Shh!
Quick witted. Sarcastic. Snarky. Smart aleck. I have been called all of these names and more. My words seem to get the best of me sometimes, especially when my filter is missing. This trait of mine made my first few years of marriage especially challenging. It's not that I was always right (because I wasn't), but I was never without a response during an argument. Over the years, as I saw the effects of my words, I learned to NOT say everything that came to mind. As our family began to grow, the lesson solidified. Children don't appreciate or understand sarcasm. As
Ruth-like Moments
I came across this picture the other day. It brought back a flood of memories. Even though I'm not in the picture, I was there. I was the one taking it....And I remember some of the emotions I was feeling at that time. It might have looked picture perfect, and for my mom and my kids, it probably was. But for me, it wasn't. I was actually going through a rough season. But seeing this picture made me grateful. It reminded me that even during difficult seasons, God gives us sweet moments. The story of Ruth is one of those
As For Me and My House
Are you praying together with your husband? I grew up in a home where we read the Bible and prayed together, every single night. I'm not saying that my sister & I always stayed awake but we were present and accounted for. When I got married, I envisioned doing the same thing with my husband...minus the falling asleep part. But for some reason, that didn't happen. Don't get me wrong...Lance & I do pray together but making it into a daily routine never stuck. Blame my weird work hours or our very different sleep schedules. Whatever the case, it wasn't
What Do I Have to Celebrate?
Encouraging thoughts from our friend ~ Susan Varghese: I was in the kitchen slicing up some cucumbers to make a popular Indian salad called raita. It was going to be perfect paired with the biriyani I had cooking in the oven. This time I even pulled out one of my fancy ceramic dishes to bake the biriyani in. That's something I would have done if I was having guests over for dinner, but today it was just my family of five. Ordinarily if it was just us, I would use a less fancy dish or even a disposable aluminum tray.
It’s a Date!
With young children, it takes effort to stay connected with my husband. The morning rush tests our patience. We hunt for matching socks, grab school snacks, and scramble to get everyone in their car seats before heading out of the garage. And, oh! Is it Monday? We forgot to grab their blankets for nap time! A feeling of frustration takes over, and the day has just begun! My husband and I are off to work, and when we finally make it home, we are exhausted. Oh, but, no time to nap. It’s time for dinner, clean up, and the eventful
Savor the Moments
I love Indian food. That probably doesn't surprise you because, after all, I am Indian. Maybe this will surprise you: my ability to cook Indian food is...let's say...limited. I can make one thing that is truly the food of my people - chicken curry - and the only reason I can do that is because I have a recipe with exact measurements, thanks to my sister. I have tried to learn to cook other dishes but those just don't ever turn out. Thankfully, my parents and my in-laws still have no problem sending food for their grown children. Case in
Same Circumstances, Different Response
Over the past decade, we've had a similar set of circumstances. When either my son or younger daughter can't keep down food because of a cold or stomach bug, we rush them to the emergency room. There, they start receiving fluids with the goal of rehydrating them immediately. When that is done and they are finally able to keep down food, we are discharged to go home. If only it was as easy and brief as three sentences. But the truth is there's anxiety about making the decision to go the ER. There's weariness from filling out the paperwork and answering hundreds
Bloom Where You are Planted
I really like these flowers. I love the lush, green vine dotted with the delicate flowers. I love the tall, stately, bright sun flowers that rest right below. I drive past them every day. They are my 'adios' every morning and my 'welcome home' every evening. If you look carefully at the photo, you'll notice that the flowers are growing on top of and around a fence. In my neighborhood, we have alleys. On my street, specifically, we have a backyard, a small strip of grass, an alley, a brick wall and then 6 lanes of traffic. These flowers were planted on that
Where is Your Canaan?
Joshua and Caleb. They are my two favorite Bible characters (no joke, I even named my children after them). My ears perk up and I sit up a little taller in my pew when their names are mentioned...I'm like a proud mama. Joshua's leadership, Caleb's feisty spirit. Put them together, they define courage. You've probably heard their story. It's found in Numbers 13 and 14. A little after the Red Sea parted, Moses sent twelve spies to explore the land of Canaan, the land God promised the Israelites. Ten of the spies reported, "We can't go up against them! They
In the Storm
I need one of these: Not for a room. But for me. I told my husband the other day that I felt like I was drowning and I wasn’t anywhere near water. That’s just how my life was feeling. I was completely maxed out. Being short-staffed at work. The usual responsibilities at home. New responsibilities in others parts of my life. So, not necessarily bad stuff. Most of it was good stuff. But just a lot of...stuff. I was reminded of Peter when he felt like he was drowning too except his experience was a bit more literal. But I
