana Nandubhai Christian. People fondly called her Jayaben.
She was born in a Piplag village in India some 85 years ago. Born to a nurse midwife mom, she lost her Dad before her 2nd birthday. So, life was tough for the widowed granny with two children that is my mom, and her only sibling her brother John. My mom married my Dad the late Nandubhai Christian who also died in a tragic road accident leaving her to be a widow in 1984 with four children, though we were old enough. Dinu my elder brother lives in India, and three of us siblings, my sister Kundan, my brother Rajoo, and I who lived in Nairobi saw her live her widowhood with dignity and hard work, trusting GOD to be her companion.
Mom also chose to be a nurse just like her mother. She truly was a blessing in her nursing career and looked after her patients from the age of 16 to 76 as if she were a missionary serving the Lord. Many people remember Mom in their memory as just being in a nurse's dress that she mostly wore. I am thankful that she had a serving heart.
I remember as a child; my mom had to do late night duties or day duties and she would come when we as kids had already gone to sleep. She would put sweets in our mouths that she had brought for us as many babies were born and it was customary in India to give sweets to people to rejoice over the new birth. yes, she loved working in the maternity ward and many kids are grateful for her presence. The sweets that she put in our mouths. yum. it was a treat, my sister and brother and I, we loved it.
The birth of our own daughter in 1995 was also special as my mom was the 1st one to spot the umbilical cord wrapped wrongly around her neck and immediately asked the doctor to cut it loose so Narita could breathe. Narita is thankful for Grandma's presence during her birth. Stuti remembers her grandma as looking after her before we found a full-time nanny. Bharat my husband shares her joys for watching Indian movies.
During her nursing career, even though she had to attend to many different operations in the Operation Theatre she saved the lives of so many infants as a midwife as well as of adults. As a fully trained nurse. On occasions, she had to pay from her own pocket for the ambulance to transport the tiny babies to a bigger hospital and she willingly did it. Things go differently in Africa where some of the greedy business/hospital owners won't foot the bill, so she ended up giving up her whole salary to pay for the ambulance. I know God will reward her in eternity for this generous act.
I remember she would be in an operating theatre assisting doctors with operations and yet praying, "Lord, look after my kids I am looking after one of yours!" that was a real deep heartfelt prayer.
I have witnessed while on duty, whenever mom took over from a nurse on the previous shift on duty, she would personally go and greet each patient in her ward and find out how they were feeling. That was so special. I am so glad Mom did her job well with passion.
She prepared a special breakfast on Sundays for us to know it was special because it was the Lord's day, something I try to do for my children even today.
She loved me making 'Thepla', a spicy Indian whole wheat flat bread, shallow fried in a pan. Due to her diabetic condition, she had to be careful with her diet so I had to make whole wheat flat breads for her every day. As a teenager, I felt bored making chapatis (flat bread) as a mundane life task but a believer friend once prayed with me and showed me this gesture as a loving discipline from the LORD. she said something like, "Kalpna, don't make chapatis for your mom, make it for Jesus as if he were coming home to eat it every day." This perspective changed my whole outlook. Yes, you guessed it right, from then on, I did it with joy and I became really good at making chapatis (Indian whole wheat flatbread) that families take pride in when their daughters become daughters-in-law. Thank God through Mom for that discipline.
Wait hold on, I have not yet told you that she was a good cook. In my childhood, I remember my cousins loved her lentil soup called 'Daal' and later in years, oh! I loved her vegetarian spicy rice (Mutter Bhaat) with yogurt curry that goes either with whole eggplants stuffed with caraway seeds and spices or Okra. (The recipe for the whole eggplant stuffed with caraway seeds and spices has been in our family from her side for the last 4 generations) and my girls cherish it when I make it just like hers. oh, I could die for that. I always told her if I died before her, she would make the vegetarian spicy rice, curry, and eggplant and put it in my coffin. (smile). My Dad loved her long bean veggies fried with fenugreek seeds and mutter ringer (Garden peas with eggplant) veggie with Indian spices.
Mom was a strict disciplinarian and would not accept no-nonsense. She would discipline us at any cost, my brother and I still remember her spankings.
She was widowed in 1984 when Dad died in a tragic fatal road accident, so for 26 years till her death, she lived depending on the Lord, even as a full-time nurse by career. I am sure it was not easy for her to have all the responsibilities on her shoulders but she managed well.
Being the youngest of the 4 kids, I always wanted to be close to her, in my years apart from her in my childhood I missed her a lot. From my mid-teen years to nearly in late 20s, I was able to reconnect more closely. I became a close companion of her, especially after my Dad died in 1984. She could lean on me. I owe my air travel career to her, she had introduced me to the air travel industry. During the years I was able to spend with my parents when they were alive, we made the most of it. God allowed me to put a big smile on my parents' faces when I would do unusual things for their birthdays, Christmases, and special occasions. God in his mercy and grace allows these times and I don't take it for granted.
I had the honor of sharing the gospel and leading her to say the salvation prayer and transfer her trust in Christ for her salvation, although she believed in Christ and was faithful in her work all her life. She shared with us that when she was young, she grew up as a Methodist, and to study further she had to accept Catholicism so I had a burden to share the importance of personal relationship with Christ. Isn't that amazing to hear your mom say the sinner's prayer? Her grandma was an evangelist, so wow, single women faced life as widows in 3 generations in my family.
This is personal and I have tears as I remember this and write. When she was a small child, and this is going back to the 1930s, in India. As a little girl's mom was asked to do some chores for an elderly neighbor. She enthusiastically helped but, after which, she was falsely accused of taking some coins, which mom had no idea about. The neighbor's daughter had tricked mom into this just to have fun. They told Mom, they had to put real hot coals from the kitchen (burning charcoals) on her hand, if she had not taken the money, her hands would not burn, but if she had, her hands would burn. My mom, as an innocent child agreed for the hot red burning charcoals to be put on her hand as she had not taken any coins!!!!! and oh dear, they held her tiny hands and put the coals! She willingly held not knowing what mess she was into. In a few seconds, her hands were severely burnt, so she threw away the coals with screams. She was so scared to show her burnt hands to anyone, that instead of going home to be further punished by her mom, in fear she ran to the common lake in the village, soaking her burnt hands to be soothed. oh! how can people be so cruel? Mom was rescued later by her mom who believed she had not taken any money. My mom refused to go and said unless they promised not to punish her further, she would otherwise she would stay put at the village pond overnight as long as she could. Her mom promised she would not beat her. Isn't this heartbreaking?
When I went witnessing for Christ, in my early 20s Mom loved it and encouraged me to do more. Once an Indian religious mother came home to abuse me as I had introduced her son to Christ, and given him some books to read. She came home charging, looking for me, but I was not yet home from work, so she abused Mom and humiliated her in front of our neighbors throwing Bible and Christian books at her. when I returned, I felt so embarrassed for Mom and was angry and said how sorry I was; especially since she as a widow had to endure this in her old age, yet my mom with a smile on her face said to me, "Hasn't the Lord told us that we will have to suffer persecution for His Name sake?" oh my, I had tears and I thanked God for giving me a believing, brave and bold Christian Mom who was willing to take the blows in my place for the sake of the kingdom of righteousness.
My mom is in heaven today and I am thankful for her life. Many people wrote on her death day and shared how blessed they were to know Mom. She always smiled and loved humor. She had a lot of burdens on her shoulders trying to balance her career, home, walk with the Lord, social life, standing up to patriarchy in the village, in society, and at work plus other responsibilities, yet did it joyfully. She believed and said, "If life gives you bitter pills you've got to take it, you've got to live the life." A growing neighborhood girl actually shared that she was inspired as a small 5-year-old child to become a doctor and doctor she did become; she shared, she owed it to my mom, for that inspiration.
Mom chose to live her retired life in India at her own house, with our elder brother Dinu who looked after her from 1998 to 2011. It seems like they made up living together that they had missed for all those years, the lost time of the growing years when she was forced to give him up to the grandparents due to her Typhoid sickness when he was barely a few months old. Isn't God great to restore the years locusts eat up? Due to the distance and circumstances, I was not able to see her for more than a decade; she had suffered much but I am glad in the last 4 months of her life she was able to travel to Nairobi and be looked after by my elder sister (who also chose to be a nurse), her husband and her daughter. I am so thankful to my brother Dinu and my sister Kundan and her family for looking after Mom while I have been away. I also am thankful to GOD that in the years that I was given to spend with her, we had the best of times. I have good memories of spending meaningful joyous times, tears of crying about life's painful phases, and trusting GOD through it all.
I rejoice for Mom's dedication to her job, to her service, and to her LORD.
I look forward to seeing her in heaven when I go there in eternity at the feet of Jesus.
May these few life story lessons from my mom's life encourage you deeply.
Copyrighted © by Kalpna C Sharma, May 2011
Mother's Day is special because it reminds us of the special person who has taken a lot of pain to bring us into this world. We would not be here unless it was for her. So we are indebted to her for a lifetime.
Some mothers are strong, hardworking, disciplinarian, and caring. This year my mom is not alive as she passed away 3 months ago so today's tribute is to her. Her name is the late Germana Nandubhai Christian. People fondly called her Jayaben.
She was born in a Piplag village in India some 85 years ago. Born to a nurse midwife mom, she lost her Dad before her 2nd birthday. So, life was tough for the widowed granny with two children that is my mom, and her only sibling her brother John. My mom married my Dad the late Nandubhai Christian who also died in a tragic road accident leaving her to be a widow in 1984 with four children, though we were old enough. Dinu my elder brother lives in India, and three of us siblings, my sister Kundan, my brother Rajoo, and I who lived in Nairobi saw her live her widowhood with dignity and hard work, trusting GOD to be her companion.
Mom also chose to be a nurse just like her mother. She truly was a blessing in her nursing career and looked after her patients from the age of 16 to 76 as if she were a missionary serving the Lord. Many people remember Mom in their memory as just being in a nurse's dress that she mostly wore. I am thankful that she had a serving heart.
I remember as a child; my mom had to do late night duties or day duties and she would come when we as kids had already gone to sleep. She would put sweets in our mouths that she had brought for us as many babies were born and it was customary in India to give sweets to people to rejoice over the new birth. yes, she loved working in the maternity ward and many kids are grateful for her presence. The sweets that she put in our mouths. yum. it was a treat, my sister and brother and I, we loved it.
The birth of our own daughter in 1995 was also special as my mom was the 1st one to spot the umbilical cord wrapped wrongly around her neck and immediately asked the doctor to cut it loose so Narita could breathe. Narita is thankful for Grandma's presence during her birth. Stuti remembers her grandma as looking after her before we found a full-time nanny. Bharat my husband shares her joys for watching Indian movies.
During her nursing career, even though she had to attend to many different operations in the Operation Theatre she saved the lives of so many infants as a midwife as well as of adults. As a fully trained nurse. On occasions, she had to pay from her own pocket for the ambulance to transport the tiny babies to a bigger hospital and she willingly did it. Things go differently in Africa where some of the greedy business/hospital owners won't foot the bill, so she ended up giving up her whole salary to pay for the ambulance. I know God will reward her in eternity for this generous act.
I remember she would be in an operating theatre assisting doctors with operations and yet praying, "Lord, look after my kids I am looking after one of yours!" that was a real deep heartfelt prayer.
I have witnessed while on duty, whenever mom took over from a nurse on the previous shift on duty, she would personally go and greet each patient in her ward and find out how they were feeling. That was so special. I am so glad Mom did her job well with passion.
She prepared a special breakfast on Sundays for us to know it was special because it was the Lord's day, something I try to do for my children even today.
She loved me making 'Thepla', a spicy Indian whole wheat flat bread, shallow fried in a pan. Due to her diabetic condition, she had to be careful with her diet so I had to make whole wheat flat breads for her every day. As a teenager, I felt bored making chapatis (flat bread) as a mundane life task but a believer friend once prayed with me and showed me this gesture as a loving discipline from the LORD. she said something like, "Kalpna, don't make chapatis for your mom, make it for Jesus as if he were coming home to eat it every day." This perspective changed my whole outlook. Yes, you guessed it right, from then on, I did it with joy and I became really good at making chapatis (Indian whole wheat flatbread) that families take pride in when their daughters become daughters-in-law. Thank God through Mom for that discipline.
Wait hold on, I have not yet told you that she was a good cook. In my childhood, I remember my cousins loved her lentil soup called 'Daal' and later in years, oh! I loved her vegetarian spicy rice (Mutter Bhaat) with yogurt curry that goes either with whole eggplants stuffed with caraway seeds and spices or Okra. (The recipe for the whole eggplant stuffed with caraway seeds and spices has been in our family from her side for the last 4 generations) and my girls cherish it when I make it just like hers. oh, I could die for that. I always told her if I died before her, she would make the vegetarian spicy rice, curry, and eggplant and put it in my coffin. (smile). My Dad loved her long bean veggies fried with fenugreek seeds and mutter ringer (Garden peas with eggplant) veggie with Indian spices.
Mom was a strict disciplinarian and would not accept no-nonsense. She would discipline us at any cost, my brother and I still remember her spankings.
She was widowed in 1984 when Dad died in a tragic fatal road accident, so for 26 years till her death, she lived depending on the Lord, even as a full-time nurse by career. I am sure it was not easy for her to have all the responsibilities on her shoulders but she managed well.
She told us after the birth of her firstborn, our elder brother Dinu, she contracted Typhoid and so due to that sickness she was forced to send Dinu to our grandparents at the village farmhouse. Dinu grew up there as the grandparents did not return him to his mom. They were happy to have a grandkid in their old age that brought joy to them and would joke with mom, "You took our only son who survived out of all 13 kids as your husband, and so we take the only son Dinu (by then) the firstborn to us in return." Mom missed him but due to her full-time work, she probably found relief knowing he was in the care of his grandparents. Whenever we visited the farmhouse, she would make sure to do her best to let him know that she loved him. She bought him toys, clothes, and everything that was needed.
Being the youngest of the 4 kids, I always wanted to be close to her, in my years apart from her in my childhood I missed her a lot. From my mid-teen years to nearly in late 20s, I was able to reconnect more closely. I became a close companion of her, especially after my Dad died in 1984. She could lean on me. I owe my air travel career to her, she had introduced me to the air travel industry. During the years I was able to spend with my parents when they were alive, we made the most of it. God allowed me to put a big smile on my parents' faces when I would do unusual things for their birthdays, Christmases, and special occasions. God in his mercy and grace allows these times and I don't take it for granted.
I had the honor of sharing the gospel and leading her to say the salvation prayer and transfer her trust in Christ for her salvation, although she believed in Christ and was faithful in her work all her life. She shared with us that when she was young, she grew up as a Methodist, and to study further she had to accept Catholicism so I had a burden to share the importance of personal relationship with Christ. Isn't that amazing to hear your mom say the sinner's prayer? Her grandma was an evangelist, so wow, single women faced life as widows in 3 generations in my family.
This is personal and I have tears as I remember this and write. When she was a small child, and this is going back to the 1930s, in India. As a little girl's mom was asked to do some chores for an elderly neighbor. She enthusiastically helped but, after which, she was falsely accused of taking some coins, which mom had no idea about. The neighbor's daughter had tricked mom into this just to have fun. They told Mom, they had to put real hot coals from the kitchen (burning charcoals) on her hand, if she had not taken the money, her hands would not burn, but if she had, her hands would burn. My mom, as an innocent child agreed for the hot red burning charcoals to be put on her hand as she had not taken any coins!!!!! and oh dear, they held her tiny hands and put the coals! She willingly held not knowing what mess she was into. In a few seconds, her hands were severely burnt, so she threw away the coals with screams. She was so scared to show her burnt hands to anyone, that instead of going home to be further punished by her mom, in fear she ran to the common lake in the village, soaking her burnt hands to be soothed. oh! how can people be so cruel? Mom was rescued later by her mom who believed she had not taken any money. My mom refused to go and said unless they promised not to punish her further, she would otherwise she would stay put at the village pond overnight as long as she could. Her mom promised she would not beat her. Isn't this heartbreaking?
When I went witnessing for Christ, in my early 20s Mom loved it and encouraged me to do more. Once an Indian religious mother came home to abuse me as I had introduced her son to Christ, and given him some books to read. She came home charging, looking for me, but I was not yet home from work, so she abused Mom and humiliated her in front of our neighbors throwing Bible and Christian books at her. when I returned, I felt so embarrassed for Mom and was angry and said how sorry I was; especially since she as a widow had to endure this in her old age, yet my mom with a smile on her face said to me, "Hasn't the Lord told us that we will have to suffer persecution for His Name sake?" oh my, I had tears and I thanked God for giving me a believing, brave and bold Christian Mom who was willing to take the blows in my place for the sake of the kingdom of righteousness.
My mom is in heaven today and I am thankful for her life. Many people wrote on her death day and shared how blessed they were to know Mom. She always smiled and loved humor. She had a lot of burdens on her shoulders trying to balance her career, home, walk with the Lord, social life, standing up to patriarchy in the village, in society, and at work plus other responsibilities, yet did it joyfully. She believed and said, "If life gives you bitter pills you've got to take it, you've got to live the life." A growing neighborhood girl actually shared that she was inspired as a small 5-year-old child to become a doctor and doctor she did become; she shared, she owed it to my mom, for that inspiration.
Mom chose to live her retired life in India at her own house, with our elder brother Dinu who looked after her from 1998 to 2011. It seems like they made up living together that they had missed for all those years, the lost time of the growing years when she was forced to give him up to the grandparents due to her Typhoid sickness when he was barely a few months old. Isn't God great to restore the years locusts eat up? Due to the distance and circumstances, I was not able to see her for more than a decade; she had suffered much but I am glad in the last 4 months of her life she was able to travel to Nairobi and be looked after by my elder sister (who also chose to be a nurse), her husband and her daughter. I am so thankful to my brother Dinu and my sister Kundan and her family for looking after Mom while I have been away. I also am thankful to GOD that in the years that I was given to spend with her, we had the best of times. I have good memories of spending meaningful joyous times, tears of crying about life's painful phases, and trusting GOD through it all.
I rejoice for Mom's dedication to her job, to her service, and to her LORD.
I look forward to seeing her in heaven when I go there in eternity at the feet of Jesus.
May these few life story lessons from my mom's life encourage you deeply.
Copyrighted © by Kalpna C Sharma, May 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Happy Resurrection Sunday - 2011 - Jesus is Risen, indeed!
2011 Resurrection Sunday - JESUS is ALIVE!
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the life, He who believes in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live again. Do you believe this?“
Dear family and friends,
This is to wish you a very blessed and a happy Resurrection Sunday.
We do not find the term ‘Easter’ in the Bible. Jesus rose from the dead and it is called Resurrection Day. This day gives us hope beyond the grave. The Bible says, “Oh, grave, where is thy victory? Oh, death, where is thy sting?”
During his earthly ministry, there are 3 recorded resurrections that Jesus performed. One was the 12yr. old girl who had just died, the other was a widow’s son on his way to the grave during the funeral procession; and the third was of the Lazarus, the beloved brother of Mary and Martha.
In one way these all show that Jesus has the power to raise the dead be it dead for few minutes, few days or many years. He is the one who gives breath and life to all creatures big and small. Even as we are in the spring season and see the dead trees come alive again, we find the earth green once more, is there anything that we face this Resurrection Sunday that needs to be resurrected? I know we can have an endless list, from our circumstances to finances, to relationships to deaths and many more. We need to trust Jesus to do this in his time and his way. He is the Resurrection and life.
The resurrection of Lazarus speaks volumes to me. One of the reasons is Jesus knowingly, delays going to cure him. The 4 days delay was too much for the sisters. Jesus comes in his time and speaks peacefully, “I am the resurrection and life, he who believes in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live again.”
Do you find God delaying in your circumstances, answering your prayers? Do not despair. He won’t be long. He comes in his time. His timetable does appear to move slowly but it moves surely.
What takes my breath away in Lazarus’ story is that Jesus knows he delayed purposely, he knows in few minutes he will raise Lazarus from the dead and there will be immense joy yet, in the moment of grief, when he sees the sisters and relatives crying, mourning the loss of the loved one, the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35 says, “JESUS WEPT.” This is a real deal. I love Jesus because he lives in my today, even though he holds my every tomorrow, and has all my yesterdays, He cries with me in my today. He understands my pain. He does not tell me to ‘get over it’ he does not tell me ‘get on with life,’ he mourns and weeps with me, and wipes my tears, he picks me up each time I fall.
Because He is alive, we can face tomorrow, Because He is alive, all fear is gone, because we know he holds the future, and life is worth living just because Jesus lives forevermore.
May this Resurrection Sunday bring hope in your today no matter what the circumstances. If we can trust Jesus with eternity, we can certainly trust him with hear and now.
Death has no power over Jesus; He is the Son of God and our Savior. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, we invite you to let him in your heart. He promises you resurrection. You can always bank on his promises, they are true and forever.
Because Jesus lives,
We do - Kalpna, Bharat, Narita and Stuti Sharma.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the life, He who believes in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live again. Do you believe this?“
Dear family and friends,
This is to wish you a very blessed and a happy Resurrection Sunday.
We do not find the term ‘Easter’ in the Bible. Jesus rose from the dead and it is called Resurrection Day. This day gives us hope beyond the grave. The Bible says, “Oh, grave, where is thy victory? Oh, death, where is thy sting?”
During his earthly ministry, there are 3 recorded resurrections that Jesus performed. One was the 12yr. old girl who had just died, the other was a widow’s son on his way to the grave during the funeral procession; and the third was of the Lazarus, the beloved brother of Mary and Martha.
In one way these all show that Jesus has the power to raise the dead be it dead for few minutes, few days or many years. He is the one who gives breath and life to all creatures big and small. Even as we are in the spring season and see the dead trees come alive again, we find the earth green once more, is there anything that we face this Resurrection Sunday that needs to be resurrected? I know we can have an endless list, from our circumstances to finances, to relationships to deaths and many more. We need to trust Jesus to do this in his time and his way. He is the Resurrection and life.
The resurrection of Lazarus speaks volumes to me. One of the reasons is Jesus knowingly, delays going to cure him. The 4 days delay was too much for the sisters. Jesus comes in his time and speaks peacefully, “I am the resurrection and life, he who believes in me, even though he were dead, yet shall he live again.”
Do you find God delaying in your circumstances, answering your prayers? Do not despair. He won’t be long. He comes in his time. His timetable does appear to move slowly but it moves surely.
What takes my breath away in Lazarus’ story is that Jesus knows he delayed purposely, he knows in few minutes he will raise Lazarus from the dead and there will be immense joy yet, in the moment of grief, when he sees the sisters and relatives crying, mourning the loss of the loved one, the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35 says, “JESUS WEPT.” This is a real deal. I love Jesus because he lives in my today, even though he holds my every tomorrow, and has all my yesterdays, He cries with me in my today. He understands my pain. He does not tell me to ‘get over it’ he does not tell me ‘get on with life,’ he mourns and weeps with me, and wipes my tears, he picks me up each time I fall.
Because He is alive, we can face tomorrow, Because He is alive, all fear is gone, because we know he holds the future, and life is worth living just because Jesus lives forevermore.
May this Resurrection Sunday bring hope in your today no matter what the circumstances. If we can trust Jesus with eternity, we can certainly trust him with hear and now.
Death has no power over Jesus; He is the Son of God and our Savior. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, we invite you to let him in your heart. He promises you resurrection. You can always bank on his promises, they are true and forever.
Because Jesus lives,
We do - Kalpna, Bharat, Narita and Stuti Sharma.
Friday, February 18, 2011
having a heart
Many times i have encountered that folks in the world want the behaviour change, they do not really mind if the heart is not in it as long as you can see visually the results and process, it is good enough. While this can help us see, God acutally looks at the heart. The motive and the commitment.
At times, it may look foolish what we may do or say according to the world, we may not be eloquent speakers or communicators, and not that it cannot be worked on, but God calls the worldly wisdom foolishness.
There is a saying, i would rather have heart than words, rather than words but no heart. We could be great speakers but it may be just the words.
At times God uses people in my life to teach me what he wants me to be and at the same time i see that God does not miss what the world misses to see in me.
I am not sure about you, but i am a very passionate person, i love passionately. i am passionate about biblically right things. i get angry when i see the wrong doings exalted and evil being so prevalent. but at the same times, i also see that God speaks to me thru many people that i need to be careful as many take advantage of our sincerity and openness and frankness and we are left hurt and injured.
i am at peace when i am able to do something for someone because it comes from the heart, if i am taken advantage of, its their loss not mine, because they will continue in their pattern, lose friends and opportunities while i am blessed because i do it sincerely.
God justifies us because of our heart issue. it is a big thing to God. If our hearts are right, we have 90% of battle already won.
Proverbs says, above all guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.
copyright @ KC Sharma
At times, it may look foolish what we may do or say according to the world, we may not be eloquent speakers or communicators, and not that it cannot be worked on, but God calls the worldly wisdom foolishness.
There is a saying, i would rather have heart than words, rather than words but no heart. We could be great speakers but it may be just the words.
At times God uses people in my life to teach me what he wants me to be and at the same time i see that God does not miss what the world misses to see in me.
I am not sure about you, but i am a very passionate person, i love passionately. i am passionate about biblically right things. i get angry when i see the wrong doings exalted and evil being so prevalent. but at the same times, i also see that God speaks to me thru many people that i need to be careful as many take advantage of our sincerity and openness and frankness and we are left hurt and injured.
i am at peace when i am able to do something for someone because it comes from the heart, if i am taken advantage of, its their loss not mine, because they will continue in their pattern, lose friends and opportunities while i am blessed because i do it sincerely.
God justifies us because of our heart issue. it is a big thing to God. If our hearts are right, we have 90% of battle already won.
Proverbs says, above all guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.
copyright @ KC Sharma
Thursday, February 10, 2011
God's way vs. our schemes in parenting- Isaac and Rebecah
I have often wondered about Jacob and his schemes to get ahead of his brother as I read Genesis again and again. This year I saw something deep. When we read that Rebekah was not able to have children within 20 years of their marriage, "Isaac prayed for his wife and she became pregnant." We are also told she was expecting twins. Now I want us to read precisely as the Scripture is recorded and not try to add anything to it.
Genesis 23: "The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Now in this nowhere do I find that Jacob is to learn to cheat, nowhere do we find that God approves of Jacob's cheating. I simply find it put in simple terms, God was blessing her with more blessings, not one but two boys and not just two boys, (like her family had sent her with a blessing before leaving her parents' home Gen24:60) she was going to be a mother of many (thousands upon thousands) through these two boys. So God blessed her doubly.
The verses state more like predictions and forewarnings of what the older and younger ones would do. God blesses each one according to what God wants, we are all unique and gifted to complement each other not to compete - if we understood this principle, things would perhaps be easier. When God gives us strength, it is to bless others, not for our pride; and when God gives us weakness it is not for humiliation or feeling intimidated. We need to understand that we need care without abuse and without manipulations. There was nothing wrong with one being an employer and the other being an employee. Jesus came to serve us, he did not become any less than us. If only Rebekah had understood this, perhaps she would not have taken matters into her own hands and taught deceiving traits and schemes to her younger son, Jacob.
But, Rebekah took it to mean what she wanted to hear and favored the younger one. She also does not seem to communicate that to her husband. Isaac loves Esau for the way he operates, while Rebekah seems to have her own reasons for liking Jacob. We do know what it feels like when one parent favors the other.
God had blessed Esau in his own way and God chose to use Jacob for his own blessing and blessed plan and no cheating, deceit, or manipulations were necessary.
One son good at outdoors and the other good at home, would have complimented one another best way. There was no need to sell or buy the birthright! Jacob seems to want to be two steps ahead of his brother. For people who think, winning is the only way they live, life must be very frustrating, stressful, and hard to try to be always on the toes, not peaceful. We can see that in Jacob's life. What he was taught to fight for was divinely given by God, already, but he felt he had to have his own ways.
Proverbs says, "The Blessings of the Lord make one rich and he adds no sorrow to it."
Rebekah taught Jacob deceitful ways to relate to a brother and others and we see in turn, he gets cheated by her own brother. (like brother like sister) One teaches him to cheat, and the other actually cheats on him too.
Isn't it ironic that Rebecah also goes full out to deceive her own husband in his old age with identity theft, Jacob being presented as Esau? What do you call this mothering? I have no doubt, that she stands responsible before God for her own wrong ways of parenting and 'helping God' out.
Sarah had tried to help God out by getting a child by causing her husband to sleep with her helper, misusing her own maid to get what she wanted, and when it did not seem to go her way, she threw the maid away. Rebekah, for her own ways of thinking, is getting the deceit in her family, and not only that, she is actually teaching her son to do that.
Isaac on the other hand seems to play a passive role. He does not seem to inquire about the LORD now that the children are born, but hold on, did Rebekah mention that to her husband? He knew and did when she was barren but now that she was pregnant, I wonder if there was any communication along those lines! She does not seem to have related the God-given info to her husband. The kids are born, and we see the Dad passive and even depending on lies for survival like his father Abraham did for his wife Sarah. What would have been different if Isaac too had inquired of the LORD on how to raise the child? (Samson's parents went to inquire of the LORD when the wife told the husband the message of the LORD. How are we to raise this child?) Judges 13: "Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” in verse 6, the wife shares with the husband what the Angel has told her.
Despite their good upbringing, what Samson chose is quite another matter, but at least the parents did the right thing.
If parents were on the same page and communicated with one another about their children and sought the wisdom of God in raising them! Parents can choose to wait on God for what God puts on their hearts concerning their children. Let us teach them to live in harmony and peace, showing the Christ-likeness to one another and to the world. Let us not favor one child over another. Yes, it is possible to have different likings for different children, but let us use that to build unity in them and teach them the good ways of God.
copyright @ Kalpana Sharma 2011
Genesis 23: "The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Now in this nowhere do I find that Jacob is to learn to cheat, nowhere do we find that God approves of Jacob's cheating. I simply find it put in simple terms, God was blessing her with more blessings, not one but two boys and not just two boys, (like her family had sent her with a blessing before leaving her parents' home Gen24:60) she was going to be a mother of many (thousands upon thousands) through these two boys. So God blessed her doubly.
The verses state more like predictions and forewarnings of what the older and younger ones would do. God blesses each one according to what God wants, we are all unique and gifted to complement each other not to compete - if we understood this principle, things would perhaps be easier. When God gives us strength, it is to bless others, not for our pride; and when God gives us weakness it is not for humiliation or feeling intimidated. We need to understand that we need care without abuse and without manipulations. There was nothing wrong with one being an employer and the other being an employee. Jesus came to serve us, he did not become any less than us. If only Rebekah had understood this, perhaps she would not have taken matters into her own hands and taught deceiving traits and schemes to her younger son, Jacob.
But, Rebekah took it to mean what she wanted to hear and favored the younger one. She also does not seem to communicate that to her husband. Isaac loves Esau for the way he operates, while Rebekah seems to have her own reasons for liking Jacob. We do know what it feels like when one parent favors the other.
God had blessed Esau in his own way and God chose to use Jacob for his own blessing and blessed plan and no cheating, deceit, or manipulations were necessary.
One son good at outdoors and the other good at home, would have complimented one another best way. There was no need to sell or buy the birthright! Jacob seems to want to be two steps ahead of his brother. For people who think, winning is the only way they live, life must be very frustrating, stressful, and hard to try to be always on the toes, not peaceful. We can see that in Jacob's life. What he was taught to fight for was divinely given by God, already, but he felt he had to have his own ways.
Proverbs says, "The Blessings of the Lord make one rich and he adds no sorrow to it."
Rebekah taught Jacob deceitful ways to relate to a brother and others and we see in turn, he gets cheated by her own brother. (like brother like sister) One teaches him to cheat, and the other actually cheats on him too.
Isn't it ironic that Rebecah also goes full out to deceive her own husband in his old age with identity theft, Jacob being presented as Esau? What do you call this mothering? I have no doubt, that she stands responsible before God for her own wrong ways of parenting and 'helping God' out.
Sarah had tried to help God out by getting a child by causing her husband to sleep with her helper, misusing her own maid to get what she wanted, and when it did not seem to go her way, she threw the maid away. Rebekah, for her own ways of thinking, is getting the deceit in her family, and not only that, she is actually teaching her son to do that.
Isaac on the other hand seems to play a passive role. He does not seem to inquire about the LORD now that the children are born, but hold on, did Rebekah mention that to her husband? He knew and did when she was barren but now that she was pregnant, I wonder if there was any communication along those lines! She does not seem to have related the God-given info to her husband. The kids are born, and we see the Dad passive and even depending on lies for survival like his father Abraham did for his wife Sarah. What would have been different if Isaac too had inquired of the LORD on how to raise the child? (Samson's parents went to inquire of the LORD when the wife told the husband the message of the LORD. How are we to raise this child?) Judges 13: "Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” in verse 6, the wife shares with the husband what the Angel has told her.
Despite their good upbringing, what Samson chose is quite another matter, but at least the parents did the right thing.
If parents were on the same page and communicated with one another about their children and sought the wisdom of God in raising them! Parents can choose to wait on God for what God puts on their hearts concerning their children. Let us teach them to live in harmony and peace, showing the Christ-likeness to one another and to the world. Let us not favor one child over another. Yes, it is possible to have different likings for different children, but let us use that to build unity in them and teach them the good ways of God.
copyright @ Kalpana Sharma 2011
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
A Little Leftover Lunch/Supper to Share?
Every time I read the book of Ruth in the Bible, this story warms my heart. I like the way Ruth and Naomi are connected to each other. When we look at the cross-cultural marriage of Ruth to Naomi's son, we see Ruth, a Moabite; the people that were disliked, yet Ruth stands out as a diamond, pure, loving, gentle, caring, and humble. I almost find myself walking along with them on their way back to the land Naomi came from. I feel like I am being a fellow traveler with them.
Even as a young widow, Ruth is still looking out for her mother-in-law's interests. we see that she does not want to leave Naomi; no matter what, she is determined to be a close companion of Naomi, an elderly widow, mother-in-law, and a friend for a long time.
I find her obedient to God, to the parental authority, and the general norms of society, even at that age and in the state of being a young widow, with no hope of ever getting married, she is committed to Naomi; something so precious yet something a big part of our present culture will perhaps not grasp fully; because as in the days of Judges, and even nowadays, when majority is doing what they feel like, here we see Ruth and Boaz doing what God likes!!!! She is ready to go wherever Naomi feels it OK to stay; she does not seem to argue that she will be better off in her own land and be able to find a job, as she spoke the language well and the place was familiar to her, her own people who were nearby and she could visit them often. No! She is choosing instead, to be Naomi's close person, more of a friend, even though coming from an Eastern culture I do know the term "you are more to me than seven sons," when a daughter or a daughter-in-law does an extraordinarily different and impacting thing, this term is often used.
My heart went out to her fully when I read that when Boaz and his workers were nice to her and when she was offered lunch, she ate and then kept some part of that food for her dear Naomi. This is precious. We do read that she was blessed with a basket full of grains to take home but that little leftover lunch that she wanted to share with Naomi shows the depth of her love. She does want Naomi to experience the good taste that she has experienced. This impacts me more because I have two little Ruth types and one seemingly male version of Ruth around in my house. We have noticed that since their childhood, when one of our two daughters was offered some food even if it was a small portion, they will keep a part of it to come home and share with the other.
23 years ago, when I met Bharat, (my husband of 18 years at the time of writing this) he worked in an Accounts Department of a Panel Beating Company, back home in Nairobi, Kenya. In our initial meetings, even though I was working right in the downtown of the beautiful city of Nairobi, and my office was surrounded by many good restaurants, Bharat used to make a point of bringing a special egg curry that the cook at his place of work had freshly cooked for their staff. This curry used to be made at least once a week. He relished it so much that he felt he had to share it with me. He would travel with it using public transport to come downtown to bring me. I have not forgotten that. He was in love back then and so it felt kind of "normal" for "crazy" people to do that but now after many years of our very turbulent relationship it seems like in the restoring process, he brings food home from where he visits. As a self-employed independent contractor, he has to visit some of the best restaurants, as well as the fast food ones that he goes to. Whenever the shop requires him to do it alone, he brings leftover food home and shares it with us. He says he does not feel that he can enjoy it alone. (That reminded me of the Ruth personality) These incidents show the love and care that one can show. When his assignments require two folks to taste, either one of us would go with him, and whoever accompanies him brings back the leftover big portions for the one staying back at home. We thank God for blessing us with such generosity, it is nothing we can boast about but from God's good hand. Well, we thank God for such precious little things that have huge meaning behind them to bring us close to one another. As one of the major airline slogans reads, "There are more things that bring us closer than that keep us apart."
May these stories warm your heart and may you be encouraged to freely share whatever God places in your arms that you are able. (There are times to refrain from sharing like the story of the five wise and five foolish virgins so you are not depleted, so please do not feel obligated.) This is just some delightful normal sharing that is meant for the sake of kindness and not to be misused.
in God's immeasurable love,
Kalpana.
Copyright @ Kalpana Christian Sharma.
Even as a young widow, Ruth is still looking out for her mother-in-law's interests. we see that she does not want to leave Naomi; no matter what, she is determined to be a close companion of Naomi, an elderly widow, mother-in-law, and a friend for a long time.
I find her obedient to God, to the parental authority, and the general norms of society, even at that age and in the state of being a young widow, with no hope of ever getting married, she is committed to Naomi; something so precious yet something a big part of our present culture will perhaps not grasp fully; because as in the days of Judges, and even nowadays, when majority is doing what they feel like, here we see Ruth and Boaz doing what God likes!!!! She is ready to go wherever Naomi feels it OK to stay; she does not seem to argue that she will be better off in her own land and be able to find a job, as she spoke the language well and the place was familiar to her, her own people who were nearby and she could visit them often. No! She is choosing instead, to be Naomi's close person, more of a friend, even though coming from an Eastern culture I do know the term "you are more to me than seven sons," when a daughter or a daughter-in-law does an extraordinarily different and impacting thing, this term is often used.
My heart went out to her fully when I read that when Boaz and his workers were nice to her and when she was offered lunch, she ate and then kept some part of that food for her dear Naomi. This is precious. We do read that she was blessed with a basket full of grains to take home but that little leftover lunch that she wanted to share with Naomi shows the depth of her love. She does want Naomi to experience the good taste that she has experienced. This impacts me more because I have two little Ruth types and one seemingly male version of Ruth around in my house. We have noticed that since their childhood, when one of our two daughters was offered some food even if it was a small portion, they will keep a part of it to come home and share with the other.
23 years ago, when I met Bharat, (my husband of 18 years at the time of writing this) he worked in an Accounts Department of a Panel Beating Company, back home in Nairobi, Kenya. In our initial meetings, even though I was working right in the downtown of the beautiful city of Nairobi, and my office was surrounded by many good restaurants, Bharat used to make a point of bringing a special egg curry that the cook at his place of work had freshly cooked for their staff. This curry used to be made at least once a week. He relished it so much that he felt he had to share it with me. He would travel with it using public transport to come downtown to bring me. I have not forgotten that. He was in love back then and so it felt kind of "normal" for "crazy" people to do that but now after many years of our very turbulent relationship it seems like in the restoring process, he brings food home from where he visits. As a self-employed independent contractor, he has to visit some of the best restaurants, as well as the fast food ones that he goes to. Whenever the shop requires him to do it alone, he brings leftover food home and shares it with us. He says he does not feel that he can enjoy it alone. (That reminded me of the Ruth personality) These incidents show the love and care that one can show. When his assignments require two folks to taste, either one of us would go with him, and whoever accompanies him brings back the leftover big portions for the one staying back at home. We thank God for blessing us with such generosity, it is nothing we can boast about but from God's good hand. Well, we thank God for such precious little things that have huge meaning behind them to bring us close to one another. As one of the major airline slogans reads, "There are more things that bring us closer than that keep us apart."
May these stories warm your heart and may you be encouraged to freely share whatever God places in your arms that you are able. (There are times to refrain from sharing like the story of the five wise and five foolish virgins so you are not depleted, so please do not feel obligated.) This is just some delightful normal sharing that is meant for the sake of kindness and not to be misused.
in God's immeasurable love,
Kalpana.
Copyright @ Kalpana Christian Sharma.
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