I got this in the mail yesterday. It makes a good read.
An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work.
His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation.
Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year.
I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren’t in prison.
Love, Dad
……..
Shortly, the old man received this telegram:
“For Heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up the garden!! That’s where I buried the GUNS!” At 4a.m.
The next morning,
A dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and a sked him what to do next.
His son’s reply was: “Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It’s the best I could do for you from here.”
********
- Moral Of the Story
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD,
IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT.
IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS.
“I got Pinked” yesterday. It was the most ingenious evil plan till date. And everyone pulled it off! First Shannon calls me up on sunday and tells me he wants to meet me on Monday evening. He said “we’ll spent some time together”. Now for starts I thought I was in trouble cuz , usually Shannon spends monday with Farah. And also my mum almost ruined the surpise by calling me on monday morning and asking me to come home early cuz someone is expected at home! She wouldn’t tell me who though.
But it did work out well. There I was , in my house with Shannon in my room and my brother grinning at me and suddenly all hell broke loose. Eben jumps out screaming surprise!!! and so does Christine and Paras,Binoy,Violet, Virginia, Farah, Sherin, Jonathan and Chris!
What followed next was most surprising! My Room was PINK! And I MEAN ALL OF IT! My FAN, walls, pictures , even my COMPUTER WAS PINK! And the way they timed the screaming was perfect. Just when I was getting into my room and closing the door they all came out! So they did surprise me. And my gift was a cd of cool songs by Spice Girls, Backstreet boys, Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion and so on( Cool no?)
I got some pics. Have uploaded em on FB. Come check it out.
On a more serious note: I really wasn’t expecting this. I mean I told God that I wanted to meet all my friends and be with them and that a surprise party wouldn’t hurt! But I really wasn’t expecting an answer to my prayer. Lesson #3 in : be careful for what you pray for!
And I really Really LOVE ALL MY FRIENDS!
P.S : CLICK HERE TO SEE CHRISTINE’s Version with IMAGES!!
I just had a talk with Shannon and he told me that I won’t be playing for the youth camp. Now I dont know what the ideal reaction should have been but I just kept quiet in front of him and accepted it. He made a very good point. He didn’t want me to play substandard to what the team is playing. For even the one musician can make a difference. He said that he doesnt want me to pity myself cuz I havent done a good job and feel bad. What he doesnt know is that I already feel bad. I really wanted to play.
This entire episode about the youth camp is also an answer to my prayers. I prayed that he would push me into the deep waters so that I can learn to swim, and I also prayed that I will never indulge in self-glorification and thereby rob Him of His glory.
I’ll be honest. I was disappointed when I heard it. I didnt instantly say “Praise God, let Him do as he wishes with his servant.” But I realized it that I wasn’t doing it for Him. I was doing it for myself. And I’m not ashamed to accept my mistake. I’m happy that I can serve him better with a clean conscience now. I’ll still go for practice so that I get an experience playing with the band. I’ve realized that if I really did want to play for Him, I would have practiced more and better. One day I’ll be there. I know where I want to be, God does too; I just wont write it here…for now.
I can say this now without any sense of guilt or hypocrisy. “Praise God indeed!”
Well apart from the gospel, one of my close friends(gaston and dalreen) just turned parents. A healthy boy was born to them on 29th April 2008 7.10 P.M. They named him Judah Caleb Noronha . Christine and I are going to the ward first thing in the morning. Cant wait to see the lil chap. Shannon tells me that he is a strong kiddo.
Shyju Mathew(my friend and brother in Christ) will be ministering in Navi Mumbai on 1and 3 May. And on 4th May in (my church) NLF Lokhandwala Church. Trust me, you can trust this GUY!
This is what Wikipedia has to say about my Birthday.
Have a look on the events, births and deaths shared on the 22nd of April.
But before we go there I would like to tell you WHAT I DID ON MY BDAY!
I got up, practiced the guitar- had lunch-went to chrstinei’s place and went to Mc D’s to grab some fries and burgers, smuggled them to Christine’s place-ate it without aunty coming to know about it- went for choir practice and then came back home at 11.
I had another accident. A car that was turning into the left lane hit my bike and I fell off and skid for a distance. Im ok, just scratched up a bit here and there. I was on my way for Choir Practice with my Acoustic Guitar. Nothing happened to the guitar. That makes the count 4 now. #1 was the one where I got 8 stitches. #2 was when I bumped into an Old man. #3 was when I skid off the road thanks to the construction particles left behind. And this is #4.
Thank God Im safe and sound. Well kinda. I was just thanking Him that nothing happened to the guitar.
Yesterday we had a mighty time in prayer. The angles of God were kept busy all night. Also while waiting upon the Father I suddenly realised that I wasn’t right with him. God wasn’t attracted to my praises. I felt empty and asked what the matter was. This has been going on for a long time. And God spoke that if one has to come into God’s presence one has to be Holy. For He is a Holy God. If I want God to show up when I stand or talk I need to be Holy. For He is the Holy one enthroned on Israel - Psalms 22v 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
Shannon helped us see these points.
Consider this Hebrews 12:v14-Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holinessno one will see the Lord.
Psalms 22v 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you
and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.
So I’m going to be Holy and Pure for God. So that I can serve the master at all times. And at this reminded me of something The Lord had commanded me to observe and to do a long time ago. To be true, I have neglected that command. But I have repented and given my word to God that I shall start again.
Often it takes some calamity to make us live in the present. Then suddenly we wake up and see all the mistakes we have made. But it is too late to change anything. -
So we all make mistakes.
It takes a good amount of charachter to own up to it.
- Jim Egan on 8 Simple Rules (sitcom on Star World)
Often it takes some calamity to make us live in the present. Then suddenly we wake up and see all the mistakes we have made. But it is too late to change anything.
