Echoes in Joy and in Ashes

What does hope look like? In a conference, we were each given play clay and asked to shape an object that symbolized hope for us as individuals. Everyone set to work with much excitement. Most of us a little unsure about the task, looking around at what the early starters were making, some small discussions and giggling as we each set to decide on an object to shape. Eventually, we all finished and with much delight looked at what each of us crafted.  Hope may appear different from person to person but having hope is a shared phenomenon. Losing hope is also a sad reality, but that is for another time. Our symbols of hope may also change as we grow and gain richer and deeper experience in life. One of the poems that I now resonate with a little more is William Butler Yeats' A Prayer For My Daughter . I look at this as a prayer of hope that Yeats expresses for his daughter as a storm, symbolising a chaotic world she would grow up in, rages on. Like Yeats, I have the joy of being a fa...

So while the rest of the state went to polls today, I went to the hospital with my wife for the delivery of our first child and there she came, a sweet little baby girl weighing 3.2 kgs. A delight to us and the family. So here is the story in brief that with much joy I write. Nine months ago my wife showed me the positive pregnancy kit and I said, "check again tomorrow." Well, she did and it was confirmed. So we went to the doctor armed with the kit. The doctor double confirmed it and it signaled the beginning of a new chapter in life. And so began the mental preparation, even as we noticed the baby grow slowly but surely. As I look back I am filled with nothing but gratitude to God for his protective hand on the mother and the child.  What appeared like a long wait is now done. It has been a wonderful journey of anticipation. And what more can I ask for even as we went through occasional pains but mostly just enjoying the process. There is this wonderful hymn Ble...

The other day while teaching a class I made a comment that went something like this: "As long as we are faithful and keep working at what we are supposed to be doing in the now, God in the right time will open the right door." I was trying to balance the notion of faith, believing in God and His sovereignty, and the accompanying need for work, being responsible and doing our part. My hypothesis was, as we continue to faithfully work at what we are required to do in the moment, God will honour our faithful working by eventually leading us where He wants us to be . I was speaking these words in a specific context, a batch of the younger generation in the final year of their bachelor's degree in theological education and training. However, I think this can extend to any of us as we pursue to live a life that exhibits the fear and reverence of God in the profession that we may choose to pursue from the plethora of careers available.  So what does it mean to have f...

Yes, there is a play of word in the title (thanks to John the Apostle). But have you observed lately how everything is going digital? To set things straight, I am not an anti-digital person but more of a fence sitter when it comes to going digital. However, I am not a fence sitter who abstains from the benefits of the digital world, I do engage in it (maybe at times too actively). But I think I am not an inhabitant of this world, because thanks to slow development, my current world is still yet to embrace the full digital world though there are signs that things are going the digital way. It is becoming more convenient to use cards or a payment app to do payment in the big stores and also in the small roadside store. Sending money to someone has become more convenient and the chance of being hoodwinked has also become easier. I do not visit the bank anymore to update my passbook with the little amount in the account; everything is almost at the fingertips. Yes, we are movin...

Every year, around this time a batch of students graduate and the whole community goes through the process of bidding "good-byes" and "see yous". It is indeed a day of mixed emotions as achievements are celebrated and the reality of parting of ways (but hopefully not of friendships) sets in. Every year, I walk the down the line to congratulate the graduates and wish them knowing fully well that some I will never meet again, at least in this life, though bits of news may make through now and then. A few hours ago today, we went through this whole process and finished off the academic year. Some are now back home, safe and sound, others travelling still; some are going back home with much joy to loved ones, some are going back with a heavy heart having lost loved ones in the near past. However, whatever may be the case, this fact remains "the journey is done and God has seen us through" and this is worth honouring. As such, as an old timer I writ...

Good afternoon! I want to thank the SSC Committee for this honour to address this gathering and especially the freshers this afternoon. On behalf of the Principal, the faculty and the staff and the families, “Welcome to Shalom Bible Seminary!” For many of you, this is your first entry into theological education and training, for some of you it is the joy of joining a different seminary, and for the rest of you “well, here we are again!” Whatever category you fit into, I welcome you into this family. I can only imagine the excitement and the thrill you felt and experienced as you decided to join this seminary. The heartbeats in the hall as you wrote your entrance exam and then faced an interview, the days of suspense awaiting your fate; and finally the gospel from the Academic Dean’s office—“you have been elected.” This piece of news might have made it to the “breaking news” section of your social media status update. Even as others around you shared in your joy, most likely...

As I sat in a funeral  service many years ago, the sister of the deceased said "Grief is never easy and we are never prepared enough to meet it." These words became much truer for me a few years ago; grief is indeed never easy and irrespective of the many fore-warnings we may have had, when the moment comes it unleashes its pain and all emotions are let loose. But I suppose this is the natural way for us to deal and cope with grief for I can only imagine what will happen in the absence of the ability to respond as such. This pandemic has been a season of grief as people we know either succumbed to COVID19 or passed on in their appointed time to the next life. However the pandemic has made the sad event of death doubly painful as most are either not able to pay their last respects or say their goodbye in person. While we have been hearing about deaths around us it was not too close and so the news came as a shock. My wife's paternal grandfather and the father o...

Some many months ago I saw a question about what one could do about their flaws. It made me curious and I gave a response that I thought was fair. Not a good move when you do not know the backstory, but I guess the I-want-to-give-you-my-advice-anyway-syndrome kicked in. I still do not know the finer details of the backstory but then a small conversation ensued and stories flowed. Well, months later here we are, revisiting that question, not exactly as it was posed but in a more general and broader sense. But still at the centre of this thought is this question: "what do we do with our flaws?" In one of the many bygone years, my colleagues and I were asked to take a personal examination exercise in which we were to discover our strengths. I did the test and was pleasantly surprised by the result that was given to me. But then a senior spoke up and burst the happy bubble I was in. He said some thing like this, "It is good to know our strengths, but what about o...

When it comes to prayer, I am not much of an expert on the subject, more of a pilgrim who is still making the journey to grow deeper. I am blessed as I listen to sincere prayers offered in the worship services or the prayer times. I am blessed listening to the manner in which the prayer is crafted and prayed, and while we might say it is also an art, the deep beauty lies in the sincerity and the conviction with which the prayer is said. There are five images that come to my mind when I think of prayer. The first is a song that I sang as a kid in Sunday School: "Read your Bible pray everyday, you will grow, grow, grow." This simple chorus goes on to say "leave your Bible forget to pray, you will shrink, shrink, shrink." I must say I have sung this song full-throatedly but have not practiced this full-heartedly. When it comes to prayer, there is a mismatch between what I know to be good and what I practice. It is not that I do not understand that prayer is a good spir...

Ever since the lockdown was initiated, the big question has been "When is it going to end?" How long till we can get up and about the normal life we are so accustomed to? That is still the question today as we carry on through a second extension of the lockdown. If I may say so, it is like further extending the ticking time on a bomb waiting to explode. Just that in this case, it is a desperate bomb of people waiting to run out into the streets and immerse themselves in the business of life again. I will leave the analysis of such a scenario to others though I do hope that the eventual lifting of the lockdown does not throw the town into a frenzied celebration. I want to rather think of how I am living in these days. Am I living well (with a good spirit) despite the inconveniences? Am I living with gratitude (for I know many are not as fortunate as me)? Am I living with fortitude (rather than complaining and getting dragged into some long winded discussions)? Am I living w...

As I type this, a good part of the whole world is gripped with a sense of uncertainty about what will happen next. This comes in the aftermath of a new strain of the corona virus that caused the outbreak of a sickness last December 2019 in Wuhan, China. However, in that bleak city that went through its trial of fire ordeal, there is a fresh hope as a section of the many medical volunteers vacate the city today to go back to their own cities, homes and families. The city and the country is making its way back to being healthy, though slowly. On the other hand, other parts of the world are being infected and for some, they are almost hitting rock bottom. The news is filled with statistics of new infections, of deaths, of efforts being made to find a cure - a vaccine, a race against time. Plans are being cancelled or at best being deferred, containment measures introduced and it had been said that "the long haul" is most likely it. Amidst all these, there has also been a bit of...

December is upon us again with its chills and there is a hint of joy around even in the cold. My own excitement for this month has changed over time. It is this time of the month that the cakes seems to be at their best. A decorated cake received is opened with much excitement. A plain cake is still an opportunity to have something to eat with tea. Of all the cakes, I remember a flavour which is now no longer received. The dear aunt who gives them is no longer around to celebrate with. I remember the rush to the card shop to choose and select cards: each picked with a person in mind. Cards anticipated,  given and received. The carols have faded away; carols where the whole lot of people went around singing and spreading joy. And there is the "cree" to be decked up. An old story in the Book tells of when one night an angel appeared to a group of common strangers. It says that the luminous glorious light of God shone around them. It is to this story that we owe all the celebrat...

An experience over childhood was to try my hands at different crafts and train them. These included the more leisurely folding papers to make aeroplanes and boats to the more serious "origami" and handicraft pursuits. I am probably one of those who grew up being given the opportunity to try a wide variety of making things (handicrafts). Though the case has not been one where these skills have developed into a more "professional" take. Growing up with a mother who insisted that we (I and my siblings) try our hands at almost everything, I have often ended up doing things that would be considered "unorthodox" for a boy - from picking pre-drawn patterns on fabric to knitting socks, to weaving belts and picking cross stitches (I bet I can do it better than most average people). By the age of 10, I was already on the way to a typing institute after school hours (for about 3 times a week, if my memory serves me right) to learn to type on the good old typewrit...

As I made my way through this last week, I reflected on what had happened exactly a year ago - my weekend visit and stay at home and my dad's passing away at that visit. This particular week (with its days and dates), this year too is lined up very similar to last year's and it has been a week of retracing last year's steps as I made my way home to be with the family. To our father who is now in heaven! A year has gone by and it has been an "unusual" experience to have to do some of the year activities without you. As much as we'd look forward to the visits to our home, the realisation that you're not there has been saddening. We have sat around the dinner table and felt "one more of us" should come only to realise it will not be so. We mourned and grieved, but the best thought has been that you're home and at rest. The Book tells of the ancients who passed on to the next life as being "gathered" to their people. That expression o...

A couple of days ago, a dear friend (also known as lil' sis) joined the world of blogging-a whole world of writing possibilities. She very graciously attributed the new venture to me. However, she had already entered this world of writings on another platform, just that it was deleted while trying to learn the ropes of operating one. So while the venture had already begun, the honour was given to me in the first post.  As I read that post again today, I thought of writing a post of gratitude but nothing seemed to inspire. But then as I thought, memories of some pictures sent to me came back. So in this post I use four pictures that she took (without telling her and I pray lil' sis don't sue me; it's for a noble cause, please just this once) through the course of her field trips as part of her study. These four pictures cannot summarize her whole journey, neither will it do justice. But still these are four pictures and the thoughts drawn from it will hopefully reson...

I have often heard the complaint "I am not living for others" most often in the context of an unpleasant comment (or right critique) that had been made. The irony is that we want the "other" for the praise and adulation but not the critique. While I will admit that there is a shade of truth in the statement, it is not "true enough" (to borrow the phrase a professor would tell us) to be a "foundational" statement to build our principles of social relations. Our unwillingness to acknowledge the influence of the "others" in our lives will in no way lessen the reality of their existence and the manner in which they relate to us. For instance, I may not live for others and pursue my own wild dream, but that does not negate or nullify the sound judgment of others who would want me to "tame" it a little. What I as a person could do with that complaint (that I don't live for them) is to attempt to rob the others of the opportuni...

And what you will read below is a write-up by a friend that featured in a local newsletter. These are nice thoughts on the idea of 'waiting' and hopefully it/they will resonate with you. Happy reading... IN THE WAITING Vikhietuonuo Rutsa Whether it's waiting in a line, waiting in traffic, waiting for food service, waiting to get a job or waiting for someone you've been expecting, we say waiting is the "hardest part" and this resonates deeply in my life. This time of the year made me retrospect how 2017 started for me and where I stand today. Surely in the process of waiting as my goals aligned one after the other, I had expected everything to fall into place but disappointment crept in. However with time, my perspective of 'WAITING' changed knowing one thing is certain- before God moves suddenly, we will wait. So the question is not if we'll wait, but rather how we'll wait. And I believe how we wait will determine how long we w...

In the midst of the many readings that come along, there are those that stands out for its own worth. Some because of the depth of thoughts, others the expressions and the command of language used, still others because of a desire it triggers and so on. It could be for a single reason or manifold for which they are noted. Here's one that is being posted for its simplicity and yet the feeling of "likeness" that it triggers. For all its simplicity, may it bring back to your memory the feelings that you have had similar to the writer's. Happy reading! The Exam Cycle Viphrünü   Funny how everything gets interesting when exam is just round the corner and you know that it is time to get serious with your books but still keep it for every “tomorrow.” Every little thing seems important, things that you have never done before suddenly becomes your favourite pass time. The “hi” and “bye” passerby becomes your best friend, going for walks appears to be the main concer...

Courage is the virtue that endows a person the ability to stand strong in the face of danger and look it straight in the eye and not flinch (maybe that’s not always true). Such would be recognized as being courageous and be looked upon as a “brave” among the people. Whatever the degree of courage, what a courageous person does is that he or she gives courage to others – helps courage grow in others. Their presence makes all the difference. The popularity of superheroes in a way points to our desire for courage. They are our perfect models; with immeasurable strength and abilities nothing seems to stop them. Except for a small flaw or weakness which can temporarily cause them to weaken but they will not be stopped at anything. At the risk of their lives they will jump into the chaos. This is the world of heroes, a world that depends on their heroes for the balance of life to be maintained. But as much as they inspire us, in a way we know it is not real – the outcome of the battle is ...