Stillness..

" Speak, Lord, in the stillness,

While I wait on thee;

Hushed my heart to listen

In expectancy.

Speak O blessed Master,

In this quiet hour;

Let me see Thy face Lord,

Feel Thy touch of power".

Our lives nowadays are in such a fast track that we forget to even, take a deep breath. The, continuous mental exhaustion, is much much more than physical exhaustion our, grandmothers used to have it during those days. While, we all need this stillness, its rather, very difficult to attain if you have not reached a mark of contentment.

Recently, we are all experiencing a different climate. Hot and dry summers are over, with rains and chilly evenings. One day early in the morning, when my mind was revolving with  a thousand varied questions like a roller-coast, I felt as if someone has laid a heavy stone on my head.  Whenever, such situation of worries creep in, I just visualize a peaceful river. Which I enjoy visiting often. The calm river, which is there in the backyard of my hometown to have an apt solitude at the time of needed stillness. But ; here being in a city with big buildings around and the noise of traffic and other activities, it is very hard to find a solitude. Oh! how I wished if someone would have wrapped around a blanket to have a comfort in this chilly morning. I was sitting near the window and having a cup of coffee when my eyes fell on a egret, standing in the puddle which was formed in front of our house. The egret was standing on one leg with complete stillness that surprised me. Not only for few seconds but for 30-40 minutes. This scene of complete silence and stillness  gave me the insight of the verse I read this morning in Ps 46: 10 He says," Be still, and know that I am God;  The creator of this universe tells us to rest, to be silent, to relax, let all the burdens and everything go away, have a little peace.

Sometimes, it's good to take deep breathe, and attain the quietness and stillness in life. It's good to do meditation, by relaxing your body and nerves, by exhaling out all your worries and tension of this world. Just think yourself to be alone sharing your heart with the creator. Be still, relax, stand at ease, let off everything. Actually, it requires quite a lot of practice. When one attains this stillness, he or she experiences an inner joy, which is far beyond, to express in words. In order to attain it, first and foremost find a solitude place where, the noises and the hustle and bustle of life is totally absent.

God, loves us to spend time in stillness as he loves to talk with you and hear from you. In the bible we can see in many places Jesus spent some of his valuable time in solitude to pray and talk with the father. Even in Matt 6: 6  He says to us, to close the door and pray, all this shows that; He wants us to be silent, calm, and have a quiet atmosphere. Let off, all your burdens, draw  near to God and enjoy His nearness and His presence. Famous Quotes: " Stillness is the activity of letting go, relaxing, letting down your guard, relinquishing control, and sitting with all the shortcomings and undone things in your life." -Arabah Joy.

If this article has been a blessing to you and enlightened you, and you would like to help someone, please do share with them by using “share” button. I love to hear your comments too. God bless you all.

Thanks

Ann.

Use your gift.

Take thy first walk with God!

Let Him go forth with thee;

By stream, or sea, or mountain path,

Seek still His company.

                        By Horatius Bonar.

How are you going to use your gift or talent for God? Will you grow it, or Will you bury it?

None of us are left without a gift. God has given each one potential powers for creativity. It is the duty of the individual to work assiduously and discover these powers. Every man or woman has a duty to build one's gift to it fullness by exercising them in contributing to the needs of others.

Once, there were two girls studying in a same class. The teacher gifted, gifts to both of them. One girl, opened her gift and was very excited to see, a beautiful pen. The other girl opened her gift but had a long face after opening, as she was not happy with the beautiful pencil she got.

 The girl who got pen was very happy as her pen was very beautiful. It had a black body and a golden cap. The writing and drawing was fantastic with it. Whereas,  the girl who got the pencil was unhappy and considered her gift to be very cheap and common. Her, pencil was very light and did not had any attraction. It also had an eraser at the end. Now, the teacher asked both of them to make a drawing with their gifts. The girl with the pen made her drawing perfect, with bold strokes and completed the drawing by perfect shading as she was very happy with her gift so, tried to enjoy her work with completion and perfection.

Now, the other girl was not much happy about her gift so she made the drawing but not with her whole heart thereby creating many mistakes in her drawing, for which she had to use an eraser often. Because of the repeated erasing, marks were left on the drawing sheet. In whole, her drawing did not reach to perfection and completion. By this story, we come into a conclusion that, God is the one who gives gift. We are all gifted, and it is you who has to discover your gifts. It's you who have to identify, cultivate, nurture and develop the gift to glorify God with what you have. Never think your gift, is small or not better than the other person. Your gift is unique,  her gift is unique so, make  it perfect, and make the best use of it, to return it to God.

Whatever your talent may be, or whatever you are good in like writing, drawing, music, singing, cooking, praying; it should be used for God and should be done heartily. He didn’t gift you with talents just for your own benefit but to be useful for His kingdom.

In Romans 12: 6 - Paul says, We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each one of us.

Famous Quote:- We all have gift, but we have to discover the gift, uncover the gift, nurture and develop the gift and use for the glory of God and for the liberation and struggle of our people.- Louis Farrakhan

I’m just writing a blog post, for your encouragement. If you know this article would help someone or encourage them, please do share with them. I’d also love to hear from you. Please do leave a comment.

Thanks

Ann

Blow out your soap bubble

"Measure thy life by loss and not by gain,

Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured forth.

For love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice'

And he who suffers most has most to give."

How do we respond to a tough situation or a trouble, which comes in our life? Do, we have a positive attitude and consider it as a flitting life, which; is just like the soap bubbles lasting for just a moment and then vanishes away. It is here today and gone tomorrow with the wind.

Some days, we just feel a lot blue, we feel a little down, when certain things doesn't work, some ups and downs in life; all the life's unpredictability which comes in our life. From the time of our birth, to our death or rather say from the cradle to the coffin man, from an infant to the old age; one has to undergo sorrow and problems which are all knitted into his body designed by the creator, but one most important thing is that all these problems are just for a moment and tlhis will not stay forever. Take life one day at a time as it comes.

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves".- Gautama Buddha.

Last week, just to pacify my 8year old nephew, I decided to buy a soap bubble toy for the good marks which he scored in his term exams. He was very fond to play with it as; every time when he sees children playing he comes and describes it to me. For him to enjoy a little I, gifted him the new toy, his joy had no bounds as soon as I gifted he started to make big bubbles and float it in the air but, within a short span of time the bubble would hit an object and burst. Doing, all these activities he had a hundred questions in his mind, as to Why it  happens, How is it formed, Why it floats in air, Why does it have a spectrum of colours? and so on. While, I was answering few of his question, he asked me as to. Why does it burst when stretched to a maximum? I told him, that each object has certain  limit or a weak part which prevents further stretching, if we go beyond the limit it will burst. As the soap film stretches the surface concentration of soap decreases, the soap selectively strengthens the weak part of bubble and tend to prevent from further stretching. He then asked me an interesting question as to Why is the bubble temporary and burst soon? Wonderful !! that brought a new insight in my mind. True, these afflictions are momentary. While, I was pondering on the way the mechanism and closely observing these flitting soap bubbles, my eyes fell on a verse which clearly stated that "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” 2 Cor 4:17. I understood clearly one thing like these soap bubbles our life's trouble, pain, distress all are for a short moment. Blow out your bubble, let it fly away and enjoy those bubble seeing to the spectrum of colours they produce.

Few days, back  I was having hard days and all things seemed to go wrong, I put my hope on God who is my author and finisher of this journey. I know it's by mercy of my God alone that I am being strengthened and renewed day by day with new boost in my life. The light afflictions which comes on our way is only temporary and not eternal. A little discomfort, a little pain, a little misery should not be a stumbling block to reach our goal. All these comes and goes, leave it.

The afflictions and sufferings of our Lord Jesus for each one of us is nothing when we compare it with us. It will outweigh all of them. Just, be strong in God, He is faithful to hold us each day with new hope, energy, happiness and a life with new goals.

I’m just writing a blog post, for your encouragement. If you know this article would help someone or encourage them, please do share with them. I’d also love to hear from you. Please do leave a comment.

Thanks

Ann

Generosity

You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.- Amy Carmichael

Generosity stems from our belief that we have enough to share. A great sage in Babylon said, "The reward of charity depends entirely upon the extent of kindness in it." Even the nature teaches us that we should be generous in giving,  we can see the rivers, the sea they store so much water but they do not use for themselves they give it to us. The trees produce sweet fruits but never do they taste their fruit. Earth is so vast with abundant riches stored in it, precious stones, minerals and ores all for our use. Never does the earth demands or wants to get, but is always ready to give.

2 Cor 9: 6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously". When, a person gives willingly and happily, never expecting anything in return is called generosity. If, you have an attitude of treating, or considering another person to be greater, than you, or have a heart to help, to give, to donate, to make others happy and content ; you are remarked as a generous person. Generosity is a character which is inherited genetically. I, recall the incidence with my parents about their generosity, they used to be so generous with the church members, friends or people in our community or group and  especially to the poor and those in need by giving money or by hearing  their heartache. Sometimes when our parents used to lend money to those in need we used to tell, "Mummy & Papa they are just cheating you, they might be having more than us". They used to tell us, "it is because we have, so we give". As Charles Spurgeon also says," Giving is true having." Some people think that by giving they will become empty, or will lose their wealth but that is not true even God taught us to be generous and give joyfully.

A beautiful story about a very prominent leader Mahatma Gandhi. He used to go from city to city and village to village, collecting funds for Charkha Sangh. Once, in Orissa, after addressing to  the people a poor woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey, clothes were tattered. She wanted to see Gandhiji, even  though the volunteers tried to stop her she kept on insisting, going up to Gandhiji, she touched his feet and brought out a copper coin from the folds of her sari and placed it in Gandhiji's feet. Gandhiji picked up the coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked, Gandhi for the coin but Gandhi refused " I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for Charkha Sangh," Jamanalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin."This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands". Gandhi said." If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin was perhaps all that the poor woman possesed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees." This story is somewhat similar to the story  in the bible of a widow's offering in Mark 12: 41-43.

'The greatest example of generosity can be seen in the life of Jesus, who laid down His life for the mankind. We should try to live a generous life and follow his steps.

 I’m just writing a blog post, for your encouragement and improved outlook towards generosity. If you know this article would help someone or encourage them, please do share with them. I’d also love to hear from you. Please do leave a comment.

Thanks

Ann