What Goes Around

I just listened to another sermon on contentment. It was very "American". I really hate it when people say, "Look at what you have. You are blessed." Yes, we have food, clothing and a place to live. I know I am blessed. But it is not the things that I have that let me know I am blessed, it is knowing that God loves me and cares for me. Anyway, I understand that the preacher is trying to help people to be thankful for what they have so that they will quit coveting what others have. Like I said before, I don't find myself coveting things, but I do covet what other people have. Like their position, their importance, their life. And that is why I want to learn about contentment. So I look at what I have and realize that I have a good life. That doesn't stop me from coveting. But when I can see God in what I have and see my life through His eyes, then I'm content. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Yesterday we went to our friends' house to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful meal together with another couple too. Your regular Thanksgiving food. We had parked close to their apartment since we had a lot of things to carry. I had wondered if our parking wasn't the best, but it looked like people could still get around. Apparently, I was wrong. Steve went outside to skateboard with the kids and some of the neighbors gave him a hard time for his parking job. So he moved the car. We left our friends' house around 9PM to make the drive home. But as we walked up to the car I noticed that we had a flat tire. Then I noticed a note on the windshield. The note was complaining about the parking job and they used some bad words to let us know what they thought about it. So we immediately suspected that the same person probably let the air out of our tire. It was completely flat. Too bad. Steve had to change the tire while Micah and I went back in to wait at ou...

What is Eid al-Adha At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2009, Eid al-Adha will begin on approximately November 27th, and will last for three days. What does Eid al-Adha commemorate? During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The Qur'an describes Abraham as follows: "Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous." (Qur'an 16:120-121) One of Abraham's main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah's will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his "sacrifice" had a...

I just finished listening to a great sermon on contentment called, "Avoiding the Blues". I have a goal to learn to be content. One of the ways I hope to achieve that goal is to learn more about contentment through studying scripture and listening to sermons. This sermon was mostly about being content with what we have, but it also touched on some of my issues of trusting that God's plan is best. http://www.sermoncloud.com/sermons-about-contentment/?page=1 As I listened to the sermon I knitted a stocking cap. I am back to making hats as a winter hobby. This one turned out real nice. One of the issues that comes up often at Christmas time at church is the whole Advent Conspiracy. The way I understand it is that we are suppose to give less to ourselves and our loved ones and give more to those in need. In theory this is a great idea and I would fully support it. But in practice, I think it is lame. What "we" end up doing is buying some toys for kids who co...

I hadn't taken a shower for two days, so this morning after aerobics, I was really looking forward to getting clean. Our shower is a little different than American showers. We have a hot water heater in the bathroom that comes out of one tap. Then there is water that comes from the kitchen hot water heater that comes out of another tap. And a third tap has the city water, which is cold. The city water is not usually very strong. And usually the kitchen water heater is not on so it is cold. So usually I use the bathroom hot water, mixed with the kitchen cold water. It makes good water pressure that can rinse the shampoo out of my hair quite well. I'm sure you can guess where this story is going, but here it is anyway. Today the bathroom hot water was very hot because we had the hot water heater on. Now when I say "very hot" I mean VERY HOT. It will burn you and not just on the sensitive areas. You HAVE TO have cold water to mix with it. Unfortunately the k...

In Delhi there are a lot of beggars and very poor people. The other day, two ladies came to the door to ask for money because someone was getting married. I said "no." They then asked for clothes and food. I still said "no." And yesterday there was a man outside on the street who was wailing loudly as a way to show he was in need. I didn't go out. I posted a comment on Facebook about the guy outside crying and wasn't surprised to get a response about how I should go out and help him. I ask myself that. I play the scenarios through in my head. Whatever I give isn't enough. He will still continue to beg and have barely enough to live on. Beggars and the poor are all around me. Whenever we drive the streets of Delhi we see them on the street or side of the road. Skinny women and children holding small babies with an empty bottle, asking for money for milk. But they aren't buying milk. It is just a tactic to get money. Or a father holding...

Bathrooms are cleaned differently here than I cleaned them in the US. I just used our bathroom after our house help lady cleaned it. The toilet seat was splashed with water. That reminded me how things are done here. Or at least how she does it. To clean the bathroom, first she splashed the blue cleaner all around the walls and in the toilet. I don't think any scrubbing is done on the shower, but the toilet bowl will be brushed. I know she doesn't take any rags or brushes besides the toilet brush in with her. Hmmmm, so what is she washing the sink with? Anyway, then the hose on the wall is used to spray it all down. Ta da! All done. When I was into cleaning my own home, I would bring a rag or scrub brush into the bathroom with me. I would wipe the cleaner around and use the brush to wash the tub and sink. I would use a rag to wash the toilet seat and around the edges. Now that I think about it all, I sure don't want to drop my toothbrush in the sink.

I had the honor of being the matron of honor in a wedding this weekend. Jessica and Cyril got married on Saturday. I spent the day with Jessica and her mom. We had our nails and hair done. I also had my eyebrows threaded, which today a lady told me that they were done wrong. We then went flower shopping and found some beautiful pink flowers. On the way to the wedding we had extra time, so Jessica wanted to stop at India Gate for some pictures. We rushed over to the monument and took some pictures. A crowd quickly gathered and she probably had 20 strangers take her picture. Then we went to the wedding. The wedding was outside, under a tent. It was perfect weather for a wedding in India. The tent was pink so it went great with the flowers. And the cake was lovely. Jessica and Cyril looked so precious. I got to see Cyril's expression when she walked down the aisle. I heard him say, "Wow!" The only bad part of the wedding was when the matron of honor had to giv...