MOVING FORWARD

 

It was 20th November 2025 yesterday.

48 years ago, this day, the soul mates met for the first time. 

20th November 1977

Boy meets Girl. 

Girl meets Boy.

I was reading a book

The Temporary Roomie

Sarah Adams

I felt certain passages had a connect with us.

I have fine tuned them along with a few additions 

 Excerpts 

"Do you always get your way?" I ask.

"Nearly always, yes."

"It's the jaw. It's hard to say no to."

"He's heavy handed. He's bossy. He won't back down from me. And he's exactly what I need and want." 

--the reasons I disliked him at times and yet had fallen for him.

No sense looking back, while you're still moving forward

You were strong and determined. And also exactly my type.

I've wanted you from day one.

I tried myself to wriggle out. It didn't work.

We were clearly meant to be together from that day, 20th November 1977, almost 48 years ago - to be exact 47 years and 11 months.

Time now is 10am. An hour away from that 'love at first sight,' convergence.

Grateful to God for having you as mine.

Grateful to Georgechayan and both sets of our parents for their facilitation that brought us together.

When I saw your picture the first time, you were the most beautiful woman I had ever come across.

When we met you disarmed me with your smile and the laughter in your eyes. To me you were incredible.

I was at once attracted to you. I could see you were my type. My dream girl. The one I wanted most.

I look at this beautiful woman, always wondering how fortunate I am that God apparently took enough pity on me to drop her into my life when I never deserved her and never will.

She gives me a warm loving smile, her hair fanned out around her and face tilted to look at me - calling me Lalcha -

the indelible image I have of you in my mind.

You deserve the world. You have the kindest, warmest, most giving heart on the planet. 

All I want is to see that you are safe and well taken care of.

RETAIL BANKING TODAY

 RETAIL BANKING TODAY

The first rule in retail is to convince a customer to hold the object they are interested in, because their brain will subconsciously claim it as theirs.

Banking too is in general retail.

Here the bank has to sell the idea of opening an account to the customer.

And when the customer opens the account he has to be encouraged to remit funds to the account in trickles even on a daily basis.

This had been the banking of yore. 

The scenario has now drastically changed. 

You can remit cash into your account free of charges only thrice 

 in a month. 

If you exceed that, you are charged. In SBI it is Rs.59 per each transaction. You can see that much money disappearing from your hard earned savings. It must be similar in other banks too.

All the same the bank  can encourage them to open RDs as well

Their trickles would do wonders for them.

For the Bank  too.

But Banks are no longer Retail today.

PERSNICKETY

 PERSNICKETY

Placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy.

"She's very persnickety about her food"

GOLDEN HEART

 A conversation between two ladies on the brother of one of them.

There is a  question to the sister by the other, "Has he always been so PERSNICKETY?"

(PERSNICKETY is -placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy.

"she's very persnickety about her food")

The sister replies, " He is one of a kind. He is focused. He knows what he wants at all times. And that's why he's always been the reliable one .... The guy you turn to when everything falls apart, and somehow he can hold it all together. It's his decisiveness, his attention to detail, his drive ... all of those aspects are what have gotten him  to where he is today in his life and career. It works for him."

The friend responds, "Well, it just annoys me. I am serious. It's that decisiveness that makes him think he rules the world. He needs to be knocked down a bit."

The sister is unconvinced. She responds, "It's a matter of time before you fall in with the rest of us. My brother might be overbearing at times - trying to fix things when he should be quiet and making sure everything is sitting at a 90 degree angle on any given surface - but ...he's also got the most golden heart in the world. He's lovable."

Sarah Adams
The Temporary Roomie

This was posted to someone dear with a query

"Does it touch a chord somewhere?'

Pat was the response.

"Yea. A gentle man who is my roommate for  48 years ,(who stole my heart with a golden heart  and an open demeanour)."

ANU ABRAHAM DONNY

ANU ABRAHAM DONNY

Message on Sunday16th November 2025 at 

CSI Christ Church Trivandrum

EnglishWorship

Family Sunday

Family : Sanctuary of Harmony and Peace

Family is  where the story of man’s salvation began, the 1st place where faith is nurtured and Godly legacy is passed on from one generation to the next. It is the central theme of God’s plan for the happiness and spiritual growth of all members of the family (children, parents, grandparents,and other blood relatives). 

Family is the safe haven where we must cherish, respect, care, encourage and love each other. Unfortunately, today families have turned into places of despise, distrust, fear and even murder. 

Why? How come?

 Let us turn to the Word of God, for the answers. 

1) Family: Sanctuary for saving lives 

We have failed to reassure and deal kindly with those who need it the most. We resort to twisted methods to hurt and destroy. We fail to see that God alone is in charge. 

In the last chapter of Genesis (chapter-50, vs 15 - 21), we learn that Jacob is dead, and Joseph’s brothers are wondering what stand Joseph will take now? Will he avenge himself, for all the wrongs they did to him? However, Joseph does the unexpected; he reassures them in vs 19, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?” He reminds them in vs 20 that though they intended harm, God intended everything to happen for good, to be exact the saving of many lives. 

Can we say the same about ourselves? How many times have we tried to destroy our siblings & fellow beings over petty things, things that we cannot take to the grave. Joseph’s brothers came with cunning (again), sending him a false message. However, Joseph knew himself, who he belonged to and who he served - hence, he reassured them and dealt kindly with his family. 

2) Family: Sanctuary that holds on and does not give up 

We have failed to truly understand and failed to share the LORD’s LOVE. 

What is our stand towards those who have chosen to be reckless and to waste themselves, like the ‘younger son’ in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)? Can we not wait for them, keep looking out for them anticipating their return, and when they do return, can we not celebrate and be glad, because these beloved ones were dead and are now living again; they had been  lost and are found? Let us change the ‘elder son's’ attitude of bitterness, resentment, self-righteousness to the feeling that we are entitled to greater rewards because of our obedience and loyalty; let’s not see God’s grace as “unfair'; let us not be filled with pride and jealousy, believing that we have somehow earned God's favor through our actions. Let us examine ourselves - do I really need to earn anything in this life other than the grace, mercy and faithfulness of the LORD?

3) Family: Sanctuary of God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved 

Is all lost? No - there is yet hope, when according to Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:12-17, we have to put on love which binds us all, irrespective of our errors, faults, shortcomings and failures; let us be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, bearing and forgiving each other; thankful and grateful that Christ’s message lives amongst us abundantly, helping us teach and correct each other through the love and wisdom of the SPIRIT; and allowing Christ’s peace to rule our hearts. 

4) Family: best sanctuary Model 

We can restore society when we restructure our families using Psalm 103, which depicts the model for the spiritual family and earthly parenthood. David teaches us that God is the Perfect Father, who blesses generations and forgives and disciplines us. In vs 1-5 we see the LORD’s greatness and all His benefits to us; Seven times David had used the word 'praise'.  Let us be grateful and teach our children too to be grateful for everything. Vs 6-12 reminds us of the LORD’s forgiveness and HIS extreme love for us. Vs 13-16 shows us the LORD’s compassion and sympathy, and how frail mortals are. Let us hold on to the promises HE has kept for us and our generationss. Let us praise the LORD all our life, not stopping for any circumstance nor situation that may hinder us from praising and worshipping HIM as families. 

5) Family: The Blessed Sanctuary 

When we remodel and  realign our families to the will of the LORD, both our families and society at large become sanctuaries of goodness and delight, as seen in Psalm 133, like the precious anointing oil that flows down Aaron’s beard and like the dew of Hermon fallings on the mountains of Zion, where there is life forever. 

Let the biblical families of Abraham  and Sarah, Joseph and Mary, Aquila and Priscilla, to name just a few - be reminders of how to raise up strong families, based on faith, perseverance, trust, honesty and pure love, all the while overcoming challenges and build God-centered and resilient sanctuaries that are the sanctuaries of Harmony and Peace. 

GOOD CAPTAIN

 

A GOOD CAPTAIN IS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS 

HOW TO MARSHAL HIS OWN RESOURCES

Do you often fail?

Have you ever failed?

Is failure pushing you into rejection, dejection, depression and desolation?

Are you in the  zone of disappointment,despair, frustration or hopelessness?

Tell yourself,  you are the captain of your own ship.

Take a deep breath. 

Look inward.

Reinvent.

ANU ABRAHAM DONNY

ANU ABRAHAM DONNY

Message on Sunday16th November 2025 at 

CSI Christ Church Trivandrum

EnglishWorship

Family Sunday

Family : Sanctuary of Harmony and Peace

Family is  where the story of man’s salvation began, the 1st place where faith is nurtured and Godly legacy is passed on from one generation to the next. It is the central theme of God’s plan for the happiness and spiritual growth of all members of the family (children, parents, grandparents,and other blood relatives). 

Family is the safe haven where we must cherish, respect, care, encourage and love each other. Unfortunately, today families have turned into places of despise, distrust, fear and even murder. 

Why? How come?

 Let us turn to the Word of God, for the answers. 

1) Family: Sanctuary for saving lives 

We have failed to reassure and deal kindly with those who need it the most. We resort to twisted methods to hurt and destroy. We fail to see that God alone is in charge. 

In the last chapter of Genesis (chapter-50, vs 15 - 21), we learn that Jacob is dead, and Joseph’s brothers are wondering what stand Joseph will take now? Will he avenge himself, for all the wrongs they did to him? However, Joseph does the unexpected; he reassures them in vs 19, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?” He reminds them in vs 20 that though they intended harm, God intended everything to happen for good, to be exact the saving of many lives. 

Can we say the same about ourselves? How many times have we tried to destroy our siblings & fellow beings over petty things, things that we cannot take to the grave. Joseph’s brothers came with cunning (again), sending him a false message. However, Joseph knew himself, who he belonged to and who he served - hence, he reassured them and dealt kindly with his family. 

2) Family: Sanctuary that holds on and does not give up 

We have failed to truly understand and failed to share the LORD’s LOVE. 

What is our stand towards those who have chosen to be reckless and to waste themselves, like the ‘younger son’ in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)? Can we not wait for them, keep looking out for them anticipating their return, and when they do return, can we not celebrate and be glad, because these beloved ones were dead and are now living again; they had been  lost and are found? Let us change the ‘elder son's’ attitude of bitterness, resentment, self-righteousness to the feeling that we are entitled to greater rewards because of our obedience and loyalty; let’s not see God’s grace as “unfair'; let us not be filled with pride and jealousy, believing that we have somehow earned God's favor through our actions. Let us examine ourselves - do I really need to earn anything in this life other than the grace, mercy and faithfulness of the LORD?

3) Family: Sanctuary of God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved 

Is all lost? No - there is yet hope, when according to Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:12-17, we have to put on love which binds us all, irrespective of our errors, faults, shortcomings and failures; let us be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, bearing and forgiving each other; thankful and grateful that Christ’s message lives amongst us abundantly, helping us teach and correct each other through the love and wisdom of the SPIRIT; and allowing Christ’s peace to rule our hearts. 

4) Family: best sanctuary Model 

We can restore society when we restructure our families using Psalm 103, which depicts the model for the spiritual family and earthly parenthood. David teaches us that God is the Perfect Father, who blesses generations and forgives and disciplines us. In vs 1-5 we see the LORD’s greatness and all His benefits to us; Seven times David had used the word 'praise'.  Let us be grateful and teach our children too to be grateful for everything. Vs 6-12 reminds us of the LORD’s forgiveness and HIS extreme love for us. Vs 13-16 shows us the LORD’s compassion and sympathy, and how frail mortals are. Let us hold on to the promises HE has kept for us and our generationss. Let us praise the LORD all our life, not stopping for any circumstance nor situation that may hinder us from praising and worshipping HIM as families. 

5) Family: The Blessed Sanctuary 

When we remodel and  realign our families to the will of the LORD, both our families and society at large become sanctuaries of goodness and delight, as seen in Psalm 133, like the precious anointing oil that flows down Aaron’s beard and like the dew of Hermon fallings on the mountains of Zion, where there is life forever. 

Let the biblical families of Abraham  and Sarah, Joseph and Mary, Aquila and Priscilla, to name just a few - be reminders of how to raise up strong families, based on faith, perseverance, trust, honesty and pure love, all the while overcoming challenges and build God-centered and resilient sanctuaries that are the sanctuaries of Harmony and Peace.