The one step magic!

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well .- Matthew 6:33

Hi friends,I’m sure all of you have read this verse more than once and some may even have it memorized since our days at Sunday school!Let me share my views on why this verse makes the cornerstone of my faith!God has taught me a great deal about how to live and enjoy life – and have it in abundance till it overflows (John 10:10)…

I believe that life should be a celebration. Far too many people don’t even enjoy life, let alone celebrate it! I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing as tragic as being alive and not enjoying life.We as children of God are called to play a part in showing to the world the importance of being a part of that Heavenly family of the Most High God who has called us to be his own children (John 1:13)Hence this effort!

Let me show you the various dimensions of Mathew 6:33Life is full of many worldly cares. We think of food, clothing, shelter, a job, income, business, mortgage payments, education, tuition, money for church activities, disease, disability, and the like. Cares are not limited to adults. Teenagers have their cares too. We think of choosing a college, a career, a life-long marriage partner, finding a job, buying that first car, making the team. There is nothing wrong with this. Every living person naturally cares for him or herself and his or her life.Life is full of worldly concerns. That is true whether you are a Christian or a non-Christian.

But did u ever realize that u missed to note something – If God can form the human body how much more is He able to provide for its needs?In short, He Who made the greater can easily provide for the lesser…..He who gave life can easily sustain it as well!Isn't it wonderful to know that God knows u personally and is fully aware of our needs and cares. ("your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (vs 32b)So why should we worry, why be anxious, about lesser matters like food, clothing & shelter? Instead of worrying about these we are to put them into a kingdom perspective.'Praise God from whom all blessings flow!' To this moment the Lord has never failed to give us our daily bread." Lets praise God for it!

Jesus says,(Mt 6:33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.The plain fact is this -To strive for food and drink and clothing is to be concerned about the needs of 70 or 80 years. To strive for the kingdom is to be concerned about eternity.Our life, if you see keenly, is not of the present world; instead, we belong to the world to come. It is this future life we must strive for. We must be ready and make ready for its coming. Therefore, our first and greatest concern in life must be the Lord's affairs.OK, when Jesus tells us to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."

What does this mean?Our desire, if we seek first the kingdom,
- is to be ruled by Christ's Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to Him.

- is for the devil's work to be destroyed; we want every force opposed to God to be defeated; we work against sin and evil at every level of society.

- is to make God the only Master of our life. We know we "cannot serve both God and money" (Mt 6:24)- is to seek treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Mt 6:19-21).

- is righteous living – holy, pure, faithful, hating evil, loving good.- is to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.

- is for the church to be strong, and to grow in grace and numbers. This means we will want to build ourselves up by Bible study and prayer. This means we will involve ourselves in the church's mission to the lost.

- is for Christ to come again and to come quickly; we pray for that and work for that.

- is to be involved in church and kingdom work. If we seek first the kingdom we will prayerfully and financially support the church and kingdom.

To seek first the kingdom becomes a question of priorities. What comes first in your life: the kingdom or food, righteousness or clothing, the church or vacation time, treasure in heaven or treasure on earth, God or money?So far I've been focusing this on you as individuals.

The greater issue is:

What does God want you to do?

Where is your heart?

What are your eyes fixed on?

How you love me - its amazing!

Is there a person who is really interested in me even when I show my back to Him??
Is there someone who can love me even though I show him time and again that Im not interested in him?
Can there be a love that is real, true, sincere and without malice?
Can a person be interested in me even after I have exhibited countless signs of walking away forever?

The answer is 'yes'!
Its my friend whom I now love with all my heart!!!

I have often asked-

Who am I that You would be mindful of me?
To come and die, to give Your life eternally!
Who am I that You would be mindful of me?
To testify I am a sinner who's been set free!Who am I that You would be mindful of me
To take the time, to hear me cry a faithless plea
Who am I that You would be mindful of me
To shed Your blood, that'd You be able to dwell in me
Oh Lord, hows majestic is Your name in all the earth
For Your majesty knows no bounds
And You've placed Your glory high about the stars
My back to You, layed You on my cross
But Your love for me has set my spirit free

I can't believe I'm standing face to face with a King
Oh Lord, how perfected was Your pain and our salvation
I can't believe I ever tried to live without You

Yes!!! I have found a friend called Jesus whom I can never live without henceforth!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akjTwlKcS_c&feature=related

Floral elegance

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. ~Henry Beecher

Broken glass!

Sometimes when you're married

You drift away within.

Outside you stroll together;

Isnt 'Marriage' all about joining hands to live a life together,
Cherishing the togetherness that is instituted unto us and
Nourishing the closest kind of friendship?

Offlate, I have been hearing so much of this shocking news called divorce.
Every other person I meet complains of this misfortune- either in their own life or in somebody else's known to them.
A small incident or incompatibilty can become the cause of a devastating decision.

Ending a marriage may be a particularly upsetting event, involving many uncertainties and emotions (But today it has become very common). Whether u accept or not, it may cripple a person for life (atleast emotionally - from within the soul)! It is just like broken glass.

Any number of fix measures cant bring the original elegance back to the article.

In reality, a disturbed relationship is much easier to mend than a totally new one, and when the first is not paid its due attention, it becomes comparable to broken glass.

You might be doing yourself a 'dis-service' if you act without examining the situation in its entirety. Some reasons that people give for wanting a divorce are purely selfish and have no substance at all.

I believe that no situation is irrevocable.

We may have gone wrong in a few aspects, but a little talking-out can always do a lot of good.

Give and take is the very essence of a marriage.

Its all about mutual adjustment and building compatibility, if at all it is absent.

Marriage is an institution created by God Almighty and the sacrament that "By marriage the husband and wife are one person in law". Havent you read that 'He who created them from the beginning made them male and female and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?' What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

Do we get the message at all?

A successful marriage in one where we follow the pattern in which it was intended by God...Man for woman and woman for man....being each others best companion and finding pleasure in doing so.....Husband loving the wife and wife respecting the husband....

Though theology sounds good, it becomes a practical reality only when we follow the basic rule that 'Wives must submit to their husband' and in return earn love from him. It is sometimes true that male dominance causes woman to rebel, retaliate and argue....but what dominance can stand in front of pure and submissive love.... and for how long can it? With God's help, anything can be mended and restored. Just trust in Him! He is your potter....so lean on him for your next steps and he will take you places that you've never dreamt of.

Love can be strong, yet so fragile!

They met as destiny wanted it that way,
Only to realise that they enjoyed each others minds sway.
They started off with small friendly talks,
And nurtured it with even more friendly walks,

Days and months passed,
And they realised that their own lives have crossed,
All possible signs showed them that they were just born for each other,
Alongside the thought that this is actually impossible whatsoever.

Families were always a concern,
And more for these kin-lanterns.
Even though they were swept off their feet,
The road to family harmony always beat.

There couldn’t have been a deeper understanding,
Between two humans as was now happening,
Living a virtual life without a hitch,
Just thinking that the heart’s happiness is the true measure of being rich.

Alas, there came a time when things had to change,
Reality rose up to sweep all of it to a stage
Where it triggered a new direction altogether,
Beyond comprehension whatsoever.

There came another girl who had to be his own,
A situation where the old duo had to give up without a frown,
All came like a wind,
And left them bewildered within.

Since then, its only time that keeps passing by,
But the love in their hearts never,
Years fly by,
But even now the past makes them quiver.

Is it justifiable to retain that true love,
Or will the world call it unethical???
Only he that ploughs and sows,
Will know the pain and blow.

None but they will understand,
The lumber in their hearts.
Dark memories still haunt these souls,
Who meant no harm, nor went astray like fowl.

Is it the concern for their families,
That has stolen their lives forever???
Or is it their lack of courage to persuade
That has made them stay within forever??!!

The course of true love never did run smooth!

Home is where the heart is ;)

One of my passions is to create the kind of home that one would love to come to...
'You should be able to walk into the house and truly feel at home... '
And even more for the people who are going to live in that house!

Its said in just a sentence, but I think in reality, it’s a lot more than that.
While the process may seem daunting with so much to consider I believe that decorating is about creating a beautiful environment with the things WE enjoy, our favourite colours, furnishings, collections and art….all within our pocket-size!


What could be more fun than decorating your dream home?

Ok let me tell u how I want my dream home to look like…

Lets go one room at a time ok ;)

(Let me stress on a point – the house needn’t be a bungalow for me to accomplish every fantasy …even a 2BHK flat would do!)

A neatly crafted door with a bow-wreath will bring u in to a small and cute porch welcoming u with green plants and small cane furniture.


The Family room will be bright and cheery… beautiful tapestries around the corners, wall hangings which will add character to the home and the wall décor which will add interest to plain walls. The room will also have silky plants and floral arrangements - so lifelike, you'll be adding water. The room will carry a elegant atmosphere with low profile lights and table lamps, ceiling and wall lamps. Why should we wait for a candle light dinner when ur home could offer it 24x7 ;)


The Bedroom will be a peaceful retreat – a place to relax and recharge! … calm, peaceful escape from the bustle and pressure of the everyday world! Light colours and choosy interiors will by itself give u a warmth!

Next to it will be a room exclusively for relaxation with glitzy music systems - you'll need your eyes and ears to enjoy. A mattress laid on the floor to sit back and relax and the room will be filled with musical mystique. A small bookshelf-cum-CD case at the corner will make it complete.

I should mention that across the house there will be a fascinating range of handcrafted decoratives and small accessories like potpourri, an eye-catchy wind-chime, huge ceramic vases, artificial flowers alongside a ethnic diwan with Indian cushion-cover and bold bolsters!

The Kitchen (which will be my kingdom for the rest of life) will have a few essential appliances, glassware, and kitchen-ware, a clock, and... I shall live by the saying "A clean kitchen shows the true nature of a woman"

Bathrooms will be spacious and soothing...with a single colour glory!


Lastly, Security is just as important, as design in our homes!... (But the truth is my guardian angel will guard my home :)


In conclusion, Decorating has to be considered a journey to be enjoyed not a task to be accomplished. Home decor is always a work in progress evolving as your family and lifestyle goes through changes. It's the little things that can make a house a home...

And with all these little things, I wish to make an impact.....

Why do we live?

Why do we live? How are we living?? Whats the worth of life???

Hav'nt these questions struck ur mind atleast once in ur entire life? Im sure you would be lying if you say No!

I admit that I have been confronted with this question more than once...infact many-a-times!

When my loved ones leave me...when difficulties strangle me...when expectations disappoint....when I see people around me who try to deceive...when there is injustice to every word...when i feel im not doing anything meanigful...when the whole world seems to proceed when im stagnant....when i see people suffer....when I look back and see that I hav'nt lived upto the mark myself....when I see the world filled with imprefections!!!

There are thousands of instances which can raise the question of "why we live at all?"

After numerous such instances, (and most of them leading to tears) I have slowly come into a light which is giving me the answers for all my scepticism.

Why am I living? - Becoz my God created me to live and experience the joy of living!!!

Becoz he wants his children to live a blessed abundant life...and show others how to live a happy life.

But 'A Happy life' will not just descend from heaven...it has to be made possible... by U & Me!
By every word, thought and deed...it should be consciously woven.

I beleive that there is untold possibility, amazing potential to accomplish and to love in each human body. To foster that potential it is necessary to treat other human beings just that way. It is easy to say, but not that often put into practice…thats the case with all of us. If we, or I, would put it into practice more often… seeing and treating other people as important as they are.. we might see the return of that kind of appreciation and the spread of it to others.
Thats the entire purpose of a meaningful living isnt it...

As Dawna Markova (author of Open Mind) says -

"I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit."

Yes, you cannot put a price on life.. but you can show your appreciation of just how precious each life is, whether it be towards someone who offends or disagrees with you, they are still human beings and more precious that you can imagine .

The inscence of our life should spread its fragrance throughout....and influence fellow beings!

The very thought that we should make a meaning out of our lives itself will help us create the meaning we want. Its all in our hands...its bestowed upon us by our creator!
Afterall he is the one who made us...will he not want to see us live happily?

Has he taken all the pain of our creation, sustenance and empowerment just to see us suffer?
Of course we do encounter difficulties and trouble once in a while...but it is all meant to prove the mettle in us.

As Albert Einstein says, There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as if everything is.

My life is in my hands...and with God by my side I can face any problem and say, 'hey problem, I have a BIG God' and with His assurance in life...I can make a meaningful life that can show the world that Im worth the creation!!!

If I knew...

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out of the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your vioce lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can just let this one slip away.

For surely there is always tomorrow to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.
There will always be another day to say "I live you",
And certainly there is another chance to say "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance you could hold your loved one thight

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, what about today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you will surely dread the day,
That you did'nt take that extra time for a smile, a hug or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
and turned out to be their last wish.

So hold uor loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear.

Take time to say "Im sorry," "Please forgoive me",
"Thank you", or "It's okay"

And if tomorrow never comes, you will have no regrets about today.


Imagine living a life with regrets!!!! huh...thats the worst form of existence, according to me!

I had been to this city and was put up on the 50th floor of the neighbouring black building (Hilton Hotels) ...just to spend sleepless nights looking at the remains of the Twin Whistleblowers, thinking of the disastrous day and I'm already sniffing a familiar odor of agony, and it only just began.The skyline around NY became an ever-present reminder of loss. My ten day stay at the hotel was cut short to 3, as I couldnt take that painful luxury anymore. Having spent some time at Ground Zero of the WTC station, the inscriptions left there made me stand and gasp for breath.
What happened in WTC on Sept. 11 was such an emotional event that so many people are still dealing with the psychological after-effect. So many people lost loved ones, friends and thousands of writings like the above one are left behind as tributes. It is human nature that when touched by a disaster as sad as this one, not to pay attention to reason. I believe it is far too emotional to be reasoned with. But the emotions evolved from this tragedy are more than just grief. These emotions are grief, anger, fear, and patriotism,... . They are these emotions which are bonding people together as a nation, people with different background, opposing beliefs, etc, now are close together. Maybe after all reason is not the only thing that can help. Sometimes emotions and beliefs can do a lot more than reason.

El-shaddai

I have had a complete revelation of this concept and Im feeling "simply terrific n tremendously influenced" . Life now appears very full and truly good, with a depth and understanding I had not fully noticed before. More inner sense of well being, peace, expansiveness, connectedness. I’ve started writing a fantasy story....in fact a narration of what I heard...

Call it supercharged serendipity, even blessed luck. It is when things go your way and all you can do is shout to the heavens, "Thank you!"

But there are a few secrets that we shud unlock from the mysterious world above to see this abundance in life.

I can recollect the verse that I was often made to memorise when in Sunday school -"Call to me and I will answer & telll you great and unsearchable things you do not know' -Jeremiah 33:3

This is one such revelation that my good God has given me through Pastor Sam. Chelladurai:

It was all about El Shaddai - a name by which God has been called in the Holy Bible. This word is of Judaic origin and It simply means God Almighty.
'El' points to the power of God Himself -"Power, Might, Exceeding Greatness".
'Shaddai' seems to be derived from another word meaning breast, which implies the ability to nourish, supply, and satisfy.
In short - It is God as El who helps, but it is God as Shaddai who abundantly blesses with all manner of blessings. This name is indicative of a God who is powerful enough to do just that.

God desires to bless man and provide in abundance all of mans needs. Only an all powerful God can bless all mankind with all manner of blessings. The usage of the names here is obvious. It is God as El (Omnipotent, Almighty, All-Powerful) who helps in time of need, but God as Shaddai (All-Sufficient) who satisfies with abundant blessings "of the breasts and of the womb". This clearly indicates that the righteous and loving God cares for us as a mother cares for a newborn child. Everything we could possibly need, exactly when we need it, God IS! In the same way that a mother’s breast is "all-sufficient" for her newborn’s nourishment, God is "all-sufficient" for His people. Hence, when we combine El (Almighty God) with Shaddai (All-sufficiency) we have " The Almighty God who pours out sustenance and blessing". The first inference is in (Genesis 17:1) of the Bible.

Can you imagine living in a wild wicked world, full of malice and untrustworthy people, sly and spying always....I would say it is impossible without a guiding force...a force which will unveil the ability to transform situations and even the minds behind them. This force is called the Supernatural. Strangely enough, the words are very rarely defined, and are simply established on “you know what I mean” definitions. Whatever is the meaning you give to this force, its the thing that Im talking about - The presence of the power that created the world...n the abracadabra to associate with Him as His own children...and thereby inherit the abundant blessings that he wants us to enjoy in our lives and souls!

This has been only a modest attempt to explain a God-sized concept. 'Please be greatly encouraged to continue seeking after Him' (Jeremiah 29:13).

Looks big...but they are not!

There are many things in world which we think are not for us to do...it looks like somebody else's cup of tea! We often overlook a few small things thinkng it will not make much of a difference in life. But people who think wise have noticed tiny things that can make difference in big ways. Offlate I'm on a small project(personal) and in the process I've come across a a few 'thought-provoking' sayings and inspirational quotes. I dint realise how much they are running in my mind but Im able to feel a visible awakening in me.


The sum totality of it is this- 'Everyday is important and we are exchanging our life for it'.

Even if im not a philosophical person by nature...the thoughts in my mind are making me a person who is able to look at the world with a difference.


Ok, getting to the message...If you think about it, the hardest things on earth are neither physical nor intellectual feats. They are merely spiritual exhibition of ones better-self. Can you recollect the last time you cribbed about a person for small things like making noise when you were sleeping, or not paying attention to you when u were trying to speak. These small dissapointments or dissactisfactions can slowly grow (when it keeps repeating) and the final result could be that u develop a indifference or even hatred towards the person. This is a very small illustration, but imagine it from a different standpoint. Instead of complaining abt a person who is bitching behind ur back, imagine u started accompanying the same person for coffee or drink when time permits....please note, forgetting the fact that he/she has spoken abt u unwarrentedly...n get to develop a casual relationship with them. There are chances that they see the better side of u only when u give them a chance to, and of all probabilty they'll think back at how they spoke abt u. N definitely, sooner or later when they get to speak to the same set of audience, they will make it a point to say "Hmm, (s)he is actually a nice person..." n slowly things will take a U-turn. These are petty things...but definitely they are not something that we do in our normal course of lives. I wonder how nice the person will feel when he comes to realise that we have given him/her a feel good factor which is in reality based on 'Forgive without apology'!There have been many times when we have treated someone less important that the others (it cud have 'n' number of reasons)...one thing that i can remember is that i used to avoid some people for the simple reason that they were boring. I remember people who used to stick oround me, but I've tried to avoid them just in order to spend my time with someone else who will interest me. In this case, what are you repaying to someone who values you and have come seeking u? Its just that ur priorities have taken the frontseat leaving ur real worth to the backend. May be that since we were a kid, we are psychologically trained to oppose things that dont tally with our nature and sometimes its sad to note that we have drawn curtains to small inconsistencies.




Whatsoever... if we come to think of life as a one time experience and about people as God-made-accquaintances, then i guess we will get ourselves to live in a pleasant world :) The world is not a ready-made outfit...u can tailor it in the best n most beautiful way possible...provided u create the capacity to weave...{huh..this saying is not a bad attempt na! :)}




So according to me, there are 4 tasks which look hard, but when brought into action, can work wonders beyond understanding...
to return love for hate...
to forgive without apology....
to include the excluded...and
to be able to say ' I was wrong'! .

Trust me its working!!!

Relationship Cycle

This is something which I read and it has been running on my mind since then... A true and real fact....

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your partner. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your partner wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called 'falling' in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, 'I was swept of my feet.'

Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of togetherness, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your partner's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your relationship, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking, 'Did I tag along with the right person?' And as you and your partner reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when relationship breakdown.People blame their partner for their unhappiness and look outside their relationship for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later.

Because :THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN RELATIONSHIP IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you.

You can't 'find' LASTING love. You have to 'make' it day in and day out. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your relationship work. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can 'make' love.

'The Prodigal' Painting

This is an article which carries a very subtle message - but with a lot of meaning in it...

Something in it made sense to me and hence I decided to post it.


An artist went searching the streets of New York City for a model to pose for a portrait he wanted to call "The Prodigal". One day was passing Central Park and saw an impoverished beggar lying on a bench and thought: "He's perfect! That man would represent the prodigal son beautifully in my painting." He asked the beggar if he would be willing to sit for his painting and he would gladly pay him for his time. Naturally, the beggar agreed.On the day and time appointed, a man knocked on the door of the artist's small Brooklyn studio. Excitedly, he answered his door only to find a clean-shaven young man dressed in a suit and tie standing before him. Disappointed, he said, "You must have the wrong door sir, the law office is down the hall". "But you made an appointment with me," the man replied, "No," said the artist, "I don't believe I've ever seen you before. I made an appointment to meet with a beggar here at this hour." "Well," said the man, "I am the beggar." "You?" said the artist, "You're the beggar?" "Yes, he replied. After you left me last week, I found some money and thought I would get a new suit of clothes before you painted me." "Oh," replied the artist, "Well, you're just not right for the job."The beggar wanted to show himself a masterpiece before the artist — but the artist wasn't looking for that. He wanted to create the masterpiece himself!

Likewise, when we come to God, we must not judge our masterpiece to him. We must come before him transparent, with no inhibitions, worries, or pride.

God knows our weaknesses and faults and he creates the Masterpiece.

Afterall...your are his creation!!!