Keep Your Eyes on the Lord
Can you imagine venturing out alone to a country where you don’t know anyone or even the language? That’s what each of our parents did over 50 years ago when they immigrated from India to the United States. They arrived with a few dollars and a God-inspired dream to make life better for their parents and siblings. Each of our dads came to pursue higher education. During the holidays and breaks, their peers went home and the cafeteria was closed. They were alone and went without meals, but they kept their eyes on the Lord. Each of our moms came
Give Thanks
My sister, Binu, has referred to herself as the “Thank You Police”, no matter how big or small the deed. Well, maybe it runs in the family, because I am a bit of a "Thank You" stickler too. If I hold the door open for a stranger or LET someone in MY lane on the road, some type of appreciation gesture would be nice. Unfortunately, that seems to be happening less frequently these days. In fact, I was recently feeling unappreciated for something I did for someone. Even though I had gone out of my way for them, it wasn’t even
From Hope To Reality
There was that one class in college that I dreaded to take. It was rumored to be a tough one that required a ton of memorization. I held off registering for that class as long as I could. Then, it came to the point of no return. Given it was required for my major, I had no choice but to finally take the course. Microbiology. It's the study of microscopic organisms....yes, there are those critters that cause viruses and bacteria that invade the body and wreak havoc. The name itself sounded long and scary. But that was just the beginning.
What Do You Believe?
I am not good enough. For most of my life, those are the five words I have repeatedly said. I believed this to be true because I told myself: I’m just a girl. I’m not that smart. Isn’t it amazing the lies one can believe based on circumstances? When Moses spoke, he had a speech impediment. Therefore, he concluded he could not communicate well. David was young and not super handsome. Therefore, his father decided he could not be an eligible candidate for king. What God revealed to me is that when He looks at us, He doesn’t see labels,
Work Hard & Obey God
This week as we honor those veterans who have served, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. I am so honored and proud of those who have served our country. Hundreds of thousands have bravely fought and served since our country was formed. The sacrifices of these brave men and women are not to be diminished. They left their homes and their families behind to fight for a cause bigger than themselves. Because of their sacrifice, I can still live and worship freely in this country. I am reminded of another brave veteran in the Bible….Joshua. Joshua was handed the
Prayer Challenge
I talk to my sister at least twice a day (if you ask our husbands, they’d probably say it’s more like 5 times a day)…but I think you get my point. Our conversations aren’t usually long…but they are frequent. “Whatcha doin?” “How’s it goin?” “Anything new?” (even if we just talked 3 hours ago) We stay caught up on work, kids, our parents, new recipes worth trying, old recipes worth reviving. But our conversations aren’t always just short and sweet. We have longer talks too. We give each other permission to be real, to call out blind spots and give
I’ve Lost Count
I woke up at 2:30 a.m. the other night. There were no loud sounds to startle me, no random alarm that went off. No cold shaft to bother me- the comforter was tucked in place My eyes adjusted to the dark. It was quiet. But I was wide awake. That's strange, I thought. Maybe the Holy Spirit wanted to talk to me. Maybe He woke me up to talk. So, for an hour, I talked to Him. And He reminded me of His promises. Oh, I shared everything- the frustrations from the night before, the weight of raising children, just
Forgiveness – What Does It Really Mean?
When was the last time you forgave someone? When was the last time someone forgave you? Maybe it’s best to clarify - what does forgiveness really mean anyway? The first definition that appears on the world wide web is this one by Oxford: “stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.” Merriam-Webster describes it similarly: “to cease to feel resentment against (an offender)”. Oh, if it were that easy. When I think back to a couple of different situations I went through, I said that I forgave them, and truly believed I meant it. However,
Weeknight Spicy Thai Basil Stir-fry
My son has a few food allergies that make it difficult for him to eat at any Asian restaurants. So I've started trying to make some Asian dishes at home so that I can modify it to accommodate his allergies and I can sneak in vegetables that my kids find tasty enough to eat. One I've recently found and have made many times now is this Spicy Thai Basil Stir Fry. This recipe has only a few simple ingredients that you may be able to get from your local grocery store, or you may need to get from an Asian
Stepping Stones
My kids had fall break last week, and we had the chance to get out in nature for a few days. We spent an afternoon hiking in a national park. It was great weather to be outside- slightly overcast with a cool breeze. We had another family with us and our kids enjoyed exploring the woods and looking for walking sticks. Our hike was about 1.5 miles long and took us down to a small stream with a gentle waterfall. The stream was littered with boulders, and the kids immediately took it as a challenge to see who could jump
