The flight to 2012.. Are you on it?

This year hasn't been the best of years for most of us. For some, it might have been an emotional drain out and for some, failing to achieve the goals set for the year must have been the reason. However, there must be a few of you who are all smiles because this year has brought you only success or in other words, anything that you touched turned into gold. For me, this year has been much like the Chennai roads. When newly laid, I gave myself a shining look and everyone a smooth ride. But with the rains, I had my own pot-holes and gave others a bumpy ride too. 

So, in 2012, I have decided not to stay on the ground but give myself a push and fly high. (Ah! The philosopher in me is winning here.) In this flight, I will not be the pilot, but a simple passenger. One of the mistakes that I did in 2011 was to try and take the place of the pilot when there was a storm because somehow in haste, the skeptical me told me that my Pilot will not be able to give me a safe landing and ergo, I decided to take the matter in my hands. But the ignorant me never realized that head-knowledge wasn't going to take me anywhere. I neither knew how to fly nor did I know my destination. But being the gracious God that He is, He took over each time to give me a safe landing. I realized that in every bumpy ride, I not only gave myself an unpleasant journey but also my Pilot, who sat patiently beside me to take over from me when  He knew I wouldn't be able to handle any more.

Did you do that?(To every hand that is raised, thank you. I am not alone. You are not alone either!) 

Have you listened keenly to the announcements made on the aircraft before take-off?

"Welcome aboard flight ABC with service to XYZ. My name is QWERTY and I'll be the purser for your flight today..... Ladies and Gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign. Please take your seat and fasten your seat belt....." and it continues.

When you traveled for the first time, that announcement would have meant the world to you. You would have followed the instructions syllable to syllable. However, once you become a frequent flyer, you tend to give a damn to those announcements. You put on your headphones and go into your own world. 

This is exactly what we are doing with our lives too. Most of you reading this have lived nearly two decades of your lives already. You and I have become these frequent flyers who have seen nearly twenty January 1sts. Our head tells us that now, we are the experienced lot, the pros who can take on the world. We have great ranks, great jobs, great families and great friends. You name it and we have it. Yet, when there is a storm, we all panic. Whether you are a novice or an experienced campaigner, you tend to panic. The only difference being the novice follow the Captain's instructions while we try to do things on our own. 

Remember when you first accepted God into your life? Didn't you give Him the first place? What happened now? The Captain has promised a safe landing. If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Determine to take every issue you face to the Lord and trust Him for an answer.

If your 2011 hasn't been great, don't worry. It is not just you who has done that bad. Sachin is yet to score his 100th ton, Federer hasn't won a single Grand Slam this year, Anna Hazare hasn't yet succeeded in getting the Lokpal passed and my cgpa touched an all-time low this year (Nobody ask my cgpa now and deviate!).

Decide to move FORWARD, put the PAST TO BED, decide to TURN THE PAGE. 

This year, resolve to listen to your Captain as He says,

"I know the thoughts that I think toward you,.. to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11,12)

This is my anthem for 2012 :

"I know who holds the future

And I know he holds my hand;

With God, things just don't happen

Everything by Him is planned.

So as I face tomorrow with its

problems large and small,

I'll trust the God of miracles.

And give to Him my all."

- Jon Ritchie

I am going to have a great 2012 and so are you because I know, 

"In Your Book, they all are written, the days fashioned for me."(Psalm 139:16)

My 2011 made me see great blessings and taught me great lessons. I am grateful to God for that. However, my 2012 can be better if I decide to find ways to repair those pot holes that found their way into my life. This post is more of a self-reminder. 

So, there you go. Fasten your seat belts and... Oops, looks like there is an announcement on your flight. Tune in..

"Welcome aboard flight 2012 with service to righteousness, peace and joy. My name is Jesus and I'll be the purser for your flight this year."

Bon Voyage! Have a memorable 2012.

Look who is knocking on your door this Christmas

Santa? Maybe not! But there is someone else who is sure to knock on your doors.

I will be a fool if I expect you to be sitting in front of your computers, reading my blog on a festive day. Nevertheless, I couldn't help posting this and so I have tried to keep it real short.

Just watch the video and if you can spare 2 more minutes, read the rest. But watch the video. Period.

Did you just see yourself in the video? Christmas gifts, crafts, family fun, holidays and secret Santa make up the definition of Christmas for most of us. We often forget that the "birthday boy" is never given due importance.

Remember how the inn-keeper declined Mary & Joseph a place on the first Christmas night? Maybe, we are doing the same too. Even on that night, Jesus was denied a place in the guest room.(Luke 2:7). Today, we are denying him a place in our hearts.

On my birthday, I don't give gifts. I receive them. On your birthday, you do the same. Maybe, that's why the first Christmas night was unparalleled. On that silent night when Jesus was born, something unique happened. He gave Himself as a gift on His birthday but some of us have missed the cue.

To never unwrap a priceless gift that you bought me would be dumb. God gave the first Christmas gift to you. Have you accepted Jesus?

Today, again He wants to present Himself to you. Jesus said that He stands at our doors and knocks. If we respond to the call and open the door, He will come and dine with us. (Rev 3:20)

He is waiting with gifts of peace and joy as a mighty God and an everlasting Father. Invite Him to your family dinner this season. 

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Hearing a knock? Open up and have a memorable Christmas! Feliz Navidad! 

O Christmas tree!

We were decorating our Christmas tree at home, struggling to get the color combinations right. We managed to put on a good looking one and finally hung a "XMAS 2011" cut-out. A guest had dropped in that evening and he asked us why was Christmas also called Xmas? I didn't know. That evening as I was reading an article, I came across a line that said, 

"In God's eyes, why you do something is more important than what you do." 

Point taken. I even posted that line on facebook and twitter for the impact that it had on me. I immediately sat down to take note of why the Christmas tree was being set up and what it symbolized. Here's what I found out :

Why is Christmas called XMAS?

Jesus Christ in Greek is ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ. The first alphabet of Christ is X(in Greek). Hence, the name!

And now, to the tree..

The wood represents the cross upon which Jesus died for our sins so that we can have an everlasting life with Him and this "everlasting life" is symbolized by the color green.

The stars that are hung outside houses or used as a tree topper symbolize the Star of Bethlehem that guided the wise men to the Savior(Matthew 2:9,10).

The angels represent the choir of angels that heralded the birth of Jesus that led the shepherds to the manger to worship their Savior(Luke 2:8-12)

The lights/candles symbolize the birth of Jesus into this world. In John 8:12, Jesus said that He is the light of the world. He stepped down into our dark lives, opened our eyes and let us see. And I love what Eva K. Logue said about the candle :

 "A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, but softly gives itself away; while quite unselfish, it grows small."

It perfectly represents what Jesus did for you and me on the Cross. He never complained. He quietly humbled Himself and gave up His life for you and me to have an eternal life.

The candy canes represent the crook with which a shepherd guides his flock, defends and saves. Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and we are the sheep.(John 10:11,14) The question we need to ask ourselves is,"Are we in His flock or are we scattered and led astray?" For He guides, defends and saves us when we belong to His flock.

Finally, the most important gifts under the tree(:P). Christmas gave us the gift of Jesus. As a symbol of gratitude for all He has done, people exchange gifts. But let us remember that

 "The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but in His presence."

So, there you go. This is what I managed to find out. But remember that the gifts and the decorations do not define Christmas. Jesus is the reason for this season.

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." - Dr. Seuss

Have a Christ-centered Christmas season!

And next time you do something, ensure that you know why you are doing it.

Here's a pic of the Christmas tree that we set up in our home..

-Signing off still in awe of how my God uses every occasion to teach me something new!