EVANA AT HER WORKPLACE

 

                                                         EVANA AT HER WORKPLACE

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

 

What Evana came up with on our wedding anniversary

 

                               What Evana came up with on our wedding anniversary

                                                                         

                                                                               

                                                                             

 

Joke of the day SOS

 

Joke of the day

SOS

We had a strenuous trip yesterday. It was the engagement of my cousin Siju's daughter at Olakettiyamblam. Siju is the son of late Rev. P V John. The place is way off from  the Mavelikara - Kayamkulam Road. Preethi Convention Centre. You could reach the place only with the assist of a location chart. We had to negotiate a winding road 3 or 4 metres wide through the  interior contours of the village. It was three km long once we left the highway. The blessing was, it was not an uphill climb. We took the MC Road to the destination and as it had drained us we returned via the NH that was the icing. We were knocked out.

Morning, Lila prepared Puttu with a great effort. I wondered how she did it because we both were exhausted beyond salvation.

At times when the salt content in the preparations go up or down, I used to key in my input, that the Tata salt had a high content of salt or Tata salt had to be urgently purchased, without even lifting my little finger to lend her a hand in her toil.

Today, the suggestion was the latter. I said we had to tell Ashwin to bring at least 4kg of Tata salt immediately.

Lila enjoyed the joke. 

She has a high sense of humour.

She blurted out with a serious expression, "We have to tell David Joy Achen (in whose office I work) to keep the seminary office open all days."

When I probed whether she meant 365 days a year, she nodded in assent, Jeeves' style.

And Ann quipped, "If the Seminary is functioning, Papa would go off quickly, gulping down whatever is on the table without letting the taste buds run riot."

The humour we all enjoyed and we had a hearty laugh.

Perfect start to a beautiful Sunday.

VERY REV MATHEW MATHEW AT CSI CHRIST CHURCH PALAYAM TRIVANDRUM

 

Jesus Christ is very much here.

Please listen to Very Rev Mathew Mathew speaking at CSIChrist Church Trivandrum on Christmas day during  the English Worship 7.15am 25December2025. (available on YouTube) 

At an age where he traverses 101 the flow of words is astounding. The clarity of thought elevates us. 

And he needed no aids. No written notes. Whatever he said was extempore. 

He went on and on in chaste English.

One of the finest speeches we were blessed to listen to at Christ Church. It was challenging too. The wonder was he kept it short  as well.

May God continue to strengthen the respected Mathew Mathew Achen to enlighten and challenge us with his extra ordinary capabilities and make us turn to God and transform our lives.

https://www.youtube.com/live/jLyV-bq8bMQ?si=ThSNnKbYnDHCYWfq

CONFIRMATION (FIRST COMMUNION) AT CSI CHRIST CHURCH PALAYAM TRIVANDRUM

 

CONFIRMATION (FIRST COMMUNION) AT CSI CHRIST CHURCH PALAYAM TRIVANDRUM

                                                   22 DECEMBER 2025

HOTEL RESIDENCY TOWERS TRIVANDRUM CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS 2025

 

      HOTEL RESIDENCY TOWERS TRIVANDRUM CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS 2025

                                                                     WE TOO

                                                                             

                                                                     

  

                                                                                 

  

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE 2025

 

                                                  Our Christmas Tree 2025

                                                              

                                                                  Today is 23rd Dec

Yesterday Laji had asked Evana how much time she needed to draw a picture of the tree

She said two minutes

This evening 23rd she came and asked me the spelling of Appicha. 

I spelt it out.

I had been observing her doing some drawing sitting there at the dining table.

After a while she came, wished Laji, happy Christmas and handed over a folded paper.

Then she asked Laji to take her and Elvin to the courtyard and play with them. Laji responded.

As I sat in the sitting room, I took a look at the folded paper Evana had gifted Laji.

Here is it.

                                                                                                            

                                                                             

                                                                                     

 

MAGIC ON A TISSUE PAPER// EVANA SEVEN YEARS// AT AL SAJ ARENA// DRAWS PICTURE ON A TISSUE PAPER

 

Evana drew this picture on a tissue paper with a dot pen.

We are at  Al Saj Arena, Kulathoor, Trivandrum. waiting for an engagement function to begin.

She said she wanted to draw something as she had nothing else to do.

There is a bunch of flowers  next to the adjacent table. She kept on looking at it for sometime. Then she started her work. Point to point I could see her going to the flower bunch, then coming back and carrying on.

We were stunned when we saw the finished drawing

20th December 2025

                                                                     

                       This was the bunch of flowers that launched Evana into a frenetic pace,  
                       surprising us with the stunning masterpiece.

GOD AND MAN// THE EQUATION

 

I posted my views to friend who holds a position of authority. I was happy he was negotiating the tough call with elan.

Lila, my finest  critic, asks me why it is, I am onto what everyone is aware of and what everyone hears each day without any respite.

There is only a single response. 

People tend to forget and ignore.

This is just a reminder.                                               ..............................................................

God doesn't come down and do things He intends to do, Himself.

He puts people where He wants them to be and He wants them to accomplish His plans, His desires.

And He acts heavily when they stray.

Man in his foolishness thinks he is the maker. He can never be. 

Creator is beyond everyone. No one can take the creator for granted.

He grants man limited time on earth. 

Fulfilling God's call is man's call. 

Where man errs is, when he fulfills his own call, he thinks he is fulfilling God's call. 

When one has money and power, no one thinks what he has, is God given. 

What God gives, He has the right and power to take away as well. 

Please pray and fulfil what God commands.

WATER

 

We stay at Anayara, near Pettah, Trivandrum.

It's a place in the heart of the capital city of Kerala.

We have been going on  without piped water for the past three days. 

Life has been difficult without water. We do not even know how we are surviving.

In between, the Kerala Water Authority has been hard at work to restore the supply of water.

They dig deep trenches. Traffic is blocked merrily on all the roads. If you wish to trek it out, you have to be proficient in the triple jump.

Though we have been surviving magically without water for three days, the day's (18.12.2025)  newspaper (Times of India) reports that it has been five days since  people in Anayara have found their taps dry.

Our Resident's Association has now swung into action.

They have announced that a tanker truck with water is stationed on the road here and the residents could collect water from the truck in vessels. Naturally, you would have to walk all the way to the truck and carry the heavy weight home. Yes, you need to be adept in weightlifting as well as in carrying heavy weights over long distances.

It is obvious you have no other option 

It aroused  a sense of humour that made me post the following message to the authorities of the association.

"Best. 

In the 21st century, on  the completion of a quarter of a century, here we are, queuing up with vessels for the elixir of life, precious water, for the sustenance of ourselves and our families.

We maintain we are a developed nation.

But, here, we are forced to do, what people all over India had been doing from time immemorial - go in search of water covering miles and miles.

It is apparent that after a while we may eventually have water wars because human kind cannot survive without water.

Happy our socialistic or capitalistic outlook has brought everyone on a single platform.

We are all one. 

We will remain one

United by the elixir of life - water."

SCAFFOLDING

 

Adam Grant on 'Scaffolding'

In construction, scaffolding is a temporary structure that enables work crews to scale heights beyond their reach. Once the construction is complete, the support is removed. From that point forward, the building stands on its own.

In learning, scaffolding serves a similar purpose. A teacher or coach offers initial instruction and then removes the support. The goal is to shift the responsibility to you so that you can develop your own independent approach to learning. 

For this, the coach sets up temporary structures to give his team the opportunity and motivation to learn.

These structures act as the first bit of scaffolding  for the members of the team.

There had been a gentleman carrying this out with his siblings as they grew up without ever  knowing the term scaffolding  and the implication. He had done it with his juniors where he had been employed. He had done it with his  wife and his children as well.

He used to stretch his palm and tell them that he was supporting them, letting them stand on his palm. He would tell them, he would take off his palm when he saw or felt they were good enough to stand on their own.

He knew, this was  how you develop the second line, the next one who would succeed you. To him, this was how you bring out the best in everyone around.

The gentleman referred to is no psychologist which Adam Grant is, that too, without parallel.

However, the gentleman affirmed, as he read through Adam Grant on 'scaffolding'  he could see  this was what he had been unknowingly carrying on all through his life.

For him, Adam Grant was a revelation.

Professor Dr. Origan Vasanth Jathanna

 

Adam Grant writes in 'Hidden Potential'

"The true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you have reached, but how far you have climbed to reach there.

When we admire the great achievers, we focus narrowly on their performance. It leads us to elevate the ones who have accomplished the most and overlook those who have achieved the most with the least."

It was forwarded to Rev. Dr. Santy. S. Paul who teaches at the KUT Seminary, Kannammoola, Trivandrum.

He responded:

"It makes me think of my professor Dr. Origan Vasanth Jathanna, who is still an amazing personality in my theological journey, who  had secured a PhD from the University of Basil, Switzerland, taught at UTC for more than three decades and was the Principal for a term of seven years and after stepping down taught as an ordinary teacher for a couple of years under his colleague. Even as being an exemplary critical - creative mind who has instilled the spirit of theological enquiry in the minds of hundreds of students (may be a few thousands) he hasn't published widely despite his doctoral dissertation and a few  academic journals. Recently he wrote a letter to one of his students who was designated to be the principal of a theological College. It was 14 pages much richer than a theological document.

He has allowed his student to publish his letters posthumously, but not now.

That is the person."

"Adam Grant takes us to the mode of evaluation in which the process is much more significant rather than  the end.

This is indeed a challenge to the marauding philosophy:"End justifies means."

Thanks for sharing 

The response was succinct:

"A wonderful discourse. Brought out the best in you. You are certainly an enigma.

And Prof Jathanna. When brilliance and humility combine, we have him before us. 

He is miles ahead of us all."

CHRISTMAS 2025 AT KUTSEMINARY

                                                                             

               

       

                                                                             

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                              

                                                                           

                       

                                                                                     

ST. THOMAS SCHOOL IN TRIVANDRUM

 

This was a  post to the Secretary. St. Thomas Educational Society, Trivandrum

My sister Leela's daughter in law, Simi,  is in Australia.

What I gather from Leela is Simi works with children at the KG level. Leela tells me, in Australia, they are very much concerned at the development of children from the very young age. Leela adds, the job pays much better than other positions in Australia.

Right now I am reading 'Hidden Potential' by Adam Grant. He's a well known author.

He writes:

The success that students achieve as adults could be predicted simply by looking at who taught their Kindergarten Class. A study  by Raj Chetty, one of the World's most influential economists revealed that by age 25, students who happened to have had more experienced kindergarten teachers were earning significantly more money than their peers.

To the question why, the intuitive answer is that effective teachers help students develop cognitive skills. Early education builds a solid foundation for understanding numbers and words. Sure enough, students with more experienced teachers scored higher on maths and reading skills at the end of kindergarten.

Forwarding because:

1. You are heading St.Thomas

2. Anoop tells me he regrets he couldn't be in St.Thomas

3. Looking at a recent performance of Leann, at the Pattoor Church and certainly of the students at the STRS annual School day, I can understand what Anoop missed.

4. Not that Christ Nagar was bad, but it didn't give him what St.Thomas has been giving over the years

5. Once when Anoop completed SSLC, we wanted to put him at St.Thomas for the 11th. Lila had a relative teaching there. We met him with Anoop. He asked Anoop, "What's your name?"

6. There was a scared expression on his face, on the enquiry in English, before he answered. 

7. Years later, I was at the Foreign Exchange seat at SBI Tvm. One day, an engineer at the state govt. visited the office. He wanted traveller's cheque for his son who was proceeding to US for higher studies after CET.

8. I responded it could be done. The next day he returned with his handsome son.

9. I asked the young man what his name was.

10. The response was similar to Anoop's a few years back

11. Though I guessed correctly, I asked him where he did his schooling. Christ Nagar was the answer

12. No wonder I thought.

13. Those days every beam in the school exhorted,"Speak English."

14. My consternation was most of the students didnot know how to speak in English, let alone good English

15. It's why St.Thomas is way ahead.

16. I can understand very well why, when Anoop mentions what he lost, by not being at St.Thomas.

17. Yes, to me St.Thomas is much more than a mere school, that churns out good results.

18. St.Thomas influences the wholesome development of the child entrusted to its care.

MANDATORY

 

We are regular Church goers.

The frequent invocation of the word MANDATORY at the Church, we felt was a little too much.

I wrote to the people who mattered.

"Of late, we hear the word MANDATORY from the altar and from church announcements in the WhatsApp 

To be honest my knowledge in the language English is very limited. I had my education in Malayalam  medium in the school.

All the same I detest the word MANDATORY. To me it lacks civility. 

I checked the web.

I found few alternatives.

INDISPENSABLE 

ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL

COMPULSORY

NECESSARY 

PREREQUISITE 

There could be many more

To me MANDATORY is autocratic. Authoritative. Final. Holding it back for a final assault, that would never be required, is a better option.

To me people are sensible. They understand. 

Please go mild. Please be suggestive. 

They'd positively respond.

Force them. 

They'd ignore the exhortation.

Forgive me for writing on the word."

RARE MOMENTS WITH THE GREAT// WHEN THE PRESIDENT SENATE OF SERAMPORE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY VISITED US ON 11TH DECEMBER 2025 AT OUR HOME

                                                 REV.PROF.DR.C.I.DAVID JOY

                                           RARE MOMENTS WITH THE GREAT 

           WHEN THE PRESIDENT SENATE OF SERAMPORE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY VISITED US 

                                ON 11TH DECEMBER 2025 AT OUR HOME      

                                            A BLESSING AND A MOMENT 

                                                 FROZEN IN HISTORY

                                                                 TO. 

                                                 CHERISH FOREVER

                                             REV.PROF.DR.C.I.DAVID JOY

                                          IS CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL

                             THE KERALA UNITED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

                                                  KANNAMMOOLA

                                         THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

AND HE WAS GRACIOUS TO SPARE MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR OF HIS PRECIOUS TIME 

                                                     AND BE WITH US

            WE WERE  INDEED BLESSED BY HIS PRESENCE AND HIS PRAYERS

                                                   WE PRAISE GOD

                                  FOR WHAT GOD HAS MADE HIM

                                     AN ASSET TO CHRISTIANITY

 

                                          THE WORLD OVER

FELICITATION ON 1.12.2025 REV.PROF.DR C I DAVID JOY NEW PRESIDENT OF SERAMPORE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

                                                                             

                                                                

        

                                                                                   

 

                                                                                 

                                                                               

EVANA //BUTTERFLY

 

                                                                        

                                                             

DUTY

 

Duty is a harsh and unforgiving master.

 And you have a duty to yourself also

Men of Men

Wilbur Smith

DADDY IS A MAN OF GOD

 

"We don't have a horse," Victoria explained, "Daddy is a man of God, and men of God are too poor to have horses."

Men of Men

Wilbur Smith

INTRODUCTION OF A NEW AUTHOR

 

INTRODUCTION OF A NEW AUTHOR

18TH AUGUST 2025

1. Rev. Dr. Santy. S. Paul, Member of the Faculty, KUT Seminary, Kannammoola.

The KUT Seminary Treasurer, Mr. Abraham Jacob, has been instrumental in the orderly maintenance of the finances of the Seminary for the past nine years. We are proud to present him as an author today. His recent work, A WALK THROUGH THE RAIN, is going to be released, a few moments from now. We welcome you sir, along with your family to this meeting.

2. Rev. Prof. Dr.C.I. David Joy, Principal, KUT Seminary, Kannammoola, Thiruvananthapuram

We are now moving to the book release function.

Mr.Abraham Jacob, Honorary Treasurer of the Seminary has been a faithful servant of the Lord. His honesty, integrity and dedication are well known. As you celebrate your 75th birthday,we wish and pray, may God continue to enable you to inspire others. He has a magical pen with a sharp and focussed vocabulary in the English language. His writings are critical, reflective and challenging. When we decided to give you a gift, I thought this is the most fitting gift any community can offer you , Sir.

Rev.Dr. Santy. S. Paul was good enough to take up the responsibility and had edited the work to perfection.

Dear Sir, here is our gift to you as you celebrate your 75th Birthday. Now I request you to come forward and introduce the book.

Then Rt.Rev.Timothy Ravinder, Bishop, CSI Diocese of Coimbatore, will release the book and speak a few words.

3.Rt.Rev.Timothy Ravinder, Bishop, CSI Diocese of Coimbatore

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I publish the book

 A WALK THROUGH THE RAIN

I congratulate Mr. Abraham Jacob, the Treasurer for the wonderful book. I am yet to read it. But I have seen that you are a fluent writer while scanning the contents.  Next time we meet I will definitely be able to speak something about it. Writing is an art. Writing is something splendid. Putting your ideas down by writing it helps you and everyone else a lot. Those who do that know it is a mission true and never a mission untrue.

 

TO BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL

 

To be highly successful, you have to maintain that degree of expertise, 

where instinct and instantaneous reaction 

supersedes conscious thought and reasoned action.

When you train like this and attain an extra sensory perfection, 

the advantage swings in your favour.

ON A GOOD, SUCCESSFUL WRITER

 

On a good, successful writer

"How do you think of those things?" he is asked with awe.

"He doesn't think of them. It just comes to him. It is called inspiration," quipped another. 

More comments

1."He combines superb use of language and a sure literary touch with the readability of a popular best seller."

2."Who says good literature has to be dull. The writer's talent burns like a white flame."

3."He takes you by the throat, slams you against the wall, throws you on the floor and kicks you in the guts. He leaves you as shaken and weak as if you had been in a car smash."

VENGEANCE AND HATRED

 

Vengeance and hatred are barren things.

Violence is the pleasure of fools and only the last resort of wise men.

The only excuse is to protect what is rightfully yours. 

Any other display is abuse.

SKIPPING ROPE ON THE TABLE

Yester day I watched our 20 month grandson trying to take hold of the skipping rope on the table. There were two of them. When he took one, the other fell down. What surprised me was, holding the one he held, he was trying hard to put he fallen one back on the table. He did not succed. But the act reminded me of what I was from early childhood and onwards.

Yes, I try to keep an order in my acts

My job too had been an integral part there, in keeping up with this kind of perseverence.
If I had something to do, I had endeared to finish that before I left the office that day. The underlying theme is, today is mine, tomorrow is not

Habits die hard.

I felt the legacy is passed on. Carried down

A bit of philosophy not valid today.

Recently, Lila's Passport had to be renewed. Application had to be online. It was unfamiliar territory for me. Late into night I sat learning it and doing it. Lila came up to keep me company. At last I suceeded in uploading it.

She asked me how I was doing it.

I quietly replied, it was in my being. The bank job had refined it. The principle under which I had functioned was, if there was a job to do, it had to be done the very  same day itself. 

Putting it aside for the next day would only pile up the backlog.

I would never advocate that others should follow me. It is tough.

But once you finish you are not overjoyed. You wait for the next challenge, that would certainly land on your lap without delay.

You go on.

Have a nice day. 

Enjoy and savour life as it unfolds, reveals before you

THE STEEL HOLDER AND THE HEALTH FAUCET

 

Occasionally I make use of the restroom attached to the major hall.

I had observed on the floor, a shining material of two inches close to the wall. I had perceived it could be the drainage point.

Then, one day I observed the health faucet down on the floor. I wondered why it was not on the holder. I looked for the holder. It was not on the wall. 

Now it clicked. The faucet was down because the holder wasn't in place.

There arose the problem. You needed a plumber to fix it.

To get it done, paying Rs.1200.00 was absolutely inconceivable.

I felt I must bring it to the notice of the Premises Department. But it slipped me as I had been immersed on a host of demands on the job. I must admit it was a cardinal neglect on my part.

But the steel holder on the floor and the faucet had been constantly in my mind.

On 1st December 2025, I reached the office much earlier. As I was parking my vehicle I saw Babu and Ravi, our man Fridays,  passing by. They were proceeding to the venue for a final scrutiny. There had to be no glitches at the function scheduled for 12.30pm.

I appraised them of the steel holder on the floor in the bathroom. I said, all it needed was a screw and a drill. 

I mentioned it was an emergency as the meeting of the apex body was set to begin at 10.30am. I further added that since we were going to have several visitors including dignitaries for the meeting, the sighting of poor maintenance would be a blot on the efficiency of  the organisation.

They had just one response. It would be done.

True to their word, I heard the drill whirring, while I was in my cabin busy with the last minute preparations.

Later I could see the holder and the health faucet were in place.

They didn't come to me with a fancy bill either.

To me, there is a matter that I believe, would be in anyone's mind. 

There is a housekeeper who is tasked with proper maintenance of the  restrooms along with other duties.

If the person had brought it to the notice of the superiors earlier, the holder and the health faucet wouldn't have remained on the floor for long.

Though we cannot expect proactivity from everyone - they are all proactive in so far as their own affairs are concerned - the organisation would present a pathetic figure in front of others, when people who should, choose to turn a blind eye towards such minor, yet major, impairments.

EXCERPTS FROM A DAY IN THE OFFICE

 

An interesting report

Excerpts from a day in the office

Yesterday Vanaja was absent.  In fact she had told me on Monday she would be on leave on Tuesday.

I had responded OK, but told her there was no leave available to her credit.

Tuesday, as I was doing something, Alexander came in. He said as Vanaja was not there, there was no one to provide tea to the staff who were waiting for it. He asked where John was. I replied he must be somewhere around. To be frank I didn't know where John was.

Alexander told me the staff would have to be advised there would be no tea today. 

I enquired who would do that and should I do it.

Alexander was gracious enough to tell me, "You don't have to do that. I would do it."

Matter ended.

THE BEST IN THE WORLD

 

The greats always show the world why they are who they are. Their hunger and passion remain forever. They reveal again and again, their performance is far ahead of others.

They'd for ever be young at heart, fresh and would be eager to do what they like most. They are mentally strong. They visualise well and bring out their best at all times.

That's what the best in the world do.

 They back themselves