Salome's Scribblin' book

Yeh! We are going on a Road Trip- our very first one. Sounds exciting! When do we start? What should we take along- food, water. Check the tyres, fill petrol from the trusted petrol bunk, carry required documents. How long do we drive at a stretch? Take advice from the experienced. A lot was running in the mind. It was the 2nd of May, a Tuesday I remember when the alarm went off at 4:00 am. Wake up, Wake up! Radhika's wedding day it was. She was a colleague of mine and a friend. Radhika was getting married to Stephen in Gulbarga, Karnataka around 200 kms from Hyderabad. I quickly took a shower and began getting ready for the wedding- picked up the easy-to-wear saree from my wardrobe cause I usually take at least half an hour to drape one, the jewellery: ear-ring, bangles those which went along with the saree, footwear. We were going to attend a Pentecostal wedding for the first time and were curious how it would be. Our target was to get going by 5:30 am but somehow it got del...

Your Presence, O Lord  is where I run to... When my heart is with grief overwhelmed And eyes with pool of tears filled It's in Your Presence I pour myself out. When no hope seems to be around And darkness doth me surround It's in Your Presence I find assurance. When on my way I'm lost And where to head to I doubt It's Your Presence that leads me. When I am weak and tired And just want to relinquish It's Your Presence that strengthens me.

Seated on the couch at home one evening, I was reminded of Hannah...the one from the Bible, the mother of Samuel. I made up my mind to read the first few chapters of 1 Samuel which tell her story. The life of this wonderful woman taught me a few lessons which I hope to pen down in the next few lines. Hannah had her share of joys and sorrows. Elkanah had two wives- Hannah and Peninah. Elkanah, bestowed much love for his wife Hannah and that could have brought her happiness. [1 Samuel 1:5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb . On the other hand, Peninah provoked her since she did not have a child. Peninah's provocation and mockery deeply pained Hannah to the point of weeping. 1 Samuel 1:7 tells us ... her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat . Peninah was indeed harsh with Hannah. Little did she know Hannah would bring forth Samuel, a prophet of the Most High God. Elkanah, the loving husband expressed ...

I've loved nature ever since I was a child. Amidst a busy schedule, a walk by those green trees or shrubs just refreshes one's mind. No wonder great poets wrote about trees, rivers, yellow daffodils and the majestic mountains. Having a garden of my own makes me happy. My little garden consists of Croutons, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Holy Basil(..wait it's the English word for tulasi!), Aloe Vera, Mint and Fenugreek . Every morning I go to the balcony to check on how my beauties are doing. When there's bud or a flower ready to bloom, it gladdens my heart. Watching the shoot pop up from the wet earth after having sown the seeds brings so much joy. Be it watering those plants or using the kitchen waste to prepare compost, I put my heart into each of these tasks and do it with a lot of interest. When I recently read about the parable Jesus narrated in which God, the Father, is portrayed as the gardener and we are like trees in a vineyard/garden, I could relate to it :-)...