Tuesday morning presented a glorious
spectacle in the eastern sky
and I was out with my camera taking
early morning photos.
Sunday was exceptionally hot
but after that temperatures
dropped a few degrees.
We had strong winds with
shadow rain, I like to call it.
On Wednesday night there was
thunder and lightening
but the clouds were dry as cotton.
Our very first amaryllis Lillis have just bloomed
Our first tube roses or Raat ki Raani
(Queen of the Night)
Soon the summer blaze will
petrify our roses.
They will try to bloom
but will be turned in
paper fossils in a short while.
The monsoons will produce
a wilder, thorny crop.
I made my home made peanut butter
and mulberry cordial this week.
I will take pictures to show you.
These photos remind me of the
dry, wet and cool seasons of my life.
Last Sunday my sister Sonia (in Lucknow)
was attacked by a stray cow.
When she stepped back to avoid the onslaught,
she slipped and fell badly bruising her arm and
neck. She received home treatment.
She is in a lot of pain .
Please pray for her wound to heal.
Each year thousands of people are injured
or meet with accidents due to
stray animals on Indian streets
but the civic authorities hardly
do anything about this menace.
Yesterday we got my mother' s blood work
done. All reports are clear , Praise God.
Only her blood urea is one percent
over the border line.
I will consult our family doctor for that.
____________
I want to share a short devotional article by Joni.
She is a great inspiration to me.
Joni was paralyzed in a diving accident when she was 16
years old. Her life struggles and growth
in faith has been a blessing to thousands around the world.
Life would be great if only
- Devotional by Joni Eareckson Tada
given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
-- Colossians 2:9-10
What do quadriplegics (people whose hands and legs are paralyzed) daydream about?
Running a marathon? Ballroom dancing? Climbing a mountain? Many of us have scaled
down our fantasies. In my weaker moments, I'm tempted to think life would be great
if only I were a paraplegic - then I could use my hands. I see paraplegics transfer
themselves out of their wheelchairs into their own beds, reach for items in the
refrigerator, wash dishes at a sink and quickly sort through the mail. Then old
feelings of disappointment start to slink back into my heart.
Even able-bodied people look at others who seem more attractive, smarter, richer,
healthier, and who get all the breaks in life. In comparison, our minor defects
begin to look like deformities. Thankfully, the Bible has good advice for people
prone to compare. Paul tells us we have been given "fullness in Christ." In other
words, we are complete in Him. We have everything. We lack nothing. There's no need
to compare. Once we comprehend this truth, our so-called defects become reminders
of how "full" we are - because we have "fullness in Christ." The inferiority complex
releases its grip. We become content.
I wouldn't be happier if I were a paraplegic rather than a quadriplegic. The fullness
of Christ dwells in me, even with my infirmities. Therefore, I will gladly boast
as a quadriplegic. After all, you can't improve on "complete."
In what ways do you feel incomplete, inadequate, or less than you had hoped? Rather
than seeing these as insufficiencies, realize you are lacking in nothing. Why? Because
Christ dwells in you. Bask in that knowledge for a few, quiet moments and feel yourself
relax into contentedness.
* *
Lord, help me to keep from drumming up "if only" scenarios in my mind. Fill my thoughts
with satisfaction in you and in whom you have fashioned me to be.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many times I feel very weak and insufficient for the tasks and duties I am called to perform. I stumble and fall physically an d spiritually. It seems my disabilities are ridiculing me. Many times I don 't get the respect due to me as a lonely, handicapped reclusive woman, I get wounded. I wonder about the future.
If I look at a Python on the ground I will most probably be afraid of it, but if I let it be draped around my neck (for a short while) I can overcome my fear of it. So I have to tackle my problems head on - I cannot back away from them.
I had delegated 2 people to help me in a small church business which would earn us a few rupees each month. But they were lax and careless about it resulting in our losing ten thousand five hundred rupees. US $ 234. That 's a lot of money for us.
So I have to take over the duty of managing it. It will be a physical strain on me, but I have to do it, till I can find someone reliable enough for the job.Please pray for this.
Things are difficult but not impossible.
God 's grace is sufficient for me.
His power is made evident in weakness.
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